Posted on by Staff Report

Height infraction at Charlotte results in P2-level penalty

RELATED: NASCAR Official Release

NASCAR delivered P2-class penalties Tuesday to the JR Motorsports No. 00 Chevrolet team in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series for a ride-height violation discovered after the team’s victory last Friday at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

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Kasey Kahne edged rookie Erik Jones by .005 seconds in a photo finish, posting the first win for the JRM truck team co-owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr. But NASCAR officials said the No. 00 truck failed the post-race inspection, measuring too low on both sides in the front and too high on the right-rear corner. The inspection results caused Earnhardt to tweet "so the left-rear was good."
 
As a result of the infraction, NASCAR fined crew chief Joe Shear Jr. $6,000 and placed him on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31. Competition officials also deducted 10 points from Earnhardt in the team owner standings.
 
NASCAR eliminated rules restricting ride heights in the Sprint Cup Series ahead of the 2014 season, but those mandated limits remain in place for NASCAR’s other two national tours — the XFINITY Series and Camping World Truck Series.

MORE: Kahne wins thriller; truck fails inspection | Watch final laps 

Kahne started at the rear of the field after the JRM team made an unapproved shock change before the North Carolina Education Lottery 200. NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O’Donnell said in a Monday appearance on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio that all factors, including on-track wear and tear, would be considered in Tuesday’s meeting of competition officials at the sanctioning body’s Research & Development Center in Concord, North Carolina.
 
"Every car or truck will have to pass pre-race inspection, so that’s something that there’s a balance there at the end of the race to make sure certain components aren’t being manipulated, and that’s our job to look at, but there’s also cases where some pieces legitimately break," O’Donnell said. "These vehicles are out there running high 190s to 200 miles per hour, lots of contact especially when you talk truck racing. That’s something that we take into consideration when we’re evaluating all the vehicles post-race."
 
The Camping World Truck Series’ next event is scheduled for May 29 at Dover International Speedway.

Posted on by Staff Report

NASCAR levies P3 penalty; crew chief fined $15,000

RELATED: NASCAR official release

NASCAR issued a P3-level penalty against the JD Motorsports No. 4 team in the XFINITY Series on Tuesday for improperly secured ballast, which caused an accident during last weekend’s event at Iowa Speedway.

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A piece of either lead or tungsten fell off the JD Motorsports No. 4 Chevrolet as driver Ross Chastain merged back onto the track during Saturday’s opening practice. The loose weight was then struck by the Viva Motorsports No. 55 entry of Jamie Dick, causing severe damage to the car’s A-pillar area, roof and windshield.
 
The infraction was a violation of sections 12.1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and 20.17.2.1 (overall vehicle weight) of the 2015 NASCAR rule book, which deems that any and all ballast added to the vehicle must be "bolted inside an added ballast container, inside the main frame rails, and/or inside the front sway bar mounting tube."

As a result, NASCAR fined crew chief Gary Cogswell $15,000 and placed him on probation through Dec. 31. Additionally, car chief Charles Kent was placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31.
 
In a statement issued by the JDM team Tuesday evening, team owner Johnny Davis said the organization would not appeal the penalty.
 
"We understand the severity of violation, and we accept NASCAR’s decision," he said. "We have investigated the incident on our end and made changes to ensure that a similar event does not occur again.
 
"We would like to thank NASCAR for it’s fair decision-making and the care they show for all teams in the XFINITY Series. …
 
"We have expressed our concerns about the incident to Jamie Dick and the Viva Motorsports organization and are certain our groups can move forward, compete aggressively and continue the great racing for which the series is known."
 
In addition to the No. 4 entry of Chastain, JDM also fields XFINITY Series entries for drivers Landon Cassill and Harrison Rhodes.

The errant ballast from the JD Motorsports car pierced the windshield area on the No. 55 Chevrolet, denting Dick’s helmet. Dick was evaluated and checked for concussion symptoms before being released from the infield care center.
 
NASCAR race officials investigated the damage to both the car and helmet after Saturday’s crash. Dick finished 25th the following day in the 3M 250.
 
"NASCAR was there right away inspecting and seeing what happened," Dick said Saturday at the .875-mile track. "The laminated windshield did its job, which is the good part, and that’s something they implemented a year ago or so. That held up or else it would’ve been a much worse day."
 
XFINITY Series director Wayne Auton told reporters Saturday at Iowa that he expected punishment to be stern. NASCAR officials handed down a P3-grade penalty in March to the HScott Motorsports team of driver Justin Allgaier after a similar violation during a Sprint Cup Series event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
 
"Number one, safety is our biggest concern out of anything that we do in motorsports," Auton said. "It’s a sport that there’s 10,000 revolving pieces 24/7 when vehicles are on the race track or they’re sitting here in the garage area.
 
"… Any time that we have found weight coming out of race cars on the race track, we’ve been pretty harsh about it. We have to be. That’s part of it. People are sitting up here in the grandstands and drivers sitting inside these race cars."

Posted on by Zack Albert

Carolina Panthers linebacker named honorary pace car driver for Coke 600

CONCORD, N.C. — Making friends with a member of the NFL’s Carolina Panthers on Tuesday wasn’t all that easy for Dale Earnhardt Jr., a diehard fan of the Washington Redskins.
 
The driver’s outward allegiance to a rival team wasn’t lost on Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis, who rode along with Earnhardt at rapid speed at Charlotte Motor Speedway, shortly after gaining his certification to be the honorary pace car driver for Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 (6 p.m. ET, FOX, PRN, SiriusXM).

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"It’s OK. I mean, we take care of the Redskins, like I said earlier," Davis said, fully aware of his team’s three straight victories against Washington. "I’m pretty sure he knows."
 
Davis’ crossover into the world of NASCAR was a seamless one, as the 10th-year pro was unfazed as a passenger for Earnhardt’s five-lap thrill ride. Part of Davis’ nonchalance perhaps stemmed from the similar intensity of his day job, delivering hard hits as part of the Panthers defense.
 
"I ran that thing as hard as it’d go," said Earnhardt, who estimated he approached speeds of nearly 175-180 mph in a Richard Petty Driving Experience machine with his No. 88 colors. "I was watching him over there. He wasn’t impressed. He was filming the whole thing with his phone, like he was riding down the interstate."
 
The connection between Earnhardt and Davis reaches further than their common ground as participants in adrenaline-fueled sports. Davis’ humanitarian efforts earned him recognition as the 2014 recipient of the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, an accolade sponsored by Nationwide — an Earnhardt sponsor.
 
Those bonds, as well as their mutual affiliation with the Charlotte community, have helped Earnhardt separate his fandom from his personal interactions with Panthers players.
 
"Actually, it’s gotten easier," Earnhardt said. "I’ve got a lot of friends — real, real close friends — that are Panthers fans and they make it real hard to pull for the Panthers the way they act and cheer for their team is just … I don’t know. Some of my close buddies, they just don’t have any class when it comes to the Panthers, especially when they beat the Redskins. I have to hear about it years and years later, and they beat ’em two years ago and I still hear about that.
 
"But I got to get to know (Panthers tight end Greg) Olsen really good, working together with him on some stuff for our charities and he restored my faith in the football team. I really appreciate what they do for the Charlotte community and the area. Obviously, being a business owner in downtown Charlotte with Whisky River, they have a huge influence on our business and our company and the decisions we make, and they’re something that we’re very proud of. I’ll always pull for the Redskins, number one, but I’m definitely warming up to the Panthers after meeting some of the players. They’ve got some genuine, quality people on their team, and Thomas is one of them."
 
The two athletes exchanged helmets as gifts before their ride-along, but Earnhardt said he hadn’t given much thought to making a sports crossover of his own. The 40-year-old driver said he’s attended Redskins training camps in the past, but seemed content to limit his football participation to made-for-TV backyard games in Wrangler commercials.
 
"I’m really nervous and shy, so I don’t know if I’d want to put myself out there like that," Earnhardt said, noting that he was always too small to suit up in high school. "But just because I’m a fan of a particular sport doesn’t mean I think I’m very talented in it at participating. I enjoy the occasional softball game with my buddies or basketball in the gym with my friends. And I love going to the training camp to see the ‘Skins and just get an idea of how the team feels and how their morale is and their energy on the field is when they’re training, but I don’t need to be out there trying to play."
 
Davis’ own training exercise Tuesday was slightly less rigorous, but he still earned a thumbs-up from NASCAR official Wayne Auton to lead the 43-car field to the green flag in Sunday’s 600-miler, stock-car racing’s longest event. In some ways, Davis said, his pace-car duties are nothing new, drawing yet another parallel to Earnhardt’s day job.
 
"I’m always ready to perform on Sunday," Davis said.

Posted on by Zack Albert

Reigning Sprint Cup champ to help determine seventh class of enshrinees

RELATED: Watch Wednesday at 6 p.m. ET | See the NASCAR Hall of Fame classes
MORE: Meet the nominees | Meet the voting panel

Kevin Harvick has had plenty of added responsibilities this season, obligations and accolades that he’s gladly accepted with being the reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion. Wednesday, he’ll exercise another official capacity as the sitting champ — casting his vote for the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s Class of 2016 inductees.

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Five honorees will be chosen from a list of 20 decorated nominees for enshrinement during Wednesday’s annual Voting Day festivities. After the ballots from the 58-member voting panel are tabulated, the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s seventh class will be revealed at 6 p.m. ET, broadcast on NBC Sports Network and live-streamed on NASCAR.com.
 
Harvick paid a visit to the NASCAR Hall of Fame two weeks ago, revealing a retro paint scheme for the Stewart-Haas Racing No. 4 Chevrolet that he’ll drive at Darlington Raceway in September. He was joined by 2015 Hall of Fame inductee Rex White, who also made the No. 4 famous in NASCAR’s formative years.
 
Harvick emphasized the contributions of White and many of stock-car racing’s pioneers in helping build the sport for generations to come. He also stressed the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s importance in educating new fans about the sport’s origins, but added that he’d also be educating himself before casting his ballot.
 
"I want to be sitting at my desk for a while, making sure that I’m thorough and understanding," Harvick said, noting that he received a binder full of information about the nominees approximately three weeks ago. "Even myself, there are some of the guys that you don’t know a lot about and some that you know a lot more about than the others and that shouldn’t sway what I think or what I do with the vote just for the fact that I need to learn about the people that I don’t know about that have been just as big a part of the sport.
 
"So I’m looking forward to that and definitely looking forward to the process and being part of the whole thing."
 
NASCAR announced on November 14, 2013 that the reigning Sprint Cup champion would be added to the Hall of Fame selection process. That announcement preceded wider revisions to the eligibility and voting procedures the following month, eliminating the waiting period in some cases for recently retired drivers.
 
That change has helped kindle a trend in recent years, with more current veteran drivers — Rusty Wallace (2013), Dale Jarrett (2014) and Bill Elliott (2015) — winning election into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Should the trend continue, the most likely eligible candidates are two-time premier series champion Terry Labonte and Mark Martin, a five-time runner-up in NASCAR’s top division.
 
Martin, 56, was among the five new names added to the list of nominees in February. He joined fellow drivers Alan Kulwicki and Hershel McGriff, plus longtime crew chiefs Ray Evernham and Harry Hyde on the ballot.
 
The remaining 15 nominees (listed alphabetically) who will reappear on Wednesday’s ballot: Buddy Baker, Red Byron, Richard Childress, Jerry Cook, Ray Fox, Rick Hendrick, Bobby Isaac, Labonte, Raymond Parks, Benny Parsons, Larry Phillips, Bruton Smith, Mike Stefanik, Curtis Turner and Robert Yates.

Posted on by Nascar

Driver Allgaier is not too young, not too old — but still looks for ‘just right’

SPARTANBURG, S.C. — The life-sized Elvis still gazes out the front window, stopped in mid-gyration while keeping watch on the traffic that zooms along the Interstate here on the northeastern edge of the city.

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Evidence of a former owner, one with an attitude a bit more on the free side when it came to NASCAR.

Some areas of the building are a bit more cramped today, with two teams operating out of a shop originally built for one, but the folks at HScott Motorsports aren’t exactly hanging all over one another.
 
Cars recently on the track are being stripped and rebuilt, others are closer to completion and soon will be loaded up for journeys to Dover, Pocono, Michigan or some other locale.
 
There’s talk of moving the team’s headquarters closer to Charlotte, but for now it’s no more than that.
 
Familiar faces abound throughout the building, crew chief and car chief and fabricator among them. Folks who have spent years elsewhere now call HScott home. Some have called this home a bit longer — parts manager Art Owens is the unofficial shop historian and says he came on board when the building was completed. Originally home to Buckshot Racing and driver Buckshot Jones, Sprint Cup team owner James Finch moved in when the Jones gang moved out.
 
Today, it’s the home of HSM with its two Sprint Cup teams for drivers Justin Allgaier and Michael Annett.
 
• • •
 
Roughly one-third of the way through the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, Allgaier sits 28th in points, Annett 33rd. Plenty of work remains to be done, both on and off the track.
 
At this point a year ago, Allgaier was 29th in points; his team, headed up by veteran crew chief Steve Addington, has "definitely been better this year," Allgaier, 28, said last week.
 
"It’s frustrating because I feel we’ve run better and still don’t have the finishes to show for it."
 
An eighth-place finish at Bristol (Tennessee) Motor Speedway earlier this year was his first career top 10 in Sprint Cup. But a 12th-place finish at Auto Club Speedway even before that trumps the BMS finish.
 
"We had an awful race and finished 12th (at ACS)," he said. "We executed well and pulled off a good finish. For me … that’s been the most important part. Figuring out how to execute the last 10 percent of the race. Whatever that distance may be, that last 10 percent I feel like is where we’ve struggled and where we have to be to get the finishes we feel we deserve."
 
Allgaier is in an unusual position. Similar to many of today’s veterans, he came to Sprint Cup through the lower-tier NASCAR series. He’s only in his second full season at this level, having spent four years prepping in what’s now the XFINITY Series.
 
Most of today’s veterans are in their mid-30s or early 40s; on the other end of the Sprint Cup spectrum, the youngsters are barely old enough to shave.
 
"I don’t feel like an old guy, but that’s true," Allgaier said. "When I was trying to make it … to this point, I raced with a lot of guys that got that opportunity at a young age. A lot of young guys were getting development deals … and a lot of stuff got crashed. There was a lot of teaching. That seemed to be the goal of a development program, spend a lot of money to teach these guys how to race the right way.
 
"Flip to now, look at Chase Elliott, Erik Jones. These guys have gotten that training from the time they were 10-12 years old, learning what I was learning at 25. You make the transition now and you’re way more ready.
 
"I don’t feel like I’m on the older side, but I know that I’m not 23 or 25 and getting that opportunity. I have to do a better job with a shorter window of opportunity than a lot of these guys that are coming up."
 
• • •
 
A year ago, there were a lot of questions and not enough answers for the single-car entity.
 
"You’re always trying to make things better, but did you make the right choice?" Allgaier said. "Are we running the best we can be running?"
 
The addition of Annett, 28 and in just his second full season at the Sprint Cup level, has helped to shed new light on some of those concerns.
 
"I feel like we’ve gained a lot. Not that the finishes show it, but I think we’ve grown tremendously," Allgaier said. "Learning how to balance all that and making sure that we put two really good cars on the race track has been the key and we’ve done that very well, I think."
 
• • •
 
Allgaier spent two years (2009-10) at Team Penske competing in the XFINITY Series, winning once and finishing in the top 10 in points both years. He added a pair of wins in the series while driving for team owner Steve Turner.
 
Multiple teams, stock car and open-wheel, reside inside the sprawling Penske shop. The building is so large, pit-stop practices are often held inside.
 
"They both have their advantages and they both have their disadvantages," Allgaier said of the two facilities. At Penske, "it seemed like you had every single resource you could ever want. In some aspects, that’s great. However, sometimes it took a lot longer to implement something because there were so many more channels, so many more hoops to jump through and so many more people that had to touch each part.
 
"I feel like we have a great team here; we’ve got a lot of room for growth. And ultimately that’s all you can ask for."
 
Contending for wins would be nice, but Allgaier admits that’s quite a leap given their present position.
 
"I’m not going to be greedy, not going to say that I think we have a shot at wining a race right now," he said. "I’m not going to say that we don’t.
 
"But at the same time I think we’re a lot closer than we were."

Posted on by Staff Report

A look ahead to the Memorial Day weekend race at Charlotte

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 18, 2014) – Below is a look at some of the top statistical performers at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina going into the Coca-Cola 600 on May 24 (6 p.m. ET on FOX).

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CHARLOTTE-SPECIFIC STATISTICS

Greg Biffle (No. 16 Ortho Ford)

·         Five top fives, eight top 10s; one pole

·         Average finish of 17.3

·         Average Running Position of 15.3, 10th-best

·         Driver Rating of 88.7, eighth-best

·         303 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most

·         Average Green Flag Speed of 176.378 mph, ninth-fastest

·         3,918 Laps in the Top 15 (54.6%), ninth-most

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

Kurt Busch (No. 41 Haas Automation Chevrolet)

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

·         Average finish of 19.4

·         Driver Rating of 84.4, 12th-best

·         216 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most

·         3,833 Laps in the Top 15 (53.4%), 10th-most

Kyle Busch (No. 18 Skittles Toyota)

·         10 top fives, 14 top 10s; two poles

·         Average finish of 15.1

·         Average Running Position of 9.8, second-best

·         Driver Rating of 106.7, second-best

·         478 Fastest Laps Run, third-most

·         Average Green Flag Speed of 177.219 mph, second-fastest

·         5,624 Laps in the Top 15 (78.4%), second-most

·         1,007 Quality Passes, second-most

Carl Edwards (No. 19 Subway Toyota)

·         Six top fives, 13 top 10s

·         Average finish of 11.3

·         Average Running Position of 14.6, ninth-best

·         Driver Rating of 89.6, seventh-best

·         1,671 Green Flag Passes, second-most

·         4,450 Laps in the Top 15 (62.0%), seventh-most

·         848 Quality Passes, fifth-most

Jeff Gordon (No. 24 Drive To End Hunger Chevrolet)

·         Five wins, 17 top fives, 24 top 10s; nine poles

·         Average finish of 15.5

·         Average Running Position of 14.2, seventh-best

·         Driver Rating of 91.6, sixth-best

·         280 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most

·         Average Green Flag Speed of 176.644 mph, third-fastest

·         4,562 Laps in the Top 15 (63.6%), sixth-most

·         826 Quality Passes, sixth-most

Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Office Toyota)

·         Four top fives, 11 top 10s; one pole

·         Average finish of 13.5

·         Average Running Position of 12.6, fourth-best

·         Driver Rating of 92.8, fifth-best

·         239 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most

·         Average Green Flag Speed of 176.433 mph, sixth-fastest

·         4,837 Laps in the Top 15 (71.4%), third-most

·         791 Quality Passes, seventh-most

Kevin Harvick (No. 4 Budweiser / Jimmy John’s Chevrolet)

·         Three wins, five top fives, 11 top 10s

·         Average finish of 15.8

·         Average Running Position of 16.4, 12th-best

·         Driver Rating of 84.7, 11th-best

·         214 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-most

·         1,609 Green Flag Passes, fourth-most

·         4,254 Laps in the Top 15 (59.3%), eighth-most

·         743 Quality Passes, eighth-most

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

·         Seven wins, 13 top fives, 17 top 10s; four poles

·         Average finish of 11.4

·         Series-best Average Running Position of 7.6

·         Series-best Driver Rating of 111.6

·         Series-high 688 Fastest Laps Run

·         1,444 Green Flag Passes, 12th-most

·         Series-best Average Green Flag Speed of 177.298 mph

·         Series-high 6,277 Laps in the Top 15 (87.5%)

·         Series-high 1,031 Quality Passes

Kasey Kahne (No. 5 LIFTMASTER Chevrolet)

·         Four wins, nine top fives, 13 top 10s

·         Average finish of 11.5

·         Average Running Position of 11.8, third-best

·         Driver Rating of 100.8, third-best

·         667 Fastest Laps Run, second-most

·         1,642 Green Flag Passes, third-most

·         Average Green Flag Speed of 176.601 mph, fourth-fastest

·         4,725 Laps in the Top 15 (65.9%), fourth-most

·         874 Quality Passes, third-most

Matt Kenseth (No. 20 DEWALT Toyota)

·         Two wins, nine top fives, 16 top 10s

·         Average finish of 13.6

·         Average Running Position of 13.8, fifth-best

·         Driver Rating of 95.5, fourth-best

·         379 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most

·         1,531 Green Flag Passes, sixth-most

·         Average Green Flag Speed of 176.531 mph, fifth-fastest

·         4,680 Laps in the Top 15 (65.2%), fifth-most

·         854 Quality Passes, fourth-most

Brad Keselowski (No. 2 Miller Lite Ford)

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

·         Average finish of 15.7

·         Average Running Position of 14.6, eighth-best

·         Driver Rating of 86.5, 10th-best

·         Average Green Flag Speed of 176.408 mph, eighth-fastest

Joey Logano (No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford)

·         Four top fives, seven top 10s

·         Average finish of 10.0

·         Average Running Position of 14.0, sixth-best

·         Driver Rating of 88.4, ninth-best

·         Average Green Flag Speed of 176.344 mph, 11th-fastest

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

Rank

Driver

Races

Poles

Wins

Top Fives

Top 10s

DNFs

Average Finish

Driver Rating

  
 

1

Kevin Harvick

28

0

3

5

11

1

15.8

84.7

  

2

Martin Truex Jr.

19

0

0

0

4

0

18.5

77.0

  

3

Jimmie Johnson

27

4

7

13

17

4

11.4

111.6

  

4

Joey Logano

12

0

0

4

7

0

10.0

88.4

  

5

Dale Earnhardt Jr.

30

1

0

5

11

4

19.4

81.1

  

6

Brad Keselowski

11

1

1

2

3

1

15.7

86.5

  

7

Matt Kenseth

31

0

2

9

16

5

13.6

95.5

  

8

Jamie McMurray

25

0

2

7

10

3

16.6

80.0

  

9

Jeff Gordon

44

9

5

17

24

10

15.5

91.6

  

10

Kasey Kahne

22

0

4

9

13

1

11.5

100.8

  

11

Aric Almirola

6

1

0

0

0

1

19.5

74.3

  

12

Paul Menard

16

0

0

0

2

2

22.9

66.1

  

13

Ryan Newman

28

9

0

4

11

5

18.5

79.0

  

14

Kurt Busch

29

0

1

6

7

4

19.4

84.4

  

15

Denny Hamlin

19

1

0

4

11

1

13.5

92.8

  

16

Clint Bowyer

18

0

1

2

5

1

17.1

82.0

  

* – Based on last 19 races at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

 

Charlotte Motor Speedway Data

Season Race #: 12 of 36 (05-24-15)

Track Size: 1.5-miles

Banking/Turns 1 & 2: 24 degrees

Banking/Turns 3 & 4: 24 degrees

Banking/Frontstretch: 5 degrees

Banking/Backstretch: 5 degrees

Frontstretch Length:  1,980 feet

Backstretch Length:  1,500 feet

Race Length: 400 laps / 600 miles

 

Top 10 Driver Ratings at Charlotte

Jimmie Johnson…………………… 111.6

Kyle Busch…………………………. 106.7

Kasey Kahne……………………….. 100.8

Matt Kenseth………………………… 95.5

Denny Hamlin……………………….. 92.8

Jeff Gordon………………………….. 91.6

Carl Edwards………………………… 89.6

Greg Biffle……………………………. 88.7

Joey Logano………………………… 88.4

Brad Keselowski……………………. 86.5

Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2014 races (19 total) among active drivers at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Qualifying/Race Data

2014 pole winner:

Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet

194.911 mph, 27.705 secs. 05-22-14

2014 race winner:

Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet

145.484 mph, (04:07:27), 05-25-14

Track qualifying record:

Kurt Busch, Chevrolet

198.771 mph, 27.167 secs. 10-09-14

Track race (600 miles) record:

Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet

155.687 mph, (03:51:14), 05-27-12

 

At Charlotte Motor Speedway:

History

·         Construction began on Charlotte Motor Speedway (CMS) in 1959.

·         The track’s first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was held on June 19, 1960 – won by Joe Lee Johnson.

·         The track was repaved midseason in 1994.

·      The track name changed from Charlotte Motor Speedway to Lowe’s Motor Speedway in 1999. It changed back to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the 2010 season.

·         The track was re-paved again before the 2006 season.

Notebook

·         There have been 112 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points races at Charlotte Motor Speedway, two races per year since the track opened in 1960. In 1961, there were two 100-mile qualifying points races held the week before the May race. The first six fall races at Charlotte were 400-mile events (1960-65).

·         527 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points paying race at Charlotte Motor Speedway; 378 in more than one. 441 drivers have competed in the Coca-Cola 600; 287 in more than one.

·        NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty leads the series in starts at Charlotte with 64. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 44 starts; followed by Matt Kenseth and Tony Stewart with 31. Richard Petty and Bill Elliott have made the most Coca-Cola 600 starts with 31 each; Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers in 600 starts with 22.

·         Fireball Roberts won the inaugural Coors Light pole at Charlotte Motor Speedway (World 600) in 1960 with a speed of 133.904 mph.  

·         42 drivers have Coors Light poles at Charlotte, led by David Pearson with 14. Ryan Newman and Jeff Gordon lead all active drivers in poles at CMS with nine.

·         David Pearson and Ryan Newman are tied for the series most Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR Sprint Cup Coors Light poles with six each; followed by Jeff Gordon with five.

·         12 drivers have won consecutive Coors Light poles at Charlotte. David Pearson holds the record for most consecutive poles at Charlotte with 11; from the fall of 1973 through 1978.

·         Jeff Gordon won five straight Coca-Cola 600 poles at Charlotte between 1994 and 1998.

·         Youngest Charlotte pole winner: Jeff Gordon (10/10/1993 – 22 years, 2 months, 6 days).

·         Oldest Charlotte pole winner: Bobby Allison (10/11/1987 – 49 years, 10 months, 8 days).

·         45 different drivers have won at Charlotte Motor Speedway, led by Jimmie Johnson with seven wins including four Coca-Cola 600 wins – 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2014.  

·         30 different drivers have won the Coca-Cola 600, led by NASCAR Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip with five; Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers with four; followed by teammates Jeff Gordon and Kasey Kahne with three each.

·         Nine drivers have posted consecutive wins at Charlotte Motor Speedway, including three consecutive by NASCAR Hall of Famer Fred Lorenzen (fall 1964 and both 1965) and four straight by Jimmie Johnson (2004 and 2005 sweeps).

·         A season sweep at Charlotte has occurred eight times, including each season from 2004-2007.

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

·         Youngest Charlotte winner: Jeff Gordon (05/29/1994 – 22 years, 9 months, 25 days).

·         Oldest Charlotte winner: Cale Yarborough (10/06/1985 – 46 years, 6 months, 9 days).

·         Hendrick Motorsports has the most wins at Charlotte in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with 18: Jimmie Johnson (seven), Jeff Gordon (five), Darrell Waltrip (two), Ken Schrader (one), Terry Labonte (one), Casey Mears (one) and Kasey Kahne (one).  

·         Eight different manufacturers have won in the NSCS at Charlotte; led by Chevrolet with 43 victories; followed by Ford with 29. Chevrolet also has the most Coca-Cola 600 wins at 23.

·         15 of the 112 (13.3%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Charlotte have been won from the Coors Light pole; the most recent was Jimmie Johnson in 2014 (Coca-Cola 600).

·         The second-place starting position is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more winners (17) than any other starting position at Charlotte Motor Speedway.    

·         32 of the 112 (28.5%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Charlotte have been won from the front row: 15 from the pole and 17 from second-place.

·         85 of the 112 (75.8%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Charlotte have been won from a top-10 starting position.

·         Nine of the 112 (8.0%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Charlotte have been won from a starting position outside the top 20.

·         The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Charlotte is 37th, by Jimmie Johnson in the Coca-Cola 600 of 2003.

·         Richard Petty leads the series in runner-up finishes at Charlotte with nine. Jeff Gordon, Kasey Kahne and Matt Kenseth lead all active drivers with three.

·         Kevin Harvick and Matt Kenseth lead all active drivers in runner-up finishes in the Coca-Cola 600 with two.

·         NASCAR Hall of Famers Richard Petty and Bobby Allison are tied for the series most top-five finishes at Charlotte with 23. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 17.  Richard Petty leads the series in top fives in the Coca-Cola 600 with 12; Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with seven.

·         Richard Petty leads the series in top-10 finishes at Charlotte with 31. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 24. Darrell Waltrip, Ricky Rudd and David Pearson lead the series in top 10s in the Coca-Cola 600 with 15 each; Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 12.  

·         Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average starting position at Charlotte with a 7.630.

·         Joey Logano leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average finishing position at Charlotte with a 10.000. Carl Edwards leads all active drivers in average finish in the Coca-Cola 600 with a 9.000.

·         Dale Earnhardt Jr. leads the series among active drivers with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Charlotte without visiting Victory Lane at 30; followed by Ryan Newman with 28.

·         Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory (MOV) in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Charlotte Motor Speedway was the May 29, 2005 race won by Jimmie Johnson over Bobby Labonte with a MOV of 0.027 second.

·         There have been three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races resulting with a green-white-checkered finish at Charlotte Motor Speedway, but only once for the Coca-Cola 600 (Scheduled No. of Laps/Actual No. of Laps): fall of 2005 (334/336), fall of 2007 (334/337) and the 2011 Coca-Cola 600 (400/402).

·         Five of the 112 races at Charlotte Motor Speedway have been shortened due to weather conditions; the most recent was the 2009 Coca-Cola 600 won by David Reutimann and Michael Waltrip Racing. Four of the five races shortened were the 600-mile events (1968, 1997, 2003 and 2009).   

·         Qualifying has been cancelled due to weather conditions in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Charlotte Motor Speedway twice; the fall race of 2002 and the fall race of 2008.   

·         Seven NASCAR Sprint Cup Series active drivers have made their first career start at Charlotte Motor Speedway: Dale Earnhardt Jr. (5/30/99), Jimmie Johnson (10/7/01), Brian Vickers (10/11/03), Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (5/29/11) and Kyle Larson (10/12/13).

·         Four active drivers have posted their first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light pole at Charlotte Motor Speedway: Jeff Gordon (10/10/93), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (5/28/00), Ryan Newman (5/27/01) and Aric Almirola (5/27/12).

·         Four active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers have posted their first career win at Charlotte Motor Speedway: Jeff Gordon (5/29/94), Matt Kenseth (5/28/00), Jamie McMurray (10/13/02) and Casey Mears (5/27/07).

·         Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in laps led at Charlotte with 1,733 laps led in 27 starts.

·         Two female drivers have competed at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: Janet Guthrie and Danica Patrick.

Driver

Starting Position

Finishing Position

Race Name

Date

Danica Patrick

14

26

Bank of America 500

10/11/2014

Danica Patrick

4

39

Coca-Cola 600

5/25/2014

Danica Patrick

35

20

Bank of America 500

10/12/2013

Danica Patrick

24

29

Coca-Cola 600

5/26/2013

Danica Patrick

40

30

Coca-Cola 600

5/27/2012

Janet Guthrie

31

35

NAPA National 500

10/8/1978

Janet Guthrie

27

9

NAPA National 500

10/9/1977

Janet Guthrie

26

22

National 500

10/10/1976

Janet Guthrie

27

15

World 600

5/30/1976

NASCAR in North Carolina

·         There have been 520 NASCAR Sprint Cup races among 28 tracks in North Carolina.

Track Name

City

NSCS

Charlotte Motor Speedway

Concord

112

North Wilkesboro Speedway

North

93

Rockingham Speedway

Rockingham

78

Hickory Speedway

Hickory

35

Asheville-Weaverville Speedway

Weaverville

34

Occoneechee Speedway

Hillsboro

32

Bowman-Gray Stadium

Winston-Salem

29

Southern States Fairgrounds

Charlotte

17

Charlotte Speedway

Charlotte

12

Concord Speedway

Concord

12

Wilson Speedway

Wilson

12

New Asheville Speedway

Asheville

8

Dog Track Speedway

Moyock

7

Raleigh Speedway

Raleigh

7

Cleveland County Fairgrounds

Shelby

6

Champion Speedway

Fayetteville

4

Greensboro Agriculture Fairgrounds

Greensboro

3

North Carolina State Fairgrounds

Raleigh

3

Tar Heel Speedway

Randleman

3

Forsyth County Fairgrounds

Winston-Salem

2

Harris Speedway

Harris

2

Jacksonville Speedway

Jacksonville

2

Tri-City Speedway

High Point

2

Gastonia Fairgrounds

Gastonia

1

Harnett Speedway

Spring Lake

1

McCormick Field

Asheville

1

Salisbury Super Speedway

Salisbury

1

Star Lite Speedway

Monroe

1

NASCAR in North Carolina

·         434 drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as North Carolina.

·      47 drivers from North Carolina have won at least one race in NASCAR’s three national series; 29 have won in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

Driver

NSCS

NXS

NCWTS

Richard Petty

200

0

0

Dale Earnhardt

76

21

0

Lee Petty

54

0

0

Ned Jarrett

50

0

0

Junior Johnson

50

0

0

Herb Thomas

48

0

0

Buck Baker

46

0

0

Bobby Isaac

37

0

0

Dale Jarrett

32

11

0

Rex White

28

0

0

Jim Paschal

25

0

0

Dale Earnhardt Jr

24

23

0

Benny Parsons

21

0

0

Speedy Thompson

20

0

0

Buddy Baker

19

0

0

Harry Gant

18

21

0

Bob Welborn

9

0

0

Kyle Petty

8

0

0

Morgan Shepherd

4

15

0

Bill Blair

3

0

0

Gwyn Staley

3

0

0

Brian Vickers

3

3

0

Billy Myers

2

0

0

Jimmy Pardue

2

0

0

Richard Brickhouse

1

0

0

Phil Parsons

1

2

0

Leon Sales

1

0

0

Buddy Shuman

1

0

0

Donald Thomas

1

0

0

Jack Ingram

0

31

0

Tommy Houston

0

24

0

Sam Ard

0

22

0

Robert Pressley

0

10

2

Scott Riggs

0

4

5

Austin Dillon

0

3

6

Ryan Blaney

0

2

3

Hank Parker Jr

0

2

0

Johnny Rumley

0

2

0

Dennis Setzer

0

2

18

Ed Berrier

0

1

0

Ty Dillon

0

1

3

Justin Labonte

0

1

0

Stephen Leicht

0

1

0

Timothy Peters

0

0

8

Andy Houston

0

0

3

Ricky Hendrick

0

0

1

Shane Hmiel

0

0

1

MILESTONES – Charlotte Motor Speedway

DRIVER

HAS

NEEDS

MILESTONE

Matt Kenseth

549

1

550th Consecutive NSCS Start – Kenseth is 10th on the all-time NSCS starts list and second among active drivers with 549 consecutive NSCS starts. (9th-place – Ken Schrader has 579)

Jamie McMurray

449

1

450th NSCS Start – McMurray is tied with Greg Biffle and Cecil Gordon for 45th on the all-time NSCS starts list with 449 starts.

Greg Biffle

449

1

450th NSCS Start – Biffle is tied with Jamie McMurray and Cecil Gordon for 45th on the all-time NSCS starts list with 449 starts.

David Ragan

299

1

300th Consecutive NSCS Start – Ragan is outside the top 25 on the all-time NSCS starts list but is ranked 12th among active drivers with 299 consecutive NSCS starts.

Matt Kenseth

32

1

33rd NSCS Win – Kenseth is tied with Dale Jarrett for 22nd on the all-time NSCS wins list, one win behind Fireball Roberts in 21st (33 wins).

Dale Earnhardt Jr.

24

1

25th NSCS Win – Earnhardt Jr. is 30th on the all-time NSCS wins list, one win behind Joe Weatherly and Denny Hamlin in 29th (25 wins).

Joey Logano

49

1

50th NSCS Top-Five Finish – Logano is 70th on the all-time NSCS top fives list, two top-fives behind Neil Castles and Cotton Owens in 68th (51).

Paul Menard

49

1

50th NSCS Top-10 Finish – Menard is tied with Bill Seifert and J.T. Putney for 115th on the all-time NSCS top 10s list, one top-10 behind Tommy Irwin and Charlie Glotzbach in 113th (50).

Jeff Gordon

24,825

175

25,000 NSCS Laps Led – Gordon can become the sixth driver in NSCS history to lead 25,000 laps.

Matt Kenseth

9,568

432

10,000 Laps Led – Kenseth can become the 16th driver in series history to lead 10,000 or more laps. 

Jimmie Johnson

990

10

1,000 Laps Led in the Coca-Cola 600 – Johnson can become the fourth driver in series history to lead 1,000 or more laps in the Coca-Cola 600 joining David Pearson (1,251); Bobby Allison (1,177) and Richard Petty (1,005). Johnson needs 10 laps led. 

Jimmie Johnson

4

1

Most Coca-Cola 600 Wins (5) – Johnson can tie Darrell Waltrip for the lead on the all-time NSCS Coca-Cola 600 wins list with his fifth victory this weekend (Waltrip’s wins – 1978, ’79, ’85, ’88 and ’89) and (Johnson’s wins – 2003, ’04, ’05, and ’14).

#43 car

199

1

200 NSCS Wins – The No. 43 car is second on the all-time NSCS wins list, five wins behind the No. 11 car in first (204).

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Sport to honor fallen service members with windshield tribute at Coca-Cola 600

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 18, 2015) — When NASCAR® drivers start their engines for Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, fans will see familiar names like "Harvick," "Kenseth" and "Almirola" replaced on car windshields with "SGT Mracek," "HM3 Layton" and "CPT Argel" — United States Armed Forces members who have fallen in service to their country.

All 43 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers will participate in "600 Miles of Remembrance" on Memorial Day Weekend to honor military service members and their families, and commemorate the launch of NASCAR: An American Salute™, the industry’s collective expression of reverence, respect and gratitude for those who have served and continue to defend our nation today.

Fans can follow stories around the seven-week platform and share their personal expressions of thanks to the military using #NASCARSalutes on social media.

"The NASCAR community rallying to honor the U.S. Armed Forces, past and present, has long been part of our sport’s heritage," said Brent Dewar, Chief Operating Officer, NASCAR. "As part of NASCAR: An American Salute, 600 Miles of Remembrance represents a special moment in time as we pay tribute to service members who have sacrificed dearly for our freedom."

Many of the service members whose names will be displayed on the race cars were chosen by the teams, and some have unique connections to the fallen. Private Dean Van Dyke, who was killed in the Vietnam War, was a relative of No. 16 Roush Fenway Racing driver Greg Biffle. Army First Lieutenant Daniel Hyde, killed during Operation Iraqi Freedom, served alongside Chris Clayton, tire changer on the No. 83 BK Racing team.

Many of the families of the service members being recognized will be in attendance on Sunday, and will be introduced alongside the drivers during driver introductions. In addition, Charlotte Motor Speedway will host more than 6,000 active military members at the Coca-Cola 600 in honor of Memorial Day.

NASCAR: An American Salute will feature various on- and off-track activities from tracks, teams and partners that show appreciation and support for the troops, and will culminate Independence Day Weekend with the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway.

This weekend, NASCAR together with Honor and Remember, Inc., will display specially prepared Honor and Remember flags representing those who have died in service to our country from each of the 50 United States throughout the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series garage at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Throughout the campaign, NASCAR will host military families at each NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race as part of NASCAR Troops to the Track™ Presented by Bank of America.

Toyota will also honor the names of fallen service members on its pace cars for the Coca-Cola 600 as part of 600 Miles of Remembrance. Later in the program, both Chevrolet and Ford will feature patriotic branding on the pace cars for races at Pocono and Michigan, respectively.   

Many NASCAR Official Partners have mobilized to support NASCAR: An American Salute with military-themed activations, including:

• For the sixth straight year, Goodyear is rallying NASCAR fans to support members of the U.S. Armed Forces through its "Goodyear Gives Back" charitable program benefiting the Support Our Troops® organization. To kick off the program, Goodyear will once again transform its NASCAR race tires by replacing the "Eagle" sidewall design with "Support Our Troops" messaging on all tires used during Memorial Day weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. This effort coincides with the May 21 launch of Goodyear’s charity auction at www.Goodyear.com/GivesBack, which features autographed NASCAR memorabilia, VIP race experiences and rides on the Goodyear Blimp.

• Bank of America is the presenting partner of NASCAR Troops to the Track — a season-long program that honors members of the military and their families for their services, and treats them to a NASCAR race experience. This program is an extension of Bank of America’s long-standing commitment to the military, focused on helping veterans and service members’ transition to civilian life.

• NASCAR, Coca-Cola, Mars Chocolate North America, and 3M have collaborated to engage shoppers in over 180 military commissaries. On Tuesday, May 19, there will be all-day activation at Fort Bragg Commissary South featuring an appearance by Coca-Cola Racing Family Member Joey Logano, who will be giving away tickets to the Coca-Cola 600. From May 18 to July 8, commissary shoppers can enter the 2015 Champion’s Week Sweepstakes for a chance to win a trip to Las Vegas for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion’s Week by texting "NASCARSALUTE" to 313131 or by visiting www.championsweek2015.com.

• M&M’s will introduce a national letter-writing campaign, in partnership with Operation Gratitude, encouraging fans to send messages of thanks and appreciation to military members. The notes will be included in more than 100,000 Operation Gratitude Care Packages which will be assembled and shipped to Troops deployed in harm’s way and to New Recruits upon their graduation from Boot Camp.

• During Daytona International Speedway’s Coke Zero 400, all active duty military, veterans and their families can enjoy the Troops Welcome Center Presented by M&M’s. The center, which will be located in the midway, will be fully equipped with food and beverages, allowing service members to take a break and meet NASCAR drivers throughout the weekend.

• In honor of the military, Miss Sprint Cup will wear NASCAR: An American Salute fire suits at the Coca-Cola 600 and Coke Zero 400.

This Sunday, NASCAR drivers will discuss 600 Miles of Remembrance on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (channel 90) during a special military tribute show airing at 1 p.m. ET. The Dialed In Salute to the Troops special, hosted by Claire B. Lang, will feature interviews with several drivers as well as service men and service women from different branches of the military.   

During the Coca Cola 600 pre-race broadcast (5:30 p.m. ET, FOX), FOX Sports will recognize all service members who have lost their lives in the past year by displaying their names and branch of service on a graphic scroll. This will be FOX’s fifth year in a row dedicating the pre-race show to service members that have fallen in the line of duty.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’ Coca-Cola 600 will be broadcast live from Charlotte Motor Speedway at 6 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN and SiriusXM Radio. Additional live coverage can be found on NASCAR.com.

To learn more about NASCAR: An American Salute, visit www.NASCAR.com/Salute.

Posted on by Staff Report

Hendrick Motorsports No. 48 crew chief addresses potential skirt violation

RELATED: NASCAR investigates possible infraction by No. 48 team

Hendrick Motorsports crew chief Chad Knaus explained his crew’s actions in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race that led NASCAR officials to review a potential infraction for allegedly altering body panels on the No. 48 Chevrolet of driver Jimmie Johnson.

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On FOX Sports 1’s "NASCAR Race Hub", Knaus analyzed a video of Johnson hitting the wall with his right rear during the first segment of Saturday night’s race at Charlotte Motor Speedway and then described how the No. 48 team reacted.

"Right here you can see Jimmie gets into the wall a little bit, and what it did, it pushed the right-side skirt in a little bit," Knaus said. "When we came down for the first pit stop on the first segment, my guys went out there. They were repairing the car.

"There was work on the left side that we had to do from contact with the 22 (Joey Logano). The skirt was pushed in, and the guys pulled it out a little bit. And NASCAR saw that and they didn’t like it.

"So we’ll be talking to them about it. I don’t know what’s going to come of it right now, but I don’t think it was too big of a deal personally."

Winner of a record four all-star races, Knaus said "it wasn’t a good race for us," and he noted that "Jimmie was really loose at the beginning of the race.

"(He) got sideways, got into the wall a little bit, incurred some damage at that point."

A NASCAR spokesperson said after post-race inspection that the potential violation involved allegedly modifying a side skirt late in the 110-lap race, a practice that NASCAR vowed to police in 2015 after it became rampant last season.

NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O’Donnell told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Monday that the sanctioning body would apply its penalty policy even though the event did not pay championship points.

"Still evaluating that like we do and if we make a decision to react, that would be on Tuesday, but there’s a lot on the line for the All-Star Race," O’Donnell said. "It’s not a points race, but certainly we know how much it means to win that race, so hopefully we don’t have to make a call on this, but we would maintain the rule book throughout the race."

The Team Penske No. 2 team of Brad Keselowski was penalized for a similar infraction earlier this season, just before Coors Light Pole Qualifying at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March. NASCAR levied a P2-level penalty under the NASCAR deterrence system, placing crew chief Paul Wolfe on probation through the end of the year.

Posted on by Staff Report

McCall, crew chief for the No. 1 of Jamie McMurray, victorious on Sunday

Photo credit: Southern National Motorsports Park

What is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series crew chief to do on his day off? Go racing, himself, of course.

Matt McCall, the crew chief for the No. 1 team of Jamie McMurray for Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, did just that. And not only did he race respectably, he took the checkered flag and went to Victory Lane.

McCall won the Jerry Moody Memorial at Southern National Motorsports Park in Lucama, North Carolina, just one day after serving as the pit boss for McMurray in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

McCall previously was a championship driver for Moody, and his victory Sunday was his first in a Late Model since a win last July at Southern National.

After winning the race, McCall gave the trophy, which had pictures of the Moody family and a pig on top, to Moody’s 20-year-old daughter Haley, who also competed in the race herself.

McCall in is his first season as McMurray’s crew chief and has made seven NASCAR national series starts in his career (five in the NASCAR XFINITY Series and two in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series).

McCall’s wife, Meredith, tweeted news about the victory, which was promptly retweeted by McMurray. No. 1 team member Ashley Parlett, a former driver herself, also joined in on the congratulations.