Posted on by Staff Report

Leaders separated by average of only 19,500 votes: Vote here

Every driver wants to race his or her way into the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, but if a checkered flag isn’t captured this weekend at Talladega or next at Darlington, those eligible will need to rely on the Sprint Fan Vote or finish first or second in the Sprint Showdown qualifying race.

To date, an average of only 19,500 votes separates the drivers currently in the top 10 positions for the Sprint Fan Vote. While that figure seems high, history shows its futility.  In 2012, more than 1.2 million votes were cast during the last three campaign weeks. That’s an average of more than 57,000 votes each day and nearly 3,000 cast each hour. The race for the Sprint Fan Vote is anything but over.

Sprint Fan Vote: Vote Now. Vote Often.

Former Daytona 500 winners Bill Elliott, Jamie McMurray and Michael Waltrip are notable names on the roster campaigning for Sprint Fan Votes, as are 2013 Rookie of the Year candidates Danica Patrick and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 

The 10 drivers leading the Sprint Fan Vote standings (in alphabetical order) are AJ Allmendinger, Jeff Burton, Elliott, Bobby Labonte, McMurray, Juan Pablo Montoya, Patrick, Stenhouse Jr., Martin Truex Jr. and Waltrip. NASCAR couple Patrick and Stenhouse even took to YouTube about the vote.

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In addition to accumulating the most votes, a Sprint Fan Vote-eligible driver must also finish the Sprint Showdown qualifying race on the lead lap with a car in “raceable” condition (as determined by NASCAR Competition) to earn a spot in the race field.

Fans can vote an unlimited number of times until 5 p.m. (EDT) on May 18 by downloading the NASCAR Mobile ’13 application or visiting NASCAR.com/SprintFanVote. Votes cast on NASCAR Mobile ’13 will count twice toward a driver’s total. The driver receiving the highest number of votes will earn a spot in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, which airs live at 7:30 p.m. (EDT) on SPEED. Radio coverage on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio begins at 6:30 p.m. (EDT).

Tickets for the entire NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race weekend are on sale now. Packages start at just $99 for all weekend events including scanner rental. To purchase tickets, call 1-800-455-FANS (3267) or visit www.charlottemotorspeedway.com.

Fans are encouraged to follow @MissSprintCup, @CLTMotorSpdwy and @NASCAR on Twitter to engage in the #SprintAllStar Race and #SprintFanVote conversations throughout the voting window.

 

Drivers eligible for the Sprint Fan Vote:

AJ Allmendinger

Aric Almirola

Dave Blaney

Mike Bliss

Jeff Burton

Landon Cassill

Bill Elliott

David Gilliland

Travis Kvapil

Bobby Labonte

Terry Labonte

Michael McDowell

Jamie McMurray

Casey Mears

Paul Menard

Juan Pablo Montoya

Danica Patrick

David Ragan

David Reutimann

Scott Speed

Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

David Stremme

Martin Truex Jr.

Michael Waltrip

Josh Wise

JJ Yeley

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Posted on by Zack Albert

Nationwide Series driver stays resilient one year after frightening crash

One year later, Eric McClure still hurts. His hands, his wrists, his feet — all are aching reminders of that day at the track when his life changed.

Seven months clear last December, McClure rode a roller coaster at an amusement park without a second thought. The next morning, he woke up light-headed, vomiting and on the phone immediately with Charlotte neurosurgeon Dr. Jerry Petty as he reeled from concussive symptoms.

Even now, with the calendar rolling back into May, there’s lingering pain that brings both remembrance and perspective.

"All the scary, scary stuff is better," McClure said last weekend at Richmond International Raceway, motioning to his head and abdomen, "but I wake up every day with a reminder that I hit the wall very hard. It’s still to the point where it’s like, ‘When do I have the surgery on the feet? When do I do this?’ That affects what I do at home, how much I can run around with the kids, everything."

"If NASCAR hadn’t done what they’d done over the last few years, I wouldn’t be here."

— Eric McClure

On May 5 of last year, McClure was involved in one of the most frightening wrecks of the season in the final laps of the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Talladega Superspeedway, leaving him with serious injuries that placed his career at a crossroads. On Saturday, he’ll return to competition at the 2.66-mile track for the first time since his life-altering accident.

"It’s hard to believe it’s been a year. There’s so many reminders of it," he said. "Every week, when you’re waiting to qualify or going out to the race, there’s somebody who wants to stop and say ‘hey, we’re glad you came through that OK’ and somebody’s always talking about it. That’s nice that they care, but it makes it seem like it was more recent than it was. But as far as how we approach things, it seems like a million years ago in that capacity as far as the race cars go.

"It’s a lot different now. Things have changed. I’m sure when we first pull in, we’ll have the memories of everything that happened, but once we get on track, it’ll become just another race."

Thankfully, McClure says, the memories of the crash itself are murky. He remembers his brakes failing before impact, being airlifted from the track and fearing that he’d fall from the helicopter, and his aversion to getting an IV.

His strongest memories, however, were reserved for the reaction from his family — his wife, Miranda, and his four daughters, now ranging in age from 6 to 1 1/2 — in the aftermath. It hits even closer to home now — the McClures are expecting their fifth daughter in mid-August.

"I can take it, I’m a big boy, but to see what Miranda and the girls went through, I can’t forget the way they looked," McClure said. "There was a private moment when it was just my wife and I … that was the biggest single thing that happened. That was the first moment that she hadn’t had to hold it all together. I don’t think I could ever do it justice, but it was something I will never forget to feel how much love she had for me."

The day
McClure’s No. 14 Chevrolet was lined up 20th out of 26 lead-lap cars on the first attempt at a green-white-checker overtime finish as the late-afternoon shadows got longer at Talladega. He quickly gained four spots, but the tense restart went haywire as the field reached full speed on the backstretch.

The jumble at the front of the pack had a trickle-down effect. Caught in the middle was McClure’s car, brushed by one car from the right side and collected by another on the left, angling it toward the inside retaining wall.

McClure remembers pressing his brake pedal and nothing happening. As a result, his car scrubbed off very little speed, making it appear in TV replays that his car had sped up before hitting the SAFER barrier nearly head-on. His last memory was the heart-sinking feeling as he braced for impact.

TriStar team owner Mark Smith watched from a big screen behind one of the pit boxes as the car skidded to a stop, his driver not moving.

"You always wait for the window net to drop down, your guy to jump out, get in the ambulance and they drive off," Smith said. "The feeling you go through watching and waiting, then the jaws of life come out."

McClure was cut from the car during the red flag and airlifted to University of Alabama Birmingham Medical Center. He remembers, by his count, nine doctors from a trauma team shouting orders over him as he was transported from the helicopter. Once he was transferred to a room that night, he eventually saw his first fuzzy replay of the accident as he checked for an Atlanta Braves score on a small TV. Remarkably, he was released from the hospital just two days later, feeling fortunate to be alert and awake after a concussion and internal bruising.

"When I got to the hospital, I walked in the door and said, ‘Wow, he looks really good,’ " Smith said. "Honestly, he was sitting up, we talked and I just thought well he’s just going to get up and drive home tonight. I’m sure with the adrenaline and everything that’s going on at the time, I just thought he was bruised up. Had no idea the extent of the injuries."

As he recuperated, Maryleigh McClure, then 3, checked on her father with a stethoscope. A year later, the McClures’ children opt against watching the races, knowing that an element of danger is inherent in the sport.

What McClure also knows is that safety advances by NASCAR and tracks likely saved his life. It’s part of why he’s been outspoken in showing his appreciation, doing his best to track down and locate every nurse and medical staffer who assisted him in the harrowing hours after the crash.

"That’s the overwhelming, overriding feeling is if NASCAR hadn’t done what they’d done over the last few years, I wouldn’t be here," he said. "I’m glad. Every day."

The return
On May 11, McClure stepped lightly into the Darlington Raceway media center to meet the press and sort through the events of the past six days. He didn’t have a clear timetable for his return to racing, but his determination was unwavering. All that was left was medical clearance after a hard road of recovery.

"There was some concern through the recovery process that I wasn’t healing as fast as I needed to with my head," McClure said. "I was concerned they would tell me I couldn’t come back. For me personally, I wanted to come back and do it and I wanted to show — we’d been battling so many things before the accident — I wanted to say I can do this. That was a big deal."

An even bigger deal for McClure was the outpouring of support from the NASCAR community. Fellow drivers who he hadn’t crossed paths with were now reaching out to him and offering thoughts, prayers and assistance.

"I’d get a tweet or an email, something on Facebook or people want to shake your hand, I mean, that’s really cool," McClure said. "I’ve been around a long time and I enjoy it, and I feel like we’ve made our place in the sport and we belong here, but to have people grab you and just say, ‘hey man, we prayed for you. We’re just so glad to see you back,’ that just means the world to us."

His first race back was a pedestrian 21st-place effort at the 4.048-mile Road America circuit, followed two weeks later by an 18th-place at Daytona in his first restrictor-plate race since the accident. As the summer rolled on and he took the first steps toward resuming his driving career, McClure began to wonder about his future in NASCAR, even consulting Smith about a different role with the team.

"About August, there was a lot of soul-searching and I was done," McClure said. "I didn’t want to do it any more. I saw how it affected my kids, saw how it affected my wife, and I thought, ‘I’m 33 and is it worth it any more?’ I’m not going to be a full-time Cup driver and I love what I’m doing here, but there comes a time when you have to prioritize. …

"And then September, Kentucky weekend, I remember I’d been racing and doing OK, we would have one good race and one bad race. But I woke up, and I felt good. I felt normal. It was the first time since the accident that I felt like everything was normal with my head and everything, and then all of a sudden my performance picked up for the last six races of the year. I had fun again, and it changed everything."

Back to Talladega
Instead of anxiety, there’s reason for optimism in McClure’s camp for his return to Talladega. His drive through the last-lap melee in the season-opener at Daytona resulted in his best career finish of eighth place, a double shot of milestones by posting his first-ever top-10 effort in his 200th Nationwide start.

That convincing run, plus the equalizing nature of restrictor-plate racing, is what McClure will focus on this weekend, even though spending time and turning laps at the monstrous Alabama track will likely trigger his memory.

"I’m not going to tell you it’s not going to be a big deal and I don’t want to dramatize it, but I’m not going to tell you it won’t cross my mind," McClure said. "In this business, like anybody else that’s had accidents before, you can’t let it bother you or you don’t need to be out there. I think at Daytona we were able to prove that when it’s time to race, we race and I don’t see where next week will be any different."

The pre-race rituals will be the same for McClure ahead of Saturday’s Aaron’s 312 (3 p.m. ET, ESPN), but he’ll buckle in as a changed man. The crash may have exacted a physical toll on the 34-year-old driver, but it’s also given him newfound perspective for what matters most, especially as his family prepares to grow again this summer.

"Like anybody that goes through something like this whether it’s at the race track or at their house, you hug the kids a little extra tighter," he said. "Whatever they want to do, it becomes now instead of ‘OK, I’ve got to have this conference call,’ then maybe it can wait. Maybe I need to make sure to take care of what I need to take care of first. …

"I am a better person because of what happened. I could talk for two hours about how this has really impacted our lives, but it’s way too much drama unless people have gone through something traumatic. It was huge for our family. It just uprooted everything we were used to. It made us think about career steps, family steps, what we need to focus on.

"When people go through things, it affects them differently and not everyone can relate to that situation, but for me, it’s just still surreal."

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Penske penalties remain in effect; Roger Penske plans to appeal the ruling to the Chief Appellate Officer

Appeals Panel statement | Up to Speed | Full Penske penalty coverage

CONCORD, N.C. — Roger Penske has lost an appeal of penalties levied against his Sprint Cup race teams, but will make a final plea to the sport’s Chief Appellate Officer.

Three members from the National Stock Car Racing Appeals Panel on Wednesday unanimously upheld fines, suspensions and point deductions stemming from rear-end parts that were confiscated from the cars of Penske Racing drivers Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano prior to the April 13 at Texas Motor Speedway. Penske will now make one final argument to the Chief Appellate Officer, whose decision is final.

“Obviously, a disappointing outcome with the panel,” Penske said at the NASCAR Research and Development Center, where the appeal was heard. “We met with the panel probably for over four or five hours. It’s a good process. I feel we have a good case, and we’re allowed to under the NASCAR rules in the rule book to appeal this to the next level. We’ve notified NASCAR that we will go ahead and appeal this ruling today to the next level. Because of that, I really can’t make any other comments.”

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The three members of the 48-person appeals panel who heard Wednesday’s arguments were Brandon Igdalsky, president of Pocono Raceway; Dale Pinilis, operator of Bowman Gray Stadium; and Paul Brooks, a former NASCAR senior vice president.

“We take our inspection process very seriously. We believe we do a strong and credible job with it,” NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp said. “And we think that the level playing field of competition now in the garage is the best it’s ever been. … As the sanctioning body, we’ve got to uphold the rules and regulations that are in the rule book. That’s part of our job. The inspection process we believe in very, very strongly, and I believe the garage does, too.”

Keselowski and Logano were each docked 25 points by NASCAR after officials confiscated the rear-end housings in the Nos. 2 and 22 cars during inspection prior to the Texas race. Paul Wolfe, crew chief on the No. 2 car, was fined $100,000 and suspended for six points events plus the Sprint All-Star Race, as was Todd Gordon, his counterpart on the No. 22 car.

Suspended for the same duration were Keselowski’s car chief Jerry Kelley and team engineer Brian Wilson, as were Logano’s car chief Raymond Fox and team engineer Samuel Stanley. Travis Geisler, competition director for the Penske team and a former crew chief, was also suspended six weeks. All suspended personnel were also placed on probation through Dec. 31.

The violations stemmed from infractions on the vehicles’ rear ends, leading to a rushed change-out of the confiscated parts during pre-race ceremonies at Texas, and forcing Logano to start at the rear of the field because NASCAR ruled his car did not make the starting grid on time. Penalties followed days later, with NASCAR determining that the rear-end setups violated sections of the rule book pertaining to the correct size of mounting holes, and limitations on movement or realignment of suspension parts beyond normal rotation or travel.

Wolfe, Gordon, Geisler, and the other suspended members of the Penske team have been able to work through the appeals process, although the point deductions to the drivers have already gone into effect. The suspended personnel will continue to be able to work until the final appeal is held on Tuesday at 10 a.m.

The appeal began at 9 a.m. Wednesday, and ended at around 2:45 p.m. In addition to the team owner, the Penske delegation also included vice chairman Walt Czarnecki — the listed owner of the No. 22 car — and president Tim Cindric, as well as Wolfe, Gordon and Geisler. Keselowski was at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Wednesday completing the second and final day of a Goodyear tire test.

“All I can say about the process is, I think it’s fair and equitable,” Penske said. “We had the opportunity to explain our case, the situation in detail. Obviously the information that we were able to demonstrate to the panel, they determined they would uphold the violations. We will obviously move on to the next step.”

Middlebrook, a retired General Motors executive, last year overturned a 25-point penalty to Jimmie Johnson and six-week suspension to crew chief Chad Knaus for technical violations on the No. 48 car prior to the Daytona 500, although he left intact a $100,000 fine. But he also upheld suspensions to two members of Richard Childress Racing’s No. 27 team, who were penalized for illegal modifications of frame rails.

Next Wednesday brings another appeal, this one by Joe Gibbs Racing, which will argue penalties levied against the No. 20 team for a connecting rod in Matt Kenseth’s winning Kansas engine that was lighter than the minimum allowable weight. Kenseth was docked 50 points for that infraction, while crew chief Jason Ratcliff was suspended six weeks and fined $200,000, and Gibbs had his owners’ license frozen for six weeks.

The connecting rod in question was manufactured by a vendor and placed in an engine built by Toyota Racing Development, which has said the violation was not an attempt to gain a competitive edge, and did not provide one. As is the case with the suspended Penske crewmen, Ratcliff can work until the appeal process is complete, although the point deduction has already gone into effect.

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Kevin Harvick’s Richmond dash example of how fortunes change quickly

Related: Aaron’s 499 entry list | Complete Talladega coverage

Saturday night’s event at Richmond International Raceway took much about what we knew about this Sprint Cup season and turned it on its head. There was Juan Pablo Montoya, buried in a deep points hole, running away from the field. There was series leader Jimmie Johnson, never really a factor. There was Brad Keselowski, he of the four straight top-fives to open the year, once again battling to get back on the lead lap. There was Tony Stewart, off the radar since Daytona, elbowing toward contention.

And there was Kevin Harvick, lame-duck standard-bearer of a Richard Childress Racing organization that’s underwhelmed to this point, storming from seventh to first in the final lap of a green-white-checkered finish to earn a victory that was almost as unlikely as it was dramatic. Harvick led only three laps in the event, and has led only four all season, and yet there he was in Victory Lane hugging a new trophy and taking a big step toward the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

“We’ve had speed, and we were frustrated,” he said of his year to that point. “I think all of us were frustrated, not just myself … but I think everybody on our team. You can talk till you’re blue in the face that your car is running good. People like you guys (in the media) look at the results on Monday and the points, and they weren’t where we thought we should be. I think a win goes a long ways.”

"But a lot of times people on the outside looking in, they look at where you finished, and that’s it."

–Jamie McMurray

Indeed it does, and it’s also the latest event to challenge conventional wisdom about a 2013 campaign that’s becoming increasingly difficult to figure out. Sure, Johnson has a 43-point edge in the standings that comparatively is one of the biggest through nine races in 20 years. But even he has moments when he appears downright mortal, adding to an array of indicators that all seem to contradict one another. Who’s good? Who’s bad? Right now, who really knows?

It all makes for great fun to watch on television or from the grandstands, even if it causes headaches for anyone trying to divine true contenders from a melting pot of possibilities. No question, the unpredictability factor has been heightened in recent years by the implementation of elements like the green-white-checkered rule and the double-file restart, two things Harvick probably wouldn’t have won without on Saturday night. But now there’s a new car, a Generation-6 vehicle that has thrown another major variable into the mix.

The result is competition that — Johnson’s massive points lead not withstanding — feels as wide open and unpredictable as ever, with events occurring on the race track that seem to be completely removed from what’s going on in the standings. How else to explain Montoya, 27th in points and without a top-five finish in over two years, completely dominating the latter stages of a race he would have won easily had a caution flag not intervened? It’s that kind of year.

Granted, statistics can be deceiving, and final results are not always a completely accurate indicator of how well a car may be running. As Harvick lectured after Saturday night’s race, this can be a frustrating reality for drivers, who in the public eye are ultimately judged by the numbers. In an interview at Richmond, Jamie McMurray echoed as much in explaining why his No. 1 team was off to a promising start after what outwardly appeared to be a forgettable 2012 campaign. In his eyes, they were laying groundwork.

“On the competition side, you know more about what’s going on, and all the people that are involved in it with you understand and are maybe more sympathetic toward the result and why that is,” said McMurray, 12th in the standings. “But a lot of times people on the outside looking in, they look at where you finished, and that’s it.”

These days, though, the standings can be as difficult to decipher as Sanskrit. Consider, for example, the cases of:

— Brad Keselowski. The reigning champion had an awesome first four races, finishing in the top five in each one. Since then, Keselowski has faced a litany of issues — in fairness, not all of his own making — that have left him battling to get back on the lead lap rather than contending for race wins. He’s shown an amazing degree of resilience, a credit to both his mentality and how fast his car is. Again and again, he charges through traffic. But how much longer can he keep it up?

— Dale Earnhardt Jr. Remember when Earnhardt was the points leader? That seems long ago, as does his streak of five straight top-10s to open the year. A 10th-place finish at Richmond staunched a rough stretch that saw him fall to fifth in the standings, but it all begs the question — which is the real No. 88 team? The one before Martinsville, the one after, or somewhere in between?

— Joey Logano. Like his Penske Racing teammate Keselowski, his standing in the points has been compromised by a penalty. But perhaps no driver has vacillated more between mediocrity and greatness more than Logano, who had a brilliant run going at Fontana until he wrecked with Denny Hamlin, and made all the right moves at Richmond to snag third. He has his moments that shine brightly, but until he can string more of them together, they remain just that.

— Paul Menard and Aric Almirola. Everyone keeps waiting for them to fall, and they just keep hanging around. Menard is quietly (of course) off to his best start ever, even if he’s led only two laps. Almirola has strung together three consecutive top-10s for the first time in his career, though he’s led no laps. Penalties to other drivers have helped these two maintain Chase position, as so many still wonder if they’re for real.

— Jimmie Johnson. Yes, even Five-Time. No question, his lead is enormous, comparatively the biggest at this point since Jeff Gordon under the old system in 2007 (and we all know how that worked out). An average finish of 7.2 and no DNFs will do the job every time. Still — has he really been challenged yet? Matt Kenseth has been saddled with a penalty, Kyle Busch has crashed two weeks in a row, Keselowski and Earnhardt have had their issues. Is Johnson really that far ahead of the field, or is his advantage inflated due to circumstances?

At this point it’s difficult to tell, which is the case with so many of these guys, which can produce an event like Saturday’s in which a guy without a top-five in two years can have the field covered, and a guy with all of four laps led on the season can be the winner. And goodness, we haven’t even gotten to Talladega, where the unpredictability is amped up to stratospheric levels. Why not someone like Stewart, who was so great at Speedweeks, and has been AWOL ever since? If he pulls into Victory Lane on Sunday, would anyone really be surprised?

Not this year, where not everything is as it seems. After all, Saturday morning, Richard Childress Racing appeared to be an organization in search of itself. Late Saturday night, the car owner was talking title.

“I think we got a great shot of winning that championship this year,” Childress said. “We just got to be there at the end of the day. They’re not easy to win, championships aren’t. But that’s the one thing I want to accomplish. This could be the year.”

READ MORE:

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READ: Harvick wins
overtime thriller

READ: No win, but no
disappointment for Montoya

READ: Electronic
fuel injection

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Unanimous decision made to uphold penalties

On May 1, 2013, the National Stock Car Racing Appeals Panel heard and considered the appeal of the No. 2 and No. 22 Penske Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams.
 
The penalties concern Sections 12-1: Actions detrimental to stock car racing; 12-4J: Any determination by NASCAR Officials that race equipment used in the event does not conform to the NASCAR rules detailed in Section 20 of the NASCAR rule book, or has not been approved by NASCAR prior to the event; and 20-12: All suspension systems and components must be approved by NASCAR. Prior to being used in competition, all suspension systems and components must be submitted in a completed form/assembly to the office of the NASCAR competition administrator for consideration of approval and approved by NASCAR. Each such part may thereafter be used until NASCAR determines that such part is no longer eligible. All suspension fasteners and mounting hardware must be made of solid magnetic steel. All front end and rear end suspension mounts with mounting hardware assembled must have single round mounting holes that are the correct size for the fastener being used. All front end and rear end suspension mounts and mounting hardware must not allow movement or realignment of any suspension component beyond component normal rotation or suspension travel.

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The penalties stemmed from a pre-race inspection at Texas Motor Speedway April 13.
 
The original penalties assessed to the No. 2 team were:
 
·         Crew chief (Paul Wolfe): $100,000 fine; suspended from NASCAR until the completion of the next six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship points events; placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31;

·         Car chief Jerry Kelley, team engineer Brian Wilson and team manager Travis Geisler (serves as team manager for both the No. 2 and No. 22 cars): Suspended from NASCAR until the completion of the next six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship points events; placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31;

·         Car owner Roger Penske: Loss of 25 championship owner points;

·         Driver Brad Keselowski: Loss of 25 championship driver points.
 
The original penalties assessed to the No. 22 team were:
 
·         Crew chief (Todd Gordon): $100,000 fine; suspended from NASCAR until the completion of the next six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship points events; placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31;

·         Car chief Raymond Fox and team engineer Samuel Stanley: Suspended from NASCAR until the completion of the next six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship points events; placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31;

·         Car owner Walt Czarnecki: Loss of 25 championship owner points;

·         Driver Joey Logano: Loss of 25 championship driver points.
 
The Appellants appealed all penalties listed above. The Appellants also requested and were granted a deferral of the suspensions until such time as the hearing could be convened.
 
Upon hearing the testimony and carefully reviewing the facts, it was a unanimous decision by the National Stock Car Racing Appeals Panel to uphold the original penalties assessed by NASCAR.

The Appellants have the right under Section 15 of the rule book to appeal this decision to the National Stock Car Racing Chief Appellate Officer.

Brandon Igdalsky
Paul Brooks
Dale Pinilis
Shawn Rogers – Appellate Administrator and non-voting member

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Kenseth receives a top-spot vote, but Johnson remains; Keselowski tumbles after bad finish, failed appeals hearing

Driver                    Change            High/Low            Last race

         

1. Jimmie Johnson  

Outlook: Johnson recovered from brief contact with Tony Stewart to finish in a respectable 12th at Richmond. It wasn’t enough to be his seventh top-10 in nine races, but it was plenty to keep his lofty lead in the standings.
Standings: 1st, 343 points

2. Kasey Kahne        

Outlook: Perhaps no driver came into Richmond hotter than Kahne, but a mix-up with Mark Martin proved costly for the Hendrick Motorsports driver. Still, he’s in great position at third in the standings.
Standings: 3rd, 297 points

3. Clint Bowyer        

Outlook: Heading into the Richmond race, things looked a little dicey for Bowyer, as his engine received some changes as a precautionary measure in light of the recent Toyota penalties. It sure didn’t matter, as Bowyer raced to a second-place finish. And he had plenty to say about the new Gen-6 car post-race.
Standings: 5th, 290 points

4. Matt Kenseth         

Outlook: After taking the pole ahead of the Richmond race, it looked as if Kenseth was primed to make a statement victory but finished seventh despite leading 140 laps. Regardless, he’s still holding onto a Chase for the Sprint Cup wild card spot, but his fate will be determined at his appeals hearing May 8.
Standings: 13th, 241 points

5. Carl Edwards    

Outlook: Getting driven to school by Carl Edwards in 2012 would have been cool, sure. But now that he sits second in the points standings, it’s even cooler.
Standings: 2nd, 300 points

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Victory Lane: Richmond smiles on Harvick

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Mobil 1 Driver of the Race

Weekend Top 5: Richmond

Race Rewind: Toyota Owners 400

NASCAR Automotive Technology Series: Seven-post shaker

6. Brad Keselowski

Outlook: With the news dropping Wednesday that the penalties issued to he and Penske teammate Joey Logano were to be upheld, Keselowski’s status as a heavyweight contender took a hit. He’ll likely get back up there, but for the time being his stock is down. | Penske latest
Standings: 6th, 263 points

7. Kyle Busch          

Outlook: Busch avoided disaster on Saturday after a penalty was reversed, but he might not be so lucky this weekend. Averaging just one top-10 finish per four starts in 16 career appearances at Talladega, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver could lose some ground in the standings.
Standings: 7th, 278 points

8. Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Outlook: Earnhardt was the brightest spot in an otherwise dim race for Hendrick cars, moving up late in the race to finish 10th.  Expect another solid race from Junior at Talladega, where both he and his father have reigned supreme.
Standings: 4th, 297 points

9. Kevin Harvick           

Outlook: Harvick may have only led four laps all season, but he’s been just good enough that his win at Richmond vaulted him into the top 10 in points and secured his place there for the time being.
Standings: 9th, 271 points

10. Joey Logano            

Outlook: The last few laps and green-white-checkered finish of the Toyota Owners 400 weren’t for the faint of heart. Logano proved he can hang with the big dogs by securing a third-place finish after a heated restart and thrilling culmination.
Standings: 17th, 228 points

11. Greg Biffle          

Outlook: In some races, some drivers are extremely lucky, while others are on the complete opposite end of the spectrum. Biffle fell into that second category at Richmond. While still in eighth place, he dropped four places in the standings and has never won at Talladega in 20 starts.
Standings: 8th, 272 points

12. Jeff Gordon       

Outlook: While an 11th-place finish didn’t harm his place in the standings too much, it didn’t help Gordon much, either. After taking the final practice and qualifying third, the Hendrick driver has to be unsatisfied with the way he fell behind in the race, but will be looking forward to Talladega, where he finishes in the top 10 nearly half the time (19 of 40 starts).
Standings: 14th, 235 points

13. Martin Truex Jr.    

Outlook: For a driver looking to build some momentum, Truex Jr. was the unlucky recipient of a tight car and was later spun out once he gained track position at Richmond. Still, he’s just barely on the outside looking in with regard to the Chase.
Standings: 10th, 240 points

14. Paul Menard        

Outlook: There has been just one driver to finish on the lead lap in every event this season. Not Jimmie Johnson. Not Brad Keselowski. Paul. Menard.
Standings: 11th, 227 points

15. Aric Almirola       

Outlook: Almirola now has three consecutive top-10 finishes in hand, as well as the first of two wild card spots in the Chase for the Sprint Cup.  It’ll be tough to keep the streak alive at Talladega, however, where he has not finished above 12th in six tries.
Standings: 11th, 258 points

16. Jamie McMurray    

Outlook: McMurray has gotten off to a pretty promising start in 2013 but is still looking for a signature race this season. He has no top-fives and will need a win to stay in Chase contention. He’s currently out of a spot, despite being in 12th place.
Standings: 12th, 245 points

17. Kurt Busch      

Outlook: Busch didn’t seem to think his run-in with Tony Stewart was as big of a deal as say, Stewart did. Probably because Busch has two top-fives to his credit this season, while Stewart merely has one top-10.
Standings: 20th, 216 points

18. Ryan Newman     

Outlook: While he was up to fourth place late in the race, Newman fell behind as things wound down and he finished in 15th.  With two DNFs under his belt, his one top-five and four top-10 finishes this season haven’t amounted to much, as he’s still in 16th place.
Standings: 16th, 229 points

19. J. Pablo Montoya

Outlook: Everyone was surprised at how well Montoya ran the Richmond race — especially at the end. The EGR driver nearly secured his first Sprint Cup win on an oval track but was still pleased with his fourth-place finish.
Standings: 24th, 183 points

20. Tony Stewart          

Outlook: Frustration clearly got to the agitated and disappointing Stewart on Saturday, as minor contact with Kurt Busch led to a heated exchange between the drivers post-race. There’s still plenty of season left and this might not be the end of Stewart’s meltdowns.
Standings: 22nd, 207 points

In the rearview

Note: These rankings have been determined by a poll that included writers Kenny Bruce, Holly Cain, David Caraviello and Zack Albert, and video host Alan Cavanna. Tell us what you think about the Power Rankings. Use the hashtag #NASCARPOWER.

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Posted on by Jason Lofing

In the right place at the right time, Ottinger scored his second straight NiSWC triumph

After the smoke cleared from the Richmond carnage, Nick Ottinger found himself in the NASCAR iRacing.com Series World Championship victory lane for the second straight race.  Unlike two weeks ago at Texas Motor Speedway, where Ottinger had the dominant car from start to finish, his victory at Richmond International Raceway was achieved with good strategy and some timely accident avoidance.

“Two in a row! Wow, I had a great car for the long run,” said Ottinger. “I really can’t explain how we survived it all; however we had the right strategy and it kept playing into our favor late in the race.”

"I really can’t explain how we survived it all; however we had the right strategy and it kept playing into our favor late in the race."

— Nick Ottinger

Ottinger started twenty-second and wasted no time cutting his way through the field. By the time the first caution flew on Lap 48, Ottinger had already cracked the top ten. When halfway came at Lap 100, he had moved up to seventh, managing his tires and keeping his nose clean.

Then with less than 20 laps to go, the third-placed Ottinger got his chance. Michael Conti, who had led a race-high 74 laps, was leading on a restart with John Gorlinsky starting on his outside. Gorlinsky dove into Turn One a bit too hot and made contact with Conti, sending both cars up the hill as more cars got collected in the aftermath. The wreck was just what Ottinger needed as the driver of the #05 Chevy ducked to the bottom and came away with the lead.

From there all Ottinger had to do was hit his marks and not spin his tires on restarts, both of which he handled with no issues at all and led the final 18 laps en route to his second win of the season.

Gorlinsky held-on for second, with Brian Schoenburg taking third after starting way back in thirty-third.

Schoenburg was pleased with his effort.  “My team did a great job all night. We had to overcome several obstacles throughout the race to earn that third place finish. It was probably one of the best drives I’ve ever had. It was definitely a nice reward for never giving up.”

Josh Berry finished fourth and, much like Schoenburg, came from deep in the field to score his top five. Ray Alfalla rounded-out the top five after starting from pole position, continuing his strong rebound from a disappointing start to the 2013 NiSWC season.

After a relatively tame first half of the online race, the last 100 laps were riddled with crashes, broken cars and hot tempers. Among the casualties were Tyler Hudson and Marcus Lindsey, the first and second place drivers in the championship standings coming into the race. By the end of the race, the yellow had flown 13 times for 63 laps. The carnage left only 22 of 43 starters on the lead lap by the checkers.

Despite being involved in more than one incident, Hudson managed to limp home with a nineteenth place finish and, by doing so, remain atop the point standings. He now leads by just nine points over Schoenburg, who is quietly putting together a solid season. Ottinger continues his rapid accent up the standings and now sits third, eight points behind Schoenburg. Lindsey slipped to fourth, another eight points back. Kevin King is now fifth following his seventh place run at Richmond, with Alfalla and Peter Bennett hot on his heels.

After a tough race at Richmond, the NiSWC field heads to quite possibly the toughest track of all: Darlington Raceway. The track known as The Lady in Black leaves drivers no room for error as her narrow racing surface and punishing walls make even the most daring racers think twice before trying to get that extra tenth. Darlington is a track that usually favors veterans but with the talent of the NiSWC, a newcomer could steal the show. Can Ottinger make it three in a row or will we have our fifth different winner in six races? Tune into MRN.com and iRacing Live in two weeks’ time to find out!

            Average Lap Time Laps Completed Cautions Caution Laps Lead Changes         
            30.028 167 0 0 7         
Fin Pos Driver Start Pos Car # Status Interval
Laps Led
Average Lap Time
Fastest Lap Time Fast Lap #
Laps Comp
Pts
1 Nick Ottinger 22 5 0 18 29.984 20.22 155 200 47 Running
2 John Gorlinsky 14 21 -0.254 0 29.956 20.155 97 200 42 Running
3 Brian Schoenburg 33 55 -0.96 0 29.982 20.254 96 200 41 Running
4 Josh Berry 35 91 -1.902 0 29.985 20.306 96 200 40 Running
5 Ray Alfalla 1 2 -2.156 50 30.053 20.016 2 200 40 Running
6 Brandon Kettelle 19 80 -2.537 0 30 20.268 171 200 38 Running
7 Kevin King 21 29 -3.155 0 30.002 20.307 96 200 37 Running
8 Paul Kusheba 37 32 -3.671 0 29.992 20.461 196 200 36 Running
9 Patrick Baldwin 17 52 -4.154 0 30.009 20.36 96 200 35 Running
10 Byron Daley 7 93 -4.599 0 30.017 20.173 3 200 34 Running
11 Casey Malone 34 92 -5.198 0 30 20.557 63 200 33 Running
12 Joshua Laughton 29 40 -5.85 0 30.01 20.237 154 200 32 Running
13 Chad Coleman 39 28 -6.343 0 30.001 20.399 63 200 31 Running
14 Thomas Lewandowski 24 16 -6.925 0 30.017 20.259 96 200 30 Running
15 Michael J Johnson 38 39 -7.305 0 30.009 20.475 100 200 29 Running
16 Joey Brown 3 12 -7.662 58 30.034 20.078 2 200 29 Running
17 Rob Ackley 42 22 -8.314 0 30.008 20.512 97 200 27 Running
18 Michael Conti 8 5 -8.835 74 30.038 20.066 97 200 28 Running
19 Tyler D Hudson 15 1 -9.581 0 29.913 20.357 62 200 25 Running
20 Brad Davies 10 11 -10.804 0 30.047 20.201 2 200 24 Running
21 Adam Gilliland 9 81 -12.184 0 29.699 20.236 96 200 23 Running
22 Andrew Fayash III 40 77 -14.912 0 29.836 20.352 154 200 22 Running
23 Steve Sheehan 5 6 -1 L 0 30.096 20.136 2 199 21 Running
24 Cyril Nousbaum 16 99 -2 L 0 29.817 20.284 98 198 20 Disconnected
25 Jake Stergios 4 41 -2 L 0 30.255 20.149 2 198 19 Running
26 Danny Hansen 6 20 -5 L 0 30.787 20.12 2 195 18 Running
27 Matt Bussa 18 34 -6 L 0 30.916 20.467 96 194 17 Running
28 Brandon Schmidt 25 3 -7 L 0 31.118 20.386 96 193 16 Running
29 Alex Warren 12 82 -8 L 0 30.228 19.981 70 192 15 Running
30 Carson McClelland 31 24 -10 L 0 31.611 20.402 144 190 14 Running
31 Peter Bennett 36 69 -13 L 0 28.958 20.301 97 187 13 Disqualified
32 Bryan Blackford 30 33 -13 L 0 28.961 20.343 155 187 12 Disqualified
33 Landon Huffman 13 75 -16 L 0 28.969 20.349 62 184 11 Disconnected
34 Chris Main 43 38 -16 L 0 29.948 20.355 96 184 10 Disconnected
35 Carson Downs 27 97 -18 L 0 28.956 20.353 172 182 9 Running
36 Landon Harrison 23 89 -18 L 0 29.42 20.382 97 182 8 Running
37 Richard Dusett 41 96 -20 L 0 28.995 20.371 154 180 7 Running
38 Marcus Lindsey 2 1 -54 L 0 26.863 20.106 2 146 6 Running
39 Chad J Laughton 11 26 -54 L 0 26.872 20.367 4 146 5 Disconnected
40 Dustin Montgomery 32 8 -127 L 0 25.071 20.349 62 73 4 Disconnected
41 Jared Crawford 20 83 -149 L 0 22.563 20.496 4 51 3 Disconnected
42 Cody Byus 28 27 -153 L 0 21.084 20.468 4 47 2 Disconnected
43 Derek Crone 26 7 -186 L 0 21.056 20.709 6 14 1 Running


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Drivers easily surpass 200 mph in tests at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Everyone — drivers, included — was shocked.

Another applaudable effort by NASCAR’s newest automotive innovation, the Generation-6 car, was on full-display at Tuesday’s Goodyear Tire test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. An effort that seemed to catch a few drivers and crew chiefs by surprise.

The testing continued Wednesday, as did the disbelief of just how fast this car/tire/track combination is. Participants included Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion Brad Keselowski, Mark Martin, 2012 Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne and Kurt Busch.

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While the track records of 186.293 and 48.311 for average lap speed and lap time, respectively, set by Casey Mears on August 8, 2004 remain untouched because this is just a test, there were some pretty intense speeds shown throughout.

Gordon, Martin, and Martin’s crew chief Rodney Childers took to Twitter to discuss their findings.

Mark Martin ‏@55MarkMartin 18h

It was fast at Indy today. 212 mph at the end of the back stretch.

Jeff Gordon ‏@JeffGordonWeb 17h

Didn’t realize how fast we were running(top speed) today until I read ‪@55MarkMartin tweet of 212mph. We saw 214 on one lap. ‪#thatsfast

‪@rchilders55: Holy moly.. How about a 48.43 around ‪@IMS first thing this morning.. Nuts..

Jeff Gordont‏@JeffGordonWeb

Day 2 @IMS @GoodyearRacing test. Even faster today! Ran 48.07 sec lap to start the day. Fastest I’ve ever been around Indy.

Martin’s lap time equates to 185.835 mph, while Gordon’s Wednesday time clocks in at a blazing 187.227. Again, had this been an official event, Gordon’s speed would stand as a new track record.

The Gen-6 car has broken five track records in nine races this season — going over 200 mph at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is a good sign that another could be in the books when the Sprint Cup Series heads to Indy for the Crown Royal Presents The Your Hero’s Name Here at the Brickyard 400 on Sunday, July 28.

The race promotion will allow a hero to be honored by donning the person’s name in the race title. Fans can vote for one of five heroes once per day until June 9.

The 2012 winner was 37-year-old certified EMT, paramedic, and Lieutenant of the Troy Fire Department, Curtiss Shaver.

Voting is located here: https://yourherosnamehere.nascar.com/

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How are you watching the races at Talladega Superspeedway? Find out how to get the latest from wherever you are.

WATCHING AT HOME?
GOING TO THE RACE?
GOING MOBILE?
PLAYING FANTASY?

Even if you’re not at the track, you can keep up with all the live action on TV and at NASCAR.com. (All times Eastern, unless noted.)

Watch practices and races on TV:

SPRINT CUP SERIES:

Friday, May 3:

Practice, 2 p.m. on SPEED

Final practice, 3:30 p.m. on SPEED

Saturday, May 4:

Coors Light Pole qualifying on SPEED, 12:10 p.m.

Sunday, May 5:

Aaron’s 499 on FOX, 1 p.m.

NATIONWIDE SERIES:

Thursday, May 2:

Practice, 4 p.m.

Final practice, 5 p.m.

Friday, May 3:

Coors Light Pole qualifying on ESPN2, 12:10 p.m.

Saturday, May 4:

Aaron’s 312 on ESPN, 3 p.m.

Get inside the garage:

GarageCam will be streaming live from Talladega Superspeedway on Friday, May 3 from the Sprint Cup garage at 1:30 p.m. ET.

Keep an eye on the media center:

Press Pass will have live news conferences throughout race weekend. (All times Eastern, unless noted.)

Friday, May 3:

Kevin Harvick | 1 p.m.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 1:15 p.m.

Nationwide Series post-qualifying news conferences | 1:45 p.m.

Denny Hamlin | 3:05 p.m.

Saturday, May 4:

Aaron’s press announcement | 11 a.m.

Donnie Allison | 11:15 a.m.

Michael Waltrip | 11:30 a.m.

Sprint Cup Series post-qualifying news conferences | 2:30 p.m.

Nationwide Series post-race news conferences | 5:45 p.m.

Sunday, May 5:

AJ McCarron | 10 a.m.

Chipper Jones | 10:15 a.m.

Robin Meade | 10:25 a.m.

Sprint Cup post-race news conferences | 4:45 p.m.

Want more?

Get lap-by-lap updates on NASCAR.com during practice laps, qualifying and races.

Want to attend the races this weekend? Buy tickets to the Sprint Cup Aaron’s 499 and Nationwide Series Aaron’s 312 at Talladega here.

Know the track:

Check out our Talladega Superspeedway track page to learn the history of the track and explore the best fan views. You can also learn some of the history at Talladega with these noteworthy numbers.

Want to meet a driver?

Here is a list of appearances. (List subject to change, all times local.)

Friday, May 3rd:

Blake Koch, Robert Richardson Jr., Johanna Long, Jamie Dick, Jeffrey Earnhardt, Travis Pastrana, Parker Kligerman and Nelson Piquet Jr. autograph session | 1:45 p.m. at the concourse area behing OV Hill South Grandstand Sections D & E. Wristband required.

Rusy Wallace Q&A and toast | 6:30 p.m. at the Miller Lite Infield Bar.

Brad Keselowski toast | 7:45 p.m. at the Miller Lite Infield Bar.

Get packing:

The weather in Talladega is:

Click for Talladega, Alabama Forecast

Re-live the race:

Watch race highlights from your favorite driver and top moments shortly after the race using Race RePlay.

Construction began on what was originally called the Alabama International Motor Speedway in 1968. Today, Talladega has held 87 Sprint Cup races and seen four repavings.

Keep all eyes on the race:

With RaceView Premium and NASCAR RaceView Mobile ’13, you can watch live, virtual 3-D video with in-car audio as well as national radio broadcasts, telemetry data and real-time stats.

Follow from anywhere:

NASCAR Mobile ’13: This new app is free to download and has an in-app subscription for premium content including live driver audio, live advanced leaderboards and live alternate camera angles.

Buddy system:

Watch live enhanced coverage with 10 HD cameras, a live chat and live standings for this week’s Nationwide series races with RaceBuddy.

Play NASCAR FANTASY LIVE:

Don’t forget to do your research and set your lineup before the race kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Expert tip of the week:

Fantasy owners will earn most of their points in the quality passing category at Talladega, so the best values this week will come from drivers with the lowest average running position. Get more tips from Dan Beaver’s fantasy blog.

Keep up with the latest:

Use our weekly Driver Reports for a quick breakdown of how each driver is looking. Also each week, our writers vote on which drivers are making moves. Read the resulting driver Power Rankings to help power up your lineup.

Last year’s top five finishers at Talladega:

1. Brad Keselowski

2. Kyle Busch

3. Matt Kenseth

4. Kasey Kahne

5. Greg Biffle

See the complete results from last year’s event here. See sights and sounds from last year’s race below, watch the video here.

READ MORE:

READ: Latest on
Penske penalties

READ: Get more
Sprint Cup headlines

WATCH: Talladega
preview

WATCH: Seven-post
shaker

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Drivers, owners, crew chiefs and track operators among NASCAR Appeals Panel

The panel that will hear appeals over the next two weeks from Penske Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing is a diverse group, comprised of current and former industry members who have seen motorsports from many vantage points — from an office, a laboratory, atop a pit box, even behind a windshield.

The National Stock Car Racing Appeals Panel consists of 48 voting members from different racing disciplines, three of whom are chosen to hear any given NASCAR appeal. There are former drivers, crew chiefs, and car owners, owners and operators of weekly tracks and major superspeedways, experts in drug testing and toxicology, and even one veteran member of the media. After hearing an appeal, the panel has the power to uphold, rescind, or even augment sanctions levied by NASCAR.

The panel is in for a busy few weeks. On Wednesday, it will hear arguments from Penske Racing regarding the rear-end housings confiscated from the Nos. 2 and 22 cars at Texas, and May 8 it will hear from Joe Gibbs Racing regarding the penalties assessed to that organization for an infraction involving the No. 20 car’s engine at Kansas. Both appeals will be heard at the NASCAR Research and Development Center in Concord, N.C.

If a team wishes to appeal a penalty, by rule it must send a written notice and a $500 fee to NASCAR within 10 days of the penalty being issued. If appeals are upheld, teams have the option of making a final plea to the Chief Appellate Officer — in this case, former General Motors executive John Middlebrook — who is appointed by NASCAR President Mike Helton and serves for $1 a year. His decisions are final.

The voting members of the Appeals Panel, as listed in the 2013 Sprint Cup Rule Book, can be broken down into several different categories given the wide spectrum of their backgrounds.

Drivers

Buddy Baker: A 19-time winner on NASCAR’s premier series who competed from 1959 until 1992, then moved into the broadcast booth. Today co-hosts a radio program on SiriusXM.

Janet Guthrie: Pioneering female competitor who was the first woman to drive in both the Daytona 500 and Indianapolis 500. Made 33 starts in NASCAR’s top series, with a best finish of sixth at Bristol in 1977.

Hurley Haywood: Among the foremost sports-car drivers of his age, was part of five victories in the Rolex 24 at Daytona, three in the 24 Hours of LeMans, and two at the 12 Hours of Sebring. Remains an instructor at Porsche Sport Driving School at Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama.

Bill Lester: The first African-American driver to compete in a Nationwide Series event, he drove in all three of NASCAR’s national divisions, making two Sprint Cup starts in 2006. The electrical engineering graduate from Cal-Berkeley became the first African-American to win a GRAND-AM event in 2011.

Robert Pressley: Made 205 starts across three years in NASCAR’s top series, with a best finish of second at Chicagoland in 2001. Also won 10 times on the Nationwide circuit, and twice on the Camping World Truck tour.

Shawna Robinson: The first female driver to win a pole in the Nationwide Series, she competed in all three of NASCAR’s national divisions across a 12-year span. Appeared in eight races at the premier level, with a best finish of 24th in the Daytona 500 in 2002.

Lyn St. James: The first woman to win Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year, with 16 starts in major American open-wheel circuits. Founder of the Women in the Winner’s Circle Foundation, which provides grants to female drivers to help advance their careers in motorsports.

 

Crew chiefs

 

 

Buddy Parrott: Won 49 events in 18 seasons at NASCAR’s top level, 10 of them coming with Rusty Wallace in the 1993 campaign. Won the Daytona 500 with Richard Petty and Derrike Cope, and also oversaw race victories for Darrell Waltrip and Jeff Burton.

Waddell Wilson: Winner of eight races with three different drivers — Geoffrey Bodine, Bobby Allison and Ricky Rudd — as a crew chief, but better known as an engine builder. His power plants were behind championships won by David Pearson and Benny Parsons, and the first 200 mph lap at Talladega.

 

Car owners

Jack Housby: Fielded cars in the 1970s and ’80s. Housby made 12 starts in the sport’s premier division, with a best finish of fifth with driver Pete Hamilton at the former North Carolina Motor Speedway in 1972. Is also former president of the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame.

Steve Lewis: Former U.S. Auto Club car owner whose teams were a powerhouse, providing a springboard for future stars like Stan Fox, Tony Stewart and Kasey Kahne. J.J. Yeley, Mile Bliss, Jason Leffler and many others drove for a team that earned over 130 feature wins in a 29-year span.

Bud Moore: A NASCAR Hall of Fame member who won the 1962 and ’63 premier-series championships with Joe Weatherly, he claimed 63 races in a long career working out of Spartanburg, S.C. His drivers also included Bobby Allison, Ricky Rudd, and Dale Earnhardt.

Robert Yates: One of NASCAR’s top engine builders, he moved into team ownership when he bought Harry Ranier’s team in 1988. He won 57 races over 21 years, including a trio of Daytona 500 crowns — one with Davey Allison, and two with Dale Jarrett, with whom he won the championship in 1999.

 

Track operators

Mark Arute: General manager and chief operating officer of Stafford Motor Speedway, a half-mile oval in Stafford Springs, Conn.

Lee Baumgarten: Director of operations at Phoenix International Raceway, and former general manager of Tucson Raceway Park.

Clay Campbell: President of Martinsville Speedway, and occasional driver who last year finished 12th in a K&N Pro Series East event at Columbus, Ohio.

Joie Chitwood: President of Daytona International Speedway.

Ed Clark: President of Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Barbara Cromarty: Co-owner of Riverhead Raceway, a quarter-mile track in Riverhead, N.Y.

Doug Fritz: President of Iowa Speedway, and former president of Richmond International Raceway.

Richard Gore: Owner of Old Dominion Raceway, a three-eighths mile oval near Manassas, Va.

Russell Hackett: Owner of Caraway Speedway, a half-mile track near Asheboro, N.C.

Brandon Igdalsky: President of Pocono Raceway.

Stan Lasky: General Mangager at Motordrome Speedway, a half-mile track near Smithson, Pa. Also a former late-model driver who three times fielded a car in the premier series as an owner.

Grant Lynch: Chairman of Talladega Superspeedway.

Denis McGlynn: Chief executive officer of Dover Motorsports, which owns Dover International Speedway.

Bill Mullis: Operator of Langley Speedway, a .33-mile track located in Hampton, Va.

Steve Page: President and general manager of Sonoma Raceway.

Dale Pinilis: Operator of Bowman Gray Stadium, a quarter-mile track Winston-Salem, N.C., and the longest continuously operating weekly track in NASCAR.

Cathy Rice: General manager of South Boston Speedway, a .4-mile track in South Boston, Va.

Kevin Whitaker: Owner of Greenville-Pickens Speedway, a half-mile track near Easley, S.C.

John White: Co-owner of Chemung Speedrome, a three-eighths mile track in Chemung, N.Y., best known as the springboard for Bodine brothers Geoffrey, Brett, and Todd.

Jim Williams: Former operator of Irwindale Speedway, a track in Irwindale, Calif., that features half- and quarter-mile ovals.

Jo DeWitt Wilson: Former president of North Carolina Motor Speedway, which hosted NASCAR’s premier series from 1965-2005, and now hosts the Camping World Truck Series under owner Andy Hillenburg and the name Rockingham Speedway.

 

Administrators

Jeff Belskus: Chief executive officer of the IndyCar Series, and former chief executive officer of Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

John Bishop: Former executive director of the Sports Car Club of America.

Paul Brooks: Former NASCAR senior vice president, and president of NASCAR Media Group.

John Capels: Former president and chairman of the board of the United States Auto Club. Also won four major open-wheel races as a team manager, the last with Johnny Rutherford at Michigan in 1986.

Ken Clapp: Former race promoter and NASCAR executive who was key in opening the sport to the West Coast. Helped bring the premier series to the road course at Sonoma, Calif.

David Hall: Former president of Gaylord Communications Group, whose holdings included former NASCAR television partner The Nashville Network.

Don Panoz: Patriarch of the Panoz motorsports empire that includes a manufacturer of high-performance automobiles, and the race track Road Atlanta. Also creator of the American LeMans Series, which in 2014 will become part of United Sports Car Racing.

Jay Signore: Former president of the defunct International Race of Champions, which held events combining top drivers from different circuits from 1964 until its closing following the 2006 season.

Humpy Wheeler: Head of consulting firm The Wheeler Company. Longtime track promoter and former president and general manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Others

Christiane Ayotte: Director of doping control at the Institut National de la Recherché Scientifique in Montreal, a lab accredited by the World Anti-Doping Agency.

Dick Berggren: Longtime racing broadcaster and magazine editor who was lead pit reporter on FOX from 2001 until 2012. Also a former driver in modifieds, stock cars and sprint cars.

Robert L. DuPont: First director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and White House Drug Czar from 1973 to ’77 under presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. Current principal at Bensinger DuPont and Associates, which administers drug testing management and employee assistance programs.

Laurel Farrell: Retired toxicologist who formerly worked for the Colorado Department of Health and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. She also works with the National Laboratory Certification Program which certifies drug testing laboratories for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

John Horton: CEO of LegitScript.com, which verifies online pharmacies for Google, Microsoft, USDA, etc. Former Associate Deputy Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (White House Drug Czar’s Office).

Chief Appellate Officer

John Middlebrook: Former General Motors vice president of global sales, service and marketing. As general manager for Chevrolet, key in establishing the Corvette racing program. Retired in 2008 after 49 years with GM. As Chief Appellate Officer, best known for overturning a 25-point penalty to Jimmie Johnson and six-week suspension to Chad Knaus last year, although he upheld a 150-point penalty to Clint Bowyer under the previous points system in 2010.

 

READ MORE:

READ: Latest news
from Richmond

READ: Harvick wins
overtime thriller

READ: No regrets for Montoya

READ: Electronic
fuel injection

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