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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Driver is coming off Kansas race where he was involved in hard crash
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Justin Allgaier will not compete in all-star activities this week at Charlotte Motor Speedway, as his No. 51 car has been withdrawn from the Sprint Showdown by HScott Motorsports.
Car owner Harry Scott Jr. and competition director Steve Addington made the decision to focus instead on next week’s points-paying Coca-Cola 600, according to a team representative. The top two finishers in Friday night’s Sprint Showdown, as well as a third driver chosen by fan vote, transfer to the Sprint All-Star Race on Saturday evening.
As an exhibition race, the all-star event does not award points. Allgaier was involved in a hard crash with David Gilliland this past Saturday night at Kansas Speedway, and the rookie fell to 29th in the Sprint Cup Series standings after the 36th-place finish.
Allgaier reacted to the decision by posting an image of a sad face to the social network Twitter. Among those who took note was Dale Earnhardt Jr.
@J_Allgaier cheer up dude. Hard wreck you walked away from. Things could be worse.
— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) May 12, 2014
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Get all the programming information for this week’s NASCAR telecasts
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Monday, May 12
5 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FOX Sports 1
6:30 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub (re-air), FOX Sports 2
7 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Race at Kansas (re-air), FOX Sports 1
2:30 a.m. (Tue), NASCAR Now, ESPN2
3 a.m. (Tue.), NASCAR Camping World Truck Race at Kansas, FOX Sports 1
5 a.m. (Tue.) NASCAR Race Hub Special (re-air), FOX Sports 1
Tuesday, May 13
5 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FOX Sports 1
6:30 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub (re-air), FOX Sports 2
2:30 a.m. (Wed.), NASCAR Now, ESPN2
Wednesday, May 14
7 a.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Race at Kansas (re-air), FOX Sports 2
10 a.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Race at Kansas, FOX Sports 1
12 p.m. NASCAR Race Hub Special (re-air), FOX Sports 1
1 p.m., NASCAR K&N Pro Series Race at Stockton (re-air), FOX Sports 1
5 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FOX Sports 1
6:30 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub (re-air), FOX Sports 2
2:30 a.m. (Thu.), NASCAR Now, ESPN2
Thursday, May 15
10 a.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Race at Kansas (re-air), FOX Sports 2
4 p.m., NASCAR K&N Pro Series Race at Stockton (re-air), FOX Sports 1
5 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FOX Sports 1
2 a.m. (Fri.), NASCAR Now, ESPN2
Friday, May 16
10 a.m., NASCAR K&N Pro Series Race at Stockton (re-air), FOX Sports 1
11 a.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Final Practice, FOX Sports 1 (practice begins at 10 a.m.)
Noon, NASCAR Sprint Showdown Practice, FOX Sports 1
1:45 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup All-Star Race Practice, FOX Sports 1
3:30 p.m., NASCAR Live, FOX Sports 1
4 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Showdown Qualifying, FOX Sports 1
5:30 p.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Qualifying, FOX Sports 1
7 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Showdown Race at Charlotte, FOX Sports 1
8 p.m., NCWTS Set-Up, FOX Sports 1
8:30 p.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race at Charlotte, FOX Sports 1
3 a.m. (Sat.), NASCAR Sprint Showdown (re-air), FOX Sports 1
4 a.m. (Sat.), NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race at Charlotte (re-air), FOX Sports 1
Saturday, May 17
8:30 a.m., NASCAR Sprint Showdown Race (re-air), FOX Sports 2
11:30 a.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race at Charlotte (re-air), FOX Sports 1
1:30 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Showdown Race (re-air), FOX Sports 2
2:30 p.m., NASCAR RaceDay, FOX Sports 1
7 p.m., NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race Qualifying, FOX Sports 1
8:30 p.m., NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte, FOX Sports 1
3:30 a.m. (Sun.), NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte (re-air), FOX Sports 1
Sunday, May 18
9 a.m., FOX Sports 1 on 1: Jimmie Johnson, FOX Sports 1
9:30 a.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte (re-air_, FOX Sports 1
Noon, NASCAR K&N Pro Series Race at Stockton (re-air), FOX Sports 1
1:30 p.m., NNS Countdown, ESPN
2 p.m., NASCAR Nationwide Series Race at Iowa, ESPN
4:30 p.m., NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte (re-air), FOX Sports 2
Midnight, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race at Charlotte (re-air), FOX Sports 2
1 a.m. (Mon.), NASCAR Nationwide Series Race at Iowa (re-air), ESPN2
2:30 a.m. (Mon.), FOX Sports 1 on 1: Jimmie Johnson (re-air), FOX Sports 2
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Initative highlights mass adoption of sustainable practices
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 12, 2014) — As part of the NASCAR Race to Green™ campaign celebrated in the month of April, NASCAR announced that more than 180,000 trees are being planted in areas across the country, including those affected by natural disaster, a 20 percent increase from last year. NASCAR Race to Green is an annual month-long initiative that galvanizes teams, tracks, drivers, Official NASCAR Partners, and fans to take action steps toward preserving and protecting the environment.
"Building on last year’s success, the industry’s coordinated effort to amplify sustainable practices played a major role in helping us exceed the number of trees being planted across the country," said Dr. Mike Lynch, NASCAR vice president, NASCAR Green Innovation. "While our dedication to positively impact the environment is a year-long affair, the NASCAR Race to Green initiative serves as reminder that our collective efforts can make a powerful impact on the health of our planet."
This cross-platform campaign encouraged fans to engage online by sharing their own green efforts by using #NASCARGreen. Highlights of the industry’s efforts during April were featured on a social hub that lived on NASCAR.com/Green. #NASCARGreen was used more than 10x the amount it was used in 2013.
As part of the NASCAR Green Clean Air Tree Planting Program Delivered by UPS, a number of NASCAR-sanctioned tracks planted trees in their local communities and helped spread awareness about sustainable behavior including Darlington Raceway, Daytona International Speedway, Martinsville Speedway, Richmond International Raceway and Texas Motor Speedway.
At several race tracks, NASCAR drivers including Dakoda Armstrong, Austin Dillon, Dylan Kwasniewski, Elliott Sadler, and Reed Sorenson, participated in ceremonial tree plantings. NASCAR teams and drivers across its three national series also did their part by featuring the NASCAR Green logo on the A-Post of their vehicles throughout the month and the color green across the top of their windshields at Martinsville Speedway and Richmond International Raceway. NASCAR sanctioned tracks, including tracks across NASCAR’s three national series, as well as its U.S. and international touring series, went "green" throughout the month, prominently displaying the color green in a variety of ways in support of the initiative.
The Virginia Department of Forestry (VDOF) partnered with NASCAR to help offset the carbon footprint of fans attending all NASCAR-sanctioned races across the Commonwealth of Virginia at Martinsville Speedway, Richmond International Raceway, Motor Mile Speedway, Langley Speedway and South Boston Speedway. These efforts were part of a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that was signed in 2013. Additionally, NASCAR Green and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency launched the second annual NASCAR Green / E3 Challenge encouraging local businesses in Virginia to operate in a green and sustainable fashion.
In coordination with these efforts, The NASCAR Foundation forged a partnership with the MathScience Innovation Center (MSIC) in Richmond, Va. The Foundation sponsored field trips to the MSIC, where students had a hands-on learning experience planting trees and learning about the importance of clean air, tree health, and the overall impact of trees on the environment.
NASCAR Official Partners were among the main contributors to NASCAR Race to Green, rallying around the initiative through a series of unique activations, a commitment to pledge trees, and participation in a number of events that took place throughout the month of April. Partners taking an active role included:
• 3M — Donated a tree for every lap run in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Additionally, 3M wrapped Toyota pace cars and 21 Air Titan 2.0 vehicles with Eco-Friendly 3M Envision film for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races in April.
• 5.11 Tactical — Produced NASCAR Green patches that were placed on NASCAR Officials Uniform.
• ACORE — Announced 2015 summer fellowship program at USA Science & Engineering Festival focusing on STEM initiatives.
• American Ethanol — Donated a tree for every green flag waved across NASCAR national series races.
• Chevrolet — Hosted Darlington County students in the Team Chevy display to build wood duck nesting boxes out of scrap Chevrolet Volt battery covers.
• Coca-Cola — In addition to executing their year-long at-track recycling program, brought their Reimagine Recycling Showcase vehicle to Texas educating fans on recycling and providing chances to win prizes made from recycled plastic bottles.
• Coors Light — Miss Coors Light encouraged fans to plant trees and recycle at track.
• Featherlite Trailers — Donated hundreds of trees for every Featherlite Trailers driver that won a race in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.
• Ford Motor Company — A Ford Fusion Hybrid donning NASCAR Green decals paced the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Martinsville Speedway. Additionally, Ford ran NASCAR Green decals on all driver intro trucks during the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Darlington Raceway.
• Freightliner Trucks — Donated hundreds of trees for every Freightliner driver that won a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.
• Goodyear — Launched "Goodyear Fuel Strategy Sweepstakes" and provided Fuel Max tires for Toyota Camry Hybrid pace car at Richmond International Raceway.
• Liberty Tire Recycling — Provided GroundSmart Mulch™ to enhance the landscaping of trees that are donated to areas of need throughout the country.
• Mobil 1 — ExxonMobil converted NASCAR’s fleet-and-service vehicles to Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy and Mobil Delvac 1 LE 5W-30 to increase fuel efficiency.
• Sprint — Miss Sprint Cup attended tree plantings and donned her green uniform throughout the month.
• Sherwin-Williams — Promoted the positive benefits of low volatile compound paints with initial applications for select teams in the sport.
• Sunoco — Coined April 15 Sunoco Green E-15 day.
• Toyota — Toyota Camry Hybrid paced NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway.
• UPS — Donated thousands of trees to areas impacted by natural disasters.
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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Nationwide rookie will drive Kyle Larson’s No. 42 entry in five events
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Turner Scott Motorsports officials have announced that 18-year-old Dylan Kwasniewski will drive the team’s No. 42 Chevrolet in five NASCAR Nationwide Series stand-alone events on this year’s schedule.
Kyle Larson will continue to pilot the No. 42 Nationwide car in companion events while racing full-time in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series for Chip Ganassi Racing.
Camping World Truck Series driver Chase Pistone will handle the driving duties in TSN’s No. 31 entry this weekend at Iowa, freeing up Kwasniewski to take over the 42. The driver lineup for the No. 31 in the remaining races has yet to be announced.
The Sprint Cup and Truck Series will be at Charlotte Motor Speedway this weekend.
Kwasniewski is a recently signed developmental driver for Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, and has experience on Iowa’s 0.875-mile layout. He won one of two K&N Pro Series East events there last year and was ninth in a return trip.
"I’m really looking forward to getting behind the wheel of the No. 42 car this week … and for the remaining four stand-alone races," Kwasniewski said in a team release. "I’m confident in all the guys at Turner Scott Motorsports, so it’ll be a great learning experience."
Kwasniewski will also compete at Road America, Iowa (Aug. 2), Mid-Ohio and Kentucky in the No. 42 entry. Larson will return to the seat for the NNS standalone at Chicago since it is an off weekend for the Sprint Cup Series. Kwasniewski will return to the No. 31 entry for that event as well.
The No. 42 team is fourth in owner points while Kwasniewski’s No. 31 is 18th. He began the year with an eighth-place finish at Daytona, but has failed to crack the top-10 in eight subsequent races.
No other personnel changes will be made between the two teams, according to officials. Scott Zipadelli will remain crew chief of the No. 42 while Pat Tryon will oversee the No. 31 at Iowa.
Pistone finished 13th earlier this year at Martinsville in his only NCWTS start of the season. He has one career NNS start, which came in 2006.
Team co-owner Harry Scott said the organization “is dedicated to bringing new talent into the series in which we compete.
"Dylan … is a great example of this and we’re excited to have him in the No. 42 car while Kyle … fulfills his Sprint Cup Series obligations," he said.
"With Dylan being a (CGR) development driver, it will be a great learning experience for him and an overall win-win situation for both organizations."
Pistone "had an impressive run … at Martinsville and we’re excited to see his performance in Iowa," Scott said.
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