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Companies will continue to compete against each other in 2015

RELATED: Toyota ‘not sure what MWR is going to do’

Michael Waltrip Racing co-owner Rob Kauffman has agreed to purchase an interest in Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, according to statements from the two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series organizations.

According to a statement from MWR, the "companies will continue to operate separately and compete against each other for the remainder of the 2015 season. They are also currently evaluating ways to field the most competitive race teams possible to provide an excellent platform for their partners and employees for the 2016 season and beyond."

How the move will impact the number of teams involved has yet to be determined, although it appears likely that the re-tooled CGR will be a three-team effort in 2016. What that means for co-owner Michael Waltrip and MWR going forward is also unknown at this time.

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Sponsorship agreements with Aaron’s and manufacturer support with Toyota are scheduled to conclude at the end of ’15.

"My focus is on 2015 and fulfilling the commitment we have made to our partners and Toyota, which is placing our teams in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup," Michael Waltrip said in a statement Thursday. "There are a lot of details yet to be sorted regarding 2016. I will work closely with Rob Kauffman and our sponsors to formulate the best way forward."

Ed Laukes, vice president marketing, performance and guest experience for Toyota Motor Sales, issued a statement Friday morning with a similar sentiment.

"We’ve spoken with Rob Kauffman and understand he has agreed to buy an interest in Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates," the statement read. "Rob has not disclosed the plans for Michael Waltrip Racing past the 2015 racing season. Toyota and TRD remain focused on winning races and championships with our team partners this year."

MWR, founded by Waltrip, a two-time Daytona 500 winner as a driver, fields two Sprint Cup teams for drivers Clint Bowyer and David Ragan. It has been affiliated with Toyota since the automaker made the move into Sprint Cup in 2007, the same year Kauffman came aboard to provide financial stability.

Recent years have seen the organization, located in Cornelius, North Carolina, struggle; it downsized from three teams to two following the 2013 season when penalties before the start of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup knocked one of its teams out of the Chase field.

That led to the decision by primary sponsor NAPA to part ways with the organization, and without funding, driver Martin Truex Jr. was left to seek employment elsewhere (Furniture Row Racing).

Bowyer, driver of the No. 15 Toyota, hasn’t been to Victory Lane since his debut season with the group in 2012. He is currently 15th in points and trying to earn one of this year’s 16 Chase berths.

Teammate David Ragan joined the organization this season, replacing Brian Vickers in the No. 55 ride when Vickers had to step aside for health reasons. Ragan is 24th in the points standings. On Wednesday, he told NASCAR.com that he would like to remain with the organization.

"I like everyone at MWR and the Aaron’s folks have been great to work with," he said. "We’ve got a good thing going so hopefully we can keep it going."

Aaron’s is the primary sponsor of the No. 55 team.

CGR, which is currently affiliated with Chevrolet, also fields two Sprint Cup teams, featuring drivers Jamie McMurray and Kyle Larson. The organization also has XFINITY Series interests as part of an alliance with HScott Motorsports.

A statement from CGR on Thursday confirmed the agreement between Kauffman and Ganassi.

Both McMurray and Larson are looking to make their first Chase appearance this season; McMurray is ninth in points and likely one of this year’s 16 participants. Larson is currently 20th in points and could qualify should he win one of the next six races.

Sabates, owner of the team from 1989 through 2000 before becoming a minority partner in ’01, issued a statement to SiriusXM NASCAR on Wednesday, saying that the move "is about making our team stronger; a three-car team is stronger than a two-car (team)." 

Sabates also discounted reports that Kauffman’s involvement meant he was out as a partner. 

"I’m not going anywhere," Sabates said. "… The rumors that Rob is buying me out are not true." 

Ganassi became majority owner of the team in 2000; he partnered with Dale Earnhardt Inc. from 2009-13 and the organization was known as Earnhardt Ganassi Racing. 

Since ’14, the group has been known as Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates.

Posted on by NASCAR Official Release

Crew chief Scott Eggleston fined, suspended

RELATED: NASCAR issues P3 penalty to No. 98 team

The No. 98 team has been assessed a P3 level penalty for having an unattached weight leave the car during practice on July 24 (Sections 12:1; 12.5.3.3.1; 20.3.5). Crew chief Scott Eggleston has been fined $25,000; suspended from the next NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship points race; and placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31.

Car chief Kevin Eagle has been suspended from the next NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship points race and placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31. Car owner Mike Curb will lose 15 championship car owner points.

 

 

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Eldora puts on another winner of a Trucks Series show

Last week’s visit to Eldora Speedway was the third consecutive year in which the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series raced on the half-mile dirt track.

The 2015 event, which saw Christopher Bell hold off Bobby Pierce for the win, may have been the best race of the three. A good time is had by all each year, if Twitter reaction and turnout of stars is any indication. And we know Tony Stewart, owner of the Ohio facility, is interested in having stock cars grace his track.

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But is it a good idea? Should the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series or the NASCAR XFINITY Series host a race on dirt?

Join NASCAR.com’s Kathy Sheldon and Brad Norman in this debate, and leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

Sheldon: Brad, you went to Eldora last week and have a first-hand account to share, but as someone watching on TV with most of NASCAR’s fan base, I have two words: Heck yeah! Sliding, mud-slinging, back-to-our-roots racing at its finest came through again in the Wednesday night Truck Series race. At a time when tension flares between NASCAR’s old guard fans and emerging generations and locations, dirt racing is an opportunity to showcase racing at its core, stripped down from all the rules packages and NASA-level tech that makes speedway racing thrilling to some old fashioned bumping, banging and racing that rewards the bold and brave drivers.

Norman: You want a firsthand account of Eldora? I’ll return your two words with two of my own: Awe. Some. Seriously, Eldora is a wonderful facility and the event was captivating. Magical, almost. That’s why this should stay a once-a-year type of deal, Kathy. Drivers are split on this issue as well, but I agree with those like Austin Dillon (the event’s first winner, mind you) that oversaturation is bad for the sport. Why make Eldora and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event less special? Why make it seem common? It’s special, and there’s nothing wrong with having a special event once a year.

Sheldon: It’s a good thought to keep things special, Brad, but I think we can have one dirt race a year in each series and still keep it special. We only have two road course races a year in Sprint Cup, and up until the latest Chase format, road course specialists often were brought in for those because they were so unique. Now many people are clamoring for a road race in the Chase. A dirt track sure would mix things up in the schedule, perhaps even giving a driver outside the usual suspects a shot at a Chase berth.

Norman: I’m all for mixing things up, and you make some good points Kathy — but I think the biggest follow-up question to your argument is also the biggest unknown. OK, let’s have Sprint Cup and XFINITY on dirt. Where would the race be? Eldora? Hey, it’s one of the best dirt track facilities in the region, probably the nation, and there’s just no way it could support a Sprint Cup race. The infrastructure is simply not there, not to mention the seats. What about the haulers? The roads? If those are huge issues for Eldora — one of the best — then I don’t think there’s a dirt track in the world that could handle the crush.

Sheldon: I have a venue suggestion: Birmingham International Raceway. It’s been a horse track, a one-mile dirt oval, a half-mile dirt oval, a quarter-mile dirt oval and a five-eighths mile paved oval. NASCAR’s premier series ran there in 1958 and 1961-68. The list of winners there: Fireball Roberts, Ned Jarrett, Jim Paschal, Richard Petty, Bobby Allison. It was home track to the Alabama Gang. Alas, the track was torn down in 2008-09, and a natatorium and track-and-field complex sits on the site now. But if Daytona can get a $400 million makeover, a big ol’ track renovation is possible, too. If you build it, they will come!

Norman: Sounds great! Now … who gets to tell a track president they are losing their date on the Sprint Cup calendar? I’d like to stay as far away from that one as possible. Because I think that’s the final fallout piece. If NASCAR adds a race on dirt for the Sprint Cup Series or XFINITY Series, somewhere else has to go. Unless, of course, the sanctioning body is interested in adding more races to its calendar … in a time in which drivers think the number of races should scale back slightly.

Posted on by Jason Lofing

No. 05 driver dove under Kenny Humpe for lead with three laps to go

Nick Ottinger of Gale Force Racing scored his first victory of the 2015 NASCAR PEAK Antifreeze Series Powered by iRacing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway after a tense late-race battle with Slip Angle Motorsports‘ Ray Alfalla and The TEAM‘s Kenny Humpe.

The race came down to a restart with three laps to go with Humpe in the lead, Alfalla alongside and Ottinger behind in third. The race looked like it would go to whoever on the front row restarted the best but that all changed when Humpe and Alfalla made contact coming off Turn 2 after the green. The contact sent Alfalla into a slide and while the two-time series champion made a wonderful save, the loss of momentum put him out of contention for the win. When Alfalla was sliding Ottinger got by him on the bottom groove and set his sights on Humpe.

Humpe, the winner of half the NASCAR PEAK Antifreeze races so far in 2015, seemed unlikely to make a mistake but that is exactly what happened as Ottinger pressured him into Turn 3. Humpe drove in a bit too hard, developed a push, and had to lift-off the throttle which gave Ottinger an opening to attack. With the inside groove the preferred line at Indy, Ottinger easily completed the pass and pulled away to win by half a second.

"This GFR team deserves this win as much as the 05 team," said Ottinger after the victory. "They deserve so much credit to me being back up running near the front again."

Allen Boes (Fast Lane Motorsports) finished runner-up as Humpe faded to third, while Danny Hansen (Drill Aisle) came from 42nd on the grid to finish an impressive fourth and Thomas Davis rounded out the top five.

Early in the evening Alfalla appeard to have the car to beat after starting on pole. During the first run he comfortably led without much of a challenge from Ottinger, who ran in second. He briefly lost the lead to Corey Vincent (Premere Motorsports Group) who decided to stay out during the first caution on Lap 24 as he had already short-pitted a few laps earlier. On the restart Alfalla used the fresh tires to his advantage and quickly regained control of the race and began to distance himself from the new second place driver PJ Stergios (Last Row Motorsports).

As often happens in the NASCAR PEAK Antifreeze Series, cautions breed cautions near the conclusion of the race. All was going smoothly for Alfalla when the second yellow flew on Lap 61, right outside of the fuel window. During this round of pit stops Alfalla lost the lead to Humpe which proved decisive in the outcome of the race. Several drivers near the back decided to play strategy and top-off the lap before the restart in hopes of saving enough fuel to make it to the finish if the race stayed green. The rest of the field would have to hope for enough yellows.

Fortunately for those who chose to stay out and stretch their fuel, five cautions in the last 35 laps allowed for plenty of conservation and took fuel mileage completely out of the equation.

With his third place effort Humpe stretched his huge lead in the standings to 110 points over Alfalla with five races left in the season. Despite slipping to a seventh place finish at Indianapolis, Alfalla now holds a comfortable 40 point advantage over Chris Overland, who found trouble at The Brickyard and finished nineteenth. Stergios and Bryan Blackford round-out the top five ahead of Chad Laughton, who was a no-show for Indy.

The next race sees the sim racers turn right and left as the series visits Watkins Glen International for the only road course of the 16 race schedule. Both Humpe and Alfalla have shown they’re no slouches at the road courses but all eyes will be on Ottinger and defending series champion Michael Conti after their fight to the finish in last year’s event. Can Humpe win his sixth of the season or can Conti salvage a disappointing 2015 with a victory? Find out in two weeks’ time on iRacingLive and MRN.com!

Posted on by Staff Report

Crew chief suspended for a race; team owner docked 15 points

RELATED: NASCAR’s official release

NASCAR handed down a P3-level penalty Wednesday to the Premium Motorsports No. 98 Ford team for failure to properly attach weight during last weekend’s Sprint Cup Series event at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

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The No. 98 car, driven by Timmy Hill for the second straight week in last Sunday’s Crown Royal Presents the Jeff Kyle 400, lost a piece of tungsten during Friday practice near the pit-road exit on the 2.5-mile track. The dropped weight was a violation of three sections of the 2015 NASCAR Rule Book (Sections 12:1; 12.5.3.3.1; 20.3.5).
 
NASCAR officials suspended crew chief Scott Eggleston for one Sprint Cup Series race and fined him $25,000. NASCAR also suspended car chief Kevin Eagle for one race. Both were placed on probation through Dec. 31.
 
Mike Curb, the listed team owner for the Premium No. 98, was also docked 15 championship points in the car owner standings.
 
The No. 98 began the year under the Phil Parsons Racing umbrella before Premium Motorsports took ownership in the spring. Josh Wise failed to qualify the car for the season-opening Daytona 500, but competed in the next 17 races before announcing that he had parted ways with the team. Hill has driven for the team the last two weekends.

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Edwards: “This is like the first practice session”

BRISTOL, Tenn. — More than one dozen NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams spent Wednesday testing at Bristol Motor Speedway, preparing for next month’s return when the high-banked, half-mile track hosts the Irwin Tools Night Race.

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"The surface here doesn’t change a lot, but the groove changes a lot," Joe Gibbs Racing‘s Carl Edwards said of the concrete racing surface during a break in the eight-hour session. "People end up racing right up against the fence.

"We’re not really able to do that today. Basically, this is like the first practice session (of a race weekend) — when we show up (in August), the race track will be like this."

Still, with only six races remaining before the field is officially set for this year’s Chase for the Sprint Cup, any opportunity to improve one’s chances for one of the six events isn’t taken lightly. 

"Seventy-five percent (of what we do today) is relevant," Edwards said. "We’re just not really able to run up there to that high groove."

Edwards, a winner in this year’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, hasn’t officially locked in a spot in the 16-team Chase field, but for he and a handful of others that have already won this year, it’s a formality.

Three of Edwards’ 24 career wins in Sprint Cup have come at BMS and he was fast here on Wednesday. He also cut a tire down during the afternoon session, and contact with the wall did a bit of cosmetic damage to the No. 19 Toyota. 

"We know exactly what we were lacking when we came here the last race," he said, "so it gives us the opportunity to work on some things." 

In addition to Edwards, other teams taking part in the test were Ryan Blaney (Wood Brothers Racing), Joey Logano (Team Penske), Aric Almirola (Richard Petty Motorsports), Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (Roush Fenway Racing), Paul Menard (Richard Childress Racing), David Ragan (Michael Waltrip Racing), Jamie McMurray (Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates), Danica Patrick (Stewart-Haas Racing), Travis Kvapil (TMG), Kasey Kahne (Hendrick Motorsports) and Landon Cassill (Mike Hillman Racing).

Logano and Kahne are also previous winners at Bristol. 

Stenhouse is still searching for his first Sprint Cup win; the fast BMS track seems to suit his driving style. The 27-year-old has finished sixth or higher in his last three starts here.

"It’s just fun," Stenhouse Jr. said. "I like running the top, it kind of reminds me of a dirt track the way you can really kind of turn to the right getting into the corner once we get some rubber down on the top lane. We haven’t gotten it quite high enough today, but we’ve worked pretty far up there." 

The RFR driver is 27th in points, and his fourth-place finish here earlier this year has been his only top 10.

"Honestly, being 18th or 19th in points or where we are, if you don’t have a win, you’re still outside (the Chase)," he said. "I could be eight spots better and it really wouldn’t do me any good other than obviously we’re getting better finishes, better results."

A two-time XFINITY Series champion, Stenhouse said the No. 17 team has improved — "I think we’re getting better," he said — but the gap between his group and the leaders is still a wide one.

"That’s why we really kind of embraced coming to this test," he said. "It’s been a good race for us in the past. Out of the races that are left, it’s probably our best shot to catch a break.

"We’ve been close (here); we know we’re not exactly there yet. But we know if we make the right adjustments and get the car a little better, then we’ll have the opportunity. And really, that’s all you can ask for."

The Irwin Tools Night Race is scheduled for Aug. 22 (7:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

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Both drivers docked 15 minutes of on-track practice time

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams of Germain Racing with Casey Mears and Richard Childress Racing with Ryan Newman will serve 15-minute penalties during this weekend’s opening practice at Pocono (Pennsylvania) Raceway, according to NASCAR officials.

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The two teams received written warnings during this past weekend’s race activities at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, site of the Crown Royal presents the Jeff Kyle 400 at the Brickyard.
 
The warning for the No. 13 team of Mears was a result of qualifying inspection issues while Newman’s group required additional trips through the inspection line during pre-race inspection. Opening practice at Pocono is scheduled for Friday at 11 a.m. ET.
 
NASCAR began the process of issuing written warnings earlier this year to teams that failed to pass pre-qualifying or pre-race technical inspection twice during an event. Such warnings are part of the sanctioning body’s Deterrence Policy, which categorizes individual infractions (Level 1 through Level 6) for penalty purposes.
 
Two written warnings during one event or a single warning during two consecutive events is considered a P1 level infraction. Penalties may include a deduction in track time for practice or qualifying, delay in the order of inspection or last choice in the pit selection process.
 
Officials also said that post-race technical inspection at the NASCAR Research and Development Center for the cars of race winner Kyle Busch, runner-up Joey Logano and Kyle Larson (random) had been completed with no issues.
 
Pocono is hosting the Windows 10 400 on Sunday (1:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

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Drivers debate aero rules while at open test at Bristol Motor Speedway

Maybe they aren’t completely sold on the high drag package that debuted this past weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but after a couple of days to chew on the results, drivers seemed a bit less vocal in their level of disappointment with the platform.

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"I applaud NASCAR for trying, doing everything they can," Joe Gibbs Racing driver Carl Edwards said during a break in Wednesday’s open test at Bristol Motor Speedway.

"They’re trying all these different things to produce the best racing they can."

Not exactly an endorsement for the Indy package, which will also be used in August when the Sprint Cup Series returns to Michigan International Speedway, but an understanding of what NASCAR officials are hoping to develop.

However, Edwards, who finished 13th at Indy after winning the pole, remains steadfast in his belief that the continued reduction in downforce is the best route.

"I believe the racing as we lose aero dependency, as they take downforce away, you’re just going to see better and better racing," he said. "… I really think the more we go back toward that, the better off we’re going to be."

The high drag package featured a 9-inch spoiler (a 3-inch increase) as well as other aero changes. Downforce was impacted, but only slightly. Instead, the taller spoiler created a larger wake of air behind the cars.

Ryan Blaney, 12th at Indy, said he thought the high drag package "showed promise."

"There are good things and bad things you can take away from each package," the Wood Brothers Racing driver said. "That’s what it’s always going to be no matter what package you bring; there’s always going to be positives and negatives and drivers are going to have different feedback about every one.

"I thought the high drag package really helped us get big runs down the straightaways behind other cars and you could make a move getting in the corner. But Indy being a single-lane race track it was hard to kind of make a move in the corner. You had to kind of set yourself up for the straightaway."

Michael Waltrip Racing driver David Ragan agreed that the taller spoiler and other configurations made for a better closing rate on others when coming off the corners and onto the long straightaways at Indy.

"But once you got to their back bumper, once you pulled out, you really couldn’t do anything with that run," Ragan, who finished 21st, said.

"It was real easy to stall out. I’m not an aero specialist so I don’t know if we could tweak on that … I thought the cars changed balance a lot behind other cars. … When I could run by myself, my car would be a little on the tight side and when I would catch a car, or if I caught two cars side-by-side in front of me, my car would shift to really, really loose really quick.

"I think just all the air off of their cars was disruptive and I didn’t have any consistent air on mine. You had to be on the wheel and on top of it making adjustments certainly when you were in traffic or by yourself."

While Indy’s 2.5-mile course is tight, one-groove and without much banking, Michigan should be a better barometer for the package.

"I think you will see some bigger packs at Michigan," Ragan said. "You’ve got a little more grip in the race track, you’ve got a little more banking, definitely more grooves so I think you’ve got more options to run two- and three-wide in the corners.

"But I think my big concern is the handling for those guys that are in the middle of the pack. The cars in the top four or five are going to have a very good advantage just from the fact of having clean air. Those guys running 20th are going to have to fight a different fight because of handling.

"It will definitely be, in my opinion, a little better going to Michigan just because the race track will promote a little better racing."

Tire Chatter

Sprint Cup and Camping World Truck Series teams competing at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway this weekend will run the same Goodyear tire codes and a combination that’s been used at the 2.5-mile, three-turn track since 2012. According to Goodyear, the tire combination is used only at Pocono.

Meanwhile, XFINITY Series teams competing this weekend at Iowa Speedway will use the same combination used there earlier this season.

Indy Violations

There were 31 pit-road penalties handed down during Sunday’s Crown Royal presents the Jeff Kyle 400 at the Brickyard, nearly half of which were due to team pitting before pit road was open.

NASCAR officials announced a P3-level penalty Wednesday levied against the No. 98 Premium Motorsports team for an unattached weight that fell of the car during practice at IMS.

Posted on by Nascar

Driver ‘kept having flashbacks’ after giving up lead on final lap

BRISTOL, Tenn. — Ryan Blaney said he “didn’t sleep a lot Saturday night” as he played the ending of the NASCAR XFINITY Series race over and over in his mind.
 
“I kept having flashbacks of Turn 2 and that’s not what you want to do,” the Wood Brothers Racing driver said Wednesday during a break in testing at Bristol (Tennessee) Motor Speedway.

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“Especially when you have a (Sprint) Cup race the next day; especially when it’s the Brickyard … your Brickyard debut.”
 
Blaney is scheduled to compete in 18 Sprint Cup Series races this season for Wood Brothers Racing. The 21-year old is also running select XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series events this season for Team Penske and Brad Keselowski Racing, respectively.
 
After leading 24 of the final 25 laps in Saturday’s Lilly Diabetes 250 at IMS, Blaney lost the lead to race winner Kyle Busch on the final trip around the legendary 2.5-mile track.
 
A two-time winner in the XFINITY Series, Blaney was looking for his first trip to Victory Lane this season. Instead, it was Busch’s second win in the series since returning from injuries suffered in the season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway.
 
A miscue by Blaney – he missed his mark as he and Busch rolled into Turn 2 – opened the door for Busch, who shot underneath the leader to take over the top spot on the backstretch.
 
“I thought about it all the way up until I got in the race car (on Sunday), then I forgot about it,” Blaney said of the misstep.
 
His Sunday run in the Crown Royal presents the Jeff Kyle 400 at the Brickyard likely helped ease the disappointment. In only his eighth start of the season (rain kept the team out of two events when qualifying was cancelled), Blaney raced his way to a 12th place finish.
 
“You just have to put that stuff in the back of your mind and forget about it,” he said. “The support that not only Team Penske showed me, but the Wood Brothers and other competitors has really helped me out.
 
“You can only take away the learning experience from it, learn not to do that the next time.”
 
Blaney and the Wood Brothers were one of 13 teams testing Wednesday at BMS. NASCAR returns to the 0.533-mile track next month for the Aug. 22 running of the Irwin Tools Night Race.