Posted on by Zack Albert



SHOP: Darlington race tickets


Darlington Raceway announced Wednesday that it has named Kerry Tharp as president of the historic 1.366-mile South Carolina track.


Tharp, a native of Louisville, Kentucky, transitions from his previous role as Senior Director of Communications for NASCAR. He replaces Chip Wile, who was appointed president of Daytona International Speedway on April 25 after a tenure of nearly three years.


Tharp begins work at his new post effective July 18.


Tharp has deep ties to the Palmetto State, having lived in South Carolina for more than 31 years and serving as associate athletics director at the University of South Carolina from 1985-2005.


After his time with the Gamecocks, Tharp joined NASCAR’s communications department, forging important relationships within the industry in both his official role as senior director and his unofficial role as NASCAR’s “Commander.”


“I am deeply humbled and honored to have this opportunity,” Tharp said. “I love the state of South Carolina and its people. I know how special Darlington Raceway is to this state and to the sport of NASCAR. The track’s rich tradition, history, and popularity resonate with the competitors, partners, media and most importantly the fans. I look forward to working with our team to help keep Darlington as one of our sport’s crown jewels.”


Darlington Raceway plays host to the Bojangles’ Southern 500 on Sept. 4, a Labor Day weekend tradition that was restored on the NASCAR scheduled last season.


The track instituted a popular NASCAR Throwback initiative last year, kicking off a nostalgia-filled celebration of the speedway’s heritage. In acknowledgement, Darlington was honored with the 2015 NMPA Myers Brothers Award for its outstanding contributions to the sport of stock-car racing.


Posted on by Holly Cain



RELATED: Recap all of Stewart’s wins

Greg Zipadelli sat high atop Tony Stewart ‘s pit box, nervously watching his long-time friend and teammate work the field over the final laps of Sunday’s Toyota – Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway.

Zipadelli spent 10 years as Stewart’s crew chief at Joe Gibbs Racing, and together they won 33 races and a pair of Sprint Cup championships. Now, he is the vice president of competition at Stewart’s own Stewart-Haas Racing team.


As he watched Stewart lead the field in the closing laps, then get passed by Denny Hamlin midway through the last lap and then see Stewart dramatically re-take the lead in the final corner, Zipadelli was visibly balancing that deep and long friendship with Stewart with his genuine excitement for the organization’s success.


When it was over, it was time to exhale and reflect — and be genuinely happy.


After three years of Stewart’s off-track challenges, including a serious back injury the three-time champ suffered in January, this victory was as emotional as it was validating.


“Personally, it’s just unbelievable to me he did it,” Zipadelli said while watching Stewart take photos in Sonoma‘s Victory Lane.


“I’m just so proud of him and his effort, especially in the last three to four weeks. You’ve seen him turn a corner with his efforts, his attitude, learning these cars and running up front.

“I’ve been telling these guys forever: He’ll turn it on like a switch and you’ll sit back and go, ‘What in the hell?’ It just happens. I’ve seen it for 18 years. Hopefully this is the switch and he’ll have a good, strong run the rest of his career.”


RELATED: Stewart in his own words post-victory


Stewart is coming off his first back-to-back, top-10 runs since 2014 with a seventh-place finish at Michigan in the previous race. He now has that required victory for an automatic position in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship, but is still nine points out of the necessary top-30 points position as the series heads to Daytona International Speedway for Saturday night’s Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola (7:45 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).


But Stewart – who missed the first eight races this year recovering from that back injury suffered in an off-season all-terrain vehicle accident — has until the final race of the regular season Sept. 10 at Richmond (7:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) to get into the top 30 in points.


Zipadelli couldn’t be more encouraged.


“I’m really proud of this group,” Zipadelli said. “[Stewart’s crew chief] Mike [Bugarewicz] has done a great job this year keeping this group together and slowly picking away at it, unloading with race cars with more speed, learning what Tony wants.


“They got a little bit behind, but played the pit calls right. We had a bad pit stop, we took it away from him and he went back and got it back for us.

“We think about [Stewart winning] every day, we talk about it. It’s huge for our company having three cars most likely going into the Chase.


“It’s a big hats-off to all the guys back at Stewart-Haas, building these cars and allowing us to race. They’re back there grinding sun up to sun down. We’ve got a lot going on with our company and they haven’t taken their eye off the ball, so I couldn’t be prouder of our people.”

RELATED: Rookie crew chief Bugarewicz reflects on Stewart’s win


Posted on by Staff Report



RELATED: Matt Tifft, NASCAR Next driver


Joe Gibbs Racing issued a medical update on XFINITY Series and NASCAR Next driver Matt Tifft on Tuesday, announcing the 20-year-old will undergo surgery for removal of a low-grade glioma in the brain.

Per the team release, the slow-growing tumor was found during treatment and evaluation for a recent disc condition in his back. Tifft is expected to undergo surgery and rehabilitation soon and once cleared by physicians is expected to return to racing. The release noted the JGR rookie is anxious to return to the race track as soon as possible.

In six series starts this season, the driver has two top-10 finishes and earned the 21 Means 21 Pole Award at Talladega.

Tifft was replaced by interim driver Sam Hornish Jr. earlier this month at Iowa Speedway. Hornish won the race, leading 183 of 250 laps.

David Ragan has been enlisted to drive the No. 18 Surface Sunscreen/Rugged Maniac Toyota Camry XFINITY series entry for Joe Gibbs Racing for Friday’s Subway Firecracker 250 Powered by Coca-Cola at Daytona International Speedway (7:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN).  


Posted on by Staff Report



Kasey Kahne‘s car design for Saturday night’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway drew inspiration from a number of sources, but with a vision from one young patient at Seattle Children’s Hospital.


Kahne showed off this weekend’s creative look for the Hendrick Motorsports No. 5 Chevrolet on Tuesday at The Drive, an annual charity golf event partnership with Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson near the driver’s Washington hometown of Enumclaw.


Noelia Gutierrez, an 8-year-old leukemia patient from White Center in West Seattle, designed the No. 5 Chevy for Saturday’s Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola (7:45 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM). The colorful look was the winner of an online vote in May, topping Kahne’s hand-picked list of four finalists.


Gutierrez’s vision incorporated the colors of soccer club FC Barcelona, a jaguar-inspired animal print and also includes a rainbow of musical notes and the Seattle city skyline. The young patient sent her well-wishes in a YouTube video from the children’s hospital, telling Kahne, “in my heart, I feel that you’re actually going to win. I wish you good luck and I know you can do this.”


The flashy paint scheme is the result of a collaborative effort between sponsor Great Clips and the hospital’s Strong Against Cancer initiative. The Kahne-Wilson Drive charity event presented a check for $400,000 to the Seattle Children’s Hospital and Strong Against Cancer last year.



Posted on by Staff Report



Danica Patrick sat down on the set of “The Dan Patrick Show” on Tuesday to promote the start of the NASCAR on NBC season (the show is simulcasted on NBCSN), which embarks this Saturday night at Daytona International Speedway with the Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola (7:45 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).


And boy, did things get interesting.


The Stewart-Haas Racing driver touched on a variety of subjects, talking about differentiating how her competitors act on the track versus in real life, who she’d help win a race first: team owner Tony Stewart or boyfriend Ricky Stenhouse Jr. — hint: she’s a good employee — and whether or not she can beat up Kasey Kahne if the pair had an on-track issue.


“Oh, definitely (I could take Kasey Kahne in a fight),” Patrick said. “There’s a lot of them I could take, but Kasey’s definitely one of them. I should’ve probably taken care of that at Fontana when he right-reared me at 210 (mph), but I didn’t. Instead he was a little scared for a while. I didn’t say a lot of hellos. I kind of wanted to keep him right there.”


MORE: Danica, Kahne wreck at Auto Club


Be sure to watch the video below in its entirety; Dan Patrick asks a lot of great questions — and Danica has a lot of great answers.



Posted on by Staff Report



RELATED: Photos of Stewart through the years


Remember back in 2011, Tony Stewart went on the record to say he didn’t think his No. 14 team would win a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship?


Remember what actually happened? Stewart won five of the 10 races in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup to beat Carl Edwards for an improbable championship, the third of his storied career.


Stewart’s win at Sonoma Raceway on Sunday, his first of 2016 and first in more than three years, brought back memories of that historic run and inevitably has led some to wonder if Stewart has one more magical march in him.


“I’m going to stick with my approach from 2011,” Stewart said to NASCAR.com’s Jonathan Merryman on Sunday afternoon in Victory Lane. “I said we couldn’t win it then and we ended up winning it. I feel like we’re just starting to get going.”


MORE: Watch that interview | See Stewart move Hamlin for win


Want another similarity to 2011? One stat stands out and perhaps provides another layer of continuity between the two seasons.


Through race Nos. 9-16 of the season — Stewart’s first eight events of the year after missing the start of the season due to a severe back injury — his average finish is 17.125.


In 2011, Stewart’s average finish from race Nos. 9-16? Exactly 17.125.


Hmm …


Posted on by Staff Report



RELATED: Watch live stream here | Inside look on official NASCAR inspection

 

From 8-11 a.m. ET on Wednesday, NASCAR.com will live stream the post-race inspection process.

 

The three-hour look takes you behind the scenes as NASCAR officials inspect NASCAR Sprint Cup Series vehicles following Sunday’s Toyota – Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway.

The cars being inspected this week are: the No. 14 Chevrolet of Tony Stewart (winner of Sunday’s race) and the No. 11 Toyota of Denny Hamlin (runner-up in Sunday’s race).

For more information on what the inspection process entails, click here.


Posted on by Official NASCAR Release



DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — In a show of appreciation for the United States Armed Forces, NASCAR XFINITY Series drivers will bear the names of active military units and installations on their race car windshields during Friday’s Subway Firecracker 250 Powered By Coca-Cola at Daytona International Speedway (7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

 

The 82nd Airborne Division, 1st Marine Raider Battalion and the USS New York (LPD-21) are among the military units and installations from all five branches that will replace the “XFINITY” header on NASCAR XFINITY Series cars.

 

NASCAR: An American Salute™ (#NASCARSalutes) is the industry’s collective expression of reverence, respect and gratitude for those who have served and continue to defend the United States today. Last month, NASCAR together with NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race teams honored 40 fallen service members with 600 Miles of Remembrance, a similar tribute during Memorial Day Weekend. 

 

RELATED: See all cars in 600 Miles of Remembrance

 

“NASCAR’s long-standing tradition of honoring the U.S. Armed Forces will never waver — it is woven into the fabric of our sport,” said Brent Dewar, chief operating officer, NASCAR. “We have a unique opportunity with the NASCAR XFINITY Series to pay tribute to the military units and bases integral to preserving our country’s freedom.”

 

Several NASCAR XFINITY Series teams have personal or direct connections to the units displayed on their race cars. Driver Brendan Gaughan‘s windshield will read “23RD STS,” representing the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron (U.S. Air Force) from Hurlburt Field in Fort Walton, Florida. Gaughan is one of a handful of civilians recognized as an Honorary Member of the Combat Control Association.

 

Elliott Sadler‘s windshield will be adorned with Fort Campbell to honor JR Motorsports employee Lee Langley, who served for six years at the Army base as an infantry team leader in the 101st Airborne Division. Ty Dillon and Brandon Jones both work with Hope 4 Warriors and will honor 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines and 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marines, respectively, from Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, North Carolina.

 

Justin Allgaier will honor the U.S. Air Force 469th Flight Training Squadron through a personal connection, as Allgaier is friends with Major Robert Harms, one of the pilots serving in that specific unit. The squadron operates out of Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas.

 

“I always look forward to getting a chance to pay homage those who serve our country at Daytona each year,” Allgaier said. “We’re thankful to Comcast for providing the space on all of our cars to support these military heroes and to NASCAR for continuing their NASCAR Salutes program. This year there’s a personal tie for me as I get to display the squadron of one of my friends. We love that we’re able to support our military, but a sticker or event will never be enough to truly give them all the credit they deserve for what they do.”

 

The special windshield tribute is one of several military activities planned for the Independence Day Weekend races at Daytona International Speedway, culminating with Saturday’s Coke Zero 400 Powered By Coca-Cola (7:45 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

 

The race track will again host and recognize three recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor, the highest award given to military service members, continuing a tradition dating back several years. The Medal of Honor recipients in attendance this weekend will include Staff Sergeant Ty Carter, Command Sergeant Major Gary Littrell and Captain Florent Groberg, each representing the U.S. Army.

 

NASCAR together with Daytona International Speedway and race teams will host hundreds of active military and veterans, and their families, during the race weekend. Among them will be the 65th Infantry Regiment of the U.S. Army, nicknamed “The Bourinqueneers,” a Puerto Rican regiment that was awarded a Congressional Gold Medal in April. 

 

Several active military members present for Saturday’s Coke Zero 400 Powered By Coca-Cola will take part in a special moment of recognition for the U.S. Armed Forces before the start of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.

 

Pre-race activities will also feature a flyover of four F-16s from the 93rd Fighter Squadron from Homestead Air Reserve Base during the national anthem, which will be performed by the U.S. Army Maneuver Center of Excellence Band from Fort Benning, Georgia. The national anthem will be performed as 200 military members unfurl a giant American flag in the infield.

 

Retired U.S. Air Force Sergeant Kelly Miller will be grand marshal for Friday’s Subway Firecracker 250 Powered By Coca-Cola. A Subway franchisee, Miller served as an aeromedical service specialist, responsible for the healthcare of Air Force pilots and flight crews. Retired Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Fred Gardner, also a Subway franchisee, will serve as the honorary starter. Gardner operated the Terrier missile first control system during Mediterranean tours.

 

Additional live coverage of the Subway Firecracker 250 Powered By Coca-Cola and Coke Zero 400 Powered By Coca-Cola can be found on NASCAR.com.