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58-year-old will test Dale Jr.’s Nationwide car at Preseason Thunder

RELATED: Complete Preseason Thunder schedule

When Chase Elliott slides behind the wheel for his first NASCAR Nationwide Series test this weekend, he knows his legendary father will be right there behind him — perhaps even literally, since they’ll both be on the race track.

The 18-year-old Elliott, who Monday was named the new driver of a NAPA Auto Parts-backed No. 9 car at JR Motorsports, now heads to Daytona International Speedway for the Nationwide Series portion of Preseason Thunder on Saturday and Sunday. Elliott will be one of three JRM drivers at the test, joining teammate Regan Smith and his dad Bill, who will shake down a car for Dale Earnhardt Jr.

"That’ll be cool," said Kelley Earnhardt Miller, JRM’s vice president. To say the least — the younger Elliott may have won a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race, but to date he’s never driven a Nationwide car. When he does for the first time Saturday, he’ll have the sport’s 1988 premier series champion right there to lend advice.

"It’s going to be a lot of fun," the younger Elliott said. "I know it’s just a test, but I think it’s going to be a pretty cool experience for both of us."

Chase’s car at JRM will bear the same No. 9 his dad used for much of his career, including his championship campaign. Earnhardt Jr. will take part in the Sprint Cup portion of Preseason Thunder slated for Thursday and Friday, but schedule conflicts will prevent the 11-time winner of NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver Award from taking part in the Nationwide test.

No worries — a 16-time Most Popular Driver winner was willing to fill in. Bill Elliott’s most recent national series start in NASCAR was the Sprint Cup race at Daytona in the summer of 2012. His last Nationwide race was in 2005. How did JRM convince him to test the car?

"I’m pretty sure we just asked him," Miller said. "In all seriousness, you know racers, they don’t ever lose the desire to get out of a race car. With the Cup guys testing down there this week and Dale’s schedule … I don’t think the actual driver has to be in the car. … I think it’s just a matter of going and shaking down the cars and working on a few things here and there."

Added Chase: "It was going to be a little bit of a hassle for (Earnhardt Jr.) to be there, and my dad’s name came up, and (we) asked him if he would do it, and he thought that would be kind of cool."

The elder Elliott certainly knows his way around restrictor-plate tracks, having won six premier series races combined on NASCAR’s biggest venues, including the Daytona 500 in 1985 and 1987. But for the 58-year-old future Hall of Famer, this week’s test is likely a one-time event.

"The Nationwide Series actually doesn’t do a lot of testing, so we don’t have the opportunity to ask a lot of people to test," Miller said. "Just being that this is restrictor‑plate testing, Bill is a great choice to do that for us. We’ll definitely call him again if we need him, but I don’t see any major plans or whatnot just based on our limited testing resources there."

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Teenager had one victory in just nine Camping World Truck Series starts in 2013

SHOP: Chase Elliott No. 9 NAPA merchandise

Dale Earnhardt Jr. has always been an admirer of Bill Elliott. Now NASCAR’s most popular driver will field a NASCAR Nationwide Series entry for the son of the driver long known as "Awesome Bill," using the same car number made famous by the 1988 premier series champion.

JR Motorsports announced Monday that 18-year-old Chase Elliott, already a race winner in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, would compete full-time in the Nationwide Series in 2014 in a No. 9 car backed by NAPA Auto Parts. Greg Ives, who guided JRM driver Regan Smith to a pair of victories last year, will work as crew chief. Elliott is a Hendrick Motorsports developmental driver, and JRM is co-owned by Rick Hendrick.

"I just couldn’t be any more excited and any more fortunate," Elliott said. "I feel it’s the opportunity of a lifetime, and this is my chance to do what I love to do and make the most of it."

Elliott has shown tremendous potential in a very short time, winning once last season on the ARCA circuit in addition to his victory in the Truck Series. His first NASCAR win came in 2012 in the K&N Pro East at Iowa and he’s been a participant in the NASCAR Next program the last two years.

This past September at age 17, Elliott edged Ty Dillon in a controversial finish at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park to become the youngest winner in Truck Series history. That mark was eventually eclipsed by Erik Jones, who is six months younger than Elliott and won the Truck Series event last November at Phoenix.

And yet despite those on-track exploits, Elliott’s 2014 plans remained uncertain after his truck’s sponsor, Aaron’s, announced in August an agreement to back Brian Vickers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Michael Waltrip Racing for this coming season. NAPA, which will back Elliott’s Nationwide car, had been a MWR sponsor until leaving the team following the race manipulation scandal last September at Richmond.

"Chase Elliott is a young and talented future star in the sport," said Dan Askey, president of NAPA, "and will represent NAPA well both on and off the track."

For Elliott, Monday’s announcement brought an end to some sleepless nights.

"I wasn’t real sure where I was going to end up," he said. "Having support and having people to back you and a sponsor is the thing that allows people to have opportunities. For me, at the end of last year, (with) Aaron’s announcing what they were going to do, I wasn’t real sure about my future. Fortunately, NAPA kind of came along and showed some interest, and we were able to get some things worked out, and thankfully that’s where we’re at today."

Elliott said he met with NAPA officials along with Hendrick and JRM vice president Kelley Earnhardt Miller. The company will now embark on its 19th season as a sponsor in NASCAR, and Elliott will head to Daytona International Speedway for this week’s preseason test session. In the months of uncertainly, Elliott said he was never tempted to explore options outside the Hendrick umbrella.

"It was really never a consideration," he said. "I felt like my best bet to have any kind of future in racing was to be where I was at. When I was at the point of not knowing what I was going to do, I was content to stay patient. I felt like if I just sat tight there, and just did what I needed to do and made the most of the races I did do, if I wasn’t doing much next year, if that had been the case, that’s all I can do. I feel like I’m at the best place I could possibly be. My personal opinion, I don’t feel like I could be aligned with a better group of people. So hopefully this is where I can stay for my career."

Elliott turned 18 this past Nov. 28, making him eligible for competition in the Nationwide Series. His car number, 9, is the one his father Bill used for much of his career at NASCAR’s top level, including the 1988 campaign when he won the championship.

"No doubt, the historical element of this is pretty cool," Earnhardt Jr. said. "Bill Elliott is certainly one of the greats. I’ve always looked up to him. He had some great battles with my dad. Certainly, The Winston in 1987 is an all-time favorite. It was probably some of the hardest racing you’ll see, and it’s fun to watch even today. I think there are a lot of Elliott fans and Earnhardt fans that will take interest in Chase’s career and support him 100 percent."

Elliott will be part of a JRM team that will field two full-time Nationwide entries for 2014, joined by Smith and his new crew chief Ryan Pemberton. There will also be two part-time teams, a No. 5 with driver Kevin Harvick and crew chief Ernie Cope, and a No. 88 with Earnhardt. Miller called it "the strongest lineup we’ve put on the track since we started racing full-time in 2006."

For Elliott, it will bring a transition — this week’s test at Daytona will mark the first time he’s ever driven a Nationwide car. And with just nine Truck Series starts to his name, he’ll be seeing many national series tracks for the first time. He does have the luxury of having tested Sprint Cup cars a few times, and said he and Ives have other Nationwide tests planned beyond Daytona before the season begins.

"Going to these new places, there’s going to be a learning curve," Elliott said. "Learning these race cars is going to be new. Running a full year and having this opportunity — it’s all new. It’s all new to me. It’s definitely not going to be easy, nobody said it’s going to be. You’re racing with the best of the best on a lot of weekends, and it’s going to be a tough year, but it’s going to be a lot of fun."

Still, Earnhardt is bullish on his new driver.

"Chase has been extremely successful, and I think the Nationwide Series is only a short step for him," he said. "With the infrastructure we have at JR Motorsports and our close-working partnership with Hendrick Motorsports, we have every opportunity to continue Chase’s development as a driver while contending for a championship. He’s that good."

These days, he’s also relieved. Elliott said he was working in the family’s race shop with his dad a few weeks ago when his mother told them the phone call had just come informing them the Nationwide deal had been sealed.

"You really don’t know that everything’s going to come together until something’s signed," he said. "But really, just a few weeks ago, we just found out that everything was a go and everything was going to move forward. I’ve been anxiously awaiting today, and Daytona as well."

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Posted on by Holly Cain

First start with Joe Gibbs Racing will be in May at Talladega

After months of uncertainty tempered with high hopes and firm expectations, Sam Hornish Jr. was finally able to divulge his 2014 NASCAR plans on Monday — a seven-race deal to drive the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 54 Monster Energy Toyota in the Nationwide Series.

The significance of the news isn’t just the extension of the three-time IndyCar champion’s stock car career, but that last year’s Nationwide runner-up was able to move from one premier team — Penske Racing — to another in JGR. And what that may speak to for the future.

"When you look at where I’ve been for the past 10 years and who I’ve been associated with there’s only a handful of people you can put in a category with Roger Penske and obviously, Joe [Gibbs], with his faith, and everything that’s represented at Joe Gibbs Racing, I’m super excited to be a part of that organization," Hornish told NASCAR.com on Monday.

"Obviously, I’m still trying to figure out how to get more racing in, but the races I’m scheduled to do will be in top-notch equipment and hopefully give them an opportunity to try to win the owners’ championship this year.

Hornish, 34, who will share driving duties with Kyle Busch, makes his JGR debut in the May 3 race at Talladega, Ala. then is scheduled to compete in both Iowa Speedway events, at Chicagoland and Kentucky Speedway and road course races at Road America (Elkhart Lake, Wis.) and Hornish’s hometown Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

In an interesting twist of fate, both Hornish and the No. 54 Toyota he will steer, finished runner-up in the 2013 Nationwide driver and owners’ championships, respectively, — a motivating factor not lost on Hornish. 

"We talked about it and we both missed it by less than four points combined so we’re going to go out there and try to do it together this time," said Hornish who lost the driving title to Austin Dillon by three points. The No. 22 Penske Ford (which was driven by several drivers) beat Gibbs’ No. 54 by a single point in the owners’ title race. Hornish was one of only three full-time Nationwide drivers to win (Las Vegas) and his 16 top-five and 25 top-10 finishes were both series best.

Hornish acknowledges that competing against Penske may seem a little strange initially considering he spent the last 10 years with the legendary car owner, winning the 2006 Indy 500 and an IndyCar title together before moving to stock cars full-time in 2008.

What started as a part-time opportunity in NASCAR with Penske flourished with several Sprint Cup seasons (2008-2010) and then full-time Nationwide runs in 2012-2013, so Hornish is hopeful that he will be with Gibbs for the long haul as well.

"As far as what the future holds we don’t know," Hornish said. "This is what we are committed to at this point and we’ll kind of see where it goes. From what they’ve told me, they’d like to — at some point in time — use me in a bigger role.

"This is, for a lack of a better expression, ‘the first date.’ My focus this year is to do the best I can in the 54 and for Monster Energy and the races I’ll fill in for Kyle. Outside of that, the great thing about being with a company like Joe Gibbs Racing is that they’ve got a lot going on, you never know how things will play out."

And Hornish speaks from experience. 

"A couple years ago I was in this same situation where I was supposed to do a few races (for Penske) and what was supposed to be seven turned into 14 and that turned into a full-time ride," Hornish said.

"I’m not saying any of that is going to happen, but I think that’s one of the things that allowed me to be calm about what has been going on, to try and wait and make sure I was in the right stuff.

"Because when you do get those opportunities you try to work your butt off and make the most of them. There’s a lot of times when you can get the right things to happen and put yourself in the right position for success.

"All that being said," Hornish continued. "I’m still so appreciative to Roger and everybody at Penske Racing for giving me the opportunity they have. Even though the defining aspect of it didn’t work out the way we wanted at the end of last year to move forward, another door opened and if they hadn’t been committed to me this door may not have opened.

"You know, as much as anything, what’s important is having good people around you, and that’s why I felt it necessary to try to continue surrounding myself with good people like this."

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Reutimann ran one Sprint Cup Series season for BK Racing

Following his inaugural season in the BK Racing stable, Sprint Cup Series driver David Reutimann and the organization have agreed to part ways ahead of the upcoming 2014 campaign.

The move comes just days before drivers are set to hit the track for Preseason Thunder testing at Daytona International Speedway. Alex Bowman sat in for Reutimann in the No. 83 car during the December tests at Charlotte Motor Speedway and will be behind the wheel of the car this week in Florida.

The team released the following statement Monday: "After completing a full season with BK Racing in 2013, the decision has been mutually made to part ways between driver David Reutimann and BK Racing effective immediately. Due to the current uncertainty of the team’s 2014 driver lineup, driver David Reutimann has decided not to pursue a seat with BK Racing for 2014. No official driver lineup for the upcoming season is currently available at this time."

Reutimann, a veteran of seven full-time Cup seasons, has two career victories to his credit — one at Charlotte in 2009 and one at Chicagoland in 2010 driving for Michael Waltrip Racing. He led just a single lap in 2013 and failed to finish in the top 20 a second time after placing 16th in the season-opening Daytona 500.

Ryan Truex will test the No. 93 car for BK Racing at Daytona. The 21-year-old confirmed the news on his Twitter account.

The No. 93 was driven by Travis Kvapil last year.

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New rules package for 2014 among the changes 

Although the start of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season is still more than one month away, teams return to the track this week for Preseason Thunder at Daytona.

Testing, in an official capacity, is about to get underway.

Changes, some major and some minor, seem to be everywhere.

What’s different for 2014? Quite a bit, actually.

The car

The Generation-6 car is no longer quite the unknown factor heading into the 2014 racing season, but that doesn’t mean teams aren’t facing changes with their products for the coming year.

Of primary concern is the 2014 rules package for non-restricted tracks, a package that has been developed through much on-track testing and off-track simulation.

Key changes include the elimination of pre- and post-race front ride height rules (and inspections), a new square leading edge for the splitter, adjustments to the side skirt and rear fascia areas, an 8-inch rear spoiler and a 43-inch by 13-inch radiator pan.

The hope is that the changes produce closer racing and more side-by-side competition while making the cars more stable in traffic.

It’s not the final answer, according to NASCAR officials, but a significant move toward what is hoped will be a better overall piece.

"I think the Gen-6 car is a wonderful step forward," said Gene Stefanyshyn, NASCAR vice president of innovation and racing development. "We’ve raced it for a year. Now we’re starting to collect a lot of data and beginning to take the car to the next level. So this is all about a journey of continuous improvement, and continuing to make it better year after year after year."

Drivers/teams

At least 10 Cup drivers and a half dozen or more crew chiefs will be with different teams, or in some cases in different roles, for 2014.

On the driver front:

Austin Dillon — Dillon’s move to Cup has almost been overshadowed by the fact that he’ll be behind the wheel of the legendary Richard Childress Racing No. 3 Chevrolet, a numeral last used by seven-time Cup champion Dale Earnhardt. A former NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series champ, Dillon has 13 career Cup starts.

Kevin Harvick — He’ll be in the No. 4 Chevrolet for Stewart-Haas Racing after ending a 13-year run at RCR.

Michael Annett — The former Nationwide competitor replaces Dave Blaney in the Tommy Baldwin Racing No. 7 Chevrolet.

Cole Whitt — The 22-year-old made seven starts for Swan Racing last year in Cup. He’s one of two drivers given the keys for the full season by the Brandon Davis-owned team for ’14.

Parker Kligerman — Another youngster (23 years old) in the lineup for Swan, Kligerman finished ninth in the 2013 Nationwide points battle.

Ryan Newman — After five years at SHR, Newman takes over the No. 31 Chevrolet previously driven by Jeff Burton at RCR.

Kurt Busch — The 2004 Cup champion rebuilt his career in 2013 by leading the single-car effort of Furniture Row Racing into the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. He’ll begin anew in 2014, this time with SHR in the No. 41.

Kyle Larson — Eighth in the NNS standings in ’13, Larson replaces Juan Pablo Montoya in the Earnhardt Ganassi Racing No. 42 Chevrolet.

AJ Allmendinger — After a handful of starts for JTG Daugherty Racing last season, Allmendinger moves into a full-time role, replacing 2000 Cup champ Bobby Labonte in the team’s No. 47 Chevrolet (the team was aligned with Toyota last year).

Brian Vickers — Sidelined twice in four years with medical issues (blood clots), Vickers has a clean bill of health and a full-time ride in the No. 55 Toyota for Michael Waltrip Racing.

Martin Truex Jr. — The loss of sponsor NAPA following MWR’s actions at Richmond sent Truex Jr. looking for a new place of employment. He found it at Furniture Row Racing, landing in the No. 78 Chevrolet previously piloted by Kurt Busch.

Josh Wise — Has moved from Front Row Motorsports (No. 35) to Phil Parsons Racing. Wise fills the seat for Michael McDowell, who will compete in the No. 95 Ford for Leavine Family Racing.

Crew chiefs

Keith Rodden — The former lead engineer for Kasey Kahne‘s No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports team will now call the shots for Jamie McMurray and the Earnhardt Ganassi Racing No. 1 outfit.

Rodney Childers — Former leader for the No. 55 team at MWR, Childers is now paired with Harvick at SHR.

Chad Johnston — While his driver Truex Jr. went west to join Furniture Row Racing, Johnston landed at SHR, where he replaces Steve Addington as crew chief for Tony Stewart.

Daniel Knost — Speaking of SHR, the addition of Kurt Busch to the organization opened the door for Knost, who previously served as race engineer for Newman on the group’s No. 39 team, to get a crew chief position.

Steve Addington — No official driver announcement for the No. 51 Phoenix Racing team yet, although Justin Allgaier is expected to fill the void. Addington will be the crew chief after making the move following a two-year SHR stint with Stewart.

Billy Scott — Another race team engineer getting the call, as Scott previously worked with the No. 55 team under Childers. For 2014, he’ll be overseeing the Vickers effort for MWR.

Mike Kelley — The Roush Fenway Racing crew chief won back-to-back Nationwide Series titles with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (2011-12). Now he’ll try to rekindle the magic as he and Stenhouse Jr. are reunited for the No. 17 Cup effort.

Dan Stillman — A former Cup crew chief, Stillman spent 2013 guiding the Camping World Truck Series effort of German Quiroga at Red Horse Racing. For 2013, he’ll serve as crew chief for the No. 32 Ford of FAS Lane Racing, which will use the services of two-time Cup champion Terry Labonte for the season-opening Daytona 500. FAS Lane entered a joint venture with the NNS team of Go Green Racing and owner Archie St. Hilaire for the upcoming season as well.

Randy Cox — A crew chief for 12 of Cole Whitt’s Nationwide Series races in 2013, Cox will serve as Whitt’s crew chief on the No. 26 Toyota for Swan Racing. Cox has been the crew chief for eight Sprint Cup Series races in his career, including Whitt’s two Cup races in 2011.

Tracks/events

Hit the switch: This year’s Budweiser Duel will run under the lights for the first time since the two events became non-points fixtures in 1972. Scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 20, the pair of 150-mile qualifying races help determine the starting lineup for the Daytona 500. Race No. 1 is slated for a 7 p.m. ET start.

See you in Kansas, Mom: After a nine-year run of hosting a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Mother’s Day weekend, Darlington Raceway’s Cup event will arrive approximately one month earlier in 2014. This year’s race is scheduled for Saturday, April 12. Kansas Speedway now has the Mother’s Day weekend distinction with the Camping World Truck and Sprint Cup series slated for competition Friday and Saturday, May 9-10.

Not counting green, white, checkers of course: Officials at Pocono Raceway announced in October that the 2014 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race, scheduled for Aug. 2, will be extended from 125 to 150 miles at the 2.5-mile track. 

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Plenty of young talent ready to break through in all three national series

Youth springs eternal in NASCAR, and never more so than right now, when the sport is in the midst of a movement that promises to eventually alter the landscape of stock-car racing’s highest levels. The best crop of young drivers in decades is climbing the ladder with the speed of a qualifying lap at Atlanta, and a number of those up-and-comers are poised to enjoy career years in 2014.

Of course, not every young driver showing potential will meet or exceed the expectations placed upon them, just as factors such as sponsorship and ride availability always threaten to unexpectedly shift a career into neutral. But right now, the sheer number of young drivers on the rise is so vast, that it seems only a matter of time before many of them break through and make their own marks on the national divisions of NASCAR.

Clearly this is a transitional period, with some older drivers moving away from full-time competition and leaving a domino effect of open rides in their wake. The NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Trucks Series ranks are already overflowing with youthful promise, and this coming season will bring two of the more auspicious rookie candidates the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series has seen in some time. It all adds up to a potential banner year for young drivers in NASCAR, and here are the top 10 ready to take the next step.

10. Ryan Reed, Roush Fenway Racing

The 20-year-old Reed is perhaps best known for competing with Type 1 diabetes, and will indeed have the diabetes awareness campaign of pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly on the hood of his No. 16 car in 2014. But the Bakersfield, Calif., native now has a chance to be better known for his results on the race track, given that he’ll wheel one of Jack Roush’s entries full-time in the Nationwide Series. Reed has shown some flashes, placing ninth last season in a Nationwide race at Richmond, and finishing on the lead lap in all but one of his six Nationwide starts in 2013. Now the former Legends and late model star has a chance to take a great leap forward in his first full-time campaign at NASCAR’s national level.

9. Erik Jones, Kyle Busch Motorsports

Everyone knew the kid was good, given that he had a pair of Snowball Derby titles and an ARCA race victory to his name by the late summer of last year. Then he went out and stomped the field at Phoenix, leading 84 laps in November to become the youngest winner in the history of the Truck Series. The 17-year-old posts numbers that make you shake your head: five Truck starts in 2013, no finish worse than ninth. Yes, the equipment is top-notch. But there are a lot of kids in top-notch equipment who don’t get the most out of it, and Jones does. In 2014 the Michigan native is expected to split the No. 51 truck with Kyle Busch, certainly raising the possibility of more race wins. And if he gets a chance at the driver’s championship in 2015? Watch out.

8. Ty Dillon, Richard Childress Racing

His older brother may be garnering the most attention these days given his move to NASCAR’s top level in the revered No. 3 car, but 21-year-old Ty is doing a fine job of following in Austin’s footsteps. The younger Dillon moves up to the Nationwide Series this season, and into the same No. 3 program that Austin won the championship with a year ago. The runner-up for the Truck Series title last season, Ty has always been competitive in Nationwide events, and in 2014 he’ll have the benefit of seasoned crew chief Danny Stockman Jr. calling the shots. Ty may not yet boast the national-series titles his older brother does, but in a Nationwide Series field that could be without six drivers who finished in the top 10 last season, he’ll certainly have a chance to claim that first championship.

7. Ben Kennedy, Turner Scott Motorsports

The great grandson of NASCAR’s founder may have raced primarily in the K&N Pro Series in 2013, but he certainly showed he could handle a car at NASCAR’s national level in a head-turning fourth-place run in the Truck Series race at Martinsville in October. Now Kennedy, 22, moves up to the Truck circuit full-time, and in a proven ride — the No. 31 of Turner Scott Motorsports, in which James Buescher won the championship in 2012. While Kennedy may face a learning curve in a deeper field of competition, his team certainly won’t — Michael Shelton is a proven crew chief who helped Buescher win six races and a title over the past two seasons. With Buescher off to RAB Racing and the Nationwide tour, the seat now opens for Kennedy, who couldn’t ask for a better situation in his first year at NASCAR’s national level.

6. Darrell Wallace Jr., Kyle Busch Motorsports

Wallace may have recorded a breakthrough much bigger than himself this past October, when he won a Truck Series event at Martinsville to become just the second African-American driver to claim a national series race. But that landmark alone didn’t define his 2013 campaign, where the 20-year-old routinely challenged for race victories and finished eighth in final points. Wallace has always had talent, something that was evident in the handful of top-10s he recorded during limited Nationwide activity in 2012, and his first full-time campaign at the national level was everything it was expected to be. Wallace will likely be back in his No. 54 truck at KBM this season, and with Ty Dillon, Buescher and Brendan Gaughan all moving out of the series, he should be on the short list of top contenders for the title.

5. Chris Buescher, Roush Fenway Racing

James Buescher may have a national series championship, but many in racing circles have long been watching his younger cousin Chris, who has been terrorizing the ARCA ranks since he was 16, and is now moving into NASCAR full-time. As a Roush Fenway developmental driver, Buescher enjoyed a stellar ARCA career that included 10 race victories and the 2012 title, which he won by completing every lap that season. For 2014, Buescher moves into the No. 60 Roush car most recently driven by Travis Pastrana, who has returned to rally racing. That vehicle had speed almost every week, something the 21-year-old Buescher may be better positioned to take advantage of than his predecessor. Not every ARCA ace has made it in NASCAR, but Buescher certainly shows all the signs of being able to break through.

4. Jeb Burton, Turner Scott Motorsports

No offense intended to reigning champion Matt Crafton, but you could do much worse than picking the 21-year-old Burton to win the Truck Series crown in 2014. He certainly showed that potential last year, maximizing the speed in his No. 4 truck to the tune of seven poles and a fifth-place standing in final points that probably wasn’t wholly indicative of how well he ran most of the season. Back for another year at Turner Scott and with a successful rookie campaign under his belt, the time certainly seems right for the Virginia native to take the next step. The key may be harnessing some of that raw speed and winning more often — his lone 2013 victory at Texas in June was just one of many events where Burton was in the mix at the finish. A few more race wins could net a much bigger victory for Ward’s son at the end of the year.

3. Kyle Larson, Earnhardt Ganassi Racing

Some will view it as taking advantage of a young talent already under contract, others will see it as only accelerating an inevitable progression. Either way, Larson is bound for life on the Sprint Cup Series with just one full-time season of national competition to his name. The kid just radiates talent, which has been evident in his stellar runs against Sprint Cup interlopers in the Nationwide Series, his Truck victory at Rockingham, or the way he wowed everyone with his prowess on the dirt at Eldora. Larson can do it — but can EGR give him the equipment to make it happen? That’s the huge question here, and it centers not on the driver, but the team. If EGR’s car development improves, the potential is limitless. Otherwise, it’s a lot to ask of a 21-year-old rookie to carry a team on his own.

2. Ryan Blaney, Penske Racing

Strangely enough, the young driver perhaps most ready for the Sprint Cup Series is still two rungs down on the ladder. Blaney won a race in the Nationwide Series last year — something neither Larson nor Austin Dillon could do — as part of an outstanding campaign that saw the 20-year-old competitive in everything he drove. Blaney may have competed full-time on the Truck Series last year, winning twice and finishing sixth in points, but it’s his Nationwide exploits — 10 top-10 finishes in 16 career starts — that leave no doubt. For 2014, he’ll likely remain in Brad Keselowski‘s truck full-time and race a handful of times in Penske’s No. 22 Nationwide car. The move up may have to wait, but in the interim Dave’s son is extremely capable of winning more races in both series, not to mention taking aim at the Truck title.

1. Austin Dillon, Richard Childress Racing

People get caught up in the cowboy hat, and who his grandfather is, and whether or not he should be driving the No. 3. And despite it all, the 23-year-old Dillon continues to deliver, year after year. With championship trophies from both the Truck and Nationwide circuits to his name, the grandson of Richard Childress moves into a Sprint Cup team where all the ingredients appear in place. Although the car number has changed, Dillon will be stepping into essentially the same program that finished third in the final standings with Kevin Harvick in 2013. He’ll also have a huge asset in Harvick’s former crew chief, Gil Martin, who’s seen it all, done it all, and won a lot of races along the way.

And let’s not forget, Dillon is a driver who finished 11th in a Sprint Cup event last year at Michigan, and then 14th at the same track later on as Tony Stewart‘s injury substitute. No question, RCR is a team in transition with the departures of Harvick and Jeff Burton, and history has shown that the organization is prone to rollercoaster swings in performance. Given what we know, though, the combination of team, crew chief and driver here appears pretty close to ideal. It may take a while before Dillon is ready to compete for another national-series trophy that would complete an unprecedented trifecta. But another chance to remind people what he’s capable of, this time on NASCAR’s biggest stage? That seems right there for the taking.

The table below analyzes Danica Patrick’s and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s careers as rookies in the Sprint Cup Series, as well as their careers in the Nationwide Series:

Series Driver Wins Poles Top 5s Top 10s Laps Led Average Start Average Finish
Sprint Cup Danica Patrick 0 1 0 1 5 30.1 26.1
Sprint Cup Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 0 1 1 3 35 18.3 18.9
Nationwide Danica Patrick 0 1 1 7 64 18 21.1
Nationwide Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 8 8 39 62 1422 8.9 12.5

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The table below analyzes the 2014 Sprint Cup Series rookies’ careers in the Nationwide Series:

Driver Wins Poles Top 5s Top 10s Laps Led Average Start Average Finish
Austin Dillon 2 10 31 53 1056 7.8 9.3
Kyle Larson 0 0 9 17 102 14.6 13.8
Parker Kligerman 0 1 3 18 52 13.2 15.7
Cole Whitt 0 0 4 18 25 14.8 14.6
Michael Annett 0 0 7 34 49 21.9 17

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Posted on by NASCAR Wire Service

The 52nd Rolex 24 will take place at Daytona International Speedway on Jan. 25-26

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Three days of "Roar Before the Rolex 24" test sessions wrapped up Sunday at Daytona International Speedway with a somewhat odd result. The fastest lap came from the very first session, withstanding seven subsequent sessions and a total track time of 12 hours, 45 minutes over a three-day period,

A disclaimer: This was a test — and only a test. Nonetheless, Christian Fittipaldi and his Action Express Racing teammates left the speedway feeling good about their chances of winning the 52nd Rolex 24 At Daytona, set for Jan. 25-26, the season-opening race for the new TUDOR United SportsCar Championship.

Fittipaldi put down the quick time — both overall and in the headlining Prototype class — Friday morning in the No. 5 Corvette DP: 1 minute, 38.630 seconds/129.940 mph on the Daytona 3.56-mile road course. 

The weekend’s other top times by class:

·      Prototype Challenge — 1:42.010/125.635 by Sam Bird (No. 8 ORECA FLM09), in the Roar’s third session on Saturday;

·      GT Le Mans — 1:45.564/121.405 by Nick Tandy (No. 911 Porsche 911), in the second session on Friday;

·      GT Daytona — 1:47.981/118.688 by Spencer Pumpelly (No. 45 Audi R8), also in the second session on Friday.

IMSA Vice President of Competition and Technical Regulations Scot Elkins called the "Roar" a success, saying, "we still have a little bit of work to do [on competition] before the Rolex 24 but we made the gains we expected to make [since a test in November]. We also got the new rule book out to the teams during the test. 

"We feel like we’re in a good position. There’s a feeling of optimism in the garage." 

Testing, of course, is about more than posting fast laps. It sometimes is about revealing potential problems that could derail the actual race effort. The Ford/Riley Prototype teams fielded by Chip Ganassi Racing and Michael Shank Racing were dealing with that sort of situation; after posting some impressive times Friday and Saturday, potential exhaust system issues resulted in both teams waving off Sunday’s final practice sessions to head back to their shops and go to work. 

After all, time does grow short. 

Only three weeks to go, until the Rolex 24.

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Former Daytona 500 champion Jamie McMurray had the day’s best lap overall 

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — It’s a new day for sports car racing in North America and for 90 minutes Saturday at Daytona International Speedway, it was a new night as well.

The "Roar Before the Rolex 24" test sessions, held in advance of the Rolex 24 At Daytona, annually feature a night practice that is typically interesting and sometimes precarious, offering a glimpse of what’s to come when the Rolex 24 is run on Daytona’s 3.56-mile road course.

Saturday night’s glimpse served as an under-the-lights highlight of this weekend for the new IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, which opens its inaugural season with the Rolex 24 on Jan. 25-26. The TUDOR Championship is the result of the merger of the American Le Mans Series and the GRAND-AM Rolex Series. 

In three weeks, approximately half of the Rolex 24 will be run between sundown and sunrise, which obviously makes night practice vital. That’s especially true on Daytona’s layout, which utilizes all four 31-degree banked turns in addition to the infield’s twists and turns. On the upside, at least it’s not as imposing as it was before the speedway installed lights in 1998. 

Still, it’s no easy task. 

"Some of the drivers who are struggling during the day really freak out at night," said Sebastien Bourdais, co-driver of the No. 5 Action Express Corvette DP. "It’s important to work with the traffic at night, because the [skill] level of driving is very different. It makes it hard because we’re trying to race at the front. … We have to stay on our toes and try to stay out of trouble." 

Bourdais was fastest in the night session, held under clear skies with temperature in the 50s, with a lap of 1 minute, 39.223 seconds/129.164 mph. 

Jamie McMurray, the former Daytona 500 champion who is part of an imposing all-star driver lineup fielded by car owner Chip Ganassi, had the day’s best lap overall on Saturday afternoon – 1:38.980/129.481 in the No. 01 Ford/Riley DP. 

After two days of testing and six sessions, the best lap from Friday morning’s first session still stands at the top – 1:38.630/129.940 by Bourdais’ teammate, Christian Fittipaldi.

The Roar wraps up Sunday with a 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. schedule.

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Patrón will also serve as the official spirits partner of IMSA and the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 4, 2014) – Officials from Patrón Spirits International and the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) today announced a multi-year agreement making Tequila Patrón the entitlement partner of the four-race North American Endurance Cup and Official Spirits Partner of IMSA and the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship.

This agreement extends one of the most active and visible partnerships in North American sports car racing over the past decade. In addition, Tequila Patrón will continue its primary sponsorship of the two-car Extreme Speed Motorsports team in the Prototype (P) class, as well as its title sponsorship of the TUDOR Championship event on the streets of Long Beach, Calif., on April 11.

“After a proud history with the American Le Mans Series, we’re very excited and honored to continue our support of the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship and sponsorship of the Tequila Patrón North American Endurance Cup,” said Stephanie Rivera, motorsports manager at Patrón Spirits. “This enormously competitive, energetic world-class racing truly captures what our high quality, ultra-premium luxury spirits are all about.”

The 2014 Tequila Patrón North American Endurance Cup encompasses the four iconic endurance races in the TUDOR Championship:  the Rolex 24 At Daytona at Daytona International Speedway on Jan. 25-26; the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh from Florida at Sebring International Raceway on March 15; the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen at Watkins Glen International on June 29; and the 1,000-mile or 10-hour Petit Le Mans Powered by Mazda at Road Atlanta on Oct. 4. 

The Tequila Patrόn North American Endurance Cup rewards the top-performing teams, drivers and manufacturers over 52 hours of endurance racing. This prestigious endurance competition will feature an additional purse of $300,000, with $100,000 going to the Prototype (P) and GT Le Mans (GTLM) championship-winning teams and $50,000 for the Prototype Challenge (PC) and GT Daytona (GTD) team champions.

“At the outset of the process to merge the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón and the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series, we established a goal of providing substantial opportunities for our existing marketing partners, and especially so with our title partners,” said IMSA President and Chief Operating Officer, Scott Atherton. “Today we are thrilled to announce we’ve accomplished our goal with the confirmation of this title partnership for the Tequila Patrón North American Endurance Cup. 

“Tequila Patrón played a significant role in the success of the American Le Mans Series over the past decade, and (Patrón Spirits International CEO) Ed Brown was instrumental in bringing together (GRAND-AM Founder) Jim France and (American Le Mans Series Founder) Don Panoz to create what we now know as the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship. With that in mind, we could not be more pleased to confirm Tequila Patrón continuing its involvement in a very significant and multi-faceted role.  Tequila Patrόn will continue to have its name on some of our most valuable assets.”

The 2014 TUDOR Championship opens at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. with the 52nd Rolex 24 At Daytona on Jan. 25-26, 2014. 

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Larson, McMurray, others excel in opening practice for classic race

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The Rolex 24 at Daytona, a long-running good thing, is destined to become even better.

That fact was underscored Friday both on and off the track during the first day of the annual "Roar Before the Rolex 24" test sessions at Daytona International Speedway.

Friday showcased star power in terms of machinery and men, providing ample preseason boost to already burgeoning anticipation about the 52nd running of the Rolex 24, which will open the inaugural IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Championship season on Jan. 25-26. The TUDOR Championship is the product of the merger of the American Le Mans Series and the GRAND-AM Rolex Series.

The long-awaited combination of prototypes from the two former series, resulting in the new headlining Prototype class, was on display in the form of 15 exotic pieces. At day’s end, the fast lap around the 3.56-mile DIS road course belonged to the No. 5 Action Express Racing Corvette DP of Christian Fittipaldi, Joao Barbosa and Sebastien Bourdais — 1 minute, 38.630 seconds (129.940 mph).

Complementing the on-track action was the announcement of another all-star, two-car Prototype lineup from Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, combining drivers from sports cars, stock cars and open-wheel. Ganassi’s organization has dominated the Rolex 24 in recent years, winning the endurance classic five times: 2006-08, 2011 and 2013.

In the team’s No. 01 Ford EcoBoost/Riley, five-time Rolex 24 winner Scott Pruett and three-time winner Memo Rojas will be joined by former Daytona 500 champion Jamie McMurray and reigning Indy Lights champion Sage Karam. In Ganassi’s No. 02 entry, former Indianapolis 500 champion Scott Dixon and reigning Indy 500 champion Tony Kanaan will be joined by sports car prototype ace Marino Franchitti and young NASCAR star Kyle Larson, last year’s Sunoco Rookie of the Year in the NASCAR Nationwide Series who is moving up to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series this year with Ganassi.

"When you make it to Victory Lane in [the Rolex 24], you know you have accomplished something really special," Ganassi said. "In addition, it isn’t often when we can bring such a diverse group of drivers from NASCAR, IndyCar and IMSA together to compete in one race. It is a great kick-off to our racing season."

The TUDOR Championship consists of four classes: Prototype, Prototype Challenge, GT Le Mans and GT Daytona. In addition to the Prototype class, Friday’s other three class-leading times:

— In Prototype Challenge, the No. 54 CORE Autosport ORECA FLM09 of Colin Braun, Jon Bennett and Mark Wilkins led the way at 1:42.468 (125.073);

— In GT Le Mans, the No. 911 Porsche North America 911 RSR driven by Nick Tandy, Richard Lietz and Patrick Pilet was clocked at 1:45.564 (121.405);

— In GT Daytona, the No. 45 Flying Lizard Motorsports Audi R8, driven by Nelson Canache Jr., Tim Pappas and Spencer Pumpelly ran a fast lap of 1:47.981 (118.688).

Testing continues Saturday with a 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. ET session followed by the traditional Roar night practice set for 6:30-8 p.m. under the lights. The Roar wraps up Sunday with a 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. schedule.

 

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