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With NASCAR drivers — shoot, most of America — watching, the New England Patriots completed the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history on Sunday, rallying from a 25-point deficit to beat the Atlanta Falcons, 34-28. Oh, and it was the first Super Bowl in history to go into overtime.

 

Here’s how NASCAR Nation reacted:

 

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Joey Logano is from Connecticut and a New England Patriots fan. David Ragan is from Georgia and is an Atlanta Falcons fan. Add that with the fact that both teams are squaring off in Sunday’s Super Bowl LI in Houston, Texas on FOX and the two Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers agreed to a good-natured bet that will benefit charity.

 

With the Patriots winning, Ragan will donate $2,200 to The Joey Logano Foundation. If the Falcons had won, Logano would have donated $2,200 to Shriners Hospital for Children.

Founded in 2013, The Joey Logano Foundation partners with other organizations to provide comfort and relief to those in need after such unforeseen circumstances. Shriners Hospital for Children has been Ragan’s official charity of choice since 2008. Shriners Hospital for Children served as the primary sponsor for Ragan in one race in 2016 and he rode on the Shriners Hospital float in last year’s 127th Rose Parade.

How did this bet come to fruition and how exactly was the total agreed on? Here is a look at the anatomy of that bet.

 

 

 

On Sunday, Logano tweeted a photo of the two drivers getting ready to attend the big game.

Logan and Ragan aren’t the only ones in the NASCAR world with a friendly wager on the big game. Atlanta Motor Speedway and New Hampshire Motor Speedway have a bet as well. The details of which you can read here. 

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Saturday is designated as World Cancer Day, and the impact of fighting this disease is not lost on young NASCAR star driver Bubba Wallace, who is an Ambassador for the international Movember Foundation.


Wallace is among a long list of celebrities and sports stars who have made it a priority to recognize the annual effort to bring attention to fighting this disease. And to making a difference.


"The truth is, I’m able to go right now to a mountain bike park with my dad, able to enjoy life on an off-day, just having fun and not having any limits or barriers," said the driver of Roush Fenway Racing‘s No. 6 Leidos Ford Mustang in the XFINITY Series.


"We’re trying to find a cure for all kinds of cancer and it’s something I think everyone is on board with. Nobody wants to see time shortened up with such a strong disease. It’s just something I always wanted to step up to the plate, support and do what I need to do."


Wallace is joining a high-profile list of current and former Movember ambassadors such as Cindy Crawford, Emmy Rossum, Christoph Waltz, Eric Decker and James Wolk. They have all lent their names in an effort to bring attention and hope to patients around the world suffering from cancer.


RELATED: Wallace carries emotional Phoenix lessons into 2017

The Movember organization is well known for its work encouraging men to grow mustaches each November as a way to get the general conversation started on ways to raise awareness and funds.


In addition to his work with Movember and its emphasis on men’s health issues, Wallace was also among a group of NASCAR drivers who helped paint the Charlotte Motor Speedway walls pink last October in recognition of the Breast Cancer Awareness campaign.


"It’s been a lot of fun going to the track and painting the walls for breast cancer," Wallace said. "Knowing close friends that have been involved and affected by it, it’s something I keep close to heart for sure. It’s a struggle and I don’t want to see anybody have to go through that struggle.


"I want everybody to have a good life and do what they want to do."


Saturday’s campaign — coordinated by the Union for International Cancer Control — is promoting the Twitter hashtag #WeCanICan and reminding people on a global scale of the work still to be done.


The campaign reminds, "Just as cancer affects everyone in different ways, everyone has the power to take action to reduce the impact that cancer has. World Cancer Day is a chance to reflect on what you can do, make a pledge and take action."

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Where do you see yourself in five years?

If Daniel Suarez were asked that question in 2012, he admits the answer would not have included sitting in the No. 19 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series car for Joe Gibbs Racing.

But that’s exactly where Suarez will be when teams take the track at Daytona International Speedway to prepare for the Daytona 500 — in a seat once occupied by Carl Edwards, on a team already considered a powerhouse.

To say Suarez has come very far, very fast would be an understatement. And in the whirlwind of activity since Edwards’ surprising exit from JGR, nobody could blame Suarez if he were feeling overwhelmed by all the changes.

However, the 26-year-old Drive for Diversity product looked comfortable sitting in a director’s chair in front of the TV cameras answering questions at the recent Media Tour presented by Charlotte Motor Speedway.

"In the national series, Truck, XFINITY, Cup, there is always pressure," Suarez said. "I guess we just get used to that pressure. For me right now, it’s normal."

Suarez might be feeling an extra boost of confidence because of his 2016 XFINITY Series championship and after becoming the first Latin American driver to win a NASCAR national series title.

When we last saw Suarez in a race, he was celebrating in Victory Lane at Homestead-Miami Speedway, showering his team with Coca-Cola, smiling wide and pumping his fists in the air.

WATCH: Suarez wins at Homestead, celebrates championship

However, the path to that championship wasn’t always clear. When Suarez first came to live in the United States, he didn’t speak English and sponsorship for his car was hard to obtain.

Still, in 2012 he managed to finish in the top 10 in four of 10 races in the K&N Pro Series. This was in addition to 14 races in the NASCAR Mexico Series, where he ranked third in the final standings.

Suarez would get his first win on American soil in 2013 in the K&N Pro Series East event at Columbus, but it wasn’t until 2015 that he’d get a full-time ride — with Joe Gibbs Racing in the XFINITY Series. Suarez also drove in 13 events for Kyle Busch Motorsports in the Camping World Truck Series that year.

Fast-forward two seasons and Suarez was enjoying the scene described above in Victory Lane.


PHOTOS: Best images from Daniel’s 2016 season

"It is happening fast for sure, there’s no question about it," Suarez said. "In 2012, when I moved to the United States, I didn’t speak English. I was trying to find a sponsor for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. It was a very tough year. …

"But I guess being with the right people, being with the right team has helped me a lot, allowed me to move up the ladder faster."

One person in particular, Kyle Busch, has had an enormous effect on Suarez. The young driver said there were many days when he’d "blow up" Busch’s phone asking for advice.

A little pestering has gone a long way, though, and it was with a touch of irony that Suarez had to pass Busch (with two laps to go) to get his first XFINITY win in June at Michigan. For one day, at least, it probably hurt Busch a little less to lose a close one.

Now the two are teammates on the highest of levels in racing, and to hear Suarez tell it, he hopes he and Busch can still share notes. But his voice rises in pitch when he says "maybe" that will be the case this year.

However, Suarez seems undeterred by that fact. He doesn’t anticipate Busch blocking his calls.

"I’m the same person. I’m the same Daniel Suarez as a couple years ago," Suarez said. "I’m not shy to go out there and ask questions to a veteran driver. Hopefully, I can get the right answers to be a better person and a better driver. Kyle has been the most helpful, but the entire Joe Gibbs Racing family has helped me."

RELATED: Edwards helps guide Suarez at Phoenix test

Suarez is just 10 weeks removed from winning a national series championship, but he says the celebration is about to end. It’s time to move on to the next chapter in his professional career, starting with the Daytona 500. He wants his head to be clear.

Where will Daniel Suarez be five years from now? Let’s find out.


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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Growing up in New York City, her parents encouraged her to play against the boys in order to be tough.

Fast-forward two decades and that’s exactly what Julia Landauer is doing with her racing career booming and off-track accolades, including a recent Forbes feature, helping to form her growing brand.

Coming off a fourth-place finish in the standings in NASCAR’s K&N Pro Series West, Landauer, who got her start in go-kart racing, is coming back for more in 2017 with a new team, crew chief and car as well as a fresh set of goals.

"We’re going for the championship," the NASCAR Next product said of her ’17 crew — Bob Bruncati’s Sunrise Ford team. "We’re really excited to try to win races and hopefully make some more history."

And with seasoned crew chief Bill Sedgwick heading the No. 6 team, Landauer could be on track for a record year.

"She’s probably one of the best female drivers I’ve seen in awhile," Sedgwick, who owns two K&N Pro Series West titles (1991, ’92) and is a championship-winning crew chief, told NASCAR.com.

"She handles herself really well on the race track. … She’s very competitive, she’s always looking to whatever she’s doing to be better and I think that’s a good goal to have."

Wins are the likely next step for Landauer, 25, who in her rookie year posted the highest finish for a female driver in the 62-year history of the series. She scored 13 top 10s in just 14 starts — an 11th-place finish at Sonoma being the sole outlier.

While her racing achievements have helped her stay relevant on the race track, Landauer’s off-track endeavors are helping cement her staying power in the sport.

"I learned early on to be a superstar in NASCAR I was going to be able to share my story with the fans and to have that really resonate with them and have them support me," she said. "And so really I’ve tried to be very vulnerable in who I am and really play up the fact that I love education and science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). … I’ve been very conscious of the steps I’ve taken and the associations I’ve had, to make sure they really fit what I consider my brand to be and what I want my fans to see."

The Stanford University graduate’s "brand" became more recognizable in January after becoming an honoree for the Forbes "30 Under 30" list in sports — she also was a contestant on reality TV show "Survivor" in 2013.

"We selected Julia for the Forbes "30 Under 30" list, not only for her remarkable success behind the wheel, but also for what she’s done to promote women in sports," Forbes reporter Christopher Smith said.

Forbes honored Landauer for, yes, her uniqueness but also for what she has done for the sport as a whole.

"I don’t think there are many race car drivers who have made that (list) in general," Landauer said. "So to be able to represent the sport of racing and NASCAR by being so different and being from New York City and having gone to college, it’s just really cool and really great to see that it’s motivating for people and inspiring."

Thus, her dream of becoming "a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion" is off to a good start with her starpower growing at a fast rate.

Looks like she’s pretty fortunate her parents encouraged her all those years ago in New York City. 

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As Johnny Sauter returned to Florida this week it was a feel-good opportunity in the most literal terms.

He is the reigning NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion and started that title campaign by winning the season opener at Daytona Beach, just down the highway from his visit to Orlando on Thursday under sunny skies and 70-degree temperatures.

“When I drove my kids to school this morning it was 3 degrees,” Sauter joked.

“For me personally, it’s nice to get away from the cold frigid temperatures of Wisconsin, it’s nice to get a little break. I look forward to kicking things off.”

Sauter, 38, was in Florida to drop the puck at the Orlando Solar Bears hockey game, show off his championship trophy … and to get fans thinking about the approaching Daytona Speedweeks.

For the first time in his career Sauter will start the season as a NASCAR champion, however he is emphatic that the title celebration is officially over now.

“I’ve been racing long enough to know I need to put last year behind us because quite frankly, it’s yesterday’s news,” Sauter said. “It’s cool and I’m proud of the accomplishments of a year ago, but we’re on the verge of a new season.”

Collecting a second consecutive trophy in 2017 would be trumping a historical rarity. Matt Crafton is the only driver to win back-to-back truck titles (2013-14) in the series history.

And Sauter’s title hopes are again a moving target with rule enhancements governing the series. Last year NASCAR instituted the popular playoff elimination in the series and for 2017, the sanctioning body has implemented a new — and well-received — format to enhance competition in all three national series. Points will awarded to the top 10 places following two early race segments then distributed again to the entire field based on the checkered flag standings.

“To be completely honest with you, I haven’t studied it a whole lot because at the end of the day, you still have to be there at the finish,” Sauter said. “Yeah, it’s going to be good to win segments, but ultimately if you win a segment and you crash in the third segment and it’s a DNF that’s not good either.

“It’s kind of like we’re in the position we were a year ago with learning the Chase format. No one really knew. Until you do it once you really don’t know what to expect.

“Change is good. Change is inevitable and I’m looking forward to it.”

Sauter’s eagerness to get back on track is easy to hear in his voice. He has won the Daytona season opener twice in the last four years (also in 2013). And while he acknowledges the frantic pace and pure intensity expected of the Feb. 24 NextEra Energy Resources 250 opener at Daytona, he also admits it is a perfect way to start the year.

“Exhilarating,” Sauter says of the experience. “From where I’m sitting that’s the word I would use. It’s only 100 laps of racing. But I promise you’re so focused on what’s going on around you that you find yourself in so many different scenarios, you forget half the things that happened to you until you go back and have a chance to watch a replay of the race. It’s a pretty crazy night.”

“And,” he added, “I have to be honest, I hear it a lot that that the Truck Series puts on the most exciting race and I do think that’s a product of a shorter race and putting the emphasis on getting where you’re going in a hurry.

“Having said that, it’s one of those places, I’ve crashed there before we’ve even completed a lap (2010) then the last couple years I’ve won it twice.


“Anything can happen at Daytona, that’s the tricky part about it and good part about it.”

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In the game ‘Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon,’ contestants attempt to link an actor or actress to Kevin Bacon in six movies or less. The game became a fad more than 20 years ago (seriously, it’s been 20 years?), but it’s still fun to play (perhaps with an updated actor such as Ryan Gosling instead).

However, whether you’re matching Bacon or Gosling, degrees of separation are fascinating, so when TriStar Motorsports decided to bring back the No. 72 for Cole Whitt for his attempt at running in this year’s Daytona 500, we just had to check out the history of such an intriguing number choice to see what the connections were.

So in order to do so, we went to Racing Reference (racing-reference.info) and to the bottom of their homepage, under miscellaneous, where you can find a treasure trove of stats categories to explore, including "Stats By Car Number."

Click there and then onto the No. 72, and this is where the meat of this story (and the smell of Bacon) begins:

— The last time the No. 72 was used in a NASCAR premier series race, it was 2006 in the fall race at Phoenix.

— The driver was Brandon Whitt, who is Cole Whitt‘s cousin. Brandon Whitt finished 37th in that race as the car went out after 123 laps because of a rear-end problem.

— Brandon Whitt was born in El Cajon, California, on Oct. 15, 1982.

— Jimmie Johnson was born in El Cajon, California, on Sept. 17, 1975.

— Johnson finished second to Kevin Harvick in the 2006 fall race at Phoenix and took home the first of his five consecutive NASCAR premier series championships.

— Kevin Harvick has the same first name as Kevin Bacon.

Winner, winner, BLT dinner! And just look at all the fun we had by wondering, ‘What’s in a number?’

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Front Row Motorsports announced Friday afternoon that it has purchased a third charter for use in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series ahead of a planned expansion for the 2018 season.


The Bob Jenkins-owned organization indicated that it has acquired the charter last used by BK Racing‘s No. 83 entry in the series in 2016. Front Row said it intends to lease the charter to TriStar Motorsports’ No. 72 team this year in advance of fielding three full-time entries the following season.


Front Row Motorsports currently has two chartered teams: The No. 34 Ford for driver Landon Cassill and the No. 38 Ford driven by David Ragan. The organization — based in Statesville, North Carolina — has fielded at least one full-time entry in NASCAR’s top division since 2009.


"I’m proud of the way this team has grown since we first joined the sport, and we’re here to stay," Jenkins said in a news release provided by the team. "Now we’re taking the next step that will strengthen our foundation as a team and help us build more meaningful, lasting relationships on all levels — driver, sponsor and manufacturer."


RELATED: What teams have charters? | Full list of full-time rides

Front Row has campaigned as a three-car team as recently as 2015. Last season, it completed primarily as a two-car effort, with David Gilliland in a third car at restrictor-plate tracks.


The move reduces BK Racing‘s number of chartered teams to one — the No. 23 Toyota which will be driven by Joey Gase in the Daytona 500 with rookie Gray Gaulding driving nearly the entire schedule. BK Racing owner Ron Devine indicated that its Nos. 83 and 93 will compete in multiple races as open teams.


"I believe operating with one charter will allow this team to focus our resources in a way that will make us more competitive on the race track," Devine said in a statement released by the team. "I have the utmost confidence that we will give both Joey Gase in the No. 23 and Corey LaJoie in the No. 83 the equipment they need to give us a strong run in Daytona, and I’m eager to see Gray Gaulding do great in the No. 23 starting in Atlanta.


"As previously announced, Corey LaJoie will run multiple races in the No. 83 this season. Like last year, you will likely see the No. 93 on track from time to time as well. We have excellent, young talent this year, and I plan for this to be BK Racing‘s most competitive year ever."


TriStar announced its return to NASCAR’s premier series Thursday, planning a full-time ride for driver Cole Whitt.


NASCAR introduced the charter system ahead of the 2016 season in an effort to provide a better business model for team owners. Of the 40 starting spots available in each Monster Energy Cup Series race, 36 are guaranteed to chartered teams.

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A list of full-time rides in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series for the 2017 season (This will be updated as drivers are announced for 2017):

*-indicates a change from the 2016 season

2017 full-time rides

Car No. Driver Team Comment
1 Jamie McMurray Chip Ganassi Racing Has made Chase two years in a row.
2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske Last 3 years: 11 wins, no Championship 4s.
3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing First Chase bid. Check. Is first win next?
4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Average finish of 9.9 topped series in ’16.
5 Kasey Kahne Hendrick Motorsports Average finish of 13.2 in last 12 races.
6 Trevor Bayne Roush Fenway Racing Posted career bests in top fives, top 10s.
10 Danica Patrick Stewart-Haas Racing Set career best in average finish at 22.0.
11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Led series with average start of 6.3.
13 Ty Dillon* Germain Racing Casey Mears, full-timer since ’11, replaced.
14 Clint Bowyer* Stewart-Haas Racing Bowyer steps in for Stewart, as planned.
15 TBD Premium Motorsports* Michael Waltrip will drive in Daytona 500, rest of team’s plans unknown
17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Roush Fenway Racing Had career high in top fives.
18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Four-plus wins in six of 12 seasons.
19 Daniel Suarez* Joe Gibbs Racing XFINITY champ takes over for Edwards.
20 Matt Kenseth Joe Gibbs Racing Eight top 10s in Chase but couldn’t finish.
21 Ryan Blaney Wood Brothers Racing Team is leasing charter from Go Fas Racing.
22 Joey Logano Team Penske Not his best year, but still was second.
23 Joey Gase*/Gray Gaulding* BK Racing Gase will drive at Daytona, Gaulding starts at Atlanta
24 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports 17 top 10s matched Larson’s rookie total.
27 Paul Menard Richard Childress Racing Team looks for boost with Matt Borland.
31 Ryan Newman Richard Childress Racing Narrowly missed Chase, signed extension.
32 Matt DiBenedetto* Go Fas Racing Team is leasing No. 44 charter from RPM.
33* Jeffrey Earnhardt*/TBD Circle Sport w/The Motorsports Group* Earnhardt to drive in Daytona 500, rest of schedule unknown
34 Landon Cassill* Front Row Motorsports He moves from the No. 38 for ’17.
37* Chris Buescher* JTG Daugherty Racing* JTG is leasing RFR’s charter.
38 David Ragan* Front Row Motorsports Returns to team after year with BK Racing.
41 Kurt Busch Stewart-Haas Racing Fifteen of his 21 top 10s came in first half.
42 Kyle Larson Chip Ganassi Racing Win at Michigan capped rebound season.
43 Aric Almirola Richard Petty Motorsports Recaptured restrictor-plate mojo at ‘Dega.
47 AJ Allmendinger JTG Daugherty Racing Posted his best average finish in five years.
48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports On course for history after seventh title.
72* Cole Whitt* TriStar Motorsports* TriStar reboots its Cup effort around Whitt.
77* Erik Jones* Furniture Row Racing* FRR adds second car for rising star.
78 Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row Racing Had series-best 1,809 laps led.
88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Hendrick Motorsports Signs point to healthy return at Daytona.
95 Michael McDowell Leavine Family Racing Career bests in top 10s, average finish.
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RELATED: XFINITY 2017 schedule


Matt Tifft is more than ready to carry the XFINITY Series banner for Joe Gibbs Racing.


Granted, it came unexpectedly. Just a month before the start of the season, Tifft thought he would be working with defending series champion Daniel Suarez, but Suarez was promoted to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series when Carl Edwards decided to step away from racing. 


Surprise aside, Tifft happily accepts the spotlight of being the only JGR driver chasing the XFINITY championship this season. 


"I’ve been waiting for a long time for it," he said with a smile.


Although he missed a majority of the races he was slated for in 2016 following surgery in July to remove a benign brain tumor, Tifft still believes last year prepared him well. In his 10 starts, Tifft earned five top-10 finishes, led 23 laps, and earned his first career pole in the spring at Talladega Superspeedway.


"I thought we started off really well," Tifft said of 2016. "I got through the beginning of the year and what happened happened in the summer, but then towards the end of the year I wanted to come back and prove that I could compete and be competitive, and now I have that chance."  


RELATED: Tifft has renewed driving passion after surgery


Matt Beckman will be Tifft’s crew chief. Tunity will return to the organization as a primary sponsor on the No. 19 car. Between being impressed with Beckman’s knowledge and the confidence that he’s sitting in the best equipment in the series, Tifft looks at 2017 as a year to grow himself. 


"I’ve never run a full season in anything since I got started racing," Tifft said. "I started when I was 12, so I started late. Our thing was always you get good enough to where you’re competitive and jump to the next level, so it’s cool for me to realize that I’m finally at a top level to where we can go and compete for a championship in the best situation possible."


Not having a teammate in the trenches with him each week doesn’t worry Tifft. Suarez, Kyle Busch, and others are still at his disposal. Erik Jones, who also moved to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, is someone who Tifft leans on often. Call it a comfort thing; the two are the same age. 


"That’s the neat thing about JGR, everyone wants to help," Tifft said. "It’s just you got to go out and get the help that you need, they’re not going to come to you. Except for on the XFINITY side when we have our teammates there, we’ll have our meetings, our competition meeting, and that’s where we’ll all help each other. 


"Now, I don’t know where that aspect will go anymore because I’ll be the only full-time driver, so it’ll be even more on me to get the help that I need, but that’s OK because I’ll get the experience I need from those guys."


Coming off a Suarez championship last year, expectations will remain high at Joe Gibbs Racing. Having watched as Suarez consistently improved throughout last year to where he eventually led the points and was able to capture three series wins while competing for the championship, Tifft’s expectations are to do the same. 


"That’s the main thing, and then go get some wins," Tifft said. "The comfort in it is that we can be on our own agenda. We don’t have to worry about anything else because our No. 19 team is in its own zone. We have a different focus than the other guys, so it’s a little bit more unique."