Kyle Busch to remain eligible for Sprint Cup championship

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."

Posted on May 13, 2015 by Staff Report

ParkerStore to also serve as associate sponsor on No. 42 Chevrolet

Kyle Larson has picked up a familar sponsor for two NASCAR XFINITY Series races later this year.

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HScott Motorsports with Chip Ganassi announced on Wednesday that ParkerStore will be the primary sponsor when Larson is behind the wheel of the No. 42 Chevrolet Camaro in June at Michigan International Speedway and in November at Texas Motor Speedway. The company will also serve as an associate sponsor.

ParkerStore’s history with Larson goes back to when he raced outlaw karts in California. The two teamed up at the end of the 2014 season when Larson ran in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, where he finished second.

"I am really excited to continue with ParkerStore," Larson said in a statement provided by the team. "To be able to team up again with a sponsor from my early racing days is really cool. I know we’ll continue to make a great team. I’m really looking forward to their first XFINITY race in Michigan and working with them both on and off the track.

Late Wednesday morning, Larson tweeted out this message about reteaming with ParkerStore.

Pretty cool to still be racing with @ParkerStore. Glad to have them back with @TeamHSMCG http://t.co/wMoSrCkEXJ pic.twitter.com/sx4acuOsbE

— Kyle Larson (@KyleLarsonRacin) May 13, 2015

Larson has started three of the nine XFINITY Series races this year with top-10 finishes in all three of his efforts.

Posted on May 13, 2015 by Staff Report

JGR driver would need win, top-30 points position to make playoffs

BUY: Rowdy Returns T-Shirt | RELATED: Read full NASCAR statement

Kyle Busch will be eligible to make the 2015 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup if he wins a race and cracks the top 30 in the driver points standings. On Wednesday, NASCAR granted a waiver to the Joe Gibbs Racing driver who will return to racing in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race (Saturday, 9 p.m. ET, FOX Sports 1, MRN, SiriusXM).

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Under the guidelines of the current Chase format, drivers and car owners must start all points events of the current season to be eligible for the Chase, unless otherwise authorized by NASCAR.

Despite missing the season’s first 11 races, NASCAR has waived the Chase requirement for Busch. Should he win one of the remaining 15 regular-season points races and make the top 30 in points or earn a spot based on his position in the points standings, he would be one of the 16 drivers in this year’s Chase field.

Similar situations have come up before — three other drivers have been granted waivers since NASCAR retooled the Chase format before the start of the 2014 season.

Tony Stewart, out for three races last summer after his involvement in an on-track fatality in a non-NASCAR sanctioned event, was given the all clear to pursue a Chase spot upon his return. Stewart was unable to qualify for the 10-race program.

Before the start of the 2015 season, NASCAR announced driver Brian Vickers would be eligible for a Chase spot after missing this season’s first two races due to health issues.

Kurt Busch was suspended for the first three races of the season as a result of domestic violence allegations made by former girlfriend Patricia Driscoll. A Kent County (Delaware) family judge granted Driscoll a protective order, however the State Attorney General declined to file charges against the driver. Busch was reinstated and granted a Chase waiver. Last month, he won at Richmond and is currently in the provisional playoff field with the victory and a 14th-place points position.

Last year, Denny Hamlin missed one race (at Auto Club Speedway), won one race (at Talladega Superspeedway) and was awarded one of the 16 Chase starting positions, and this year, Kyle Larson missed a race in March at Martinsville Speedway, but both drivers took part in Coors Light Pole Qualifying to remain Chase-eligible.

The largest amount of points a driver can gain in a Sprint Cup event is 48. Tony Stewart, the driver currently in 30th place in the standings, has 179 points through 11 races — an average of 16.27 points earned per race. If that pace continues, the 30th-place driver would have 423 points at the end of the regular season.

To reach that level, Busch would have to average 28.2 points per race — just better than 16th place, without bonus points for leading a lap — for the remaining 15 regular-season races. A max-points victory during that span would mean Busch would only have to finish 17th or better in the other 14 events.

In all but his rookie season and last season, Busch has averaged a 15.5-place finish, and he has made the Chase in seven of his 10 full-time seasons.

NASCAR.com’s Zack Albert and Kenny Bruce contributed to this story.

Posted on May 13, 2015 by Nascar

Drivers support decision to make Busch Chase eligible

BUY: Rowdy Returns T-Shirt | RELATED: NASCAR grants Busch a Chase waiver

NASCAR competitors testing at Dover International Speedway on Wednesday said they have no qualms with NASCAR granting fellow Kyle Busch a waiver that keeps his Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup eligibility intact.

"We don’t have sick days in our sport," six-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson said during a lunch break at the 1-mile track. "If you get injured in our industry, the repercussions are so big.

"Even though he is granted a waiver, you just look at what the team has been through – a couple of different drivers trying to develop the equipment and get it going, missed opportunities to win races. It’s a huge penalty to have an injury. If you can come back and win a race, you deserve to be in the Chase."

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Busch, driver of the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 18 Toyota, missed the first 11 points races after breaking his right leg and fracturing his left foot in a crash in the season-opening XFINITY Series race at Daytona International Speedway.

On Wednesday, NASCAR announced its decision to allow Busch to remain eligible, as long as he is in the top 30 in championship driver points standings following the season’s 26th race.

Busch announced on Tuesday that he would be back in the Sprint Cup car this weekend for Saturday’s Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway (7 p.m. ET, FOX Sports 1, PRN, Sirius XM NASCAR).

MORE: Busch says All-Star event is ‘perfect’ for return

Under the rules, to be eligible for the Chase drivers must attempt to complete in the 26 points races leading up to the Chase. The 16-team field is comprised of the season’s winners and, if fewer than 16 drivers win at least one race, those highest in the points standings following the cutoff race.

Daytona 500 winner Joey Logano (Team Penske) said, "It’s not like he chose to skip races … that’s the difference.

"They don’t want to see someone win a race and say ‘alright, I’m good, I’m going to take four or five weeks off and enjoy it and not drive a race car.’ …

"Kyle is getting back in the car as soon as he possibly can to try to make the Chase. I think letting him do it is fine … that’s the way it should be. It’s not his fault he got hurt in the first place."

The possibility that Busch wins one of the remaining 15 "regular-season" races isn’t far-fetched. He has 29 career victories and has won one or more races for 10 consecutive seasons.

Climbing his way into the top 30 in points is another matter. Busch would likely need an average finish of at least 16th or to find himself in the top 30 after 26 races.

"I don’t know what he has to do to get in the top 30," Logano said. "… I think it’s well deserved; he’s worked hard to get back in the race car and if we race him for a championship at the end of the year, great. I’m not going to say it he shouldn’t have won it or something like that.

"Those are the rules that we’ve got … with the Chase, that you’re able to recover if something like that happens."

David Ragan, who filled in for Busch in nine races, said the NASCAR announcement simply provided Busch an avenue to attempt to qualify. The rest will be up to the driver and the team, led by crew chief Adam Stevens.

Ragan took over the reins of the car after Daytona (two-time Camping World Truck Series champion Matt Crafton stepped in at DIS) while 18-year-old Erik Jones made his Sprint Cup debut last weekend at Kansas with the team.

"He’s just eligible, obviously," Ragan said of Busch. "He’s still got to have a great season to make the Chase. He’s got to win a race, which isn’t easy to do, there are still a lot of good guys that haven’t won a race in quite some time; he’s got to score some pretty good points to get in the top 30.

"I think NASCAR made the right call and Kyle should be happy with that; if he can meet that criteria and make the Chase, he deserves to be in.

"If he can score those kind of points, be in the top 30 and win a race, (that’s) a chase team and (he’s) a Chase driver."

• Johnson, Logano and Ragan were among 12 drivers taking part in the open test at Dover. Also on hand were Jamie McMurray (Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates), Austin Dillon (Richard Childress Racing), Danica Patrick (Stewart-Haas Racing), Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing), Casey Mears (Germain Racing), Greg Biffle (Roush Fenway Racing), Jeb Burton (BK Racing), Aric Almirola (Richard Petty Motorsports) and AJ Allmendinger (JTG Daugherty Racing).

Logano, Hamlin, Patrick and Allmendinger took part in a two-day Goodyear tire test at Dover prior to Wednesday’s team test.

• Johnson said while Dover and Charlotte appear vastly different, there are things his Hendrick Motorsports team could pick up during the Wednesday test that might be beneficial at CMS.

"We might not be able to learn and have the speed on the track today, but we’ll go home with some ideas … some things that didn’t work or did work and let our group at home stew on it," he said.

"It’ll help actually this weekend leading into Charlotte. Charlotte and Dover, oddly enough, do have very common sensations and loads and things through the race car. So this test … comes at a good time for us and we should be able to apply things to Charlotte."

Posted on May 13, 2015 by Nascar

Get a breakdown of practice, qualifying and race formats for special weekend

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SPRINT FAN VOTE

– The winner of the Sprint Fan Vote will be announced in Victory Lane following the conclusion of the Sprint Showdown, and that driver will advance to the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race.

RELATED: Patrick wins fan vote

NASCAR SPRINT ALL-STAR RACE

Garage Opens: Friday, May 15 at 7 a.m. ET; Saturday, May 16 at 1 p.m. ET

Final Practice: Friday, May 15 at 1:45-3:15 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1

Pit Road Practice: Friday, May 15 at 3:15 p.m.-3:25 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1

Qualifying: Saturday, May 16 at 7:10 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1

– Three timed laps, including one four-tire pit stop

– There will be no pit road speeding penalty enforced for the four-tire pit stop. Aggregate total time will set the starting lineup for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race.

– A five-second penalty will be enforced for the following violations: too many crew members in contact with the pit service area; crew members over the wall too soon; throwing equipment; removing equipment; uncontrolled tire; running over equipment.

– Pitting outside the box will be a disqualification.

Race: Saturday, May 16 at 9 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1

– Five segments.

– Segments 1 through 4 will be 25 laps each.

– Segment 5 will be 10 laps.

– Teams may enter pit road during the yellow flag period between segments 1 through 4, but will not retain their running position.

– All laps (green flag and yellow flag) will count during Segments 1 through 4.

– Only green flag laps will count during segment 5.

– The running order at the completion of the fourth segment will be repositioned based on the average finish for the first four segments. Ties in average finish will be broken by finishing position in the fourth segment.

– All cars must then enter pit road for a mandatory four-tire pit stop.

– The order of cars returning to the track will determine the starting order of the fifth segment.

– Crews will be permitted to work on the cars if the race is stopped due to a red flag. However, all work must be performed on pit road or garage area only.

Posted on May 13, 2015 by Staff Report

Pick your winner for Saturday’s Sprint All-Star Race (7 p.m. ET, FOX Sports 1)

Posted on May 13, 2015 by Staff Report

A stats-based look ahead to the race where $1 million is on the line

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. –Below is a look at some of the top statistical performers at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Charlotte, N.C. going into the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race on May 16 (7 p.m. on FOX Sports 1).

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SPRINT ALL-STAR-SPECIFIC STATISTICS

Kurt Busch (No. 41 Haas Automation Chevrolet)

· One win, five top fives, seven top 10s

· Average finish of 10.4

· Average Running Position of 8.8, fifth-best

· Driver Rating of 83.5, fifth-best

· 48 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most

· 320 Green Flag Passes, fifth-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 179.918 mph, ninth-fastest

· 746 Laps in the Top 15 (80.2%), sixth-most

· 273 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), seventh-most

Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M’s Red Nose Day Toyota)

· Three top fives, four top 10s; three poles

· Average finish of 12.3

· Average Running Position of 7.3, second-best

· Series-best Driver Rating of 108.1

· 84 Fastest Laps Run, second-most

· Series-best Average Green Flag Speed of 181.329 mph

· 664 Laps in the Top 15 (79.0%), ninth-most

Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 Mountain Dew Baja Blast Chevrolet)

· One win, five top fives, 12 top 10s

· Average finish of 8.0

· Driver Rating of 78.5, 11th-best

· 23 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-most

· Series-high 372 Green Flag Passes

· 757 Laps in the Top 15 (81.4%), fifth-most

· Series-high 298 Quality Passes

Carl Edwards (No. 19 ARRIS Toyota)

· One win, four top fives, six top 10s; two poles

· Average finish of 10.4

· Average Running Position of 9.9, seventh-best

· Driver Rating of 84.6, fourth-best

· 62 Fastest Laps Run, third-most

· 233 Green Flag Passes, 12th-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 179.874 mph, 10th-fastest

· 676 Laps in the Top 15 (79.5%), seventh-most

· 203 Quality Passes, 11th-most

Jeff Gordon (No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet)

· Three wins, six top fives, nine top 10s

· Average finish of 10.0

· Average Running Position of 8.5, third-best

· Driver Rating of 82.1, eighth-best

· 62 Fastest Laps Run, third-most

· 310 Green Flag Passes, seventh-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 180.490 mph, third-fastest

· Series-high 836 Laps in the Top 15 (89.9%)

· 286 Quality Passes, third-most

Kevin Harvick (No. 4 Hunt Brothers Pizza Chevrolet)

· One win, three top fives, eight top 10s

· Average finish of 9.9

· Average Running Position of 10.5, 12th-best

· Driver Rating of 82.4, sixth-best

· 31 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-most

· 331 Green Flag Passes, third-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 179.927 mph, eighth-fastest

· 659 Laps in the Top 15 (70.9%), 10th-most

· 263 Quality Passes, eighth-most

Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Patriotic Chevrolet)

· Four wins, eight top fives, nine top 10s; one pole

· Average finish of 6.2

· Series-best Average Running Position of 6.9

· Driver Rating of 104.2, second-best

· Series-high 147 Fastest Laps Run

· 307 Green Flag Passes, eighth-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 180.878 mph, second-fastest

· 825 Laps in the Top 15 (88.7%), second-most

· 278 Quality Passes, fifth-most

Kasey Kahne (No. 5 Time Warner Cable Chevrolet)

· One win, two top fives, four top 10s; one pole

· Average finish of 11.7

· Average Running Position of 10.5, 10th-best

· Driver Rating of 81.3, ninth-best

· 53 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most

· 315 Green Flag Passes, sixth-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 180.143 mph, sixth-fastest

· 676 Laps in the Top 15 (72.7%), seventh-most

· 274 Quality Passes, sixth-most

Matt Kenseth (No. 20 Dollar General Toyota)

· One win, six top fives, 11 top 10s; two poles

· Average finish of 6.2

· Average Running Position of 8.7, fourth-best

· Driver Rating of 88.3, third-best

· 47 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most

· 325 Green Flag Passes, fourth-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 180.049 mph, seventh-fastest

· 779 Laps in the Top 15 (83.8%), fourth-most

· 282 Quality Passes, fourth-most

Joey Logano (No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford)

· Two top fives, three top 10s

· Average finish of 8.8

· Average Running Position of 10.5, 11th-best

· Driver Rating of 78.2, 12th-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 180.366 mph, fifth-fastest

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 2015 Top 16 at Charlotte Motor Speedway

in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race

Rank	Driver	Races	Poles	Wins	Top Fives	Top 10s	DNFs	Average Finish	Driver Rating
Rank	Driver	Races	Poles	Wins	Top Fives	Top 10s	DNFs	Average Finish	Driver Rating
1	Kevin Harvick	14	0	1	3	8	3	9.9	82.4
2	Martin Truex Jr.	5	0	0	1	2	2	13.6	59.2
3	Jimmie Johnson	13	1	4	8	9	1	6.2	104.2
4	Joey Logano	4	0	0	2	3	1	8.8	78.2
5	Dale Earnhardt Jr.	15	0	1	5	12	1	8.0	78.5
6	Brad Keselowski	6	0	0	1	3	1	12.7	55.2
7	Matt Kenseth	14	2	1	6	11	1	6.2	88.3
8	Jamie McMurray	8	0	1	1	3	3	14.0	71.6
9	Jeff Gordon	21	0	3	6	9	5	10.0	82.1
10	Kasey Kahne	11	1	1	2	4	4	11.7	81.3
11	Aric Almirola	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.0	–
12	Paul Menard	1	0	0	0	0	0	16.0	58.1
13	Ryan Newman	13	1	1	3	7	4	10.1	75.6
14	Kurt Busch	13	0	1	5	7	3	10.4	83.5
15	Denny Hamlin	8	0	0	2	5	2	11.3	69.2
16	Clint Bowyer	6	0	0	0	1	0	14.2	54.8

* – Based on last 11 NASCAR Sprint All-Star races.

Statistical Advance

Charlotte Motor Speedway Data

Track Size: 1.5 miles

Banking Turns: 24 degrees

Banking/Frontstretch: 5 degrees

Banking/Backstretch: 5 degrees

Frontstretch: 1,980 feet

Backstretch: 1,500 feet

Top 10 All-Star Driver Ratings

Kyle Busch…………………………. 108.1

Jimmie Johnson…………………… 104.2

Matt Kenseth………………………… 88.3

Carl Edwards………………………… 84.6

Kurt Busch……………………………. 83.5

Kevin Harvick………………………… 82.4

Jeff Gordon………………………….. 82.1

Kasey Kahne………………………… 81.3

Dale Earnhardt Jr.………………….. 78.5

Joey Logano………………………… 78.2

Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2014 NASCAR Sprint All-Star races (10 total).

2014 Race Winner:

Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet

100.517 mph, (01:20:35), 05-16-14

2014 Showdown Winner:

Clint Bowyer, Toyota

117.711 mph, (00:30:35), 05-16-14

2014 Showdown Runner-Up:

AJ Allmendinger

2014 Sprint Fan Vote Winner:

Josh Wise

NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race:

Notebook

· There have been 30 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Races.

· The first NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race was in 1985.

· 29 have been held at Charlotte Motor Speedway. In 1986, the event was held at Atlanta Motor Speedway, and won by Bill Elliott. That season was also the first year for what is now known as the Sprint Showdown.

· 92 drivers have run in at least one NASCAR Sprint All-Star race, with 76 competing in more than one.

· Mark Martin has participated in 24 races, more than any other driver. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers in Sprint All-Star starts with 21, followed by Tony Stewart with 16.

· There have been 20 different winners of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star race.

· Jimmie Johnson (2003, 2006, 2012 and 2013) leads the series with the most NASCAR Sprint All-Star race wins with four.

· Dale Earnhardt (1987, 1990 and 1993) and Jeff Gordon (1995, 1997 and 2001) are the only three-time winners of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star race.

· NASCAR Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip won the inaugural NASCAR Sprint All-Star race in 1985 at an average speed of 161.184 mph.

· The race has featured a field that ranged from 10 drivers in 1986 to 27 in 2002. Last season’s field had 22 participants.

· Davey Allison (1991 and 1992), Terry Labonte (1988 and 1999) and Mark Martin (1998 and 2005) are the only other drivers to post multiple victories in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star race.

· Davey Allison (1991, 1992) and Jimmie Johnson (2012, 2013) are the only drivers to ever win consecutive NASCAR Sprint All-Star races.

· Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2000) and Ryan Newman (2002) are the only drivers to win the NASCAR Sprint All-Star race in their rookie season.

· Jeff Gordon is the youngest winner of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at 23 years, 9 months and 18 days (1995).

· Mark Martin is the oldest NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race winner at 46 years, 4 months and 12 days (2005).

· Jimmie Johnson leads the series among active drivers in average finish in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race with a 6.154; followed by Matt Kenseth with a 6.214.

· Seven active drivers have an average finish in the top 10 for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race: Jimmie Johnson (6.1), Matt Kenseth (6.2), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (8.0), Tony Stewart (8.4), Joey Logano (8.7) Kevin Harvick (9.9) and Jeff Gordon (10.0).

· Terry Labonte won the inaugural Coors Light pole for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star race in 1985.

· 16 drivers have won Coors Light poles for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star race, led by Bill Elliott with four. Kyle Busch leads all active drivers with three. Carl Edwards has won the last two consecutive poles for the Sprint All-Star Race (2013, 2014).

· Four drivers have won consecutive Coors Light poles for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star race: Davey Allison (1991, 1992) Bill Elliott (1997, 1998), Kyle Busch (2011, 2012) and Carl Edwards (2013, 2014).

· The NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race has been won from the pole position four times; the first three came in consecutive years: Dale Earnhardt (1990) and Davey Allison (1991 and 1992). Kurt Busch posted the fourth win from the pole in 2010.

· The front row starting positions and fourth-place are the three most proficient starting positions in the field, producing more winners (four each) than any other starting positions in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race.

· Eight of the 30 (26.7%) NASCAR Sprint All-Star races have been won from the front row: four from the pole and four from second-place.

· 17 of the 30 (56.7%) NASCAR Sprint All-Star races have been won from a top-five starting position.

· 21 of the 30 (70%) NASCAR Sprint All-Star races have been won from a top-10 starting position.

· Two of the 30 (6.7%) NASCAR Sprint All-Star races have been won from a starting position outside the top 20.

· The deepest in the field a NASCAR Sprint All-Star race winner has started was 27th, by Ryan Newman in 2002.

· Hendrick Motorsports drivers have won eight NASCAR Sprint All-Star races (most all-time): Jimmie Johnson (four: 2003, 2006, 2012, 2013), Jeff Gordon (three: 1995, 1997, 2001) and Terry Labonte (one: 1999).

· Several other active teams have won the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race: Richard Childress Racing and Roush Fenway Racing have four (4) NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race titles each, and Team Penske has two (2). Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, the Wood Brothers, Richard Petty Motorsports and Stewart Haas Racing each have one Sprint All-star win.

· All four Hendrick Motorsports drivers – Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kasey Kahne – have won the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, making HMS the only multi-car team to have a complete roster of former NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race champions – note: Earnhardt Jr. and Kahne won while driving for other teams.

· NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt leads the series in top-five finishes in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star race with nine; followed by Tony Stewart (eight) and Jimmie Johnson (eight).

· Bill Elliott leads the series in top-10 finishes in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race with 13; followed by Dale Earnhardt and Dale Earnhardt Jr. with 12 each. Matt Kenseth has 11 top-10s.

· Five drivers have won the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship in the same year: Darrell Waltrip (1985), Dale Earnhardt (1987, 1990, 1993), Rusty Wallace (1989), Jeff Gordon (1995, 1997, 2001) and Jimmie Johnson (2006, 2013).

· In 2008, Kasey Kahne became the first driver to get into the NASCAR Sprint All-Star race by the Sprint Fan Vote and go on to win the event.

· There have been 10 different Sprint Fan Vote winners in the last 10 years of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race.

· Dale Earnhardt Jr.
is the only driver in event history to win the NASCAR Sprint All-Star
Race (2000), Sprint Showdown (2012) and Sprint Fan Vote (2011).

· Seven times from seven different drivers has the winner of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star race gone on to win the Coke Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway the following weekend: Darrell Waltrip (1985), Davey Allison (1991), Dale Earnhardt (1993), Jeff Gordon (1997), Jimmie Johnson (2003), Kasey Kahne (2008) and Kurt Busch (2010).

· The record for lead changes in a NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race is 10 in 2004. Last season’s NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race had nine lead changes.

· The record for different leaders in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race is nine in 2002. Last season’s race had six different leaders.

· The series best Driver Rating performance by a NASCAR Sprint All-Star race winner was Carl Edwards posting a 141.7 in 2011.

· Top 3 leaders in Driver Rating for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race: Kyle Busch (108.9), Jimmie Johnson (103.9) and Matt Kenseth (88.9).

· 11 of the 17 drivers qualified to compete in the 2015 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race have captured the event title. Those 11 drivers have a combined 16 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race victories.

· Roush Fenway Racing has fielded at least one entry in every NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race from 1990-2014, however no RFR drivers are currently eligible for this season’s event and will need to transfer in via the Sprint Showdown or winning the Sprint Fan Vote.

· Kyle Busch has made nine NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race starts without a victory, the most of any eligible driver. His Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin has made eight (8) starts, the second-highest total among drivers looking for win No. 1.

· Greg Biffle has qualified for 11 consecutive NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race events (2004-2014), however he isn’t currently qualified for the race. It is the longest active streak among drivers not currently in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race field.

· The six drivers qualified for the 2015 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race looking for their first win in the event are Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, AJ Allmendinger and Aric Almirola.

· Chevrolet (17) and Ford (10) have combined to win 27 or the 30 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race events – the remaining three belong to Dodge (two) and Pontiac (one). Toyota is looking for its first event title.

· Among those eligible for the 2015 event Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jamie McMurray each have career wins in both the Sprint Showdown qualifier and the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race.

· Martin Truex Jr. is the only driver in the Sprint Showdown field with multiple victories in the qualifying race (2007, 2010).

· No driver has ever won the Sprint Showdown and advanced to win the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race.

· Kasey Kahne, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Carl Edwards are the only three drivers who have won each the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race and the Sprint Fan Vote. Kahne won the vote and event in 2008, Earnhardt Jr. won the race in 2000 and Sprint Fan Vote in 2011. Carl Edwards won the Sprint Fan Vote in 2010 and the Sprint All-Star Race in 2011.

· Josh Wise (2014), Danica Patrick (2013), Bobby Labonte (2012) and Martin Truex Jr. (2005) are the only drivers in the 2015 Sprint Fan Vote who have previously won the fans’ transfer position.

· No driver has ever won multiple Sprint Fan Vote awards.

NASCAR Sprint All-Star Wins List

Year Driver Year Driver

1985 Darrell Waltrip 2000 Dale Earnhardt Jr.

1986 Bill Elliott 2001 Jeff Gordon

1987 Dale Earnhardt 2002 Ryan Newman

1988 Terry Labonte 2003 Jimmie Johnson

1989 Rusty Wallace 2004 Matt Kenseth

1990 Dale Earnhardt 2005 Mark Martin

1991 Davey Allison 2006 Jimmie Johnson

1992 Davey Allison 2007 Kevin Harvick

1993 Dale Earnhardt 2008 Kasey Kahne

1994 Geoff Bodine 2009 Tony Stewart

1995 Jeff Gordon 2010 Kurt Busch

1996 Michael Waltrip 2011 Carl Edwards

1997 Jeff Gordon 2012 Jimmie Johnson

1998 Mark Martin 2013 Jimmie Johnson

1999 Terry Labonte 2014 Jamie McMurray

Posted on May 12, 2015 by

Hendrick Motorsports pit coach Chris Burkey: ‘It’s a grueling time’

On Saturday night, hundreds of fire suit-clad crew members will line pit road for the annual NASCAR Sprint Cup All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Less than 20 hours later, some of the same crew members will be standing on pit road once more, but at a race track 1,024 miles away – Iowa Speedway.

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With their jobs revolving around 12-second pit stops that encompass lightning-fast movement and strength, the life of a NASCAR pit crew member is taxing both mentally and physically. And the growing trend of crew members pitting multiple series– sometimes at different tracks – tacks on another element of exhaustion.

"The guys know it’s a grueling time when you have a non-companion race like that," Hendrick Motorsports pit crew coach Chris Burkey said, referring to this weekend’s bi-city Sprint Cup and XFINITY races at Charlotte and Iowa. "So you kind of have to get mentally prepared for a late night at the All-Star Race and having to get up early in the morning (Sunday)."

Burkey oversees the development of the Hendrick Motorsports pit crews of Jeff Gordon and Kasey Kahne on a daily basis at the team’s campus in Concord, North Carolina. A former NFL scout for the Miami Dolphins, Burkey also manages the recruiting process of bringing new talent to the pits through the organization’s pit crew developmental program, which grooms young athletes into eventual Sprint Cup pit performers.

But since his arrival at Hendrick Motorsports in 2008, Burkey has noticed a shift in the pit crew industry, as more and more Sprint Cup veteran crew members are pitting lower series’ vehicles in addition to their Cup duties. This is a change from the old method of the newer, less experienced pit performers pitting the lower series’ rides.

"You have a developmental team or a backup team trying to pit against some Cup teams," Burkey explained. "It’s very hard to beat teams like that. We’re in the world of wins so we just felt like we needed to join suit."

"…We knew we were probably going to have to shift that way at some point, especially with the caliber of drivers that JRM (JR Motorsports) is putting in their cars."

Hendrick Motorsports tends to keep most of its crews in the family, servicing Hendrick-affiliated JR Motorsports. This season, the No. 5 crew of Kasey Kahne is pitting the No. 9 XFINITY car for reigning series champion Chase Elliott. Similarly, the No. 24 crew for Jeff Gordon has performed pit stops for the No. 88 Chevrolet, an XFINITY ride that is driven by team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr., as well as Sprint Cup veterans Kevin Harvick and Kasey Kahne. At Iowa, the 2014 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East champion, Ben Rhodes will pilot the car.

"I figured since the majority of the 5 guys had pitted Chase before, last year, they understand how he comes in the pit box, they understand how he does things," Burkey said. "… Which means a lot because there’s no learning curve on that car there.

"… And then take the 24 – and the 24 being more of the veteran group… Keep the more established group with those stable veteran drivers week-in-and-week-out and give them an opportunity to perform for those drivers."

Burkey said the extra stops for these veteran crew members has benefited them for the subsequent Cup race. Any extra practice time is crucial for athletes whose performance is measured in spans of 12-second stops on pit road.

"You don’t want to say (the XFINITY or Truck race is) a practice because you want to perform, but it gives them those extra reps leading into the Sunday race," Burkey said. "When you go to a place like Phoenix, Vegas where you have very slick pit boxes, it gives them the Saturday reps to get accustomed to that and get used to that instead of showing up on Sunday and all of a sudden ‘oh wow, I forgot we have slick pit boxes here, don’t push too hard.’ So a lot of the teams have used those Saturday reps as kind of a tuning-up for the Sunday Cup race."

But despite the increasing double duty on pit road for Cup crew members, Burkey said Hendrick Motorsports‘ developmental program won’t condense as a result.

"I think it will still continue to grow," Burkey said. "We’re always still looking for solid, quality back-ups. You can never have too many because just when you think you have too many, you have four injuries and you don’t have enough … It will always help us."