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Strong field includes Sprint Cup Series drivers and actor Patrick Dempsey

DAYTONA BEACH — When the checkered flag falls on the 2015 Rolex 24 At Daytona at 2:10 p.m. Sunday afternoon, there’s only one thing we now know for sure: The car that’s the first under the flag will have earned the victory.

"This is a strong field," said Scott Atherton, IMSA president and chief operating officer. "A very strong field."

That may be an understatement. One year ago, the 2014 Rolex 24 was the first race for the new TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, which consisted of the combined GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series and the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón. Cars, personnel and schedules were combined, and no one really knew what would happen the first time the new TUDOR Championship took to the track.

What happened was a race that ran at an absolutely frantic pace for the full 24 hours. Long gone are the days where teams could cruise at 90 percent, saving their equipment for the last few hours. Now, it’s flat out, all day and all night.

Bringing home the overall victory last year was the No. 5 Action Express Racing Corvette DP driven by Joao Barbosa, Christian Fittipaldi and Sebastien Bourdais. That car was followed by three more Corvette DPs and a Nissan ORECA P2 car in fifth.

For 2015, there are four Corvette DPs in the field, including the No. 5 Action Express entry, all sporting the new Stingray styling in the front and rear. For the stars to align and have all four Corvettes up front again is a long shot – even through the top three cars were all on the same lap at the finish, 695 laps after the start – the Prototype field is very strong this year.

There are 16 Prototypes, including a pair of brand-new Honda HPD ARX cars racing under the Tequila Patrón ESM banner, as well as a Honda-powered Ligier JS P2 that Michael Shank Racing is bringing to the party. There’s another new Ligier fielded by Krohn Racing, but it has Judd power.

Mazda is back for its second year with a pair of diesel-powered Prototypes built and raced by SpeedSource that are showing a lot more speed than last year. And you can never count out the Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates twins, both powered by Ford EcoBoost engines in Riley chassis. With a driver lineup that includes Scott Pruett, Tony Kanaan, Scott Dixon, Kyle Larson, Jamie McMurray, Joey Hand, Charlie Kimball and Sage Karam, the two Ganassi cars have to be counted among the favorites.

And, of course, there’s those other three Corvette DPs – the No. 31 Whelen Corvette DP, a sister car to the Action Express No. 5; the VisitFlorida.com No. 90 and the always-formidable Konica Minolta No. 10 of Wayne Taylor Racing, which has brothers Jordan and Ricky Taylor teaming with veteran Max Angelelli.

Looking for a dark horse? The DeltaWing Racing Cars Claro/TracFone was fast in practice, as was the Starworks Dinan-powered Riley, which has an all-star driver lineup that includes Ryan Hunter-Reay and Rubens Barrichello.

Of the four classes racing in the Rolex 24, the aforementioned Prototypes are the fastest, but not far behind are the open-cockpit Prototype Challenge cars, which use ORECA FLM09 chassis and Chevrolet engines. It’s tough to pick a favorite from the eight entries, but expect the Starworks No. 8, the CORE Autosport No. 54, the RSR Racing No. 11 and the BAR1 Motorsport No. 16 to contend during the 24 hours.

The GT Le Mans (GTLM) class is invariably among the most competitive and the highest profile, as the production-based cars are all backed by the manufacturers, and bragging rights are a strong motivation. Corvette Racing has its usual two-car entry and is always a threat to win, especially at a horsepower track like Daytona. There are three Porsche 911 RSR entries, two backed by Porsche North America, and one by Falken Tire, coming off an end-of-the-season victory at the 2014 Petit Le Mans Powered by Mazda at Road Atlanta.

The Bobby Rahal-led BMW Team RLL has a pair of BMW Z4 GTEs, and there are two Ferrari F458 Italias, one from AF Corse and one from Risi Competizione. But don’t forget the lone Gulf-sponsored Aston Martin Vantage V8, which has a world-class roster of drivers.

At 19, the largest of the four classes is GT Daytona (GTD), which – like GTLM, are familiar production-based cars – but don’t have quite the power, or the price tag, of the GTLM entries.

GTD is impossible to handicap, though the fact that there are nine Porsche 911 GT Americas in the field gives them the numerical advantage. There are three Ferrari 458 Italias, two Aston-Martin V12 Vantages, two Dodge Viper SRTs, a pair of Audi R8 LMS entries, and a lone BMW Z4, but that car is fielded by he respected Turner Motorsport, so don’t write it off.

If you have to play favorites, the two Alex Job-prepared Porsches (Nos. 22 and 23) should be there in the end, because few have mastered race strategy as well as Job. The No. 63 Ferrari of Scuderia Corsa seems to love the longer races, as does the Magnus Racing No. 44 Porsche. If you are looking for star power, that would be the No. 58 Dempsey/Wright Motorsports Brumos Porsche, with "Grey’s Anatomy" actor Patrick Dempsey leading the four-driver team.

Bottom line: Don’t expect a runaway winner in any of the four classes – competition is simply too strong. Weather could be a factor, if the forecast for some damp weather for the weekend comes true – some cars, and some drivers, seem to thrive on wet pavement, and a slick surface tends to cripple the highest-horsepower entries, leveling the playing field and enhancing the importance of driver finesse.

So keep your money in your pocket this weekend – the 2015 Rolex 24 at Daytona is simply too close to call.

The Rolex 24 at Daytona will be broadcast from 2-4 p.m. Saturday on FOX; 4-8 p.m. on FOX Sports 2; 8-10 p.m. on FOX Sports 1; 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. on IMSA.com, and on Sunday, 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on FOX Sports 1. All times are Eastern. For more information on where to watch or listen to the 2015 Rolex 24, log onto IMSA.com.

Posted on by NASCAR Official Release

New environment to add personal touch to shopping experience

MORE: Dramatic overhaul coming to NASCAR souvenir sales

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (January 21, 2015) — NASCAR, NASCAR Team Properties (NTP) and Fanatics jointly announced today a 10-year agreement for the sport’s at-track merchandise business that will deliver fans an enhanced, experiential shopping environment. As part of the agreement, Fanatics has acquired certain exclusive rights from NASCAR and NTP that will make the company the primary retailer of NASCAR, team and driver merchandise at all 38 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race weekends.

Fanatics, the market leader for officially licensed sports merchandise, powers the e-stores for hundreds of the top sports leagues, teams and schools, including a long history running NASCAR’s e-commerce business (NASCAR.com). The NASCAR at-track deal expands Fanatics’ growing in-venue partnerships.

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The new trackside retail model will be phased in at NASCAR events over the course of 2015. It will evolve from using solely haulers for each specific team or driver to displaying all merchandise in a climate-controlled superstore retail environment supported by, in instances, smaller satellite retail touch points around the track. The new model will have the following enhanced benefits and added options for fans:

• Ability to offer the largest at-track selection of NASCAR merchandise ever

• Selection to include a major expansion of women’s and kids’ items

• A more functional way to browse, shop and interact with merchandise

• Separate stores within the footprint for teams, drivers, memorabilia and collectibles

• Dedicated area for driver appearances

• An interactive customization center where fans can create their own personal NASCAR gear

Fanatics Apparel, the company’s manufacturing and customization division, will also produce merchandise to complement the already extensive product line that will be offered by authorized licensees.

"A merchandise center will provide a more personal, organized, comfortable and convenient shopping environment for our fans," said Steve Phelps, NASCAR executive vice president and chief marketing officer. "Partnering with an industry leader in Fanatics allows us to offer a comprehensive and seamless shopping experience for our fans — whether it is in-venue, online or on mobile devices."

The new trackside retail model will utilize the latest innovations and initiatives in retail promotional design. According to a study conducted by Experian Marketing Services (Simmons National Consumer Survey, Fall Full Year 2013), NASCAR fans are at least 20 percent more likely than non-fans to notice various types of promotions while shopping, including: video monitor displays, signs on merchandise racks or shelves, and advertising on the floor — among others.

"Fanatics is extremely excited to partner with NASCAR and NASCAR Team Properties to greatly expand their at-track retail presence," said Ross Tannenbaum, president of Fanatics Authentic. "We have taken the time to listen to what the fans, teams, drivers and NASCAR were asking for and look forward to using our market-leading scale, technology and production capabilities to deliver an improved and entertaining shopping experience for years to come."

Posted on by Holly Cain

Larson, McMurray get more practice time for IMSA event

Kyle Larson‘s experience at Daytona International Speedway has so far proven to be a thrill ride – not necessarily of the kind he’d prefer or enjoy.

But this weekend’s Rolex 24 at Daytona could change all that.

Larson’s car was caught in a last lap crash in the 2013 XFINITY Series season-opener at NASCAR’s most iconic track. Last year, he had two short and mostly unremarkable driving stints in his Rolex 24 at Daytona TUDOR United Sportscar debut for his Chip Ganassi Racing team. Then he brushed the wall on the very first lap of his maiden Daytona 500 weeks later.

But the 2014 Sprint Cup Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year Larson insisted this week, he’s not only ready to redeem himself and the team in this weekend’s Rolex 24: he’s fast.

"It helped that me and Jamie (McMurray) got a lot of track time at the Roar (Rolex 24 test weekend) because Tony (Kanaan) had to leave early because he was having his baby and (Scott) Dixon had to leave for something else," Larson said this week. "Me and Jamie got to run a lot in testing where last year I didn’t get to run a whole bunch.

"I’ve already been in the car more this year more than I was all last year with the Roar and the race. This year, I feel pretty fast and I think they’ll put me in the car more."

Despite Larson’s self-critique of last year, he and his Ganassi team finished a respectable 15th overall – their car retired in the final hour of the twice around the clock classic.

Qualifying for the Rolex 24 is Thursday. There are 53 cars entered overall, including two for powerhouse Chip Ganassi Racing. Larson will co-drive with his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teammate McMurray as well as IndyCar Series champs Kanaan and Dixon trying to earn an incredible sixth overall win for Ganassi’s program.

Posted on by Holly Cain

NASCAR stars spend day at MacDill Air Force Base, discuss 2015 outlook

Photo courtesy of USO

PHOTOS: See more from their visit as drivers get out on the Road to Daytona

TAMPA, Fla. — New father Kyle Larson smiled at what he says was a career first: an autograph request from a five-year-old girl for her bright pink "My Little Pony." Sitting alongside Larson at a USO event at MacDill Air Force Base on Tuesday, Tony Stewart joked with servicemen and charmed their wives as he signed his name on die-cast cars, T-shirts, photographs and car parts.

Military families and troops stood in line for more than an hour to meet NASCAR’s three-time champion Stewart, last year’s Sunoco Sprint Cup Series Rookie of the Year Kyle Larson and Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III, who spent the the day touring a huge KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft, taking turns on plane simulators and watching a military working dog demonstration.

At one point, when told the trio was running a little late for a portion of the itinerary, Air Force Sgt. Brandon Shapiro joked, "I guess Tony Stewart wasn’t driving."

It was difficult to tell who was more committed to this USO experience — the fans who, like Shapiro, were so eager to meet their NASCAR heroes or these drivers equally as eager to properly thank America’s heroes: these military members and their families.

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"We get to do a lot of neat things throughout the year but anytime you get to do something with the military it ranks high," Stewart said. "It’s a group of people that don’t get the appreciation they deserve for what they do and the sacrifices they make. It’s a day out of our lives, but it’s months and years they dedicate to making sure we’re able to do what we love for a living."

His living is something Stewart is particularly grateful for after a couple of emotional and difficult seasons when he has uncharacteristically not been a part of the championship mix as a driver, although his good friend and teammate Kevin Harvick delivered Stewart-Haas Racing its second championship in four years.

RELATED: In midst of awful year, Stewart remains ‘so grateful’

Stewart said Tuesday that he feels well medically after offseason surgery on the leg he broke in 2013, and enjoyed some good time off the past two months.

"It feels the best it’s felt since I had the crash," Stewart says of his right leg, severely broken in a sprint car racing crash in August of 2013.

"I had surgery December 1 and feel good. I get a year break now and go back and have it operated on again next December to get the rod out. And I’m looking forward to not having hardware in my leg anymore."

And with NASCAR all but eliminating offseason testing, Stewart, Larson and their fellow drivers had more time on their hands.

"I got to do everything I wanted to do," Stewart said with a smile. "I went to Yuma, Arizona and watched Kyle win a (sprint car) race out there right after New Year’s, and I went to Tulsa (Oklahoma) for Chili Bowl last week. I had a different role than what I’m used to. Instead of driving (a car) I was driving a tractor and doing track prep.

MORE: NASCAR drivers give flavor to Chili Bowl

"I enjoyed my offseason. I got to go home and see my mother and father, niece and nephew and sister. I got to do the things I wanted to do.

"It was very needed and I feel like we’ve had a good enough break now and it’s time to get back to doing what we do."

Stewart knows he’ll need the reboot to handle challenges from the 22-year-old Chip Ganassi Racing driver Larson, who not only won 2014 rookie honors but also established himself a high-wattage star ready to step up and contend for a title.

And while they both said they enjoyed the offseason — Larson and his longtime girlfriend Katelyn Sweet welcomed their first baby, son Owen in December — these drivers are also tangibly eager to start the 2015 season.

Larson laughed, noting that he couldn’t be more ready for a second chance in the Daytona 500 after brushing the wall on the very first lap of the 2014 race.

"I remember Tony making a lot of fun of me during that six-hour rain delay we had," Larson said grinning. "The 500 couldn’t go any worse so it’s going to go better than it did last year. … I’d love to get a good finish and put this trophy in my new house."

Many — including a large portion of Tuesday’s crowd — believe Larson will need lots of trophy shelving. One retired serviceman couldn’t resist giving Larson one bit of advice, referring to Larson’s headline-making last-lap door-to-door battle with Ryan Newman.

"Next time, take him out," the gentleman urged loudly.

Larson broke into a smile and shook his head. One fan after another offered encouragement and patted him on the back, welcoming NASCAR’s next phenom.

Larson knows he raised the bar on expectations last season and wouldn’t have it any other way.

"It’s a good thing," he said. "Last year I feel like I exceeded a lot of people’s expectations so this year I hope to do the same even though those expectations are a lot higher.

"We were close to getting a couple wins last year and barely missed the Chase. Had we made the Chase, we would have run really well in the points. So basing off last season, I think we can race for a championship. I really do."

Posted on by Staff Report

Four-time Camping World Truck champ to run for The Motorsports Group

RELATED: Drivers, crew chiefs on the move for 2015

Ron Hornaday Jr. will drive in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in 2015 for The Motorsports Group, the team announced.

Hornaday, a four-time champion in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, will be the primary driver and will pilot the No. 30 Chevrolet starting in February at Daytona International Speedway, according to the team release.

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"I am happy to be signing on with Curtis Key and the entire TMG organization for the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Season," Hornaday said in a team release. "This team has been working really hard during the offseason to get cars ready for Daytona and the rest of the season. I’m hoping to bring some guidance and racing knowledge to this start-up Cup team."

Hornaday does have some experience in the sport’s top series. He has run 45 races, including 32 of 36 in the 2001 season. His lone top-10 in the premier series came that year with a ninth-place finish at Las Vegas. However, he has not run in a premier series event since 2003.

"We are glad to have Ron Hornaday come on board with The Motorsports Group," TMG owner Curtis Key said in a release. Ron has been involved in the NASCAR industry for over 20 years now. His experience and knowledge of the industry is exactly what we need this first year in the Sprint Cup Series."

Sponsorship information will be announced in the coming weeks, according to the release.

Hornaday, 56, has 55 NASCAR national series wins in his career, with 51 in the Truck Series and four in what is now known as the NASCAR XFINITY Series. This past season he ran 16 of the 22 races in the Truck Series and finished with five top-fives and 10 top-10 finishes.

Posted on by Staff Report

Fanatics’ compelling vision for at-track experience ready for growth

The new Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup playoff format that debuted last season was a dramatic shift that ramped up the pressure and drama of the 10-race postseason. This season, the debut of a new partnership intends to bring the same game-changing dynamic to a different aspect of the fan experience: souvenir shopping.

NASCAR and NASCAR Team Properties jointly announced Wednesday a 10-year agreement with Fanatics to conduct its fan merchandise operations at every NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. The new partnership — which has been met with support from teams and tracks across the industry — includes sweeping plans to transform the sales of memorabilia from an allotment of walk-up trailers to a walk-in assortment of tents in a courtyard-style mall layout.

RELATED: Read the official NASCAR release

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The first artist’s renderings of the new layout, which is subject to change and evolve over the 2015 launch, illustrated the initiative’s potential to make souvenir sales an even more interactive process.

"Obviously we’re extremely excited as well," said Ross Tannenbaum, president of Fanatics Authentic, the Jacksonville, Florida-based company’s division for licensed sports apparel. "It was a privilege to be selected by the teams, the tracks and NASCAR to be their partner in trying to find ways to improve on the current system of how retail is done at the tracks. We’ve committed to trying to build something up that the fans will love, that the teams and the industry will all be excited about, that will be a better shopping experience. … I think it will be a winner for everybody long-term."

The announcement was also met with approval from NASCAR’s most popular driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr. — a man who knows plenty about moving souvenirs as one of the sport’s perennial top sellers.

"Our fans will soon have better merchandise selections and the opportunity to shop at centralized locations that are in covered, climate-controlled areas," Earnhardt said. "I applaud NASCAR any time it makes decisions to give fans a better at-track experience."

Tannenbaum said that Fanatics’ game plan is that the courtyard layout will grow over the course of 2015, evolving from testing concepts toward a full-fledged presence at the track by midseason. The design will vary from track to track because of space limitations, but Tannenbaum said that the traveling mall’s flexibility is up to the logistical challenges. In most instances at bigger speedways, he said that the souvenir setup has the ability to adjust and branch off into satellite stores.

Regardless of the track’s footprint for merchandise sales, the concepts of hub location and mall layout should mark a departure from the current maze of trailers and hospitality displays.

"A merchandise center will provide a more personal, organized, comfortable and convenient shopping environment for our fans," said Steve Phelps, NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. "Partnering with an industry leader in Fanatics allows us to offer a comprehensive and seamless shopping experience for our fans – whether it is in-venue, online or on mobile devices."

Fanatics officials toured certain tracks last season to get a feel for the current model of race-weekend sales, but they also drew upon the company’s extensive background in promoting and selling merchandise at other big-ticket sporting events, such as the NHL Winter Classic, the SEC Championship football game and the Shamrock Series for Notre Dame athletics.

What Fanatics learned, Tannenbaum said, is that while the current model — walking up to a souvenir trailer, selecting a shirt off the wall by giving its number and then paying — has cost-efficient benefits, the walk-in model provides a personal touch that the walk-up model might lack. With the concept’s planned inclusion of apparel customization, autograph sessions and other in-store entertainment, the personal aspect shifts into a higher gear.

"The best way to shop has been proven for a very long time is to give the consumer the opportunity to see a much broader selection of products, to be able to see the product, get a feel for the sizing of it, the material of the garment, then pick the things you want and ultimately go to a checkout," Tannenbaum said.

"That’s what we’ve really wanted to bring to NASCAR, but we needed to find a way to do it that was cost-effective but you can transport it every single week, and literally build a mall and then take it down and do it again. That’s obviously the biggest challenge. As I said, we’re going to have some challenges, but we just want everyone to understand that we’re fully committed to finding solutions and creating the best experience possible for the fan. And that’s all that the tracks and NASCAR and the teams wanted was the best experience for the fan."

***

News of the partnership between the NASCAR industry and Fanatics was overwhelmingly well received Wednesday. What they’re saying:

"The race teams and drivers want to deliver the best possible experience to our fans and our sponsors, and part of that includes the shopping experience at the race track. We believe Fanatics is the right partner to enhance all aspects of the NASCAR merchandise environment at track and online for years to come."

— Dave Alpern, Chief Marketing Officer, Joe Gibbs Racing

"Simple and efficient is the best way to describe this new trackside retail model. It is one-stop shopping. A family attending NASCAR events can each purchase their favorite driver’s merchandise, under one roof and with one transaction. Fans will also see the benefit of having more time to enjoy the pre-race activities such as pit passes, hospitality clubs, fan zones and additional entertainment."

— Ben May, Chief Marketing Officer, Pocono Raceway

"As an entertainment company, everything we do is about the fans. In every decision, we listen to our fans and bring forth initiatives that meet their needs. This partnership with Fanatics will continue to deliver on that promise. Fanatics’ innovations and strong industry presence will only enhance and enrich the guest experience."

— Craig Neeb, Senior VP of Business Development, International Speedway Corporation

"Our new trackside retail partner, Fanatics, has the knowledge, passion and commitment to create a more convenient shopping experience for the fans. It’s a bold vision and we look forward to working side-by-side with Fanatics and our key licensees to deliver it."

— Joe Mattes, Vice President of Licensing and Marketing, JR Motorsports

"The fan experience is such a critical component for all tracks to successfully exceed the expectations of our customers. This new trackside retail model will provide an exciting addition to race weekend that will enhance that experience and provide a more comfortable and convenient shopping environment."

— Mike Tatoian, President, Dover International Speedway

Posted on by Zack Albert

MWR driver will be Chase eligible even as he misses opening two races

Michael Waltrip Racing announced Wednesday that Brian Vickers has received medical clearance to return to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition in early March.

Vickers, a three-time winner in NASCAR’s top division, is scheduled to return to MWR’s No. 55 Toyota in time for the third race of the season, March 8 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Vickers underwent heart surgery in mid-December, terming the procedure "a temporary setback" that would force him to miss the start of the season.

"The doctors gave me a clean bill of health and said I will be better than before," Vickers said Wednesday in a release provided by the team. "The advancements in modern medicine and surgical procedures are amazing and I have to thank my doctors at the Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute and Carolinas Medical Center for their extraordinary care. I have literally put my life in their hands twice and I cannot begin to express my level of gratitude."

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In the interim, MWR announced that team owner Michael Waltrip will drive the No. 55 in the season-opening Daytona 500. The team said it would announce a substitute driver for the second race of the season — March 1 at Atlanta Motor Speedway — at a later date.

Moments after the MWR announcement, Steve O’Donnell — NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer — announced that despite the two-race absence Vickers would remain eligible for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup postseason if he meets all other playoff requirements. It’s the same exemption that was extended to drivers Denny Hamlin and Tony Stewart when they missed regular-season events in 2014, the first year of the new Chase format. Hamlin won at Talladega in the spring to make the Chase.

"With the clearance from his physicians, Brian Vickers has satisfied all necessary NASCAR requirements to resume racing on March 5," O’Donnell said in a statement released by NASCAR. "Further, NASCAR has reviewed the circumstances surrounding his situation and has determined that he will maintain Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup eligibility despite neither entering nor attempting to qualify in the first two championship events, provided he meets all other necessary eligibility requirements."

The medical leave is the third that Vickers, 31, has endured since joining the Sprint Cup circuit full-time in 2004. He missed the final 25 races of the 2010 season after treatment for blood clots and surgery to repair a hole in his heart. A recurrence of clots in his right calf forced him back on blood thinners and caused him to end his part-time 2013 campaign with five races left in the season.

Last December, Vickers said he was feeling ill and went to his team of doctors for an evaluation. He underwent surgery Dec. 13 after tests revealed that his body was rejecting the artificial patch placed over the hole in his heart in 2010.

Vickers, who joined the Waltrip organization in 2012, said two days after surgery that he would need "plenty of time, rest and rehab," before returning to competition. The time frame wound up being roughly three months.

"Now all of my focus is getting ready so when I return we are prepared to win races and the championship in my Aaron’s Dream Machine," Vickers said.

All three of Vickers’ wins at the sport’s highest level have come with different teams. Vickers recorded his first victory in the fall of 2006 at Talladega Superspeedway with Hendrick Motorsports, infamously clearing Dale Earnhardt Jr. and teammate Jimmie Johnson out of first and second place to take the checkers.

Vickers, the 2003 champion of what is now the NASCAR XFINITY Series, also won from the pole position in August 2009 at Michigan International Speedway for the former Red Bull Racing team. In July 2013, he scored his first Sprint Cup victory since his lengthy medical leave and his only victory for MWR at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Waltrip, a two-time winner of NASCAR’s most prestigious race, has dialed back his competition schedule in recent years to mostly accommodate restrictor-plate races (Daytona, Talladega) and competitive dancing. Waltrip, 51, is a veteran of 778 starts in NASCAR’s premier series and also a fixture in FOX broadcasts of stock-car events. He won the Daytona 500 in 2001 and 2003.

Posted on by Nascar

Team Penske driver looks to build off breakout 2014 campaign

RELATED: Full schedule of driver previews

Team: Team Penske No. 22 Ford

Rank in final 2014 standings: Fourth

Wins: Five (Texas Motor Speedway in April, Richmond International Raceway in April, Bristol Motor Speedway in August, New Hampshire Motor Speedway in September and Kansas Speedway in October)

Year in photos: Recap Logano’s 2014 season

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Strides: Logano nearly tripled his career win total in the Sprint Cup Series with five victories in just his second season with Team Penske (giving him eight for his career), while his 16 top-five and 22 top-10 marks were career bests as well.

In addition to his wins, Logano earned his first top-five finishes at Chicago (4th), Indianapolis (5th) and Las Vegas (4th). On the qualifying front, he earned one pole and finished the year with a 9.8 average starting position, fourth best for the series. He established track qualifying records at Martinsville and Phoenix.

In just his second appearance in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Logano and the No. 22 team made it all the way to the final round. And although he finished fourth, the experience was educational.

"Throughout the Chase I thought we did great," Logano said. "We got all the way there, did a perfect job until Homestead. And I think as a driver, I learned the way I needed to handle the pressure a little bit better. … I feel like I learned a lot in how I can help my team handle the pressure. … How I can relieve the stress and the tension and nerves. Everyone’s like, ‘Oh my god, we’re on the verge of winning the championship.’ It’s nice to be able to understand what I need to do as a leader to lead my team and get them to calm down a little bit."

Setbacks: The restrictor-plate tracks of Daytona and Talladega haven’t been kind to Logano, and the ’14 season was no different as he failed to log a top-10 finish in any of the four events.

But the biggest problem came at the most inopportune time — in the season-ending race at Homestead with the title on the line. Troubles on pit road cost Logano a tremendous amount of track position late in the race, leaving him too far back and with too little time to try and work his way back to the front.

Quoteworthy: "It’s easy just to say I want to win a championship but what do you need to do it? That’s the important part. That’s where the teamwork comes into play. We all sit down and we say this is what we need, we prioritize it and we go to the boss man (team owner Roger Penske) and say, ‘Here’s what we need.’ Hopefully, we catch him on the right day."

MORE: Logano’s Penske teammate Keselowski hits track for first test of 2015

What’s next: As impressive as Logano and the No 22 team were in ’14, he knows there’s room for improvement. But the makeup of the group bodes well for continued success.

"The coolest thing I like about my team is that there’s not one leader," he said. "I don’t lead the team, Todd doesn’t lead the team … we all do it together and I think that’s important. … I drive the car and put in my two cents where I feel like I need to. I’m never going to make a decision without input from Todd and I feel like he’ll never make a decision without me."

With NASCAR’s ’15 rules package taking away horsepower and downforce, Logano offered a one-word description for the change.

"Loose," he said.

Which could be a good thing, he said, "as long as I’m not as loose as everyone else.

"Obviously the horsepower being taken away is going to be interesting … I think making sure (the folks at) Roush Yates Engines and all of us really work together to understand what RPMs we’re going to be at, where we need to make our peak power … it changes everything, it’s not just put a tapered spacer on and let ‘er rip. It changes the whole build of that motor and is a lot to develop there.

"Lower RPM is going to be interesting … when you put all of it together, it’s a lot of changes … we’ve got a lot of work to do over the offseason without testing."

MORE: See how Logano did in his various paint schemes in 2014

Posted on by Holly Cain

Nos. 4, 14 teams to keep lineups that finished last season

TAMPA, Fla. — A 2014 late season pit crew swap between Stewart-Haas Racing teammates Tony Stewart and Kevin Harvick will be permanent, Stewart said Tuesday while making a USO visit with troops and military families at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa.

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The Stewart-Haas Racing co-owner/driver and Harvick switched crews in September in time for the 10-race Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup elimination playoff that culminated with Harvick hoisting his first trophy.

Stewart, who did not qualify for last year’s Chase, said Tuesday the teams will continue with the lineup as they left it last season.

"The pit crew I had that pitted Kevin’s car at the end of the year, we kept that switch permanent for this year," said Stewart, a three-time champion and driver of the No. 14 Bass Pro Shops/Mobil 1 Chevrolet.


"There really wasn’t that much difference in terms of their times on paper, it was within a tenth of a second. We just felt like that chemistry worked really well.


"I really liked my guys at the end of the year, and I’ll miss having my full-time guys with me, but I think we’re all comfortable with the change and look at it as we all work under the same roof and we’re all one team."


Harvick won three of the 10 Chase races, including the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, and had three other top-fives in the No. 4 Budweiser Chevrolet en route to his first Cup championship.

Stewart tied a season-best with a fourth-place finish at Martinsville, Virginia, in the seventh race of the Chase.

Joining Stewart in Tampa for the USO appearance was 2014 Sunoco Rookie of the Year Kyle Larson, who said he expects to benefit from the continuity of keeping the majority of his team the same in 2015.


"We have a couple new mechanics on our car and that’s it," Larson said.

Posted on by Holly Cain

2012 series champion enters new year with momentum

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Team: Team Penske No. 2 Ford

Rank in final 2014 Standings: Fifth

Wins: Six (Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Kentucky Speedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway in July, Richmond International Raceway in September, Chicagoland Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway in October.)

Year in photos: Recap Keselowski’s 2014 season

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Strides: Although the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion didn’t win a second trophy in 2014, it was in many other ways a "career year" for the 30-year old Michigan native. His six victories in the No. 2 Miller Lite Ford were the most of any driver last season and a career high for him. The same is true for his 17 top-five efforts. He proved himself a title-favorite early and often and scored two victories in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, including a dramatic must-win, now-or-never final lap victory at Talladega in November that will be talked about for years to come.

Setbacks: Despite the series-leading achievements Keselowski did not advance to the Championship 4 for a shot at his second title in three years. In most categories his team was tops in the series, but a pair of 30th-place finishes in the final seven races ultimately cost the sport’s otherwise statistical leader.

Quoteworthy: "I don’t know about (my having a) bad rap. I think time will dictate who and what I am, and how I race. And I’ll let it be that," Keselowski said about his aggressive driving style.

What’s next: A 2015 championship favorite, Keselowski and his team were a threat to win every week last year and should be able to build off the series-high six wins. But he is still hungrier than ever because, despite last year’s success and accomplishments, he missed the ultimate payoff. His aggressive driving style simultaneously earned him fans and created bad blood with some competitors. A pair of champions, the normally mild-mannered Matt Kenseth and four-time champ Jeff Gordon, famously had physical post-race confrontations with Keselowski down the stretch run. But Keselowski remains undaunted, unapologetic and defends his methods on and off the track. The whole Penske organization was top-shelf in 2014 with his teammate Joey Logano scoring five wins and advancing to the Homestead season finale with a shot at the big trophy. Keselowski would like to join him in 2015 and insists it’s a matter of "refinement," not any major overhaul that will make the difference.

"We won six races and it was the second year in five years that we have been in Cup that we have won more races than anyone else," Keselowski said. "And that’s a pretty good batting percentage. We certainly drew a lot of attention for wins and other stuff, but that’s all part of the roller coaster that makes the season so much fun to be a part of. … There’s all kinds of passion and it’s defined in all different ways."