Ever wonder what cars are in Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s collection? Well, wonder no more with the help of Team Chevy as the Hendrick Motorsports driver offers an look at what is in his garage. The video below looks at his 1965 Chevrolet Impala.
Take a look inside @DaleJr‘s garage at his classic collection brought to by @TeamChevy. https://t.co/WJOvWL30sG
— Nationwide 88 (@nationwide88) December 23, 2015
RELATED: 2015 race replays
The holidays are a time of reflection. It’s also the NASCAR offseason, so now you have a perfect excuse — if you even needed one — to re-watch the top races from 2015.
NASCAR.com has archives of our race replays on YouTube. Explore that page here.
Here are some of our recommendations in the form of the top races and/or best finishes of the year:
Kentucky, Sprint Cup
This was the first race with the reduced downforce package, so there’s plenty of sliding all over the track — a precursor for the 2016 season? Plus, this race serves as almost a predictor for what’s to come for eventual race winner Kyle Busch.
Daytona, XFINITY
The first race for new entitlement sponsor XFINITY had a little bit of everything. There were nine different leaders, including seven drivers leading 10 laps or more. A late-race wreck took out multiple contenders, setting the stage for Ryan Reed’s last-lap pass for his first series win.
Darlington, Sprint Cup
Come for the throwback paint schemes, stay for the great racing. Darlington’s throwback theme was a huge hit, and it was a beautiful thing to see schemes like the Mello Yello car back on the track.
Like Kentucky, Darlington used the low downforce package, but with a tire combination to match. That led to additional spins, plus some late-race pit stops yielded an unexpected winner.
Talladega (fall), Sprint Cup
This was the Dale Show. Dale Earnhardt Jr. had the fastest car, and he rallied from multiple miscues in the pits to charge toward the lead late. The debatable finish, specifically the late wreck involving Kevin Harvick , rounds out one of the most captivating races of the year.
Martinsville (fall), Sprint Cup
The NASCAR.com editorial staff voted this as our race of the year, and the first event of the Eliminator Round had it all. There was hard racing in tight quarters, there was on-track drama and there was an incredible charge to the finish that saw an emotional Jeff Gordon clinch his championship spot at Homestead in his final full-time season.
RELATED: What drivers and crew chiefs are on the move for ’16?
Joe Gibbs Racing announced its driver/crew chief lineup for the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series on Monday, with key changes coming for drivers Carl Edwards and Denny Hamlin.
Dave Rogers, most recently Hamlin’s crew chief with the No. 11 JGR Toyota, shifts over to the No. 19 Camry to pair with Edwards. Mike Wheeler, who served last year as crew chief for JGR’s No. 20 team in the NASCAR XFINITY Series, replaces Rogers to call the shots for Hamlin next season.
Darian Grubb, crew chief for Edwards’ first season with JGR, is “currently exploring several opportunities” for 2016, according to a release provided by the team.
The orginization’s other two Sprint Cup teams keep their pairings intact. Adam Stevens returns as crew chief for the No. 18 Toyota and reigning Sprint Cup champion Kyle Busch. Jason Ratcliff is back atop the pit box for the wheelman of the No. 20 Toyota Matt Kenseth.
Team owner Joe Gibbs called its 2015 campaign “probably the strongest season we have ever had” after all four drivers qualified for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup playoffs, but that changes were made to keep the company competitive.
“I think every year you evaluate each of your teams however and sometimes during that process you find that a change might be in the best interest for all involved,” Gibbs said in the team’s news release. “Mike Wheeler is obviously someone that has a long history with Denny (Hamlin) and that No. 11 team. After seeing what he accomplished as a crew chief in our XFINITY Series program last year we felt the timing was right to move him back into our Cup program.
“Dave Rogers has also been successful in every role he has had with us and we think he will work well with Carl (Edwards) going into 2016.”
Wheeler, a longtime lead engineer for Hamlin, embarks on his first full season as a crew chief in NASCAR’s premier series. He served as interim crew chief for six Sprint Cup races in 2014, taking over the No. 11 during Grubb’s suspension for a P5-level penalty.
Wheeler helped spur the JGR No. 20 Toyota to eight Coors Light Pole Awards and four victories in the XFINITY Series last season, achieving three wins with Hamlin and one with Erik Jones.
Rogers, a 15-time winner in Sprint Cup competition, will start 2016 working with his third JGR driver in three seasons. Rogers teamed with Busch from 2010-14 before taking the helm with Hamlin last year.
Grubb joined Joe Gibbs Racing in 2012 after three seasons and one championship with Stewart-Haas Racing co-owner Tony Stewart. Grubb worked primarily with Hamlin in his first three years with the Gibbs organization before shifting to Edwards’ team in 2015.
Stephanie Rembert, the daughter of BK Racing crew chief Joe Williams, was killed Saturday in a car accident.
According to multiple reports, Rembert was involved in a crash near Asheboro, North Carolina, then later airlifted to an area hospital where she passed away. The tragedy was described as “a freak car crash” by Roy Gangdal, a BK Racing team member who established an online fundraising campaign Sunday to support the family.
Click here to donate to that fund.
On behalf of everyone at BK Racing, our thoughts and prayers are with Crew Chief Joe Williams and his entire family!
— BK Racing (@BKRacing_2383) December 20, 2015
Asking our @NASCAR family to help support our #23 crew chief Joe Williams during this difficult time https://t.co/mVqbSBdncp
— Matthew DiBenedetto (@mattdracing) December 21, 2015
My thoughts are with my crew chief and his family. There’s been an account setup to help cover expenses. https://t.co/VJxlOs9wBt
— Jeb Burton (@JebBurtonRacing) December 21, 2015
Williams served as crew chief for BK Racing‘s No. 23 Toyota for the majority of 2015, splitting time with drivers J.J. Yeley and Jeb Burton.
Good people make good things happen.
And in this case, incredibly brave and good things.
The NASCAR community spends this time of year celebrating the end of a season, crowning new champions, and unwinding for the “offseason.”
In recent years, we have added to the celebration with The NASCAR Foundation’s Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award presented by Nationwide, toasting deserving finalists and an annual winner. It is truly something I appreciate and look forward to each year. NASCAR is so much more than about what happens on the track, and this is the perfect reminder as we head into the holiday season.
This year, I enjoyed close personal proximity to one of the award’s finalists.
In March of 2012, I read about the remarkable story of hero mom Stephanie Decker, who saved her children Dominic and Reese, from a tornado that ultimately took both of her legs — one above the knee and one below. Like so many around the world, I was incredibly moved by her story.
Shortly after learning of Stephanie’s accident, I was compelled to write to her a letter, reflecting on her bravery and dedication as a mom. I also extended an invitation to a NASCAR race. The problem was, I didn’t know where to send the letter. I saw that her husband, Joe, was a baseball coach at a local high school in Indiana, so I sent it to the high school but really didn’t expect to hear from her.
And I didn’t — until January 2013, less than a year after the accident.
Out of the blue, I received an e-mail from Stephanie apologizing for not getting back to me sooner. She explained that she was getting back to a “new normal” and that bringing her family to a race would be a real treat, so we went to work on getting her to be a part of the Mother’s Day race at Darlington Raceway.
Her entire family made the trip to Darlington that May. It was a big deal for them — Stephanie expressed that they were still seeking good experiences to help forget the bad. It was an even bigger honor for the racing community to host them.
Stephanie made her way around the Darlington grounds both on prosthetics and in a wheelchair — big gains for sure and bigger yet to come. She smiled the entire time.
Stephanie gave the command to start engines with the drivers’ mothers, and together we raised awareness for her newly formed charity organization, The Stephanie Decker Foundation, rooted in providing leading-edge prosthetics for kids.
At the end of the weekend, I told her about the Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award. She applied for the award that year, but wasn’t selected as a finalist. While we’ve stayed in touch and hosted her family for another race, I didn’t know she was still pursuing the award.
Fast forward to July of this year.
She called me and said, “Can you believe it?” I said “believe what?” She thought for sure I knew she had been selected as a Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award finalist and that I might have had something to do with it. Truth is that I had no idea — it was all her doing.
Stephanie and her family showed up in Las Vegas for Champions Week in early December — no wheelchair necessary — and ready to take part in the festivities. My wife, Holly, and I so enjoyed the time catching up with the Decker family.
The outcome of the contest was not what she had hoped — she didn’t win — but the Stephanie Decker Foundation is growing stronger by the day thanks to her unwavering commitment and the support of her husband, Joe.
So don’t hesitate to tell a stranger that you think they’ve done something special. As a result, I’m proud to count Stephanie and her family as dear friends of ours. And I’m also proud to call her a role model.
Good people make good things happen.
Jim Cassidy is Senior Vice President of Racing Operations at NASCAR.
Judy Allison, wife of NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Allison, died Friday following complications from surgery, the Allison family announced. She was 74.
The Allisons released a statement Friday night: “The Allison Family is sad to announce the passing of Judy A. Allison, age 74, after complications from surgery earlier today at Iredell Memorial Hospital in Statesville.
“Bobby Allison, NASCAR Hall of Famer driver, and Judy were married for 55 years. She was surrounded by her family, daughters Bonnie Farr and Carrie Hewitt, grandson Robbie Allison, brother-in-law Donnie Allison and his wife, Pat.
“At this time, funeral and memorial arrangements are pending and will be announced when finalized. The family members ask for privacy during this difficult and sad time.”
NASCAR also issued a statement on Judy Allison’s passing. It reads: “NASCAR extends its condolences to the friends and family of Judy Allison, the wife of NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Allison. Judy, the matriarch of a cornerstone NASCAR family, provided the foundation for the careers of a legendary husband and two sons who both lost their lives entirely too soon. Her love extended well beyond her own family, as many in the NASCAR family leaned upon Judy for support and compassion during many difficult times.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of a true friend, and a woman who has given much to our sport.”
Bobby Allison won 84 premier series races during his NASCAR career. He was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2011.
NASCAR helped rev up the ratings at NBCSN in 2015, no small feat considering it was a non-Olympic year for the network.
The telecast of the July 26 Crown Royal Presents the Jeff Kyle 400 at The Brickyard was NBCSN’s top non-Olympic telecast ever with 4.7 million viewers.
The audience tuned in to watch eventual NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Kyle Busch reach Victory Lane for the first time at the historic 2.5-mile track. The win was his fourth in five races as Busch made a dramatic comeback from injuries sustained in the season-opening XFINITY race.
During the first year of a 10-year deal with NBC that includes televising Sprint Cup and XFINITY races, NASCAR dominated the list of most-watched non-Olympic programs on NBCSN to date, sweeping the top four spots and taking five of the top 10.
In addition to the Indianapolis race, the Aug. 16 Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway also made the top four with 4.29 million viewers. The Aug. 2 Sprint Cup race at Pocono Raceway was third at 4.26 million, and the Oct. 25 Sprint Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway was fourth at 4.24 million.
All of these highly watched races have put NBCSN on pace for its best year ever, since its launch as OLN in 2003.
The momentum for NASCAR didn’t stop at NBCSN. The Nov. 22 Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, which was televised on NBC and NBCSN, was the most-watched NASCAR season finale since 2005, peaking with nearly 12.4 million average viewers.
Viewership for races on network NBC were up 10 percent over the same events in 2014. And viewership for races on network FOX were up 9 percent from the previous year.
Across all NASCAR digital platforms, unique visitors (7 percent), page views (14 percent) and video views (7 percent) were up year-over-year on Sprint Cup Series race days. Meanwhile, NASCAR Facebook and Twitter accounts combined to generate 4.1 billion impressions, which was 52 percent higher than last year.
The list of NBCSN’s top 10 non-Olympic shows ever:
July 26, 2015: NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Indianapolis: 4.7 million
Aug. 16, 2015: NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Michigan: 4.29 million
Aug. 2, 2015: NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Pocono: 4.26 million
Oct. 25, 2015: NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Talladega: 4.24 million
June 1, 2014: NHL conference finals (LA-CHI, Game 7): 4.14 million
June 17, 2013: NHL Stanley Cup finals (CHI-BOS Game 3): 4 million
Aug. 9, 2015: NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Watkins Glen: 3.98 million
June 15, 2013: NHL Stanley Cup finals (CHI-BOS, Game 2): 3.96 million
June 10, 2015: NHL Stanley Cup finals (TB-CHI, Game 4): 3.91 million
June 8, 2015: NHL Stanley Cup finals (TB-CHI, Game 3): 3.9 million
“NASCAR extends its condolences to the friends and family of Judy Allison, the wife of NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Allison. Judy, the matriarch of a cornerstone NASCAR family, provided the foundation for the careers of a legendary husband and two sons who both lost their lives entirely too soon. Her love extended well beyond her own family, as many in the NASCAR family leaned upon Judy for support and compassion during many difficult times.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of a true friend, and a woman who has given much to our sport.”
DARLINGTON, S.C.— Jeff Gordon, a highly respected four-time Sprint Cup Series champion, has been awarded the NMPA Spirit Award for the fourth quarter of 2015 by the members of the National Motorsports Press Association. The award is designed to recognize character and achievement in the face of adversity, sportsmanship and contributions to motorsports.
Gordon, 44, has often contributed his time and efforts to many charitable causes over the past 25 years and has served as one of NASCAR’s greatest ambassadors. He collected 93 Sprint Cup Series wins, including three Daytona 500 in 1997, 1999 and 2005 and five Brickyard 400 victories in 1994, 1998, 2001, 2004 and 2014. He retired as a driver in Cup competition at the end of the 2015 season.
As a young child, the native of Vallejo, California and longtime resident of Pittsboro, Indiana enjoyed a very successful career driving Quarter Midgets, winning three championships. Plans of building a career in Indy Cars changed in 1990 when he discovered NASCAR’s Xfinity (then Busch) Series. A fulltime move to NASCAR’s premier Cup division in 1993 with Hendrick Motorsports set the stage for one of the most successful careers in stock car racing history.
His philanthropic efforts include pediatric cancer research and patient support through the Jeff Gordon Children’s Hospital and Jeff Gordon Children’s Foundation in Concord, North Carolina.
