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RELATED: See the new website

WELCOME, N.C. — In honor of Richard Childress’ upcoming induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, Richard Childress Racing (RCR) has rolled out a digital video series highlighting milestones throughout his illustrious career. Entitled ‘Richard Childress: A Career of Firsts,’ the series features Richard Childress himself recounting significant ‘firsts’ from his long career in motorsports, from the first race car he purchased to the first time he took grandsons Austin and Ty Dillon to drive at a racetrack. RCR has partnered with Chevrolet for the video series.

 

"I was thrilled to work on a project like this with such a longstanding partner as Chevrolet," said Childress. "This video series has been a unique trip down memory lane. I really hope NASCAR fans and RCR employees enjoy the stories as much as I have enjoyed the adventure over the last 48 years."

 

The retrospective video series is featured on RCR’s newly relaunched website, for which they partnered with NASCAR Digital Media (NDM) in the second half of 2016 to develop. The new website will support RCR’s focus on producing and distributing original content and give visitors an improved overall digital experience.

 

"Our digital efforts and original content have become a major focus for RCR and many of our partners over the past few years," said Ben Schlosser, Chief Marketing Officer of RCR. "How better to celebrate Richard’s induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame and launch our new website than to have Richard tell the stories about his ‘firsts’ over his amazing career? The website designed and built by NDM allows RCR to fully showcase this type of engaging content."

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Daytona International Speedway will rekindle one of its fan-favorite traditions next month in partnership with Advance Auto Parts, a leading automotive aftermarket parts provider in North America. The Advance Auto Parts Clash will open the 2017 NASCAR season under the lights on the evening of Feb. 18, featuring an elite field of Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers in a 75-lap sprint.

The annual all-star event was first held in 1979, originally known as the Busch Clash. A number of name changes ensued over the years, but now the once-iconic label is back.

"The Clash was a classic race name, one that truly resonated with our fans," said Daytona International Speedway President Chip Wile. "It evokes the rich history of both NASCAR and our facility. We are honored to have Advance Auto Parts — a company that resonates with our current fans — join us as we bring the name back to our Speedweeks schedule. We’re coming full-circle for this event, honoring our past while also looking to the future."

In addition to the race entitlement, Advance Auto Parts will also serve as the Official Auto Parts Store of DIS.

"Advance Auto Parts is proud partner with Daytona International Speedway to kick off the 2017 NASCAR season," said Advance Auto Parts Marketing and Sponsorships Manager Matt Davis. "Daytona is the birthplace of NASCAR and we couldn’t be more excited to be the official auto parts of Daytona International Speedway and entitlement sponsor of the Advance Auto Parts Clash."

The 75-lap/187.5-mile race will be split into two segments, separated by a mandatory caution period at Lap 25. The race will be broadcast live on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio at 8 p.m. ET.

Recently crowned seven-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson will be part of the field that meets exclusive criteria: 2016 pole winners, former Clash champions, former DAYTONA 500 pole winners who competed full-time in 2016 and Chase drivers from 2016 are eligible.

Tickets for the Advance Auto Parts Clash, the 59th annual DAYTONA 500 and all other Speedweeks events can be purchased online at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP. Fans can stay connected with Daytona International Speedway on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube and Snapchat, and by downloading Daytona International Speedway‘s mobile app, for the latest Speedway news throughout the season.

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RELATED: See the 2016 Darlington retro schemes

DARLINGTON, S.C. (Jan. 18, 2017) — Another historic celebration of the sport is in store for Darlington Raceway in 2017.

The track is pleased to announce "Year 3" of its award-winning throwback campaign for the Bojangles’ Southern 500 race weekend on Sept. 1-3, 2017.

The Official Throwback Weekend of NASCAR will be celebrating the 1985-89 era of the sport in 2017, which like the 1975-84 period it celebrated in 2016, was a time of exceptional growth and exposure for NASCAR.

"The track will be celebrating the 1985-89 time period of the sport during our throwback weekend in 2017,"Darlington Raceway President Kerry Tharp said. “As we enter the third year of our throwback campaign, we’ll be focusing on drivers, personalities and moments that were compelling in that timeframe, such as the emergence of Dale Earnhardt Sr., Bill Elliott winning the first Winston Million, and the growth of the NASCAR XFINITY Series(formerly the Busch Grand National Series). It will be an exciting era for the track and industry to celebrate."

As the sport moved into the late 1980s, NASCAR champions such as Dale Earnhardt, Darrell Waltrip, Bill Elliott and Rusty Wallace, among others, made a tremendous impact on the sport and will be celebrated during the Labor Day weekend festivities. This year is also the 50thanniversary of Richard Petty’s one and only Southern 500 victory (1967).

The honoring of champions from 1985-89 is just one part of the track’s overall strategy to celebrate its history. Darlington Raceway‘s throwback campaign focuses on specific eras plus the historic moments and drivers that made impacts at "The Track Too Tough to Tame."

For the third straight year, Darlington Raceway is also excited to announce it will once again highlight its rich history with a commemorative ticket design for the Bojangles’ Southern 500 linking the past, present and future.

"We’ve enjoyed producing the commemorative tickets for our fans every year of the throwback program,” said Tharp. “It’s important that our fans who attend the Darlington Raceway NASCAR weekend walk away with a special keepsake that recognizes our rich history and honors the stars of our sport."

The retro design will link 1987 Southern 500 champion Dale Earnhardt, who ranks second all-time with nine NASCAR Cup Series wins at Darlington Raceway, as well as 2016 Bojangles’ Southern 500 winner Martin Truex Jr.

These special tickets will be used for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bojangles’ Southern 500. Tickets are expected to be mailed to customers starting in mid-June. There will also be a retro-style ticket for the NASCAR XFINITY Series VFW Sport Clips Help A Hero 200 that will be unveiled at a later date.

Ticket renewals have been mailed so current fans can renew their seats and race day experiences for the 2017 Labor Day weekend. Renewing tickets early guarantees seats at the track’s best prices prior to the opening of all remaining seats to the general public on February 22.

Renewing customers receive many great benefits for being a loyal customer, including the raceway’s best pricing, for Labor Day weekend.

Renewal benefits include:

-The track’s best prices for the Bojangles’ Southern 500

-Convenient five-part payment plan

-Special renewal pricing for Darlington Stripe Zone Hospitality ($30 savings)

-Special renewal pricing for pre-race pit passes ($10 savings)

-Special renewal pricing for all-inclusive driver intros, pre-race concert and pre-race pit road access ($15 savings)

-Special renewal pricing for FanVision rentals ($25 savings)

-Special renewal pricing for Racing Electronics scanner rental ($15 savings)

-Special renewal opportunity to purchase NASCAR XFINITY Series VFW Sport Clips Help A Hero 200 tickets for just $25 each when you renew your Bojangles Southern 500 ticket package ($5-10 savings)

Guests may renew their tickets and campsites by calling 866-459-RACE (7223) or visiting www.DarlingtonRaceway.com/renewals. The renewal deadline is Friday, Feb. 10.

The Tradition Continues on Labor Day weekend as the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bojangles’ Southern 500® is set for Sunday, Sept. 3, 2017. The NASCAR XFINITY Series VFW Sport Clips Help A Hero 200 will race on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2017. You can keep up with all of the latest news from Darlington Raceway at DarlingtonRaceway.com, on Facebook at Facebook.com/DarlingtonRaceway and on Twitter at Twitter.com/TooToughToTame.

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RELATED: Everything to know about Friday’s NASCAR Hall of Fame induction

Rick Hendrick is going into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, and the owner of Hendrick Motorsports might be the one most surprised by his selection.


"It is more than just ‘Hey, this is cool,’" the 67-year-old said recently. "It’s more than that to me. It’s humbling; it’s just very humbling to me that I could even be looked at."


Hendrick will be inducted into the Hall Friday (8 p.m. ET, NBCSN), along with fellow team owners Richard Childress and Raymond Parks and drivers Benny Parsons and Mark Martin.


There hasn’t been much time for reflection, Hendrick said, as he continues to oversee an organization that fields four Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series teams in addition to one of the nation’s most successful automotive sales groups.


"I think when you are in the day-to-day and in a day-to-day race and you are going to the track and you are trying to win races … or you are running for a championship, all that other stuff is kind of back there, but it doesn’t come to the forefront," Hendrick said. "But then when you get to an event like this and you are going into the Hall of Fame with Raymond Parks and Benny and Richard and Mark and all these guys and you look at who is in there and you look at what the sport has meant to you and your family, it is really special and it’s very emotional. 


"You think about those things. It’s humbling. I think the word is humbling because … I never thought I would ever race in NASCAR. I never thought I would ever win a NASCAR race. I never really thought we would win a championship and now to be in the position we are in to win as much and have the success we have had and to be recognized as doing something in the sport to get into the Hall it’s a tremendous honor.”


Parsons and Martin each drove for Hendrick at one time. Childress and his Richard Childress Racing organization were the benchmark when Hendrick arrived on the scene in 1984.

 
RELATED: Racing lifer Childress ready for induction

"Really when I first started I didn’t think anybody would ever beat them," Hendrick said of Childress and his driver, Dale Earnhardt. "I thought they were just, basically, unbeatable."


That changed with Jeff Gordon‘s arrival at HMS in the early ’90s, and for nearly a decade, the two organizations were the best in the NASCAR garage, winning seven championships between themselves from ’93 through ’01.


The Hendrick organization continues to set the pace today, with Jimmie Johnson winning the 2016 championship to become just the third driver to win seven titles. Officially, HMS teams have won 12 championships in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and 245 races. Previous programs in the XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series produced nearly 50 more victories and three additional championships.


It’s almost overwhelming for Hendrick, who built his first car (for drag racing) when he was a teenager with help from his father.


"When you get something like this in life, when someone recognizes you, you think about going to Hillsborough (North Carolina) to watch a race on dirt," he said. "You think about all the sacrifices your Dad made to get you in the cars and your son’s love for the cars, your brother, (engine builder) Randy Dorton, all those guys that aren’t here now that gave it all. 


"It’s super emotional for me because I know how much they loved it, how much they sacrificed for it and this is almost like the culmination."


Sixteen drivers have won at least one race while competing for HMS at the NASCAR Cup level. Johnson, Gordon and Terry Labonte won championships as well.

 
RELATED: Johnson’s seventh title leaves him speechless, but peers say plenty

In spite of all his accomplishments and those of his organization, Hendrick said he still feels a bit awed by his selection.


"I think it feels a lot like the first time I went to New York after I won a championship, the first championship," he said. "You feel … it’s an unbelievable accomplishment when you dreamed about being involved in a sport or just watching the sport and to think that now you are being recognized in the Hall of Fame, it’s a really emotional and a very special feeling."

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RELATED: See the paint scheme

Chip Ganassi Racing announced Wednesday that Credit One Bank will return to the team in 2017 with an expanded role on the No. 42 Chevrolet driven by Kyle Larson.

Credit One will serve as the primary sponsor on CGR entries in eight Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series events, one NASCAR XFINITY Series event and the non-points Advance Auto Parts Clash exhibition at Daytona International Speedway.

Credit One, which began a multiyear partnership last season as the Official Credit Card of NASCAR, joined the Chip Ganassi-owned organization in 2016 with a preseason announcement of a three-race agreement for primary sponsorship of Jamie McMurray‘s No. 1 Chevy. That alliance grew to a five-race deal, with Credit One picking up additional events as the season progressed.

The announcement represents an even larger increase of the Las Vegas-based bank’s support, which primarily shifts to Larson’s team this year. Larson, speaking Jan. 5 during a break in an offseason photo shoot with the new blue-hued car, said he was encouraged by Credit One’s renewal and expanded reach.

"It’s always good to have sponsors committed to the sport and upping their commitment to the sport," Larson said. "I hope they get their full value out of the sponsorship with our race team and are a longtime sponsor of us and the sport. Looking forward to it and excited about 2017 and hoping for some good things."

The Credit One colors will kick off the new year of racing with Larson in the Feb. 18 Clash, an annual preseason invitational that primarily features the previous season’s pole winners. The financial institution returns for a doubleheader weekend at its home track of Las Vegas Motor Speedway, with sponsorship of Larson in the XFINITY Series event and McMurray in the Monster Energy Cup event.

The remaining races for Credit One are all with Larson’s No. 42 effort in the premier series: March 19 at Phoenix, April 9 at Texas, April 23 at Bristol, April 30 at Richmond, July 1 at Daytona, Sept. 3 at Darlington, and Nov. 5 at Texas.


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MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Jan. 18, 2017) – Gaunt Brothers Racing, owned by Triad Racing Technologies president Marty Gaunt, will return to NASCAR competition in 2017. Participating in four restrictor plate races in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, GBR’s select schedule begins with the 59th running of the Daytona 500, when D.J. Kennington will take the wheel of the team’s Toyota Camry.


"With the recent unveiling of the 2018 Toyota Camry, we feel that now is the right time to return to the racetrack," said Gaunt, whose Triad engines powered five championship-winning Toyota drivers and contributed to multiple manufacturer championships at the NASCAR national level.


"We’re going to provide a concentrated effort this season at tracks on which we can immediately adapt and compete."


Gaunt Brothers Racing previously competed in what is now the NASCAR Pinty’s Series in 2011. Prior to purchasing Triad and forming GBR, Gaunt served in leadership roles with Team Penske, Red Horse Racing and Red Bull Racing.


GBR is fielding the Toyota Camry in partnership with longtime Triad client RAB Racing, led by Robby Benton. RAB Racing will partner in supplying cars, shop space and technical support to the GBR effort.


"There are a lot of great things happening with the sport right now and we feel fortunate to continue our relationship with Marty, Triad and Toyota, starting with this attempt at the Daytona 500," said Benton.


"Our aspirations will be no small task, but we know what we need to do to position ourselves to make this a successful effort. We’ll transition over to the Daytona 500 after competing in the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona with our sports car program later this month."


Kennington, hailing from St. Thomas, Ontario, is a two-time NASCAR Pinty’s Series champion and 19-time Pinty’s Series race winner. He has made 56 career starts in NASCAR’s three national divisions, including his Cup Series debut last fall at Phoenix International Raceway.


Kennington’s longtime partner, Castrol (Wakefield Canada) and British Columbia-based Lordco Auto Parts will co-sponsor the Toyota Camry in the season-opening Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 26.


"As the Daytona 500 is called ‘The Great American Race,’ our team will be considered the ‘Great Canadian Invasion,’" joked Kennington. "I’m definitely ready to take this on. I’m excited to be running the first race with Monster Energy as the series sponsor, and I love how the program came together with Castrol, Lordco and the Gaunts."


The remaining events for GBR, for which the driver will be announced at a later date, include Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday, May 7, Daytona on Saturday, July 1 and Talladega on Sunday, Oct. 15.

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RELATED: Stewart at ease in new role at SHR

CONCORD, N.C. — With the start of the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series little more than one month away, Stewart-Haas Racing teams continue to work through the switch to a new manufacturer, Ford officials now have "more bullets" in their chamber and Clint Bowyer can’t wait to make his first official start for SHR.

Those were the key takeaways from Wednesday’s gathering of Ford and SHR folks held at the Ford Performance Technical Center here in Concord, North Carolina.

After years of fielding Chevrolet entries, SHR announced last February that the four-team organization would make the swap to Ford for ’17.

That’s increased the workload somewhat at the team’s Kannapolis, North Carolina, headquarters, but preparing for a new season always keeps teams busy.

"Every offseason, we start the year and don’t feel like we’re ready, don’t feel like we’re quite where we want to be," said co-owner Tony Stewart. "This winter has been a big challenge obviously, but we were prepared for it. …

"The team has done a great job. The great thing is their spirits are high and they’re really excited about the switch to Ford. You can tell there’s a lot of work to be done and a lot going on but … I’m really proud of our guys and how dedicated they’ve been to this process."

Dave Pericak, Global Director of Ford Performance, said the quickness with which SHR has progressed off the track has been impressive.

"The level of collaboration has been fantastic and the speed at which these guys implement and get things done, these guys are racers and there’s no messing around," he said. "When there is something that we all know is the right thing to do, just the speed at which Stewart-Haas gets things done is pretty amazing."

Stewart ended his NASCAR driving career in ’16 with three championships and 49 victories. Bowyer, following a one-year stint at the former HScott Motorsports, will take over Stewart’s familiar No. 14 entry.

Kevin Harvick, the 2014 champion, returns as do Danica Patrick and 2004 champ Kurt Busch.

Not surprisingly, after a season that saw him finish a career-low 27th in points with just three top-10 results, Bowyer admitted he is "champing at the bit."

"Pretty damn hard not to be," Bowyer said when asked if he felt rejuvenated by the opportunity.

"The thing about it, they’re just racers," Bowyer said of the SHR group. "Everybody’s working … just head down, working hard, trying to get better, trying to get faster. They don’t take second as an option. It’s not an option. They go and work hard and figure out how to win these races.

"It doesn’t matter what it takes to do it. You have those resources put in place."

For Ford officials, the addition of SHR "will raise the level for all of us," according to Raj Nair.

Nair, Executive VP for Global Product Development and Chief Technical Officer for Ford Motor Company, said "you can’t argue with the results out of Stewart-Haas."

"So we’re all going to learn a lot just by that association."

Team Penske, Roush Fenway Racing, Wood Brothers Racing, Richard Petty Motorsports and Front Row Motorsports formed the bulk of the Ford armada in ’16. While the Penske teams of Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano have been title contenders since making the move from Dodge to Ford in 2013, no Ford team has won the championship since Busch won the title in 2004. The company’s last manufacturer’s title came more than a decade ago as well, in 2002.

"It’s no secret that (the addition of SHR) brings more bullets to our gun as well," Nair said. "We’ve got more cars that will be running up front and a bigger chance to win. Sometimes in this sport you’re playing the odds a little bit. You can have the fastest car but sometimes stuff happens. So having more faster cars up there is going to increase our chances to make sure the blue oval is in Victory Lane."

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RELATED: SHR, Ford expect fast start | Stewart’s 2016 year in review

CONCORD, N.C. — Tony Stewart remembers standing on the floor of the Stewart-Haas Racing shop in mid-December.

All around him, across the shop floor, were race car chassis. No body, no paint, no decals — Just skeletons of race cars-to-be.

It’s part of a long process for Stewart-Haas Racing, as the team transitions from Chevrolet to Ford for the 2017 NASCAR season.

"This has been a really, really tough offseason for these guys," Stewart said Wednesday at the Ford Performance Center. "…To think how far these guys have come in such a short amount of time, I mean, I’m really proud (of them). Especially the fab shop — Those guys really deserve a big pat on the back because it has been a huge undertaking to get so many cars ready in such a short amount of time.

"And when I say they’re getting them ready, they didn’t throw them together; the same level of quality that they always do. I’m really proud of what they’ve produced so far."

His team isn’t the only one making a huge transition this season; Stewart begins the new year as a freshly retired Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver, having raced his final season in 2016. This marks the first season in 18 years where Stewart won’t be prepping for a season in NASCAR’s premier series.

RELATED: Rock star surprises Stewart in Las Vegas

Does he miss it?

"It will be nice to be at the track and not be sore and not be uncomfortable sitting on the pit box," said Stewart, who battled back from a severe back injury at the start of his final season. "I’ll actually be able to really focus on what’s going on and … move around and listen to each car and what they’re fighting during the day and hopefully being able to have some input that can help."

But "Smoke" fans, never fear: Stewart will still be at the race track. The three-time champion NASCAR driver plans on racing nearly 80 late model, sprint cars and three-quarter midget races this season, along with managing his race team, co-owned with Gene Haas. Stewart expects to attend nearly all the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup races in 2017, where he’ll be able to offer guidance to the teams of Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch, Danica Patrick and Clint Bowyer, the new driver of the No. 14 ride.


RELATED: Top moments in SHR history

Wearing a large smile on Wednesday, Bowyer’s high spirits conveyed his excitement about racing the No. 14 car — and his new team owner.

"To be honest with you, it’s been a breath of fresh air," Bowyer said on having Stewart as his car owner. "I didn’t know what he was like as an owner, I only knew what he was like as a person hanging out and things like that.

"But man, I’m telling you, at the shop at the Christmas party this year — he showed up as Santa Claus, by the way, and the outfit fit him perfect — but Santa Claus interacted and made everyone feel at home. Those are his people and he treated them as his people and it showed me, you could just see how much they embraced that and enjoyed that interaction with him and what it meant to them."

The NASCAR world has known that Bowyer was next in line for the No. 14 crown since the end of Sepember 2015. But that reality seemed to sink in when Bowyer’s name glistened above the door of the new No. 14 Ford today — No more "Smoke."


Tony’s OK with that.

"It’s not that weird, honestly," Stewart said. " … I’m proud to see his name above the door and proud to see what he can do. The part that’s been shocking is going back to my sprint car shop and seeing them put my name on cars this week because they’re decaling our cars for the season. I haven’t been used to that for a couple years now, so I’m excited about both sides of it."

It’s a ground of familiarity for Stewart, whose background is rooted in dirt track racing. But as he hasn’t driven a sprint car in two and a half years, the 45-year-old isn’t sure what to expect of his results on track this season.

Dare he say he’s like a rookie again?

"I know it sounds like I’m a rookie driver, but I kind of feel like one," Stewart said. "(My schedule) depends on how I’m progressing really … I think there’s going to be some races that we are going to announce coming up pretty soon that are races that I’ve been looking forward to going to that I’ve not had a chance to run before. So there’s a bunch of tracks and a bunch of events that I’ve not raced at before that I’m going to finally get to go to."

RELATED: SHR transition among key story lines to watch for in ’17
 
Where the long-term future holds for Stewart the driver is yet to be seen, as he jokes that he’s thrown a curveball in probably every offseason since joining forces with Haas.

But right now, it’s about his team.

"I’m going straight to the shop from here," Stewart said. "I’m excited to see how much is done versus the last time I was there. Everybody says we have a long way to go, but we’ve come a long way. I think I’m going to be very pleasantly surprised when I get there."


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In December we analyzed three drivers who are closing in on 40 wins in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. This week, we’ll look at those close to a lesser milestone, but a milestone all the same — 30 career wins.

 

In premier series history 24 drivers have reached the 30-win plateau, from Richard Petty (200 wins) to fellow Hall of Famer Dale Jarrett (32). Of those 24 drivers, 18 have been eligible for the NASCAR Hall of Fame … and all 18 have been inducted, or in the case of Mark Martin, will be inducted.

 

Jeff Gordon (93 wins) and Tony Stewart (49 wins) aren’t eligible yet, but are widely considered locks to be enshrined as well. The other four drivers above 30 wins in NASCAR history are active and ineligible at this time.

 

Here’s a look at the three current drivers (it was four prior to Carl Edwards‘ announcement last week) with 30 in their sights, as well as a full list of drivers with 30 or more wins in NASCAR’s history.

Kurt Busch

 

Career wins: 28

Rank all time: Tied for 26th

Outlook: This one is tough to call. Busch has been a full-time driver for 16 years, so with 28 wins, that’s an average of 1.75 per season. He needs two. We’re pretty sure he’ll get one — Tony Gibson had the No. 41 humming at a pretty good clip last year — but we are less confident in Busch getting multiple.

Posted on by Staff Report

RELATED: Top NASCAR mustaches


Team Penske driver Joey Logano has certainly enjoyed his offseason — so much that he decided to let it all loose and let the facial hair flow.


Turns out, not everyone was thrilled with Logano’s upper lip addition. Before its apparent demise, plenty of opinions were expressed on popular review site Yelp. 


RIP Loganostache (2016-17).