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BUY TICKETS: See the races at Kentucky | Get kids tickets to races

Goodyear officials will look to do more than verify the tire package for this year’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Kentucky Speedway when they hold a two-day test Tuesday and Wednesday at the 1.5-mile track.

“We’ve also got some things to try to actually promote a little more wear on a repaved surface, which is something we haven’t been able to do,” Greg Stucker, director of race tire sales for Goodyear, told NASCAR.com on Sunday. “The guys have kind of taken a different approach on compound formulation to see if we can’t actually generate some wear on what we project to be a fairly smooth surface.”

Kentucky Speedway will host the Quaker State 400 on Saturday, July 8 and will be preceded by NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (July 6) and XFINITY Series (July 7) races.

The 1.5-mile track was repaved before last year’s tripleheader; a portion of the asphalt has since been replaced.

“From my understanding they re-did the top two inches of it; they didn’t go down and take up everything, they put a new top coat on,” Stucker said of the changes. “We’re going to go there with the same package that we raced last year. At the same time, we feel like that was probably conservative. … We admit it was probably conservative but that’s OK, it was a repave and I’d rather be that way than not.

“So we’ll go back and see how different the surface is — it’s supposed to be the same (asphalt) mix. We’re going to verify that.”

Teams from Chip Ganassi Racing, Richard Childress Racing, Stewart-Haas Racing and Furniture Row Racing are scheduled to take part in the test. Drivers expected to be on hand are Jamie McMurray (CGR), Austin Dillon (RCR), Kurt Busch (SHR) and Erik Jones (FRR).

Two tire tests have been held this season, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. A test at Michigan was postponed due to weather and has been rescheduled for July 10-11. Because of the date change, the MIS test will now be dealing with potential ’18 changes rather than focused on this year’s races at the 2-mile track.

Posted on by Kathy Sheldon

BUY TICKETS: See the races at Kansas

When a winning Rolex Grand-Am Sports Car Series and American Le Mans Series driver tells Carl Edwards he just did something “crazy,” that carries some weight.

 

Craig Stanton, a champion road racer and regular test driver for Toyota Racing Development, and Edwards got a Toyota Land Cruiser (heavily modified, of course) up above 230 mph at the Mojave Air and Space Port in California.

 

Crazy really is the only word for it.

 

“We just did something pretty crazy. We drove an SUV over 230 mph. But I’m telling you, at 225 mph the thing was wandering a little bit, and trying to keep my foot in it,” Edwards says.

 

Edwards gives credit to his driving partner after joking before the test run that he really didn’t ask Stanton enough questions before agreeing to the driving task.

 

“Craig Stanton said, ‘No matter what, keep your foot in it, and we got 230 mph,’ ” Edwards explained after the run. “It’s an unofficial record, but I think it’s safe to say it’s the fastest SUV on the planet.”
You can watch the record unfold in the video below.

 

 

What’s next for the driver who stepped away from the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series after the 2016 season?

“I got about 1,800 acres of soybeans to plant, but that’s about it for right now,” Edwards told Tom Jensen of Fox Sports.com.

 

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RELATED: Full race results | Stenhouse seizes the moment at Talladega

 

TALLADEGA, Ala. — His son had just won his first career race in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, so Ricky Stenhouse Sr. did what any other proud father would do — he tried to scale the fence surrounding the 2.66-mile Talladega Superpeedway.

 

The elder Stenhouse had watched Sunday’s GEICO 500 from atop an RV on the backstretch, according to Stenhouse Jr. And when the fence climb proved too difficult, he quickly ran around the track’s outer perimeter road, hoping to get in through the tunnel and to Victory Lane to celebrate with his son.

 

Foot traffic, however, is not allowed through the tunnel located in Turn 4.

 

Stenhouse Sr. was detained by concerned officials, who weren’t sure why a middle-aged man would be rushing to get into a track after the race.

 

“He was extremely excited about his son winning today,” track spokesman Russell Branham said, “and naturally so. … He wants to go through the tunnel and get in here. Our guys saw it, naturally they stopped him, asked him who he was, said ‘Would you get in the car.’ “

 

Once he explained to officials who he was and why he was in such a hurry to get into the track and to Victory Lane, calls were made and Stenhouse Sr. was eventually transported inside.

 

The younger Stenhouse, who scored his first win in 158 career starts in the series for Roush Fenway Racing, said his father had climbed the fence at Kentucky Speedway after Stenhouse Jr. won for the first time in the ARCA Series in 2008.

 

“And I climbed the other side and met him at the top,” he recalled.

 

So Sunday, he said, “I went down the back straightaway after the race was over and looked up to see if he was there, but I didn’t see him. 

 

“My dad has done so much for me in my career. Everything that I’ve learned is from him, and you know, making sure that you have the right people around you is one of the things that he’s all about, making sure that you have people that respect you, that will do anything for you, and man, he sacrificed a lot for me and my career.

 

“Everything that I know about racing I learned from him, and I’m glad that he was able to be here in Victory Lane.”

 

Posted on by Staff Report

BUY TICKETS: See the races at Kansas
RELATED: Full race results | Stenhouse seizes the moment at Talladega

 

TALLADEGA, Ala. — Before Sunday’s GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, Roush Fenway Racing hadn’t won a race in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in the organization’s last 101 starts.

 

It had been so long, in fact, that its last winning driver was Carl Edwards, who departed Roush at the end of 2014, went to Joe Gibbs Racing, and won five times during a two-year span before announcing he would not compete in 2017. For Gibbs or anyone else.

 

Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart were still competing full-time when a Roush driver last took a checkered flag in NASCAR’s elite series.

 

Roush Fenway Racing has struggled. It has failed to put a driver in the 10-race season-ending playoff the past two seasons.

 

But this year? This year’s been different. A three-car organization became a two-car outfit when RFR officials jettisoned the No. 16 team, keeping youngsters Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (No. 17) and Trevor Bayne (No. 6) to drive its Fords.

RELATED: See the standings post-Talladega

 

Between the two, there was one career victory — Bayne’s 2011 Daytona 500 title while he was driving for Wood Brothers Racing. But there has been improvement if not wins.

 

Sunday, Stenhouse removed the “if not.”

 

Making his 158th career start in the series, the 29-year-old powered past 2015 series champ Kyle Busch (JGR) on the final lap of a race that went three laps beyond its scheduled 188-lap distance to score his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victory.


RELATED: Kyle Busch discusses last-lap pass by Stenhouse

 

Roush-owned entries have now won 136 times in the series with a variety of talented drivers. None likely enjoyed any win more than Stenhouse did on Sunday.

 

Is Roush Fenway Racing back?

 

They’ve talked of speed and skill and a better on-track product almost since the season began, but even Stenhouse admitted the results have been somewhat surprising.

 

“I do think that we started a little stronger than we thought we would,” Stenhouse, twice a champion in the XFINITY Series, said. “But then we’ve also continued to make gains and continued to up our performance.”

 

The victory was his third consecutive top 10, and his fourth in his last five starts. He’s 12th in points and on track for a spot in this year’s 10-race championship playoff.

 

Bayne, while not as consistent, has seven finishes inside the top 15 and currently sits 16th in points.


RELATED: Stenhouse’s season in-depth | Bayne’s season in-depth

 

It was on the backs of others, Roush said, that his organization rose to the top (it won back-to-back championships in 2003-04), “and I’ve never doubted that we would win more races,” he said.

 

“I just didn’t know if it was going to be today.”

 

Stenhouse had a fast car — on Saturday he won the pole — but Roush also noted that at Talladega “you’ve got to have luck going for you, and the stars lined up to be able to be successful.

 

“But I was confident that Ricky would win a race this year.”

 

The team has struggled from time to time on pit road, he said, “and that’s really the only question that I had was whether the team would be able to support Ricky in his effort to win a race and Brian (Pattie, crew chief) and all of his detail and his preparation.

 

“But I knew that we had the right mix of people in the right places this year, and if we’d just — if it would gel and we’d have a little bit of good fortune that we would win races, and we’ll win a race with Trevor before the year is over unless I miss my guess.

 

“But hopefully we can get ourselves ready for this last 10 races to make a championship run. That’s what I’m thinking.”

 

Posted on by Staff Report

BUY TICKETS: See the races at Pocono | See the races at Dover

SEE: Inaugural event in photos

It’s that time of the year again. On Tuesday, May 9, Pocono Raceway, Dover International Speedway and Comcast are coming together for the second year in a row to bring NASCAR to the city in a major way for the NASCAR XFINITY Philadelphia Takeover. For the entire day, fans are invited to tag along at numerous events at key locations across Philadelphia, celebrating the sport in advance of upcoming races near Comcast headquarters, the NASCAR XFINITY Series entitlement partner, at Pocono and Dover.

Most notably among the day’s festivities, Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR XFINITY Series cars from participating teams JR Motorsports, Roush Fenway Racing and Richard Childress Racing will be taking over the city streets during the midday hours, making a pit stop in front of Philadelphia City Hall and putting on a show for fans along the way. That was one of the highlights of last year’s trip, with Ty Dillon putting on a smoke show, burning down the tires in his Chevrolet.

A large cast of drivers from the NASCAR XFINITY Series will be spread across the city throughout the day, visiting the Franklin Institute, Reading Terminal Market, Thomas Edison High School and Philadelphia Phillies game that evening.

A star-studded lineup of drivers is expected to be in attendance for the day, including Ryan Reed, Darrell “Bubba” Wallace, Jr., William Byron, Michael Annett, Justin Allgaier, Brandon Jones, Daniel Hemric, Ben Kennedy, Brennan Poole, Cole Custer and Blake Koch.

New for this year, fans are invited to participate in an expanded fan fest, located at the Comcast Center on the front plaza. Throughout the entire day, families will have the opportunity to receive free tickets to the upcoming NASCAR XFINITY Series races at Dover and Pocono. In fact, kids ages 12 and younger are admitted free to all NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races, making it easier for families to create memories at the racetrack.

Back-to-back race weekends at nearby venues in the month of June will give fans from the Philadelphia area and beyond the opportunity to see their racing heroes following the NASCAR XFINITY Philadelphia Takeover. First, the NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Dover International Speedway on June 3, followed by the Pocono Green 250 at Pocono Raceway on June 10.

Fans are encouraged to follow along with the events of the day via social media and use #XFINITYTakeover to join the conversation. On Twitter, @XFINITYRacing, @PoconoRaceway, @MonsterMile and @NASCAR_XFINITY will all carry updates, along with Pocono Raceway and Dover International Speedway on Facebook.  

Posted on by Staff Report

BUY TICKETS: See the Monster Energy All-Star Race at Charlotte

RELATED: Fan Vote now open for Monster Energy All-Star Race

 

Go Fas Racing is proud to announce that “the front page of the internet,” Reddit, will be represented on the No. 32 Ford Fusion at the Monster Energy Open, the race to gain entry into the Monster Energy All-Star Race.

 

Reddit is an online social community where people can vote on user-submitted stories and text, which can be upvoted or downvoted to raise interesting content to the top of each page. There are many “subreddits” where users can browse more specific content catered to their individual interests. Matt has done many AMA’s (Ask Me Anything), which is essentially a question and answer session between Reddit users and Matt.

 

“I’ve really gotten to know the Reddit community over the last couple years,” DiBenedetto said. “I first got wind of the site when Josh Wise ran the paint scheme a few years ago, and since then have been browsing the site and speaking with users pretty regularly. I’ve found that not only do they have a great understanding of the sport and its news, but they also have a great sense of humor about much of it. It’s a lot of fun to go on there and just talk with them about the sport.”

 

“Matt first approached us earlier this year about doing something like this,” team owner Archie St. Hilaire said. “We’re definitely familiar with the site and most of our team has been on quite actively. We know that Matt has a lot of fans and friends on Reddit and we really wanted to give back to the community that has supported his career in big moments like these.”

 

 

Last year, DiBenedetto was narrowly beat out by a few other drivers in fan votes. This year, Matt and the Go Fas Racing team hope to capitalize on their recent successes to gain the votes needed to make it into the Monster Energy All-Star Race. With Matt’s outgoing, relatable personality and the hardworking Go Fas team, the odds have never been better.

 

Posted on by Staff Report

The final appeal for Team Penske’s L1-level penalties will be heard Tuesday at the NASCAR Research & Development Center in Concord, North Carolina.

Roger Werner, chairman of ACCUS, will serve as the National Motorsports Final Appeals Officer over the appeal. Bryan Moss is unavailable to serve in that capacity Tuesday.

The session will determine the final outcome of penalties issued March 22 to the Roger Penske-owned No. 2 Ford team after the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix International Raceway.

Team Penske filed the paperwork for a final appeal April 13, one day after the three-member National Motorsports Appeal Panel upheld the original penalties. That penalty included a three-race suspension for crew chief Paul Wolfe and a 35-point deduction for Brad Keselowski in the drivers’ standings and the same amount for Penske in the owners’ standings.

Posted on by Staff Report

Ty Dillon is going to be a father.

 

The Germain Racing driver made the announcement, along with wife Haley, Monday evening on Twitter in a series of four photos that included a hot air balloon and a dog in glasses.

 

 

Ty and Haley married in December 2014 at Childress Vineyards — owned by Ty’s grandfather, Richard Childress. Dillon, 25, drove for his grandfather in the NASCAR XFINITY Series for three full-time seasons. This is his first full-time year in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, and he drives the No. 13 GEICO Chevrolet for Germain Racing.

 

Haley, who often posts videos of her culinary creations on social media, is a dancer for the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets.

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DARLINGTON, S.C. (Thursday, Dec. 1, 2016) – Betty Jane France, whose philanthropic endeavors away from the race track rivaled those of the well-known family business of NASCAR, has been chosen as the 2016 recipient of the National Motorsports Press Association’s prestigious Myers Brothers Award.
France, who passed away Aug. 29, 2016, is the mother of NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France and International Speedway Corporation CEO Lesa France Kennedy. She was the widow of former NASCAR Chairman and CEO William C. France.

While auto racing has been the cornerstone of the family profession, Betty Jane France’s reach far exceeded the boundaries of the track.

Kind and compassionate, France was the guiding force behind the formation of the NASCAR Foundation, the charitable arm of the sanctioning body that seeks to improve the lives of children most in need. She served as chairwoman of the Foundation upon its inception more than a decade ago and was later named chairwoman emeritus.

In 2011, the Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award, presented by Nationwide, was established in her honor. Each year, the award recognizes outstanding charitable and volunteer efforts of NASCAR fans.

Active in her Daytona Beach community as well as abroad, France also helped establish the Speediatrics children’s care unit at Halifax Health in Daytona Beach as well as Homestead Hospital in Homestead, Fla.

The Myers Brothers Award is named in honor of former NASCAR competitors Billy and Bobby Myers. Determined by a vote of the NMPA membership, it recognizes individuals and/or groups who have provided outstanding contributions to the sport of stock car racing. It has been presented annually since 1958.

Myers Brothers Award Winners

2016, Betty Jane France; 2015, Darlington Raceway; 2014, Dale Earnhardt Jr.; 2013, Tony Stewart; 2012, Jeff Gordon; 2011, Drs. Joseph & Rose Mattioli; 2010, Jim Hunter; 2009, Barney Hall; 2008, T. Taylor Warren; 2007, Bill France Jr.;
2006, Benny Parsons; 2005, Rusty Wallace; 2004, Kyle and Patti Petty; 2003, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.; 2002, Mike Helton; 2001, Dale Earnhardt; 2000, Kyle Petty; 1999, Junie Donlavey; 1998, T. Wayne Robertson; 1997, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.; 1996, Rick Hendrick; 1995, TNN: The Nashville Network;
1994, Brickyard 400/Indianapolis Motor Speedway; 1993, Goody’s Manufacturing Co.; 1992, Richard and Lynda Petty; 1991, Harry Gant; 1990. Dick Beaty; 1989, Bill France Jr.; 1988 Richmond International Raceway; 1987, ESPN; 1986, Hayride 500; 1985, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.; 1984, Charlotte Motor Speedway;
1983, CBS-TV; 1982, MRN; 1981, Junior Johnson; 1980, STP & Champion Spark Plug Co.; 1979, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.; 1978, Busch Beer; 1977, First National City Travelers Checks; 1976, Junior Johnson; 1975, Bill France Sr.; 1974, H. Clay Earles; 1973, Wood Brothers;
1972, Winston Cigarettes; 1971, Richard Petty; 1970, Richard Howard; 1969, David Pearson; 1968, Wood Brothers; 1967, Richard Petty; 1966, Norris Friel; 1965, Ned Jarrett; 1964, Richard Petty; 1963, Marvin Panch; 1962, Hank Schoolfield; 1961, Ned Jarrett; 1960, Russ Catlin; 1959, Lee Petty; 1958, Bob Colvin.

2016 NMPA Awards winners

Here is the complete list of Thursday’s award winners from the NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Awards Luncheon:
· NMPA Myers Brothers Award: Betty Jane France
· Buddy Shuman Award: Jack Roush
· NASCAR Marketing Achievement Award: Comcast XFINITY
· Chevrolet Cross Flags Award: Tony Stewart
· American Ethanol Green Flag Restart Award: Kevin Harvick
· Coors Light Pole Award: Carl Edwards
· Duralast Brakes “Brake in the Race” Award: Kyle Busch
· Goodyear NASCAR Series Champion Award: Jimmie Johnson
· Ingersoll Rand Power Move Award: Dave Rogers, Joe Gibbs Racing No. 19 Crew Chief
· MAHLE Clevite Engine Builder of the Year Award: Scott Vester, Hendrick Engines No. 4 team
· Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew Award: Hendrick Motorsports No. 48 team
· Mobil 1 Driver of the Year Award: Kyle Busch
· MOOG Steering & Suspension Problem Solver of the Year Award: Alan Gustafson, crew chief No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports team
· Sherwin-Williams Fastest Lap Award: Kyle Busch
· Sunoco Diamond Performance Award: Jimmie Johnson
· Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award: Chase Elliott
· Champion Sponsor Award: Lowe’s
· Champion Crew Chief Award: Chad Knaus
· Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award Presented by Nationwide: Andy Hoffman

Posted on by Staff Report

BUY TICKETS: See the races at Talladega 

TALLADEGA, Ala. — A man dangles a rubber chicken from a fishing pole in the middle of Talladega Superspeedway’s famed Talladega Boulevard, trying to tap an empty can of Bud Light without knocking it over.
“He’s been doing it all day,” another tailgater informs me with a laugh.

Fishing for nothing more than attention and a good time, the man glances at me with a toothy grin and says:

“Welcome to Talladega Boulevard.”

• • •

The Alabama temperatures are unseasonably cool and the damp air from the day’s rain mixes with the smell of campfires. Different tunes — from Luke Bryan’s “Huntin’, Fishin’ and Lovin’ Every Day” to J. Dash’s “Wop” — echo from the different tailgates set up on Talladega’s most famous strip.

Friday’s dreary weather has left many in the Heart of Dixie seeking comfort indoors, but the 5:30 p.m. infield already is stirring outside for an approaching party.

Some scenes are elaborate with real bars and bar stools set up. Some are makeshift, with chairs positioned comfortably around a campfire. And some are just downright crazy, like the one centered around an old school bus with “Nuthin’ Fancy” printed in large letters on the window.