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Rookie Ryan Luza continued his hot start to the 2017 NASCAR PEAK Antifreeze Series, finding Victory Lane for the second-straight week, this time at Auto Club Speedway. Luza started on the pole and led 61 of 125 laps, but the race came down to a green-white-checkered finish after a crash with seven laps to go.


Luza, along with second-place driver Logan Clampitt and 14 other sim racers, chose to stay out on worn tires for the final two laps, but Michael Conti, who was third at the time, led a group of cars into the pits for fresh rubber. Conti would restart 17th with two laps remaining.


On the restart, Luza jumped out in front of Clampitt by two car lengths as Kenny Humpe and Christian Challiner battled side-by-side for third through Turns 1 and 2. Farther back, Conti was on the move after a great restart and used his fresh tires to blow past three competitors by Turn 1. However, Luza’s victory was secured — and Conti’s charge halted — by a crash off Turn 2 when Jimmy Mullis and David Rattler hit the wall and caused the cars behind them to stack up. The crash brought out the evening’s sixth yellow flag, ending the race under caution.


Clampitt followed Luza across the line to finish second, his third top-five finish in three races. Challiner just edged Humpe for third at the time of caution and Bobby Zalenski came home fifth.


Luza opened the race by leading the first 11 laps before Zack Novak and Corey Vincent beat him out of the pit lane under the first caution. Novak led until Luza reclaimed the point on Lap 20. However, it was Clampitt with the best long run car early as he ran down and passed Luza on Lap 38, just a few laps before the leaders began green flag pit stops.


Clampitt pitted a lap later than Luza and lost the lead by doing so thanks to Luza’s extra lap on fresh tires. The two continued running nose-to-tail, but a caution cut their battle short on Lap 51. The caution also helped the lead-lap cars, which pitted late in the cycle, as they stayed out on their barely used tires, relegating Luza to ninth after he pitted for fresh rubber under caution.


With still half the laps remaining, Luza methodically worked his way back towards the front and took the lead away from Zalenski on Lap 76 to regain control of the race. From there Luza was unchallenged the rest of the way, though Alex Bergeron did lead some laps by playing an alternate pit strategy.


Luza and his No. 1 Ford Fusion are clearly the combination to beat early in the 2017 season, but it probably should not come as a total surprise considering his dominant NASCAR iRacing Pro Series season over the past winter. He will try to keep the momentum going in two weeks when the NASCAR PEAK Antifreeze Series visits Texas Motor Speedway for Week Four of the sim racing schedule.


Last year, PJ Stergios and Ray Alfalla waged a heated battle in the Lone Star State with Stergios getting the best of Alfalla in the end. Look for that duo to be strong once again this year with each of them looking to find the winner’s circle for the first time in 2017. Can the rookie make it three in a row, or will a veteran get the best of him? Find out in two weeks’ time on iRacing Live!

Tune into www.iracing.com/live at 8:45 p.m. ET on April 4 to catch the action live!

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Joe Gibbs Racing announced late Wednesday that crew chief Dave Rogers will step aside from his duties as crew chief leading rookie Daniel Suarez’s No. 19 Toyota team in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, effective immediately.

 

The team issued a very brief statement — only two paragraphs long — saying that Scott Graves will assume the role of crew chief on Suarez’s team while Rogers will be gone for "an indefinite period of time."

 

A new crew chief will be named at a later date for the No. 18 XFINITY Series team, where Graves had been.

 

Graves served as Suarez’s crew chief last year, and the duo won the NASCAR XFINITY Series championship. Prior to that, Graves was on the box for Chris Buescher’s championship season in 2015.

 

Suarez is coming off back-to-back seventh-place finishes and is ranked 19th in the season points standings.

 

Rogers has 18 victories as a crew chief at the Monster Energy Series level, including 13 with Kyle Busch from the end of 2010-2014 seasons. He collected two more leading Denny Hamlin’s efforts in 2015 and three more as Edwards’ crew chief in 2016, helping Edwards to a fourth-place showing in the 2016 Monster Energy Series championship.

 

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Officials with Team Penske announced in a statement that the organization will appeal penalties handed down to the No. 2 team and driver Brad Keselowski following the March 19 race at Phoenix Raceway.


According to the NASCAR penalty report issued last week, the No. 2 team failed the post-race rear wheel steer on the LIS (Laser Inspection Station) following the Camping World 500. NASCAR fined Wolfe $65,000 and suspended him from three Monster Energy Series races while Keselowski and the No. 2 team were docked 35 driver and owner points, respectively.


Wolfe sat out last week’s race at Auto Club, in which Keselowski finished second, but will be on the pit box in Martinsville.


"After having the opportunity to review the facts, Team Penske has decided to appeal the penalties following the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race in Phoenix," the team announced in a statement. "We have requested an appeal hearing and we plan to follow the process as outlined in the NASCAR rulebook. The appeals administration has granted our request to defer the two races remaining on Paul Wolfe’s suspension until the results of our appeal are known."


The 2012 series champion, Keselowski already has one victory this season (Atlanta), putting him in line for one of the 16 spots for this year’s playoff field.



— Kenny Bruce contributed to this story

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RELATED: All the winners at Atlanta | Blaney pleased with Atlanta decision


Atlanta Motor Speedway officials have put off a repaving project at the 1.54-mile facility until the track’s 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race has been completed.

 

Officials had planned to repave the worn racing surface following this year’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 on March 5. Several NASCAR drivers, however, urged track officials and Speedway Motorsports Inc., President Marcus Smith to reconsider the move.

 

The track was last repaved in 1997. The worn, abrasive pavement creates tremendous tire falloff, and the slick surface typically provides some of the most exciting racing on the NASCAR schedule.

 

“We’re going to repave, it’s just a matter of when we’re going to do it,” Ed Clark, AMS president and general manager, told NASCAR.com Tuesday. “We know we have to do it sooner rather than later.

 

“We’ve talked to fans, to people in the NASCAR garage, spent a good bit of time with Rick Campbell of Goodyear, and we came to the conclusion that with a little bit of work, cutting out some spots and patching them, we could go another year.

 

“If they can make it work, we’ll go another year and evaluate it after next year’s race. We are going to have to cut some patches out and repave them, mostly on the front straightaway.”

 

 

Team Penske driver Brad Keselowski, the 2012 series champion and winner of this year’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip race, said after his win that the decision to repave puts tracks in a difficult position.

 

“It’s tough, and I feel bad for those guys because all it takes is one race where there are weepers or where the track comes apart and you’ve got red flags and delays and everybody gets mad at them,” Keselowski said. “So they’re really in a no‑win spot. We pick on them and tell them don’t do it and all these other things, but at some point you have to trust them to know their business.

 

“… Drivers hate repaves. We want to see the surfaces last as long as they can. But the reality is nothing lasts forever, and this surface has made it a really, really long time, 20 years I think … and they should be really proud of that.”

 

Speedway Motorsports Inc. owns eight tracks that host 12 points races on the 36-race Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series schedule. One property, Texas Motor Speedway, was recently repaved and reconfigured in preparation for this year’s two stops at that 1.5-mile venue.

 

“I think we all appreciate tracks with so much character and to have the bad news that two of the tracks with the most character are going to be repaved this year, I think that shocked and upset a lot of us,” seven-time series champion Jimmie Johnson said when asked about the Atlanta repave earlier this year. “We get it. We understand, but it’s just going to take a long time for the track to get back to this condition.”

 

Clark said officials’ biggest concern with the racing surface are parts of the track “unraveling” where cracks exist in the asphalt.

 

“It’s more of that,” he said, “the gradual unraveling and a crack opening up. I’m not concerned necessarily about a big chunk of asphalt coming out or anything like that. We’ve looked at that pretty closely.

 

“The good news about our place is we’ve kept this thing sealed up. We’ve done it every single year since it was paved, sealed every crack in the fall. We just haven’t gotten the humps and bumps that some tracks get. From that standpoint, other than it just being absolutely worn out, that’s not an issue. I think that’s somewhat the comfort level drivers have in saying just leave it alone.”

 

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver Timothy Peters said he was “ecstatic” that officials are holding off on the AMS repaving project.

 

“I think other tracks should look at that,” he said. “Worn-out pavement is the way to go, in my opinion.

 

“Atlanta … is multi-groove, from the bottom to the middle to the top. It puts it back in the driver’s hands. I guarantee they will get a lot of Christmas cards this year for electing not to repave the place.”

 

Atlanta Motor Speedway, located in Hampton, Georgia, has been hosting NASCAR-sanctioned races since 1960. In addition to the quad-oval featuring 24-degree banked turns, the site includes a 2.5-mile road course. Permanent seating capacity for the facility is 71,000.

 

“We’re going to let it ride, let them slip and slide in 2018 and figure it out after that I guess,” Clark said.

 

– RJ Kraft contributed to this story.

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LOS ANGELES — The bright orange hues of the setting sun lingered over the California coastline last Thursday evening, casting an appropriate illumination on the Hollywood hilltops in the distance and onto one of Los Angeles’ most distinctive treasures in the forefront, the Petersen Automotive Museum.

Sitting on famous Wilshire Boulevard, the building’s modern chrome-look design is head turning even in a city known for high profile. And inside it is one of the most impressive automotive collections in the world — the Louvre for car lovers.

On this night at this appropriate location, NASCAR’s "King" Richard Petty was honored with the Robert E. Petersen Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to auto racing and for raising the profile of the American automobile. Equally important, it was a wonderful chance to celebrate Petty’s upcoming 80th birthday on July 2 with a large cake and an eager banquet room of singers.

The evening’s host and museum’s founding chairman Bruce Meyer welcomed the large crowd, revealing with a smile, "It’s the first time having a King here."

Almost 300 people were on hand to honor Petty, and there was no mistaking the eclectic attendance — NASCAR’s most treasured, old-school hero being feted by Southern California’s coolest and hippest car lovers.

Good vibes, as they say out here.

"Richard Petty’s an icon in our sport, the Frances, the people that built the sport," said retired racer Donnie Allison, an invited guest of Petty’s for the evening.

"Richard Petty is without a doubt the most noted name in all of racing. It doesn’t make a difference who you know or who you talk to.

"Bobby (Allison) and I were on an airplane coming out here and sitting next to a guy who asked us what we did. I said that we raced and he said, I don’t know anything about racing but I know who Richard Petty is.

"What does that say?"

Before the formal sit-down dinner, seven-time NASCAR champion Petty joined four-time champ Jeff Gordon to film an interview for FOX Sports. With the famous "Hollywood" sign landmark in the distance, Petty smiled at Gordon and they discussed his family’s "redneck engineering."

"There was no book, everything was new," Petty told Gordon. "We were so dedicated to working on those cars, we didn’t know if it was night or day."

Dressed in a black suit and wearing one of his trademark black, feathered cowboy hats and black boots, Petty settled in for the casual time with Gordon and they talked about everything from receiving this unique honor to Petty’s favorite winning hardware.

"I’ve got them everywhere," 15-time Martinsville winner Petty said, smiling about the track’s famous grandfather clock trophy.

With seven NASCAR titles and 200 wins, Petty could not be more revered, and seeing him celebrated in this unique setting seemed not only genuinely appreciated by him, but also a true gift to the crowd.

"I’m pretty sure he’s signed more autographs than any person in the history of the world," road racing champion Tommy Kendall said, smiling. "Seriously, he’s been famous for a long, long time."

"It’s easy to think of 200 wins and say he was good, but you have to think about that. Everyone had the same limitations and the same challenges of knowledge and understanding and the Pettys somehow raised the bar.

"And he raised it in other areas, too, in terms of fan engagement and even something as simple as why his autograph is so legible. It’s probably not an accident. People spend their time and money to see him and he wants to give them something."

On this night, Petty gave plenty — his time, his smile, his approval and his sincere gratitude.

"I’m just getting old," Petty joked before the program began.

"But," he added of the recognition, "Petersen has been in publishing of all kinds of racing magazines. Being they cover all types of racing, to be selected in something like this is really a big thing. I guess it winds up showing we had a lot of good people working for us to be able to put us in this position. It wasn’t a one-man show.

"What can you do by yourself?

"I’ve accomplished nothing by myself. With the crowd around me we’ve accomplished a lot. I just happen to be the guy out front. I’m not pulling them, they are pushing me."

Always one to share credit and appreciate competition, Petty invited some of his closest friends and even some of his former fiercest competitors to join him this evening.

NASCAR executives such as Vice Chairman Mike Helton, Executive Vice President & Chief Global Sales & Marketing Officer Steve Phelps and Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Jill Gregory were there to support and enjoy. Fellow NASCAR Hall of Famers Bobby Allison and Rusty Wallace were there, too, along with the great Donnie Allison, NASCAR team owner Rob Kauffman, Kendall and Petty’s son Kyle, who played guitar on stage to end the evening.

The musical finale came after the tributes, however. And there were — appropriately — hours’ worth of those.

NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France and his sister, International Speedway Corporation’s CEO Lesa France Kennedy, joined a lineup that included Roger Penske, Mario Andretti, Darryl Gywnn and others who sent video messages of accolade and homage.

Newly inducted fellow NASCAR Hall of Famer, team owner Rick Hendrick, fondly recalled in his message that Petty’s famous signature was "the first autograph I ever got."

Former United States Presidents George H. Bush and George W. Bush sent letters to be read on stage.

The elder Bush wrote to Petty, "You are a legend. What may not be as well-known is your life’s mission to help. … You are an inspiration about what is best about our great country."

Henry Ford, the great, great, great-grandson of Ford Motor Company’s founder, delivered a tribute in person as did other major corporate executives.

Petty finally took the stage briefly to acknowledge the kindness and many honors, and as you might expect, humbly and briefly reminded everyone, "It’s a tribute to not only Richard Petty, but to our sport."

At the live auction after dinner, Petty not surprisingly offered a big assist.

Two people were in a lively bidding war for one of Petty’s famous cowboy hats.

When you’re the King, your hat is a crown. And after the bidding concluded, Petty took off the very hat he was wearing, walked to the stage and told the audience he would give it to the other bidder — in effect doubling the money raised for the Petty Family Foundation and Petersen Automotive Museum. And making two grown men very happy.

The spontaneous gesture was an apt display of both the high regard Petty has earned and his unending willingness to give back to his many fans.

Hats off to the King, indeed.

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RELATED: Read more Inside Groove

 

I should have known it was going to be a special weekend at Auto Club Speedway when . Sure enough, I was . Auto Club Speedway always provides the race of the season, and this race was really no .

What really blew my mind was when . Why would someone do such a thing? I guess we can’t all be like , who ended up having a really solid race. It’s still amazing to me how .

I think I’m going to celebrate by . While it’s been fun racing , it’ll be nice to head to Martinsville next week for some good, old-fashioned — that is, as soon as I .

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With three runner-ups and a win on Sunday at Auto Club Speedway, Kyle Larson’s strong start to the season has gotten the attention of many in the racing industry.

That includes 2014 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick, who made quite the bold statement on the current points leader during Tuesday’s premiere of his radio show "Happy Hours" on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

"Kyle Larson is the best driver to come along since Jeff Gordon in my opinion," Harvick said definitively.

RELATED: Take 5 from Auto Club | Larson wins Auto Club 400

He went on to talk about Larson’s talent, how he wins in everything he drives and how "everyone in the garage wants a Kyle Larson."

"I think Chase Elliott is going to be great too, but Kyle Larson has something special," Harvick said.

By the looks of it, Harvick’s son Keelan is a fan of Larson’s as well.


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Stewart-Haas Racing officials have withdrawn their request for an appeal of penalties against the No. 4 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series team of driver Kevin Harvick and crew chief Rodney Childers, the Appeals Commission confirmed to NASCAR.com.

It was confirmed Thursday that Daniel Knost will serve as interim crew chief this weekend at Martinsville Speedway for Sunday’s STP 500 (2 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Knost was Kurt Busch’s crew chief for 33 races in 2014 and then led Danica Patrick’s No. 10 team for the final three races of the year, followed by a full-time season with her in 2015.

Harvick discussed the penalties and its repercussions during his SiriusXM NASCAR Radio show Tuesday evening.

“Rodney’s a racer, he wants to be at the race track every week,” Harvick said Tuesday. “He’s obviously not too thrilled about not being at the race track this week. But sometimes that happens … and that’s what I want them to do. I want them to push everything on that car. Sometimes you’re going to get in trouble, but those guys have been the best in the business for the last three years.

“It’s kind of like growing up as a kid; sometimes you get in trouble and you have to suffer the consequences, but it is what it is.”

NASCAR penalized the No. 4 team for use of an unapproved track bar slider assembly following the March 19 Camping World 500 at Phoenix Raceway. The infraction was discovered during final inspection at the NASCAR Research & Development Center on March 22.

Childers was fined $25,000 and suspended for one Monster Energy Series race. Harvick was assessed a 10-point penalty while the No. 4 team was penalized 10 owner points.

NASCAR officials declared Harvick’s sixth-place result as an encumbered finish, meaning neither the driver nor team can receive any benefits associated with the result. Those benefits include, but are not limited to, use as a qualifier for the 10-race playoff when the finishing position is a win; or any tie-breakers that might come into play during the 26-race regular season or the 10-race playoff.

SHR officials announced a request for an appeal shortly after the penalties were announced as well as a deferral of the penalties assessed “until the appeal process is complete.”

That request for deferral, which the Appeals Panel granted, allowed Childers to serve as the team’s crew chief for last weekend’s Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway.

Harvick finished 13th at Auto Club and currently is ninth in points.

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NBC’s wild and wildly popular obstacle course show "American Ninja Warrior" is coming to the biggest stage in NASCAR, Daytona International Speedway, to film as part of Season 9.

 

Daytona is a true modern motorsports stadium and will now serve as a proving ground not only for race car drivers but also for athletes in city qualifying and city finals rounds for the show. Competitors who make it out of the finals course will move on to the national finals rounds in Las Vegas with a chance at a $1 million prize.

 

"We’re excited to serve as a host location for the filming of ‘American Ninja Warrior’ and add another new event to an already busy schedule," Daytona International Speedway President Chip Wile said. "We’re thrilled to welcome the competitors to the world’s only motorsports stadium and provide an electric atmosphere as individuals attempt to navigate these challenging obstacles. To succeed, they are going to need strength, speed and perseverance, very similar to what we see on the high banks of the Speedway."

 

The TV tapings will begin each night at approximately 8:30 p.m. ET in between the Axalta and Chevrolet Injectors at the speedway. There will be two different sessions for each night of taping, both of which are available for guests to view. To sign up for free tickets to attend the event, visit http://on-camera-audiences.com/shows/American_Ninja_Warrior.

 

The qualifying episode filmed at Daytona will air June 26, and the city finals will air Aug. 7.

 

The only remaining question is whether "Stenja" will compete again. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who is a fan of the show along with girlfriend and fellow racer Danica Patrick, competed in 2016.

 

MORE: @nascarcasm Q&A with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. — aka "Stenja"