Statesville, N.C. (December 1, 2016) – Statesville-based GMS Racing (GMS) announced that, beginning in 2017, the team will compete full-time in the NASCAR XFINITY Series (NXS) with driver Spencer Gallagher. The Las Vegas native will continue to the pilot the No. 23, a number that he has raced since 2006 in honor of former NASCAR driver TJ Clark and his son, Spencer Clark.

Gallagher began racing at the age of 12 in Legends Cars at the Las Vegas Bullring to kick off his climb through the racing circuit. Gallagher has been with GMS since 2014, first competing in the ARCA Racing Series and most recently the NCWTS. Over three seasons and 58 starts, Gallagher earned three top-fives, 15 top-10 finishes, and two pole awards. 

The 27-year-old made his NXS debut this past season, earning a best finish of eighth place at Daytona International Speedway in July. The team debuted the GMS Chevrolet Camaro at Phoenix International Speedway with a goal of building the program in preparation of running a full-time season in 2017. 

“I am really excited about running full-time in the XFINITY Series,” said Gallagher. “I made my XFINITY debut this year and we learned a lot as an organization. Though I have raced against some of these drivers, I know the competition is going to be much more competitive so I need to be focused and on my “A” game all year.  For next year my plan is to continue and grow this program, be consistent and make the Chase.”

Additional details regarding sponsorship and crew chief will be announced at a later date. 

Bristol Motor Speedway announced a fund drive Wednesday to assist wildfire relief efforts in nearby Gatlinburg, Tennessee and the surrounding areas.

The initiative was made in conjunction with longtime track sponsor Food City, which made a $50,000 donation to the Gatlinburg/Sevier County Relief Fund.

Bristol announced that the Medallion Campground area would be opened free of charge to displaced campers and RV drivers. The .533-mile track also indicated it would collect donations during its annual Speedway in Lights holiday display through Jan. 7. The speedway also said it would match all proceeds raised during Thursday’s holiday exhibition.

“While we can’t undo the damage from wildfires, we can all play a major role in relief efforts by donating money,” Bristol executive vice president and general manager Jerry Caldwell said in a release provided by the track. “Gatlinburg and Sevier County hold a special place in the hearts of NASCAR fans, Food City and all of us at Bristol Motor Speedway and Dragway. When you visit the Speedway this holiday season, we encourage you to bring along a little something extra to help our neighbors in need.”

Food City announced that it would accept cash contributions at participating stores from Dec. 1-7. The Abingdon, Virginia-based supermarket chain also delivered a tractor-trailer full of beverages to relief workers and others in need.

Tennessee authorities have confirmed four deaths in the widespread blaze, which has burned approximately 15,000 acres this week. Emergency officials said that nearly 14,000 residents and visitors were evacuated from the Gatlinburg area by Monday.

Editor’s note: All images courtesy of Mechanix Wear.

 

Personnel changes? Yes. Mega-pressure? Seven-times yes.

 

Continued excellence in the face of the above? Absolutely.

 

It was a banner year for the No. 48 of Jimmie Johnson, and it went beyond just the driver. The pit crew team underwent two rare personnel changes, including the loss of a front tire changer just one month before the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup started, but didn’t miss a beat.

 

In fact, the team improved with time, saving its best performance for Homestead-Miami Speedway in which a flawless day in the pits saw Johnson gain spots late … putting the driver in prime position to pull away for his record-tying seventh championship.

 

The showing in Miami was the most important work day of the year given the stakes, but certainly it wasn’t the only instance of execution under the most trying of circumstances.

Martinsville Speedway, known for its small pit boxes and tricky configuration, didn’t trip up the No. 48 team — a strong day in the pits during the October race helped lead to a victory and clinched a berth in the championship race.

 

For all of the above reasons, the No. 48 is winner of the Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew Award, the longest-running and most prestigious pit crew award in the sport. This is the 15th annual award and ends Stewart-Haas Racing‘s two-year pit crew reign.

 

Crew chief Chad Knaus manages the over-the-wall crew with Chris Burkey serving as the pit coach. Burkey is widely lauded for his recruitment of collegiate athletes to pit road.

 

Along with Mechanix Wear’s prestigious MVPC award, the team has landed a check for $100,000 for its outstanding performance on pit road.

 

The MVPC award serves as a testament to consistent performance on pit road. Each quarter of the Sprint Cup season, NASCAR crew chiefs vote for the pit crew contributing the most to the success of their team on race day. Each quarter of the season a semi-finalist is awarded a check for $5,000 and an opportunity to win Mechanix Wear’s Most Valuable Pit Crew award. Learn more about the History and past winners of Mechanix Wear’s Most Valuable Pit Crew award here.

Kevin Michael Novak

Age: 30

Height:  6’0″

Weight: 190 lbs

Pit Crew Role/Position: Front Changer

Mechanix Wear Glove of Choice: FR Original Glove

Did you play a sport in college? If yes, what sport? Went to a tech school for college. No college sports, but I played high school football.

What’s your most memorable team victory on pit road? 2016 Martinsville-2. My first short-track win and this win meant we were in the champion round.
Do you have any pre-race rituals? If yes, what are they? Not so much as a ritual, but I do the same stretches and sit on the wall the same every time. Everyone said it looks like I’m freezing cold.

What separates the No. 48 pit crew from the rest of the field this year? We overcame two personnel changes without skipping a beat. This even helped build our great team camaraderie. I’ve been on a lot of different teams throughout my racing career and this crew is by far the best.

Brandon Harder

Age: 33

Height: 6’1″

Weight: 230 lbs.

Pit Crew Role/Position: Fuel Man

Mechanix Wear Glove of Choice: CarbonX Level 5

Did you play a sport in college? If yes, what sport? Just high school

What’s your most memorable team victory on pit road? Every win, who knows if/when it will happen again.

Do you have any pre-race rituals? If yes, what are they? Not really, just my normal race-day prep.

What separates the No. 48 pit crew from the rest of the field this year? The relationships that make our team, very close group and willing to do whatever it takes.

RJ Barnette

Age: 30

Height: 5’10”

Weight: 180 lbs.

Pit Crew Role/Position: Front Tire Carrier

Mechanix Wear Glove of Choice: FR Original

Did you play a sport in college? If yes, what sport? Football

What’s your most memorable team victory on pit road? 2014 Coca-Cola 600

Do you have any pre-race rituals? If yes, what are they? I always eat a frozen Twix during our team meeting.

What separates the No. 48 pit crew from the rest of the field this year? Our level of preparation and ability to overcome adversity.

Kyle Tudor

Age: 25

Height: 6’3″

Weight: 240 lbs.

Pit Crew Role/Position: Jackman

Mechanix Wear Glove of Choice: FR Original

Did you play a sport in college? If yes, what sport? Football

What’s your most memorable team victory on pit road? Fall 2016 Martinsville — to advance to the Championship 4.

Do you have any pre-race rituals? If yes, what are they? N/A

What separates the No. 48 pit crew from the rest of the field this year? Ability to overcome adversity — two pit crew member changes and still demonstrated resiliency.

Calvin Teague

Age: 30

Height: 6’2″

Weight: 205 lbs.

Pit Crew Role/Position: Rear Tire Changer

Mechanix Wear Glove of Choice: FR Original

Did you play a sport in college? If yes, what sport? Baseball

What’s your most memorable team victory on pit road? Winning Darlington for Mr. Hendrick’s 200th win, and my dad was also at the race so that was pretty special.

Do you have any pre-race rituals? If yes, what are they? Pre-race prayer with the team.

What separates the No. 48 pit crew from the rest of the field this year? Ability to overcome some adversity throughout the year and our dedication to each other and the rest of the teammates.

Ryan Patton

Age: 31

Height: 6’0″

Weight: 210 lbs.

Pit Crew Role/Position: Rear Tire Carrier

Mechanix Wear Glove of Choice: FR Original

Did you play a sport in college? If yes, what sport? Football

What’s your most memorable team victory on pit road? Winning Martinsville in the fall of 2016 to advance to the Championship 4, and it was also my birthday.

Do you have any pre-race rituals? If yes, what are they? Personal pre-race prayer.

What separates the No. 48 pit crew from the rest of the field this year? Our team is always focused on the goal that needs to be achieved and will be dedicated to do our part in achieving that success. We have a strong level of teamwork and each give 100 percent. We don’t dwell on previous races, we learn and look forward to the next one.

MORE: Top pit crews as voted by coaches

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — NASCAR and International Speedway Corporation have named veteran FBI executive and risk management expert Christopher Davis as Managing Director and Chief Security Officer.

Davis will lead strategy development and execution for corporate, facility and event security, working closely with international and federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies on behalf of fans, venues, teams, and infrastructure. Davis will assume leadership of the NASCAR and ISC senior management-directed implementation of their enterprise-wide security strategies. Through his role at NASCAR, Davis also will work closely with other venues that host NASCAR-sanctioned races.

Davis brings a distinguished public and private sector leadership background to the new position, including service as an Assistant Special Agent in Charge and Inspector for the FBI. In addition to his lengthy FBI tenure, Davis held senior executive positions with private firms Contemporary Services Corporation and Sequrus, LLC.

“With his broad experience and proven success as a leader at every level, Chris is exactly the right fit to oversee the very complex security and risk management operations for our sport,” said Mike Helton, Vice Chairman, NASCAR. “His involvement with the Olympics, multiple professional and college sports championships and other mass gathering events makes him the ideal choice to evolve and implement full-spectrum security strategies for our events, facilities and business.”

“We’re pleased that we were able to work with NASCAR to hire a professional of Chris’ caliber,” said John Saunders, President, ISC. “He will manage our entire portfolio of facilities and events, which are led by NASCAR races but also increasingly include other entertainment events. This hire is reflective of ISC’s desire to always put the fans first as we grow and expand our business.”

A native of New Jersey, Davis earned his undergraduate degree from San Diego State University and a Master’s degree in Criminal Justice from Boston University. Prior to joining the FBI, Davis played briefly in the National Football League (NFL).

Davis oversaw security and emergency preparedness operations for numerous high-profile events and venues during his FBI career. Among the highlights are:

· Supervisory Special Agent, Los Angeles Joint Terrorism Task Force, where he managed interagency coordination;

· Sector Commander, Salt Lake City Winter Olympics, where Davis was hand-selected to lead and manage assets charged with ensuring venue and operational security for the 2002 Winter Olympic games;

· Assistant Legal Attaché, United States Embassy, Ottawa, Canada, where he oversaw security and contingency planning for the G-8 Summit as well as Presidential and Secretary of State delegation visits

· Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Executive Manager, Orlando and Tampa, Florida, where Davis was principally charged with directing the FBI’s security effort for Super Bowl XLIII, the 2008 World Series and NBA Finals, the 2012 NBA All-Star Game and Weekend, and the 2012 Republican National Convention.

After completing his FBI career, Davis served as Senior Vice President for Contemporary Services Corporation and Vice President for Sequrus, overseeing those firms’ security consulting and business development efforts.

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Recently crowned seven-time NASCAR premier series champion Jimmie Johnson will join a star-studded elite field as NASCAR kicks off its 2017 season with The Clash at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2017.

The annual season-opening event will be broadcast live on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. The 75-lap race again will be split into two segments with a competition caution at Lap 25 separating the segments.

“What better way to kick off the 2017 season than the sport’s brightest stars under the lights at Daytona International Speedway,” said Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer. “Coming off a thrilling season finale at Homestead-Miami, we’re looking forward to continuing that momentum into Daytona. With bragging rights and no points on the line, The Clash will set the tone for what should be a season full of great racing and tough competition.”

“We’re bringing back The Clash at Daytona,” said Chip Wile, Daytona International Speedway president. “The Clash was a race name that has always been popular among both the competitors and race fans. We’re looking forward to bringing it back and building on the rich history of this thrilling and always unpredictable event that kicks off the NASCAR season.”

The eligible drivers include 2016 Coors Light Pole Award winners, former Clash race winners and former Daytona 500 pole winners who competed full-time in 2016. All 16 drivers from the 2016 Chase are also eligible.

Eligible drivers are:

2016 Coors Light Pole Awards winners (14)
· Greg Biffle, Alex Bowman, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Austin Dillon, Carl Edwards, Chase Elliott, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Martin Truex Jr.

Former Clash Race Winners (2)
· Dale Earnhardt Jr., Tony Stewart

Former DAYTONA 500 Coors Light Pole Award winners (1)
· Danica Patrick

2016 Chase drivers (3)
· Chris Buescher, Kyle Larson, Jamie McMurray

Tickets for The Clash at Daytona are available online at DaytonaInternationalSpeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP.

During his State of the Sport press conference prior to the Championship 4 race at Homestead-Miami Speedway earlier this month, NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France relayed an anecdote about watching a scaled-down, highlight-driven Duke college basketball game on his laptop.

 

The story painted a broad picture of the shift in fan consumption habits. And for NASCAR, that has meant a shift in strategy to serve fans who want an immersive experience, whether attending live in-person, watching on TV, or engaging with sports at home or on the go.

 

By all metrics, NASCAR’s digital and social media numbers have shown strong growth over the 2016 season, validating a strategic choice to reach race fans in the multifaceted ways they opt to consume NASCAR content.

 

Consider these numbers:

 

Overall, NASCAR drew 256 million social engagements across all its digital platforms, an 87 percent increase year-over-year, and a massive increase of video content views.

 

NASCAR saw a 14 percent growth in followers across its social and digital platforms. Of particular note was a spike in the growth of Snapchat followers after NASCAR announced its partnership with that platform in February. NASCAR competitors and fans provided live content from four races, starting with the Daytona 500, under the aegis of “Snapchat Live Story.”

 

The Daytona 500 itself saw a 63-percent increase in race day impressions, while engagement with NASCAR content tripled.

 

“It’s been fantastic,” said Jill Gregory, NASCAR senior vice president and chief marketing officer. “I think that what it has done is validated our strategy that we set out at the very beginning of this season, when we talked about leading with digital and social and really trying to talk to our fans where they were and going to reach them at all the places they consume NASCAR.

 

“We started that with our ‘Ready.Set.Race’ campaign and the Hashtag 500 around the Daytona 500, and it’s really just continued to build throughout the whole season.”

 

The Hashtag 500, the race to win Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s firesuit, generated 13,000 NASCAR-related mentions in a single minute, a high-water mark for NASCAR content since the advent of the sanctioning body’s Fan and Media Engagement Center.

 

Central to the success of the 2016 digital and social media campaign was heavy promotion of #TheChase across all platforms, leveraging Twitter, Vine, Periscope, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat to engage fans throughout the 10-week playoff.

 

Capturing the drama of the Chase, which concluded with Jimmie Johnson claiming his record-tying seventh NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship, was the digital film series “Ready.Set.Chase.” All told, the five-film series garnered more than 13 million views.

 

“I think we’re seeing it at NASCAR, and obviously we see it happening across the sports and entertainment landscape, that fans want to customize their experience regardless of what they’re watching or looking at,” Gregory said. “If we want to talk to those fans, we have to go places that are convenient for them.

 

“If they’re watching on their mobile app, if they’re watching via NASCAR.com, if they’re watching on television, it’s our job as the league to provide all of that great content in all of those places and then make sure that we deliver the right experience for each of those platforms.”