Posted on by Staff Report

The NASCAR Foundation has joined efforts to support a comprehensive relief campaign for those affected by the recent tragic fires in Sevier County, Tennessee, with a contribution to the Food City Charitable Foundation.


Led by Food City’s President and CEO Steve C. Smith, action was taken quickly to build a response to the tragedy through the Food City Charitable Foundation. Bristol Motor Speedway contributed to the effort with a company-wide fundraising campaign. Through these combined efforts, $750,000 has been raised to date to provide relief for those in need.
 
Food City has designated $500,000 to benefit the Gatlinburg Relief Fund, while the remaining $250,000 is directed to the Dollywood Foundation My People Fund. The Gatlinburg Relief Fund will provide financial assistance directly to the immediate families of each individual who lost their life due to the fires, and to those who are unemployed due to the fire destroying their place of business or employment.


From December 2016 to May 2017, the My People Fund will provide $1,000 each month to every family who lost their primary residence in the November wildfires, according to a Food City press release. Through just four days, 884 families received support payments through the My People Fund.
 
Food City has long had ties with Bristol Motor Speedway and NASCAR through its sponsorship of the track’s spring event, which stretches back 25 years and is the second-longest race entitlement in NASCAR. The company also sponsors the NASCAR XFINITY Series’ August race at Bristol.


RELATED: Learn more about Food City’s partnership with Bristol

Posted on by Team Release

Editor’s note: Photo courtesy of Kyle Busch Motorsports


MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Dec. 23, 2016)- Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) announced today that Myatt Snider will compete in eight NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races in 2017 with primary sponsorship from Southeastern Mills and its Louisiana Hot Sauce brand. Snider will make his KBM debut behind the wheel of the No. 51 Louisiana Hot Sauce Tundra in the Truck Series season opener at Daytona International Speedway Feb. 24.
 
The 22-year-old is also scheduled to compete at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth June 9 and Nov. 3, Kentucky Speedway in Sparta July 6, Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois, Sept. 15, Las Vegas Motor Speedway Sept. 30, Talladega Superspeedway Oct. 14 and Homestead-Miami Speedway Nov. 17.
 
Snider put his name on the national motorsports map in May of 2016 when he led 35 laps en route to victory in his ARCA Racing Series debut at Toledo Speedway. The North Carolina native collected one win, 68 laps led, three top-five and five top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 13.8 across nine ARCA starts this season. He made his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut for AM Racing at Phoenix International Raceway in November where he started 19th and finished on the lead lap in the 17th spot.
 
“We’ve had an opportunity to see Myatt showcase his talent racing in the CARS Tour the last couple of years in Late Model stocks and then he really got off to a hot start on the national level when he won his ARCA debut,” Busch said. “He continued to lead laps and have quality runs in ARCA during his limited schedule, so we feel like he is deserving of the opportunity to now move into one of NASCAR’s top divisions and be capable of producing the same results for KBM and Louisiana Hot Sauce.”
 
“I am so thankful to Kyle, Samantha and everyone at Toyota and TRD for this fantastic opportunity,” Snider said. “The chance to race in a Toyota with KBM equipment is something I’ve worked my whole career to have the opportunity to do. I cannot wait to learn from Kyle and my teammates. I want to soak up every bit of information I can. You can’t do better than KBM in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and to have Louisiana Hot Sauce on our truck only makes it better. I’ve been blessed with great equipment and people in my career. I’m so thankful to keep that going in 2017.  I’m really excited about the races we are running. We will be racing at mile-and-a-half tracks or bigger. That will provide some great opportunities for me to learn and continually improve. I look forward to doing great things with the people at KBM.”
 
“We look forward to continuing our partnership with Myatt Snider as he joins Kyle Busch Motorsports’ driver lineup for the 2017 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season, and we are excited to have Louisiana Hot Sauce on the hood of the No. 51 Toyota for the season opener at Daytona International Speedway,” said Brad Olsen, Senior Director of Marketing for Southeastern Mills. “Louisiana Hot Sauce’s multiple racing sponsorships allows us to create a stronger connection with our consumers and incremental opportunities to drive in-store sales for our retail partners and that’s important to us. You can find out more information about our brand and racing family by following us on Twitter @LHSRacing.”

Posted on by Team Release

MOORESVILLE, N.C. — Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) announced today that 16-year-old Harrison Burton will compete in six NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races behind the wheel of the No. 51 Tundra in 2017. Burton’s six-race schedule begins April 1 at Martinsville Speedway and also includes Dover International Speedway June 2, Iowa Speedway in Newton June 23, Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio July 19, Bristol Motor Speedway Aug. 16 and Martinsville Speedway Oct. 28.

The NASCAR Next product competed full-time in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East in 2016, earning one pole and a seventh-place finish in the final point standings as a rookie. Burton collected three Super Late Model victories this year, including a Southern Super Series victory at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida, and also earned a third-place finish in his ARCA Racing Series debut at Iowa Speedway in Newton.

Burton, the son of former NASCAR driver Jeff Burton, made his Truck Series debut with KBM at Martinsville in October of 2016. After qualifying 17th, Burton methodically maneuvered his way through the field and was running in the ninth position just past the halfway mark of the event when he got spun from behind and ended up losing a lap while he was stuck on the curb. He ended the event with a 22nd-place finish, but earned the praise of KBM owner Kyle Busch.

“Harrison did a really nice job in his Truck Series debut at Martinsville this year and we are excited to be able to bring him back for a six-race schedule in 2017,” Busch said. “I think everyone at KBM was really impressed with how he handled himself on and off the track throughout the weekend at Martinsville and in the end, he was able to bring the truck back in one piece — which isn’t an easy task for a young driver at that track. We look forward to being a part of his continued development next season.”

“I honestly feel like I have hit the jackpot by signing with a championship-caliber team like Kyle Busch Motorsports,” Burton said. “Having raced in Martinsville last season with KBM, I understand the strength of the team and have complete confidence that they can provide me with great race trucks while making my transition into the Truck series as smooth as possible.”

The talented youngster’s list of racing accomplishments includes three Quarter Midget championships, winning the pole for a Pro Late Model race at the age of 11 and winning a race at the age of 12. In 2015, he became the youngest driver ever to compete in the K&N Pro Series West race (15 years, eight days old) and earned a sixth-place finish in the event. In 2014, he became the youngest winner in NASCAR Whelen All-American Series history with a victory at New Smyrna Speedway.

An announcement of the final driver that will share driving duties behind the wheel of the No. 51 Tundra with Burton (six races), Busch (five races) and Todd Gilliland (four races) is forthcoming as well as an announcement on Burton’s sponsors.

Posted on by Staff Report

Only 17 drivers in premier series history have won 40 races — and just one, Jimmie Johnson, will be an active driver in 2017.

 

It’s a story that bears watching in 2017 as three drivers have 40 in their sights. It’s worth noting that of the 17 drivers, from Richard Petty (200 wins) to Mark Martin (40), everyone eligible for the NASCAR Hall of Fame has either been inducted, or in Martin’s case, will be inducted.

 

Jeff Gordon (93 wins) and Tony Stewart (49 wins) aren’t eligible yet, but widely are considered locks to be enshrined as well.

 

Here’s a look at three current drivers with 40 in their sights, as well as a full list of drivers with 40 or more wins in NASCAR’s history.

Kyle Busch

 

Career wins: 38

Rank all time: Tied for 19th

Outlook: Given that Busch has won nine races in two years with Adam Stevens as his crew chief, it will be a surprise if he doesn’t reach 40 in 2017. A banner season (which we’ll qualify as six wins or more) would put him in range of catching Bill Elliott on the all-time list.

Matt Kenseth

 

Career wins: 38

Rank all time: Tied for 19th

Outlook: Be cautiously optimistic about Kenseth’s chances. He’s run slightly hot and cold since joining Joe Gibbs Racing in 2013, at least when it comes to wins. Including that season, his wins per year have been: 7, 0, 5, 2. On one hand, he’s due for an uptick. On the other, there aren’t many 44-year-olds who suddenly see a surge in performance.

Kevin Harvick

 

Career wins: 35

Rank all time: 22nd

Outlook: Harvick needs five wins to get to 40, and he’s done that in his career twice before, most recently in 2014. Although he and crew chief Rodney Childers have fielded one of the fastest cars in the garage for three years, he’s probably more likely to reach 40 wins in 2018, given that Stewart-Haas Racing is undergoing a manufacturer change from Chevrolet to Ford and hinky issues likely will pop up throughout the season.

Drivers with 40 or more premier series wins

Rank Driver Wins
1. Richard Petty 200
2. David Pearson 105
3. Jeff Gordon 93
t-4. Bobby Allison 84
t-4. Darrell Waltrip 84
6. Cale Yarborough 83
7. Jimmie Johnson 80
8. Dale Earnhardt 76
9. Rusty Wallace 55
10. Lee Petty 54
11. Ned Jarrett 50
12. Junior Johnson 50
13. Tony Stewart 49
14. Herb Thomas 48
15. Buck Baker 46
16. Bill Elliott 44
17. Mark Martin 40
Posted on by Team Release

RELATED: Gilliland’s 2017 plans set

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Dec. 21, 2016) – Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) announced today that 2016 NASCAR K&N Pro Series West champion Todd Gilliland will compete in four NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races in 2017 with primary sponsorship from Toyota – the world’s top automaker. Gilliland, who competed in seven Super Late Model races for KBM in 2016, will make his Truck Series debut behind the wheel of the No. 51 Toyota Tundra June 17 at Gateway Motorsports Park in Madison, Illinois.

The third-generation driver will also compete at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park in Bowmanville, Ontario, Sept. 3, New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon Sept. 23 and Phoenix International Raceway Nov. 10.


With six victories this year in the K&N Pro Series West, the 16-year-old matched three other drivers for the series record for most wins in a single season and also collected six poles, 11 top-five and 13 top-10 finishes en route to becoming the youngest champion in the history of any NASCAR national or touring series. The K&N West Series Rookie of the Year also competed in five K&N Pro Series East events in 2016, registering one win, one pole, three top-five and five top-10 finishes.


Gilliland was victorious in his K&N Pro Series West debut at Phoenix International Raceway in November of 2015 and opened up the 2016 season with wins in both the East Series opener at New Smyrna Speedway and the West Series opener at Irwindale Speedway. He followed it up with a win at Kern County Raceway Park in April, giving him wins in each of his first four K&N Starts which matched a 60-year-old record set by International Motorsports Hall of Famer Dan Gurney.


In addition to his seven career K&N Pro Series victories, Gilliland made history in his ARCA Racing Series debut at Toledo (Ohio) Speedway in May of 2015 when he became the youngest winner in series history just two days after his 15th birthday. He finished ninth in his only other ARCA start at Iowa Speedway in July of 2015.


“Todd joined the driver lineup for our Super Late Model program this year and we liked what we saw with his competitive nature and strong work ethic, so we are looking forward to seeing him move up to the Truck Series program for 2017 and getting behind the wheel of our Tundras for four races,” Busch said. “He proved by winning several races in the K&N Series, both East and West, and the West Series championship that he has the talent to succeed in bigger stock cars and he deserves a chance to compete at higher levels next season.”


“I’m very excited for the opportunity to race in the Truck Series for KBM next year and it wouldn’t be possible without the support of everyone at Toyota and TRD,” Gilliland said. “Moving up into the top levels of NASCAR is going to be a learning experience, but I know that I’m getting behind the wheel of fast Tundras and with the staff that they have in place at KBM and the knowledge that Kyle can pass along I’m going to learn a lot and continue to grow as a driver.”


Gilliland joins owner-driver Busch (five races) as part of the multi-driver lineup that will compete behind the wheel of the No. 51 Tundra in 2017. Announcements for the drivers who will complete the remainder of the schedule are forthcoming.

Posted on by Team Release

RELATED: Catch up on key offseason moves


WELCOME, N.C. — Richard Childress Racing (RCR) will return with three full-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series entries and five full-time NASCAR XFINITY Series teams for the 2017 season. It will be the first time in team history that RCR will field five full-time XFINITY Series entries, and the first time since 2011 the team has fielded eight full-time teams.
 
Austin Dillon, Paul Menard and Ryan Newman return to carry the banner for the RCR Cup Series program in 2017. Richard “Slugger” Labbe, Matt Borland and Luke Lambert have been assigned crew chief duties, respectively.
 
With the addition of rookie driver Daniel Hemric, RCR will operate five entries out of its XFINITY Series stable.
 
The No. 2 and No. 3 Chevrolets in the XFINITY Series will include multiple drivers. Austin Dillon and Paul Menard will be primary drivers for the No. 2 Chevrolet, with second-year crew chief Justin Alexander atop the pit box. Ty Dillon will remain with the No. 3 Chevrolet team and will partner with rookie crew chief Matt Swiderski, who has spent 10 years at RCR in its engineering department. Swiderski made his debut as crew chief last season at Homestead-Miami Speedway, where he led the No. 3 team to a second-place finish. Additional drivers for RCR’s No. 2 and No. 3 teams will be named at a later date.
 
Brandon Jones and Brendan Gaughan return with full-time driving duties of the No. 33 and No. 62 Chevrolets, respectively, and will compete for the XFINITY Series driver championship. Jones and veteran crew chief Nick Harrison will be paired together, while Gaughan returns with his long-time crew chief Shane Wilson for their 12th season together.
 
In 2017, RCR will welcome back the storied No. 21 entry with Daniel Hemric behind the wheel. Hemric and two-time NASCAR championship winning crew chief Danny Stockman will work together as Hemric competes for Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors and the XFINITY Series driver championship.