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Hendrick driver kicks off Shark Week with special paint scheme

SHOP: Kahne gear
RELATED: Kahne driving full throttle into Cup future

The instructions were simple enough.
 
If you lose your balance or get knocked over, don’t wave your arms. Don’t attempt to catch yourself.
 
The sharks will come after you if you do.

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As if racing at nearly 200 mph while surrounded by 42 others all battling for the same real estate wasn’t dangerous enough, Kasey Kahne recently spent a few days in the water in the Bahamas. Surrounded by sharks.
 
"One time one rubbed me pretty good; the back half of him hit me," Kahne said. "I didn’t go over, but he rubbed me pretty good. Another time another one was pretty close, and I was like petting him in a way. I don’t know if you pet sharks, but I touched his skin. It was real hard and rough, really tough."
 
Kahne, driver of the Hendrick Motorsports No. 5 Chevrolet in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series made the trip to film for Discovery Channel’s upcoming Shark Week effort that kicks off Sunday night.
 
Great Clips, a primary sponsor of Kahne’s team, has backed the network’s annual week-long programming for the past three seasons.
 
"Maybe they weren’t Great Whites, but they were big," Kahne said of the scuba diving excursion that placed him in the water surrounded by Caribbean reef sharks and other creatures from the deep. "I enjoyed it … it was a neat experience and I’m really glad I got to do that."
 
Kahne said he went through an hour-long class to familiarize himself with the equipment and the process. After diving to just under 40 feet, he settled in as a fellow diver drew the sharks in with food.
 
"The biggest thing is just to keep your hands to yourself, don’t move your hands because they’re looking for food," Kahne said. "We had a guy down there in something like a steel mesh suit feeding them to keep them around us. So keep your hands to yourself, kind of keep them close to your chest and if a shark runs into you, just fall over.
 
"You’re seated on the floor, kind of have your legs wrapped around a rock to kind of hold yourself up because you’re on your knees. Just fall over and kind of slowly get back up.
 
"It was more about not making quick moves so it doesn’t get their attention. It was really under control, really exciting. I loved it."
 
Kahne’s No. 5 Chevrolet will feature a Shark Week/Great Clips paint scheme for Sunday’s Coke Zero 400 (7:45 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM) at Daytona International Speedway.

RELATED: See Kahne’s paint scheme
 
"I grew up as a kid watching a lot of the Shark Week shows," he said. "I still do and it’ll be pretty fun to see myself on there for 2-3 minutes. I think kids love that type of stuff and I think that’s why it’s such a big deal to Great Clips. All the kids that they see, I think the Shark Week involvement is a pretty neat deal. They do a great job with it.
 
"I had a blast. I’ll go back and do it again. I don’t know if I’ll swim with sharks again — I don’t know how to set all that stuff up — but I’ll definitely scuba."

Watch Kahne swim with the sharks below.

Posted on by Holly Cain

Adjustments made for Coke Zero 400 weekend during $400 million makeover

RELATED: Spotters relocated at Daytona

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Consider it a sneak preview.

When NASCAR teams and fans show up for this weekend’s Coke Zero 400 at the sport’s most iconic track, they will see a Daytona International Speedway in the final and crucial stages of its $400 million makeover, called Daytona Rising.

From impressive new grandstands and modern amenities for fans to improved SAFER barriers for the competitors, it’s all full throttle ahead.

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"People will notice just how immense it is,” Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood said of the remodeled and redesigned outer façade and entry that will greet fans.

"It’s gigantic, and it’s cool. The changes are so visible and people can see it and that’s what’s going to excite everybody, that the opening is just around the corner, a short seven months to get there."

Fans will notice what’s been made over, and what’s in the process.

Three of the five massive new entryways called "fan injectors" will be up and running with new escalators, elevators, concession stands and restrooms.

While there will be only 50,000 grandstand seats for Sunday’s Coke Zero 400, they are all the new wider, more comfy versions. And 10,000 of those  — located in Turn 4 — have never been used before.

Drivers such as Jamie McMurray, Austin Dillon and Joey Logano, who have previewed the various stages of construction and sampled the view from the grandstands, have all impressively declared, "there is no bad seat."

RELATED: Logano visits Daytona Rising, honors military

The press box and spotters stand will be smaller, temporary versions of themselves as work continues on a new tower. Timing and scoring will move across the track to the Daytona 500 Club in the infield. And the green flag will wave from a spotters stand at the start/finish line that stands alone against a backdrop of grandstand construction.

"It won’t be the most pretty Daytona International Speedway that we’ve ever had, but it’s just a step in the process to get us to the finished project in January of 2016,” Chitwood said. "So I know our fans will work with us. They understand this was the most critical window to get things done.

"So the Coke Zero will be a little bit of ‘pardon our dust’ opportunity, but it also shows just how much work we’ve gotten done so far."

2016 Daytona 500: Buy tickets now

Equally as significant as the improved fan experience is the work completed for the competitors. While the famed 2.5-mile superspeedway surface remains the same, DIS has installed additional SAFER barriers, as promised, following Kyle Busch‘s bad crash in February’s season-opening XFINITY Series race at Daytona. Specifically the barriers were installed on the inside of Turn 1 and an additional 20,000 square feet of asphalt was added to extend the skid pad.

"I can say really for all tracks, this is starting that cycle of repeat visits so Daytona has really stepped up and talked to all of the competitors about where you’ll see changes heading in for this year with the goal of ’16, it’ll be SAFER everywhere,” NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O’Donnell told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio on Tuesday.

"We feel really good about the progress that’s been made and the changes you’ll see at each track going forward where there will be some solutions in place. And then in ’16, you’ll see more and more of it.

"The dialogue with the competitors has been terrific in this regard and certainly something that we said needed to happen, and we’re happy to see what’s taken place, especially at Daytona, leading into this weekend."

The Coke Zero 400 marks the traditional mid-point of the NASCAR season, the first time teams return to tracks for the second half of the schedule. And this year, that means a return of NBC as a broadcast partner with Sunday’s race marking the first race telecast for the network in a 10-year deal (7:45 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM).

RELATED: All you need to know about NBC

Chitwood says DAYTONA Rising in on schedule and on budget for completion in time for Daytona Speedweeks 2016 and promises that while the facility has been transformed, the history of the speedway is intact and the intense excitement produced on the track remains unchanged.

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Sanctioning body remembers widow of NASCAR Hall of Famer Wendell Scott

RELATED: Family savors Scott’s NASCAR Hall of Fame induction

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 2, 2015) — "NASCAR extends its thoughts and condolences to the many family members and friends of Mary Scott, widow of Wendell Scott and matriarch of the Scott family.

"Loved by all, she was a friendly and welcoming presence in the garage during her husband’s competitive days in NASCAR. Her love and support provided Wendell a foundation for his many years of racing excellence, and helped guide his legend to NASCAR’s pinnacle — the NASCAR Hall of Fame."

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Tracks aim to create an ‘all-inclusive’ atmosphere

“As members of the NASCAR industry, we join NASCAR in the desire to make our events among the most fan-friendly, welcoming environments in all of sports and entertainment.

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“To do that, we are asking our fans and partners to join us in a renewed effort to create an all-inclusive, even more welcoming atmosphere for all who attend our events. This will include the request to refrain from displaying the Confederate Flag at our facilities and NASCAR events.

“We are committed to providing a welcoming atmosphere free of offensive symbols. This is an opportunity for NASCAR Nation to demonstrate its sense of mutual respect and acceptance for all who attend our events while collectively sharing the tremendous experience of NASCAR racing.”

SIGNATORIES

International Speedway Corporation (ISC)

    Auto Club Speedway

    Chicagoland Speedway

    Darlington Raceway

    Daytona International Speedway

    Homestead-Miami Speedway

    Kansas Speedway

    Martinsville Speedway

    Michigan International Speedway

    Phoenix International Raceway

    Richmond International Raceway

    Route 66 Raceway

    Talladega Superspeedway

    Watkins Glen International

Speedway Motorsports Inc. (SMI)

    Atlanta Motor Speedway

    Bristol Motor Speedway

    Charlotte Motor Speedway

    Kentucky Speedway

    Las Vegas Motor Speedway

    New Hampshire Motor Speedway

    Sonoma Raceway

    Texas Motor Speedway

Dover International Speedway

Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Pocono Raceway

Iowa Speedway

Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course

Road America

Canadian Tire Motorsport Park

Eldora Speedway

Gateway Motorsports Park       

Posted on by RJ Kraft

Johnson’s hold over Harvick similar to some of tennis’ best rivalries

RELATED: H2H: Who’s more likely to win the Chase, Harvick or Johnson?

Sports rivalries have a way of heightening an event or a competition. Most sports fans usually associate the big team rivalries with Yankees-Red Sox in baseball, Duke-UNC in college basketball or Michigan-Ohio State in college football.



However, in individual sports those rivalries usually take shape on the big stage with lots on the line. And in most cases, one particular person has had a dominant hold over the other that must be overcome for success.

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Since moving to Stewart-Haas Racing for the start of the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, Kevin Harvick has been leading laps and leading laps and then even leading some more laps. He’s paced 3,362 circuits since the start of 2014 and won seven races during that stretch.

During that same time, Jimmie Johnson has led just over half of Harvick’s count (1,742), but has eight wins. And even more importantly, seven of those eight wins for Johnson have come with Harvick as the runner-up. 



The two California natives are friends, with Harvick crediting Johnson for his advice during the Championship 4 weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway that saw Harvick win the Ford EcoBoost 400 to capture the Sprint Cup championship.



Overall though, Johnson has gotten the best of Harvick head to head. Of their 13 1-2 finishes, Johnson has finished first 11 times to Harvick’s two, not to mention Johnson’s six championships to Harvick’s one.



With tennis’ third Grand Slam event, Wimbledon, starting this week, Johnson’s hold over Harvick reminded me of how Pete Sampras used to always be able to beat fellow American, friend and rival Andre Agassi in the big spot. 

Sampras only held a 20-14 advantage lifetime over Agassi, but in Grand Slam events (the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open), Sampras was 6-2 against him and 4-1 in finals.



A more recent comparison in tennis that fits better is Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. For years, it seemed like it was a foregone conclusion that these two would meet in the finals of the French Open (on clay, Nadal’s best surface) and at Wimbledon (on grass, Federer’s best surface), with Nadal winning the French and Federer winning at Wimbledon. 



Early on, their rivalry was relatively even, but it really turned when Nadal beat Federer in the 2008 Wimbledon final, snapping Federer’s run of four straight titles at the All England Club. 

Overall, Nadal enjoys a 23-10 record over Federer and is 9-2 against him in Grand Slams (6-2 in Grand Slam finals). But since that Wimbledon final where he won, Nadal is 11-4 against him.



Federer’s dominance on grass, coupled with his defeat of Nadal twice at Wimbledon, helped the Spaniard raise his game to get past the Switzerland-born star and propel him to a long run of dominance over his rival.

Based on how the 2015 season has gone so far in NASCAR, we are very likely to see more Johnson-Harvick duels in the future. And the 2014 champion will almost certainly have more chances to best his friend and fellow championship competitor. Should one fall in Harvick’s favor, it could turn the tide of their rivalry and push him to a second straight championship, while denying Johnson’s quest for a seventh.



Special thanks to NASCAR.com’s Matt Strickert for his statistical analysis.


Posted on by RJ Kraft

2001 Pepsi 400 was also first race that NBC televised

Note: NBC Sports Network is reairing this race on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET as part of its NASCAR Classics series.

The 2001 season was far from an easy year for the NASCAR world.

 The sport was shaken to its core by a crash on the closing lap at Daytona International Speedway during the Daytona 500 that led to the passing of NASCAR Hall of Famer and seven-time champion Dale Earnhardt.

The races in the weeks after were filled with emotion as Dale Earnhardt, Inc. driver Steve Park won the week after the Daytona 500 at Rockingham. Two weeks later, Kevin Harvick, in just his third career Cup start, scored his first career win in the re-numbered No. 29 car for Richard Childress Racing. Harvick had been tapped after the Daytona crash to take over the car, which had been Earnhardt’s No. 3.

Many wondered what would happen when the sport returned to Daytona that summer for the Pepsi 400 as an emotional scene was sure to unfold.



The 2001 Pepsi 400 also marked NBC’s initial foray into NASCAR race coverage as it was the first race the network televised as part of a six-year pact with the sport. An interesting coincidence is that this year’s Coke Zero 400 at Daytona will be NBC’s first premier series race under its new TV contract that kicks in this season.



The booth for that first race featured play-by-play man Allen Bestwick with analysts Wally Dallenbach and Benny Parsons. Britney Spears gave the command to start the race.

 Here is the intro NBC used for races in 2001 featuring the song "Fuel" by Metallica.

At the time, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was 26 years old and in his second full-time season in the sport’s top series. He came to Daytona that summer on a 39-race winless streak. After experiencing the loss of his father, his 2001 season was very much up-and-down as you might imagine. He came into Daytona the sentimental and emotional favorite.



The race had plenty of emotion in the air as Sterling Marlin led the field to the green flag. Starting 13th, it took Earnhardt 26 laps to get his No. 8 Chevrolet to the front and from there it was his show for most of the night. Dale Jr. led 116 circuits in the 160-lap race en route to his third career premier series win and his first at Daytona.



The win was anything but certain though, as Junior had to hold off DEI teammate Michael Waltrip (who held off Junior to win the 2001 Daytona 500), Elliott Sadler and Ward Burton to win by 0.123 seconds.

When the checkered flag dropped, the crowd at Daytona roared with approval as Dale Jr. took the victory under the lights. There were tears and jubilation among the crew members and one heck of a burnout, not to mention a big embrace with Chocolate Myers, the fuel man with RCR on his dad’s team. The celebration spilled over to the infield with Dale Jr. and Waltrip, who never got to truly celebrate the Daytona 500 win that year, embracing.



In Victory Lane, an emotionally drained Dale Jr. told NBC’s Bill Weber, "Man, I just don’t know what to say. I am worn out. I got to thank my buddy Tony (Eury Jr.), my crew chief for hanging in there with me. All my friends, all the guys on the crew.



"I had a great car. It was all car, 100 percent. I was just holding on."



On his father he said, "he was with me tonight. I don’t know how I did it. He was there and Michael helped me. I guess we’re even now."



He also predicted that he would be "crying sooner or later." 



"I dedicate this win to him. There ain’t nobody else I could dedicate this win to that it would mean more to me."

Waltrip said of his role reversal with Dale Jr. from the last Daytona race, "I just wanted Dale Jr. to win so bad and I wanted to be a part of it. …I was committed to Dale Jr. just like he was to me in February."

The victory would be the first of three Junior recorded that season as he later added victories at Dover and Talladega in the fall.



NBC returns to NASCAR premier series coverage after a nearly nine-year absence, with Sunday night’s Coke Zero 400 (7:45 p.m. ET). Rick Allen will handle the play-by-play duties alongside analysts Jeff Burton and Steve Letarte.

Posted on by Staff Report

France: ‘Tracks are working on the right kind of solution to work with our fans’

RELATED: NASCAR statement

NASCAR announced Thursday morning an unprecedented collaboration among the tracks that host its national series events in an effort to ask fans to "refrain from displaying the Confederate Flag at our facilities and NASCAR events."
 
The sanctioning body revealed Thursday that every track signed on, vowing to help remove fans’ displays of the flag.

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"We’re all trying to be, as we should, the most inclusive sport that we can, and you can’t say that on one hand and then fly a very offensive flag to an entire race of people on the other," NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France said Wednesday on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. "It just doesn’t comport. That’s where we are, and there’s no daylight between that. And I was clear on that over (last) weekend, and our tracks are working on the right kind of solution to work with our fans."

RELATED: Brian France statement on Confederate flag
 
Before last weekend’s Sprint Cup Series event at Sonoma Raceway, drivers Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon threw their support behind NASCAR’s recent statement about the ongoing national debate.
 
The flag has become a national talking point in the wake of the shooting in a Charleston, South Carolina, church July 17 that left nine African-American worshipers dead. Authorities arrested 21-year-old Dylann Roof in connection with the tragedy, finding as part of their investigation a supremacist manifesto and photos posed with the Confederate flag attributed to Roof through social media.
 
Days after the killings, South Carolina governor Nikki Haley called for the removal of the Civil War battle flag of the Confederacy from the state’s capitol grounds. Last Friday, Earnhardt issued a no-nonsense statement of his own, reiterating his thoughts on the flag’s symbolism.
 
"I’ve made my comments about the Confederate flag several times, and I stand behind NASCAR’s stance to remove it," Earnhardt, NASCAR’s most popular driver, said before Friday’s opening practice at Sonoma. "I think if it’s offensive to an entire race, it really does nothing for anybody to be there flying. It belongs in the history books, that’s about it.’’
 
France said Wednesday that the sanctioning body’s stance is clear.
 
"We’ve taken the position that we need to disassociate ourselves with that symbol, that flag in every way that we can because it just represents a very offensive message, and I think Dale Jr. said it best," France said. "That flag belongs in a museum and part of our history but not flying at a NASCAR race and part of our future. He said it about as well as you could say it."
 
Gordon — a four-time NASCAR champion in his final full season of competition and like Earnhardt, a driver for Hendrick Motorsports — echoed his teammate’s remarks last weekend at Sonoma.
 
"As far as the Confederate flag I think that… I know how we approach it at Hendrick Motorsports and that is everything that we can control," Gordon said. "We have eliminated the ability to use it in any way or it show up in any of the things that we are involved with. I think that is the stance I see that NASCAR has taken and have had that stance for several years. To me I’m in support of what they are doing. It’s a delicate balance. We race all over, but the South is an area where we have a lot of fans. Everyone has different opinions and expression of that. I support NASCAR and the stance that they are taking."

RELATED: NASCAR statement | ISC statement
 
Both NASCAR and International Speedway Corporation (ISC) issued statements last week backing Governor Haley’s recommendation and to reiterate their views on the flag. Daytona International Speedway, an ISC track, announced Tuesday that it would implement a voluntary program where fans can exchange their Confederate flags for American ones during this weekend’s Coke Zero 400.

Zack Albert contributed to this article.

Posted on by Nascar

After Sonoma, Busch boys join list of brothers who finish 1-2

It’s not unusual for brothers to compete against one another in NASCAR’s premier series, and as it turns out, it’s not unusual for them to occasionally finish 1-2 in a race.

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Such was the case this past weekend at Sonoma Raceway when Kyle Busch won the event while older brother Kurt finished second.

It was, however, a first for the Las Vegas natives, who have been competing together fulltime at NASCAR’s top level since 2005. Combined, they have won 57 Sprint Cup Series races (Kyle 30, Kurt 27) but it wasn’t until Sunday that the two crossed the finish line 1-2 for the first time.

According to NASCAR records, brothers have finished first and second 26 times. Before Sunday, the last 1-2 finish between siblings came in 1999 when Jeff and Ward Burton finished 1-2 in the 50th annual running of the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.

It marked the third, and final, time the Burtons swept the top two spots in a Sprint Cup Series race. Jeff, the younger of the two, finished first on all three occasions, beating Ward at Rockingham, N.C., and Las Vegas in ’99 as well.

The very first time brothers took the top two spots? That took place in just the second year of NASCAR when two of the three racing Flock brothers, Tim and Bob, finished 1-2 respectively on April 2, 1950 at Charlotte Speedway. The Flocks, which included brother Fonty as well, posted 1-2 finishes 13 times during their racing careers. Never managed the sweep, it seems, with the three winding up first, second and third.

The Labonte brothers, Terry and Bobby, account for three of the 26 1-2 finishes by brothers. Both are former NASCAR Sprint Cup champions; Terry will be inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame next January.

Two of their three 1-2 finishes came in ’95. When Bobby scored his first career Sprint Cup win in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte, Terry placed second.

That same year, Bobby won the GM Goodwrench 400 at Michigan International Speedway to complete a sweep at the 2-mile track located in the Irish Hills. Terry wound up a distant second, trailing his younger brother by nearly seven seconds.

Terry finally drew some measure of revenge a few years later, winning at Talladega while Bobby finished second.

The string of 1-2 finishes by the Labontes came more than 20 years after the Allisons, Bobby and Donnie, took first and second in the Coca-Cola 600 at CMS.

The Allisons, charter members of the legendary Alabama Gang, managed the feat on four occasions. The only other siblings to score a 1-2 finish were the Thomas brothers, Herb and Donald, who did so on one occasion in 1954 at Orange Speedway in Hillsboro, N.C.

There have several other pairings that have competed in the same events through the years. But there was never a 1-2 finish for the Waltrips (Darrell and Michael), the Bodines (Geoff, Brett and Todd), the Wallaces (Rusty, Steve and Kenny), or the Parsons (Benny and Phil). The Pettys, Richard and Maurice, competed in the same race on numerous occasions as well, but also never posted a 1-2 finish.

For Kyle Busch, Sunday’s victory was especially memorable. It was his first win since returning from injuries suffered at Daytona in February of this season, and it included a runnerup finish by his brother.

"We grew up racing on ovals, but to do that here on a road course, I think that’s just a true testament to our father and everything he’s done for us over the years to get us to the point," Kyle said afterward.

"To have both Busch brothers be as good as we are and to be winning drivers on the Sprint Cup tour each year is certainly a true testament to our family."

Posted on by NASCAR Wire Service

NASCAR CMO Phelps: ‘Technology is incredibly important for us’

RELATED: NASCAR news release

Technology, in the form of Fortune 500 investment, is reinforcing the notion that NASCAR makes good business sense.
 
For the third consecutive year, the number of Fortune 500 companies utilizing NASCAR as part of their marketing mix has increased. In fact, nearly half of America’s Fortune 100 companies invest with NASCAR to help drive their business and more than one in four Fortune 500 companies are on board.
 
The new analysis, conducted and released by NASCAR on Wednesday, indicated a 7 percent increase in Fortune 500 corporate involvement since the 2014 study.
 
The 130 Fortune 500 companies now involved in the sport reflect a 20 percent increase since 2008.
 
Now, investment is back in a big way, led by high tech involvement in the sport.

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"Technology is incredibly important for us," says Steve Phelps, NASCAR chief marketing officer. "It’s not only about helping us grow, financially, but how technology helps change people’s perception of NASCAR. Technology helps us on the race track with things like safety initiatives and brings fans closer to the sport they love in many ways."
 
Phelps said the sport began to notice tech’s impact with Hewlett-Packard’s involvement three years ago. Now, NASCAR’s partnership with Microsoft has other tech companies taking note. Tech corporation involvement is up 66 percent since 2013.
 
"No question, this is great news for us," Phelps says. "We want our fan base to become younger and more diverse. Technology brings those fans. It’s important for us to be there, working with these companies."
 
Phelps sees Microsoft’s collaboration with NASCAR as a true win-win that other tech firms might seek to emulate.
 
"Microsoft, which signed deals with NASCAR and Hendrick Motorsports, has used NASCAR as a validator of their technology," Phelps said. "One existing piece is an app they developed that helps us with the inspection process prior to the race. We’re doing things in half the time we used to, using a mobile inspection app as opposed to collecting information manually. This helps with data collection and storage."
 
Phelps is quick to point out that investment in NASCAR’s sanctioning body, its tracks and its teams extends far beyond the Fortune 500 list.
 
"NASCAR continues to be a great place for all companies to get their marketing message across," Phelps said. "When you look at NASCAR’s recovery over the past three years, I think it speaks volumes about how NASCAR continues to do very well in attracting businesses of all sizes.
 
"It’s a way for business to reach the most loyal fans in all of sport who vote with their wallets. This continues to be the case in every research report we’ve done: NASCAR fans support brands that support their favorite sport. We think this is a major point of differentiation for us."
 
Brand exposure in NASCAR is especially valuable given the loyalty of its fans. Repucom’s SponsorLink tracker shows seven out of 10 NASCAR fans are loyal to a brand when it sponsors their sport, higher than all other major sports properties.       
 
NASCAR CEO Brent Dewar echoed Phelps’ assessment in analyzing the most recent study.
 
"We are gratified that NASCAR continues to be a place where best-in-class corporations choose our sport to drive brand awareness, preference and purchase behavior," Dewar said. "Our fans are fiercely loyal to our sport and the Fortune 500 brands that are an integral part of the NASCAR eco-system. We collaborate with partners across the industry each and every day to grow the sport and help advance sponsors’ objectives."
 
It hasn’t hurt that NASCAR has taken a proactive approach in attracting and discussing its business environment with its investors. An example is NASCAR’s Fuel for Business Council, which meets quarterly, and gets business leaders talking about opportunities in NASCAR, including branding and business-to-business opportunities. This month’s meeting in San Francisco featured presentations by Microsoft and by Fanatics, which is in the process of revolutionizing the sport’s at-track merchandising operations.
 
"It’s an opportunity for companies to talk to each other, and that’s really important," Phelps said. "Microsoft’s presentation answered the question: ‘Why are we in NASCAR?’ In the end, we do business-to-business better than any sport on the planet – an important point of differentiation for investors."
 
Phelps points out that investment extends far beyond the scope of Fortune 500 corporations and does not include dozens of companies advertising with NASCAR’s media partners or the hundreds of small- and mid-sized businesses with direct ties to the sport.
 
To be eligible for the Fortune 500, a company must be based in the U.S. and be publicly traded. Though many more Fortune 500 companies advertise on NASCAR-related television programming, only those that are partners or licensees with the sanctioning body, teams and / or tracks were counted in the analysis.
 
Although being a Fortune 500 company is the "gold standard" of success for publicly-traded companies in the U.S., several global corporations currently involved in NASCAR were not included in the analysis because they do not meet Fortune 500 criteria.  Those include Ingersoll Rand, MillerCoors, Mars, McLaren and Toyota.