Posted on by Staff Report

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 25, 2017) – After a season of milestones for NASCAR Drive for Diversity graduates competing across NASCAR national series, the industry’s flagship development program for multicultural and female drivers has announced that six drivers will join its 2017 class. The drivers were selected after a competitive combine held last October at New Smyrna Speedway and will compete for Rev Racing in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and NASCAR Whelen All-American Series.

 

The 2017 class features a former NASCAR PEAK Mexico Series champion, the granddaughter of one of the sport’s female pioneers, and NASCAR Drive for Diversity’s first sibling teammates. The drivers will attempt to follow in the footsteps of program graduates and current national series drivers Kyle Larson, Darrell Wallace Jr., and 2016 NASCAR XFINITY Series champion Daniel Suárez.

 

“Now more than ever, we’re seeing the impact of NASCAR’s development program in producing drivers who excel at the highest echelons of our sport,” said Jim Cassidy, NASCAR senior vice president of racing operations. “There’s a great deal of talent and potential in this year’s class. With the strong foundation that NASCAR Drive for Diversity provides, these drivers will have the opportunity to develop the skills needed to elevate their racing careers.”

 

The 2017 class is led by four returning drivers, Collin Cabre, Jay Beasley, Madeline Crane and Rubén García Jr., who first competed in stock car racing in his native Mexico. Collin’s younger brother, Chase Cabre, joins 16-year-old Macy Causey as this year’s NASCAR Drive for Diversity newcomers. Causey’s grandmother, Diane Teel, was the first woman to compete in a NASCAR XFINITY Series race in 1982.

 

Rev Racing, the operational arm of NASCAR Drive for Diversity, will field four teams in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and two in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series.

 

The 2017 NASCAR Drive for Diversity roster features:

 

Collin Cabre: An impressive second year in the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program was highlighted by four top-five and six top-10 finishes and a sixth-place finish in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East championship standings. After winning the 2015 season finale at Dover International Speedway, Cabre was named to the 2016-2017 NASCAR Next class. The 23-year-old from Tampa, Florida, will compete in his third season in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East with Rev Racing.

 

Chase Cabre: Cabre, 20, registered 12 race wins in 21 starts in a 600 Mini Sprint Car and is a two-time Fall Brawl Champion at Florida’s Ocala Bullring. In 2016, he averaged a fourth-place finish in races at Hickory Motor Speedway and set two poles during the season. Chase will compete in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East in his rookie season with Rev Racing.

 

Rubén García Jr.: At age 20, the Mexico City native became the youngest NASCAR PEAK Mexico driver to win the series championship in 2015. García was also part of the NASCAR Next program in both 2015 and 2016. He returns to the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East after finishing 10th in the series last season.

 

Jay Beasley: Beasley, 24, made history in 2013 by becoming the first African-American driver to win a Super Late Model race at the Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. In his first season with the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program in 2014, he earned two top-five and five top-10 finishes in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. He returns to the series for his third season with Rev Racing.

 

Macy Causey: Causey was honored with the NASCAR Young Racer Award in 2016. The year prior, she won the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Virginia Rookie of the Year Award and earned top rookie honors at Langley Speedway in Hampton, Virginia, where in 1978 her grandmother became the first woman to win a NASCAR-sanctioned race at the track. Causey will compete for Rev Racing in the NASCAR Whelen All American Series.

 

Madeline Crane: The Georgia native began her career racing Bandoleros at Atlanta Motor Speedway at age 10. Crane, 19, moved into Legend cars, and by the time she was 14 had garnered 59 top-five finishes in 82 starts. Returning for a second season with NASCAR Drive for Diversity, she will compete in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series following two top-five and 12 top-10 finishes in 2016.

 

NASCAR Drive for Diversity aligns drivers with a team of executives, athletic directors, crew chiefs and mentors tasked with helping them achieve career successes, and thus improving their goal of reaching one of the three NASCAR national series.

 

Since it began fielding NASCAR Drive for Diversity cars in 2010, Rev Racing has been one of the most consistent teams in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, registering 17 wins, 65 top-five and 124 top-10 finishes with drivers finishing in the top-10 in points each season.

 

“Each year the applicant pool and talent level rises and our program continues to evolve and create more opportunities for advancement,” said Max Siegel, CEO and owner of Rev Racing. “NASCAR Drive for Diversity and Rev Racing are proud of the impact that we have had in the sport and we look forward to graduating the next generation of athletes to the national series.”

 

The 2016 NASCAR season was a historic year for NASCAR Drive for Diversity alumni. Larson, who is Asian-American, became the first program graduate to win a race and reach the playoffs in the sport’s premier series, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.

 

With his NASCAR XFINITY Series victory at Michigan International Speedway, Suárez was the first Mexican-born driver to win a national series race, and last November he became the first foreign-born driver to win a national series championship. Suárez will make his debut in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series racing for Joe Gibbs Racing in 2017.

 

The 2017 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East season opener will take place on Feb. 19 at New Smyrna Speedway, where Rev Racing scored a win with Suárez in 2014.

 

For more information on NASCAR Drive for Diversity, visit NASCARDiversity.com.

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RELATED: Stage format revealed | Quick facts about race enhancements

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The 2017 NASCAR Media Tour started Monday night with a dramatic, warmly-received and game-changing announcement about a new race format for NASCAR’s three national series and a re-designed points system aimed at increasing competition levels throughout races.

It was a hard act to follow, but the next two days of panel interviews, photo ops and video one-on-ones delivered interesting interviews and a definitive positive vibe in the air.

"Enhancements" was the word of the week and may prove to be the theme of seasons to come.

For the first time, the traditional "tour" didn’t include visits to any of the area’s race shops or the nearby Charlotte Motor Speedway. No crew chiefs or owners appeared on stage or roamed the halls.

But one by one, drivers — representing all three NASCAR national series — took the stage at the Charlotte Convention Center — settling into a lone director’s chair next to the emcee’s podium to provide season previews and at times, purely entertain.

At times the 10-minute question-and-answer segments felt more like open-mike night at a comedy club. Jamie McMurray and AJ Allmendinger cracked jokes and took all-in-fun shots at various media members.

RELATED: Allmendinger discusses Charlotte road course

Defending Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin delivered zingers with a straight face.

The GMS Racing team proved itself among the most entertaining of media availabilities with drivers 27-year old Spencer Gallagher and newcomer 17-year old Justin Haley

 

"If you want to compete in a NASCAR national series you can’t be a fatso." Spencer Gallagher declared as he snacked on a green apple. "Plus it makes you look good in a firesuit.’"

 

During his team’s time on stage, he spoke about his highly-publicized tussle with John Wes Townley during a truck race saying, "Pacifism got me nowhere, I learned my lesson."

And should he win the upcoming season-opening XFINITY Series race at Daytona International Speedway, he promised a fence climb followed by a back flip capped off with a dramatic "grass" angel.

 

"Whenever I win Daytona, watch out," Gallagher said with a grin.

 

It was indicative of a preseason of positive thinking and contagious optimism.


Interviews with Israeli driver Alon Day, and new Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series rookie, Daniel Suarez, of Mexico, proved interesting, their stories so compelling and inspiring.

RELATED: Suarez reflects on rise through Drive for Diversity program

Julia Landauer, who will compete full time in the NASCAR K&N Pro West Series this year, started Wednesday morning’s slate of interviews. The 25-year old Stanford graduate and former cast member from the hit television show “Survivor” spoke about being named to Forbes Magazine‘s prestigious Sports "30 Under 30" list. She is a member of the elite NASCAR Next class and promised her goal will be to do the interview next year as a full-time driver in one of NASCAR’s three national series.

 

Reigning, seven-time champ Jimmie Johnson took good-natured questions about his heavy beard, chances at a record eighth Cup title and whether — just maybe — the fans have come around to appreciating his amazing efforts.

 

"I think when a driver has enough gray in his beard, the fans kind of let you off the hook a little bit," he said laughing. "There has been a shift over the last two or three years, for sure. Homestead and even before we won the race and the championship, they introduced us on stage and there was a much larger roar than I anticipated hearing. So, I guess I’ve earned my spot now after 15 seasons and seven championships; well, at that point, six championships. But, I think tenure plays a big role."


RELATED: Johnson ready to attack for title No. 8 | ‘Seven-Time’s strong beard

Asked if he simply just had to get older to acquire the love, Johnson joked, "Essentially, yeah."

 

His popular Hendrick Motorsports teammate driver Kasey Kahne spoke about rebounding in 2017 after failing to make the playoffs last year.

 

"Everybody is working hard, but for us we are going in the right direction and it is going to show this year and I’m looking forward to that," he promised.

 

Their teammate, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was equally optimistic but also delivered an inspirational reminder that competing in this sport is truly a gift. Having missed the second half of the 2016 season recovering from concussion-like symptoms, the newlywed Earnhardt said he’s got a renewed outlook about his place in the sport and life in general.


RELATED: Dale Jr. ready for season to get here

"I’m excited to be here for media day, which is new for me this year," Earnhardt said without prompting as soon as he took a seat for his media session.

 

"Usually you kind of tell everybody Daytona will get here when it gets here, but I’m excited for the season. It can’t get here fast enough.

 

"Really thankful to be back and be working, and can’t wait for the opportunity to test at Phoenix in a couple of days and then get on to Daytona and get on to work."

 

It was the prevailing message of the week and indicative of the good vibes.

 

As Justin Allgaier said during the final few minutes of interview time, "I’m ready to go now."

 

And so we shall.

Posted on by Staff Report

RELATED: Recapping 2017 Media Tour


CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The lines of communication between Stewart-Haas Racing and Team Penske are open, but it’s yet to be determined how each organization will benefit in the coming season.

"There are definitely a lot of different avenues where we can work together," Team Penske driver Joey Logano said during Wednesday’s NASCAR Media Tour presented by Charlotte Motor Speedway. "It is always an interesting relationship because we still have to race each other but we want to see how we can both grow and make Ford a powerhouse manufacturer … get them a manufacturer’s championship and have both our organizations win more races. That’s the ultimate goal."

Team Penske, which joined the Ford camp in 2013, fields two full-time entries in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series for Logano and 2012 series champion Brad Keselowski.

Stewart-Haas Racing made the switch from Chevrolet to Ford after the completion of the 2016 season. It’s driver lineup consists of 2014 champion Kevin Harvick, 2004 champ Kurt Busch, Clint Bowyer and Danica Patrick.

Logano and Keselowski have won 25 times under the Ford banner since the start of ’14; SHR drivers have 17 wins over that same period.

"Teaming with SHR is a smart move and an impressive move by Ford," Logano said. "It shows their commitment to what they are trying to do and their investment in our sport."

RELATED: Ford expects to come out firing with SHR in mix

Roush Fenway Racing, Richard Petty Motorsports and Front Row Motorsports are among the organizations that also field Fords in NASCAR’s premier series.

Ford officials say that technical information gleaned by the manufacturer is provided to all its teams. Individual organizations, however, maintain a certain level of secrecy in the interest of competition.

"I think it depends on which facet of racing we’re talking about," Raj Nair, Executive Vice President for Global Product Development and Chief Technical Officer, Ford Motor Co., said recently. "Certainly under the hood with Roush Yates Engines we’re providing that continuity and sharing of information across all of our teams.

"On the aero work that we’re doing on the body, the same level of information is provided to all of the teams. Ford also provides access to a variety of chassis simulation tools, which teams may or may not choose to use.


"We’re trying to find a little bit of that balance of the things the teams are good at doing themselves, providing them that freedom and flexibility to do that on their own and to some extent compete against each other and see which way is better," Nair said. "But the things where you want to leverage a lot of commonality, the big tools that Ford Motor Company brings, the big investment … try to use that across all our teams."

Logano said Ford officials "want us all to work together as much as we can, but we still have to race each other so there is that line there for trading out assets."

"There has already been communication and some things are already underway," he said. "It will be interesting to see how that relationship grows over the next few years and how it works out. So far so good."

A Ford driver has not won the championship since 2004, although Logano has qualified for the Championship 4 twice in the last three years — 2014 and 2016.

The automaker last won the manufacturer championship in 2002.

Posted on by Staff Report

The No. 88 Axalta Chevrolet is getting a new paint scheme for 2017, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. helped unveil it Tuesday morning along with local artist Sam Bass.


Calling it perhaps one of his favorite paint schemes ever, Earnhardt pulled back the car cover to reveal a bold yellow-dominant scheme. Watch the video below to see it.



Axalta announced in 2015 it would serve as primary sponsor of the No. 88 for 13 races per season through the 2018 season. Junior, naturally, was super excited about the schematics. He saw a sneak peek earlier Tuesday morning and posted a video to Twitter about it (also revealing his helmet).


Posted on by Staff Report

RELATED: Race format creates playoff-point incentives | Drivers react


NASCAR announced Monday competition format enhancements in all three of its national series — the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR XFINITY Series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. 


NASCAR Chairman & CEO Brian France and NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O’Donnell delivered the news via press conference alongside drivers Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Brad Keselowski and Denny Hamlin.


With the new format, there will be three stages per race, providing emphasis on aggressive racing and strategy. The winner of the first two stages of each race will receive one playoff point, and the race winner will receive five playoff points. Each playoff point will be added to a driver’s reset total following the 26th race, if that competitor makes the playoffs.


MORE: Fast facts about the new format


Following the announcement, racing professionals and fans alike had much to talk about.


See what NASCAR writers and broadcasters had to say about the sport’s next phase:


Tom Jensen, FOX Sports: "The reasoning behind NASCAR’s new stage-based race format is pretty basic: Improving competition is a bigger priority than simplifying the math is. … Last year, if a driver won the Daytona 500, all they had to do for the next 25 races was stay in the top 30 in points and they were all but guaranteed to make the playoffs, so some of them cruised during the summer. With playoff points awarded in every stage of every race now, there will be considerable incentive to race hard all the time." | Read more


Bob Pockrass, ESPN: "Among the biggest impacts will be the importance of qualifying, since that first stage will be approximately the first quarter of the race." | Read more


Lee Spencer, Motorsport.com: "Although the new format was a collaboration among the sport’s shareholders, clearly, NASCAR considered the fans’ sentiments when incorporating some of the hot button topics into the new format. … And for fans that appreciate the influence of pit crew performance, having the field set for segments two and three by pit stops will place more emphasis on the men going over the wall." | Read more


Brant James, USA Today: "NASCAR as an industry, after half a year of consultation with drivers, its fan council and social media’s temperament, implored its fan base to just give it a taste Monday, unveiling a system that it claims will give incentive for more dogged racing throughout the regular season. … This was a risk worth taking." | Read more 

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RELATED: Read more Inside Groove | Hooters joins Elliott for ’17


Hendrick Motorsports announced Monday that casual dining chain Hooters would sponsor No. 24 Chevrolet driver Chase Elliott beginning in 2017, which is kind of a best-case-scenario sponsor for the 21-year-old.


Elliott was asked about the new deal right away in his NASCAR Media Tour session on Tuesday, and he expanded upon what it was like to take the promo photographs with the Hooters girls and the behind-the-scenes vibe.


"It’s definitely (a sponsor) I wasn’t going to turn down, that’s for sure," Elliott, heading into his second Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season, said. "I had a lot of fun with it and they’re certainly a fun group of people. Not just the brand, but the group of people that they have to work with behind the scenes. Easy to work with; great to work with. Had a lot of fun. Got to stare, I didn’t get to eat, but got to stare at a lot of chicken wings yesterday. It’s probably good that I didn’t eat ’em. I need to get back in the gym."


Nice save.


Elliott then explained how important the sponsor is to his family, as his father, Bill, and Alan Kulwicki had one of NASCAR’s most storied championship battles in 1992 while Kulwicki ran the Hooters paint scheme.


"It was a lot of fun. I’m excited to have them on board. I know their history with Alan (Kulwicki) is long and him and my dad had obviously a great championship battle in 1992. That’s obviously kind of ironic to see that," said Elliott. "My dad had a lot of respect for Alan and what he did; both my parents do. It’s pretty neat to carry the Hooters colors this year and I’m looking forward to that. Definitely something different."

Posted on by Staff Report

RELATED: Full Media Tour schedule | Elliott through the years

 

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — If Chase Elliott has his way, the Dawsonville Pool Room will be making plenty of noise in 2017.

The Dawsonville, Georgia, establishment in Elliott’s hometown is known for its ear-splitting howl emitted from a siren on the roof. The practice is the same as when his dad, NASCAR Hall of Famer and 1988 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion, Bill Elliott won races. The siren notably went off for Chase’s back-to-back NASCAR XFINITY Series wins in 2014 — his first two at that level.

"It would be incredible," Elliott told NASCAR.com of scoring his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup win. "I hope the siren still works there at Dawsonville — that thing hasn’t gone off in a long time. Hopefully, we can test it out before too long."

MORE: Elliott’s storied history with Pool Room

If the siren does ring, Elliott may be close enough to hear it. An avid flyer with a pilot’s license — Elliott says if he wasn’t a driver he’d be a pilot — the 21-year-old flies back and forth from the Charlotte area to his home in Georgia during the season. Elliott says "it’s good to do your own thing in some ways."

"Alan (Gustafson, crew chief) has been supportive and our whole group has," Elliott said of his flying in and out. "As long as you’re willing to put in the work to make it work, I’m going to try and make it work."

 

There were a couple of times last year when it looked like Elliott would drive into Victory Lane in his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series rookie campaign and prompt the siren to go off, but that was not the case.

Still, the 2016 Sunoco Rookie of the Year in the sport’s top series notched 10 top fives, 17 top 10s, 358 laps led and two runner-up finishes at Michigan International Speedway, in addition to qualifying for the playoffs — the first rookie along with Chris Buescher to do so since Denny Hamlin in 2006.

Having continuity coming into the 2017 season is something not lost on Elliott. In his two years in the XFINITY ranks, he had a different crew chief each season. Gustafson returns to lead Elliott and the No. 24 team for his sophomore season at the top level.

"One thing I’m excited about, which I haven’t had in the last few years, is having the same crew chief two years in a row. I haven’t had that. I really enjoyed working with Alan last year. I think he’s one of the best.

"Everyone says that about their crew chiefs, but I’m pretty confident saying that. He does a great job and is underrated in what he does and how hard he works in trying to make a race team go."

Posted on by Staff Report

RELATED: ‘Seven-Time’ through the years

 

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The mountains in and around Aspen, Colorado., have been a retreat for NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson and his family in recent years.

But the pull of racing always brought the seven-time NASCAR champion back to Charlotte and back to "headquarters" at the Hendrick Motorsports campus.

Until this past season.

Johnson, wife Chandra and daughters Genevieve and Lydia have "relocated" to the resort area, but Johnson says it’s not a move entirely away from his Charlotte home.

"We’re not there full-time," Johnson said Tuesday during the annual Charlotte Motor Speedway NASCAR Media Tour. "We’re there for the winter.

"With the West Coast races it works to be out there."

The family also has a home in New York City as well as Charlotte.

Johnson will begin defense of his championship and the quest for a record-breaking eight title when NASCAR kicks off the 2017 Feb. 26 with the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway.

Team owner Rick Hendrick and crew chief Chad Knaus "are both very much in favor of me living life and trying to find that balance of being in a place I really enjoy in the mountains," Johnson said. "It’s great for me and my family."

Johnson and his family have spent plenty of time on the ski slopes — he has twice participated in the Audi Ajax Cup, a fund-raising ski race that provides support to the Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club.

Following stops at Daytona and Atlanta, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series begins the West Coast Swing, with races at Las Vegas, Phoenix and Auto Club Speedway (Fontana, California)

"I’ll be (in Aspen) for the start of the season," he said, "but be back in Charlotte, back to the normal grind … I guess early spring, late winter."

Returning to Charlotte after the racing season gets underway isn’t the only thing that will bring the family back east. Chani is the owner of Southern Comfort (SOCO) Gallery in Charlotte, an art gallery that opened in 2015.

 

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Will there be road course racing at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series? AJ Allmendinger isn’t sure but he enjoyed taking some swings at the turns in an informal test.


A road course expert, Allmendinger joked Tuesday at Charlotte Motor Speedway‘s Media Tour that he would enjoy the whole series being comprised of road courses. But in all seriousness, the California native said he enjoyed the course in an "information gathering" session Friday.


Allmendinger’s sole premier series win came at Watkins Glen International, a New York road course, winning by a 1.160-second margin of victory. 


"Change can be good; it’s a little scary," Allmendinger said, regarding rumors that either the All-Star Race or the fall Charlotte race could be run on the speedway’s road course. "It’s just like the new format, cahnge can be good. But could it be successful? I think it could be a fantastic race."

The 35-year-old road course maven returns with JTG Daugherty Racing — a team he’s been with since 2013 — for the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season, joined by new teammate Chris Buescher. 

Posted on by Staff Report

RELATED: Full NASCAR Media Tour schedule


CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The surprising "retirement" of Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver Carl Edwards created more than just a driver opening for the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 19 team.


It also resulted in the shuffling of spotters Chris "Crazy" Osborne and Jason Hedlesky.


Osborne served as spotter for JGR driver Matt Kenseth from 2013-16. He also worked as the spotter for driver Daniel Suarez in the XFINITY Series this past season.


Hedlesky has worked for more than a dozen years as Edwards’ spotter.


When JGR officials named Suarez to take over Edwards’ spot, team officials thought it best to allow the XFINITY Series champion to continue working with Osborne for his rookie effort.


That opened the door to pair Kenseth with Hedlesky.


"With Carl’s unexpected departure and putting Daniel in there, you know ‘Crazy’ has worked with Daniel the whole time through the XFINITY Series, the Truck Series," Kenseth said Tuesday during the first day of this year’s NASCAR Media Tour hosted by Charlotte Motor Speedway.


"He and ‘Crazy’ had that really good relationship and with Carl not being there and Jason being over (at the No. 19) I think everybody over there just decided to make the swap for the good of the company."


Hedlesky has also spotted for ThorSport Racing driver Matt Crafton in the Camping World Truck Series for several years.


"Jason has always done a great job," Kenseth said. "There’s always some pause, I guess, because you kind of learn each other, and that takes a little bit (of time) to do that. But I think it will be fine."


In addition to Kenseth and Suarez, JGR also fields entries in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series for defending Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin and 2015 series champion Kyle Busch.