Posted on by Staff Report

MORE: Buy tickets for Darlington | SHOP: Darlington gear

Two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Terry Labonte will serve as grand marshal for the Bojangles’ Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on Sept. 6 (7 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, Sirius XM NASCAR Radio).

 

Labonte is a sentimental favorite for the honor, as he is the series’ last driver to win the Southern 500 when it was held on Labor Day weekend — Aug. 31, 2003. It was the Class of 2016 Hall of Fame driver’s final victory in Sprint Cup.

 

“Darlington is where I won my first race and my last, and I’m honored to serve as grand marshal for the first time at the Bojangles’ Southern 500,” Labonte said in a press release Thursday. “I love the Labor Day tradition, and Darlington always brings back special memories for me. I look forward to being part of such a historic weekend for NASCAR.”

RELATED: Darlington’s throwback paint schemes

Labonte will give the command to drivers to start their engines accompanied by Bojangles’ CEO Clifton Rutledge. Bojangles’ has had the naming rights to the Southern 500 since 2012 and extended the partnership through 2019.

 

“Darlington Raceway has such a rich history in NASCAR and the State of South Carolina, and it is truly a privilege for Bojangles’ to have our brand aligned with such a memorable event,” Rutledge said. “The Bojangles’ Southern 500 is returning to Labor Day weekend where it belongs and that is a big deal to everyone, including all of us at Bojangles’. For me, being a part of giving the command to start engines with a NASCAR legend like Terry Labonte is a huge thrill.”

 

Labonte’s two wins at Darlington in 1980 and 2003 were landmarks in a career marked by 22 wins, 182 top-five finishes and 27 poles in 890 starts from 1978 to 2014. His 361 top-10 finishes ranks 10th all time.

 

Known as both the “Iceman” and the sport’s “Iron Man,” he will be inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame on Jan. 22, 2016 along with Jerry Cook, Bobby Isaac, O. Bruton Smith and Curtis Turner.

 

In 1998, Labonte was named one of NASCAR’s 50 greatest drivers, a perfect fit to participate in Darlington’s throwback celebration that features remembrances of numerous NASCAR legends.

 

MORE: Cale Yarborough throwback scheme | Bowyer’s Baker tribute car

 

Labonte won his first championship in 1984 driving the No. 44 Piedmont Airlines Chevrolet owned by Billy Hagan with Hall of Fame crew chief Dale Inman. Labonte’s second series championship came in 1996 driving the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.

Posted on by Staff Report


Eldredge’s Pre-Race Concert Will Take Place On Sunday, Sept. 20



Joliet, Ill. — Country music sensation and Illinois Native, Brett Eldredge, as the pre-race concert act for the myAFibRisk.com 400 — the first race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup on Sunday, Sept. 20.



Eldredge hails from Paris, Ill., approximately 180 miles south of Chicago, and released his new single, “Lose My Mind,” last Tuesday. The CMA New Artist of the Year plans to release his sophomore album later this year.  His debut album, Bring You Back, yielded the No. 1 hits “Don’t Ya,” “Beat of the Music,” and “Mean to Me.”



The 29-year-old Eldredge was a student at Elmhurst College in Elmhurst before moving to Nashville to chase his dreams. 



“Over the past several years we’ve had an opportunity to host some of the premier performers within the country music industry, and we’re looking forward to Brett Eldredge continuing that tradition,” said Scott Paddock, president of Chicagoland Speedway.  “Including an artist of Brett’s caliber as part of our weekend festivities is an exciting addition for our track, NASCAR and particularly our fans, and the fact that he’s from our own backyard makes it even more special as we kick off the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.”    


Special packages are available for Eldredge’s biggest fans, including a $99 ticket upgrade which guarantees a place in the front row for Brett’s concert and also includes a Fan Zone Pit Pass (grandstand ticket not included). The Fan Zone Pit Pass is required to enter the infield for the concert.



For $75, fans can purchase a grandstand ticket and Fan Zone Pit Pass, which puts them in close proximity to the concert and provides access to driver introductions, a red carpet walk and the Infield Fan Zone. All fans with grandstand tickets will have the ability to view the concert from their grandstand seat.



Tickets can be purchased online at ChicagolandSpeedway.com, by calling 888-629-RACE, through the Chicagoland Speedway mobile app, or by visiting the Chicagoland Speedway Administrative office Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.



The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup weekend at Chicagoland Speedway, Sept. 18-20, will begin with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series American Ethanol e15 225 under the lights on Friday night. On Saturday, Sept. 19, the NASCAR XFINITY Series will hit the track with the Furious 7 300 as the precursor to Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series showdown, the first race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. In addition to the racing action, fans can enjoy live musical entertainment, Champions Park, tailgating and more. Tickets start at just $25 with kids tickets (12 and under) $25 OFF, and parking is always free at Chicagoland Speedway.

Buy Chicagoland Tickets

Posted on by Staff Report

 


Jimmie Johnson is the face of fitness in NASCAR.

The six-time Sprint Cup Series champion recently let Gatorade and its ‘Beat the Heat’ program tag along with him for the race weekend at Watkins Glen International — a race weekend in which Johnson is known for taking a mammoth bike ride of 65 miles the Saturday before the race under the hot August sun.

“As I’ve kind of evolved in the sport and grew in the sport, I can see how I can do a better job as an individual to be as sharp in the car physically, mentally,” Johnson said. “I’ve been through a few different variations of the type of training that I’ve done … if you want to be fast, you’ve got to suffer.”

NASCAR has evolved over the years; now, drivers and the crew members make fitness, nutrition and hydration a big part of their preparation and routine to gain an edge on their competition.

Johnson specifically has started doing triathlons to help refine his car driving skills; endurance training both physically and mentally prepares him for the intensity of a race. Each race weekend, Johnson bikes and runs several miles between practice, qualifying and the race to keep in top shape for driving his car. The NASCAR community has developed a group of crew members and drivers who gather each race weekend for a long cycling ride, around 60 miles, to take in the surrounding area.

 

RELATED: Junior breaks one of Jimmie’s bikes

Posted on by Staff Report

RELATED: Updated Chase Grid

 

Ain’t no party like a NASCAR party! As the regular season nears its end and The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup rapidly approaches, so too does the annual fan celebration to mark its beginning — NASCAR Chase Fest.

 

Taking place, once again, in Chicago on Sept. 17 ahead of the first Challenger Round race at Chicagoland Speedway, Chase Fest sponsored by Toyota and Sprint provides a free outdoor fan fest featuring appearances and autograph sessions with all 16 Chase drivers and other NASCAR personalities.

 

Grammy-nominated 3 Doors Down will help keep the party flowing with a concert, as well as a performance by Chicago’s popular country cover band, the Suburban Cowboys.

 

Fans in attendance also will have a plethora of meal and drink options, with food being provided by Dinosaur Bar-B-Que and beverages by Coors Light. Additional entertainment will include the Toyota Ferris Wheel and the NASCAR on NBC Sports Bumper Cars.

 

The events of the day will be covered by NBCSN, including Krista Voda, Kyle Petty, Marty Snider and Rutledge Wood, for the network’s live broadcast of “NASCAR America.”

 

Chase Fest will take place on Weed Street between Fremont and Kingsbury streets from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. local time. For full details on this year’s Chase Fest, click here. 

Posted on by Staff Report

Busch on Twitter: ‘I found the love of my life’

Kurt Busch is getting married.

The Stewart-Haas Racing driver made that announcement in a Twitter post Wednesday evening, with fiancée Ashley Van Metre sporting her new engagement ring.

Van Metre, 24, is a renowned polo player. The two began dating in November, according to motorsport.com, and became public in February when Van Metre was at Daytona Speedweeks.

Busch is in the midst of one of his best seasons in years. He’s clinched a spot in the 2015 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup by virtue of his two victories; he also has eight top-five finishes and 13 top 10s in 21 starts.

SHR co-owner Tony Stewart said the team hoped to "soon" finalize a new contract with the 37-year-old driver.

Posted on by Staff Report

Moment of silence, decals to pay tribute at XFINITY, NCWTS events

NASCAR will honor fallen IndyCar driver Justin Wilson at this weekend’s events in the NASCAR XFINITY Series and the Camping World Truck Series with a moment of silence and decals that drivers can place on their helmets and/or the B-post of their vehicles.

Wilson, 37, died late Monday after injuries sustained in Sunday’s ABC Supply 500 at Pocono Raceway after he was apparently struck in the head by debris from a late-race crash at the 2.5-mile track.

NASCAR drivers took to social media upon hearing the news of Wilson’s death and shared an outpouring of support for Wilson’s family.

AJ Allmendinger, one of the drivers who raced with Wilson in the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway, had a special friendship with Wilson and mentioned him being one of the greats and a "badass" race car driver.

That sentiment was incorporated into the design of the Wilson tribute decal that will appear in Saturday’s Road America 180 Fired up by Johnsonville (3 p.m. ET, NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM) and Sunday’s Chevrolet Silverado 250 (1:30 p.m. ET, FOX Sports 1, MRN, SiriusXM).

The moment of silence will occur before the invocation and national anthem at both races.

Posted on by Nascar

Almost two full years after the rule was amended, NASCAR drivers are still voicing concerns about the policing of restarts during races.



The subject came up during the Sprint Cup Series’ pre-race drivers’ meeting Saturday at Bristol Motor Speedway, three days after Ryan Blaney was penalized for jumping the restart during the Aug. 19 Camping World Truck Series race at BMS.



Prior to the beginning of the Chase for the Sprint Cup in 2013, NASCAR eliminated the rule that stated the second-place car could not cross the start/finish line before the race leader on a restart.



However, the race leader is still the “control car,” meaning the second-place car can’t take off before the leader in the restart zone located before the start/finish line.



“We wanted to really put it in the driver’s hands where the leader starts the race,” Steve O’Donnell, Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer, told NASCAR.com Monday. “The second-place car in this case, if we don’t believe they’ve jumped the restart, can beat the leader to the start/finish line.



“Obviously, some questions have come up. We’ve reviewed each of the calls we’ve made and feel confident based on the technology we’ve used to make those calls that they were the right calls. But anytime there’s dialogue with the industry, we’ll continue to monitor that. If we don’t have to change it, we’d like to keep it consistent throughout the year, but we always review each and every call for each race.”


RELATED: Restarts a hot topic at Bristol drivers’ meeting



In the NCWTS event, Blaney was penalized for jumping the start on Lap 38. Although he was the race leader, officials ruled Blaney re-started before he was in the restart zone.



The subsequent pass-through penalty put the Brad Keselowski Racing driver one lap down. Blaney managed to bounce back from the penalty, however, and won the race.



“I had to kind of compose myself there,” crew chief Chad Kendrick admitted afterward. “I was trying to tell (Ryan) on the radio, ‘Don’t worry about it, alright, it’s done, over.’ I was pretty upset about the call.”



Blaney said Cole Custer, running second and lined up to his inside on the restart, “didn’t maintain caution car speed at all.



“As soon as the caution car pulled off, he stopped pretty much,” said Blaney. “And I maintained (my) speed. He was going to try to get a run, just like everyone tries to do, which is what you have to do on the bottom if you want to have a shot at it. And I wasn’t going to give him that run; I wasn’t going to let him start creeping forward. So I went as soon as I got to the mark, maybe a half a car length early. It made it look worse than it was with him being so slow for sure. 



“But I’m pretty sure you have to have a warning. From every restart I’ve seen with people maybe going a little bit early I’ve seen ’em get a warning. That honestly shocked me when they black-flagged us with no warning. When it wasn’t five car lengths before the line or anything, when it was something really small like that, it kind of surprised me. Luckily it worked out for us.”



Two Sprint Cup teams have been penalized this season for either jumping the start or passing before crossing the start/finish line on a restart. Two penalties have also been handed down in the XFINITY Series for similar infractions while the penalty has been called seven times in the NCWTS.



MORE: Herman Unplugged: Talking restarts, quiet Harvick



Joey Logano, winner of Saturday night’s Irwin Tools Night Race at BMS, said he had spent “a lot of time” with officials recently, “trying to understand what I can and can’t do … understand where their head is at and what they’re thinking when you look at a restart.”



“You’ve got to understand the rules,” the Team Penske driver said.



If it Ain’t Broke …



NASCAR XFINITY Series teams competing this weekend at Road America will run the same tire code used at the road course since 2013. The tire was previously used this season at Watkins Glen and Mid-Ohio.



Wet weather tires will also be available should conditions require their use, which was the case during last year’s event.



Likewise, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series teams will run the same tire code used since ’13 for the series’ stop at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park. The tire has previously been run on the right side at Martinsville in ’13 and ’14.


MORE: Complete schedule for Road America and Canada



Testing, 1-2-3



NASCAR Sprint Cup teams wrap up their 12th open test of the season Wednesday at Homestead-Miami Speedway.



According to HMS officials, 10 teams are set to take part in the test — Joey Logano (Team Penske), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Hendrick Motorsports), Kyle Larson (Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates), Kevin Harvick (Stewart-Haas Racing), Clint Bowyer (Michael Waltrip Racing), Martin Truex Jr. (Furniture Row Racing), Trevor Bayne (Roush Fenway Racing), Ty Dillon (Richard Childress Racing), Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing) and Ryan Blaney (Wood Brothers Racing).



Dillon, Larson, Bayne and Bowyer were slated to take part in a two-day Goodyear tire test at the 1.5-mile track, site of the season-ending race, on Monday and Tuesday.



Three tests are scheduled for remainder of year, at Kansas (Sept. 14-16), Phoenix (Oct. 12-14) and Auto Club Speedway (Oct. 27-29).

Posted on by Holly Cain

RELATED: Homestead-Miami hosting Goodyear tire test


HOMESTEAD, Fla. – Waiting out a morning shower in the Homestead-Miami Speedway garage on Wednesday, reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Kevin Harvick was dressed casually but clearly at work, talking with his Stewart-Haas Racing crew as they hovered over laptop computers and gestured toward his plain gray No. 4 Chevrolet SS.



The last time this group was at this track, they were getting showered in champagne, not rain, celebrating Harvick’s 2014 Sprint Cup Series championship title, thanks to a victory in the season finale here.



But it was all business for Harvick Wednesday as he and nine other drivers came to the 1.5-mile track for a one-day open test for Sprint Cup teams, attended by three of last year’s four championship contenders, also including last week’s winner Joey Logano (Team Penske) and Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing).

RELATED: Anheuser-Busch to change look of SHR’s No. 4 car in 2016



“You know, I actually hadn’t even thought about it to tell you the truth,” a smiling Harvick said of his first time back at Homestead since his title-winning performance last November. “I know that doesn’t make for a great story, but no one [on the team] has even mentioned it. Everything happens so fast in this sport from a week-to-week basis and you get so caught up in what you need to do the next week.



“We’re always trying to look forward so I really hadn’t thought about everything that happened last year. We’re so focused on being in position, to hopefully have a chance to do that again and get back here.”



Harvick’s primary championship challengers were of similar mindset. And like all of the 10 drivers here — also including Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kyle Larson, Martin Truex Jr., Ty Dillon, Ryan Blaney, Clint Bowyer and Trevor Bayne — the lone opportunity to turn some extra test laps at Homestead is something not to be missed, even if track time boiled down to a couple late morning hours before heavier rains interrupted the schedule.



With the elimination-style format of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup playoffs heading into its second year, the importance of the Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway has increased exponentially.



When the Sprint Cup Series arrives in South Florida in three months, four drivers will be eligible for the title – the highest finisher in this race will be crowned champion. Last year, Harvick won the race and therefore, the season trophy.



Logano, who collected his third win in the No. 22 Team Penske Ford last weekend at Bristol, also spoke about the emphasis teams now place specifically on being prepared for Homestead.


MORE: Logano victorious in Bristol night race



“Hopefully this test is very important for us,” Logano said with a slight laugh. “You hope it is [because that means you’re in the championship hunt.] Just getting to here (season finale) is a challenge.



“If we do, then this test today will be the most important test of the year. So we definitely want to put a lot into it and make sure we get a lot out of it and really understand what we learned out of it.”



Logano’s three wins would rank him right behind the season’s four-time winners Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch for the start of the Chase on Sept. 20 at Chicagoland Speedway and like Harvick, Logano believes his team is right where it needs to be at this point in the season.



“Right now, we’re peaking at the right spot, and getting a couple wins in the last three weeks is what we need to do heading into the Chase,” said Logano, who finished 16th in the 2014 Homestead race. “Winning the Bristol night race last year kind of propelled us into the Chase, I thought, and gave us good momentum into the Chase. Getting all the way to here [Homestead] was a heck of an accomplishment. And we just need to focus on what we need to do. I feel like as a team we learned a lot in terms of how to execute a championship weekend.”


RELATED: Harvick scores another runner-up finish

It looks like everyone will have to raise their game to dethrone Harvick, however, who has a pair of wins and a series-best 17 top-five finishes highlighted by 10 runner-up showings already this season.



“We’ve struck a pretty good course in terms of being able to have a plan in place for the Chase, and everyone has done a good job in terms of being prepared when it comes time for Chicago,” Harvick said. “We’ve been ready every week. We’ve just got to keep doing those things. … No different than last year when we made it happen when it counted.”


WATCH: Harvick chases Logano in the closing laps at Bristol

Posted on by Staff Report

Ray Alfalla from Slipangle Motorsports held off a late charge from Gale Force Racing‘s Nick Ottinger at Phoenix International Raceway en route to his second victory in the 2015 NASCAR PEAK Antifreeze Series Powered by iRacing. Ottinger had to settle for second, less than one tenth of a second behind and a single position short in his quest for a third straight win. Polesitter Casey Tucker (Last Row Motorsports) finished third, followed by series championship leader Kenny Humpe (The TEAM) and PJ Stergios.

Alfalla, who led a race-high 86 of 156 laps, took advantage of some timely cautions and a solid pit strategy and found the winner’s circle for the first time since the season opener at Daytona. Ottinger appeared to have a slightly better car than anyone else on the long run but a decision to short-pit cost him when a caution flew for a wreck before the rest of the front runners made their stops. The untimely yellow trapped Ottinger back in traffic with just 45 laps to go which, later, lead him to remark that his second place finish “felt like a win.”

The night got underway with Humpe taking the lead on Lap Three and quickly opening a one second margin over the field. Humpe held the lead until the first yellow flew on Lap 29 and the field pitted for fresh tires and fuel. Humpe’s crew was sluggish, losing him three positions in the pits and handing the lead back to Tucker.

On the restart Ottinger jumped to the lead but, after a flurry of cautions, Alfalla went to the point as he raced hard for the clean air out front.  After a few laps it was Ottinger who prevailed and the race settled into the longest green flag run of the night.

With nobody able to make it on fuel to the end, Ottinger decided to play some pit strategy and short-pitted as soon as his fuel window opened. The move was risky as it put him a lap down but if the pit stop cycle completed he would own a massive lead thanks to his fresh tires. Unfortunately for Ottinger, a crash on the frontstretch on Lap 104 trapped him a lap down as Alfalla and a handful of other cars had yet to make their stops. Ottinger would get back on the lead lap by taking the wave around but now had older tires than Alfalla and the rest of the frontrunners.

Ottinger received some help by way of another caution just 11 laps after taking the wave around which allowed him to pit for tires. When the race restarted with 31 laps remaining Ottinger was in fifteenth but now had fresher tires than the leaders and began charging back to the front. In just seven laps Ottinger was already up to eighth and yet another caution bunched the field up, playing right into his favor.

As so often happens at short tracks, cautions breed cautions and the frequent yellows at the end of the race enabled Ottinger to maximize the benefit of his fresh tires. After going from fifteenth to eighth, he picked up two more spots on the next restart and three additional places on the next before the ninth and final yellow flag of the night flew, setting-up a five lap shootout for the win.

Alfalla still led, Tucker was second, and Ottinger was behind the front row in third as the race went green. Ottinger made quick work of Tucker and started reeling-in Alfalla. By the time the white flag flew Alfalla had a mirror full of the 05 car but would not be denied as he calmly negotiated Turns Three and Four a final time to take the checkered flag with Ottinger right on his bumper.

The win allowed Alfalla to slightly close on Humpe in the championship standings but Humpe still enjoys a massive 109-point advantage.  Alfalla also distanced himself from Stergios, who is now 39 points adrift in third. Bryan Blackford and Matt Bussa are tied for fifth, 23 points behind Stergios and three points in front of Chris Overland who fell in the standings due to last night’s disappointing 30th place finish.

With just three races remaining in the 2015 NASCAR PEAK Antifreeze Series the series shifts to Darlington Raceway, one of the toughest tracks on the circuit. Humpe will have a chance to officially clinch the championship if he can leave “The Lady in Black” with a 97 point lead, leaving Alfalla with some work to do if he hopes to keep the pressure on an additional week. Darlington generally favors the veteran sim racers so it would be no surprise to see Alfalla, Ottinger, and Humpe battling for the win once again. Can anyone else break up the dominant threesome? Tune into iRacingLive in two weeks’ time to find out!

Posted on by Official NASCAR Release

PHILADELPHIA — As part of its long-term partnership with NASCAR, Comcast announced today the creation of the Comcast Community Champion of the Year Award, honoring NASCAR team members for their outstanding charitable endeavors.



The annual award will celebrate the philanthropic efforts being made by race teams across all three national series. An individual from each national series will be honored, with one of the three earning the Comcast Community Champion of the Year Award. In recognition of their efforts, a donation of $60,000 will be made in the winner’s name to his or her affiliated charitable organization. A $30,000 contribution will be made to each of the remaining finalists’ charitable organizations.



“The Comcast Community Champion of the Year Award honors those members of NASCAR teams who share our commitment and give back to the communities we serve,” said Peter Intermaggio, Comcast Senior Vice President, Marketing Communications. “At Comcast, we work hard to make a difference in the places where our employees and customers live and work, and we want to recognize and encourage others who demonstrate that same community commitment.”



Nominations are to be submitted by NASCAR team members. Eligible recipients include team owners, drivers and all NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team employees. 



“Our teams are competitive by nature, but have a unified goal to benefit the lives of people in need,” said Steve Phelps, NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. “Comcast shares our passion for community service, and we appreciate the effort to shine a light on the inspirational work being done by our teams.”



Nominees will be narrowed down to three finalists, with a panel of judges comprised of executives from Comcast, The NASCAR Foundation, a former NASCAR driver and a member of the national motorsports media, to determine the recipient of the award. The award will be presented at the NASCAR XFINITY Series and Camping World Truck Series Banquet at the end of the season in South Florida. 



Comcast has a long track record of community service, aiding in the advancement of local organizations, developing programs and partnerships, mobilizing resources to connect people and inspiring positive and substantive change. Comcast’s annual corporate service day, known as Comcast Cares Day, is the largest corporate service effort of its kind. This year, NASCAR drivers Brad Keselowski, Ty Dillon and Cale Conley participated in a local Comcast Cares Day project restoring the local Boys and Girls Club in Richmond, Virginia.



Comcast’s XFINITY brand is the title sponsor of the NASCAR XFINITY Series and Comcast’s NBCUniversal is a NASCAR broadcast partner through the 2024 season.