Posted on by Staff Report

BUY TICKETS: See the Daytona 500 live!

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — International Speedway Corporation (ISC), owner/operator of 13 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities, today announced its partnership with ISM, a pioneer and leader in sports venue digital activation, to form ISM Vision Powered by BoldVu®, the World’s Largest 360-degree Digital Engagement Venue Network. The new technology will debut during Speedweeks, beginning Feb. 18 and running through the 59th DAYTONA 500 on Feb. 26, at Daytona International Speedway. In addition, ISM Vision Powered by BoldVu® will be employed at all ISC facilities beginning in 2017.

"I look forward to working with ISC to revolutionize fan engagement at large sporting venues," said ISM CEO Nelson Martinez. "ISC’s long and distinguished history in motorsports, its power as a brand and distinctive collection of key sports venues, is the ideal partner for ISM’s far-reaching and ambitious rethinking of how to better engage with and improve the fan experience."


ISC’s trackside network of modular, large-format digital video boards will become ISM Vision Powered by BoldVu®. Displaying thrilling racing action, driver interviews and promotional content, ISM Vision Powered by BoldVu® will also be fully integrated with each track’s and Motor Racing Network’s (MRN) mobile app allowing fans to utilize way-finding technologies, and realize real-time traffic and weather alerts and event schedules. The ISM platform allows for a more integrated marketing experience and provides rich onsite activation opportunities. In addition, ISC and its advertisers and partners will benefit from expanded consumer analytics and for the first time, consumer insights on fan behavior, campaign engagement and the overall visitor experience.


"We are very excited about the long-term partnership with ISM to reinvent our digital video boards across the enterprise," said ISC CMO Daryl Wolfe. "Our modular program puts the fans first and ISM has gone above and beyond to create an even more entertaining product which continues to improve the overall fan experience."


Manufacturing Resources International (MRI), the technology leader in outdoor LCD displays, has partnered with ISM to be the cornerstone sponsor of ISM Vision Powered by BoldVu® at all ISC facilities. ISM Vision, Powered by BoldVu®, will include nearly 200 IP-connected digital displays, including each track’s large-format digital screens and dozens of 86-inch BoldVu® displays. Initially temporary, these displays will become permanent by the end of 2017.


"The ISM platform is a fan-focused technology that allows the venue, sponsors, and teams to interact in a way they have never been able to before," said Jeff Hutchins, president of ISM. 


Posted on by Staff Report

BUY TICKETS: See the Daytona 500 live!

FOX Sports announced Monday morning that Shannon Spake will serve as co-host on its "NASCAR Race Hub" news program.


Spake, 40, joined FOX Sports last July and reported from the sidelines of NFL events, plus college football and basketball games. Her expansion into FOX’s NASCAR coverage marks a return to the sport for Spake, who was an established pit reporter during her 10-year tenure with ESPN.


Spake replaces Danielle Trotta, who announced her departure from FOX Sports via a Twitter post just before the network’s announcement. Trotta indicated that she was pursuing new opportunities, saying, "I’m ready to grow and tackle new challenges."


Spake will co-host alongside Adam Alexander on "NASCAR Race Hub," which airs Monday through Thursday at 6 p.m. ET on FS1 during the racing season. The veteran broadcaster has experience in the studio setting, serving as host and reporter for the ESPN2 "NASCAR Now" news show.


Spake also is scheduled to host the "NASCAR RaceDay" preview program ahead of events in the NASCAR XFINITY Series this year. The network said she is expected to continue her sideline reporting role for FOX’s coverage of pro and college sports.

Posted on by Staff Report

BUY TICKETS: See the Daytona 500 live!

How far GMS Racing has come in such a short amount of time can be seen when visiting the Statesville, North Carolina, shop.

“Win banners,” NASCAR XFINITY Series rookie Spencer Gallagher says. “It starts out with myself and Grant (Enfinger) running ARCA cars, and you can trace the lineage all the way down to the very last banner right now which is Johnny (Sauter) and that championship.

“Getting to walk into our shop and look at that lineup and just watch the chronology of GMS come along, it’s an awe-inspiring thing.”

GMS Racing is at the top of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series mountain heading into 2017. Sauter delivered the company its first championship in his first season here. GMS also went to Victory Lane six times in 2016 with four different drivers.

“It really was one of those surreal moments when Johnny crossed the finish line at Homestead, and I sat there and thought to myself, ‘We’ve gone from zero to championship in 36 months,’ ” Gallagher said.

In other words, the organization’s hard work paid off. What started with two trucks and one ARCA car has rapidly expanded to a multi-vehicle operation with entries in two of NASCAR’s national series. Just how did the company go from being just another also-ran to contenders? Gallagher doesn’t hesitate to hand out credit.

“I think it all begins with getting your competition director, Mike Beam, on board,” Gallagher said. “That man is the single best thing we’ve done since we started racing. As my father (team owner Maurice Gallagher) likes to say, you want great people everywhere, but a lot of times organizations are built on three or four really fantastic people in a couple places, and your job is to go find those. You need to find the genius among the geniuses and those are the people you build a team around.”

Beam joined GMS Racing in January 2015 and said the organization just about threw everything away and started over. Maurice Gallagher not only put faith in Beam’s leadership but also followed it with his commitment to making it work financially.

Beam has been nothing but impressed by Maurice Gallagher, calling him a unique man who loves competition, winning and building companies. When he signed on, Beam didn’t have two years to make GMS Racing better off, but he admits the two talked about needing a clear direction in that time frame.

One of the first things Beam wanted to instill in the organization was a sense of consistency in how the shop operated. That meant making sure areas such as the wind tunnel or the aero departments were in line. He worked with getting the crew chiefs and the car chiefs operating in the same way, which translated to having the drivers feel the same thing every week.

“Basically just bring some consistency in the program, and trust me, we’re still working on that,” Beam said. “It’s getting better, but to be where we’re at now, everyone’s come a long way. It’s been a lot of work.”

In 2017, Sauter and crew chief Joe Shear Jr. will defend their title while Justin Haley and Kaz Grala embark on their rookie seasons. Furthermore, Kevin Bellicourt and Jerry Baxter have signed with the organization to crew chief for Haley and Grala, respectively.

While the Truck Series program looks primed for continued success, Spencer Gallagher is moving into the XFINITY Series with Joey Cohen serving as his crew chief. It will be the first time GMS has fielded a full-time XFINITY Series effort, and the organization has set itself up well by purchasing chassis and engines from Hendrick Motorsports.

Beam says GMS will count on JR Motorsports to help them get their XFINITY organization up and running, as well as assist with the wind tunnel program.

“(JR Motorsports’) Ryan Pemberton and his group are doing a great job helping us with that,” Beam said. “The team with them is going to be priceless because those guys have gone above and beyond and they’re racing well. Spencer having, I don’t want to say a teammate, but to have somebody (to lean on) because Elliott Sadler is such a good guy and Justin Allgaier; they’re just really good people.

“I feel like it was best to get aligned with people like that for us to go to the next level.”

Both Gallagher and Beam are eager to see what this year brings, knowing they have just as strong a lineup as 2016. There’s an air of believing “we can do great things” around the shop since they’ve already shown themselves they can, Gallagher says.

Beam is a little more reserved. He preaches every day that one cannot just be involved at GMS Racing but must be committed. There is also the constant reminder that it’s all about winning. Which Beam feels the organization needs to do more of this year because few got away in the past.

However, Beam and Gallagher can both agree GMS Racing is better off now than it was two years ago.

“We’re not going to panic if we don’t get off to a really good start, but I feel like we will,” Beam said. “Everybody’s just got to execute. I feel like our lineup is really good. I feel like everybody seems to work together (well), and I keep telling everybody, this is all about GMS. Everybody works together. And I think everybody’s buying into that.”

Posted on by Staff Report

BUY TICKETS: See the Daytona 500 live!

Erik Jones will embark on a Sunoco Rookie of the Year campaign in the No. 77 Toyota for Furniture Row Racing, starting with the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series‘ biggest race — the Daytona 500 (Feb. 26, 2 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM) at Daytona International Speedway.


The transition means getting acclimated to a new crew, new team principals and a new full-time series. It’s also meant a learning process merely to find the location of Furniture Row’s shop, based in Denver, Colorado.


"No, I didn’t get it on the first time," Jones said with a smile, admitting that he drove right past the organization’s home base on his first trip to the Rockies. "It’s funny. You go out there, there’s no sign, there’s nothing that would say, hey, there’s a race team here. So I went by it a few times before I was able to find it.


"It’s cool. That’s definitely an old-school feel. As competitive as they are, there’s no other race team like that that has that same thing."


If its headquarters harken back to a previous era, Furniture Row Racing‘s performance has been anything but dated. A breakout four-win season for Martin Truex Jr., who led the most laps in the series last year, reinforced the notion that the organization was ripe for expansion to a two-car team.


Enter the new-school Jones, who at age 20 has already accomplished plenty in the NASCAR ladder system under the tutelage of Kyle Busch Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing, the Toyota powerhouse that has a technical alliance with Furniture Row. Jones secured the Camping World Truck Series championship in 2015 and came within a fouled-up restart of vying for the XFINITY Series crown in last year’s finale.


Though Jones’ progress has been deeply linked to Toyota and Joe Gibbs Racing affiliates, he’s meandered through a near-constant shuffle of personnel and teams since his NASCAR national series debut in 2013. That trend continues in 2017. He’ll be getting better acquainted with a new teammate in Truex, who — JGR alliance aside — has flown solo with Furniture Row the last three seasons.


"I think that relationship will grow here as we get closer to the season and we all get back into the racing mode," Jones said at the preseason NASCAR media tour in late January, at which point he said his conversations with Truex had been limited. "I’d love to talk to him about transitioning into the Cup Series more, and obviously he went through the same thing coming up from the XFINITY ranks, so yeah, I’d love to hear from him and I think it’s going to be a great relationship.


"I think Martin will be a great teammate. He’s obviously worked as a teammate before, and I think for Furniture Row, it’s going to be beneficial just to have two cars at the race track."


For now, Jones hopes that navigating his rookie year is less challenging than trusting the GPS in suburban Denver. But that will also mean adapting to a new championship format, his third in the last three seasons.


It may also mean adopting a new approach to his first full year in NASCAR’s big leagues.


"I think last year, really all throughout my career, I’ve been a little bit of an all-or-nothing, checkers-or-wreckers kind of driver," Jones says, "and really the format last year I thought played into my hand, and it did until the time the Chase actually started and I realized you had to be consistent for three races — which we did, and we made it all the way to Homestead and I think it’s definitely different this year. You have to position yourself to get the best possible finish you can in every segment and rack up those bonus points to get to the Chase.


"At the end of the day, the more bonus points you have, the better position you’re in to make it to Homestead."

Posted on by Staff Report

BUY TICKETS: See the Daytona 500 live!

What channel is NASCAR programming on this week? We answer that and provide all the weekly NASCAR television listings here.

 

RELATED: Find NBCSN in your area


All times ET

Monday, Feb. 13
6 p.m., NASCAR America, NBCSN
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1

Tuesday, Feb. 14
5:30 p.m., NASCAR America, NBCSN
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1

Wednesday, Feb. 15
5:30 p.m., NASCAR America, NBCSN
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1

Thursday, Feb. 16
6 p.m., NASCAR America, NBCSN
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1
7 p.m., The Day: Remembering Dale Earnhardt (re-air), FS1
8 p.m., Untold Stories: Daytona (re-air), FS1

Friday, Feb. 17
7:30 a.m., The Day: Daytona Primetime (re-air), FS1
8:30 a.m., Untold Stories: Daytona (re-air), FS1
9:30 a.m., A Perfect Storm: The 1979 Daytona 500 (re-air), FS1
10:30 a.m., 1979 Daytona 500 (re-air), FS1
11 a.m., The Day: Remembering Dale Earnhardt (re-air), FS1
4:30 p.m., 1979 Daytona 500 (re-air), FS1
5 p.m., Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice, FS1
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub Weekend Edition, FS1
6:30 p.m., Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series final practice, FS1

Saturday, Feb. 18
1 a.m., Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice (re-air), FS1
2 a.m., Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series final practice (re-air), FS1
4 a.m., A Perfect Storm: The 1979 Daytona 500 (re-air), FS1
Noon, 1979 Daytona 500 (re-air), FS1
12:30 p.m., Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice, FS1
1:30 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub Weekend Edition, FS1
2:30 p.m., Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice, FS1
3:30 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub Weekend Edition, FS1
5 p.m., Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series final practice (re-air), FS1
6 p.m., NASCAR RaceDay, FS1
8 p.m., Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Advance Auto Parts Clash, FS1 (POSTPONED)

Sunday, Feb. 19
1 a.m., Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series: Advance Auto Parts Clash (re-air), FS1 (POSTPONED)
3 a.m., 1993 Daytona 500 (re-air), FS1
5:30 a.m., 1979 Daytona 500 (re-air), FS1
11 a.m., NASCAR RaceDay, FS1
11:35 a.m., Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Advance Auto Parts Clash, FS1
3 p.m., Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying, FOX

 


 

 

 

Posted on by Staff Report

RELATED: Full coverage of announcement | Official NASCAR press release

Editor’s note: Stage 1 for the Daytona 500 will end on Lap 60, Stage 2 will end on Lap 120 and Stage 3/race conclusion is slated to end on Lap 200.

NASCAR’s race enhancements announced Monday detailed how and why races will be run in stages in 2017. Below are answers to some of the potential questions.

 How many stages are in a race?

Three — Stage 1, Stage 2 and the Final Stage. Stage 1 and Stage 2 will reward drivers who are leading, or in the top 10, at the conclusion of each stage. The Final Stage will determine the race winner.

What is Stage 1?

The green flag begins the race, and therefore Stage 1. Its length is approximately 25-30 percent of the event’s total length — it is different for each race, dependent on track size and race length — with the ending marked via a stage checkered flag (the stage can end under caution, if necessary).

Who benefits most?

Drivers who are running first through 10th at the conclusion of Stage 1 will receive stage bonus points, starting with 10 points for first place, nine points for second place, down to one point for 10th place. Additionally, the driver who finishes Stage 1 first will receive one playoff point to carry into the postseason, should that driver qualify. Those can add up quickly over the course of a season.

 What about Stage 2?

At the conclusion of Stage 1, there is a caution period for drivers to come down pit road (innovative strategies will be crucial under these enhancements.) Stage 2 will then begin with a drop of the green flag for the restart. Its length is approximately 25-30 percent of the event’s total length — it is different for each race, dependent on track size and race length — with the ending marked via a stage checkered flag (the stage can end under caution, if necessary).

What about Stage 2 bonus points?

Same as Stage 1: Drivers who are running first through 10th at the conclusion of Stage 2 will receive stage bonus points, starting with 10 points for first place, nine points for second place, down to one point for 10th place. Additionally, the driver who finishes Stage 2 first will receive one playoff point to carry into the postseason.

What about the final stage?

Following another caution period, which gives fans another natural break in the action, the final stage begins with another green flag drop and restart. Drivers then race for the event win … and the five bonus points that come with it.

How are points distributed?

The final stage produces the race results, so the end of the final stage is the end of the race. Whoever crosses the start/finish line first at the checkered flag is the race winner. Race points are then awarded to the entire field based on finishing order. The winner receives 40 points. Second place receives 35 points, third place receives 34 points, fourth place receives 33 points … down to one point for drivers who finish 36th-40th. The maximum points a driver can earn in a race is 60 (40 for the race win plus 20 points for winning both stages).

There no longer will be a bonus point for leading a lap, or a bonus point for leading the most laps.

And the winner?

The race winner receives five bonus points toward the postseason (this is up from three last year under the new enhancements), plus postseason eligibility. If a driver leads at the end of both Stage 1 and Stage 2, and then wins the race, then he or she would receive seven bonus points to carry into the postseason.

For which series were these enhancements designed?

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, the NASCAR XFINITY Series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will all use this enhanced format.

By rewarding hard racing through the duration of the season, will there be an official regular-season champion?

Yes, there formally will be a regular-season champion. That driver will earn 15 additional playoff points to carry into the postseason.

Any more bonus points for points standings at the end of the regular season?

Yes. In addition to the regular-season champion, drivers who finish in the top 10 of the regular season all receive some measure of playoff points to take into the postseason. Here’s the breakdown:

First place in regular season points earns a driver 15 playoff bonus points in addition to the points earned with race or stage wins; second place earns 10 playoff points; third place, 8; fourth place, 7; fifth place, 6; sixth place, 5; seventh place, 4; eighth place, 3; ninth place, 2; 10th place, 1.

In this enhanced format, when is a race official?
At the conclusion of Stage 2.

How does the postseason work?

Once the postseason begins, points will be reset to 2,000 for the opening round, with each driver’s accrued bonus points tacked onto that total. Four drivers still will be eliminated in each round of the postseason, setting up a final four in Miami for all three national series.

What is the tweak for playoff points?

Playoff points earned for race wins or for leading at the end of Stage 1 or Stage 2 now will carry over round-by-round if a driver continues advancing. It’s not just for the first round any more. Additionally, drivers can build off and add to those bonus points.

So if a driver has 70 playoff points heading into the postseason, and then wins the playoff opener (five-point bonus), he or she would advance to the next round and carry 75 additional points — or more, depending on his or her results over the next two races in the round.

Does winning a race in the postseason still automatically qualify that driver for the next round, regardless of points?

Yes. Winning trumps all.

Will bonus points still carry over to Miami?

No. Miami is the exception. All four drivers competing for the championship will start with the same amount of points. There will be no bonus points for this race for those final four drivers. First to the line wins the title.

Posted on by Staff Report

MORE: Learn more about Hotels for Hope

There’s simply no replacement for experiencing a NASCAR race in person. There’s nothing like watching dozens of big stars in race cars ripping around the speedway, daring to reach the 200-mph mark, that offers the noise, sights, smells and that unmistakable feeling deep in your bones you’re witnessing something larger than life. This is the time to book your flights and hotels to make your NASCAR trip a reality. First stop: Charlotte, North Carolina.

Long revered as the International Gateway to the South and nicknamed the Queen City, you may know Charlotte as the home of NASCAR. Even though the official headquarters are in Daytona Beach, Florida, North Carolina is where most of the stock car teams and drivers are based. With famous names like Dale Earnhardt, Richard Petty, Rick Hendrick and Junior Johnson associated with this town, Charlotte is a sure bet to get your NASCAR fix and enjoy world-famous barbecue, endless craft beer, a lively nightlife and all-around fun for everyone.

For seasoned fans or those just curious to check out their first event, the May 20 Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race, the May 28 Coca-Cola 600, or the Oct 7 Bank of America 500 offer plenty of opportunities to fully immerse yourself in this larger-than-life sport. For the full NASCAR experience, take a couple of extra days to explore the city like a true Charlottean. Here’s our list of Charlotte’s tried and true venues, plus trendy new favorites for your visit to CLT.

UPTOWN
First things first: in Charlotte, downtown is called “Uptown.” The one place that no stock car fan should pass up here is the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Longtime race devotees and first-timers alike are invited to step in and share the rich history and heritage of this sport. You’ll be taken behind the scenes through decades of champion race teams, can test your skills at the pit crew challenge, feel what it’s like to climb up a banked oval track and bask in the glory of NASCAR’s Hall of Honor. And, yes, there are plenty of souvenirs — no excuses not to gear up for race weekend!

You’ll probably be thirsty after drooling over four floors of racing memorabilia, and the Hall of Fame’s Uptown location is convenient to dozens of Charlotte’s best bars and restaurants. Try a Stoke Fashioned cocktail at Stoke at the Charlotte Marriott Center City before trying a made-from-scratch meal burnished in their wood-fired oven. Local beer lovers know to visit The Cellar at Duckworth’s, with its speakeasy vibe, over 300 unique brews and an excellent bourbon selection. See if you can score a tour of the vintage cellar, housing rare and coveted craft beers. If your kids are the ones who’ve worked up an appetite, grab a sandwich in the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s Pit Stop Cafe, or head over to the RedEye Diner at the EpiCentre Mall, 7th Street Public Market, or Amélie’s French Bakery — home to a must-try salted caramel brownie and other treats featured in the first installment of “The Hunger Games.”

Where to stay: Hotels near the NASCAR Hall of Fame, Uptown Charlotte, NC:

These hotels are walking distance from the Hall of Fame and close to Bank of America Stadium, Spectrum Center, the trendy 7th Street Public Market, EpiCentre, several museums, and so much more. The nearby LYNX Blue Line and and CityLYNX Gold Line make it easy to get around town.

Courtyard by Marriott Charlotte City Center | $125/night | 12.4 miles from Charlotte Motor Speedway

aloft Charlotte Uptown at the Epicentre | $150/night | 12.3 miles from Charlotte Motor Speedway

The Westin Charlotte | $129/night | 12.7 miles from Charlotte Motor Speedway

See more race-day Hotels close to the NASCAR Hall of Fame at nascar.com/hotels

CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY

A legendary track in the heart of NASCAR country, this beacon draws thousands of race fans to immerse themselves in the soul of the sport. Charlotte Motor Speedway has plenty of food and drink options on site, like Bojangles’ Famous Chicken and Biscuits — some people swear they’ve dreamt about that Chicken Biscuit Sandwich. As always, you can bring your own food and beverages if you want — just make sure your cooler is the correct size.

Where to stay: Hotels near Charlotte Motor Speedway:
Embassy Suites by Hilton Charlotte-Concord-Golf Resort & Spa | $254/night | 1.1 miles from Charlotte Motor Speedway

Great Wolf Lodge Concord Charlotte | $365/night | 1.8 miles from Charlotte Motor Speedway

Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Charlotte-Concord-I-85 | $229/night | 1.7 miles from Charlotte Motor Speedway

Courtyard Marriott Concord | $209/night | 1.3 miles from Charlotte Motor Speedway

See more race-day Hotels close to Charlotte Motor Speedway at nascar.com/hotels

SOUTH END, LOSO, AIRPORT

Art galleries, breweries, and food trucks come together to blend old industrial Charlotte with a heaping dose of tastemakers’ charm — you’ll find all of that, and more, just 3 miles south of Uptown and 7 miles from the airport. In South End, browse the creative works at local faves Ciel Gallery, Dilworth Artisan Station and the Charlotte Art League. Ready to skip right to the meat? Stop at Mac’s Speed Shop for true Carolina barbecue. A lively mix of bikers, beer drinkers and brisket lovers head to Mac’s for traditional barbecue and sides like mac ‘n’ cheese, baked beans, and cheddar grits, all washed down with local craft brews or southern sweet tea.

Head two miles farther south and you’ll find yourself in one of Charlotte’s hottest “drinking districts:” Lower South End (but you can call it “LoSo” if you want to feel like an insider). First stop? The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery. Their traditional beer hall, classically-made German brews, live music and sprawling outdoor area makes it an easy option for groups and families. Some refer to it as a theme park for adults, but with better food — order yourself a Currywürst, Short Rib Brisket Burger or a soft German pretzel. If you’re on the hunt for even more libations, you’ll want to stop at LoSo’s Sugar Creek Brewing Company, the Broken Spoke, and Good Road Cider Works. Charlotte’s LYNX Blue Line light rail runs through South End and LoSo, making your journey to and from Uptown nearly as quick as a NASCAR pit stop.

Where to stay: Hotels near Charlotte Douglas International Airport:

Homewood Suites by Hilton Charlotte Airport | $110/night | 2.0 miles from CLT

Fairfield Inn & Suites Charlotte Airport | $99/night | 2.1 miles from CLT

Super 8 Charlotte Downtown Area | $70/night | 3.4 miles from CLT

Search for more race-day Hotels near the Charlotte Douglas International Airport/South End/LoSo at nascar.com/hotels

There you have it: your insider’s guide to where to eat, drink and take in Charlotte like a local. This fast-growing city is changing all the time, so explore the area on your own and create new memories, NASCAR style. And, now you have a new tool to help you out. At Raceday Hotels by Hotels for Hope at nascar.com/hotels, you can search by price, location, landmark, and see reviews and photos of hotels close to Charlotte Motor Speedway. See you at the track!

All rates were accurate at time of writing, based on a 5/26-29 stay. Prices subject to change, so book soon.

A DRIVER’S VIEW

Landon Cassill, driver of the No. 34 Ford for Front Row Motorsports, makes his home in Charlotte. Here are his local favorites:

• Reid’s Fine Foods at Selwyn Corners. This local hangout is a grocery store with a restaurant serving seasonally-fresh meals. Landon likes it for the ambiance and the on-site sommelier.

• Amelie’s French Bakery in NODA. Landon says this Parisian-inspired cafe is awesome. His favorite location in NODA, a trendy, cool part of town, and is open 24 hours.

• Living Kitchen in South End. When Landon is on the road, he misses his breakfast routine at this  organic, plant-based restaurant.

Related Gallery: Hotels for Hope: Charlotte’s Insider Guide

Posted on by Staff Report

BUY TICKETS: See the Daytona 500 live!

For Chase Briscoe, stock car racing seemed an unrealistic goal.

Having excelled on dirt, switching to pavement racing was never really the plan. Then he participated – and finished second – in the 2013 PEAK Stock Car Challenge. Soon thereafter, Briscoe made a move to North Carolina, slept on couches, and volunteered at shops while looking for a big break.

Three years later, Briscoe’s a success story.

“I ended up going to one shop, and they let me have a test session, and that’s the team I drove for last year and won the championship with,” Briscoe said of Cunningham Motorsports in the ARCA Racing Series.

However, entering the year, Briscoe had just a handful of asphalt starts under his belt. Which made his unstoppable season hard to ignore. In 20 races, Briscoe earned six wins, six poles, with 14 top-five and 18 top-10 finishes, and 949 laps led.

This year, Briscoe takes the next step with a full-time ride in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. In the Ford Performance driver development program, Briscoe will pilot Brad Keselowski Racing’s No. 29 truck.

“The biggest thing going from dirt to asphalt is the patience when it comes to racing on pavement,” Briscoe said. “Two-hundred miles is a long time, and I’m used to 25 laps. There’s a lot more that can happen and a lot more you can control in longer races.

“There’s many opportunities to throw a race away when you’re going 200 miles, whether it’s on pit road or restarts. So, I think the biggest thing (I’ve learned) is trying to execute an entire race. That’s the one thing I’ve really tried to make myself better at over the past year.”

Briscoe’s quick adaption to pavement is as impressive as his signing with BKR.

During his time volunteering at race shops, Briscoe crossed paths with Brian Keselowski, who encouraged his move south. Brian was also in brother and team owner Brad’s ear about Briscoe.

Briscoe didn’t wait around. When Austin Theriault was hurt driving for BKR in late 2015, Briscoe went and offered his services. Then during his ARCA tear, Briscoe was introduced to Brad. By the time Briscoe won the championship, he was offered the truck deal.

“My goal is going to be just like it was in the ARCA,” Briscoe said. “William Byron set the bar really high as far as rookie wins go. I’d love to beat that and hopefully beat it by a couple. Winning the championship (would) be big, it’s a different format than what I ran with ARCA, but if you can win races, it rewards you. So, win races and hopefully a championship.”

As for sleeping on couches, it wasn’t all bad.

“Christopher Bell was there,” Briscoe said of his friend. “Bell had the spare bedroom with the air mattress, and I was on the couch … It’ll be fun racing with him; it’s nice to have somebody that I know that I can go to who has experience with trucks like he does from last year.”

 

Posted on by Staff Report

BUY TICKETS: See the Daytona 500 live!

Team Penske driver Brad Keselowski and fiancée Paige White were married on Feb. 10 in a ceremony the 2012 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion said would "live on forever."

 

Keselowski tweeted the news and posted a video of the event Saturday evening.

 

 

 

The two dated for years before announcing their engagement in December 2016 — a lavish proposal in which Keselowski dropped to one knee in front of a beautiful horse and carriage, the moment captured by a photographer and shared on Twitter.

 

 

Keselowski, who turns 33 on Sunday, and his wife have one child together, Scarlett, who will turn 2 in May.

 

Congrats to the happy couple!

Posted on by Staff Report

BUY TICKETS: See the Daytona 500 live!

Even though Myatt Snider has been deeply rooted in motorsports since a young age, some may only hear his name for the first time this year.

Snider is part of a star-studded lineup at Kyle Busch Motorsports in the No. 51 Toyota in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. But while his teammates (Christopher Bell, Harrison Burton, Todd Gilliland, Noah Gragson) have become well-known in racing circles, 2017 will be Snider’s first year in a large spotlight.

When asked, Snider describes himself as a “Goofy kid from Charlotte.”

The word nerd also gets tossed about, as Snider mentions his interest in space. Although he’s now taking a break from his education because of an increased racing schedule, Snider had been studying physics. In his spare time, he tries to get to as many concerts as he can to feed his “pretty big infatuation” for rock music.

Make no mistake Snider has always had a passion for racing. Grandfather Gurney Snider was a car owner in the early days of NASCAR; cousin Jay Hedgecock has experience as a chassis builder as well as a late model car owner, and dad Marty Snider has spent many years as a pit reporter, currently with NBC Sports.

As a young child, Snider took in races at Charlotte Motor Speedway and when he was 10, asked his father if he could race. It started with Bandoleros and then Legend cars. Eventually, Snider moved to late models and last year dabbled in the ARCA Racing Series.

Snider has also been well-educated along the way, having worked at Joe Gibbs Racing. A senior in high school, Snider did an internship in the fabrication shop because he wanted to learn what went into full-time racing. From the fabrication shop, Snider took the chance to move around and learn other areas.

“I moved over to the main shop floor where I was building and tearing down (Matt) Kenseth’s cars, and in general learning about what I could with these cars,” Snider said. “After working on Kenseth’s cars, I went to work in the CNC shop, the engineering department, just kind of worked around the place and learned what I could from everybody.”

Snider will have no problem fitting in with his teammates, having known all of them in some form the last few years. Kyle Busch Motorsports will not lack personality this season.

“It’s really interesting because we’ve got people from all walks of life,” Snider said. “(Team owner) Kyle (Busch) is definitely the most interesting one to work with because he’s the most experienced out of all of us, and he’s an expert on the sport. Running with him and being a teammate, and one of his drivers is such a great position because he’s such a great resource.

“He knows so much about the sport of racing. So, working with Kyle is probably one of the best assets about being a part of this team. And it’s going to be a great asset to me learning how to be a better driver.”