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No. 48 driver piloted a torn-up race car at Thunder Valley

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BRISTOL, Tenn. – Let’s do some simple mathematics.

What do a mix-up with Kurt Busch, a less-than-forgiving brush with the wall and friction with Jeb Burton in a race at one of your worst tracks that – quite literally – took all day and night because of multiple lengthy rain delays equal?

If you’re six-time Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, a second-place finish.

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Throughout Sunday’s Food City 500 in Support of Steve Byrnes and Stand Up to Cancer at Bristol Motor Speedway, it appeared the Hendrick Motorsports driver was destined for just another one of his rough days at Bristol.

The end result was anything but.

"Yeah, the first half of the race or first third of the race I was behind the 24 (of Jeff Gordon) and we just worked our way up through the field and things went pretty smoothly," Johnson said. "I had a very fast race car and felt like we were going to have a strong night. And then one of the restarts midway through the race, the 41 (of Busch), I don’t know what happened, but he lost control, got into me. I went into the outside wall in Turn 3, and a caution came out.

"We had a fair amount of damage to the right‑rear quarterpanel. I didn’t think I hit that hard, but after I got out of the race car and saw the damage, no wonder it didn’t drive very good after that, and we needed two or three pit stops to get the quarterpanel pushed back down so there was some sideforce on the back of the car on corner entry and once we did that, we weren’t as good as we were at the start of the race but still very competitive."

"Very competitive" is an understatement.

On pit road after the race, Johnson said that he wished he "had a straight race car, because I had a really fast race car."

Fast enough, as it were, to put himself back on the lead lap after falling off because of the run-in with Busch.

"You just can’t (describe a race like that)," said Johnson, now fourth in points. "You’ve got to keep digging the whole time. We were down a lap with some pretty severe damage to the right side and I thought we were out. Maybe could hang around and get back on the lead lap, but the guys kept working. … and we were able to get going."

Even beyond Johnson’s meteoric recovery throughout the race, it was an overall thrilling event.

The Food City 500 saw another driver enter the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup field and end a 51-race winless streak, Team Penkse teammates accidentally run each other over and tempers flare a bit on the track before cooler heads prevailed off of it.

We saw a competitive, anybody-can-win type of race throughout.

Just like the good old days.

"I think (the track is) potentially heading towards the old Bristol. Just thinking it through a bit, when we had to race the bottom, everybody gets so mad at one another and punts each other out of the way. We’re getting pretty pissed off at one another riding around the top and there’s a lot more contact," Johnson said, as Gordon and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. vigorously nodded along during their joint post-race press conference. "Now, when you get into somebody there’s really nowhere for them to go, but I think as we continue to race here and continue to run around the top, we’re going to see it turn into the ‑‑ it’ll never be the old Bristol — but something very similar.

"Frustration is so high. … It doesn’t matter if you’re catching a guy that’s four laps down with crash damage. You can’t pass them if they run the top. It’s just so tough. So it was whacky. But I think there’s more potential yet."

And to think, it almost didn’t even happen.

Things looked grim before the race and a 3-hour, 58-minute halt after the first 22 laps wasn’t encouraging, either. Eventually the race was completed, but the checkered flag didn’t fly until April 20 was quickly approaching.

Old Bristol or New Bristol, it luckily doesn’t take much time to dry a 0.533-mile track, especially with Air Titan 2.0.

"The one thing that does make a difference here is how fast the track can dry, and I think it caught people off guard," Johnson said. "I think Tony (Stewart) might have been a little tardy getting to his race car to get started.

"Wild night, but glad to get it in."

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Keep tabs on the activity at Richmond International Raceway

This weekend, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and the NASCAR XFINITY Series head to Richmond International Raceway.

The Sprint Cup Series Toyota Owners 400 will be held on Saturday, April 25 at 7 p.m. ET with coverage on FOX. 

The XFINITY Series ToyotaCare 250 is on Friday, April 24 at 7:30 p.m. ET with coverage on FOX Sports 1.

For more information on track times, press conferences and GarageCam, you can check out the full weekend schedule.

We know you may not have the time to watch the race action without any interruptions, so if you’re on the go, here’s how to keep up at Richmond.

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NASCAR.com’s live Sprint Cup Series leaderboard and XFINITY Series leaderboard update in real-time and offer constant text updates of lead changes, cautions, strategies, strong runs and everything in between. From the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series leaderboard, fans can also access live standings. On the go? Download the NASCAR Mobile app to follow the leaderboards live from your device.

Lap-by-Lap will keep you caught up even if you can only take a peek here and there. Check in to read back through all the laps you’ve missed, or keep an eye on the feed for real-time race updates.

We’ll also send race updates via Twitter through the official @NASCAR and @NASCARStats handles.

RaceBuddy will have enhanced views and coverage for the Sprint Cup Series and for most XFINITY Series races with 10 HD live race views, including up to eight in-car cameras, two mosaic views, live leaderboard and interactive chat.

Haven’t tried RaceView yet? If you sign up, you’ll get virtual videos of cars on the track from various angles and hear what your favorite team is saying over the radio in both the Sprint Cup and select XFINITY Series races. Use it as a second screen or as your only screen. Just want to scan the radios? You can have that too with Scanner (formerly RaceView Audio). On a mobile device? Get RaceView Mobile here.

If you want to be more involved in the on-track action, you can manage your fantasy team on NASCAR.com and follow your team’s performance in NASCAR Fantasy Live. Mobile users can also download NASCAR Connect, a game from OneUp Sports that allows users to play other fans with race predictions for some off-track competition while drivers battle it out on the track.

Live Press Pass video streams will keep the NASCAR action rolling even after the winner goes in and out of Victory Lane. Catch interviews with the top finishers and series champions immediately following the checkered flag for both national series events, and stay tuned to NASCAR.com throughout the week for the latest news.

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Memories, condolences pour in after NASCAR reporter passes away

Posted on by Staff Report

Veteran NASCAR reporter had been battling cancer

RELATED: NASCAR statement on Steve Byrnes’ passing
WATCH: President Obama offers condolences to Byrnes’ family

Steve Byrnes, a NASCAR television reporter and host for over 30 years, passed away on Tuesday from complications related to his battle with cancer. He was 56.

The native of New Carrollton, Maryland began covering NASCAR in 1985 as host of TNN’s "Inside Winston Cup Racing" and also served as a pit reporter for the cable network as well as CBS.

MORE: Drivers, teams react to loss of Byrnes

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In 2001, he joined the NASCAR on FOX team as a pit reporter and hosted the weekday show "Totally NASCAR" on FOX Sports Net. He continued covering races for FOX and hosted several shows across SPEED and FOX Sports 1, and in 2014, he was named the play-by-play announcer for FS1’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races.

NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France said, "NASCAR extends its condolences to the many friends, FOX Sports colleagues and family of Steve Byrnes. Whether you had the privilege of knowing him or if you watched him on television for the last three decades, Steve’s work ethic and authenticity made him a beloved individual inside and outside the garage.
 
"His level of professionalism was matched only by the warmth he showed everyone he met. He battled cancer with tenacity, and was a true inspiration to everyone in the NASCAR family. Simply stated, we’ll miss Steve dearly. Our thoughts are especially with his wife Karen and son Bryson during this difficult time."

President Barack Obama said this about Byrnes during a ceremony honoring 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick at the White House: "I also want to offer my condolences to everybody in the NASCAR community on the passing of legendary reporter and broadcaster Steve Byrnes," Obama said. "I know a lot of fans’ thoughts and prayers today are with his wife Karen and his son Bryson."

Seven-time champion and NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty also offered his thoughts on Byrnes’ passing.

"Steve was a person who had a real passion for his job and that’s what made him stand out as one of the best at what he did. He was always humble too, and I never saw him treat anyone unfairly. That’s just how he did his job and lived his life. He always treated myself, our family and our race teams with great respect and I admired him for that. He will be missed by many and our families’ thoughts and prayers are with Karen, Bryson and the rest of his family."

NASCAR Hall of Fame Executive Director Winston Kelley said, "On behalf of the NASCAR Hall of Fame team, I want to extend our deepest sympathy to Karen, Bryson and the entire Byrnes family on the passing of Steve Byrnes. As accomplished and professional as Steve was as a broadcaster, Steve was an even better person, husband and father. Just last Thursday evening, after being readmitted to the hospital, Steve was texting me to get information to help one of his nephews. I thoroughly enjoyed the many years we frequently crossed paths and shared information while patrolling Pit Road and even more so the times we spent together talking about NASCAR or other interests we shared.

"I was thrilled when NASCAR added Steve to the NASCAR Hall of Fame Voting Panel and was so looking forward to his insights and sage wisdom as a part of this process. The courage and class with which he fought cancer should serve as an inspiration to all. Steve will be dearly missed but always remembered with great admiration and respect."

Eric Shanks, president and COO, executive producer, FOX Sports said, "We lost a beloved member of the FOX Sports family today, and we extend our prayers and deepest sympathies to the Byrnes family. It was an honor over the past year to learn just how much Steve was loved and respected throughout the NASCAR community, which was evident this weekend in Bristol. Not even day-long heavy rains could dampen the outpouring of emotion on display."

In January, NASCAR named Byrnes to the NASCAR Hall of Fame Voting Panel.

"It’s an emotional thing for me," Byrnes said. "My whole adult life has been immersed in NASCAR, and it means the world to me."

Byrnes was initially diagnosed with head-and-neck cancer in August 2013, and he was successfully treated for the disease in the fall of that year.

In 2014, Byrnes returned to the FOX NASCAR team to cover his 30th Daytona Speedweeks and continued in his role as host of FOX Sports 1’s "NASCAR Race Hub" until taking a leave of absence last October after a reoccurrence of head-and-neck cancer.

"I struggle for words because it sounds so cliché but every day is a gift," Byrnes told "NASCAR Illustrated" last fall. "I’m trying so hard right now to rather than be scared or worried, to live in the moment. Every time I start to worry about the future, it makes me realize — particularly this second go-around — that the only promise … if you wake up in the morning, that’s a good thing and you should be grateful for that. It sounds corny or cliché, but there is no promise for tomorrow. I’m trying to make the most of every single day."

Before his passing, Byrnes spent as much time as possible with his wife, Karen, and their son, Bryson.

"People talk about a bucket list," Byrnes said in the "NASCAR Illustrated" interview. "My bucket list is that my son and my wife know how much I love them, so that when my time does come there will be no mystery. They’re not gonna have to wonder how Dad or Steve felt about them."

The NASCAR family rallied around Byrnes and his family. Among the many gestures of support by many in the industry, Red Horse Racing’s Timothy Peters drove a Toyota Tundra with the reporter’s name above the passenger side window to Victory Lane at Talladega Superspeedway last October after winning a Truck race.

Days after his birthday on April 13, Bristol Motor Speedway named its NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race in his honor, the Food City 500 Supports Steve Byrnes and Stand Up to Cancer. When discussing the naming of the race, a humbled Byrnes also shared his signature sense of humor.

"It’s more than overwhelming," Byrnes said. "My first reaction was there must be somebody else named Steve Byrnes who spells it with a ‘y.’ "

Bristol Motor Speedway Executive Vice President and General Manager Jerry Caldwell, whose track hosted last weekend’s race that was renamed in Byrnes’ honor, said:

"Our hearts are heavy with the news of Steve Byrnes’ passing. We are blessed that the NASCAR industry had the opportunity to come together at Bristol to convey our love and support for Steve and his family this past weekend. He was a man of faith, incredible talent and a positive influence, setting a great example on how to live an impactful life filled with love and kindness. His spirit was inspirational and we hope our thoughts and prayers lift up his loved ones as he did for so many others."

This weekend’s race, the Toyota Owners 400 (Saturday, 7 p.m. ET, FOX) is at Richmond International Raceway and President Dennis Bickmeier says that Byrnes will be honored at the track this weekend.

"A thoughtful comment or a word of encouragement from Steve is always something I will remember and appreciate, especially as a young PR person many years ago just starting in motorsports. His dedication and passion for the people he worked with and around, and especially the fans he informed, are better today because Steve was so good at what he did week in and week out.
 
"He will be missed. Please remember the Byrnes family in your thoughts and prayers. We will work with the NASCAR Community in advance of our race this weekend in honoring Steve."

The President and General Manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway Marcus Smith also extended his deepest condolences to the Byrnes family.

"On behalf of all of us at Charlotte Motor Speedway and Speedway Motorsports, Inc., our hearts go out to the Byrnes family, his friends and his co-workers today. He was a great friend, and was well-liked and respected by everyone in our sport. Steve’s courageous fight against cancer was an inspiration to us all. God’s peace was visible in his eyes."

When asked about the support he received and the passion he has for NASCAR, Byrnes explained how he would like to be remembered.

"I just want people to know that I care that much back," Byrnes told "NASCAR Illustrated". "At the end of the day, when my career is over, that I really did care. I wasn’t doing this just as a job."

Memorial contributions in Byrnes’ honor may be made to the folllowing organizations.

Church of Christ at Gold Hill Road
1055 Gold Hill Road
Fort Mill, SC 29708
http://www.churchofchristatgoldhillroad.org

Charlotte Christian School
7301 Sardis Road
Charlotte, NC 28270
http://www.charlottechristian.com/

NASCAR Foundation
One Daytona Blvd, 6th Floor
Daytona Beach, FL 32114
https://www.nascar.com/foundation

Bryson Byrnes Scholarship Fund
Charlotte Christian School – Byrnes Fund
Attn: Barry Giller
7301 Sardis Road
Charlotte, NC 28270

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ToyotaCare 250 will be her first 2015 XFINITY start

Play: NASCAR Fantasy Live

Mike Affarano Motorsports announced Tuesday that Johanna Long will return to the NASCAR XFINITY Series in this weekend’s race at Richmond International Raceway.

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Long, 22, is scheduled to drive the team’s No. 03 Chevrolet in Friday night’s ToyotaCare 250 (7:30 p.m. ET, FOX Sports 1). The event will mark her first start in the XFINITY Series since the 2013 season finale.
 
"I can’t wait to get back to the track," Long said in a news release provided by the team. "Mike and everyone at Affarano Motorsports has worked so hard to get the cars ready. Everything’s in place except the sponsorship. Hopefully we’ll have a strong run and people will see how much potential this team has and will come on board to sponsor us."
 
Long made 41 starts in what was then called the NASCAR Nationwide (now XFINITY) Series during the 2012 and 2013 seasons for team owner Mary Louise Miller, recording a career-best finish of 12th place three times.
 
Affarano’s team will be making its XFINITY Series debut. The operation made its first venture into NASCAR national series competition last season with three Camping World Truck Series events.
 
Affarano indicated that the team had hoped to start a full 2015 campaign at the season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway, but that a lack of sponsorship had derailed that goal. After delaying their start to the season, Affarano targeted Richmond as a potentially favorable track for Long to return to competition. Her career-best starting position of eighth came at the .75-mile track in September 2012.
 
"I am confident Johanna will be competitive," Affarano continued. "She has a very loyal and supportive fan base that is anxious to see her back in the series. Everything is coming 
together, we’ve just got to find marketing partners that realize what a great platform we can offer and how beneficial working with Johanna can be for them."
 
While the team searches for sponsorship to adorn the No. 03 car’s sheet metal, Long will make do with a colorful ride in the meantime.
 
"One thing is for sure, folks will have a hard time missing Johanna out on the track," Affarano said. "As far as I know, she’ll be the only one driving in a hot pink Chevy Camaro."

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Driver of the No. 88 looks back at 16th-place showing, ahead to Richmond

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. felt like his No. 88 team had a fast car at Bristol but a loose wheel derailed their chances for a strong showing in the Food City 500 in Support of Steve Byrnes and Stand Up to Cancer.

"We had a fast car all night, moving that track bar up and down, getting that thing to handle the way we wanted to," Earnhardt Jr. said on "The Dale Jr. Download" on Dirty Mo Radio. "We passed a lot of cars. Had to run some people hard and rough and had a lot of fun doing it. We got pushed and shoved around a little bit too; that was pretty fun. We ended up going in the right direction. We clawed back there and got into the top 20.

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But the early issue with the loose wheel was too much to overcome as it put him four laps down at one point.

"It’s hard to get them laps back especially when the leaders don’t pit. You can’t get that wave around. If you are two laps down, you are sort of stuck. Can’t get the lucky dog."

On "The Dale Jr. Download," Earnhardt Jr. discussed what he felt may have led to the loose wheel and took responsibility for making the issue worse.

"Me and the 5 got together on the back straightaway. I think I pinched him into the fence on the straightaway and we hit pretty hard. I don’t know if that knocked the dang wheel or what. The wheel shook pretty bad and I waited until the last minute to come down pit road so it torn the lugs up real bad when it was loose out there on the track. I waited too long."

After pitting to try and fix the issue, Junior had to come back in a few laps later as the issue persisted.



"When they tried to put the next wheel on, it wouldn’t tighten up because the lugs were tore up and the threads were busted. So that wheel shook loose real fast. It’s not uncommon if you tear the lugs up. So what we had to do was come back down pit road and put a shim on the studs. We had to get approval from NASCAR first to put that shim on there. We put a shim on the studs which makes the wheel mount in a different place on the stud that’s not beat up or torn up. So we could actually tighten the lugs to the wheel."

Several drivers battled loose wheels throughout the race such as third-place finisher Jeff Gordon as well as Martin Truex Jr. Dale Jr. wasn’t sure what that could be attributed to but thought the 0.533-mile track might have something to do with it. 



"I don’t know if its just the track’s getting rough but you do kind of bounce around that place. Tires kind of bounce around the track like basketballs."



With the wheel issue behind him, Dale Jr. grinded out a 16th-place finish thanks to a car that had the most speed in traffic (121.016 mph), according to loop data. He also had 61 green flag passes in the race, which was the eighth-most in the event. 




Matt Kenseth eventually won the race at Bristol, snapping a 51-race winless streak, but Junior felt his car was better.



"I ran around that 20 earlier. I didn’t think it was that great. They must have gotten the car quite a bit better. I feel like we were faster than them."



Now it’s on to Richmond where Earnhardt has three wins in 31 starts and has an average finish of 13.5 at the 0.75-mile track.



"Richmond is a pretty fun track. I’m looking forward to going there with Greg for the first time and seeing what kind of ideas he’s got to help us there. Help us get better than we’ve been." 

And last year’s four-time winner is confident that the 88’s time in Victory Lane is coming soon.

"We just got to keep showing up to the race track with cars like that and everything is going to work out."

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Manufacturer looks for third consecutive win and fifth overall at the track

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Kansas Speedway announced Tuesday that its NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race has been named the Toyota Tundra 250 (May 8, 8:30 p.m. ET, FOX Sports 1).

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"I’m excited to partner with Toyota on our NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race," Kansas Speedway President Patrick Warren said in a track release. "Toyota has been a great long-term partner of ours, and they have had tremendous success in the series. I look forward to working with them to bring fans another exciting truck series race at Kansas Speedway.

Since Toyota entered the series in 2004, the manufacturer has four wins, 25 top 5s and 47 top-10 finishes at the track, including the last two victories by Matt Crafton in 2013 and Kyle Busch in 2014.

"We’re proud to sponsor the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Kansas Speedway," Ed Laukes, vice president of marketing, performance and guest experience for Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., said in the track’s release. "Toyota’s entry into NASCAR’s national levels started with the Truck Series back in 2004 and we’re thrilled with the success our Tundra drivers and teams have seen over the past 11 years.

"Our team members who build all of our production Tundras in San Antonio, Texas take great pride in the on-track accomplishments of the race Tundras and are looking forward to the Toyota Tundra 250 taking place at Kansas Speedway."

Tundras have earned 131 victories, seven manufacturer titles and five driver championships, including the first back-to-back series champion with Crafton taking titles in 2013 and 2014.

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Driver spent Tuesday visiting children at the University of Kansas Hospital

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Ben Kennedy made the rounds Tuesday at the University of Kansas Hospital, visiting children and offering words of encouragement. The impression he made, though, may owe a certain degree of credit to the popular sponsorship deal his team struck for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series’ next race.

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Thanks to his alliance with sponsor Nickelodeon and its long-running Spongebob Squarepants show, Kennedy’s status in KU Med’s pediatric ward Tuesday received a significant bump Tuesday. The 23-year-old driver’s recognition will become that much higher in the series’ next race May 8 at Kansas Speedway, when his Spongebob-sponsored Red Horse Racing No. 11 Toyota hits the track.
 
"It’s really cool to be able to engage with families and get kids involved as well," Kennedy said from the Sunflower State, where he concluded the day helping stuff backpacks for the Harvesters’ BackSnacks community youth initiative. The engagement worked on several levels — Kennedy is a professed Spongebob Squarepants fan who has watched the show since its 1999 debut, when he was just 7 years old.
 
"When we went to the hospital today, we got to talk about it a little with the kids," Kennedy added. "Their reaction, they were able to make that tie-in with Spongebob and a race-car driver and put the two and two together and understand it. It really got them excited and fired up, and I know that when they go to the race in the stands or turn the TV on, they’ll be able to recognize that and see Spongebob out there. It’ll be a cool connection and it’s really cool to be engaged with all the kids in the racing community."
 
If the brightly colored truck doesn’t catch fans’ eyes, his driver’s suit — which Kennedy said will feature seaweed on the pants legs, plus cartoon characters front and back in an underwater motif — should do the trick.
 
Kennedy will have a colorful truck on his side, but he’ll also have incentive. His most recent visit to the Kansas City area was one he’d rather scratch from his recollection — he crashed during qualifying in his first event at Kansas Speedway last May, then ran into more trouble during the race to settle for a 20th-place finish, his third-worst of the season.
 
Tuesday, more than two weeks ahead of his next race at Kansas, he cleansed the palate with a far more memorable and meaningful visit. But he’s also encouraged for the return trip by a pair of performance aspects — his most recent effort at similar 1.5-mile track Atlanta Motor Speedway, where he won the Keystone Light Pole Award and finished third, and his Red Horse team’s improved package at intermediate-sized tracks.
 
"We’ve been talking about it a while now with this break in our schedule, so we’ve been really trying to hunker down and narrow down the next couple of races to make sure we’re on our ‘A’ game going into it," said Kennedy, who joined the Tom DeLoach-owned Red Horse team in the offseason. "It’s been great getting to work with and know (crew chief) Scott Zipadelli and the whole Red Horse Racing team. I think we’ve got a really strong team, honestly probably one of the better teams I’ve had in my career."
 
And while it’s early — just three races in since the season opened two months ago — Kennedy has already formed bonds, just by soaking in the spirit of the organization.
 
"It’s been really a great experience all around," Kennedy said. "It’s so cool walking through the shop there because in one aspect, they’re hard and they’re focused on what they’re there to do and their heads are down and focused to do the best they possibly can, but at the same time, I’ve never gone through a shop and been so happy to be there, enjoying what they’re doing and really enjoying the program that Tom DeLoach has created around them."
 
During the pair of breaks in the early Camping World Truck Series schedule, Kennedy has kept plenty busy, keeping tabs on his NASCAR K&N Pro Series East team and rookie driver Kaz Grala, who finished fourth last weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway. But he’s also been focused on keeping in shape, and for a good cause: Kennedy participated in the Bike MS: Breakaway to Key Largo charity event March 7-8, helping to raise money for Multiple Sclerosis research with a biking tour of southern Florida.
 
In a massive example of understatement, Kennedy described the two-day charity ride as "messing around" to complete the 150-mile round trip between Miami and Key Largo. Until he’s back behind the wheel for the 250.5-mile distance at Kansas Speedway next month, that challenge will have to suffice for now.
 
"Just trying to find stuff to make the time pass so we can get back into the season," Kennedy said.

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Sprint Cup champion, President Obama talk about family

RELATED: Harvick atop 2015 points standings 

WASHINGTON — Kevin Harvick said he and President Obama talked "a lot about family."

Car owner Tony Stewart offered to let the President take the No. 4 Chevrolet for a spin.

And crew chief Rodney Childers soaked it all in, from sightseeing around the Capitol to meeting the President to a private tour of the White House.

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As he has done on several occasions, President Obama welcomed the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champions to the White House Wednesday. This time it was to honor and celebrate the Stewart-Haas Racing team’s 2014 Sprint Cup title.

"As the season started, Kevin had a new team, a new crew chief to adjust to," the President noted. "It usually takes a little time for a driver and a crew chief to find their groove, but Kevin and Rodney seemed to figure out each other in a hurry — sort of like when (Vice President) Joe Biden joined my team."

"There were blown tires, engine failures, cut oil lines, a slew of obstacles that held the ‘4 Car’ from finishing any higher than 36th in three out of four straight races. But Kevin and Rodney stuck with it, and by the time the Chase rolled around, this team was ready.

"A win at Homestead capped a season where Kevin picked up five wins, led more laps than anybody on the grid – picking up his first Sprint Cup championship.

“And by the looks of it, with two quick wins and the points lead already in place, 2015 isn’t shaping up to be too much different.”

Harvick, 39, won five times last season en route to capturing his first Sprint Cup Series championship, and did so under an elimination-style format that sent four drivers into the season’s final race at Homestead-Miami Speedway with a shot at the title.

 

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champions’ visits to the White House.

Prior to joining SHR, Harvick won 23 races while driving for Richard Childress Racing, finishing as high as third in points (2010-11, ’13).

“It’s just different when you’re celebrating your own championship and not somebody else’s,” Harvick said after posing for pictures with the President in front of the red-and-white No. 4 Chevrolet.

“It’s a huge honor to be here, and for the guys on the team it’s really an honor to see how excited they are, the things that are happening, to see them take it all in is pretty neat.

“Really (family) was the majority of the conversation (with the President). The family life and the change over the past four or five years (for myself and Delana) to get to this point.”

Stewart made the trip as car owner – he and Gene Haas co-own the four-team Stewart-Haas Racing organization. In 2012, he made the visit to Washington as both winning car owner and driver following his 2011 championship at SHR.

“It’s the chance of a lifetime,” Stewart said of Tuesday’s visit. “To have this honor to come up here for a day and acknowledge what our team’s accomplished is a huge honor to come here.”

As for the President getting behind the wheel of the No. 4?

“I said, ‘Well I’m the car owner so you have my permission,’” Stewart said. “But I think there are a lot of other people he has to convince other than me; but definitely the offer’s there.”

Childers said winning the championship “is something that we all dream about as you grow up … it makes you proud and these guys did an awesome job.

“Meeting the President? It’s something that may be a once-in-a-lifetime deal. Seeing the White House, the Capitol building, everything that goes on is just amazing to me.”

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Posted on by Nascar

More on April showers; steering wheel swap; cars heading to the R&D Center

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Related: Drivers react to late-race call

With less than 10 laps remaining and rain beginning to fall, NASCAR officials didn’t want to red-flag Sunday night’s Food City 500 in Support of Steve Byrnes at Bristol Motor Speedway.

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Instead, they hoped that by keeping cars circling the track as the brief shower passed, the surface would stay dry and racing could quickly resume following the event’s 11th caution period.
 
Eventually, cars had to be brought to pit road after running several laps at caution speed as track dryers were dispatched.
 
Austin Dillon ran out of fuel during the slowdown; others were getting close.
 
“That’s a balance,” NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O’Donnell told Sirius/XM NASCAR Radio Monday morning in an exclusive interview on the networks’ Morning Drive show. “You’ve got some drivers who are full of fuel and strategy and different things that play into it.
 
“We obviously need to manage how many laps you’re running under caution in that situation before you red flag it. You don’t want to red flag it if you don’t have to because you’re ultimately going to lose the track in that situation.
 
“If you can keep the cars out on the track, it helps us keep the track in somewhat raceable condition and can get us back earlier. In that situation, it just became too much.”
 
Stealers Wheel?
 
The supposed steering wheel swap in the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 11 Toyota during a red-flag period at Bristol Sunday didn’t take place, according to the team and Toyota officials.
 
At the second stoppage of the race for rain, the No. 11 team was prepared to exchange the car’s steering wheel, a move necessitated because XFINITY Series driver Erik Jones had replaced Denny Hamlin in the car.
 
During the television broadcast, video of a crewman walking back to the team’s pit stall with a steering wheel in his hand was shown. Initially it was described as the steering wheel that had been replaced. Moments later, it was said to be the one that would go in the car.
 
The latter was correct, but the team never got the chance to make the switch.
 
“We thought at the (second) red flag that I would be able to swap it out and hopefully change the positioning of it,” Jones said after the race, “but unfortunately I didn’t get to because (the delay) was so short and I didn’t even get out of the car.
 
“Just kind of dealt with it and moved my hands around and figured it out.”
 
Jones, who is expected to make his official Sprint Cup debut for JGR later this year, was called into action after Hamlin began experiencing back and neck pain.
 
His first laps in the Sprint Cup car came as the race resumed after the initial delay. Asked about comfort and possible changes, Jones noted that he was having issues with the steering wheel.
 
“The (steering) wheel’s too close … hurting my arm; hard to turn the wheel,” he radioed to crew chief Dave Rogers.
 
Goodyear Getting a Grip
 
NASCAR’s 2015 low downforce rules package has kept Goodyear officials busy as the official tire supplier attempts to dial in the best tire combinations for upcoming stops on the 2015 Sprint Cup Series schedule while working toward further changes that will be put into place for ’16.
 
Last week, Goodyear officials conducted a two-day test at Kentucky Speedway; next week, it’s off to Indianapolis Motor Speedway for a two-day test (April 27-28).
 
“The main objective of the Kentucky test was to bring the right-side tire there in line with several of the other high-speed mile-and-a-half speedways,” said Greg Stucker, Director of Racing for Goodyear.
 
“What we tested incorporated a different mold shape and construction from what we raced there in the past. Additionally, with the lower downforce of the 2015 rules package, we felt a left-side compound adjustment to increase grip was justified.”
 
Drivers taking part in the Kentucky test were Greg Biffle, Ryan Newman, Brett Moffitt and Jamie McMurray.
 
Teams slated to participate in the Indy test will come from BK Racing, Furniture Row Racing, Hendrick Motorsports and Richard Petty Motorsports.
 
“The surface of the (Indy) track is very abrasive, so getting the correct compounds and constructions to generate the desired wear characteristics, while maintaining the level of grip for competitive racing, is critical,” said Stucker.
 
Bristol Pit Road Fallout
 
Nearly one-half (15) of the 38 penalties handed down at Bristol Sunday were for pitting before pit road was open, a typical infraction on a short track when making repairs is more important than the loss of track position that comes with the penalty.
 
And a sizeable number of speeding penalties (11) were called, second most of the season.
 
Headed to the R&D
 
The cars of BMS race winner Matt Kenseth (Joe Gibbs Racing) and runnerup Jimmie Johnson (Hendrick Motorsports) were taken to the NASCAR Research and Development Center in Concord, North Carolina, for further evaluation as well as the No. 17 of Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (Roush Fenway Racing).
 
Stenhouse Jr. finished a season-best fourth.
 
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