Chat with fans as this weekend’s NASCAR action unfolds at Charlotte and Iowa
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Blaney will race at both Iowa Speedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway this weekend
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Ryan Blaney is no stranger to double duty, competing in two NASCAR national-series races in the same weekend. But he’s never undertaken one like this.
The title contender on the Camping World Truck Series also has a Nationwide Series race on his schedule this weekend, and the two events are in separate time zones — the Truck Series race is on Friday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway and the Nationwide race is on Sunday afternoon at Iowa Speedway. The big conflict comes Friday, when he’ll miss three Nationwide practices in order to qualify and race in Charlotte, after which he’ll jump on a jet owned by Brad Keselowski and head to the Hawkeye State.
It will mark the first time that Blaney, who drives for Keselowski in the Truck Series and will wheel a Team Penske car in the Nationwide race, has participated in double duty involving that kind of distance. Being 20 years old, naturally he’s psyched.
"I haven’t actually done that before, I don’t think. But I did a bunch of double duty at the end of 2012 with the Truck and Nationwide car when Brad was running for the (Sprint) Cup championship. I ran maybe five or six double duty weekends in a row," he said on a teleconference with reporters. "I love doing double duty. This is the first time I’ve raced at one track one day and then have to fly to another track the next. It’s pretty neat. A different variety of race tracks. That’s cool."
It certainly has the potential to be, given that Blaney has race victories in both series, including his Truck Series breakthrough on the same Iowa track in 2012. Blaney will participate in two Truck practices Thursday, and will remain in Charlotte through the duration of the next day, which concludes with the race Friday night. Three Nationwide practices are slated for Friday in Iowa, and Blaney said there won’t be anyone else driving his No. 22 car.
"Luckily, I think we have an hour session on Saturday morning to get a little bit of laps in it," he said. "Iowa Speedway had an open test there last week, early last week, because they put a bunch of patches around that race track. They had a handful of teams go up there. Brad went up with the 22 car and ran it a little bit. They have some laps on it. They got a good baseline for it. At least I’ll have one practice Saturday, unlike last year where I just showed up for the race and subbed for Joey."
Blaney finished ninth last year in a rain-postponed Iowa race where he filled in for Penske driver Joey Logano, who had to scrap his Nationwide plans after the rescheduling placed the event on the same day as the Sprint Cup race at Pocono. Blaney will have a 90-minute final practice Saturday at Iowa, as well as group qualifying, before the race. Although he’s running for the Truck title, Iowa shapes up as his better track.
"I think we’ll be OK," he said. "We practice a little bit early, but it’s close to when we’ll race. We’ll get a good gauge of how the track is going to be. The track will be rubbered in, too, from three practices the day before. I think we’ll be OK. Like I said, that team has had good success there. Brad won last year. We actually had a really good run going there in the first race when I subbed for Joey. It rained and we weren’t very good after it rained. Once you run that track a little bit, you know what it likes."
Blaney, who made his Sprint Cup debut in a 27th-place finish last weekend at Kansas, has one career Nationwide victory, at Kentucky in 2013. He fell to sixth in Truck Series points after spinning out at Kansas while battling Logano for the lead. Blaney has taken part in two previous national-series events at Charlotte, including the Truck event there last spring where he finished 25th. He’s fared much better at Iowa, where he has two top-10s in Nationwide competition in addition to his Truck Series victory.
"It’s two tracks I’ve been on a few times before," Blaney said. "I like to think I have fair experience at Charlotte, ran there a couple times, truck and Nationwide cars. Iowa, obviously I’ve been on a lot. I think the mental preparation will be fine. Hopefully we have a good truck race, and that will carry momentum into the Nationwide race."
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Initiative to Rally NASCAR Fans Around Special Moments With Dad
Related: Share your #NASCARwithDAD photos
Daytona Beach, Fla. (May 13, 2014) — No other sport features such rich family tradition and father-son lineage as NASCAR®, where iconic names like Petty, Earnhardt, Jarrett and France have been made famous across generations. To celebrate the fathers of stock car legends and highly passionate NASCAR fans alike, NASCAR today announced "NASCAR with DAD," a Father’s Day platform built around memorable NASCAR moments with Dad.
As part of the platform, NASCAR and its Official Partners Goodyear, 3M and Ford have teamed up to create the #NASCARwithDAD Sweepstakes. Fans entering have a chance to win a once-in-a-lifetime Goodyear Blimp Ride for two high above Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
This all-inclusive VIP experience at the Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway includes $500 travel cash and hospitality, and a driver meet and greet. Fans can also win one of 10 NASCAR Racing Experience prize packages to feel the thrill of driving a NASCAR-style stock car with their Dad.
To win these unforgettable prizes, fans can enter the #NASCARwithDAD Sweepstakes by going to nascar.com/NASCARwithDad beginning today through 11:59 p.m. on Father’s Day, Sunday, June 15.
"For generations, the bonds between parents and children have been cemented through sharing memorable NASCAR experiences," said Matt Shulman, NASCAR managing director of marketing platforms. "This campaign celebrates those special Father’s Day memories through the lens of NASCAR."
NASCAR fans are encouraged to share their most memorable NASCAR moments with Dad on social media using the hashtag #NASCARwithDAD. Those fans who visit nascar.com/NASCARwithDAD to share content by clicking the "share your stories" tab can link their Father’s Day tributes directly to their Twitter, Instagram and Facebook accounts.
Additionally, to celebrate Father’s Day weekend, Michigan International Speedway and Official NASCAR Partners Ford, Goodyear, 3M and Sprint will be surprising fans at track with unique experiences.
This weekend’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race is the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Saturday night, with coverage starting at 7 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1, Motor Racing Network Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Also, catch the Sprint Showdown on Friday at 7 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1; the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Charlotte on Friday at 8:30 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1; and the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Iowa Speedway on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET on ESPN.
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Cain: Patrick’s obvious improvement deserves credit
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Danica Patrick‘s determination is tangible in her handshake.
Her petite frame and polite eye contact belie the gumption and grit she gives off when shaking your hand. In the early years of Patrick’s racing career in particular, it was a defining characteristic and not-so-subtle message about underestimating her.
It was amusing to watch the faces of those meeting her for the first time and seeing men twice her size taken aback by the intensity of that grip.
The bigger message, however, was always delivered on track.
And while Patrick’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career-best seventh-place finish at Kansas Speedway may not scream triumph, it signals progress. Rather, continued progress.
Other than winning the 2013 Daytona 500 pole position and leading laps, Patrick’s stock car education hasn’t always come with roaring headlines and piles of accolades. Unlike her handshake, it’s been more understated.
And it wasn’t just Saturday’s outcome at Kansas, but the path she took to get there which resonates most with Patrick and her Stewart-Haas Racing team. She pulled off daring passes on the outside and ran among the leaders consistently for the duration (she was as high as third) — something she hadn’t done regularly at non-restrictor-plate tracks.
In a season with more hard work in the trenches than "wow-that-was-fun moments," Patrick was able to enjoy the view out front. And her team was able to enjoy watching her enjoy the view out front.
"I’ve always believed in myself," Patrick said. "I’ve always believed that in the right situation, that I can do it. And with all respect, these little moments like when you drive by Jimmie Johnson on the outside, stuff like that, that makes me really proud of myself and little moments like that give me a little more confidence."
Her veteran crew chief Tony Gibson wondered if the race wasn’t the single best effort — from unload to checkered flag — that her No. 10 GoDaddy Chevrolet has had at the Cup level.
"I know that we got pretty excited with some of the moves she was making when she was passing guys on the outside," Gibson said. "It was just fun to watch. It was just a really good weekend for us. We had a good car right off the truck, a good qualifying effort and we backed that up with a good race.
"I’m really proud of what Danica did. I’m really proud of the cars that the guys are SHR are building. This is probably one of our best-ever weekends, and hopefully this will be something that we can build on."
Steady, slowly and simply, Patrick has shown improvement navigating her sophomore year in NASCAR’s big leagues.
She’s improved her 2013 finishes in eight of the 11 races this season. She had only two finishes better than 25th last year at this point, and she has had six finishes better than 25th this year.
Before the season, she said there were some specific things the team needed to work on: unloading fast and qualifying well.
Both of those things occurred over the weekend.
She’s had three top-10 starts this season — including back-to-back at Talladega (seventh) and Kansas (ninth) — compared to one (Daytona) in all of 2013. Her time at the front of the field put her around better drivers in better equipment — a valuable lesson she’s not had before.
The pace of Patrick’s learning curve may not be what everyone else considers success, but improvement is improvement.
Far too often, Patrick is an easy target for the lingering members of the "doubting press corps," or for fans that continue to set the bar unreasonably high for someone transitioning from a different racing genre or see her only as a marketing tool, not a viable competitor.
When a former series champ wrecks while racing her, guess who gets the blame?
When Patrick gets lapped? It’s, "here we go again." Eye roll.
But the truth is, if Patrick’s performance Saturday is encouraging, her body of work this season is persuading.
Give her credit when it’s due. And this season it’s due.
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Rookie breaks through to reach largely unchanged top 10 for first time; do you agree?
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Note: These rankings have been determined by a poll that included writers Kenny Bruce, Holly Cain, David Caraviello and Zack Albert, and video host Alan Cavanna. The H/L marks a driver’s highest and lowest rank during the 2014 season.
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Support an ‘everyday champion,’ submit their name by Friday at midnight ET
RELATED: Nominate a worthy individual for the Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award
The fourth annual Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award celebrates "everyday champions," and your chance to nominate a local hero ends Friday at midnight ET.
France, the executive vice president and assistant treasurer of NASCAR, Inc., and chairwoman of the NASCAR Foundation, detailed the mission of the foundation and the meaning behind the award in Sunday’s Daytona Beach (Florida) News-Journal.
"My work with The NASCAR Foundation is a manifestation of my longtime commitment to getting involved in community-oriented activities and charitable causes," France wrote. "Years ago, when I came to Daytona Beach, I started developing a keen interest in those areas. I have truly been fortunate through the years to remain involved, helping others."
France defined the term "everyday champions" as "people whose volunteer efforts turn children into winners, no matter what kind of challenges they may face. Helping improve the quality of a child’s life is a cause everyone can embrace."
"Since the award was created in 2010, The NASCAR Foundation has utilized the award to donate a combined $525,000 to charities," France wrote. "And more than 50,000 children have been helped through the combined efforts of our humanitarian award finalists.
NASCAR President Mike Helton told FOX Sports 1’s "NASCAR Live" last Friday that the award acknowledges hard-working fans of the sport who give back to their communities.
"In a short period of time, the Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award has been very well received, and it was designed around an opportunity for all the unknown folks out there who work so hard to make the quality of life better for somebody else," Helton said. "We’re very proud of the work that the garage area does in their off time in a benevolent effort."
"But this [award] was designed around the fans of NASCAR being able to recognize someone that they know who has done something from an extraordinary effort to help people in their lives who are in some way connected to NASCAR. We’ve been very pleased with the success of it."
To nominate an individual for the award, go to www.NASCAR.com/award. Again, the deadline for submitting nominations is Friday at midnight Eastern time.
After the nomination process is complete, four finalists will be announced in the fall of 2014, and voting will open on NASCAR.com/award.
The finalist who secures the most online votes will be announced as the winner during the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards show at Wynn Las Vegas on Dec. 5.
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Biagi-DenBeste Racing offers No. 98 Ford to 21-year-old
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Jeb Burton is scheduled to make his second NASCAR Nationwide Series start later this month at Charlotte Motor Speedway after landing a one-race deal with Biagi-DenBeste Racing.
The team announced Tuesday that Burton, 21, will drive the No. 98 Ford in the History 300 on May 24. The Fred Biagi and Bill DenBeste-owned car will carry sponsorship from Kendall-Jackson Avant wines.
"I’m thankful to Fred, Bill, Lori and everybody for the opportunity to come drive the No. 98 car," Burton said. "I think the racing in the Nationwide Series is really good right now, and I’m excited to be a part of it."
Burton has one previous Nationwide start, an eighth-place finish for Turner Scott Motorsports at Kentucky Speedway last September. Burton finished fifth in his rookie season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series last season. He currently ranks seventh in the truck standings after three races in the ThorSport Racing No. 13 Toyota.
The Biagi-DenBeste team has previously fielded Nationwide efforts for current NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers David Ragan and Reed Sorenson. The part-time team landed its only victory in 171 starts with Mike Wallace at the wheel in July 2004 at Daytona International Speedway.
Ragan drove the car to a fourth-place finish — its best in three races this season — earlier this month at Talladega Superspeedway. NASCAR Next driver Ryan Gifford is scheduled to drive the No. 98 in this Sunday’s Get to Know Newton 250 (2 p.m. ET, ESPN) at Iowa Speedway.
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Front Row Motorsports driver was involved in big wreck with Justin Allgaier at Kansas
VOTE: Pick your favorite drivers for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race
David Gilliland said Monday that he received medical clearance to race this weekend after a severe crash last Saturday night at Kansas Speedway. NASCAR confirmed on Monday night that Gilliland is clear to return to racing without restrictions.
Gilliland provided the update through his Twitter account, saying that he will participate in NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race activities this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Just got the ALL GOOD to race! Time to go racing again!!!!! Big credit to NASCAR and the safety of our sport!!!
— David Gilliland (@DavidGilliland) May 12, 2014
Gilliland collided with Justin Allgaier‘s spinning car in the 187th of 267 laps of the 5-hour Energy 400. The violent impact, at nearly full speed on the 1.5-mile track’s frontstretch, sent Gilliland’s No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford careening into the outside retaining wall.
A shaken Gilliland gingerly walked to the ambulance under his own power. He was evaluated and released from the infield care center.
"I am OK," Gilliland said Saturday night after retiring with a 37th-place finish. "I don’t know what happened. … We are all right, though. Just a little sore obviously. That is one of the hardest hits I have had in a while. Hopefully it will be the hardest one for a while to come too. I am fine, though, just ready to get on with it."
Gilliland will compete in Friday night’s NASCAR Sprint Showdown, a 40-lap qualifying race for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race on Saturday night (9 p.m. ET, FOX Sports 1). To transfer his way into the main event, he’ll need to finish either first or second in the Friday night qualifier or win the Sprint Fan Vote.
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Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate hits ‘reset button,’ focuses on Coca-Cola 600
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CONCORD, N.C. — Crashes at Talladega and Kansas in recent weeks have taken their toll on HScott Motorsports and led to the team’s decision to not participate in this weekend’s Sprint Showdown on Friday at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Driver Justin Allgaier, on hand Tuesday at Charlotte Motor Speedway as the seven members of this year’s Sunoco Rookie of the Year class met with the media, said his team would instead focus on next week’s Coca-Cola 600.
"For us, being a small independent team, obviously points races are our focus," he said.
Missing the track time, a 95-minute practice as well as the 40-lap Showdown, shouldn’t be a big issue for the team, Allgaier said, since there will be ample track time next week as teams prepare for the Coca-Cola 600.
"But at the same time, it’s like this week there’s a lot higher risk of damage and getting something torn up," Allgaier, 27, said. "I think this is the best move we can make as a company — hit the reset button and refocus on next week. Obviously, points racing is where we are looking at the most."
Allgaier is 29th in points through the first 11 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, with a best finish of 17th at Bristol. Although he ran well in the most recent Cup races — at Talladega and Kansas — he was involved in crashes in both events.
HScott is a single-car team. It purchases cars and engines from Hendrick Motorsports.
"We had a lot of really good things come out of Kansas," Allgaier said. "I felt like the car was fast … it showed promise. And that’s what we need to accomplish when we come back next week. We don’t feel like (skipping the Showdown) will be a huge hindrance for us.
"The Showdown is 40 laps total, right? And you get only an hour and a half practice. Really the time that we’re missing out on out on track — it’s significant, don’t get me wrong — but the bulk of our practice is going to come next week before the 600 anyway."
And that practice should come under conditions much closer to what drivers will face in the 600.
"We talk about that all the time — this is the track that changes the most with the heat and temperature and shade," he said. "For us getting practice the week we’re actually going to race is probably is more important.
"It wasn’t that we weren’t ready or didn’t have the equipment to come here; we just wanted to make sure we focused on the races that were most important. And five or six, or 10 weeks from now … we’re not in a scramble trying to fix wrecked race cars."
The Sprint Showdown, scheduled for Friday night at Charlotte, is a 40-lap race open to drivers that have not won in either 2013 or through the first 11 races of 2014, who are not past series champions or past winners of the All-Star Race.
Among those in this year’s Showdown field are Clint Bowyer, Danica Patrick and both Richard Petty Motorsports drivers — Aric Almirola and Marcos Ambrose.
The winner and runner-up from the Showdown advance into Saturday night’s NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, as well as one driver chosen by fan vote.
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A statistical lookahead to the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race
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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Below is a look at some of the top statistical performers at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina, going into the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race on May 17.
SPRINT ALL-STAR-SPECIFIC STATISTICS
Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford)
• Two top fives, three top 10s
• Average finish of 13.5
• Average Running Position of 10.5, 11th-best
• Driver Rating of 78.4, 12th-best
• 34 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most
• 211 Green Flag Passes, 11th-most
• Average Green Flag Speed of 179.280 mph, ninth-fastest
• 581 Laps in the Top 15 (69.2%), 10th-most
• 183 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), 11th-most
Kurt Busch (No. 41 Haas Automation Chevrolet)
• One win, five top fives, seven top 10s
• Average finish of 10.3
• Average Running Position of 8.7, fourth-best
• Driver Rating of 86.4, fifth-best
• 48 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most
• 267 Green Flag Passes, ninth-most
• Average Green Flag Speed of 179.310 mph, seventh-fastest
• 676 Laps in the Top 15 (80.5%), fifth-most
• 246 Quality Passes, sixth-most
Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M’s Toyota)
• Three top fives, four top 10s; three poles
• Average finish of 11.3
• Series-best Average Running Position of 6.5
• Series-best Driver Rating of 110.3
• 80 Fastest Laps Run, second-most
• Series-best Average Green Flag Speed of 180.575 mph
• 639 Laps in the Top 15 (85.2%), seventh-most
Carl Edwards (No. 99 Fastenal Ford)
• One win, three top fives, five top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 11.1
• Average Running Position of 10.4, 10th-best
• Driver Rating of 82.8, sixth-best
• 59 Fastest Laps Run, third-most
• Average Green Flag Speed of 179.187 mph, 10th-fastest
• 586 Laps in the Top 15 (77.1%), eighth-most
• 178 Quality Passes, 12th-most
Jeff Gordon (No. 24 Drive To End Hunger Chevrolet)
• Three wins, six top fives, nine top 10s
• Average finish of 9.7
• Average Running Position of 8.8, sixth-best
• Driver Rating of 81.6, eighth-best
• 53 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most
• 282 Green Flag Passes, sixth-most
• Average Green Flag Speed of 179.684 mph, fifth-fastest
• Series-high 776 Laps in the Top 15 (92.4%)
• 258 Quality Passes, third-most
Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Patriotic Chevrolet)
• Four wins, eight top fives, eight top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 6.2
• Average Running Position of 6.9, second-best
• Driver Rating of 106.3, second-best
• Series-high 143 Fastest Laps Run
• 275 Green Flag Passes, eighth-most
• Average Green Flag Speed of 180.223 mph, second-fastest
• 735 Laps in the Top 15 (87.5%), second-most
• 248 Quality Passes, fifth-most
Kasey Kahne (No. 5 Time Warner Cable Chevrolet)
• One win, two top fives, four top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 11.5
• Average Running Position of 10.9, 12th-best
• Driver Rating of 79.7, ninth-best
• 43 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most
• 284 Green Flag Passes, fifth-most
• Average Green Flag Speed of 179.366 mph, sixth-fastest
• 586 Laps in the Top 15 (69.8%), eighth-most
• 243 Quality Passes, seventh-most
Matt Kenseth (No. 20 Home Depot Husky Toyota)
• One win, five top fives, 10 top 10s; two poles
• Average finish of 6.5
• Average Running Position of 8.7, fifth-best
• Driver Rating of 88.3, third-best
• 44 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most
• 286 Green Flag Passes, fourth-most
• Average Green Flag Speed of 179.295 mph, eighth-fastest
• 692 Laps in the Top 15 (82.4%), fourth-most
• 253 Quality Passes, fourth-most
Joey Logano (No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford)
• Two top fives, three top 10s
• Average finish of 4.3
• Average Running Position of 8.4, third-best
• Driver Rating of 87.3, fourth-best
• Average Green Flag Speed of 179.726 mph, fourth-fastest
Jamie McMurray (No. 1 Bass Pro Chevrolet)
• Average finish of 14.8
• Average Running Position of 12.7
• Driver Rating of 63.5, 23rd-best
• 211 Green Flag Passes
• 391 Laps in the Top 15 (67.4%)
Ryan Newman (No. 31 CAT-Quicken Loans Chevrolet
• One win, three top fives, seven top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 9.6
• Average Running Position of 9.5, eighth-best
• Driver Rating of 79.1, 11th-best
• 21 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-most
• 304 Green Flag Passes, second-most
• 710 Laps in the Top 15 (84.5%), third-most
• 266 Quality Passes, second-most
Martin Truex Jr. (No. 78 Furniture Row Chevrolet)
• Average finish of 12.5
• Average Running Position of 14.8
• Driver Rating of 64.6, 21st-best
• 128 Green Flag Passes
• 184 Laps in the Top 15 (49.7%)
Brian Vickers (No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota)
• One top five, one top 10
• Average finish of 9.3
• Driver Rating of 79.6, 10th-best
• 64 Green Flag Passes
• 113 Laps in the Top 15 (66.5%)
Charlotte Motor Speedway Data
Track Size: 1.5-miles
Banking Turns: 24 degrees
Banking/Frontstretch: 5 degrees
Banking/Backstretch: 5 degrees
Frontstretch Length: 1,980 feet
Backstretch Length: 1,500 feet
Top 10 All-Star Driver Ratings
Kyle Busch …………………………. 110.3
Jimmie Johnson …………………… 106.3
Matt Kenseth ………………………… 88.3
Joey Logano …………………………. 87.4
Kurt Busch …………………………… 86.4
Carl Edwards…………………………. 82.8
Joe Nemechek ………………………. 82.4
Jeff Gordon …………………………… 81.6
Kasey Kahne …………………………. 79.7
Brian Vickers …………………………. 79.6
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2013 All-Star
Races (nine total)
SPRINT ALL-STAR RACE:
Notebook
• There have been 29 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Races.
• The first NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race was in 1985.
• 28 have been held at Charlotte Motor Speedway. In 1986, the event was held at Atlanta Motor Speedway, and won by Bill Elliott. That season was also the first year for what is now known as the Sprint Showdown.
• 91 drivers have run in at least one NASCAR Sprint All-Star race, with 76 competing in more than one.
• Mark Martin has participated in 24 races, more than any other driver. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers in Sprint All-Star starts with 20, followed by Tony Stewart with 15.
• There have been 19 different winners of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star race.
• Jimmie Johnson (2003, 2006, 2012 and 2013) leads the series with the most NASCAR Sprint All-Star race wins with four.
• Dale Earnhardt (1987, 1990 and 1993) and Jeff Gordon (1995, 1997 and 2001) are three-time winners of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star race.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip won the inaugural NASCAR Sprint All-Star race in 1985 at 161.184 mph.
• The race has featured a field that ranged from 10 drivers in 1986 to 27 in 2002. This year’s field will have 22 participants.
• Davey Allison (1991 and 1992), Terry Labonte (1988 and 1999) and Mark Martin (1998 and 2005) are the only other drivers to post multiple victories in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star race.
• Davey Allison (1991, 1992) and Jimmie Johnson (2012, 2013) are the only drivers to ever win consecutive Sprint All-Star events.
• Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2000) and Ryan Newman (2002) are the only drivers to win the NASCAR Sprint All-Star race in their rookie season.
• Jeff Gordon is the youngest winner of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at 23 years, 9 months and 18 days (1995). Mark Martin is the oldest at 46 years, 4 months and 12 days (2005).
• Joey Logano (three starts) leads the series among active drivers with an average finish of 4.3 in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star race.
• Eight drivers including Joey Logano, have an average finish in the top 10 for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star race: Jimmie Johnson (6.2), Matt Kenseth (6.5), Tony Stewart (8.2), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (8.3), Brian Vickers (9.3), Ryan Newman (9.6) and Jeff Gordon (9.7).
• Terry Labonte won the inaugural Coors Light pole for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star race in 1985.
• 16 drivers have won Coors Light poles for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star race, led by Bill Elliott with five. Kyle Busch leads all active drivers with three. Carl Edwards won last season’s pole.
• Three drivers have won consecutive Coors Light poles for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star race: Davey Allison (1991, 1992) Bill Elliott (1997, 1998) and Kyle Busch (2011, 2012).
• The NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race has been won from the pole position four times; the first three came in consecutive years: Dale Earnhardt (1990) and Davey Allison (1991 and 1992). Kurt Busch posted the fourth win from the pole in 2010.
• The front row starting positions are the two most proficient starting positions in the field, producing more winners (four each) than any other starting positions in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star race.
• Eight of the 29 (27.5%) NASCAR Sprint All-Star races have been won from the front row: four from the pole and four from second-place.
• 21 of the 29 (72.4%) NASCAR Sprint All-Star races have been won from a top-10 starting position.
• Two of the 29 (6.8%) NASCAR Sprint All-Star races have been won from a starting position outside the top 20.
• The deepest in the field a NASCAR Sprint All-Star race winner has started was 27th, by Ryan Newman in 2002.
• Hendrick Motorsports drivers have won eight NASCAR Sprint All-Star races: Jimmie Johnson (four), Jeff Gordon (three) and Terry Labonte (one).
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt leads the series in top-five finishes in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star race with nine; followed by Tony Stewart (eight) and Jimmie Johnson (eight).
• Bill Elliott leads the series in top-10 finishes in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star race with 13; followed by Dale Earnhardt with 12. Dale Earnhardt Jr. leads all active drivers with 11 each.
• Five drivers have won the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship in the same year: Darrell Waltrip (1985), Dale Earnhardt (1987, 1990, 1993), Rusty Wallace (1989), Jeff Gordon (1995, 1997, 2001) and Jimmie Johnson (2006, 2013).
• In 2008, Kasey Kahne became the first driver to get into the NASCAR Sprint All-Star race by the Sprint Fan Vote and go on to win the event.
• 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 the following weekend: Darrell Waltrip (1985), Davey Allison (1991), Dale Earnhardt (1993), Jeff Gordon (1997), Jimmie Johnson (2003), Kasey Kahne (2008) and Kurt Busch (2010).
• The record for lead changes in a NASCAR Sprint All-Star race is 10 in 2004.
• The record for different leaders in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star race is nine in 2002.
• The series best Driver Rating performance by a NASCAR Sprint All-Star race winner was Carl Edwards posting a 141.7 in 2011.
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