How to follow the action at Michigan and Mid-Ohio

Posted on August 11, 2015 by Staff Report

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series head to Michigan International Speedway, while the NASCAR XFINITY Series is racing at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Here’s more info on how you can follow along all weekend.

RACES
Sprint Cup Series: Pure Michigan 400 (Sunday Aug. 16, 2:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN/Live Extra, MRN Radio, SiriusXM)
XFINITY Series: Nationwide Children’s Hospital 200 at Mid-Ohio (Saturday Aug. 15, 3:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN/Live Extra, MRN Radio, SiriusXM)
Camping World Truck Series: Careers for Veterans 200 presented by Cooper Standard and Brad Keselowski‘s Checkered Flag Foundation (Saturday Aug. 15, 1 p.m. ET, FOX Sports 1, MRN Radio, SiriusXM)

WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Click here for on-track times, press conferences, leaderboards and GarageCam.

RACE DAY
• NSCS leaderboard
• NXS leaderboard
• NCWTS leaderboard
• NSCS Lap-by-Lap
• NXS Lap-by-Lap
• NCWTS Lap-by-Lap
• NSCS live standings

PRODUCTS
• RaceBuddy: Through the remainder of the season, NASCAR RaceBuddy will feature two (2) alternate live action camera angles, along with up to six (6) in-car cameras with different driver selections for each Sprint Cup race.
• RaceView: Watch virtual video of cars on track and listen to the scanner.
• RaceView Mobile: On your phone? Try RaceView here.
• Scanner: In-car audio only.• Mobile Apps: Follow the leaderboards live from your device.

NBC SPORTS LIVE EXTRA
Web stream: NBC Sports Live Extra
Mobile app: iOS/Android

NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, tablets, and connected TVs will provide racing fans with unparalleled interactive digital access to every NASCAR Sprint Cup series race, including exclusive camera angles, custom diver information, and insider track information.

• Multi-view options that bring fans inside the race, combining NBC Sports Group’s race simulcast and alternative camera angles, ranging from in-car views to various key track locations. For the Quaker State 400 Presented by Advance Auto Parts NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on July 11, one specialty camera will offer an innovative speed shot from Turn 4, capturing the cars as they speed by.

• Dedicated full-view, on-board alternate cameras.

• Additional features on the desktop/laptop experience, bringing fans comprehensive race-day information to their fingertips, including:

• Driver updates, cup standings, and biographies

• Track infographics with key facts and history

NBC Sports Live Extra will stream NASCAR coverage on NBC and NBCSN via “TV Everywhere”, giving consumers additional value to for their subscription service, and making high quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms. The NBC Sports Live Extra app is available on the iTunes App Store, Google Play, Windows Store, Roku Channel Store and Apple TV. For desktops, NBC Sports Live Extra can be accessed at NBCSports.com/liveextra.

FOX SPORTS GO

The Camping World Truck Series race will also be available through FOX Sports GO; which is an online and mobile streaming product that allows subscribers of participating TV providers to watch live sports and shows from FOX, FOX Sports 1, FOX Sports 2 and FOX Deportes. FOX Sports GO is currently available for download on iTunes for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch devices or can be accessed online at FOXSportsGO.com. The app is also available via Google Play, Kindle Fire and from the Windows Store.

Access to programming in FOX Sports GO requires a pay TV subscription of FOX Sports 1 with a participating TV provider. Login credentials are the same username and password used to access online accounts with your TV provider.

FANTASY
• NASCAR Fantasy Live: Set your lineups, check your progress
• Streak to the Finish: Play in all the national series that are in action this week

LIVE INTERVIEWS
PressPass: Watch exclusive post-race interviews.

Stay tuned to NASCAR.com throughout the weekend for the latest news.

Posted on August 11, 2015 by Staff Report

During Tuesday availabilities with both NASCAR.com and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O’Donnell discussed a set of important timelines for the next month.

Speaking to NASCAR.com, O’Donnell said the sanctioning body is targeting a public release of the 2016 national series schedules within the next month.

“A lot of work’s been done with the schedule already,” O’Donnell said. “That’s a constant process where, almost as soon as we leave a facility, we start that dialogue. We’re looking years in advance as well.

“We’re pretty well down the road with those discussions with each of our race tracks, and we expect in the next three to four weeks, to be able to get something out to the fans. But certainly we like the way it’s gone this year. Really liked the West Coast swing, and I think you’ll see some consistency in the schedule as we look at 2016.”

The 2016 schedule release neatly coincides with the start of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. The opening postseason race is Sept. 20 at Chicagoland Speedway, and teams will likely know the rules for the final 10 races of the season later this week.

NASCAR has used a low downforce package at Kentucky Speedway (and will at Darlington Raceway) and a high drag package at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (and will again at Michigan International Speedway this weekend) over the past weeks.

“That’s going to be fairly immediate,” O’Donnell told SiriusXM when asked about the Chase rules. “It’ll be either toward the end of this week or coming right out of Michigan. We’ll get with all the race teams and tell them what to expect for the Chase, so that’s going to come up quickly on the horizon for us. We want to lock that in for the race teams. It’s not lost on us how much work has been done by all of our teams … we’re really appreciative of the hard work, and we owe it to them to get the word out now and let them prepare for the Chase.”

O’Donnell also talked about the Watkins Glen course configuration following last week’s Cheez-It 355 at The Glen, and NASCAR’s plan for the future at the venue.

NASCAR uses a seven-turn configuration at Watkins Glen, but the course has 11 turns — the section that NASCAR doesn’t use is called “The Boot,” and there was talk of the full 11-turn road course being used in future NASCAR events.

“Next year is probably a little premature,” O’Donnell said. “I think you have to look at the potential of running the boot, obviously there are further conversations with the facility to make sure fans are able to access that area and have the racing experience they can have at other parts of the facility — it’s no secret that seating’s at a premium right now. I think it’s something we’d consider in future, for sure, but there’s a lot of logistics to work out.”

Posted on August 11, 2015 by Zack Albert

Brad Keselowski said he considers his family fortunate after a recent medical scare with his nearly 3-month-old daughter, Scarlett, saying that the traumatic experience has brought him closer to his longtime girlfriend, Paige White.

Keselowski first detailed the harrowing episode in a blog post Aug. 6, revealing a grave diagnosis of severe laryngomalacia, a weakness of the infant’s throat muscles. The former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion recalled the experience in a teleconference Tuesday, adding a happier anecdote about how a stock-car racing legend helped the couple meet.

“Certainly that is a tough experience to go through, but I guess I kind of count the blessings on it and think of how all those things kind of came together perfectly with off weeks,” Keselowski said. “The way things could have unfolded as good as they can for the situation. So certainly those are very galvanizing moments that probably affect you in ways you don’t realize until many years down the road. But I feel lucky to have a great family and support structure to get through it, whether it’s Paige or guys like Roger (Penske, car owner) who help me get in the hospital and get her taken care of, I felt very, very lucky and fortunate.”

Shortly after the diagnosis in June, the couple quickly flew to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota for emergency surgery, with Penske helping to facilitate the arrangement. The three returned home on Father’s Day and celebrated as a group in Victory Lane three weeks later at Kentucky Speedway after a NASCAR XFINITY Series win.

“I think it was certainly a very difficult but, like I said, galvanizing time for Paige and I, and in some ways it was an incredible moment for me and the Penske family to kind of galvanize together as well with the help that they gave me through the process,” Keselowski said. “It was certainly not the most enjoyable in‑the‑moment situation to go through, but I think it’s a moment that we’ll certainly take something away from for the rest of our life, and has brought me closer to my personal life and professional life all in one instance. Kind of an incredibly difficult, strange, but inspiring thing to go through.”

Keselowski also said he owed fellow Midwesterner Frank Kimmel a level of gratitude for his relationship with White, saying that the veteran racer helped introduce the two. Keselowski tagged the 53-year-old Kimmel, closing in on his 500th career start in the ARCA Series, with the nickname “the big kid” growing up, noting his tendency to surprise him with squirt guns during his childhood.

Keselowski lauded Kimmel’s accomplishments as a 10-time series champion, but also offered thanks for a chance meeting with him at Kentucky Speedway for changing his life.

“Actually, I saw him in Kentucky, and I went over to say hello, and Paige was with him as a friend of the family,” Keselowski said. “I asked him later, ‘Who was that girl? She’s really pretty cute.’ And that’s kind of how it all started.”

Posted on August 10, 2015 by Staff Report

See what’s coming this week to NASCAR.com

Here’s what you’ll see on NASCAR.com this week:

MONDAY: Buddy Baker passed away Monday, and we’ll remember his life with stories, videos and photos … Senior writer Kenny Bruce details Kevin Harvick‘s finish at Watkins Glen after the driver of the No. 4 ran out of fuel late … The Rundown will recap how every driver in the field fared, 1-43.

TUESDAY: This week’s Power Rankings presented by Outback is sure to get a shakeup now that Joey Logano has two wins on the season, and has looked great in recent weeks … @nascarcasm will have his winner’s Facebook page, as well as vanity license tags for NASCAR drivers … Hear the best from the scanner in "Scanner Sounds."

WEDNESDAY: New paint schemes will be on display at Michigan and Mid-Ohio, and we’ll have them all in Paint Scheme Preview … High 5 presents the best NASCAR content from around the web … Chris Buescher, the NASCAR XFINITY Series points leader, returns to Mid-Ohio, the site of his first national series win.

THURSDAY: Driver Reports highlights the 16 drivers currently on the Chase Grid, and how they fare at Michigan … The high drag package returns at Michigan, and we’ll break down one that means — and how it’s different from the low downforce setup … Speaking of those new packages, which one has been better? Kenny Bruce and RJ Kraft debate.

FRIDAY: The Sprint Cup Series gets on track at 11 a.m. ET, and we’ll have full coverage from a busy day at the track … 8 Tweets You Might Have Missed highlights the best from social media over the past week.

Also coming this week: @nascarcasm is doing a voice-to-text interview with Andy Lally. We’re sure that will go super smooth.

Posted on August 10, 2015 by

RELATED: Full race results | Series Standings | Chase Grid

Breaking down how the full 43-car field fared at Watkins Glen International.

1. Joey Logano, No. 22 Ford, Team Penske. “It’s on fire boys. Burning it down for real,” Logano radioed his team after completing his burnout. Logano slipped by Kevin Harvick, who ran out of fuel on the last lap, to sweep the WGI weekend and become the first driver to do so. | WATCH: Logano wins fuel mileage thriller

2. Kyle Busch, No. 18 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing. Busch, who started saving fuel in the closing laps, is now 30th in the points and on pace to be Chase eligible thanks to his runner-up result. | MORE: How is Busch’s looking for the Chase?

3. Kevin Harvick, No. 4 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing. Harvick led a race-high 29 laps, but didn’t save enough fuel to make it to the end and ran out on the final lap. | Watch: Harvick reacts to fuel shortage at the Glen

4. Matt Kenseth, No. 20 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing. Kenseth was running second when he was told to let Joey Logano by so he could save a lap of fuel for the 10-lap sprint to the finish.

5. Kurt Busch, No. 41 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing. An early race off pit road penalty didn’t hamper Busch, who was asked to save the car while maneuvering through the field.

6. Clint Bowyer, No. 15 Toyota, Michael Waltrip Racing. Bowyer pitted from seventh under caution on Lap 58 and started his climb through the field after restarting 19th.

7. Brad Keselowski, No. 2 Ford, Team Penske. Keselowski stayed out during the first caution period and went on to pace the field for the next 27 laps.

8. Carl Edwards, No. 19 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing. Edwards recorded his sixth top-10 of the year despite a lengthy pit stop during the fifth caution period when his jackman was nicked by another competitor.

9. Sam Hornish Jr., No. 9 Ford, Richard Petty Motorsports. Hornish restarted 12th for the Lap 61 restart and held on for his second career top-10 result at Watkins Glen.

10. Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports. “Sorry guys. I just didn’t want to take the (No.) 88 out there,” Johnson radioed his team after missing the bus stop early in the race and dropping from seventh to 22nd. He also spun later on Lap 58, but he made up for it and went on to earn his 15th top 10 of the year. | WATCH: Puzzling day for Johnson

11. Dale Earnhardt Jr., No. 88 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports. “I just about dislocated my shoulder trying to grab it, but it’s gone,” Earnhardt radioed his team after removing the brake tape from his floorboard. | For more in-car audio, sign up for Scanner today

12. Kyle Larson, No. 42 Chevrolet, Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates. Larson rallied after spinning on Lap 41 when he made contact while racing Austin Dillon for position. | RELATED: Larson says he apologized to Dillon

13. Paul Menard, No. 27 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing. Fuel conservation wasn’t a concern for Menard, who was running 17th with 11 laps remaining and came within striking distance of his best WGI result.

14. Greg Biffle, No. 16 Ford, Roush Fenway Racing. Biffle was running inside the top 10 when he missed the bus stop and had to stop on track and restart, dropping to 14th with 16 laps to go. | MORE: Biffle gets into the grass

15. Ryan Newman, No. 31 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing. Newman reported that he was plowing tight in Turn 9 while running 15th in the final 20 laps.

16. Aric Almirola, No. 43 Ford, Richard Petty Motorsports. Almirola was racing alongside Greg Biffle, when he got loose in Turn 1 and spun in front of Paul Menard on Lap 10. The contact resulted in significant tire rub and an unplanned pit stop.

17. Danica Patrick, No. 10 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing. After earning her best Glen starting spot, Patrick soon told her team that her car kept coming out of gear.

18. Casey Mears, No. 13 Chevrolet, Germain Racing. Mears had a clean pit stop and restarted 15th on Lap 61, when crew chief Bootie Barker told him they could make it to the end on fuel.

19. Justin Allgaier, No. 51 Chevrolet, HScott Motorsports. Allgaier was running inside the top 20 before he overdrove Turn 1 — likely with help from Jimmie Johnson — and spun on Lap 38.

20. Michael McDowell, No. 95 Ford, Leavine Family Racing. McDowell qualified 31st and earned his best Watkins Glen finish on Sunday.

21. Cole Whitt, No. 35 Ford, Front Row Motorsports. Whitt led Laps 27-28 and ran as high as fifth on Sunday before having to stop for fuel late in the race.

22. Trevor Bayne, No. 6 Ford, Roush Fenway Racing. Bayne stayed out during the fourth caution period, which included a nine-minute red-flag, and restarted seventh to briefly run inside the top 10.

23. David Ragan, No. 55 Toyota, Michael Waltrip Racing. Ragan improved from 24th to sixth on Lap 59 when most of the field opted to pit under caution.

24. AJ Allmendinger, No. 47 Chevrolet, JTG Daugherty Racing. The pole sitter led the opening 20 laps on Sunday, but later radioed his team: “There’s no power in the car. There’s nothing. … Can we have something not break for once?” | MORE: Allmendinger loses power during race

25. Martin Truex Jr., No. 78 Chevrolet, Furniture Row Racing. The outside pole sitter was running third with 24 laps to go when he had to make an unscheduled pit stop for a cut left-front tire.

26. Matt DiBenedetto, No. 83 Toyota, BK Racing. The fastest qualifying rookie made his best road course start on Sunday and proceeded to work through a tight-handling race car on Sunday.

27. Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing. An early pit road speeding penalty mired Hamlin in traffic, where he subsequently made contact with another competitor, knocked out his hood pins and had to make an unscheduled stop for a popped-up hood. | WATCH: Hood issues for Hamlin

28. Alex Kennedy, No. 33 Chevrolet, Circle Sport. After making his best start of 2015, Kennedy rolled on to his second-best finish of the season.

29. Alex Bowman, No. 7 Chevrolet, Tommy Baldwin Racing. With his crew chief’s instructions to “save fuel” ringing in his ears, Bowman recorded his best Watkins Glen finish.

30. J.J. Yeley, No. 23 Toyota, BK Racing. Making his first Watkins Glen start since 2012, Yeley started 13th for the final green-flag restart but struggled to maintain position.

31. Michael Annett, No. 46 Chevrolet, HScott Motorsports. Crew chief Jay Guy encouraged Annett to save all the fuel he could after he restarted eighth with 30 laps to go.

32. Boris Said, No. 32 Ford, Go FAS Racing. The road course ringer was among those competitors caught up in the Lap 50 restart incident. He later spun on the last lap.

33. David Gilliland, No. 38 Ford, Front Row Motorsports. Gilliland endured some transmission issues and later sustained some fender damage after contact on the Lap 61 restart.

34. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 17 Ford, Roush Fenway Racing. Stenhouse had to make an unscheduled pit stop with 20 laps to go for right-front tire rub.

35. Landon Cassill, No. 40 Chevrolet, Hillman Smith Motorsports. Cassill saved his car after competitors stacked up on the Lap 50 restart, but lost track position late in the race when he felt a tire going down.

36. Austin Dillon, No. 3 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing. Dillon suspected a flat tire on Lap 41 after making contact with Kyle Larson and subsequently shredded his tire to bring out the third caution flag.

37. Chris Buescher, No. 34 Ford, Front Row Motorsports. The XFINITY Series points leader saw his best Cup start of the year fade when he endured a broken shifter and had to make do in fourth gear.

38. Timmy Hill, No. 98 Chevrolet, Premium Motorsports. Hill made his road course debut when he lined up 43rd on Sunday at Watkins Glen.

39. Jeb Burton, No. 26 Toyota, BK Racing. An early diagnosed fuel pump issue prompted Burton to approach the race in 25-lap increments.

40. Jamie McMurray, No. 1 Chevrolet, Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates A competitor missed a shift on the Lap 50 restart and McMurray was part of the drivers collected in the pile-up. | WATCH: McMurray, Kahne crash

41. Jeff Gordon, No. 24 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports. Gordon, in his Watkins Glen finale, reported that his car was “terrible” early and then went on to deal with a broken brake line. | MORE: Brake issues ruin Gordon’s day

42. Kasey Kahne, No. 5 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports. Kahne fell below the Chase cutline after getting smashed up during the Lap 50 restart that collected several competitors.

43. Tony Stewart, No. 14 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing. Stewart was running fifth when something broke with his drive line, and he sat stalled on track. His team later learned the culprit was a failed seal in the rear end gear, which allowed all the oil to dump out. | WATCH: Stewart unsuccessful in his return to Watkins Glen

Posted on August 10, 2015 by Nascar

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. – Defending series champion Kevin Harvick said he thought he’d “done a pretty good job of saving fuel” under one of the five caution flags that slowed Sunday’s Cheez-It 355 at the Glen.

According to crew chief Rodney Childers, Harvick was correct.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t quite enough.

The Stewart-Haas Racing driver ran out of fuel with the checkered flag almost in sight in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event at Watkins Glen International. He was unable to hold off the fast-closing race winner Joey Logano, and Kyle Busch motored past under power as well before Harvick coasted across the finish line to claim third place in the series’ 22nd of 36 events.

“I was just running as fast as I needed to, to protect the lead there as I was in front of the 20 (of Matt Kenseth),” Harvick said after his 15th top-five finish of the season and his 19th top-10.

Once the Team Penske Ford of Logano began closing, however, “I had to pick up the pace just a little bit,” he said.

“But all in all, our … team did a great job today and we were in position to have a win; two corners away. But that’s just kind of how the middle of this season has gone. We’ve had really fast cars but the circumstances have just gotten the best of us.

“So, hopefully we’re saving that up for the last 10 weeks.”

Harvick, who started fourth, was able to move past Kenseth (Joe Gibbs Racing) on the 61st circuit of the 90-lap event, shortly after the day’s fifth caution flag appeared. He remained on point for the next 29 laps. But with no additional cautions appearing, and his last trip to pit road having come several laps earlier, Harvick’s crew knew their driver’s chances were questionable.

According to the team’s calculations, Harvick’s fuel cell was expected to hit empty with approximately one-half of a lap left on the 2.45-mile road course located in the Finger Lakes region of New York.

“We were fortunate we were able to keep it running at least and get it all the way back around,” Childers said. “…I’m still surprised we made it that far, though. We pitted with 40 to go and before the race we thought we could go 32 laps so we went eight more than we thought we could. Caution laps helped.”

Harvick already has secured one of the 16 positions in this year’s Chase for the Sprint Cup field. He’s a two-time winner this season (Las Vegas and Phoenix) and has been the series’ points leader for 20 consecutive weeks.

“You hate to give up any points,” said Childers, “But on the other hand, it just got to the point halfway through the race where we were like ‘Are we going to win it doing what we’re doing?’ No. ‘Do we have a good enough car to win?’ Yes.

“So we need to try to do something different. So we did … and it almost worked out. It just wasn’t enough.”

WATCH: Weekend Top Five moments from Watkins Glen

There may be disappointment at coming so close, but Sunday’s effort confirms the strength of No. 4 team heading toward the Chase, which gets underway in September.

“It tells me I have the best team on pit road,” Harvick said. “Our cars are faster than pretty much everybody else’s every week.

“The circumstances have definitely bit us quite a few times. But all in all, if you have the fastest car and you keep running in the top five and leading laps, eventually you’re going to wear them down.”

Childers agreed with that assessment.

“I feel real good about everything,” he said. “Every week when we show up at the race track I still feel like we’ve got the best team every week and the fastest car every week. The guys on pit road have just done a tremendous job all year, very consistent. I feel like we’re going to be where we need to be.

“We learned a lot last year. If everybody thinks we were strong last year, they’re going to be in for it (this year).”

Posted on August 10, 2015 by Nascar

RELATED: Buy tickets for Michigan

NASCAR teams competing at Michigan International Speedway this weekend will see several safety enhancements in place, including a temporary extension of the current pit wall by approximately 150 feet.

The extension, which lengthens the wall toward the Turn 4 end of the 2-mile speedway, comes after three drivers struck the inside of pit wall while competing at Pocono (Pennsylvania) Raceway earlier this month.

Kasey Kahne , Jeb Burton and Ray Black Jr. were involved in separate incidents at Pocono – Kahne’s impact with the pit road wall sent equipment flying and led to a delay in the race as officials worked to repair damage to the wall.

No one was injured.

According to a statement from MIS track president Roger Curtis, attenuators (energy absorbing barriers) will be placed at the end of the extension of the wall.

Curtis also said the addition of 700 linear feet of Steel and Foam Energy Reduction (SAFER) barrier to the wall at the entrance and exit of pit road, has been completed. That project was begun in April. Tire pack barriers inside Turn 1 will be in place for this weekend’s race as well, and the grass area at the exit of pit road has been paved to act as a skid pad should a car leave the racing surface in that area of the track.

Workers will begin installing another 7,500 linear feet of SAFER material along the outside walls on the front and backstretch and tri-oval wall along pit road after this weekend’s racing activities have been completed.

MIS is one of 12 facilities owned by International Speedway Corp. that hosts NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events.

The Pure Michigan 400 is scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 16 (2:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). The day prior, the track will host the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series’ Careers for Veterans 200 Presented by Cooper Standard and Brad Keselowski’s Checkered Flag Foundation (Saturday, 1 p.m. ET, FOX Sports 1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Posted on August 10, 2015 by Nascar

Was Buddy Baker ever scared? Probably not very often. And rarely, one would guess, while he was in a race car.

The larger-than-life Baker, who won 19 times in NASCAR’s premier series and was the first stock car driver to eclipse the 200 mph mark on a closed course, died Monday after a battle with lung cancer. He was 74.

He was a former Daytona 500 winner and drove for some of the sport’s best-known teams during a career that spanned three and a half decades.

In 1971, and for a portion of the 1972 season, Baker competed for the legendary Petty Enterprises organization. Two of his 19 wins came while he was a teammate of seven-time champion Richard Petty.

PHOTOS: Buddy Baker through the years

Saturday at Watkins Glen International, site of Sunday’s Cheez-It 355 at The Glen, NASCAR Hall of Fame crew chief Dale Inman, Petty’s crew chief during the King’s run to seven titles, recalled one instance that shook up the driver known both as “Leadfoot” and the “Gentle Giant.”

“It was 1970 or ’71, ’71 I believe; Buddy was driving for us and Richard was running for the championship,” Inman said while teams prepared for inspection and qualifying at the 2.54-mile WGI. “Buddy and one of our guys had bought these two dirt bikes and they’d go riding them in the woods. Somebody gave Richard one of those small ones; the handlebars on it weren’t hardly no wider than anything.”

According to Inman, “Richard kept nearly falling off the bike this way and that, finally fell off altogether I think. And the other guy ended up about 10 feet up a tree.

“Richard came back to the shop and was showing me all his bruises and cuts and everything and I started yelling at him, really giving him down the road and telling him I wished he’d been hurt worse. ‘Cause we were in the middle of the championship and here he was doing something foolish like that.”

Inman’s tone and obvious displeasure with what could have happened caught the easy-going Baker off-guard.

“Well, I guess it scared Buddy so bad the next thing you knew he had loaded up his bike on the trailer and got out of there,” Inman said, laughing at the recollection.

Baker won 38 poles during his career and finished fifth or better 202 times in 699 starts.

Buddy’s father Buck was the first driver to win back-to-back series titles (1956-57) and was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2013. Both he and Buddy were named on NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers list, selected in 1998.

Buddy is a member of the National Motorsports Hall of Fame as well as the International Motorsports Hall of Fame.

Posted on August 10, 2015 by Nascar

RELATED: Baker through the years | Drivers, teams react to Baker’s passing

Buddy Baker, one of NASCAR’s fastest and most fearless drivers to ever compete in its premier series, passed away Monday from lung cancer, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio announced.

Baker, 74, won 19 times at NASCAR’s top level during a career that lasted three-and-a-half decades.

The son of two-time premier series champ Buck Baker, Buddy Baker retired from the sport following the 1994 season.

“Many of today’s fans may know Buddy Baker as one of the greatest storytellers in the sport’s history, a unique skill that endeared him to millions,” NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France said in a statement. “But those who witnessed his racing talent recognized Buddy as a fast and fierce competitor, setting speed records and winning on NASCAR’s biggest stages. It is that dual role that made Buddy an absolute treasure who will be missed dearly.”

He made his NASCAR debut on April 4, 1959, finishing 14th in a field of 21 at Columbia (S.C.) Speedway in a car owned by his father. He is credited with 699 career starts (excluding four career starts in the now-defunct NASCAR Convertible Division), 16th on NASCAR’s all-time career starts list. He earned 202 top-five and 311 top-10 finishes, as well as 38 poles.

Big tracks were Baker’s specialty, a fitting strength for the 6-foot, 6-inch driver. Among his notable victories were the 1980 Daytona 500 with team owner Harry Ranier and crew chief Waddell Wilson, four victories on the sprawling 2.66-mile Talladega Superspeedway and one on the sweeping 2-mile Michigan International Speedway course.

RELATED: Relive Baker’s Daytona win

Baker became the first driver to eclipse the 200 mph mark on a closed course, lapping the Talladega track at 200.096 mph during a transmission test on March 24, 1970 with car owner Cotton Owens. He bettered that mark during the test with the winged Dodge Daytona Charger eventually topping out at an average speed of 200.447 mph.

“It’s the most wonderful feeling I’ve had in a long, long time,” Baker told track officials after his day’s work was completed. “It’s something nobody can ever take away from you.”

His first premier series win came Oct. 15, 1967 in the National 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway with car owner Ray Fox. Baker would go on to win three more times at CMS, all in the physically demanding 600-mile event held each May.

He was a two-time winner at Darlington Raceway as well, winning the 1970 Southern 500 and returning the following spring to capture the ’71 Rebel 400 at the track long billed as the “Lady in Black.”

During his career, Baker scored wins with Owens, Petty Enterprises, Nord Krauskopf, Bud Moore, Ranier and Wood Brothers Racing.

Baker drove for Petty Enterprises in 1971 and 1972 and NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty issued a statement on Baker’s passing on Monday.

“Buddy was always wide open and that’s the way he raced and lived his life. He was always full of energy. He was a person you wanted to be around because he always made you feel better. He raced with us, shared his stories with us and became our friend. Buddy loved the sport and he made a lasting impression on the sport on the track, in the television booth and on the radio. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Baker family at this time.”

His last victory came in 1983 with the Stuart, Virginia-based Wood Brothers organization — he drove the No. 21 Ford to the win in the July 4 Firecracker 400 at Daytona.

In his final start on May 3, 1992, fittingly at Talladega, Baker finished 31st.

While he didn’t run the full schedule during much of his career, Baker did compete for the series’ title on occasion, finishing in the top-10 in points on five occasions. He finished a career-best fifth in ’77 while driving for Moore.

His folksy manner eventually earned Baker a job in broadcasting, where he served as a NASCAR commentator for The Nashville Network and CBS. In recent years he could be heard on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

“From the time we launched SiriusXM NASCAR Radio in 2007, Buddy was one of the anchors of the channel and we are honored and grateful to have worked with him all these years.He brought a wonderfully engaging personality to the airwaves and his storytelling ability made his show a joy to listen to. As one of NASCAR’s great competitors, he generously shared a wealth of knowledge – developed over many decades in the sport – with our listeners. He is greatly missed, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family,” SiriusXM said in a statement.

It was on SiriusXM’s “Late Shift” program that Baker recently announced doctors had discovered a large tumor in his lung. Because of the diagnosis, he was stepping down as co-host of the popular program.

“I think I retired five different times,” Baker told listeners. “Why? Because you build this trust and love for a sport that I don’t care what anybody tells you, there is no other form of auto racing in the world that can entertain and bring the stars that we have in our sport.  And to have a long career like I’ve had, do not shed a tear. Give a smile when you say my name.”

In 1995, Baker was inducted into the Charlotte Motor Speedway Court of Legends; in ’97 he was doubly honored, with inductions into the National Motorsports Press Association’s Hall of Fame the previous year, as well as the International Motorsports Hall of Fame.

The following year, Baker was named one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers. His father was also among the 50 named to the legendary list.

Funeral Services will be held at Avondale Presbyterian Church, 2821 Park Rd., Charlotte, conducted by Rev. John Earles, on Aug. 18 at 2 p.m. ET. Burial will follow at Sharon Memorial Park on Monroe Road in Charlotte.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Humane Society of Iredell, 110 Robinson Rd., Mooresville, NC, 28117.

Posted on August 10, 2015 by Staff Report

Alex Bowman will make his first career start in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series on Saturday at Michigan International Speedway in the Careers for Veterans 200 presented by Cooper Standard and Brad Keselowski‘s Checkered Flag Foundation (1 p.m. ET, FOX Sports 1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Bowman will drive the No. 00 Haas Automation Chevrolet for JR Motorsports, the Dale Earnhardt Jr.-owned team that fields entries in the NASCAR XFINITY Series as well as one Truck in the Camping World Truck Series.

“The experiences I had racing for JR Motorsports last year were a lot of fun,” Bowman said in a release provided by the team. “It’ll be a learning experience for me being my first time in a truck. Watching the 00 team so far this season, I know it’s going to be a fast truck and we’ll have a shot to run up front. The main goal is to help these guys continue learning and improving on their overall program, particularly at the big tracks, so we’ll try to do that and see if we can pick up a win at the same time.”

Bowman ran two races (at Charlotte and Phoenix) in 2014 for JRM in what is now known as the XFINITY Series in the team’s No. 5 Chevrolet.

Bowman, 22, currently competes full-time in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driving the No. 7 Chevrolet for Tommy Baldwin Racing. He is currently 34th in points in that series.

The No. 00 Truck has run in seven of 12 races this season, the team’s first in the Camping World Truck Series. Cole Custer has made five starts, while Sprint Cup Series regulars Kevin Harvick and Kasey Kahne have made one start each. Custer won at Gateway in June, while Kahne won at Charlotte in May.

Custer is just 17 years old and is not yet of age to be able to compete at all tracks on the circuit. He is expected to compete in five more Truck Series races this season (Bristol, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, New Hampshire, Martinsville and Phoenix).