Posted on by Holly Cain

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Chip Wile has flown into the Daytona Beach, Florida, airport dozens of times during his nearly two decades in NASCAR, working in racing public relations or for Motor Racing Network or more recently as the president of Darlington Raceway.

But NASCAR’s most famous track — Daytona International Speedway — looked different to Wile this past weekend as he landed at the airport next door.

It’s home now.

“The ‘aha moment’ for me was flying in from Talladega Sunday night and landing right alongside the race track,” said Wile, who started his tenure as Daytona International Speedway president on Monday. “I’ve flown in 50 times over the past 15 years but it felt different this time. You fly in and look over and get excited because you’re going to Daytona, but knowing I have a different role now here and this is now my home was the ‘aha moment.’

“I’m trying to take a deep breath and really appreciate this opportunity. This is a game-changer for me and for my family. I understand how important (Daytona) is and what it means to our sport, and I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

For sure, the 36-year-old Wile knows a little something about challenges.

For the past three years he has led the iconic Darlington Raceway into a modern era, ironically, by celebrating its storied past. Under his leadership, the “throwback” theme he created for Darlington’s Southern 500 has been something praised and celebrated by fans, media and drivers alike.

One of the most historic weekends of competition has also positioned itself as one of the most popular weekends in NASCAR — a feat not lost by those International Speedway Corporation executives who tabbed Wile to run the facility as Joie Chitwood III takes a new role as ISC’s Chief Operating Officer.

Chitwood oversaw the recently completed $400 million Daytona Rising project that has propelled the speedway into one of sport’s greatest modern facilities. And now Wile will shepherd the project and expand the opportunities.

The Darlington experience is all fantastic background for Wile, who follows Chitwood in a place Chitwood aptly steered into the top level of innovation.

“When I got the opportunity to go work at Darlington, I knew how important Darlington was to NASCAR and what it meant to lead that team,” Wile said. “The obligation to hold people to a high standard because of its history and nostalgia, and certainly over the past three years, we’ve been able to do that with the community. Making sure we hold the Bojangles’ Southern 500 to a high standard and make it a unique event with the throwback. So, that certainly is something I’m really proud of.

“This is an even more prestigious brand. The Daytona 500, I would argue, is the most prestigious brand in our sport and we have to hold it to a higher standard. And this race track, and what it means to our community and our sport, transcends really anything else that is out there.”

That race in particular has always held a special place in Wile’s heart. He remembers working at Penske Racing, where he was reminded of the iconic Daytona track on a near daily basis.

“I remember Roger Penske, who I worked for, he won 16 Indy 500s, but when you walk into his shop, the first trophy you see is that 50th running of the Daytona 500 trophy,” Wile recalled. “And he’s won just about everything you can win, but I’d argue that was, at the time, the biggest win in his motorsports career.”

 

Wile’s extensive background working in so many facets of the sport will undoubtedly be useful for him. He spent almost a decade working with teams such as Bill Davis Racing and Penske Racing before joining ISC as director of business development with its radio network, MRN. He served as a liaison between the network and the tracks in that role before moving to Darlington. All of that is why he was the logical choice for the Daytona position and why he is confident and excited in leading the charge.

 

“I think certainly what I bring is relationships,” Wile said. “The only jobs I’ve ever had are in this sport. And I’ve been fortunate over the years. People have taken a vested interest in me and helped me be successful. I feel like I have relationships in the garage and with people that are true. I value those relationships and those are the reasons I’m getting the opportunity to come here and lead this team in Daytona.

 

“Understanding how NASCAR works and how the race teams operate and certainly on the media side with my short time with MRN, I know what makes them tick, how their business runs and now, obviously, on the race track side.

“It does give you a little bit of perspective on how you view things and look at things. I think that has helped me be successful so far. And certainly the relationships, in my opinion, are the most important thing in the sport and I will continue to lean on those.”

Posted on by Staff Report

NASCAR Chairman & CEO Brian France has gone from Talladega, Alabama, to Los Angeles over the past several days, taking in and sending out a wide view of the sport in the process.
 
France kicked off a Drivers Council meeting at Talladega on Friday, then served on a prestigious speaking panel for sports business leaders in L.A. on Monday
 
The initial stop was well-received by both the drivers and France himself — the NASCAR Chairman & CEO kicked off the meeting with remarks, and listened to driver discussion on a variety of topics.
 
France also met privately for a one-on-one discussion with driver Tony Stewart, a three-time premier series champion.
 
“The Drivers Council meeting in Talladega was very productive,” France told NASCAR.com. “Tony and I also met one-on-one, and it was great to hear his thoughts. I think the key is to build trust with the drivers, and we structured the Council in a way that lets them express their views in a free-flowing manner.  
 
“We want them to know that we are listening, trying to understand their issues and that it is important for us to get it right. I think the level of collaboration between us is better than ever.”

The drivers agree.

“It was great Brian came (to the meeting),” Dale Earnhardt Jr. told reporters at Talladega. ” … It was just a good, positive meeting, a lot of good things moving in a good direction. … I think what we are doing is pretty amazing.”
 
Stewart, Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson were all on the Drivers Council when it was formed last year, and remain members in 2016. Jimmie Johnson, Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch are three new members this year, bringing the total council to nine drivers.
 
The sanctioning body strategically shaped criteria for the Drivers Council so a variety of drivers are included.
 
Four spots are automatically filled by performance the previous season — the top-finishing driver for Chevrolet, Toyota and Ford, plus the top-finishing driver with less than three seasons of experience.
 
The remaining slots are filled by driver votes from the following categories: Two drivers from the top 10 in points from the previous season; one driver from positions 11-20 in points from the previous season; one driver from positions 21-30 in points the previous season; and one driver with the most votes who doesn’t fit into the previous categories.
 
A team can have a maximum of two drivers on the Drivers Council.
 
“The meeting on Friday was terrific,” NASCAR Executive Vice President and Racing Development Officer Steve O’Donnell reiterated on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. “It was scheduled for an hour and a half and almost went three hours. Brian was there and talked about where we see the sport going, answering a number of questions that the drivers had, and then we had some great exchanges about what we think of the current rules package, some things we may look at in the future. All in all, my perspective, … but I really believe in the process and think it’s paying huge benefits for the sport and ultimately the race fans.”
 
The Drivers Council is the latest group to be formed within the industry, joining the NASCAR OEM Council, Tracks Council and the Teams Council. The intent of council creation is for better collaboration across the sport, with the manufacturers and teams — and now, the drivers — having an avenue for discussion and a process to elevate those discussions to industry leadership.
 
At the Milken Conference days later, France was on a five-person panel for a session called “Stewards of the Game: The Business Leaders Behind Major Sports” that also included former NBA Commissioner David Stern and New England Patriots team owner Robert Kraft.
 
The NASCAR Chairman & CEO answered broad-ranging questions on his family legacy, the successful Daytona Rising project and the importance of digital and social media to reach and engage new fans.

Posted on by Staff Report

RELATED: See Junior’s Darlington scheme | SHOP: Dale Jr. die-casts



Dale Earnhardt Jr. took to social media — as he so often does — Monday afternoon to reveal a new paint scheme. Specifically, to reveal his No. 88 Nationwide Children’s Hospital Chevrolet for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Kentucky Speedway on July 9.


What’s different about this look is the campaign that goes along with it. Five hundred fans who make a donation will have their names printed on the hood of the car.

Nationwide will serve as Earnhardt Jr.’s primary sponsor for 21 races in 2016.

Posted on by Track Release

RELATED: Buy tickets

NEWTON, Iowa (May 3, 2016) — Iowa Speedway today announced American Ethanol will serve as the entitlement sponsor and Enogen as the presenting sponsor for the NASCAR XFINITY Series race during Wide Opening Weekend on June 18-19. The NASCAR XFINITY Series American Ethanol E15 250 presented by Enogen on Sunday, June 19, represents the fifth consecutive year of the American Ethanol partnership and the fourth consecutive year with Enogen at Iowa Speedway.
 
While the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series idles for a week, the green flag will wave at Iowa Speedway for a first-of-its-kind doubleheader weekend in central Iowa. For the first time ever, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and the NASCAR XFINITY Series are paired together during Wide Opening Weekend on June 18-19.
 
“American Ethanol and Enogen stepping up to sponsor our NASCAR XFINITY Series race is another great indicator of the important platform Iowa Speedway and NASCAR provide to brands,” said Iowa Speedway President Jimmy Small. “The adoption of biofuels grown and made in the USA, creating much needed green jobs in Iowa and across the Heartland is one of the tenets of NASCAR Green. American Ethanol has proven to be a tremendous partner not only for Iowa Speedway, but for NASCAR’s teams, fans and the industry as a whole.”
 
American Ethanol and Enogen were the former title and presenting sponsors of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Iowa Speedway. American Ethanol, along with Enogen, join the Iowa Corn Growers Association in renewing their long standing relationships with the speedway in 2016.
 
“As NASCAR approaches 10 million flawless miles running on Sunoco Green E15, we’re excited for yet another opportunity to showcase the power and the high-quality performance ethanol brings to the race track,” said Jeff Broin, co-chair of Growth Energy. “It’s no secret biofuels create jobs in our country and work great in our engines. American Ethanol is proud to partner with Iowa Speedway and the NASCAR XFINITY series to show that an ethanol-based bio-fuel is the future.”
 
Representing a wide array of ethanol supporters, from farmers to bio-engineering firms, American Ethanol was established by Growth Energy in partnership with the National Corn Growers Association to increase awareness of the value of American-made ethanol. Ethanol represents the most commercially-viable alternative to 100% petroleum-based fuel that America currently holds, and corn ethanol reduces emissions by 59 percent.
 
“Ethanol is helping America reduce its dependence on foreign oil, lowering prices at the pump, improving the environment with lower emissions, and growing the economy with jobs that can’t be outsourced,” said Jack Bernens, head of Enogen at Syngenta. “Ethanol is an important success story and the American Ethanol E15 250 is an excellent opportunity to engage consumers and help increase awareness for the benefits of earth-friendly American ethanol. Syngenta is pleased to once again be working with Iowa Speedway and Growth Energy to support the ethanol industry through our sponsorship of this event to tell ethanol’s story.”
 
In 2011, NASCAR launched its long-term biofuels program to reduce emissions of the fuel used in all its racing series. As part of the partnership, NASCAR’s three national touring series began using Sunoco Green E15; a 15% ethanol blend bio-fuel, made from American-grown corn. By utilizing Sunoco Green E15 race fuel, NASCAR has demonstrated that ethanol-blended fuel performs when held to the highest standards.
 
Iowa Speedway season tickets, which are currently on sale, include eight high-powered races over three weekends. Wide Opening Weekend will feature both the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and the NASCAR XFINITY Series American Ethanol E15 250 presented by Enogen during Father’s Day Weekend on June 18-19. The second weekend of racing will showcase the ARCA Racing Series 150 presented by Casey’s General Stores, the INDYCAR Series Iowa Corn 300, Indy Lights and Pro Mazda Championship on July 9-10. The 2016 race season will close on July 29-30 with the NASCAR K&N Pro Series Casey’s General Stores 150 and NASCAR XFINITY Series U.S. Cellular 250.

Posted on by Nascar

Name: Joshua
Current City: Huntley, Illinois
Member since: 2011


Getting to know Joshua

Q. Why did you join the Official NASCAR Fan Council?

“I just wanted to have a voice in what NASCAR does for the future of the sport. Since NASCAR is driven by the fan, I knew that being selected for the Council was something I needed to do to help the sport I love.”


Q. How did you first become interested in NASCAR?

“To be honest, I was always interested in cars, but never thought about watching NASCAR. My grandpa always watched it, but I was too young to realize what it was. One Sunday, I was flipping through channels and saw that a race was on. I have been hooked ever since!”


Q. What makes NASCAR special for you?

“NASCAR is special to me because the fans almost have a personal relationship with the drivers. You cannot get that in any other major sport. We are one big family that loves one thing, racing.”


Q: Do you have any favorite NASCAR memories or traditions?

“My favorite tradition is the Coca-Cola 600 Memorial Day weekend ceremony before the race. It commemorates those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice. One of my favorite memories is seeing Dale Jr. win in person for the first time! Of all places, that happened at Talladega Superspeedway in May 2014. Not only was the crowd ecstatic, so was I!”


Q: Do you have a favorite in any of the following categories?

Driver: “Dale Earnhardt Jr.”

Track: “Talladega Superspeedway“

Memorabilia: “I always collect at least 3-4 of the best looking Dale Jr. diecasts every year. All of them are located right next to my television where I watch the race every weekend. Also, when I went to Daytona, the statue of Dale Earnhardt Sr. was one of the most iconic things I have ever seen in my life. You know you are in company with a historic man and place when passing him.”


Q: If you could go to any NASCAR race/track, where would you go?

“Bristol Night Race”

Q: What do you like to do in your free time?

“I like to play video games and see whatever is going in the world of NASCAR.”


Q: Tell us about your family. Do you have children and/or pets?

“My family consists of my mom, dad, sister, and my cat, Zoe. We all go to our local track, Chicagoland Speedway, every year. In the summer, Daytona and Talladega are also annual traditions!”


Q: What’s your dream car?

“Corvette!”  

FROM ALL OF US AT NASCAR, WE THANK JOSHUA FOR HIS CONTINUED SUPPORT AND LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM HIM IN 2016.

Posted on by Nascar

RELATED: Talladega results | Gallery: Sunday at the track

Editor’s note: The views expressed in this column are solely those of the author.

 

TALLADEGA, Ala. — Raise your hand if your favorite driver wasn’t involved in at least one crash Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway.
 

Anyone?
 

Chances are, he or she was. The GEICO 500 was one of those races … let’s see, how best to describe it?
 

Wild? Yes. Intense? Yes. Explosive? Yes. Insane and I don’t know why we continue to race there? Well …
 

It is and they do, and as long as they do, drivers and fans will continue coming back.
 

Multicar crashes certainly aren’t anything new at Talladega; the 2.66-mile track has been the site of such incidents almost from the very day the track hosted its first NASCAR-sanctioned race back in 1969.
 

As Sunday’s race wore on, the number of cars involved in one melee or another continued to mount. Three cars, then three more, then seven, and they’re probably still adding up all the ones involved in the latter stages of the event. What was it, 21 cars caught up in an incident on Lap 161? That’s more than half the starting field.
 

The crews that were able to push their cars back to the garage after the race were the fortunate ones.
 

There were far too many that arrived there on the back end of a wrecker, then were cut, lifted, twisted and rolled onto the team haulers for transport back to the various race shops.

 

It probably wasn’t worth the effort, judging by the looks of several.
 

“Body shops are gonna be plenty busy this week,” one crewman said.
 

No one was seriously injured, and for that we should all be thankful. Ever-evolving safety measures did their jobs, but that probably wasn’t going through the mind of Chris Buescher when his Front Row Racing Ford tumbled down the backstretch.
 

Or Matt Kenseth when his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota took flight, then flipped and slid on its top, the asphalt grinding sheet metal into nothingness.
 

Or Danica Patrick, whose Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet smashed into the inside wall with great force, buckling the SAFER barrier.
 

“Racing has always been that balance of daredevils and chess players,” race winner Brad Keselowski said. “Some weekends we’re chess players, some weekends we’re daredevils. This has always been the more daredevil style of track, which probably offsets some of the tracks that we go to where we’re the chess player.
 

“That’s what makes the NASCAR season so much fun and so unique.”
 

Those who win tend to see things in a positive light. But without watching replays of the incidents, the Team Penske driver admitted it would be unwise to comment on individual situations.
 

“I went flying last year at Daytona, and that’s not fun,” third-place finisher Austin Dillon recalled. “For guys that haven’t done it, it’s just not a fun thing to be a part of. I don’t know how to fix it personally. I know NASCAR will put their efforts towards fixing it. … They’ve made the car safer. That’s the reason why we’re walking away from these crashes.”
 

Chances are, there’s no “fix” for such things. Driver after driver has noted that such incidents are expected, if not quite accepted.
 

“I hate it,” defending series champion Kyle Busch said afterward. “I’d much rather sit at home.”
 

Already a winner this season, Busch noted, “I don’t need to be here.”
 

Sour grapes? Hardly. Busch finished second.
 

And on a day when the garage was quickly filling with torn-up race car after torn-up race car, second didn’t seem so bad.
 

Fans wandered through the garage, a few stopping to collect the occasional piece left behind.
 

Darkness was descending as teams wrapped up their auto-surgery. Rain was on the way.
 

But the big storm had already passed.

Posted on by

Richard Childress Racing made changes to the pit crews for the No. 3 of Austin Dillon and the No. 31 of Ryan Newman.

Chase Masterson is the new front tire changer on the No. 31. RCR promoted Masterson from the No. 62 XFINITY team to replace Tim Sheets.

Sheets is now changing on the fronts of the No. 13 Germain Racing team.

Meanwhile, the No. 3 team of Austin Dillon also made a move, bringing rear carrier Justin Voss up from the No. 62 XFINITY team. Rear carrier Josh Shipplett moved from the rear of the No. 3 to the front.

For more pit-crew news, visit PitTalks.com.

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RELATED: Full race results | Updated series standings

Breaking down the full field for the GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway:


1. Brad Keselowski, No. 2 Ford, Team Penske. Keselowski stayed out of trouble all day, and that was the difference in picking up his second win of the year and fourth at Talladega. Big pushes from Jamie McMurray and Kyle Busch helped, too. Keselowski led a race-high 46 laps, including the final 17. Grade: A+


2. Kyle Busch, No. 18 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing. The No. 18 was stout all day and kept Busch ahead of the crashes, although the 18 did receive a nudge at the outset of the 21-car wreck on Lap 161. He finished second for the second consecutive week for his eighth top-five finish of the season. Grade: A+


3. Austin Dillon, No. 3 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing. Car chief Greg Osborne summed up Dillon’s day on Twitter: “We pitted 17 times. Wrecked 4 times. Ran out of tires. We were 32nd 1 lap down. We NEVER quit.” Dillon was thrilled with the finish and credited the team for not panicking: “It was wrecked, and we finished third!” Grade: A+


4. Jamie McMurray, No. 1 Chevrolet, Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates. Despite being collected in the 21-car wreck on Lap 161, McMurray scored his first top five of the season. It was his seventh at Talladega, tying the superspeedway with Charlotte for McMurray’s most top-five finishes. Grade: A


5. Chase Elliott, No. 24 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports. Elliott started from the pole and led the first 13 laps and 27 overall. Even though he posted his third top-five finish in the past four races, Elliott said the No. 24 team was “pretty lucky to get where we got to.” He avoided trouble — and all the wrecks — by running near the front most of the race. Grade: A


6. Tony Stewart/Ty Dillon, No. 14 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing. Stewart made his second start of the season, but unlike last week at Richmond, he didn’t finish the race. Stewart, who missed the first eight races of the season because of a back injury, gave way to Dillon — as planned — during the second caution. Dillon then navigated through two big, multicar accidents to bring home the No. 14 with its second top 10 of the season. Stewart gets the points and the top-10 finish, but it doesn’t take away the spotlight from Dillon. Grade: A+


7. Clint Bowyer, No. 15 Chevrolet, HScott Motorsports. Bowyer survived involvement in the 12-car wreck on Lap 161 to post his best finish of the season and second top 10 in the past three races. Grade: A


8. Kurt Busch, No. 41 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing. Busch was the catalyst for the 21-car wreck on Lap 161 when he got into the back of Jimmie Johnson while running in the top 10. Busch emerged unscathed to restart fourth. Later, he couldn’t hold the lead after the last restart on Lap 186 and is now 0-for-61 in restrictor-plate races. Grade: C.


9. Ryan Blaney, No. 21 Ford, Wood Brothers Racing. Blaney survived the 21-car wreck on Lap 161, and the 12-car wreck on Lap 181 happened right behind him. His good fortune resulted in his third top 10 of the season. Grade: A 


10. Trevor Bayne, No. 6 Ford, Roush Fenway Racing. A speeding penalty on his first pit stop was no omen. Bayne spent plenty of time in the top five on Sunday, while leading 22 laps. (He led 12 laps in the previous nine races.) His average running position was 8.6, fourth best, and that — along with good fortune — kept him out of every wreck Sunday. Grade: A 

11. Landon Cassill, No. 38 Ford, Front Row Motorsports. Cassill had an eventful day to find himself just outside the top 10 with one lap to go after surviving a pit-road penalty on his first stop and eluding big trouble in the race’s two biggest multicar wrecks. But his grade drops a notch because it was Cassill who started the final multicar wreck. He was running 12th when he turned Cole Whitt into Kevin Harvick, touching off a seven-car wreck and a caution just before the leaders reached the finish line. Grade: B-


12. Michael Waltrip, No. 55 Toyota, Premium Motorsports. Making his 60th start at Talladega, Waltrip posted his best finish at the superspeedway since finishing fourth three years ago. Waltrip survived an early scare on Lap 59 when Joey Logano pushed Martin Truex Jr. into the back of Waltrip, who was running fifth at the time. Waltrip went onto the apron but came back onto the track and spun, narrowly avoiding contact. Grade: B+


13. Martin Truex Jr., No. 78 Toyota, Furniture Row Racing. Truex was running in the top 10 immediately behind Kurt Busch when Busch made contact with Jimmie Johnson to ignite the 21-car wreck on Lap 161. Truex’s Toyota returned to the track all taped up before sustaining even more damage in the seven-car wreck that happened just before Brad Keselowski took the checkered flag. Grade: B-


14. AJ Allmendinger, No. 47 Chevrolet, JTG Daugherty Racing. The multicar wreck at the finish had Allmendinger on his knees next to his battered Chevrolet, but it couldn’t overshadow his fourth top-15 finish at Talladega in 13 starts and his first lap led of the season. Grade: B


15. Kevin Harvick, No. 4 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing. Harvick raced among the leaders for most of the afternoon and led four times for nine laps before sliding across the finish line sideways in a damaged car, one of seven cars involved in a crash leading up to the checkered flag. Grade: A 


16. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 17 Ford, Roush Fenway Racing. Stenhouse was able to avoid major damage in the 21-car wreck on Lap 161 but sustained heavy damage coming to the finish line when he was collected in the seven-car pileup. Grade: B


17. David Gilliland, No. 35 Ford, Front Row Motorsports. Gilliland survived the late wrecks for a top-20 finish in first start of the season (he failed to qualify at Daytona). It was his best finish since an 11th in the 2015 Daytona 500. Grade: B


18. Cole Whitt, No. 98 Toyota, Premium Motorsports. Whitt was just outside the top 10 with one lap to go but couldn’t improve his position before taking a hard hit against the outside wall as he approached the finish line. It was the fifth top-20 finish of his career and first since his career-best 13th at Talladega a year ago. Grade: A


19. Bobby Labonte, No. 32 Ford, Go Fas Racing. Making his second start of the season (he finished 31st at Daytona), Labonte avoided major damage in the 12-car wreck on Lap 181 and scored his first top 20 since the 2014 Daytona 500. Grade: A


20. Greg Biffle, No. 16 Ford, Roush Fenway Racing. That Biffle finished 20th should come as little surprise. His average finish at Talladega is 19.7, and he finished 20th last October at Talladega, too. Grade: C


21. Michael McDowell, No. 95 Chevrolet, Circle Sport-Leavine Family Racing. McDowell produced his second-best finish of the season (he finished 15th at Daytona) despite being involved in two of the day’s biggest wrecks along with drawing the ire of Danica Patrick. Grade: B-


22. Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports. The No. 48 was caught up in two wrecks, the second the 21-car monster on Lap 161, which sent the 48 to the garage for repairs. Johnson returned and finished six laps down. Grade: C


23. Matt Kenseth, No. 20 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing. Hard-luck Kenseth’s eventful day didn’t end when his car got airborne after contact from Danica Patrick and came down on its roof on the backstretch with eight laps to go. Well after the race, he had heated words for nemesis Joey Logano, who had forced him below the yellow line with 15 laps to go. Those two events obscure the fact Kenseth led 39 laps, second only to winner Brad Keselowski‘s 46. Grade: B


24. Danica Patrick, No. 10 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing. Patrick’s race ended with her hitting the inside wall violently with eight laps to go after contact from behind by Michael McDowell. “I’ve hit the inside wall of a superspeedway I think maybe like four times now and that was the worst,” she said. “I know I got drilled from behind and turned sideways … and hello wall.”  Grade: C


25. Joey Logano, No. 22 Ford, Team Penske. Logano was still sore from his wreck on the final lap of Saturday’s XFINITY race, and his day ended in the 12-car wreck on Lap 181. His aggressive driving initiated the second caution, and there also was his contact with Matt Kenseth that resulted in an earful from Kenseth after the race. Logano didn’t want to discuss what Kenseth said, instead saying, “Two days in a row, a couple big hits; can’t wait to get out of this place.” Grade: C-


26. Paul Menard, No. 27 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing. Menard was in the top 10 having a good run — but at the wrong time. He was running beside Kurt Busch and Jimmie Johnson on the outside when Busch turned Johnson right into Menard’s Chevrolet, setting off the 21-car wreck on Lap 161. Twenty laps later Menard’s day ended in the 12-car wreck on Lap 181. Grade: C


27. Aric Almirola, No. 43 Ford, Richard Petty Motorsports. Almirola was collected in two wrecks, with the second one, a 12-car mashup on the backstretch with eight laps to go providing the knockout blow to the No. 43. Grade: C


28. Ryan Newman, No. 31 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing. Newman was running around 15th place when the 21-car wreck on Lap 161 began right in front of him. His Chevrolet sustained damage and left the scene trailing flames. He finished 10 laps back. Grade: D


29. Kyle Larson, No. 42 Chevrolet, Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates. Larson led nine laps and had the lead three-quarters of the way through the race. Larson was running just outside the top 10 when Kurt Busch hit the back of Jimmie Johnson two cars in front him, touching off a 21-car accident that collected his Chevrolet. Grade: C


30. Brian Scott, No. 44 Ford, Richard Petty Motorsports. The rookie’s promising day was derailed after the big wreck on Lap 161. He finished 16 laps back, his most off the lead this season. Grade: D


31. Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing. Hamlin’s trouble on the track extended to pit road, where he had two incidents and several penalties. He also sustained damage in the 21-car pileup on Lap 161. Grade: D-

32. Regan Smith, No. 7 Chevrolet, Tommy Baldwin Racing. Smith was running in the top 10 with 30 laps to go but was collected the Lap 161 wreck and finished 20 laps back. Grade: D


33. Casey Mears, No. 13 Chevrolet, Germain Racing. Mears spun into Aric Almirola on Lap 59 after he was hit by Michael Waltrip, sending the No. 13 to the garage for repairs. It wasn’t Mears’ fault, but he still finished 22 laps back. Grade: C

34. David Ragan, No. 23 Toyota, BK Racing. Ragan was running 24th and within a second of the lead when his engine expired on Lap 151. Grade: D


35. Carl Edwards, No. 19 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing. Edwards’ two-race winning streak came to an abrupt halt. On Lap 110 “something let go” and the No. 19 ran up the track and pinned Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s No. 88 to the wall, ending the day for both drivers. Grade: F


36. Matt DiBenedetto, No. 83 Toyota, BK Racing. The No. 83 suffered damage in the first wreck of the race. Engine issues ended his day after 98 laps run. Grade: F


37. Chris Buescher, No. 34 Ford, Front Row Motorsports. Just past the halfway point, Buescher’s car became the first of the day to go airborne and flip. Buescher called the wreck “miserable” and a “bummer.” He was right. Grade: F


38. Michael Annett, No. 46 Chevrolet, HScott Motorsports. Annett was collected in the same wreck that sent Chris Buescher flipping. Annett’s Chevrolet smashed hard into the inside wall, ending his day. Grade: F


39. Kasey Kahne, No. 5 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports. Kahne followed his best finish of the season (fourth at Richmond) with a two-crash dud, the second a single-car accident that brought out the fifth caution. Grade: F


40. Dale Earnhardt Jr., No. 88 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports. Terrible day for the 88. Earnhardt’s first crash was similar to his crash in the Daytona 500 — the back of his car came around. “We missed something this morning,” he said. “It shouldn’t have been on the splitter that hard.” Then when he returned to the track after repairs, his steering wheel came off. On Lap 110, Earnhardt’s day ended when Carl Edwards ran up the track and smashed into his Chevrolet. Grade: F.

Posted on by Staff Report

Ben Kennedy has signed a multi-race deal to drive the No. 33 Chevrolet of GMS Racing in the Camping World Truck Series, the organization announced Monday. A minimum of 10 races have been secured, starting May 6 at Kansas Speedway with sponsorship from Weber.

 

Kennedy joins a stable of full- and part-time drivers at GMS that includes Johnny Sauter, Spencer Gallagher, Grant Enfinger and Kaz Grala.

 

“I am very excited to join GMS Racing for the remainder of the 2016 season,” Kennedy said in a team release. “I have watched the organization grow into a powerhouse team over the last year. All of their teams show up to the track each weekend with fast Chevrolets and I have total confidence that GMS will provide me with a solid truck each weekend. It’s a great privilege to join Johnny (Sauter), Spencer (Gallagher), Kaz (Grala) and Grant (Enfinger) in the driver lineup. I am looking forward to the accomplishments we will achieve together as a team.”

 

Jacob Companies will sponsor Kennedy’s ride. Kennedy also picked up another sponsor in Weber, the grill manufacturer, for a select number of races beginning at Kansas Speedway.

 

“I am honored and privileged to work with a company like Weber,” Kennedy said in a team release. “Their products have been in our home as long as I can remember. So this partnership means a lot, and I have confidence that the entire GMS team is determined to make their entry into NASCAR successful. I look forward to much success this season and to winning on and off the track.”

 

Kennedy, 24, parted ways with Red Horse Racing earlier this month.

 

In three Truck races with Red Horse this season, Kennedy recorded finishes of 23rd, 15th and 11th. He had joined that organization in 2015, one year after claiming Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors in the series. He landed four top-five finishes in 23 races last season, and the pole position at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

 

Kennedy is the great-grandson of NASCAR founder Bill France Sr.