Posted on by Staff Report

How are you watching the races at Charlotte Motor Speedway? Find out how to get the latest from wherever you are. Plus, find out how to salute veterans this weekend at NASCAR Salutes.

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:

Thursday, May 23:

Practice, 3:30 p.m. on SPEED

Qualifying, 7:10 p.m. on SPEED

Saturday, May 25:
Practice, 10 a.m. on SPEED

Final practice, 1 p.m. on SPEED

Sunday, May 26:

Coca-Cola 600, 6 p.m. ET on FOX (on air at 5:30 p.m.)

NATIONWIDE SERIES:

Thursday, May 23:

Practice, 1:30 p.m. on SPEED

Practice, 5:10 p.m. on SPEED

Saturday, May 25:

Qualifying, 11:05 a.m. on ESPN2

History 300, 2:45 p.m. on ABC

Get inside the garage:

GarageCam presented by Miller Lite will be streaming live from Charlotte Motor Speedway on Thursday, May 23 from the Nationwide garage at 12:30 p.m. and the Sprint Cup garage at 3 p.m.

Keep an eye on the media center:

Press Pass will have live news conferences throughout race weekend.

Thursday, May 23

Regan Smith | 11:30 a.m.

Matt Kenseth | 11:45 a.m.

Rev Racing/Toyota announcement | 12:45 p.m.

Brad Keselowski | 2:30 p.m.

Jimmie Johnson | 2:45 p.m.

Post-qualifying Sprint Cup Series news conferences | 8:20 p.m.

Mike Helton | 5:15 p.m.

Kasey Kahne | 6:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 25:

Brian France | Noon

Post-race Nationwide Series news conferences | 5:30 p.m.

Sunday, May 26:

Post-race Sprint Cup Series news conferences | 10:30 p.m.

Want to attend the races this weekend? Buy tickets to the Coca-Cola 600 and History 300 here.

Know the track:

Check out our Charlotte Motor Speedway track page to learn the history of the track and explore the best fan views.

Want to meet a driver?

Here is a list of driver appearances taking place at the track this weekend. You can also meet drivers in downtown Charlotte during the 600 Festival. (All times local; list subject to change.)

Friday, May 24:

Coca-Cola Family Track Walk with Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin and Darrell Wallace Jr. | 2:45 p.m.; must have a Sunday race ticket

Sunday, May 26:

Bobby and Donnie Allison Q-and-A | 2 p.m. at the start of pit road

Kasey Kahne and Matt Kenseth Q-and-A | 3:15 p.m. at the start of pit road

Joe Gibbs Q-and-A | 3:30 p.m. at the start of pit road

Brad Keselowski Q-and-A | 3:50 p.m. at the start of pit road

Get packing:

The weather at Charlotte Motor Speedway is:

Click for Charlotte, North Carolina Forecast

Have a second screen:

Get lap-by-lap updates on NASCAR.com during practice laps, qualifying and races. You can also use our Minute-by-Minute blog to keep up with what’s happening at the track.

Re-live the race:

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

The first Sprint Cup Series race held at this 1.5-mile speedway was won by Joe Lee Johnson in 1960. The track took the name Lowe’s Motor Speedway in 1999, but returned to Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2010.

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: NASCAR’s official app is free with an in-app subscription for premium content including live driver audio, live advanced leaderboards and live alternate camera angles.

Play NASCAR FANTASY:

Be sure to set your lineup before the race goes green at Charlotte this week.

Expert tip of the week:

The Coca-Cola 600 is the longest race on the circuit and that makes a difference to fantasy players. Select marquee drivers this week from the top teams with resources to handle the extra 100 miles. Get more tips from Dan Beaver’s fantasy blog each week.

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 at Charlotte were:

1. Kasey Kahne

2. Denny Hamlin

3. Kyle Busch

4. Greg Biffle

5. Brad Keselowski

See the complete results here.

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Posted on by Nascar

Top Fuel champion will get behind wheel of Toyota Camry

Video: Watch Antron Brown from Charlotte

CONCORD, N.C. — Antron Brown’s racing career is about to take a turn. A number of turns, in fact.
 
The 2012 NHRA Top Fuel champion is scheduled to participate in a May 28 test session with Rev Racing at Motor Mile Speedway in Radford, Va.
 
The arrangement is part of a partnership between Rev Racing and Toyota.

Brown, 37, competes for Don Schumacher Racing and is currently third in the NHRA Top Fuel points standings. He has 23 career wins in the Top Fuel division and became the first African-American to win a major racing championship with his 2012 title.

Prior to making the move to Top Fuel, Brown scored 16 wins in the NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle class.
 
"I’ve been in all different forms of motorsports; I’ve always been interested, have a lot of friends out here in NASCAR," Brown said. "When I talk to Max (Siegel, CEO Rev Racing) … about the opportunity with Toyota, he said ‘why not give it a go?’ "

He will be testing a K&N Pro Series East entry at Motor Mile, and will be joined by current NASCAR Drive for Diversity drivers Bryan Ortiz, Daniel Suarez, Mackena Bell and Ryan Gifford for the test.
 
Gifford won the K&N East race at Richmond earlier this year while Suarez recently captured a win in the Toyota Mexico Series.

"Everybody has a goal," Brown said. "I just want to focus on what I’ve got at hand. … You just can’t jump in NASCAR and come out here and race and compete. … My focus right now is to go testing on Tuesday, do it to the best of my ability and take it from there."

Rev Racing operates four K&N Pro Series teams and two NASCAR Whelen All-American Series teams aspart of NASCAR’s D4D program.
 
"We are excited that NHRA champion and world class competitor Antron Brown has chosen Rev Racing as his entryway into stock car racing," Siegel said. "He is a great ambassador for the motorsports world, and his commitment to diversity is something that makes this partnership really work."

READ MORE:

READ: Johnson wins Sprint
All-Star Race

READ: Full coverage
from Charlotte

WATCH: Danica Patrick
Press Pass

READ: Faulty transmission
KO’s Keselowski

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Posted on by Staff Report

Keselowski leads off, with Bowyer making the last run

#

Car

Driver

Team

1

2

Brad Keselowski

Miller Lite Ford

2

22

Joey Logano

Pennzoil Shell Ford

3

27

Paul Menard

Menards / Serta Chevrolet

4

87

Joe Nemechek(i)

NEMCO Motorsports Toyota

5

42

Juan Pablo Montoya

Target Chevrolet

6

35

Josh Wise(i)

MDS Transport Ford

7

31

Jeff Burton

Cheerios Chevrolet

8

17

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #

Fastenal Ford

9

48

Jimmie Johnson

Lowe’s Patriotic Chevrolet

10

13

Casey Mears

GEICO Ford

11

18

Kyle Busch

M&M’s Red-White-Blue M-Prove America Toyota

12

21

Trevor Bayne

Motorcraft / Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford

13

32

Timmy Hill #

OXY Water Ford

14

51

Regan Smith(i)

Hendrickcars.com Chevrolet

15

98

Michael McDowell

Phil Parsons Racing Ford

16

30

David Stremme

Lean 1 / Swan Energy Toyota

17

95

Scott Speed

Leavine Family Racing Ford

18

33

Landon Cassill(i)

ShopBicycleCards.com / Little Joe’s Autos Chevrolet

19

10

Danica Patrick #

GoDaddy.com Chevrolet

20

43

Aric Almirola

US Air Force Ford

21

29

Kevin Harvick

Budweiser Folds of Honor Chevrolet

22

19

Mike Bliss(i)

Gentry Plastics / Plinker Tactical Toyota

23

78

Kurt Busch

Furniture Row Racing / Sealy Chevrolet

24

83

David Reutimann

Burger King / Dr Pepper Toyota

25

16

Greg Biffle

Fastenal Ford

26

24

Jeff Gordon

Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet

27

56

Martin Truex Jr.

NAPA Auto Parts Toyota

28

47

Bobby Labonte

Bush’s Grillin’ Beans Toyota

29

38

David Gilliland

Long John Silver’s Ford

30

99

Carl Edwards

Fastenal Ford

31

55

Mark Martin

Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota

32

39

Ryan Newman

Quicken Loans Chevrolet

33

1

Jamie McMurray

Bad Boy Buggies Chevrolet

34

88

Dale Earnhardt Jr.

National Guard Chevrolet

35

14

Tony Stewart

Bass Pro Shops / Mobil 1 Chevrolet

36

9

Marcos Ambrose

DeWalt Ford

37

34

David Ragan

Dockside Logistics Ford

38

36

JJ Yeley

World Trade Barter Solutions Chevrolet

39

11

Denny Hamlin

FedEx Office Toyota

40

5

Kasey Kahne

Time Warner Cable Chevrolet

41

93

Travis Kvapil

Burger King / Dr Pepper Toyota

42

7

Dave Blaney

SANY Chevrolet

43

20

Matt Kenseth

Home Depot / Husky Toyota

44

15

Clint Bowyer

5-hour Energy Toyota

 

* Required to qualify on time, (i) Ineligible for driver points in this series

 

READ MORE:

READ: Johnson wins Sprint
All-Star Race

READ: Full coverage
from Charlotte

WATCH: Danica Patrick
Press Pass

READ: Faulty transmission
KO’s Keselowski

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Posted on by

After losing a tie-breaker to Buck Backer for a 2013 nod, Roberts just gets in a year later

CONCORD, N.C. — When Richard Trivette noticed that the announcement for the next NASCAR Hall of Fame class was on May 22, he began to have a good feeling that his late father-in-law would get in.

“The 22 is a special number,” he said. “So we hit it right on the head.”

The No. 22 car is what Fireball Roberts drove to all but three of his 33 career victories on NASCAR’s premier circuit, part of a sterling record that helped the star of the late 1950s and early ’60s earn selection to the Hall of Fame. Roberts on Wednesday joined Dale Jarrett, Tim Flock, Jack Ingram and Maurice Petty as members of a 2014 class that will be inducted on Jan. 29.

“This pretty much completes his resume,” said Trivette, who was married to Roberts’ late daughter Pam. Glenn “Fireball” Roberts — the nickname stemmed from his exploits as a baseball pitcher — was one of NASCAR’s biggest early stars, racking up victories and winning fans first in modified cars as well as the stock vehicles that were the forerunners of today’s Sprint Cup Series machines. He died in 1964 from burns suffered in a fiery crash in what is now the Coca-Cola 600.

The accident cut short Roberts’ career at age 35. As it was, the Apopka, Fla., native still won the Daytona 500, scored a pair of trumps in the Southern 500 at Darlington, and is generally regarded as the best driver to never win a title at the sport’s highest level.

WHAT: Hall of Fame Voting Day
WHERE: Charlotte (N.C.) Convention Center
WHO VOTES: 21 members of Nominating Committee and 33 members of Voting Panel. In addition, one vote is generated by fan input.
WHO WAS CHOSEN: Tim Flock, Jack Ingram, Dale Jarrett, Maurice Petty and Fireball Roberts
WHEN THE 2014 INDUCTEES WILL BE INDUCTED: Wednesday, January 29, 2014 (Live television coverage provided by FOX Sports 1)

“Let’s forget about the numbers,” said Leonard Wood, co-founder of the great Wood Brothers team, and a Hall of Famer himself. “When you showed up at the race track, he was a star player. I can remember the very first race here in Charlotte, he sat on pole here in Smokey Yunick’s car. I’m sitting there thinking, ‘Oh, how I’d like to sit on pole like that,’ not knowing we were going to sit on pole 13 straight times one time. But every time he showed up at the track, the name Fireball just stood out. Going into the race, you knew if you beat Fireball, you’d probably win the race.”

Trivette and his late wife helped spread the word on Roberts’ behalf, lobbying for inclusion to the Hall of Fame, and using social media to remind fans and voters of his career. “We’ve been working hard to build our fan base up,” said Trivette, whose wife Pam passed in 2009. “He never really ran for a championship, except in the early days. … We’ve been building from the ground up.”

A key source in that research is a journal kept by Roberts’ wife Doris, who Trivette said detailed everything up until a final entry prior to that ill-fated World 600 in 1964. Among her favorite memories was towing the 1939 “White Lightning” coupe Roberts once drove in the modified ranks, ferrying it through the night from one track to another as the driver slept.

“Doris towed the car while he slept and got some rest going to the next track,” Trivette said. “Because they ran day after day. They were running somewhere just about every day of the week. She loved that more than anything.”

Had Roberts lived, Wood said, he believed the driving great may have tried his hand at the Indianapolis 500. But he was just as big off the track, at one point even hosting his own radio program. “The name Fireball just stood out every race,” Wood said. “He was a superstar.”

Roberts nearly earned entry to the Hall of Fame last year, losing out to Buck Baker in a tiebreaker that determined the fifth and final honoree. Wednesday he was the last new member selected, chosen on 51 percent of ballots submitted by the 54 members of the voting committee. Trivette, though, was confident his late father-in-law’s selection would happen eventually.

After all, the number 22 was always good to Fireball Roberts.

“I knew it would come,” Trivette said. “It was just a matter of time.”

READ MORE:

READ: Johnson wins Sprint
All-Star Race

READ: Full coverage
from Charlotte

WATCH: Danica Patrick
Press Pass

READ: Faulty transmission
KO’s Keselowski

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Jarrett surprised to hear name called in first year on ballot, despite assurances from his father and Rusty Wallace

RELATED: NASCAR Hall of Fame hub page

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Dale Jarrett came dressed for a pool party.

The 1999 champion of NASCAR’s premier series arrived at Wednesday’s unveiling of the next Hall of Fame class wearing while slacks, white tennis shoes, and a short-sleeve button-front shirt. His plan was to stay for the announcement and then head an hour up the road to Hickory, N.C., where his family was holding a pool party for son Zach, set to graduate from high school on Thursday night.

Those plans changed abruptly when Jarrett’s name was the third one called by NASCAR chairman Brian France. In his first year of eligibility, the three-time Daytona 500 champion joined Tim Flock, Fireball Roberts, Jack Ingram and Maurice Petty in the 2014 class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

Stunned? You bet.

“I am very much surprised that this happened on the first ballot,” Jarrett said. “I’ve always tried to put myself in the position every year of just voting, because I’ve tried to keep up with the sport over the years. I see people who are very deserving. You can make a case for everyone, or they wouldn’t be on the list. Once I saw that I was on the list, I was very appreciative of that, and figuring that in a few years, down the road, that it would probably happen. But I really came here with no idea. Didn’t think that.”

WHAT: Hall of Fame Voting Day
WHERE: Charlotte (N.C.) Convention Center
WHO VOTES: 21 members of Nominating Committee and 33 members of Voting Panel. In addition, one vote is generated by fan input.
WHO WAS CHOSEN: Tim Flock, Jack Ingram, Dale Jarrett, Maurice Petty and Fireball Roberts
WHEN THE 2014 INDUCTEES WILL BE INDUCTED: Wednesday, January 29, 2014 (Live television coverage provided by FOX Sports 1)

Jarrett said he attended the 6 p.m. ceremony in the Great Hall as a show of support for the facility, NASCAR, and his father Ned, a two-time champion who was inducted in 2011. The plan was to be on the road by about 6:20, make the hour and 15-minute drive up to Hickory, and arrive at the party shortly after it began at 7. Instead, he became part of only the second father-son driving combination to earn enshrinement, he and Ned joining Richard and Lee Petty.

“Incredibly special, for a number of reasons,” he said. “I was excited two years ago when my dad got in, that he could be recognized while his health was good, and he could be here and be a part of it and enjoy it. Kind of the same thing now. You can never repay your parents for all they do, for the sacrifices they make for helping you in all the ways. This is the type of thing where, it’s a little bit of a payback, to say thank you for all the hard work and the effort and the guidance along the way. It’s very special to know there’s only one other father-son combination from the driver’s side in this Hall of Fame. I’m very privileged.”

Jarrett won 32 races in his premier-series career, and showed a penchant for excelling in the sport’s biggest events. His three Daytona 500 titles are part of an array of crown jewels that also includes a pair of victories in the Brickyard 400 and one in the Coca-Cola 600. He won four races in his championship season of 1999, but blew away the field by recording top-10 finishes in 29 of 34 events.

“He’s deserving, there’s no question about that,” said his father Ned, who is also a voter. “But there are so many others on the list that are deserving too, which makes it so hard in the voting meeting to choose five out of 25. … We’re just thrilled to death for all the support the Jarrett family has been given in this sport."

Although contemporary Rusty Wallace got in last year on the first ballot with a similar resume — one title, 55 career victories, and a second career as a television analyst — the younger Jarrett remained doubtful even while others were more optimistic. After deliberations ended Wednesday, Ned told him “you might have a shot at this,” Dale said. And Wallace told Jarrett that he was a lock.

“I didn’t see that,” Jarrett said. “He kept telling me that. Because he stood in this very spot last year, too, and was shocked he got in on the very first time. You have that hope, but deep inside you realize when you look at that list, that it’s probably not going to happen that first time. It will eventually. But he was very adamant. He said, ‘You’re going to get in.’ When I look at the people who are in the Hall of Fame, and to think I’m a part of that, I’m really honored.”

So why did Jarrett get in? He thinks winning all those major races played a role, as did his work outside the car promoting the sport as a spokesman and analyst. Inside the voting room, his father lobbied on his behalf — but only to a point.

“I tried to set it straight in the meeting,” Ned said. “… He did not want the influence of Ned Jarrett getting him in the Hall of Fame, as far as the voting goes. He wanted to get in on his own, and I think he did."

And as a result, the pool party at the Jarrett household Wednesday night became a double celebration. When Dale Jarrett returns to the Hall of Fame for the induction ceremony on Jan. 29, he won’t have to worry about what to wear. There will be a blue blazer waiting for him.

READ MORE:

READ: Johnson wins Sprint
All-Star Race

READ: Full coverage
from Charlotte

WATCH: Danica Patrick
Press Pass

READ: Faulty transmission
KO’s Keselowski

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Posted on by NASCAR Wire Service

Flock, Petty, Jarrett, Ingram and Roberts to be inducted in January 2014

RELATED: NASCAR Hall of Fame hub page

Any trip to the NASCAR Hall of Fame puts fans face-to-face with some of the sport’s most remarkable artifacts, stories and legends.
 
Today, five more of those all-timers will live on forever, as NASCAR announced the inductees for the NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2014.
 
The five newest members of the NASCAR Hall of Fame that will be inducted on January 29, 2014 are Tim Flock, Maurice Petty, Dale Jarrett, Jack Ingram and Fireball Roberts.
 
Flock, who received 76 percent of the vote, was one of NASCAR’s earliest superstars, winning the NASCAR premier series championship twice (1952, 1955). In only 187 starts, he had 39 victories, which ranks him 18th on the all-time wins list. He won eight races and posted 22 top fives in 33 starts while driving a Hudson Hornet to his first title in 1952. In 1955, his second championship season, he visited Victory Lane an amazing 18 times with 32 top fives and 18 poles in only 39 races.
 
He also won NASCAR’s only sports car race in 1955. For Flock, racing in NASCAR’s premier series was a family affair as he was joined on track by his brothers Bob and Fonty and sister Ethel. In 1998, he was named one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers.

WHAT: Hall of Fame Voting Day
WHERE: Charlotte (N.C.) Convention Center
WHO VOTES: 21 members of Nominating Committee and 33 members of Voting Panel. In addition, one vote is generated by fan input.
WHO WAS CHOSEN: Tim Flock, Jack Ingram, Dale Jarrett, Maurice Petty and Fireball Roberts
WHEN THE 2014 INDUCTEES WILL BE INDUCTED: Wednesday, January 29, 2014 (Live television coverage provided by FOX Sports 1)

Petty joins his father Lee, older brother Richard and cousin Dale Inman in the NASCAR Hall of Fame after receiving 73 percent of the vote in his first time on the ballot. As the chief engine builder at Petty Enterprises, he supplied the horsepower that propelled Richard Petty to most of his 200 victories in the NASCAR premier series, including seven titles and seven Daytona 500 victories.   
 
The younger Petty also built winning engines for a number of other drivers, including his dad, Lee. As a teenager, he worked on his father’s pit crew alongside his brother. In 2001, he worked as a consultant to Dodge upon its return to NASCAR’s premier series in 2001.
 
Jarrett, who was on the ballot for the first time this year, received 56 percent of the votes. The 1999 NASCAR premier series champion joins his father, Ned, as the third father-son combination to be enshrined into the NASCAR Hall of Fame behind the Frances and Pettys. In the younger Jarrett’s championship season, he finished first four times and landed 29 top-10 finishes in only 34 races. He capped off the year with a run of eight consecutive top-10 finishes that propelled him to the title.
 
By the time he hung up his driving gloves in order to pursue a successful career as a NASCAR commentator for ESPN and ABC, he had won 32 races in the premier series — good for 21st on the all-time wins list — including three Daytona 500s, two Brickyard 400s and a Coca-Cola 600.  
 
Ingram, who only started 19 NASCAR premier series races, primarily found success in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and its precursor — the Late Model Sportsman Division. Before the series as we know it today was formed, Ingram won three consecutive championships (1972-1974). He won the NASCAR Busch (now Nationwide) title in its inaugural season of 1982, and again in 1985.
 
After 10 years of racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, he had 31 wins, a record that stood until Mark Martin broke it in 1997. All but two of his wins came on short tracks. He was named one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers in 1988.
 
Fireball Roberts, who earned his nickname as a hard-charging high school pitcher, was the last inductee to be announced with 51 percent of the vote. During his career, which spanned 207 starts, he often came up big in the biggest events, winning the Daytona 500 in 1962 and the Southern 500 in 1958 and 1963. His driving style was a perfect match for Daytona International Speedway, where he won seven times.
 
In 1958, he only competed in 10 of 51 races, winning six and finishing in the top 10 in nine of them. Although he didn’t compete in 41 of that season’s races, he still finished 11th in the season-ending points standings. In 1998, he was named one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers.
 
The next top vote getters were Jerry Cook, Joe Weatherly and Wendell Scott.

The top five vote getters in the fan vote were (listed alphabetically) Richard Childress, Rick Hendrick, Jarrett, Benny Parsons and Fireball Roberts.

 

READ MORE:

READ: Johnson wins Sprint
All-Star Race

READ: Full coverage
from Charlotte

WATCH: Danica Patrick
Press Pass

READ: Faulty transmission
KO’s Keselowski

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Posted on by NASCAR Official Release

Jim France will unfurl flag for June 22 event, like brother Bill France Jr. did in 1976

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 22, 2013) — A month out from the 90th running of 24 Hours of Le Mans sports car endurance classic, the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) today announced that GRAND-AM Road Racing founder and NASCAR Vice-Chairman Jim France will wave the French flag to start the race on Saturday, June 22.

This event is timely, as sports car racing in North America approaches 2014 and a new era under the leadership of France and Don Panoz, the founder of the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) presented by Tequila Patrón. Both France and Panoz are on the board of a new International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) organization which will sanction United SportsCar Racing (USCR), resulting from the ongoing merger of GRAND-AM and the ALMS. Last month the ACO officially endorsed the merger agreement.

Thirty-seven years after his brother, Bill France Jr., was accorded the same honor, Jim France will have the task of lowering the French flag to unleash a 56-car field in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The Frances are the sons of Bill France Sr., founder of both NASCAR and IMSA.

The flag France will wave to start the race will be presented during a press conference at Le Mans on June 20 by Panoz and ACO President Pierre Fillon. This year will mark the first time in the 90-year history of the 24 Hours of Le Mans that the start will have been given by two members of the same family.

Said Fillon: "We are particularly honored that Jim France has accepted to give the start to the Le Mans 24 Hours in this very symbolic year, in which we’re celebrating the 90th anniversary of the greatest endurance race in the world. It proves just how close are the links between the club that created endurance racing and the authorities of North American motorsports."

Added France: "I will wave the flag to start next month’s 24 Hours of Le Mans on behalf of the entire North American sports car community. It demonstrates the universal interest in the consolidation of America’s two leading road racing organizations. The world-wide racing community is already anticipating the debut of United SportsCar Racing at the 2014 Rolex 24 At Daytona, with its close association to the ACO and link to the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

"On a personal note, it’s gratifying to serve in a role that my brother Bill performed in 1976. My dad Bill Sr. always appreciated the international appeal of sports car racing, which he felt was epitomized in the 24 Hours of Le Mans."

 

READ MORE:

READ: Johnson wins Sprint
All-Star Race

READ: Full coverage
from Charlotte

WATCH: Danica Patrick
Press Pass

READ: Faulty transmission
KO’s Keselowski

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Posted on by

Flock, Ingram, Jarrett, Petty and Roberts Comprise List Of New Inductees

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 22, 2013) – NASCAR announced today the inductees who will comprise the 2014 class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. The five-person group – the fifth in NASCAR Hall of Fame history – consists of Tim Flock, Jack Ingram, Dale Jarrett, Maurice Petty and Fireball Roberts. Next year’s Induction Day is scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2014, broadcast on Fox Sports 1 from Charlotte, N.C.

WHAT: Hall of Fame Voting Day
WHERE: Charlotte (N.C.) Convention Center
WHO VOTES: 21 members of Nominating Committee and 33 members of Voting Panel. In addition, one vote is generated by fan input.
WHO WAS CHOSEN: Tim Flock, Jack Ingram, Dale Jarrett, Maurice Petty and Fireball Roberts
WHEN THE 2014 INDUCTEES WILL BE INDUCTED: Wednesday, January 29, 2014 (Live television coverage provided by FOX Sports 1)

The 54-member NASCAR Hall of Fame Voting Panel met today in a closed session in Charlotte, N.C., to vote on the induction class of 2014. NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France made the announcement this evening in the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s “Great Hall.”

Next year’s class was determined by votes cast by the Voting Panel, which included representatives from NASCAR, the NASCAR Hall of Fame, track owners from major facilities and historic short tracks, media members, manufacturer representatives, retired competitors (drivers, owners, crew chiefs), recognized industry leaders and a nationwide fan vote conducted through NASCAR.com – which counted for the 55th and final vote. The accounting firm of Ernst & Young presided over the tabulation of the votes.

Voting for next year’s class was as follows: Tim Flock (76%), Maurice Petty (67%), Dale Jarrett (56%), Jack Ingram (53%) and Fireball Roberts (51%).

The next top vote getters were Jerry Cook, Joe Weatherly and Wendell Scott.

Results for the NASCAR.com Fan Vote, in alphabetical order, were Richard Childress, Rick Hendrick, Dale Jarrett, Benny Parsons and Fireball Roberts.

The five inductees came from a group of 25 nominees that included:

Red Byron, Richard Childress, Jerry Cook, H. Clay Earles, Tim Flock, Ray Fox, Anne Bledsoe France, Rick Hendrick, Jack Ingram, Bobby Isaac, Dale Jarrett, Fred Lorenzen, Raymond Parks, Benny Parsons, Maurice Petty, Larry Phillips, Les Richter, Fireball Roberts, T. Wayne Robertson, Wendell Scott, Ralph Seagraves, O. Bruton Smith, Curtis Turner, Joe Weatherly and Rex White.

Class of 2014 Inductees:

Tim Flock

A two-time NASCAR premier series champion, Flock was one of the sport’s first dominant drivers. In 187 starts, Flock had 39 victories, a total that still ranks 18th on the all-time wins list. Flock won his first series title in 1952 while driving Ted Chester’s Hudson Hornet, and his second in 1955 driving Carl Kiekhaefer’s Chrysler. He dominated that season, posting 18 wins, 32 top fives and 18 poles in 39 races. Flock’s 18 wins stood as a single-season victory record until Richard Petty surpassed it with 27 wins in 1967.

Jack Ingram

The NASCAR Nationwide Series has had a variety of incarnations through the years but when considered collectively, an argument can be made that Jack Ingram is the series’ all-time greatest driver. Before the formation of the series, Ingram won three consecutive championships, from 1972-74, in its precursor – the Late Model Sportsman Division. When the NASCAR Busch Series was formed, he won the inaugural title in 1982 and again in ’85. In his 10 years of competition in what was called the NASCAR Busch Series, Ingram had 31 wins, a record that stood until Mark Martin broke it in 1997. All but two of Ingram’s 31 wins came on short tracks.

Dale Jarrett

Dale Jarrett personified big-stage performances. A three-time Daytona 500 winner and two-time winner of the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Jarrett excelled under NASCAR’s brightest spotlights. His 32 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victories – 21st all-time – also include the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Jarrett won the 1999 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship, and recorded six additional top-five championship finishes. With father Ned, the Jarretts are only the second father-son combination with NASCAR premier series championships after NASCAR Hall of Famers Lee and Richard Petty. Ned Jarrett was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in May 2011. Ned and Dale Jarrett become the third father-son duo selected to the NASCAR Hall of Fame, following Bill France Sr. and Bill France Jr., and Lee and Richard Petty.

Maurice Petty

The chief engine builder at Petty Enterprises, Maurice Petty becomes the fourth member of the dynasty to be chosen for membership in the NASCAR Hall of Fame – following his older brother Richard, father Lee and his cousin Dale Inman. The man simply called “Chief” supplied the horsepower that propelled Richard Petty to a majority of his record 200 NASCAR victories, plus his seven NASCAR premier series championships and seven Daytona 500 victories. Lee Petty, Buddy Baker, Jim Paschal and Pete Hamilton were also among those who won with his engines. Petty had a brief driving career – 26 premier series races with seven top-five and 16 top-10 finishes between 1960 and 1964 – but was satisfied to work behind the scenes as one of the top engine builders ever seen in the sport.

Fireball Roberts

Glenn Roberts, who got his legendary nickname from his days as a hard-throwing pitcher in high school, is perhaps the greatest driver never to win a NASCAR title. He was arguably stock car racing’s first superstar, an immensely popular prototype for some of today’s competitors who are stars on and off the track. During his career he often came up big in the biggest events, winning the Daytona 500 in 1962 and the Southern 500 in 1958 and ’63. Overall, he won seven races at Daytona International Speedway, starting with the Firecracker 250 in the summer of 1959 – the year the speedway opened.

About NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States. NASCAR consists of three national series (the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series), four regional series, one local grassroots series, three international series and GRAND-AM Road Racing and the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón, both known for competition on road courses. Based in Daytona Beach, Fla., with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe. For more information, visit www.nascar.com and follow NASCAR at www.facebook.com/NASCAR and Twitter: @NASCAR.

About the NASCAR Hall of Fame

Conveniently located in Uptown Charlotte, N.C., the 150,000-square-foot NASCAR Hall of Fame is an interactive, entertainment attraction honoring the history and heritage of NASCAR. The high-tech venue, designed to educate and entertain race fans and non-fans alike, opened May 11, 2010, and includes artifacts, hands-on exhibits, 278-person state-of-the-art theater, Hall of Honor, Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant, NASCAR Hall of Fame Gear Shop and NASCAR Media Group-operated broadcast studio. The venue is open 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. seven days a week and has an attached parking garage on Brevard Street. The five-acre site also includes a privately developed 19-story office tower and 102,000-square-foot expansion to the Charlotte Convention Center, highlighted by a 40,000 square-foot ballroom. The NASCAR Hall of Fame is owned by the City of Charlotte, licensed by NASCAR and operated by the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority. www.nascarhall.com

READ MORE:

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from Charlotte

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Press Pass

READ: Faulty transmission
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Follow here live as  NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2014 is announced

Live stream of announcement | NASCAR Hall of Fame hub page

6:15 p.m. ET: The inductees will be honored on January 29, 2014.

6:14 p.m. ET: So there you have it, folks. The NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2014 is Tim Flock, Maurice Petty, Dale Jarrett, Jack Ingram, and Fireball Roberts.

6:12 p.m. ET: And finally, the final member of the 2014 class is Fireball Roberts, owner of 33 NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series wins, including the 1962 Daytona 500. Read more about him and see his career statistics here.

6:11 p.m. ET: Our penultimate member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2014 is Jack Ingram, a two-time NASCAR Busch (now Nationwide) Series champion and three-time Late Model Sportsman champion. Read more about him and see his career stats here.

6:10 p.m. ET: Dale Jarrett joins his father Ned in the Hall.

6:09 p.m. ET: Our third NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee is Dale Jarrett, the 1999 NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion and three-time Daytona 500 winner. Read more about him and see some of his stats here.

6:07 p.m ET: The next inductee is "one of the finest men to ever turn a wrench", Maurice Petty. Petty is a brother to Richard Petty and chief engine builder for Petty Enterprises. Read more about the younger brother of “The King” here.

6:06 p.m. ET: France unveils the first member of the 2014 class: Tim Flock. Flock is a two-time NASCAR premier (now Sprint Cup) series champion. Read more about him and see his career stats here.

6:05 p.m. ET: NASCAR chairman Brian France takes the stage to announce the inductees.

6:04 p.m. ET: Jewkes: "Only one vote was required this year."

6:02 p.m. ET: NASCAR VP Brett Jewkes gets us started, addressing the Charlotte crowd.

6 p.m. ET: What he said.

Alan Cavanna @CopaCavanna
Here we go. Log on to NASCAR.com for the live stream of the @NASCARHall inductees.

5:53 p.m. ET: An interesting outfit choice for a potential future Hall of famer.

David Caraviello ‏@dcaraviello 3m
The King and the Chief — Richard Petty his brother Maurice — have arrived. So has Dale Jarrett, rocking the Hawaiian shirt causal look.

5:50 p.m. ET: The stage.
David Caraviello ‏@dcaraviello 4m
We are moments away from revealing the next five members of the #NASCAR Hall of Fame. https://instagram.com/p/ZoSr8NsqqS/

Photo by dcaraviello

5:48 p.m. ET: Yes, that’s Hall of Famer Rusty Wallace signing autographs ahead of the announcement of who will be joining him in NASCAR history.

Alan Cavanna ‏@CopaCavanna 7m
A lot of recognizable faces here @nascarhall, including inductee @rustywallace pic.twitter.com/YqjM3mWDjd

Media preview

 

5:43 p.m. ET: NASCAR.com’s Alan Cavanna has his votes in. Do you?

Alan Cavanna ‏@CopaCavanna 34m
I’ve written my picks on a napkin and sealed it in envelope. If I’m right, i’ll boast forever. If not, forget I sent this tweet. @NASCARHall

5:39 p.m. ET: As a reminder, you can watch a live stream of the Class of 2014 announcement via NASCAR.com here.

5:37 p.m ET: Thanks for joining the Hall of Fame edition of minute-by-minute. Let’s get things started by announcing that there were no ties this year in voting for the NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2014, courtesy of NASCAR.com’s Kenny Bruce.

Kenny Bruce ‏@kennybruce 22m
In case you’re wondering, no ties this year in @NASCARHall voting. 2014 class to be revealed 6 p.m. Streamed live https://NASCAR.com .

 

READ MORE:

READ: Johnson wins Sprint
All-Star Race

READ: Full coverage
from Charlotte

WATCH: Danica Patrick
Press Pass

READ: Faulty transmission
KO’s Keselowski

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Vital stats for Charlotte Coca-Cola 600 weekend

Related: Complete Charlotte coverage

Track: Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C. 1.5 miles, paved asphalt surface, 24-degree banking in all four turns. Five-degree banking in front and backstretches. Frontstretch is 1,980 feet and backstretch is 1,500 feet.
Time/TV: The Coca-Cola 600 (400 laps),  6 p.m. ET, Sunday, May 26. TV: FOX (coverage starts at 5:30 p.m. ET), Radio: PRN

Trailblazers:  The first Sprint Cup Series race at Charlotte was held on June 19, 1960 and won by Joe Lee Johnson. NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty leads the series with 31 top-five finishes at Charlotte.

0.027 seconds was the closest margin of victory since the advent of electronic scoring at Charlotte Motor Speedway, when Jimmie Johnson beat Bobby Labonte on May 29, 2005.

1 green-white-checkerd finish in the history of the Coca-Cola 600, which came in 2011.

4  active drivers have posted their first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light pole at Charlotte Motor Speedway: Jeff Gordon (10/10/93), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (5/28/00), Ryan Newman (5/27/01) and Aric Almirola (5/27/12). Almirola’s pole last season was the first time since May 22, 1966 that the No. 43 car had won the Coors Light pole at CMS.

5 of the 108 races at Charlotte Motor Speedway have been shortened due to weather conditions; the most recent was the 2009 Coca-Cola 600 won by David Reutimann and Michael Waltrip Racing. Four of the five races shortened were the 600-mile events (1968, 1997, 2003 and 2009).  

6  active NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers have posted their first career win at Charlotte Motor Speedway: Jeff Gordon (5/29/94), Bobby Labonte (5/28/95), Matt Kenseth (5/28/00), Jamie McMurray (10/13/02), Casey Mears (5/27/07) and David Reutimann (5/25/09).

7  times from seven different drivers has the winner of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star race gone on to win the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway: Darrell Waltrip (1985), Davey Allison (1991), Dale Earnhardt (1993), Jeff Gordon (1997), Jimmie Johnson (2003), Kasey Kahne (2008) and Kurt Busch (2010).

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8  different manufacturers have won in the NSCS at Charlotte; led by Chevrolet with 40 victories; followed by Ford with 28.

9  drivers have posted consecutive wins at Charlotte Motor Speedway, including three consecutive by Fred Lorenzen (fall 1964 and both 1965) and four straight by Jimmie Johnson (both in 2004 and 2005).

12 drivers have won consecutive Coors Light poles at Charlotte. David Pearson holds the record for most consecutive poles at Charlotte with 11; from the fall of 1973 through 1978.

14  of the 108 (12.9%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Charlotte have been won from the Coors Light pole; the two most recent were Jimmie Johnson in 2004 and 2009.

17  wins at Charlotte Motor Speedway for Hendrick Motorsports, the most wins at Charlotte in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with 17: Jimmie Johnson (six), Jeff Gordon (five), Darrell Waltrip (two), Ken Schrader (one), Terry Labonte (one), Casey Mears (one) and Kasey Kahne (one). 

22 was the age of Jeff Gordon when he became the youngest pole winner at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 1993. He was 22 years, 2 months, and 6 days.

31  of the 108 (28.7%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Charlotte have been won from the front row: 14 from the pole and 17 from second-place.

33  starts without a victory for Joe Nemechek, the most among active drivers. Dale Earnhardt Jr. follows him with 26.

36  attempts before his first win at Charlotte for Bobby Labonte, the most all-time among active drivers.

37th  was Jimmie Johnson’s winning position in the 2003 Coca-Cola 600, the deepest in the field a driver has won the race.
41 drivers have Coors Light poles at Charlotte, led by David Pearson with 14. Ryan Newman leads all active drivers in poles, with nine, followed by Jeff Gordon with eight.

45 different drivers have won at Charlotte Motor Speedway, led by Darrell Waltrip, Bobby Allison and Jimmie Johnson with six wins each.

49  was the age of Bobby Allison when he  became the oldest pole winner at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 1987. He was 49 years, 10 months, and 8 days.

57 starts at Charlotte Motor Speedway by Terry Labonte, the most among active drivers. Mark Martin has 56.

64 starts at Charlotte Motor Speedway by NASCAR Hall of Hamer Richard Petty to lead the series.

83 of the 108 (76.8%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Charlotte have been won from a top-10 starting position.

108 points races have taken place at Charlotte Motor Speedway; two per year since the track opened in 1960.

133.904 is the winning pole speed of Fireball Roberts in the inaugural qualification at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

364 drivers have competed in more than one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points paying race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

517 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points paying race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

1,439 laps led at Charlotte for Jimmie Johnson to lead all active drivers.

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