Cameron Hayley takes Truck Series by storm

Posted on May 14, 2015 by Zack Albert

18-year-old Canadian rounds out powerful ThorSport team

CONCORD, N.C. — In the dead of winter a little more than two years ago, Cameron Hayley took the route of many so-called "snow birds" from his home country of Canada to ride out the harsh February days in the far more temperate climate of Florida.

This particular trip, though, wasn’t simply a search for warmer weather. It also managed to launch his spring-loaded NASCAR career.

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Hayley, an 18-year-old driver from Calgary, Alberta, found pay dirt against top-flight short-track talent that February at Daytona International Speedway, claiming the checkered flag in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series portion of the inaugural UNOH Battle at the Beach tripleheader in 2013. He added his name to a distinguished list of winners, with an up-and-coming Kyle Larson prevailing in the Whelen All-American Series race and former Sprint Cup Series winner Steve Park scoring a resurgent victory in the Whelen Modified Tour event.

"It does seem like a long time ago now," Hayley said Thursday at Charlotte Motor Speedway. "I mean, it was only two years ago, but when it comes down to it — I’ve done so much since then."

Though the race was an exhibition that paid out no points toward the K&N championship, it helped elevate the stature of an otherwise little-known talent from the Great White North. Fast forward, and Hayley’s name takes its place on another list altogether — as a Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with ThorSport Racing, the championship team the last two seasons.

"I think that’s kind of what put me on the map with everybody," Hayley said. "Everyone started knowing my name after that and obviously moving to the K&N East Series last year it kind of got me down into the North Carolina, Charlotte-area and I guess people started to know my name more after that. It was kind of that Battle of the Beach when that really sparked people knowing me more."

A pair of runner-up finishes in the K&N Series’ title hunt the last two years helped that cause. So did his first ventures into the Camping World Truck Series, where he showed speed and landed two top-10s in his first three starts last season.

After attracting the eye of team owner Duke Thorson and landing a seat in ThorSport’s third truck alongside veteran teammates Matt Crafton and Johnny Sauter, Hayley has shown steady growth, even while visiting tracks for the first time in his national series career.

Despite the unfamiliarity, Hayley has improved his finishing position each week, capped by last weekend’s fifth-place effort at Kansas Speedway. More improvement is the target again at Charlotte, site of Friday night’s NC Education Lottery 200 (8:30 p.m. ET, FOX Sports 1, PRN, SiriusXM).

"It’s definitely been tough," Hayley said. "This race is going to be my fifth new track again this year, so adjusting to all the different tracks and having all the tracks being new has definitely been difficult, but ThorSport has given me great trucks week in and week out and, like you said, we’ve been consistently getting better every single race. And we’ve had great trucks and had some bad luck, and I think Charlotte is going to be another one where I have lots to learn, but I think we have a great truck here and can do well."

The learning curve may have been accelerated by having teammates in Crafton, the two-time defending series champion, and fellow veteran Sauter — who have a combined 498 truck series starts to their credit. Hayley has 491 starts to catch the two; in the meantime, he’s tapping them as a resource for as much advice as he can digest.

"Both of them have been a tremendous help for me already," Hayley said. "Like I said, all these tracks have been new to me, so I can study race tapes, videos all I want, but until to you talk to a driver you don’t really know a firsthand account of what’s happening. Both these guys have helped me a lot. I haven’t been quite quick enough to run up beside them during races yet, but I think we’re getting there and I think I can learn a lot from that as well."

Even though Hayley is still new to the team, Sauter said he likes what he’s seen so far in the teenager’s composure.

"I don’t really know him, he’s a rookie, new to the deal — but I think he’s got a pretty good head on his shoulders," Sauter said. "I see him doing things that maybe necessarily don’t see from a lot of rookie drivers and I think he’s taking care of his equipment and showing speed at the same time. I think he’s been top of the board at Atlanta and Kansas, so there’s speed there and he’s only going to get better, so I think he’s doing a great job and I see some things in him that I typically don’t see in a lot of young guys at his age and at his experience level."

Posted on May 14, 2015 by Zack Albert

Scott Lagasse Jr. driving No. 31 this weekend

CONCORD, N.C. — Former NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion James Buescher said Thursday that his plans for the rest of the season with NTS Motorsports are uncertain.

Buescher, 25, entered the first three races of the season for NTS, but the team used Scott Lagasse Jr. in the No. 31 Chevrolet last weekend at Kansas Speedway. Lagasse is scheduled to compete for the team again this weekend in Friday night’s NC Education Lottery 200 (8:30 p.m. ET, FOX Sports 1, PRN, SiriusXM) at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

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Buescher, who netted his first truck series title with a four-win season in 2012, was a full-time participant in what is now called the NASCAR XFINITY Series last year. He transferred back to the Truck Series this season with team owner Bob Newberry, but Buescher indicated Thursday in a statement on his Twitter account that plans to participate this weekend fell apart.

"I want to thank all my fans for continuing to stick behind me," Buescher said in the statement. "I was looking forward to getting behind the wheel of the No. 31 NTS Motorsports Chevy but unfortunately plans changed. I want to thank Bob Newberry and everyone at NTS Motorsports for giving me an opportunity early this season; we had a great run going and I was looking forward to seeing how it was going to turn out.

"At this point, I’m not sure when I’ll be back at the track but when I do return I look forward to being a threat to win every single time out."

Buescher had two top-10 finishes in his three events with NTS this season. Wednesday night, he tweeted that he was "devastated" that he would not be driving for the Newberry-owned team this weekend at Charlotte. After Thursday night’s final practice, Newberry indicated that Buescher’s time out of the No. 31 ride was only temporary.

"It’s not a departure," Newberry said. "When we started the season off, we knew that James was going to be a part-time situation. And then there for a little bit, it was looking real exciting, looking like it was going to be a full-time scenario. He’s still going to be in the truck. James will be back in the 31 this season. He’s doing a great job for us and he and I, we stayed in contact all week long, literally all through last night we were still trying to get the deal done and I’d have brought a third truck here if I had to, just to get him in here and run because I think he’s an asset for the team and everything.

"I care about James a lot and know he cares about us, so we’re doing our best. We’re working our tails off as well as he is to get him back in the seat."

The Kernersville, North Carolina-based team also fields a full-time entry in the Camping World Truck Series for Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate Daniel Hemric.

Posted on May 14, 2015 by Nascar

Spurred by Richmond pit road fire, new gear required

CONCORD, N.C. — Crew members going over pit wall in all three NASCAR national touring series — Sprint Cup, XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series – will soon be required to wear SFI-approved gloves, head socks and underwear, a safety move spurred by a pit-road fire at Richmond International Raceway last month.

The items were already recommended by the sanctioning body but not required.

Additionally, changes will also be put into place for those handling the gas cans used to refuel the cars.

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"Really, it’s formalizing some of our recommendations over the years," Robin Pemberton, NASCAR Senior Vice President of Competition and Racing Development, told NASCAR.com Thursday. "We’ve been doing surveys the last few weeks, and we were pleased to know that there were many teams that were already proactive and had most of the guys in good coverage."

Teams were notified of the requirements Wednesday. Pemberton said a bulletin will be forthcoming, and the changes will be in effect beginning June 4 of this year. SFI-approved socks will be required beginning Aug. 1.

"In talking to some of the manufacturers on different lead times (to provide the necessary materials), knowing that it would take several weeks to get everyone 100 percent in compliance, we just notified teams … to let them get in and get things ordered and help them with lead time," Pemberton said.

Two Richard Childress Racing crew members were hospitalized following a fire in the pit of driver Brendan Gaughan during an XFINITY Series race at RIR last month. A third crew member, working with another team, was treated but not hospitalized.

Gaughan’s No. 62 Chevrolet erupted in flames when spilled fuel ignited during a pit stop. Anthony O’Brien, the team’s rear-tire changer, and gasman Josh Wittman were hospitalized. Wittman was released the following day while O’Brien was released three days after the incident.

Clifford Turner (JGL Racing) was treated and released after inhaling fire extinguisher chemicals.

"We were going down this path anyway," Pemberton said. "I use the (phrase) ‘you get a tap on the shoulder every now and then’ … (the Richmond incident) helped to put it on the fast track.

"We’ve all worked together and a lot of times it’s better if we throw a rule out there for everybody to comply."

Pemberton said several teams were already making the necessary safety changes in the wake of the incident at RIR. At Kansas Speedway last weekend, Mike Dillon, Vice President for RCR, said crew members going over pit wall for the organization were now required to wear flame-retardant head socks.

"You never know where the incident is going to come from," Pemberton said. "The front tire changer could be at risk because of the guys pitting in front of them.

"All of this equipment is out there. We’d just made it where the individual was responsible; sometimes we have to go better than that."

Specific changes for those going over the wall include:

• Head sock must cover mouth and nose.

• Helmet chin straps must be fastened.

• Underwear must cover from neck to wrists to ankles.

In addition, for those fueling the car:

• Face shield must be fully closed when fueling the car.

• Fueler apron must be worn on the outside of the uniform.

The bulletin will also recommend the use of a one-piece uniform for all over-the-wall crewmen, although it is not currently required.

Touring series safety requirements will remain unchanged, according to Pemberton, who noted "many don’t have pit stops where they fuel."

NASCAR officials roaming pit road will also be required to be outfitted according to the new standards. Prior to the start of the ’15 season, NASCAR began outfitting its officials in the flagstand as well as NASCAR turn spotters with full-face helmets.

Posted on May 14, 2015 by Nascar

All remaining tests, except one, will focus on 2015 rules platform

NASCAR officials say they still intend to deliver the 2016 rules package to Sprint Cup Series teams as early as August of this year, however several upcoming tests will not include possible ’16 updates as part of the Goodyear tire tests.

In a bulletin released Tuesday, changes to this year’s National Series Master Unified Test Schedule indicate all remaining Goodyear tire tests, with the exception of the Oct. 27-29 session slated for Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, will continue to focus on the ’15 rules platform.

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Previous literature contained notations for testing of both the ’15 and ’16 packages in some instances, and the ’16 package only at others.

Sprint Cup teams just completed two-day Goodyear tire test at Dover International Speedway earlier this week, as well as an open team test.

The focus of the 2015 package, aimed at competition on intermediate-sized tracks, has been a reduction in horsepower and downforce. The use of tapered spacers in engines cut horsepower from approximately 850 to 725. A lower differential gear has also been implemented.

Downforce changes were achieved by trimming the rear spoiler from eight to six inches while the width of the radiator pan underneath the car was reduced by five inches.

The drop in horsepower has actually created higher corner speeds at some facilities, however, since drivers now spend more time on throttle in the turns.

The next scheduled test is set for June 9 (Goodyear tire test) and 10 (open team test) at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway.

Other schedule changes include the addition of a Goodyear tire test at Richmond (Va.) Raceway June 16 followed by an open team test June 17, while a two-day tire test scheduled for July 28-29 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway has been cancelled. An open team test at BMS, originally planned for July 30, will now be held on the 29th.

On Monday, Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer, said the August 1 delivery date for the ’16 rules package remains in play.

"We’re looking at everything from the current package that we have all the way through with a number of different options and certainly working with Goodyear," O’Donnell said. "We don’t want to change just for change’s sake. We want to make sure that we have the right package and continue to improve upon the racing each and every race, so those discussions with continue this weekend with a number of the competitors, and we’ve got to match it all … with Goodyear."

WATCH: Steve O’Donnell discusses Hamlin’s caution at Kansas

Posted on May 14, 2015 by Nascar

Three wins and a title short of Dale Sr., Jimmie on verge of milestones

Jimmie Johnson could wind up at the end of the 2015 season with two very noteworthy accomplishments in the world of stock car racing.

Neither is a given. In fact, a year from now we could be sitting here in front of our keyboards — or mobile devices, if you choose — pondering the same situation.

Yet with each passing week, the Hendrick Motorsports driver seems to inch closer to a level few have attained in NASCAR.

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His latest victory, No. 73, came just this past weekend at Kansas Speedway.

Now eighth on NASCAR’s all-time win list, he’s long been ahead of NASCAR Hall of Famer Rusty Wallace, who checked in at No. 9 with 55 career wins when he checked out back in 2005.

Just ahead, perhaps a straightaway in racing terminology, is Dale Earnhardt. The Intimidator. One of the greatest — some say THE greatest — racers the world of NASCAR has ever known.

Only three wins separate the two.

Three wins. Johnson already has three wins this year and the season’s less than one-third complete.

Johnson, 39, said earlier this year that catching Earnhardt hasn’t been on his mind. That was after he won at Atlanta, if memory serves, and only two races into the season few teams know which direction their year will go.

The picture seems much clearer today.

All three of the No. 48 team’s wins this year have come on 1.5-mile tracks — Atlanta, Texas and now Kansas. If you’re going to be tough to beat on one particular type of track, the mile-and-a-halves are a good choice. The series’ 36-race schedule is littered with them.

Charlotte’s up next and in case you were wondering, it’s a mile-and-a-half as well. Seven of Johnson’s 73 wins have come at CMS, and he’s the defending champion of the track’s annual Coca-Cola 600, scheduled for a week from Sunday.

Teammate Jeff Gordon matched Earnhardt’s victory total nearly a decade ago and then went sailing on ahead. A four-time champion with 92 career wins, Gordon has passed NASCAR Hall of Famers Cale Yarborough, Darrell Waltrip and Bobby Allison in the years since. He’ll hang it up at year’s end and his final win total will be just that.

But success isn’t measured only in victories. Championships cement a driver’s status long after he’s gone.

It’s been that way for Richard Petty, the first to win seven titles, and for Earnhardt, the second.

Gordon notched four and seemed a sure bet to be the next, but then the Chase came along and while he’s been close (finishing second in ’07 and third in ’09), close doesn’t take home the trophy.

Johnson won two titles almost before folks knew he spelled his first name with an “ie.” All six of his championships have come under the Chase format (which debuted in ’04), and that’s a knock in some folks’ eyes.

It shouldn’t be. A driver and team have to be good enough through a 26-race stretch to qualify for the Chase, then better than anyone else in the final 10.

Everyone plays and through the course of the season the cream eventually rises to the top. More often than not, Johnson and the No. 48 group have done just that.

He could catch Earnhardt this year and not win the championship. He could win the championship and not catch Earnhardt.

He could do both or he could do neither.

But at the rate Johnson and his team are performing today, both are certainly possible.

Posted on May 14, 2015 by Fraser Nye

Since 2004, 81 percent of field has been in playoff position before May event

The NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race break provides a chance to look back at the first 11 years of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup era to see which drivers that made the Chase each year were in the field by this point and which dropped out. We’re nearly halfway through the 26-race regular season and a quarter of the way through the 2015 schedule.

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Before we break down each season at the break, let’s look back at Chase history. From 2004-2006, the top 10 drivers after the Richmond race made Chase.

The field expanded to 12 from 2007-2013, and from 2011-2013, two Wild Card entries rounded out the dozen playoff teams as the drivers with the most wins in the top 20 in points made the Chase. But in the final year of that format, a 13th driver was added by NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France

In 2014, 16 drivers made the Chase based on wins and top-30 points performances with the fielded rounded out by drivers up in the points without wins.

For comparison’s sake across different formats, we’ll look at which drivers were in the top 10 at the all-star break for the first three years of the Chase, the top 12 for the next seven and the top 16 last year.

Here’s a year-by-year look:

2004 / 8 of 10: In the inaugural Chase, once and future champions Bobby Labonte (7th) and Kevin Harvick (8th) fell out of the Chase in favor of Mark Martin (12th) and Jeremy Mayfield (16th) as the other eight drivers after the 11th race of the season at Richmond would make the Chase. Winning has been important since the start of the Chase with Martin earning a victory two weeks after the all-star break, and Mayfield going to Victory Lane for the cutoff race at Richmond.

2005 / 6 of 10: In the biggest shakeup between the all-star break and the playoffs cutoff in the Chase era, four drivers would fail to make the postseason. Jeff Gordon (3rd), Elliott Sadler (4th), Kevin Harvick (8th) and Jamie McMurray (9th) would be replaced in the top 10 after Richmond in September by Rusty Wallace (12th), Carl Edwards (13th), Jeremy Mayfield (16th) and Matt Kenseth (21st). Mayfield and Kenseth won back-to-back August races at Michigan and Bristol to help propel them into the Chase.

2006 / 9 of 10: In the final year of the 10-driver Chase, reigning champion Tony Stewart would suffer the biggest fall in the Chase era. In second place in points after 11 races, Stewart would be the only driver in the top 10 at the all-star break to fail to make the playoffs. His Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, Denny Hamlin, would rise from 13th to reach the postseason. A Pocono summer sweep earned Hamlin his first Chase berth in his rookie season.

2007 / 11 of 12: In the first year that a dozen drivers would make the Chase, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was 12th after 11 races and would be the only top-12 driver at the all-star break to miss the Chase as his former Chance 2 Motorsports XFINITY driver, Martin Truex Jr., would make the Chase from 18th. Two weeks after the all-star break, Truex’s first career win at his home track at Dover helped him in his quest to make the playoffs.

2008 / 11 of 12: For the second consecutive year, the top 11 drivers after 11 races would make the Chase with 12th-place David Ragan replaced by Roush Fenway Racing teammate Matt Kenseth, who was 20th at the point of the season.

2009 / 9 of 12: Nine of the top-12 drivers after 11 races would find their way into the Chase with Jeff Burton (6th), Kyle Busch (7th) and Matt Kenseth (10th) dropping out and Juan Pablo Montoya (14th), Kasey Kahne (16th) and Brian Vickers (17th) climbing into the playoffs. Kahne’s wins at Sonoma in June and Atlanta at August and Vickers’ victory at Michigan in August helped the secure spots in the playoffs.

2010 / 10 of 12: The all-star break came after 12 races, and 10 of the top 12 drivers at the break would make the Chase, including the entire top 10. Mark Martin (11th) and Martin Truex Jr. (12th) relinquished their spots in the top dozen to Tony Stewart (14th) and Clint Bowyer (15th). Stewart’s Atlanta win the week before the Chase cutoff was part of his rally to make the playoffs.

2011 / 9 of 12: Three of the 12 drivers in the top 12 after 11 races would not make the Chase as Clint Bowyer (8th), Mark Martin (11th) and Greg Biffle (12th) would be replaced by Denny Hamlin (13th), Jeff Gordon (14th) and Brad Keselowski (24th). Hamlin (Michigan, June), Gordon (Pocono, June and Atlanta) and Keselowski (Kansas, June; Pocono, August; Bristol, August) won their way into the Chase.

2012 / 10 of 12: After 11 races, 10 drivers in the top 12 would make the Chase. Kyle Busch (9th) and Carl Edwards (10th) did not advance after the cut-off race at Richmond, and Hendrick Motorsports teammates Kasey Kahne (16th) and Jeff Gordon (24th) earned spots in the playoffs. Kahne had two wins (Charlotte, May and Loudon, July) and Gordon had a win (Pocono, August) after the all-star break and before the start of the Chase.

2013 / 10 of 13: Among the top-13 drivers at the all-star break after 11 races, three would not be Chase drivers as Brad Keselowski (7th), Aric Almirola (9th) and Paul Menard (11th) dropped out while Ryan Newman (17th), Kurt Busch (18th) and Joey Logano (19th) earned postseason berths. Newman’s Indianapolis win and Logano’s August Michigan victory keyed Chase comebacks for them.

2014 / 13 of 16: The Chase field expanded to 16 with a win-and-you’re-in format. After 11 races, 13 drivers that made the Chase were in the top 16. Brian Vickers (10th), Kyle Larson (13th) and Austin Dillon (14th) dropped out while AJ Allmendinger (17th) and Aric Almirola (21st) would win their way in at Watkins Glen and Daytona respectively. Kurt Busch had won at Martinsville but was clinging to a spot in the top 30 in 28th, the lowest points position for a driver at the all-star break who eventually made the playoffs.

Over the first 11 years of the playoffs, 80.9 percent of drivers who would go on to make the Chase were in playoff positions. In those 11 years, drivers who were out of the Chase at the all-star break and would make their way into it by the cutoff won 24 of 164 races (14.6 percent), and those drivers would win races in all but one of those years to propel them into the playoffs. No matter the format, the Chase has reinforced the importance of winning and rising to the occasion.

At this year’s all-star break, only half of the Chase field is set with eight drivers winning the first 11 races. Drivers have 15 races to get wins and make the top 30 in the driver points standings.

Posted on May 13, 2015 by

We debate the format, location and much more

The NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race is a non-points event that has seen its format change a bit over the years, but a win carries some weight and plenty of financial gain — the winning driver gets $1 million.

But does the event need a bit of a shakeup? Does holding it at Charlotte Motor Speedway each year make sense? What enhancements or adjustments could be made? Or does nothing need to change?

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Join NASCAR.com’s RJ Kraft and George Winkler as they debate whether changes are needed.

Kraft: Let’s get this thing going. I’d like to see the eligibility opened up a bit and for fans to have more than one vote. In baseball, hockey and basketball, fans get to vote for the starting lineup, so let’s give them more say in this exhibition event. Let’s say they can vote on five spots since All-Star events are supposed to be geared more toward the fans.

Even more than that, let’s open the field up to drivers in all three series. Yes, they have to run in a Sprint Cup car, but wouldn’t it be awesome to see Chase Elliott or Darrell Wallace Jr. or Erik Jones or Matt Crafton have a shot to take on the best of the best and win the $1 million prize? I also like the idea of having the two other national series champions automatically eligible for the field. An All-Star event is about having the very best in the field, while also allowing fans to see who they want to see, so let’s make it a 30-car event. 

Winkler: RJ, I like the idea of bringing more power to the people, and the way you have envisioned it allows for more fan participation without completely turning it into a popularity contest. But something I’d like to mention is about the lap segments. I’ve always felt that things just start to get warmed up racing-wise around Lap 20 or 25, and the way it’s set up now with the first four 25-lap segments, that’s when it’s time to stop. So I’d vote for fewer segments that last a bit longer to let some of the drama build. However, I love the final 10-lap segment as it is because it’s like an extended green-white-checkered finish where you don’t know what you’ll see happen next.

Kraft: Part of the reason, to me at least, that the All-Star Race does not have as much shine as it could is because it is held at the same track every year, and it’s a track that already holds two points events a year. If you want to keep drivers close to home, how about some of the local short tracks in North Carolina, or bring back a place like Rockingham to hold this special event? If you want to keep the event on a track that already has a Cup races, then how about a rotating mix of Martinsville, Darlington, Bristol and Charlotte? Those sites are close enough that drivers would get close to the full two weeks at home.

Another option: Since Kansas is currently the week before the All-Star Race, could holding the event at Iowa Speedway work, since the teams are already in the Midwest? People have been clamoring for Iowa to get a race in the top series, so maybe some short-track action in the All-Star event would be a perfect test to see if a points race should come to the track.

Winkler: Those are all good ideas, RJ, especially Iowa since it’s a gem of a track, but here are some reasons for keeping the Sprint All-Star Race in Charlotte. First, Charlotte is now considered the hub for NASCAR and as such deserves to host an event like this. The Hall of Fame is in Charlotte. The majority of the team shops are in Charlotte. Heck, you and I work in Charlotte, RJ, as do many others for the company. But most importantly the majority of the drivers call Charlotte home.

The NASCAR schedule is challenging to say the least, and it has to be extremely difficult for the families of the participants. To be able to have two weeks where the teams are home is invaluable, and you can see it on the drivers’ faces at the track. They seem so happy to be able to recharge, refresh and sleep in their own beds for a change. And since NASCAR has always prided itself on being a family-oriented sport based around its star drivers, it makes perfect sense to have the Sprint All-Star Race and the Coca-Cola 600 on back-to-back weeks in the Queen City.

Kraft: That’s a good point George. One addition to add a little more fanfare for the event would be something similar the MLB’s Futures Game or the NBA’s Rising Stars Game. Perhaps a 50- or 75-lap shootout event with some of the young drivers in the national series or perhaps the field is comprised of current NASCAR Next and Drive For Diversity drivers and some alumni of the programs. That would be a nice way to get those programs more exposure.

Winkler: I’ll take it one step further and ask: How about we add a celebrity race? Or what about a burnout contest judged by Blake Shelton and Shaquille O’ Neal? Who wouldn’t want to see that? But I think what everyone wants to see come back is the pit crew challenge. The precision and power that those guys show on a regular basis is amazing, and they certainly deserve to have their time in the spotlight. And to see all of these things in the same place, on the same night would make the event even more appealing than it already is.

Kraft: Yes, pit crews are the unsung heroes and are often one of the biggest reasons for a driver being in position to win a race. It would be great to see them showcase their skills on this stage.

Winkler: In closing, and this goes to all the mamas and papas out there, let’s start the race earlier. The thing I always hear people say about the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race is that it’s a great family event, particularly for the young kids because it gives them a taste of what the sport is all about without there being a big investment of time. So why not start the race earlier so it doesn’t go past the kids’ bedtimes? I’ve got to tell you, if you keep mama happy, then everyone’s happy — because mamas usually hold those purse strings. Know what I’m saying, RJ?

Kraft: Speaking from personal experience, George? Nevertheless, that was well said by a family man himself.

Posted on May 13, 2015 by

Driver granted waiver from having to compete in all championship events

RELATED: Can Busch make up points deficit?

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 13, 2015) – NASCAR announced today that Kyle Busch will remain eligible to compete for the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship. Busch will qualify for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup by meeting all requirements of eligibility excluding Rule 17.6.2.1.a, which requires a driver to start all Championship Events of the current season.

NASCAR made the decision after the driver of the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota received the appropriate medical clearance documentation to immediately return to NASCAR racing. To qualify for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Busch will need to be within the top 30 of the Championship point standings after race No. 26, and meet all other stated requirements within the NASCAR Rule Book.

"On behalf of everyone at NASCAR, it’s great to have Kyle Busch back racing," said Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer. "Our decision to grant Kyle a waiver that allows him to continue running for a championship is one we discussed extensively. The spirit of the rule never was designed to punish drivers who are unable to compete due to extenuating circumstances such as recovering from a racing accident.

"We wish Kyle the best of luck in the balance of the season, and look forward to his return to the car this week for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway."

Posted on May 13, 2015 by Staff Report

Eligibility expanded, race increased 20 laps from 2014

This year’s NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race (Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET, FOX Sports 1, MRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) will feature four 25-lap segments, then a 10-lap shootout to the checkered flag that will crown the $1 million winner.

All laps will be counted during Segments 1, 2 and 3, and teams have the option to pit during breaks. All laps will also be counted during Segment 4. If there’s a tie among drivers when calculating the average finish of all four segments, the finish in the fourth segment serves as tiebreaker. A driver’s average finish following the first four segments will determine the order onto pit road for a mandatory four-tire pit stop before the final 10-lap run.

In the 10-lap shootout, only green flag laps will count.

WHO HAS QUALIFIED FOR THE ALL-STAR RACE?

Drivers who won points races in either 2014 or 2015, as well as previous NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race winners and former Sprint Cup Series champions who had a full-time ride in 2014.

SO THOSE LOCKED INTO THE ALL-STAR RACE ARE … ?

Driver	Eligibility
AJ Allmendinger	Win at Watkins Glen (2014)
Aric Almirola	Win at Daytona (2014)
Greg Biffle	Win in Sprint Showdown (2015)
Clint Bowyer	Win in Sprint Showdown (2015)
Kurt Busch	2 wins since 2014
Kyle Busch	Win at Auto Club (2014)
Dale Earnhardt Jr.	5 wins since 2014
Carl Edwards	2 wins since 2014
Jeff Gordon	4 wins since 2014
Denny Hamlin	2 wins since 2014
Kevin Harvick	7 wins since 2014
Jimmie Johnson	7 wins since 2014
Kasey Kahne	Win at Atlanta (2014)
Matt Kenseth	Win at Bristol (2015)
Brad Keselowski	7 wins since 2014
Joey Logano	6 wins since 2014
Jamie McMurray	Win in NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race (2014)
Ryan Newman	Win in NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race (2002)
Tony Stewart	Win in NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race (2009)

IS THERE ANOTHER WAY TO MAKE SATURDAY’S RACE?

The Sprint Showdown (Friday, 7 p.m. ET, FOX Sports 1, MRN Radio, Sirius XM NASCAR Radio) precedes the All-Star Race, and is for drivers who did not meet the All-Star Race criteria.

The Sprint Showdown consists of two 20-lap segments. The winner of each segment transfers over into Saturday’s main event.

UPDATE: Biffle, Bowyer transfer to Sprint All-Star Race

WILL ANYONE ELSE MAKE THE ALL-STAR RACE?

Yes. The winner of the Sprint Fan Vote, which will be announced after the Sprint Showdown. That gives us a field of 20.

UPDATE: Patrick wins fan vote for second time in three years

Posted on May 13, 2015 by Staff Report

Front Row Motorsports will keep driver in Cup ride for 2015

Brett Moffitt has a place to call home for the rest of the 2015 season, and that’s Front Row Motorsports behind the wheel of the No. 34 Ford Fusion in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

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Moffitt, 22, has spent the season as a fill-in for Front Row Motorsports and Michael Waltrip Racing after injuries to Kyle Busch and a medical relapse for Brian Vickers created a domino effect of drivers switching seats.

"I am excited for the opportunity to be in a Sprint Cup car on a weekly basis," Moffitt said in a team press release Wednesday. "The most important thing for me at this point of my career is seat time, going to some of these tracks that are new to me, and racing around 42 other drivers in race conditions."

In nine Sprint Cup starts this season, Moffitt’s best finish was eighth place at Atlanta Motor Speedway when he was driving the No. 55 for MWR in place of Vickers. Moffitt also had a top-20 finish (17th) at Bristol driving the No. 55. Moffitt has 16 career premier-series starts with the one top-10 finish.

Moffitt took over the No. 34 last weekend at Kansas Speedway after it was announced David Ragan would drive the No. 55 for MWR for the rest of the season. Meanwhile, Erik Jones drove the No. 18 for Joe Gibbs Racing at Kansas, a car that was previously driven by Ragan as a fill-in for the injured Busch, who is set to return Saturday for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race (7 p.m. ET, FOX Sports 1, MRN, SiriusXM).

In addition to Moffitt (three starts), Chris Buescher (five starts), Ragan, Joe Nemechek and Reed Sorenson (one race each) have all driven the No. 34 this year.

"We’re glad to be able to move forward knowing who is going to be in the car on a consistent basis," team owner Bob Jenkins said. "Brett’s already got some great experience under his belt, and I think having the same driver-crew chief team working together regularly will bring some stability to our No. 34 team and help Brett with his development as well."