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Changes affect splitter and spoiler; will be effective for Kentucky race in July

RELATED: NASCAR confirms new aero package for Kentucky

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams and the automakers – Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota – will rely on wind tunnel data and simulation programs to determine the baseline for race set-ups as they relate to the aerodynamic changes announced Tuesday by NASCAR officials.

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The new rules package will be in effect for next month’s Quaker State 400 Presented by Advance Auto Parts at Kentucky Speedway and it features a shorter spoiler (reduced from 6 inches to 3.5 inches), a splitter extension panel (overall area reduced from 38 inches to 25 inches) and a splitter change that lessens overhang by 1.75 inches.

Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer, said the package is only in place for the July 9-11 race weekend at Kentucky at this time.

"Probably the two biggest tools that we have collectively between ourselves and our team partners is the wind tunnel, for sure, because this is basically an aerodynamic change and you need to rebalance the car," Dave Wilson, President and General Manager, Toyota Racing Development, USA, told NASCAR.com on Wednesday.

"They are roughly shedding 1,000 pounds of downforce (from approximately 2,700-2,800 pounds to 1,700-1,800 pounds) so the wind tunnel is ultimately a pretty important tool.

"On a percentage basis that’s a massive amount of change.

"The other tool we have is simulation. And that’s why I think collectively, NASCAR and the teams are generally comfortable going out and racing this thing. We do have other tools that can be predictive in nature and help us understand how these cars are going to behave.

"We help our team partners with simulation and we go to the wind tunnel with them and try to make sure that when we show up to that Wednesday (practice) that we unload with some decent race cars."

Teams will be allowed four hours of practice on Wednesday, July 8 at the 1.5-mile track to begin dialing in their cars with the new package. NASCAR banned private team testing prior to the start of the 2015 season.

While the timing of the announcement shortens the window of opportunity for preparation, Wilson said teams and automakers already have wind tunnel time booked.

"We’re in the wind tunnel every week; all the major teams are," he said. "Whether we’d be making these changes or not, it’s not like we’re in the wind tunnel this week whereas we wouldn’t be otherwise. We set these schedules weeks in advance.

"It’s more about managing the use of that time and taking advantage of the opportunity to get these changes on some race cars sooner than later."

RELATED: How Kentucky package affects a car’s balance

This year’s rules package, which took downforce off the cars and dropped horsepower, was seen as one step toward the goal of further reductions planned for 2016. But with increased cornering speeds and no appreciable rise in the quality of the on-track competition, officials made the decision to roll out the changes at Kentucky.

O’Donnell was quick to point out that the move “is not an abandonment of any rules package.”

"There are many positives we’ve seen out of our current rules that shouldn’t be dismissed, but we’re constantly working on all areas of competition, and we’ll never consider the racing package final, because we’ve been vocal and will continue to be vocal about our commitment to continuing to improve the racing," he said.

Drivers testing Wednesday at Richmond International Raceway said they were supportive of the changes.

"It’s not just a change and you’re going to be better," Team Penske driver Joey Logano said. "You’ve got to massage it a little bit and maybe a little tweak here and a tweak there and you’ll get it better. I think it’s going to take a little bit of time. 

"But I think it’s the right direction; I think the sport realizes we need to do something, make this better. Not that the racing is bad right now, I still think there’s great races out there but you always want to be better. How can you make the sport better? Sometimes you’ve just got to swing the bat and see what happens."

Asked if making a mid-season rules change was a risky move, Joe Gibbs Racing driver Carl Edwards noted "this whole sport’s based on risk.

"They could show up to the race track, rip the spoilers off, change the tires, do whatever they want," he said. "As long as it’s the same for everyone it’ll be a race and a competition.

"I applaud NASCAR. NASCAR wants to make this the best sport they can for the fans; they want to make it the most fun for the drivers and … taking downforce off, making the cars hard to drive, in my opinion they’re a third of the way they need to go. They just need to keep taking it off and keep making it better and better."

Wilson said the industry was supportive of the decision and that "directionally it’s correct."

"But what’s as telling as anything is NASCAR’s decision to race it," he said.

"I think that’s a function of what we’ve found over the past couple of years of how difficult it is through a ‘test’ to determine what’s going to be good racing and what’s not.

"I think that’s a bold move by NASCAR, but the good news is they’re not out there on an island. This was done with a collaboration of their stakeholders – the teams, drivers, OEMs, we’ve all participated in that process and we’re all in this together. So we’ll see here in a few weeks how it all pans out."

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Proposing some new twists to the Sprint Cup schedule

NASCAR’s schedule is a fluid part of our sport. It’s a balancing act between growth and tradition, with weather a factor and fairness a concern.
 
It’s also one of the most debated parts of Sprint Cup Series competition. Defending series champion and driver points leader Kevin Harvick stirred the debate in May when he suggested keeping interest sparked and gaining new fans would depend upon more scheduling creativity.

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"If you want to talk about growing the sport, I believe that some venues need one race," Harvick said at Talladega Superspeedway. "I believe that the schedule needs to be mixed up. People like things that change, they don’t like stagnant things. In my opinion the most stagnant thing in our sport is our schedule and our venues that we go to.

" … And sometimes you just have to change things up to keep the excitement and enthusiasm in the sport."

We know you have opinions about the schedule, so read the debate between George Winkler and Kathy Sheldon then leave your own thoughts in the comments.

Sheldon: Great balls of fire, it’s hot out there, George. Glad we’re not running in Charlotte this week. But Texas wouldn’t be great, either, with Tropical Storm Bill sweeping through the state. One thing I like about this year’s schedule was the NASCAR Goes West swing coming out of Daytona and Atlanta. A nice run of Las Vegas, Phoenix and Fontana got us to the end of March without heading too far north. I not so fondly remember freezing my digits off at Rockingham one fine February day, though I’d still love to see Rockingham back on the schedule. But there’s the rub, right? A West Coast swing taps new fan bases and made for some fun times like Alex Bowman‘s impromptu spring break party at Phoenix International Raceway. But some longtime fans like things to stay the same.

Winkler: You’re not kidding about the weather, Kathy. And as a West Coast guy who grew up not too far from where Kyle Larson cut his teeth on racing, I totally love the NASCAR Goes West swing, too. It’s great when people get together and do something that makes sense, and from a travel and logistical standpoint, the West Coast swing made it easier on crew members. But as much as I love change, I also have a deep respect for tradition. And one of the things that pleased me about this year’s schedule was putting Darlington back on Labor Day weekend. They’ve added a throwback theme to that race, which will bring back old paint schemes and plenty of memories for a lot of fans. And get this, our own Zack Albert is thinking about wearing throwback reporter gear to that race. Wouldn’t it be a hoot to see him try to write his story on a vintage typewriter?

Sheldon: I love the image of Zack in a Fedora! I love tradition, too, and I think some things should be sacred. The Southern 500. The Daytona 500. July 4th weekend for the summer race at Daytona. But I’m a "change is good" kind of person most of the time. Good thing since we’re in digital media, right? I was thrilled when my hometown of Kansas City built a track, and I’d love to see even more changes in the schedule. I love Kevin Harvick‘s idea of a "wild card" each year. He suggested places like the Milwaukee Mile. That could be a good way to bridge the future and the past. Run once in a while at places the Cup Series has moved away from or embrace one of the home tracks for a big show as a way to reward little tracks where future national series stars — and fans — are born and nurtured.

Winkler: If we run a wild-card race, like Harvick suggests, then it makes sense to put it in an already established track like Milwaukee. Nobody will want to build a track just for that. However, if I were looking strictly at the future and trying to think of places where there might be potential to put on a great show, Denver and the Pacific Northwest come to mind. There’s the Denver tie-in with Furniture Row Racing. Meanwhile, Kasey Kahne and Greg Biffle are both from Washington. There has to be some untapped potential there. If we could extend the West Coast swing by a couple of weeks, it could generate interest in an area of the country that doesn’t get to see NASCAR in person as much.

Sheldon: Good point, George. I’d like to see a race in the Pacific Northwest, too. Maybe a road course? And speaking of different kinds of tracks, let’s adjust the schedule to get a little more diversity in the Chase. Every Chase track is a big speedway except Martinsville. And not one road race is in the bunch. If we really want to push into new territory, run in Mexico or Canada once a year. The trip to Mexico City was a blast, and NASCAR has a legitimate contender from Mexico in Daniel Suarez. Go global!

Winkler: How ’bout a deep-fried chimichanga with bacon, Kathy? Yes, the thought of NASCAR with an international flavor is appealing to me. Also, it seems wrong not to have a short track like Bristol in the Chase. I’d be in favor of rotating Chase venues. Seeing the Irish Hills of Michigan or the Poconos in the fall not only would be picturesque, but it also might force those tracks to play out differently than they do in the summer. Of course, it’s easy for us to say all this. The folks who actually make the schedule deserve all the credit in the world. But I’m excited just thinking about all the possibilities we’ve come up with today. Dare to dream, right?

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Students get inside look at industry with Bayne, McDowell appearances

Photo courtesy of Leavine Family Racing

RELATED: Cleanup continues at LFR shop | McDowell, Leavine Racing on the rise

MOORESVILLE, N.C. — Leavine Family Racing hosted the first annual CAMP 95 summer camp program for high school students with a specific interest in the NASCAR industry on Tuesday.

A total of 19 high school students traveled from all over the country inlcuding Kentucky, Georgia, Wisconsin, New Mexico and Florida for this one-day event in which they got to explore the many careers available in the industry, from engineering and building NASCAR race cars to marketing and sponsorship roles.

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This one-day camp included a shop tour of Roush Yates Engines, advice from LFR team members and a question-and-answer session with NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers, Trevor Bayne (of Roush Fenway Racing) and Michael McDowell (of Leavine Family Racing).

Bayne and McDowell shared how their careers with NASCAR began, the struggles they faced, and offered valuable tips for these high school students. The pair stated the difficulty of becoming a driver but recognized the many other career paths within the sport itself.

"There are a lot of opportunities in our sport," Bayne told the students, "It’s very important to know what direction you want to go, there’s a lot of opportunity."

RELATED: Bayne reacts to Dover penalty, baby news

McDowell encouraged the kids to persevere and to not be discouraged with unsuccessful moments, something he had to do early on in his career after troubles finding sponsors.

"You’re going to hear a lot of nos throughout your life. That’s alright and you embrace that and keep moving forward. You want to make sure you use the nos as motivation."

One of the camp attendees, Casey Kirwan of Matthews, North Carolina, enjoyed the opportunity to speak with NASCAR insiders and learned even more about the sport he’s been "a fan of since the age of 4."

Kirwan, whose favorite driver is Tony Stewart, says he "wants to be a crew chief or working on the cars in some form when he’s older." And he said the best piece of advice he got from the day was from Bayne.

The No. 6 driver told the campers, "You never know who you are talking to and it’s important to treat everyone well. You just have to be yourself to every person you meet. And have integrity."

LFR has plans to make this event even bigger in years to come.

"Camp 95 is the first camp of its kind, and the reception it got from the NASCAR community has been tremendous," said Jeremy Lange, Vice President of Leavine Family Racing. "The team definitely foresees growing it into an annual event and expanding it to include even more speakers and opportunities."

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Humpe had everyone covered at Michigan en route to his fifth win

Kenny Humpe kicked off the second half of the 2015 NASCAR PEAK Antifreeze Series Powered by iRacing with a familiar result as he picked-up yet another win, this time at Michigan International Speedway. The victory was Humpe’s fifth and The TEAM’s sixth in nine races. Tyler Hudson from One Up Motorsports was second, followed by Humpe’s teammate Chad Laughton. Casey Tucker (Last Row Motorsports) and polesitter Corey Vincent (PMG) rounded out the top five.

The race came down to Humpe, who had the better long run car, and Vincent, who was extremely quick on a short sprint and led a race-high 57 laps as he controlled the pace early on. In the end, track position was worth more than pure speed and Humpe found himself out in the clean air after taking the lead from Vincent on Lap 76. Shortly after Humpe took the point the leaders all headed for pit road under green for tires and fuel but a caution in the middle of the round of stops gave everyone a chance to catch their breath and bunch the pack.

When the race went back to green on Lap 96, Humpe barely got settled in at the front before yet another yellow slowed the pace.  While most of the front-runners stayed out, Ray Alfalla (Slip Angle Motorsports) brought his Ford down to pit road for fresh tires, hoping the race would go green to the end. Unfortunately for Alfalla, that was not the case.

On the ensuing restart, Brandon Schmidt and Chris Overland were locked in a three wide battle with Justin Bolton as they headed toward Turn Three. Schmidt could not hold the bottom line off of Turn Four and sparked a massive crash when he made contact with Bolton. The rest of the field went scattering into the grass and while most emerged unscathed Alfalla was not so lucky. As the field checked-up for the wreck, Alfalla got hit from behind and made hard contact with the outside wall which resulted in a DNF and 33rd-place finish.

While the wreck was unfortunate for some, Vincent found himself in second place after the smoke cleared and prepared to attack Humpe on the restart. Humpe, however, was not to be denied and very well may have been holding a little back earlier in the race. Vincent could only watch as Humpe raced away into the distance; indeed Vincent lost three spots over the final laps as his car seemed to lack the speed it showed early on.

Yet another win, combined with Alfalla’s poor finish, enabled Humpe to further pad his massive lead in the championship standings. His margin to Alfalla now stands at 110 points, or well over two races worth. The battle for second is much tighter with Chad Laughton sitting just two points behind Alfalla and a dozen in front of Patrick Crabtree (High Performance Motorsports). Overland still bookends the top five despite being involved in a wreck but is only four points ahead of Bryan Blackford.

With Michigan completed NASCAR PEAK Antifreeze Series drivers are looking forward to their month-long summer break. The series goes on a four week hiatus before resuming at Kentucky Speedway. The "summer vacation" will give teams time to work on setups in hopes of catching The TEAM, which has had a stranglehold on the series all year long. Of course, you can bet The TEAM will be hard at work testing as well to keep their advantage. Will Kentucky bring change, or will Humpe still be the man to beat? Find out when the NASCAR PEAN Antifreeze visits the Bluegrass State on July 14!

Posted on by RJ Kraft

Hendrick driver looking forward to hearing former crew chief on NBC

RELATED: Dale Jr. gets engaged | Dale Jr. focused on getting ready for the Chase

CONCORD, N.C.—With former crew chief Steve Letarte’s broadcast booth debut weeks away, count Dale Earnhardt Jr. as among those excited to see what happens.



"I want to watch because I think Steve is going to be really, really good at it," Earnhardt told NASCAR.com at an AMP Energy promotional event last week in Concord, North Carolina, not too far from Hendrick Motorsports and Charlotte Motor Speedway.

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Aside from listening to the crew chief who guided him to five wins over four seasons (2011 to 2014) the driver of No. 88 Chevrolet shared what he hopes to see on broadcasts in general.


"If you ever watch a race on TV and then listen to the MRN broadcast, you see a distinct difference. A radio broadcaster has to put in a real, hard effort to paint this picture because there’s no visual. That’s what we used to have in the broadcast booth and it’s been lost because broadcasting has gotten a lot more gimmicks and a lot more tricks up their sleeve.



"The fact that you’re actually watching the show instead of listening to it, sort of takes the responsibility off the shoulders of the broadcaster and puts it on the shoulder of the editor and producer. The show looks exciting on TV. And I think it sort of needs to lean back the other way. 



"If you listen back to Ken Squier and those guys, back in the day, they sound a lot like MRN does today. Because they’re taking responsibility to feed the energy to the audience. That’s super important.



RELATED: Dale Jr. to NBC: Broadcast like Squier, 1979 Daytona 500

"I’m excited to see how Steve and those guys do as far as … they really can sell that show. Even if it’s a boring race, can they make fans believe it’s one of the greatest ones they’ve seen? That’s really a gift and I think Steve’s got that quality, so I’m looking forward to seeing it."



Earnhardt believes that the coverage of the sport goes a long way to the perception of it. 



"I think that the way that the sport’s perceived, whether the racing is good, whether the racing is boring, whether fans enjoy watching the races is directly connected to the quality of the broadcasts and the ability of the broadcast to sort of deliver the show.

"

Letarte and Jeff Burton will serve as race analysts, while Rick Allen will serve as the play-by-play announcer. 



NBC’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race coverage begins Fourth of July weekend with the Coke Zero 400 (July 5, 7:45 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM). NBC and NBC Sports Network will televise the final 20 races of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season in 2015 in the first year of a 10-year deal to televise the sport.

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Ross Kenseth to make NASCAR national series debut at Chicagoland

On Father’s Day weekend in the Kenseth family – everyone wins.
 
Son Ross Kenseth intends to give his father something only an aspiring racing prodigy can deliver, and father Matt Kenseth prepares to hand over the wheels of the No. 20 Dollar General Toyota in an epic father-son moment. The duo hopes to celebrate in a big way as Ross makes his NASCAR XFINITY Series debut Saturday at Chicagoland Speedway (9:30 p.m. ET, FOX Sports 1, MRN, SiriusXM).

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Coming fresh off his first career ARCA win last Friday in Michigan – in only his third ARCA start – the 22-year-old is eager to hit the track in Saturday night’s Owens Corning AttiCat 300 with his dad standing by on the pit box.
 
"Having my dad there that weekend will be a big help for me," Ross said. "I’ve been looking forward to getting to this weekend now ever since we announced it at Bristol. The closer it gets, the more real it feels and the more excited I get to go there this weekend."
 
With the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series off for the second weekend of the season, Ross will drive the No. 20 Dollar General Toyota – the same paint scheme his father uses in Sprint Cup.
 
"It’s going to be neat to see him in that car," Matt said in a teleconference Wednesday. "I know Ross can do a good job and I can’t wait to be part of that."
 
Despite the extensive and award-filled racing history of the NASCAR superstar, Matt admitted to a mutual teach-and-be-taught relationship with his son, starting when Ross was just 15 and the two tested together for the first time.
 
"He really does know what he’s talking about," Matt said. "I remember because I was thinking I was going to get in there and go a lot faster, and he was telling them the wrong thing. But he was spot-on."
 
Matt is learning his son needs less fatherly advice as he continues to progress in his racing career, particularly after watching him capture his first career ARCA win last Saturday.
 
"Last weekend, I listening to his feedback in the ARCA car, and there was a lot of things I was thinking of to go help him with, try to tell him," said Matt. "I was listening to him, what the car was doing, how it was. Only having a few laps on a track that big and that fast. I was pretty impressed by that. I realized he wasn’t going to need a lot of guidance from me."

Matt said there are certain things you can only learn by doing them, and Ross started learning early at the age of 5, racing in go-karts and snowmobiles, before advancing to legends cars and late models – all the while watching his dad race in the XFINITY Series and now Sprint Cup. He said he’s taken away valuable lessons from his father’s interactions with team members, especially after his move from Roush Fenway Racing to Joe Gibbs Racing two-plus years ago.
 
"There’s a lot of things from the way he interacts with his team, from moving to different teams," Ross said. "I think even when they struggled a little bit, how involved he was, how close he gets with the guys, I feel like over the years he’s had a lot of support from his teams, a lot of people believe in him. … I feel like he’s one of the more than underrated drivers. You can go to the races and they won’t say a whole lot about him, but at the end of the day he’ll end up in the top five after running in the middle of the pack some days."
 
Matt echoed this support, speaking very highly of the backing Dollar General has provided for him and Joe Gibbs Racing.
 
"I can’t say enough about them guys picking up this race for Ross to be able to get his first-ever NASCAR start, his first XFINITY start, and to be driving the Dollar General car," he said. "It’s pretty cool."

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News and notes from around the garage

Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Hendrick Motorsports No. 88 team was one of four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams that received written warnings for pre-qualifying or pre-race inspection issues this past weekend at Michigan International Speedway.

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Earnhardt’s team, overseen this year by crew chief Greg Ives, needed three trips to clear pre-race inspection leading into Sunday’s Quicken Loans 400.

The Joe Gibbs Racing entries of Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards, along with that of Phil Parsons Racing with driver Josh Wise, had issues in pre-qualifying inspection, and made more than two trips through the line before heading out to pit road on Friday.

Failing to pass either pre-qualifying or pre-race inspection twice results in a written warning from the sanctioning body; failing a third time will result in a 15-minute loss of practice penalty at the next scheduled event.

In March, teams were notified that beginning with the Phoenix race weekend, the series’ fourth race, any vehicle failing qualifying inspection more than twice would be subject to a 15-minute practice penalty.

Officials began issuing written warnings prior to this year’s race at Richmond International Raceway due to the number of teams requiring multiple passes through inspections. It was noted at that time that had the policy been in place the previous week, when the series was at Bristol Motor Speedway, it would have resulted in nine written warnings and three teams would have received time penalties.

Since the policy was adopted, there have 44 written warnings issued to Sprint Cup teams.

The warnings are a part of NASCAR’s 2015 Deterrence Policy, which categorizes infractions (Level 1 through Level 6) and the applicable penalties.

If the same team receives two warnings during the same event, or during two consecutive events, the P1 penalties may include last choice in the pit selection process, a deduction in track time for practice or qualifying, a delay in the order of inspection or selection for post-race inspection.

If a team or member receives six or more warnings during a six-month period (from the time of the first warning), the penalty may be increased to P2.

P2 level penalty options may include the loss of 10 championship driver and owner points and/or a fine not less than $10,000 and not more than $25,000. P2 level infractions also carry the potential for suspensions and probation.

Lug Nut or Valve Stem Issue?

Flat tires caused when valve stems have been knocked off by lug nuts during pit stops have been a recurring issue for teams this season. The No. 19 of Joe Gibbs Racing driver Carl Edwards, the No. 27 of Paul Menard (Richard Childress Racing) and more recently, the No. 4 of Kevin Harvick (Stewart-Haas Racing) are among those that have been affected by the problem.

According to some in the garage, the problem isn’t that the lug nuts occasionally strike the stem during a tire change. Instead, it’s how the stem is seated in the wheel that makes it easier to be knocked off.

"I don’t even know how to fix it," Rodney Childers, crew chief for Harvick, said after Sunday’s race at Michigan International Speedway. "Definitely got to do something though."

Appeal Denied

The National Motorsports Appeals Panel has upheld P3 level penalties handed down to the No. 97 NASCAR XFINITY Series team during last month’s race at Dover International Speedway.

NASCAR penalized the team, Obaika Racing, and driver Peyton Sellers for an improperly attached weight that fell out of the vehicle during practice at DIS. Fellow driver Carl Long struck the dislodged weight, resulting in a crash.

Crew chief John Monsam was fined $15,000. He and car chief David Jones were suspended from the series’ next points race and placed on probation through Dec. 31. Sellers and team owner Victor Obaika were penalized 15 championship driver and owner points, respectively.

The team appealed only the loss of driver and owner points.

The team has the right to appeal the Panel’s decision to National Motorsports Final Appeals officer Bryan Moss.

Short Race, Short List

Sunday’s rain-shortened Quicken Loans 400 at MIS produced a record low eight penalties on race day. Six of the eight were for teams pitting before pit road was open.

The Tommy Baldwin Racing No. 7 team, with driver Alex Bowman, was flagged for having too many crew members in contact with the pit service area while the No. 23 of J.J. Yeley (BK Racing) was penalized an engine change prior to start of the race.

The previous low for penalties was 10 during this year’s race at Richmond International Raceway.

Posted on by Staff Report

Appeals Panel upholds driver and owner points penalties

The National Motorsports Appeals Panel today heard and considered the appeal of a P3 penalty issued on June 3, 2015 to Obaika Racing relative to NASCAR XFINITY Series vehicle #97 at Dover International Speedway.

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The penalty concerns the following sections in the 2015 NASCAR rule book:

12.1 — Actions detrimental to stock car racing;
20.17.2.1b — Any and all ballast added to the vehicle must be bolted inside an added ballast container inside the main frame rails, and/or inside the front sway bar mounting tube.

Improperly attached weight; weight fell out of car.

The original penalty assessed was a $15,000 fine to the crew chief; a one-race suspension for the crew chief and car chief; probation for both the crew chief and car chief through Dec. 31; and the loss of 15 championship driver and 15 championship owner points.

The team only appealed the assessment of the 15 championship driver and 15 championship owner points.
 
Upon hearing the testimony, the decision of the National Motorsports Appeals Panel is:

•    That the team violated the rule or rules set forth in the penalty notice.
•    That the panel affirms and upholds the original penalty levied by NASCAR.

The team has the right to appeal the decision of the National Motorsports Appeals Panel to the National Motorsports Final Appeals Officer in accordance with Section 15 of the NASCAR rule book.

The panel consisted of the following three individuals:

Russell Hackett
Bud Moore
Lyn St. James

Posted on by Staff Report

No. 95 driver in car accident after team event

After speaking at Leavine Family Racing‘s inaugural CAMP 95 for high school students, Sprint Cup Series driver Michael McDowell apparently got into a fender bender.

Fortunately, his Ford kept him safe and it doesn’t appear that McDowell suffered any injuries from the crash.

The Leavine Family Racing driver has competed in seven of 15 events this season, with his best finish being a 22nd-place finish at Bristol Motor Speedway. He has completed all seven of the events running.

 

Posted on by Staff Report

Design for final 2015 Cup start honors dad’s 1985 win

RELATED: Buy tickets for Darlington | BUY: Elliott gear

Like father, like son? When it comes to the Bojangles’ Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway (Sept. 6, 7 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM), that appears to be the case for Chase Elliott, who will use the "throwback" theme of the weekend as a way to move into the future.

Elliott will drive the No. 25 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports in that event, his final of five scheduled 2015 Cup starts before taking over full time in the No. 24 ride that Jeff Gordon will vacate at the end of the year. On Tuesday, Hendrick revealed his paint scheme.

The colors and sponsors are different than the car his father Bill Elliott drove to victory in 1985, but the design is the same — a Hendrick team release notes that the font used for the name above the door is exactly the same.

That 1985 victory wasn’t just any old win, either … it was a win that netted Elliott a $1 million payday after clinching the "Winston Million."

"I’m really looking forward to seeing this car on the track at Darlington," Elliott said in the release. "It’s one of my favorite schemes that my dad raced and to celebrate the 30th anniversary of him winning the million dollars is very cool. I appreciate NAPA for letting us do this and I hope the fans enjoy it as much as I am going to."

The timing of releasing Elliott’s paint scheme was perfectly done as well, considering the younger Elliott was reliving that race on YouTube on Monday.