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‘Drivin for Linemen 200’ marks return of NASCAR racing to St. Louis area

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Gateway Motorsports Park and MAKE Motorsports annouced Friday that the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on June 14 will be named the "Drivin’ for Linemen 200." The event, held over Father’s Day weekend, marks the return of the Camping World Truck Series to the St. Louis area for the first time since 2010.

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The race name is intended to bring awareness to the Linemen of America and the electrical industry.

The Linemen were recognized by the U.S. Congress on Friday for their efforts as first responders during natural disasters and the race will pay tribute to the past, present, future and fallen Linemen. 

"Gateway Motorsports Park is honored to be associated with the Fallen Linemen Organization and the International Lineman’s Museum," Curtis Francois, CEO and owner of Gateway Motorsports Park said. "With the sporadic and dangerous weather we experience here in the Midwest, our fans understand the critical role electrical linemen play in assisting other first responders in their efforts to save lives. Our goal with this event partnership is to recognize these heroes and their families, and pay tribute to the men and women who have sacrificed their lives helping others."

The "Drivin’ for Lineman 200" will be televised on FOX Sports 1 on June 14 with the race set to start at 8:30 p.m. ET. Coverage will begin at 8 p.m. ET.

For additional information on the Fallen Linemen Organization, please visit www.fallenlinemen.org. 

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Longtime team owner shares thoughts on reducing horsepower in top series

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With NASCAR officials focusing on engine changes in the Sprint Cup Series for 2015 that will result in a reduction of horsepower, such a move should involve "a restriction on the intake side," according to Sprint Cup Series team co-owner Jack Roush.
 
Roush, an owner in the series since 1988, isn’t suggesting the use of restrictor plates similar to those used at Daytona and Talladega.
 
Instead, he said, a reduction of the throttle bore size "without a plate underneath" would accomplish the objective.

"(It is) straightforward and it is easily reversible if you decided that the quality of the racing was hurt by it," Roush told NASCAR.com during the Sprint Cup Series stop at Darlington Raceway on April 12.
 
"If they want to take 100 horsepower off … reduce horsepower significantly, the least expensive and most palatable way to do that is with a restriction on the intake side."
 
Earlier this month, NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France told Sirius XM NASCAR Radio that changes to the current engine packages used in the Cup Series are coming, perhaps as soon as next season.
 
France said such a move would be "part of the overall rules packages that we design that hopefully control costs, hopefully make the racing better."
 
Today’s Cup engines, limited to 358 cubic inches, produce approximately 850 horsepower. Speeds have increased, in part due to a new rules package and the continued development of the Generation-6 car, now in its second year.
 
While officials with the three auto manufacturers currently involved at the series’ top level, Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota, have been a part of the discussions, they say it is too early in the process to respond to potential engine changes.
 
Roush, who turns 72 on April 19, is the co-owner of Roush Fenway Racing. The organization has won the NASCAR Cup title twice – with former drivers Matt Kenseth in 2003 and Kurt Busch in ’04. The organization’s 134 victories rank Roush Fenway fourth highest overall and No. 3 among current teams in the series.
 
He is also co-owner of Roush Yates Engines, which supplies engines to more than one dozen Sprint Cup Series teams.
 
"From an owner’s standpoint, NASCAR has got to be mindful of  … what it costs," Roush said. "The race teams can only afford to change so many things at a time. With the expanding technology and the engineering costs that everybody has with the pressure for sponsorship and investment in the sport, a dramatic or unnecessary engine change would not be welcome in my world."
 
Roush said previous conversations with NASCAR officials have focused on two considerations.
 
"One of them is not a big-cost problem and the other one is," he said. "If NASCAR comes back and redefines the engine right away, says we’re going to a 4-valve, twin overhead cam package, that would be a death knell for a lot of teams in terms of what it would cost to re-power these things.
 
"I don’t think it would materially impact the competitiveness of the cars, or the quality of the product that the consumers buy either from watching it on TV or from buying a seat in the stands.
 
"The thing that NASCAR has talked about, that they’ve brought to my attention, is changing the displacement of the engine in an effort to reduce 100 horsepower; that gets thumbs down from me because the cost of crankshafts, and the obsolescence that are involved and the development that follows that are going to cost the teams millions of dollars.
 
"I think NASCAR has asked ‘what about that?’ but I don’t think they are serious in wanting to push that."
 
Roush said it appears more likely that the change will involve lowering the engine RPM, "which would be less hard on the engine," and could include "a requirement that you use the engine for two races.
 
"I think that’s more likely where they will wind up," he said.
 
Both the Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series currently operate with a "sealed engine" program.
 
Such a move at the Cup level would mean higher initial costs due to development and construction, but by making the engine last for two races a net savings could be realized.
 
"By reducing the RPM, you reduce the power available for the car without changing its restriction or changing its displacement," said Roush. "By making the requirement that an engine be run twice before it was subject to rebuild, we would have that opportunity to reduce costs to the teams."
 
Roush said there is also talk of moving away from flat tappet camshafts in Cup engines to a roller camshaft similar to what is currently used in the Nationwide and Truck series.
 
"Right now you have to search the world for the best steel and best coating process to be able to have the friction characteristics that will allow you to run a flat tappet camshaft competitively," he said.
 
"The roller camshaft lifter arrangement will be much easier to source from a component point of view and much easier for the marginal teams to be able to get camshafts in their engines that will be durable."

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From Waltrip to Baker and more, counting down the top 10 NASCAR TV analysts

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At its best, auto racing doesn’t just translate via television — it bursts through the screen and into your living room, leaving little bits of rubber on the sofa. That’s often certainly the case with NASCAR, whose sound and fury and kaleidoscopic colors have made for compelling viewing ever since CBS cameras caught Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison slugging it out at Daytona in 1979.

And explaining it all are the personalities on the other side of the camera, who to longtime viewers have become like an extended family — though one where the members don’t always get along. Race announcers, broadcasters such as Ken Squier and Mike Joy, are like the uncles who regale us with stories each time they visit. Analysts, like Darrell Waltrip and Kyle Petty, are like the uncles we argue with across the dinner table. Just like back in the day at the race track, sometimes a few chicken bones get thrown.

Oh, do race fans love their television analysts. Oh, do race fans hate their television analysts. Oh, do race fans love to hate their television analysts, something Jeff Burton and Steve Letarte will surely discover next season when they don headsets for NBC. Regardless of the network, that complicated yet committed relationship is always there, with both sides rushing back to one another each week. Well, except for this one. With NASCAR on a rare hiatus, it’s time to turn the channel back through history, and run down the sport’s top 10 television analysts.

10. David Hobbs
There was something about that British accent, which seemed both so out of place and so enchanting all at the same time. A former driver who raced just about everything — he made six Formula One starts, and two in what is now NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series — Hobbs worked for more than a dozen years as a color commentator and pit reporter for CBS telecasts of NASCAR. It was Hobbs who sat in the motorhome with Teresa Earnhardt when her husband Dale lost a tire, and ultimately the Daytona 500, to Derrike Cope in 1990. Later, it was Hobbs who asked the Intimidator the question everyone was thinking: What the heck happened?

9. Dale Jarrett

As smooth behind the microphone as he was behind the wheel, Jarrett moved effortlessly into the broadcast booth after his racing days ended, and in recent years has been a regular on ESPN broadcasts. The son of Ned Jarrett, another champion driver who made a successful transition into television, the three-time Daytona 500 winner has been working select broadcasts for ESPN since 2007. The 1999 NASCAR champion and newly-minted Hall of Famer has an even-keeled style that helps to see through the clutter, which viewers seem to appreciate in a medium that can easily be overtaken by shouting and noise.

8. Buddy Baker

The Nashville Network was a NASCAR broadcast partner throughout the 1990s, and Baker was in many ways TNN’s voice. A 19-time winner on the sport’s premier circuit as a driver, Baker brought his gregariousness and enthusiasm straight into the broadcast booth, even though he was still competing part-time. Never at a loss for words, Baker was one of many former drivers who not only found a second career behind the microphone, but discovered that the experience enhanced his career as a whole. He’s still at it today on SiriusXM radio, and his broadcast work is likely one reason he’s earned a nomination for the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

7. Chris Economaki

OK, so maybe he wasn’t technically an analyst. But he wasn’t really a pit reporter, either, at least not in his later years. Economaki was simply an original, and every race broadcast was improved by his presence. Part commentator and part essayist, the Dean of American Motorsports opined on all things racing during his stint with CBS, which coincided with the network’s golden age of NASCAR coverage and exposed him to a new audience. His voice was unmistakable, his depth of knowledge was unfathomable, and he could own the TV screen even when sharing it with championship drivers. So no, he wasn’t really an analyst. He was a legend.

6. Benny Parsons

The 1973 champion was a big personality, but he brought an ease to the broadcast booth when he transitioned from behind the steering wheel to behind the microphone. A former Detroit taxicab driver who knew how to relate to people, Parsons often analyzed races in a relaxed, almost professorial tone that struck a chord with race fans. After winning 21 races as a driver, he became a ubiquitous media personality, calling races for ESPN, NBC and TNT. Parsons won an Emmy award for his work with ESPN in 1996, and was still a presence in his sport when he was lost to lung cancer in early 2007.

5. Ray Evernham

The three-time championship-winning crew chief was intense and detail-oriented as a crew chief, and brought that same work ethic to his job as an analyst for ABC and ESPN. Befitting someone who won 47 races atop the pit box, Evernham’s specialty was drilling down to the core of any issue involving car setup or pit strategy, and making it easier for the viewer to understand. He took the job seriously, and it showed — early this year Evernham stepped away from his television work, to avoid any conflict of interest after his role as an advisor to Rick Hendrick expanded into the motorsports realm. That’s a pro’s pro.

4. Andy Petree

He may have an understated tone, but his words can carry plenty of punch. A championship-winning crew chief with Dale Earnhardt before becoming race-winning car owner with a smaller, out-of-the-way team, Petree is as good as any analyst working today at forecasting what’s about to happen on the race track. A part of ESPN’s coverage since 2007, he can also scold with the best of them, in a flat voice that can convey plenty of disappointment. His Earnhardt connection gives him credibility with old-school race fans, while his delivery and underrated knack for outspokenness do the rest.

3. Kyle Petty

On the subject of outspokenness — meet the man who redefined the practice. An eight-time winner in NASCAR’s premier series who has been a mainstay of TNT’s coverage, Petty is far from shy about sharing opinions that are sometimes brutally honest and occasionally inflammatory. The latter was certainly the case when it came to his comments last year about Danica Patrick, but anyone who’s been paying attention realized that was nothing new. In a sport where too many competitors are perhaps too friendly with one another, it’s almost refreshing to have an analyst not afraid of hurting feelings, and that’s what makes Petty so good.

2. Darrell Waltrip

As an analyst, ‘ol D.W. can so rankle some people, that they even questioned whether the three-time champion deserved to be in the Hall of Fame. That’s crazy talk. What’s not, though, is the indisputable fact that since joining the Fox booth in 2001, Waltrip has become the face of his sport on television, and he’s earned that position through sheer enthusiasm and goodwill. Sure, the "boogity" thing may have run its course, and maybe the Fox guys get a little excitable sometimes. But goodness, does Darrell Waltrip love NASCAR, and that passion comes charging right through the television, and it all makes him as engaging and as watchable as any racing analyst there’s ever been.

1. Ned Jarrett

There may be many younger viewers who aren’t familiar with Jarrett’s work on television, given that the two-time champion hasn’t called a race since 2007. But he essentially invented the idea of a former driver moving into the booth, and quickly became a master of the craft. Best known for his work on CBS and ESPN, Jarrett was very much a professional broadcaster, using a concise style that let the race tell the story. But he was human, after all, and his call of son Dale’s 1993 Daytona 500 victory will choke you up even today. When he was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, his broadcast work was cited as much as his racing triumphs, and with good reason. For decades, he wasn’t just an analyst. He was the analyst.

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NASCAR Chairman and CEO receives Vision Award

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NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France and NASCAR Fuel for Business were honored at the Cynopsis Sports Awards Thursday at the Yale Club in New York City.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team owner Rick Hendrick presented France with the Vision Award, which recognizes the executive of the year from a sports league or organization who has demonstrated innovation and transformed an industry.
 
"With all the stakeholders involved in our sport, it takes a leader who is willing to stand tall," Hendrick said. "Brian has revolutionized the sport of NASCAR, working with the entire NASCAR industry — the teams, tracks and sponsors."

France became NASCAR Chairman and CEO in 2003, achieving unprecedented growth in the value of the sport’s broadcast rights. Among numerous initiatives noted at the bottom of the article, France spearheaded the launch of NASCAR Green. Also, nearly one company out of four in the Fortune 500 participates in NASCAR.

"Brian has the vision to take us into the next generation and where we need to go in the future," Hendrick said.

Accepting the award, France said, "One thing that is never lost on me at these types of sports industry gatherings is how lucky we all are to be working in an industry that evokes so much passion from people across the world."

NASCAR Fuel for Business (NFFB) earned two awards for B2B Program and Proprietary Asset. Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the NFFB Council is a business-to-business platform that brings together an exclusive group of more than 50 Official NASCAR Partners to buy and sell products and services. Since its inception in 2004, the quarterly meetings have facilitated more than 1,000 "speed meeting" sessions where Official NASCAR Partners meet and do business with one another.

NASCAR earned Honorable Mentions for Brand Activation at Live Events for its NASCAR After the Lap Sponsored by Ford and Coca-Cola; Brand Extensions/Licensing for Touch by Alyssa Milano and Mobile App – Live Streaming for NASCAR Digital Media’s NASCAR RaceView Mobile ’13.

The Cynopsis Sports Media Awards recognize the most outstanding work in the sports industry from the past year with categories that span television, digital, marketing and more.

(Graphic by: NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications)

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Meet the field of voting hopefuls and find your favorite All-Star

Vote Now! Pick your favorite drivers for the Sprint All-Star Race

There are plenty of ways for drivers to qualify for the 30th annual NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race:

• Win a race in the current and preceding season.
• Possess a Sprint Cup championship or All-Star Race win in the last 10 years
• Finish first or second in the Sprint Showdown qualifying race
• Bribe Miss Sprint Cup

OK, so only three of those four are true. But there is one alternate way to gain entry into the non-points invitational event, scheduled May 17 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The top vote-getter in the Sprint Fan Vote will advance into the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race to complete the field.

Fans may cast their ballots three ways — through the NASCAR MOBILE app (which counts double), here at NASCAR.com/SprintFanVote or at The Sprint Experience exhibit at the track each week.

As of the early season break for Easter weekend, 19 competitors have already locked into the field of the main event, but 30 eligible drivers who haven’t yet qualified are just as eager to get their shot at a $1 million payday.

Torn about who should get your vote? Are your allegiances all askew? We present a friendly guide for why each of the 30 (listed alphabetically) should be your choice at the ballot box:

***

Justin Allgaier — "Li’l Gator" will be entering his first invitational as a Sprint Cup regular, but he’s not the first Allgaier to participate in an all-star challenge. His wife, Ashley, posted a third-place finish in a Legends Car in the 2011 Better Half Dash, meaning he’ll need to do his part in May to carry the Allgaier banner at Charlotte.

AJ Allmendinger — Much like Allgaier, you can’t spell All-Star without All … mendinger. He’s a former Sprint Showdown winner (2008) ready to better his 11th-place showing in his best All-Star appearance (in 2012) and has exceeded expectations thus far in 2014.

Aric Almirola — If there was a Hall of Fame just for car numbers, Richard Petty Motorsports’ No. 43 would be in it. It’s long overdue for the storied number to return to the Sprint All-Star Race.

Marcos Ambrose — The Aussie has two previous All-Star appearances, both earned by victories at Watkins Glen International‘s twisty circuit. If Charlotte Motor Speedway opted to revive their infield road course in the latest tweak to the All-Star rules, Ambrose would be a shoo-in.

Michael Annett — Before starting his driving career and joining the heralded Sunoco Rookie of the Year class in 2014, Annett was a successful youth hockey player who once led his league in penalty minutes. If tempers rise on All-Star weekend, his rivals might think twice before dropping the gloves with the driver of the No. 7 car.

Trevor Bayne — An All-Star vote for Bayne could mean the 2011 Daytona 500 champ reprising his cool-down lap astonishment and humility — "Are you kidding me? What?" — after winning the Great American Race.

Dave Blaney — A Sprint All-Star Race on a 1.5-mile track covered in dirt. Sounds like a dream come true for the Buckeye Bullet (see: Ambrose).

Alex Bowman — In his Twitter bio, Bowman claims to be a "wannabe drifter," and it’s presumed he means the form of motorsport and not a pursuit of a life of aimless wandering. Either way, a vote into the All-Star race will give him a chance to pitch his NASCAR-prepped ride sideways under the lights.

Clint Bowyer — Hard to believe that Bowyer missed out on winning a race in 2013. He still has a few chances to come through on the race track before All-Star weekend, but if not, a landslide at the ballot box would help the circuit’s favorite "aw, shucks" Kansan.

Landon Cassill — The Iowa native lists "rounds of mini-golf" first among his hobbies on his personal website. If only the All-Star course involved obstacles such as windmills and tunnels, and was conducted on AstroTurf.

Austin Dillon — The No. 3 back in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. That is all.

David Gilliland — It’s been eight years since Gilliland burst onto the scene with one of the biggest upset wins in NASCAR Nationwide Series history. Looking for an underdog? It’s worth a ballot nod.

Parker Kligerman — As an entertaining contributing author at Jalopnik, a leading motoring website, Kligerman could probably find room in his next story for how he won the Sprint Fan Vote. Hint.

Bobby Labonte — Labonte won the All-Star Fan Vote in 2012, right on the heels of previously ineligible Dale Earnhardt Jr. — the 11-time Most Popular Driver in NASCAR — clinching a spot by winning the Sprint Showdown qualifier. He hasn’t competed this season since finishing 15th in the Daytona 500, but his absence is nothing a Sprint Fan Vote victory couldn’t fix.

Terry Labonte — The Iceman, a two-time All-Star winner, once lamented a Darlington crash by saying "it seemed an invisible hand came out from the wall and smacked our cars into one another." Labonte won’t see your hand when it votes for him, either — all the more reason to add to the mystique.

Kyle Larson — The finishes in the heralded rookie’s first season have been mainly up and sometimes down, but the kid has seemed to always put on a show. Place him in the Sprint All-Star Race where points don’t matter, and the field may have the ultimate scene-stealer.

Eric McClure — Came up just short of qualifying for the season-opening Daytona 500, but it shouldn’t stop fans from giving the likeable Nationwide Series regular another shot at Sprint Cup glory.

Michael McDowell — It’s hard to type "Michael McDowell" into a search engine without it automatically fleshing out to say "Michael McDowell crash." A Sprint Fan Vote win would help McDowell, who’s driven a little bit of everything in his career, potentially make a defining highlight other than his spectacular Texas wreck in 2008.

Casey Mears — An overachiever for much of the season so far, Mears already has some Charlotte success in his portfolio — a Coca-Cola 600 victory in 2007.

Paul Menard — With top-10s in half of the first eight races, all Menard needs is a fighting chance to punch his All-Star ticket. While his on-track prowess is enough to win most over, it’s the rock-solid chops of facial hair that seal the deal. If Menard were a character on "The Simpsons," he’d be Mr. Burns.

Joe Nemechek — It’s been since April 2008 that the driver named "Front Row Joe" actually qualified on the front row for a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event. A vote into any row of the Sprint All-Star Race would give the Florida veteran a shot in the arm.

Danica Patrick — The Sprint Fan Vote’s defending champ might have the inside line on clinching her second straight All-Star Race berth, but the democratic process still needs to play out to make that happen.

Brian Scott — The most recent driver we know of to be hit with the well-worn putdown of "dart with no feathers" (from Aric Almirola), Scott has the chance to hit the All-Star bull’s-eye with the right amount of votes.

Morgan Shepherd — The only driver among the 30 whose career began during the Nixon administration, Shepherd has a chance to rewrite the history books (at least those written after his birth year of 1941) with an All-Star berth at age 72.

Reed Sorenson — As a five-time bridesmaid in All-Star qualifying races and never a bride in the main event, Sorenson may be the hungriest driver in the field (but not literally, thanks to his Golden Corral sponsorship).

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. — Stenhouse drove his way into the Saturday night feature with a strong runner-up finish in the Sprint Showdown qualifier. If he’s able to count on the fans’ votes coming in abundance, perhaps he can skip the preliminary event to make a food run to Sonic, as he did last year during a rain delay at Chicagoland Speedway.

Ryan Truex — As part of BK Racing’s new-look, two-rookie lineup for 2014, Truex hopes voters will take his team’s approach. Time for some fresh faces in the All-Star Race mix? Vote here.

Michael Waltrip — The two-time Daytona 500 winner will be at the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race regardless, be it in the TV broadcast booth or behind the wheel. Voting for Waltrip could decide if he performs his patented grid walk in a fire suit or regular suit.

Cole Whitt — Probably 50 Cent’s favorite redhead after their chummy experience at Daytona in February. A vote here could put Whitt among the All-Star starters and have him back on a first-name basis with the rapper ("Fitty" instead of "Mr. Cent").

Josh Wise — This man completed an Ironman Triathlon in the offseason, meaning the Sprint All-Star Race should be a piece of cake. The 90-lap event equals 135 miles, or just 5.6 fewer miles than he covered through swimming, biking and running last December.

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Two-car team says it is ‘unable to secure the kind of sponsorship’ needed

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Due to an inability to secure the necessary funding, Swan Racing officials say they are reviewing the organization’s financial situation and its ability to continue to field two full-time teams in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

Whether the organization returns to competition when the series is back on track next weekend at Richmond International Raceway has yet to be determined.

"The team has been unable to secure the kind of sponsorship required to effectively operate the team," the team said in a statement issued Thursday. "As a result, the team management is exploring every available option. We hope to be in a position to provide a detailed update in the near future."

Swan Racing debuted in 2012 as a single-car operation with owner Brandon Davis and driver David Stremme.

For 2014, the group expanded to two teams, fielding the No. 30 Toyota for driver Parker Kligerman as well as the No. 26 with driver Cole Whitt.

Kligerman and Whitt are two of eight drivers vying for Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors.

Davis is CEO of Swan Energy, an independent oil and gas company based in Denver. The group added minority owner Bill Romanowski, a former NFL linebacker, prior to the start of the 2013 season while Anthony Marlowe, co-founder of business process outsourcing company TMone, came on board earlier this year.

Minutes after the team release came out, Marlowe tweeted:

Whitt has a top finish of 18th this season at Auto Club Speedway, and is 33rd in points through the season’s first eight races. His team, led by crew chief Randy Cox, carried sponsorship from Speed Stick Gear for the opening four races while Swan Energy has funded the entry for the past four events.

Lending Tree sponsored Kligerman’s No. 30 Toyota for the season-opening Daytona 500 and Aria Hotels/Black Clover apparel at Las Vegas. The entry was self-funded through Swan Energy for four races while SMS Audio, of which rap artist 50 Cent is majority owner, was on the car for the last two events.

Kligerman has a best finish of 29th at Daytona, and is 38th in points. Steven Lane, competition director for Swan Racing, has served as crew chief for the No. 30 entry.

On Friday, Kligerman didn’t address the situation specifically on Twitter but said that he was "focused forward."

Swan Racing competed full time in 2013, with five drivers behind the wheel for at least one race — Stremme (25), Whitt (7), Kligerman (2), Michael Waltrip (1) and Kevin Swindell (1).

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Bruce: Vickers’ results admirable under trying circumstances

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He says he pays no attention to what the media churns out each week, which might make it sound as if he could be a difficult interview. But that’s not the case.

"If it’s bad and you believe it, that’s bad," Brian Vickers said on the heels of a 26th-place finish in Saturday night’s Bojangles’ Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. "And if it’s good and you believe it, that’s probably bad, too."

The fact that he is a part of the NASCAR equation today carries more weight than what is written or said about Vickers and his No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine team, fielded by Michael Waltrip Racing. 

Two health scares and the business of rebuilding a career as a full-time driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series can reshape one’s perspective.

Perhaps the bad days aren’t so bad and maybe the good days are a little more special for the 30-year-old.

Perhaps, but Vickers competes with more than a "just happy to be here" attitude. He can, and does, get riled when the occasion warrants.

Such was the case at Darlington this past weekend, when he was penalized for missing the commitment cone at the entrance to pit road just beyond the 300-lap mark of the race.

"I hit the wall at 170, 180 mph with a blown right front (tire); the cone was the least of my concerns," Vickers said of the incident. "How about a little consideration? I think that was a bad call. 

"Obviously, I know the rule. But we’ve got enough problems right now. I’m sitting backwards on pit road with a blown right front, my shoulder is killing me because I hit the wall at 170, and we’re worried about penalizing us another lap for missing the cone? I just think that’s absurd."

The accident cost Vickers and his team two laps; a second blown tire a short time later put him three down by the time the checkered flag appeared. 

It was a disappointing ending in a race that had seen him lead twice for 30 laps. Ninth in points heading into the race, he fell four spots to 13th.

A three-time winner at the Cup level, including last season at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Vickers is getting re-acquainted with running a full Cup schedule. In 2013, he raced full time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series for Joe Gibbs Racing while sharing seat time in the No. 55 with Mark Martin and team co-owner Michael Waltrip. 

A blood clot issue that returned late in the year cut his season short in both series; the unexpected finding surfaced soon after MWR officials had named him to drive for the team full time in 2014. 

The announcement of his setback also came at a time the organization was already embroiled in controversy stemming from the finish of the Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond International Raceway. Fallout from that incident eventually resulted in the downsizing of MWR from three to two full-time Cup teams and the loss of longtime sponsor NAPA. 

Nearly half a year later, the opening weeks of the 2014 season have been not only about the resumption of Vickers’ Cup career but MWR’s attempt to rebuild its credibility within the sport as well. 

Vickers, the 2003 Nationwide Series champion, appears to be taking it all in stride.

"Considering the circumstances and what this team has gone through the last couple of years, what I’ve been through in my life, the fact that we’re out here leading laps and contending for wins is pretty frigging awesome," he said. "To think a couple of years ago I wasn’t sure if I would ever race again; and again last year I wasn’t sure if I would ever race again. 

"We lost a team at MWR, (we) lost a lot of good people, unfortunately, losing a sponsor. But the team is resilient; no one gave up."

Least of all Vickers. 

Former lead engineer Billy Scott now serves as crew chief, replacing Rodney Childers. Vickers has posted three top-10s this year, including a best of fourth at Texas Motor Speedway. 

"We’re still contending for top-fives … and contending for a Chase spot," Vickers said. "I’m really proud of what this team has done."

Getting back into the winner’s circle would be a big deal.

Given everything they’ve overcome, in some ways they’re already there.

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Harvick in elite company with wins in four of the biggest races in the sport

MORE: Harvick’s crew chief and his eventful path to NASCAR
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He may be 38 years old and every bit the cagey veteran, but in some ways Kevin Harvick may just be getting warmed up. With two victories in his first eight races, he’s off to one of the best starts of his career. His cars are fast every week, even if they’ve been sometimes hampered by mechanical issues that have the driver a deceptive 22nd in points. His crew chief has been called the next Chad Knaus. He’s perhaps never been in a better position to not just contend for the Sprint Cup Series championship, but to actually win it.

And after Saturday night, that season-long title is the lone remaining major trophy that Harvick has yet to collect. His effort at Darlington Raceway — a dominant 238 laps led, and the track’s first winner from the pole since Dale Jarrett in 1997 — was everything we’ve come to expect from a driver and a team that have been the ones to watch ever since preseason testing. Sure, parity has abounded early in this 2014 campaign. But for a broken wheel hub while leading at Las Vegas, Harvick might have three victories. But for a crash while running fourth late at Bristol, he might have four.

Regardless, this No. 4 team continues to look like the most formidable force in the garage area right now when all the parts and pieces hold up. No question, Harvick enjoyed some tremendous seasons at Richard Childress Racing, where he finished third in final points in three of the past four seasons. But this is different. Consider that Harvick has already led 515 laps, more than in any of his full campaigns since 2006, and just 10 fewer than all the laps he’s led in the past two seasons combined. At RCR Harvick became known as "the Closer," but it was out of necessity — his cars didn’t run at the front consistently enough, often forcing him to win by making big pushes toward the end.

No more. At Stewart-Haas Racing, Harvick is clearly capable of going out and dominating races with a ruthlessness once reserved for the likes of Jimmie Johnson. That was clearly the case at Darlington, where the California native added his name to an exclusive list of drivers who have claimed the four biggest events of their era — the Daytona 500, the Brickyard 400, the Coca-Cola 600 and the Southern 500. In the two decades since Indianapolis Motor Speedway was added to the schedule, only four drivers have swept that quartet: Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, and now Harvick.

The playing field here isn’t completely level, or course, given that the likes of Richard Petty or David Pearson never had the opportunity to win at Indy in a stock car, and that the Southern 500 inexcusably disappeared from the schedule for four years after Darlington scaled back from two annual race weekends to one. But it’s still exclusive company, to say the least.

Bill Elliott doesn’t have all four — he lacks the 600. Neither does Bobby Labonte, who’s missing the Daytona 500. Or Dale Jarrett, who’s missing the Southern 500, because all three of his Darlington victories were in the track’s former 400-miler. Matt Kenseth lacks the Brickyard. Many other racing luminaries of the modern era aren’t even close.

So indeed, for Harvick to own the full collection is quite a statement. "HoF clincher IMO," 2012 champion Brad Keselowski wrote in Twitter shorthand, stating his belief that Harvick is now a lock for eventual inclusion in the NASCAR Hall of Fame. While Harvick may not quite be there yet — consider that Mark Martin, with 15 more career victories and also lacking a title, didn’t even make the cut for consideration in his first year of eligibility — he’s certainly put himself in position, especially considering he might just be peaking in his 14th full-time season at the sport’s top level.

"This is what I used to do for a hobby," Harvick said after his Darlington victory. "… You used to do this as your hobby, and pay to do it. We’re fortunate to be able to do this for a living, but to be able to have celebrated a lot of the race wins, whether it be Indy or Daytona or Charlotte or the All‑Star Race or the Southern 500 now is something that some people don’t get to experience at all in their careers, but to celebrate them all is something that’s pretty phenomenal. I just feel lucky.  I’m glad to be here. I love my job, and looking forward to racing every week."

In some ways it’s amazing he ever got there at all. Harvick always exuded driving talent, and was slated to take the step up to the Cup Series with RCR in 2002. But everything changed when NSCAR President Mike Helton stood before the cameras and told the world we’d lost Dale Earnhardt. Suddenly the 25-year-old wasn’t just being rushed into the sport’s premier series, he was being thrust into the position of having to carry one of the sport’s more storied organizations on his shoulders. Looking back, you wonder how it all didn’t overwhelm him. Certainly, there had to be times when even he feared it might.

Those who didn’t experience it firsthand will never be able to understand what a raw, turbulent, and emotional time that was. And in the middle of it all was Harvick, sitting next to Childress under a tent on a freezing cold day in Rockingham, N.C., where RCR announced it would carry on with a different number on the car and a different driver in the seat. "This is undoubtedly the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do in my life," Harvick said then. Grief, instability, pressure and expectation all hung over that Goodwrench car like the pall that hung over the sport, and it was now Harvick’s job to perform despite it all.

To say he succeeded would be a vast understatement. Harvick not only helped rebuild RCR into a team that once again could contend for championships, he built his own identity as a competitor in the process, and he did it all under some of the more adverse circumstances imaginable. That time will always be part of Harvick’s legacy, as indelible and as impressive as his victories at Daytona and Indianapolis, as much a part of him as his sarcastic smirk. But his move to Stewart-Haas brings with it the rise of a Harvick 2.0, an updated edition that comes with a new team and a new number and a new narrative, this time one the driver is able to create for himself.

It hasn’t been without a few bugs — all those mechanical issues remain concerning, even though the No. 4 car looks untouchable when everything holds together. But here is Kevin Harvick, already with multiple victories and a virtually secure Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup berth in his first season with a new team. Here is Kevin Harvick, pushing 40 yet looking as formidable as ever. Here is Kevin Harvick, leading laps by the bushel, not just a closer but a starter and a finisher, and perhaps with his best shot yet of being champion.

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Roush Fenway Racing driver embodies environmental movement

Standing in his Roush Fenway Racing trailer at Texas Motor Speedway, Greg Biffle smiled widely at the suggestion that he may just be NASCAR’s "greenest" driver.

Having grown up in southern Washington state in the small town of Vancouver — located on the Columbia River, alongside the Washington/Oregon border — Biffle is well aware of the rustic, uber-environmentally conscious stereotype assigned to America’s Northwest. And that’s fine with him.

"Yes, it tends to be the greener part of the country," Biffle said with a smile. "I wouldn’t necessarily say I’m a ‘tree hugger,’ as the stereotype goes, but I love the outdoors. I grew up racing and going around in circles but, I recycle and do all the things I can do because I love our natural resources and try to do all the things I can for our environment."

UPS

As NASCAR celebrates its Race to Green initiatives this month, it’s clear to Biffle this race should be a sustained enduro instead of a sprint to the finish. And like the sport, which is a leader in the industry in terms of recycling and renewable resources, Biffle is conscious of how he can live a greener lifestyle.

For his family, that means buying products made of recyclable material, conserving energy and encouraging others to consider simple steps that will help everyone.

"I recycle at home and am pretty proud of it because I live in an area that doesn’t have free recycling so I actually pay a monthly fee, like a garbage fee to recycle, because I think it’s important," said Biffle, driver of the No. 16 3M Ford. "I do make a conscious choice on which vehicle to drive based on what I need to do and considering the fuel mileage. I pay attention to fuel consumption. I’m mindful of it all the time. It goes into decision-making.

"I care about the environment because it’s important and feel like everyone should do their part. It’s not hard. You walk by garbage cans and the recycle one is right next to the other, but you see the recycled plastic bottles in the wrong one. How much effort does it take? It’s just a tiny bit of respect for our planet and environment. It’s not that hard."

Biffle has been impressed with the effort NASCAR has made in the green realm — setting an example not only for the sport’s millions of fans but for society in general. The company has plug-in stations for electric-powered vehicles at its offices in Daytona Beach, Fla., and Charlotte, N.C., holds tree planting ceremonies across the country and boasts the largest recycling program in all of sports.

Its ethanol-infused Sunoco Green E15 fuel has surpassed five million miles of racing. Pocono Raceway has a 25-acre solar panel farm that will produce enough energy over the next 20 years to completely power the venue*, and also an additional 1,000 homes, according to the track.

The effort put in by the sport — which has its own "Green" platform headed by Dr. Mike Lynch — is having a tangible effect on the fans. Research shows NASCAR fans are now 100 percent more likely than non-fans to consider their households "very green."

"I remember at race tracks where guys were spilling oil on the ground a long, long time ago," Biffle said. "This sport has come so far. We’re actually way better about how we handle our oils and greases than maybe a guy working on his car at home, putting pollution in a storm drain or the garbage because he doesn’t have the resources we do to recycle.

"Look at these garage floors, they are spick-and-span clean. You could almost compare it to a medical facility when it comes to handling our liquids. On the surface, it looks like it’s a lot of work, but it’s not that hard to make a big difference and I’m glad I’m part of it."

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Jadotte to serve as NASCAR consultant for multicultural development

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.  — NASCAR announced today that Marcus Jadotte, vice president of public affairs and multicultural development, will be leaving the organization. Jadotte will serve as a consultant as NASCAR continues to evolve its diversity and multicultural development initiatives throughout the organization. Additionally, NASCAR will expand its existing relationship with Teneo Strategy, a strategic advisory firm which has worked with NASCAR since 2013, to support its public affairs activities.

"During his nine years at NASCAR, Marcus has made a truly meaningful impact on our business," said NASCAR Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Brian France. "Thanks in large part to Marcus’ passion and leadership, we have become a leader in diversity and inclusion among the sports industry, and we will continue to deepen our commitment in the years ahead. We are grateful for his years of dedicated service to NASCAR."

"The NASCAR ecosystem reaches nearly every facet of the American economy, so it was particularly gratifying to have worked with leading NASCAR stakeholders and to have contributed to the sport’s development over the last nine years," Jadotte said. "I am especially grateful for the professional support and friendship I have received from Brian France and NASCAR President Mike Helton during my tenure."

Among his accomplishments since joining NASCAR in March 2005, Jadotte led the development of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity (D4D) and NASCAR Pit Crew Development programs. These initiatives focus on developing the skills of promising female, Asian, Latino and African-American drivers and crew members in NASCAR. Jadotte has effectively overseen NASCAR’s relationship with Rev Racing, which operates teams in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series and NASCAR Whelen All-American Series for the NASCAR D4D program, resulting in an increase in minority participation and on-track success.

NASCAR D4D will continue under the leadership of Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president, racing operations (to whom Jadotte reported). The NASCAR Diversity Internship Program and annual NASCAR Diversity Awards also are among a number of diversity and inclusion programs started by Jadotte that will continue at NASCAR.