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Four-time champion honored for his charitable work

LAS VEGAS — Tears during Champions Week are nothing new for Jeff Gordon.

Seventeen years ago on the stage of New York’s Waldorf-Astoria, The Hendrick Motorsports driver famously fought back emotion while accepting his first championship in NASCAR’s premier series. Thursday he did so again, for a very different and wholly unexpected reason — receiving the Myers Brothers Award for lifetime contributions to stock-car racing, in Gordon’s case the extensive cancer-fighting efforts carried on by the foundation that bears his name.

"That was just me wearing it on my sleeve."

— Jeff Gordon

“Oh boy. This is a surprise,” Gordon said on stage. “I’m going to have a hard time composing myself here for sure. Couldn’t somebody have warned me a little bit? Oh my goodness. This is an incredible honor.”

Gordon received the award during the Myers Brothers Awards Luncheon at the Encore Theatre at Wynn Las Vegas, in a ceremony that handed out several trophies for on-track performance and off-track efforts. But the capper to it all is the Myers Brothers Award, named in honor of former competitors Billy and Bobby Myers, and given annually since 1958. Among the most prestigious awards in NASCAR, recent recipients have included Pocono founders Dr. and Mrs. Joseph Mattioli, former Darlington president Jim Hunter, and pioneering radio voice Barney Hall.

The award is voted on my members of the National Motorsports Press Association. Since its founding in 1999, the Jeff Gordon Children’s Foundation has donated millions of dollars to a variety of projects ranging from pediatric hospitals in North Carolina and Indianapolis to a cancer center in the African nation of Rwanda. Gordon also received this year’s Heisman Humanitarian Award for his philanthropic efforts, which to the driver have burgeoned into a second career.

But being recognized by those in the NASCAR industry — that’s what seemed to effect Gordon deepest of all.

“I always have the most difficulty when you’re in front of people that you know and you spend every weekend with. It means a lot to me,” he said afterward. “And also, just coming to the Myers Brothers [Luncheon] for all these years, and seeing the others who were recognized for what they did to achieve that award. To me, I don’t feel like I put myself in that category. Immediately, I’m like, ‘No, I’m not worthy of that, they made a mistake.’ At the same time, it was reality and I had to go up there and speak. I was like, ‘Oh boy. This is not going to go very well.’ That was just me wearing it on my sleeve.”

It’s not the first time Gordon has shown his emotion in the final few weeks of 2012. In this season’s penultimate race at Phoenix, a fed-up four-time champion wrecked Clint Bowyer in a move that earned him a fine and points penalty from NASCAR, and instigated a scuffle among the two crews in the garage area. Hard feelings from that instance remain, as evidenced by the lack of interaction between the two combatants during Champions Week.

“It’s been pretty awkward, yeah,” Gordon admitted. “I thought he might have gotten over it at least enough to look at me. But he won’t even look at me. You know what, this sport needs a rivalry. … It’s just so unlikely. Clint, he gets along with everybody. And up until this point, I got along with him very well. It’s not what I was expecting, but you deal with it as you go.”

In addition to the penalties from NASCAR, the retaliatory move also earned Gordon rebuke from several drivers. Thursday, Gordon stood by his code — you race others how they race you. The Phoenix incident had its roots in another run-in between he and Bowyer, months earlier at Martinsville. “I’m definitely going to do what I feel I need to do to send the right message,” he said. “I’m here to race hard and race clean, but if that’s not the way its going to be done, then ill do it that way, too.”

Thursday’s Myers Brothers ceremony, though, evoked emotions of a very different kind, as Gordon fought back tears after receiving an unexpected but very deserving award. They came “just out of shock and disbelief and knowing how big that award is,” he said. “When you’re bring recognized by your peers in this room for something that you’ve put a lot of you heart into, it brings out those emotions.”

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Sprint Cup champion feted in unique style in Las Vegas celebration

LAS VEGAS — For more than four decades Frank Sinatra was a fixture in Las Vegas, he and his Rat Pack instilling this city with the swinging sophistication that continues to define it today. After the crooner suffered his fatal heart attack, the bright lights of the Strip were briefly dimmed in tribute. Sinatra’s first live performance here was in 1951 at the Desert Inn, which was demolished to make room for the Wynn, which Friday night hosted NASCAR’s awards ceremony.

It’s a long way from Ol’ Blue Eyes to the driver of the Blue Deuce. But during this Champions Week, it became even more evident that new Sprint Cup titlist Brad Keselowski has at least one thing in common with the late Las Vegas icon — both did it their way.

"It’s great to see a young guy like him enjoying the moment the way he is."

— Jeff Gordon

No mistaking that, not in the days since the 28-year-old Penske Racing driver secured his first championship in NASCAR’s premier series. Keselowski and crew chief Paul Wolfe won that title by not compromising, by sticking to an aggressive style that could make every race and every pit stop an adventure, and prompted more than a few moments where it all seemed on the brink of coming apart. But through it all, they stayed on the attack, and the result was an untouchable Chase run which kicked off a celebration that rolled straight from South Florida to the Nevada desert.

No one will soon forget Homestead, and a tipsy new champion celebrating his triumph with a beer glass as big as his sterling silver trophy. The tone of that night carried over into Champions Week, during which it was tough to find any of the Chase participants without a cold one in hand. References to Keselowski’s oversized pilsner glass were as commonplace as the sight of drivers at a craps table. In the middle of it all was always the new champion, sometimes grinning from behind sunglasses, many times with a Miller Lite handy, reveling in every moment. The only thing that slowed him down was a fading voice that was evident in his speech Friday night.

“It’s an amazing ride, I’m sure,” four-time champion Jeff Gordon said. “I know he’s enjoying the heck out of himself, and I’m proud of him for how he’s handled himself. We’ve thrown everything at him, let me tell you. And some of have thrown more than that at him, and he’s stepped up like a pro. He’s going to make a great champion. It’s great to see a young guy like him enjoying the moment the way he is. And also, I think he’s got a great appreciation for the sport to be able to respect where he is as well.”

Even so, an indoctrination process of sorts was necessary. All week, there were stories about other drivers charging things to the five-room villa that was Keselowski’s home during Champions Week. Thursday before a raucous After the Lap that had drivers trading barbs with one another, three-time champ Tony Stewart conscripted the help of five-time titlist Jimmie Johnson to ply the new series winner with one of their preferred beverages — tequila. They told Keselowski it was a championship tradition, ensuring the Penske driver took to the stage at Planet Hollywood feeling no pain.

“I’m trying to stay clean and smart going into this triathlon I have Sunday, so I did the old fake shot — pour some on the floor, put some on the table,” Johnson said. “Brad was a little concerned about the tequila. I don’t think he has a lot of experience in that area. Tony was determined to send him on stage feeling right. And then [Greg] Biffle jumped in, and Gordon and [Kasey] Kahne, everybody started pushing on him pretty hard. But to get him to take the first one, Tony was like, ‘I need your help. We’ve got to go into this and say it’s a moment that champs have together.’ And we got it started, and now all the sudden he’s sick and doesn’t feel good.”

But not from a hangover, Keselowski insisted on Twitter. Of course, not all moments between champions involved copious amounts of alcohol. On the bus heading to Fremont Street for Wednesday’s fan fest downtown, the two men who had combined to claim the previous seven premier-series crowns reminded Keselowski to enjoy the experience this week, despite the hectic pace and nonstop schedule involved.

“It is a long week for a champion. You wouldn’t trade it for the world, obviously, but by Thursday night, you’re starting to get worn out,” Stewart said. “And you can see it in his eyes, he’s getting tired. But I think the one thing Jimmie and I sat down and told him when we went to Fremont Street on the bus the other day was, enjoy every minute of it. It seems like you look at the schedule in the morning and you’re like, oh my god, you’re wearing me out. I told him, just every moment you have there, enjoy it and have fun with it. Because there are still 40-plus drivers that still want to be where you’re at this week.”

Johnson concurred. “It just goes by so fast,” he said. “… I know from experience that you get here, and you’ve packed or somebody’s packed for you, and you’re looking at bags that say Tuesday afternoon, Wednesday morning, Wednesday lunch, Wednesday dinner. And you’re just trying to get through it all. You’re being pulled in so many different directions. You’re damn happy with what you accomplished, but there’s just a lot going on. When you get home and sit back and think a little, you’re like, wow, that went by fast. We both were sharing with him — just try to slow it down a little bit if you can. Enjoy the moment. And hopefully he is.”

That much seemed evident. At the Fremont Street event, where Chase drivers took part in a game-show takeoff that involved fifth-graders, Keselowski was chided by one of the elementary-school students for having a beer in hand. “That’s inappropriate!” the kid cried. There was no such thing during Brad’s Champions Week, where the After the Lap session featured a stocked beer cooler. Stewart at one point was holding three beverages, and Clint Bowyer left the stage to fix a mixed drink. “We’re in Las Vegas, and we’re doing some drinking,” Keselowski announced to the crowd. “Here’s the equation: The more drinking we do, the more fun we have.”

Keselowski’s Homestead celebration was never far from mind — Howie Mandel, host of Friday night’s awards ceremony, quipped that the head table resembled a telethon. “They’re trying to raise money for more beer for Brad,” the comedian said. When liquid cold medication was playfully fetched to ease Keselowski’s sore throat, of course it came out in a giant glass like the one the driver had raised two weeks earlier. Asked Thursday what his acceptance speech might be like, the new champion let on only that everyone should expect the unexpected.

“Oh, it definitely will not be written,” Keselowski said. “I don’t write speeches, I go off the cuff. I might do [bullet] points, that’s to be determined. But what I will not do is a written speech.”

He didn’t do a written speech. What he did was a deliver a tremendous improvisational message that struck the perfect balance between humor and humility. He showed gratitude, respect, and in the end leadership, urging those in the sport to work together toward common goals. It was Keselowski at his absolute best, rising above it all, just as he did on the race track, yet always remaining true to himself. Regrets? He probably has a few. But he faced it all. He stood tall. And he did it his way.

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Collective collaboration may become norm for NASCAR

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series cars — known as the Generation-6 car and consisting of the Chevrolet SS, Ford Fusion and Toyota Camry — will have a vastly different look when they appear on the race track this year. But the effort that got each of them there was surprisingly unified.

It’s that effort, some believe, that will change how quickly NASCAR is able to adapt to innovation and advances in technology for years to come.

“It’s a paradigm change in the way competitors deal with an organizing body,” said Lee White, president of Toyota Racing Development. “I’ve do­­­ne this 40-plus years, and I’ve never seen this before. It’s truly remarkable.”

On the surface, the idea behind the Generation-6 program was simple: bring together each of the manufacturers, provide the group with a set of baseline aerodynamic parameters and then give them free rein to re-establish brand identity.

How that would be achieved, however, was radical.

SPRINT CUP TESTING
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Never before had the groups willingly shared information and documentation related to their respective products on the track. Secrecy was the norm. Yet for this project, officials with each of the OEMs spent nearly a year meeting behind closed doors at the track each week in an effort to come up with a common “greenhouse” that will help maintain a level playing field while still satisfying the individual needs of each automaker.

Because no manufacturer wanted to stray too far from what it rolled off the production line, the design of the area — which consists of everything above the base of the windshield and rear glass, extending back across the rear deck lid to the base of the spoiler — had to be tailored to be acceptable across three very different models.

Before this latest new push, the automakers “had never sat down together,” said Pat DiMarco, Ford Racing NASCAR program manager, noting there were initial concerns about the sharing of what had for years been closely guarded information. “Now, it’s a great relationship and I think it’s a model we’re going to use going forward for any other projects that come up within NASCAR.

“At the beginning of the project, the first thing that we decided we needed to do was to work on the greenhouse, to make sure (it) worked for everybody’s design and their (passenger) car. So we met weekly for months … overlaying drawings and taking them back to our designers … bringing back overlays of what we proposed as the common greenhouse.

“It was one step at a time. Then, from there we moved to the tail and the nose and the sides. There were a lot of CAD (computer aided design) drawings, a lot of interaction with our designers and aerodynamicists. A big feedback loop for every part of the car.”

To allow the groups to bolster brand identity, NASCAR opened up a sizable portion of the car below the greenhouse, and the various design teams went to work. As a result, body-specific indentations and style points previously only seen on passenger cars can now be found on race cars. No longer are a race car’s sides flat, or the front and rear portions differentiated only by the placement of manufacturer-specific decals.

The showroom, it seems, has taken a huge leap forward toward the track.

“We have bio fuels, fuel injection and now we have a car that is closely tied to its production counterpart,” said Mark Kent, director of Chevrolet Racing. “The new car is an example of how the manufacturers working hand-in-hand with NASCAR resulted in a product that we are very proud of.”

There were hurdles to cross as the process moved forward, but NASCAR President Mike Helton said officials were confident the groups could find a common ground.

“It wasn’t absolutely a slam-dunk from day one,” Helton said, “but I think the timing was right for that effort, for all the manufacturers and NASCAR to get together and look at it a little bit differently. I think we all realized we needed to do that. And I think that’s what drove the mission — the understanding (of), that’s where we needed to get to. And we were only going to get there if we all agreed on doing it.”

While manufacturers and teams will continue to support their own research and development behind the scenes, the combined effort on the 2013 models will make it easier for NASCAR to work with the auto makers as a whole when implementing new ideas.

“Look at how easy it was for manufacturers and builders to implement (electronic fuel injection); I think that spirit of cooperation followed not only this … new car program but also EFI, and potentially into the future,” White said.

“I think this changed the way we all look at competition, and as new projects come forward … I’m looking forward to this cooperation continuing and being good for all of us, and being good for the fans, and being good for business.”

It could also ease the transition for auto manufacturers looking to integrate a model change as well as provide a more attractive blueprint for those outside the sport looking to perhaps test the competitive waters.

“I think now, because of this process, we’re better positioned than we’ve ever been to entertain other manufacturers,” NASCAR Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton said. “Even though they’ve wanted to come in (in the past), the timing wasn’t right for them. I think now we’re better prepared just by the process that we have now for bringing a new car on line, having the ability to bring something new and have it be competitive right out of the box.

“I think a few years ago we could have been at risk of a new vehicle comes in, and all of a sudden they can’t make a go of it because they can’t make the right parts or pieces or can’t get it to line up with what they have.

“Now … we’re better suited to make sure that somebody isn’t handicapped by their own styling cues."

Posted on by NASCAR Wire Service

New model flashes showroom look in unmasked debut

LAS VEGAS — After a lengthy wait — and no small amount of chicanery — NASCAR has a complete set of 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race cars.
 
Roughly 11 months after Ford introduced its 2013 Fusion at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Chevrolet unveiled the new SS model its teams will race in the Cup series next year.

On display in the Encore Theater at the Wynn were representative cars from the four primary Chevrolet teams: the No. 29 Richard Childress Racing SS, driven by Kevin Harvick; the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports SS, driven by Jimmie Johnson; the No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing SS, driven by Tony Stewart; and the No. 1 Earnhardt Ganassi Racing SS, driven by Jamie McMurray.
 
Like the previously revealed Fusion and Toyota Camry, the Chevrolets looked racy and — perhaps more important to NASCAR and its fans — distinctive. Like the Ford and Toyota, the Chevrolets mark a significant return to brand identity, an aspect all but lost with the generation of Cup cars introduced in 2007.
 
"It’s sharp," Johnson said. "I saw my first logoed car at our photo shoot a few months ago, and it’s strong looking… Ultimately, I think the fans’ and the manufacturers’ voice has come through, and we want brand identity. We want it to be seen."
 
For the longest time, Chevrolet didn’t want its cars to be seen in their un-camouflaged splendor. Chevys that participated in sponsored NASCAR and Goodyear tire tests sported a checkerboard pattern, disguising their identity lines.
 
Cars used for photo shoots, such as the one Johnson mentioned, were transported in secrecy, away from prying eyes. When NASCAR recently announced rule changes that allowed greater latitude in the positioning of sponsor decals on the 2013 cars, those modifications were made on the fly.
 
Cosmetically, the new cars are an important step toward accentuating the difference between manufacturers. From a competition standpoint, however, they are not nearly as radical a departure from their predecessors as was the new car in 2007.
 
"This, you’ve got to work within certain boundaries to get a performance boost," said Jeff Gordon, "but you’re going to have a car that still looks the way it needs to look and performs the way it’s supposed to perform.
 
"The box is tighter, and all the teams are smarter. You look at the competition out there today, and we’ve all learned so much about bump stops, splitters and the under-tray of the car and aerodynamics. A lot of that will transfer to this car."
 
The new Chervolet SS is derived from the Australian built Holden Commodore, a rear-wheel drive car with a V8 engine. Gordon considers it a bit of a throwback, but he’s glad the new race car incorporates the rear-wheel drive aspect.
 
"I’m excited that it’s a V8 with rear-wheel drive," Gordon said. "These days, if you look at where things are going manufacturer-wise, it’s kind of getting away from that, but I think that the race fans — they like that — and the car enthusiasts — they like that. I applaud them for putting that into this car."

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Part owner of Stewart-Haas Racing does his tough talking in car, not boardroom

CONCORD, N.C. — He has to hire a crew chief and build a race program in support of Danica Patrick, who will compete full-time at the Sprint Cup level next season for the team he co-owns. He has to fill substantial gaps in sponsorship on his car as well as the vehicle of teammate Ryan Newman, both of which are losing primary backers after the conclusion of the current campaign. And through it all there’s the not-so-small matter of trying to win another championship, a quest that began with a sixth-place finish in the Chase opener last week.

These days, Tony Stewart has more balls in the air than a professional juggler — and the goal is keeping any of them from hitting the ground. Stewart-Haas Racing, the organization Stewart has owned half of since 2009, is expanding to a third full-time Cup entry next season to accommodate Patrick. The impending departures of the U.S. Army and Office Depot will leave sizeable holes in the sponsorship lineups of the team’s two incumbent drivers. And looming above it all is another championship run, this one for a fourth title that would further cement Stewart’s standing among the greatest NASCAR drivers of all time.

"There’s no way you can drive and do all that."

— Tony Stewart

If he can add another crown this year, amid all the changes that have surrounded his organization since the late stages of last season’s successful championship pursuit, it might be a feat every bit as impressive as the title he claimed in a tiebreaker over Carl Edwards by winning at Homestead-Miami Speedway on the final night of the 2011 campaign. The evolution of SHR has been non-stop — hiring a new crew chief and competition director, and setting up a part-time Cup program for Patrick, has bled right into the challenges of this year. Success helps, surely, but it doesn’t guarantee anything beyond raising the level of expectation straight to the roof.

The figure at the center of all this, of course, is Stewart, who left a comfortable ride at Joe Gibbs Racing when he was offered half of a former Haas-CNC organization that was struggling just to keep cars inside the top 35. The hope was that by adding Stewart as co-owner and de facto head of state, the team could attract better sponsorship that would in turn increase the level of performance. It’s unfolded just as planned, as last year’s championship would attest. The sponsors came, the quality of personnel increased, the results improved and in just three short years they were hoisting the Sprint Cup. Now Stewart’s back again, fresh off a good start to the Chase at Chicagoland, this week eyeing a New Hampshire Motor Speedway where he’s sometime hard to beat.

All this while his team is in a state of flux, with sponsor questions lingering and plenty of off-track work to be done. And yet, after an inconsistent midseason, Stewart seems to have flipped a switch with consecutive top-six finishes. Despite the uncertainties at SHR, performance has picked up. There’s a reason for that — Stewart may be a great driver, but he’s a master delegator, showing complete trust in his employees. Last year he became the first driver/owner to win the title in 19 years, partly because he doesn’t let those larger issues follow him onto the track.

"There’s no way you can drive and do all that," Stewart said Tuesday at Charlotte Motor Speedway. "There’s not an organization that does it anyway. You take an organization like Joe Gibbs: Joe doesn’t go out and hunt those sponsors down. Joe has a marketing staff in place that goes, and then Joe gets involved later in the equation just like I do. Joe doesn’t go down and build the race cars, Joe organizes people, and that’s his strong suit as a car owner. Every car owner has their strengths and weaknesses, but I’m promising you, Jack Roush doesn’t go cold-calling people to try to get sponsors. He’s got a group that does that. … Every team has their staff that does that, so by the time I get involved, it’s pretty far down the path."

Given that his name is on the sign outside, though, he does much more than drive. Last year, when he hired a new crew chief in Steve Addington and a new competition director in Greg Zipadelli shortly after his third title run was complete, Stewart estimates that his offseason consisted of all of 14 days.

"We were pretty busy. But it’s not always that way," he said. SHR has a three-tiered marketing department that handles sponsorship procurement and retention, and Stewart himself typically doesn’t sit down with potential new partners until late in the process, allowing him to devote more focus to the race car.

"When I get involved, it’s more just meeting everybody, making sure they’re comfortable with me and we’re comfortable with them," said Stewart, at Charlotte to announce a Wounded Warrior Project initiative that will take place during the track’s race weekend next month. "And we all sit down and make sure we’re accomplishing what their goals are. It’s not just them writing us a check to fund the race team, it’s a goal that they have in being part of the project, too. It’s sitting down with them and making sure we can fulfill what their goals and objectives are. It’s not necessarily that I’m even in a closer role. It’s that at some point, I’m going to meet these people, and they’ve got to get a feel for whether it feels good to them or not."

He certainly appeared to flourish in that role in late 2008 when, just weeks after announcing his partnership with Gene Haas for the following season, he was rolling out a pair of new sponsors during a press event at Indianapolis. At a time when some teams were reeling, Stewart made it look easy. Looks can be deceiving," he said Tuesday, adding that sponsor procurement has always been tough. "It was hard then. And when we started the team, it probably wasn’t the best time to start an organization. We look at it as, if we can get through this low part, the rest of it will get better. I think we’ve been able to do a good job in a hard economic time and still be able to perform well."

A large part of that is clearly due to Stewart, whose talent behind the wheel speaks for itself, and whose lively personality is a hit with many fans. He has that rare combination of being able to charm in the boardroom and deliver on the race track, the very reason Haas offered him half the organization to begin with.

"That’s the whole part of having us a part of the team ownership — there’s nobody going to give half their team away just for the heck of it," Stewart said. "That’s part of the draw of us being a car owner, is helping hopefully to draw the sponsorship."

So, where does the search stand for next season? "That’s the news I’d really like to have for everybody right now," he said. Given his track record in more difficult economic climates, it’s tough to believe Stewart won’t pull something together. Surely, his marketing team at SHR is working the phones. That leaves Stewart to attract potential new sponsors in the way he does best — by contending for race wins and championships, and capturing the public eye. A few weeks ago, it was throwing a helmet at Matt Kenseth. Sunday it was goosing DeLana Harvick, the wife of driver Kevin, on pit road prior to the Chicagoland race in a prank that was caught on television.

Stewart, who once drove a Nationwide car for the Harvicks, said he has a great relationship with the couple, and such hijinks are common among the three of them. From her Twitter account, DeLana posted a video of Stewart doing the same thing to Kevin prior to a Nationwide race at Darlington in 2006. Sunday’s clip quickly went viral, even appearing on CNN Headline News. To Stewart, it was no big deal. "It’s normally good luck for us," he said. "Whatever works."

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer.

Posted on by Tadd Haislop

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Richard Petty’s last race and Jeff Gordon’s first.

As the careers of Rusty Wallace, Dale Jarrett and Terry Labonte wound down, Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Jimmie Johnson emerged as the sport’s new stars.

Throughout the years, the torch has been passed in a near seamless transition as the legends make way for the new faces of NASCAR.

The series is a snapshot of what the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will look like in 2020.At some point, Johnson, Gordon and Tony Stewart are going to hang up their driver’s helmets and walk straight into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. To see that future, fans need only to look to the NASCAR K&N Pro Series, where tomorrow’s stars are cutting their teeth on bullrings like Stockton and Columbus, and getting their first taste of the high-speed banks of Iowa and Richmond.

It’s where drivers like Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney and Corey LaJoie are making their own name; where Daniel Suarez and Cameron Hayley are helping trail blaze the international path; where Dylan Kwasniewski and Kyle Larson are bringing a West Coast swagger; and where Sergio Pena and Darrell Wallace Jr. are diversifying Victory Lane with their successes.

It is particularly fitting that as the NASCAR K&N Pro Series heads into one of its biggest weekends of the year, it has a pair of 16-year-old drivers leading the points standings – Elliott in the East and Kwasniewski in the West.

Last year, NASCARHomeTracks.com introduced fans to the #Next9 – nine drivers that are 21-and-under running in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series who represent the next wave of young talent set to make an impact on the national series scene.

Before the green flag flies at Bowman Gray and Las Vegas, it’s time to take a look at the 2012 Class of the #Next9:

RYAN BLANEY

It didn’t take long for Ryan Blaney to get people’s attention.

And it wasn’t just for his last name. The 18-year-old from High Point, N.C., is a third-generation driver and son of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Dave Blaney. But the lineage only tells part of the story. The youngest Blaney has a win, two runner-up finishes and four top 10s in five NASCAR K&N Pro Series starts dating to his debut at Richmond last year.

Throw in a seventh-place finish in his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut last month at Richmond and it’s easy to what all the buzz is about.

“To tell you the truth, I’m a little bit bummed we don’t have an East win yet,” said Ryan. “We have had fast cars and we know we can contend for wins.”

For Ryan, having dad in his ear helps.

“I’ll listen to my dad before I listen to anybody else,” Ryan Blaney said. “He’s been to all these tracks before. If I’m doing something wrong, he knows how to fix it. I really take his full advice.”

It was a Hallmark moment last fall when father and son were able to share the stage in Victory Lane at Phoenix, after Ryan won in just his third NASCAR K&N Pro Series start.

“It’s definitely really special, of course, carrying on that family tradition,” Ryan said. “My grandfather raced and my dad follow his footsteps. And I’m following my dad.”

And they’re leading to plenty of success.

CHASE ELLIOTT

Chase Elliott’s first win came at Iowa 10 days ago, but the defining moment of his NASCAR K&N Pro Series career may have been at Greenville (S.C.) Pickens Speedway last March.

That’s when the then 15-year-old Elliott rolled off 26th in his NASCAR debut and brought it home fourth. The tiny, nearly flat South Carolina oval is known for chewing up tires and passing is treacherous. And yet, Elliott picked his way to the front with poise and confidence of a veteran.

Now 16, the Dawnsonville, Ga., driver just missed becoming the youngest winner in East history by just two days with his victory at Iowa. While fans may initially recognize him as the son of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series great Bill Elliott, Chase has quickly shown the ability and mettle to forge his own identity.

“A lot of people talk about my dad and having big shoes to fill,” said Chase. “But at the same time, I’m me.

“For me, I can do the best I can. That’s all I can ask for.”

Chase finished ninth last year in points and finished third in a competitive Sunoco Rookie of the Year class. He’s avoided a sophomore slump and holds the series points lead after four races. If he continues this pace, he’ll have another thing in common with his dad.

A NASCAR championship trophy.

CAMERON HAYLEY

Bill McAnally knows talent when he sees it.

His race team, a staple of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series, has collected a pair of championships in the last four years with Eric Holmes. McAnally has also fielded cars for two-time champion Brendan Gaughan, former series rookie of the year and current NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver Paulie Harraka, and gave Clint Bowyer his first NASCAR touring series start.

Now 15-year-old Cameron Hayley is looking to add his name to the team’s legacy. The Calgary, Alberta, Canada, driver is in his first full season running in the series and is the leading Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate.

Hayley got his start, like most kids, racing karts when he was 7, and has quickly progressed through the ranks. While getting his feet wet in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series last year, Hayley also claimed a Super Late Model touring series title in Western Canada and finished second in the Late Model series at Montana.

Too young to make his debut in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series until August of 2011, Hayley set the record for youngest driver to compete in the series history with his first race just a month after turning 15. Hayley impressed quickly with a second-place finish in that race at Montana. He added a third-place run at All-American later in the year, where he led his first laps.

It’s been more solid runs in the 2012 season, where he’s collected three more top 10 finishes, as he heads to Las Vegas – a track he’s had success on in lower divisions.

Now he’s looking to turn that fast start into more championship hardware at BMR.

DYLAN KWASNIEWSKI

Has there every been a more appropriate sponsor pairing in NASCAR than Dylan Kwasniewski and Rockstar?

Since finishing fourth in his NASCAR K&N Pro Series West debut last year, the 16-year-old Las Vegas driver has been turning heads with the poise and presence of a veteran and the swagger and exuberance of youth.

There wasn’t much Kwasniewski didn’t accomplish last year en route to Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors in the West. He became the youngest driver to win a pole and a race in the history of the series, which stretches back to 1954. He backed that first win at Colorado up with a win a week later at Montana.

His West schedule this season will also be dotted with several East starts for Joe Gibbs Racing’s Steve DeSouza. Kwasniewski started 29th and finished seventh in his first start at Greenville, and recently tested at Gresham.

Now he heads back home as the West series points leader.

It’s definitely stressful sometimes,” said Kwasniewski. “But I know and I see what I can be in the future. And it sounds like so much fun that that fear backs me and pushes me to strive to win every single one of these races.”

Kwasniewski joked after his win earlier this year at Stockton about his subdued Victory Lane.

“I was strongly debating planking, Tebowing, or doing a back-flip, and then I just opted for none,” said Kwasniewski. “Next time. Next time, excessive celebration.”

There’s a pretty good chance there will be a next time in Victory Lane.

COREY LAJOIE

Corey LaJoie was asked earlier this year if he listens to the advice his dad, two-time NASCAR Nationwide Series champion Randy LaJoie gives him, and he laughed.

“Actually, the old man don’t give me a whole lot of tips,” Corey said with a grin. “He’ll give tips to everybody else in the garage, but he doesn’t really walk up to me and give me tips. I probably don’t ask him, either, because dad will go tell Darrell (Wallace) something and I won’t necessarily believe what he tells me. But he can tell Darrell the same thing, and I’ll believe Darrell if he tells it back to me.

“That’s probably not the best way to go about it. I probably don’t listen to my dad as much as I should.”

As Randy will tell you with the same candor and smirk: “That’s my boy.”

That, in a nutshell, is what you get with Corey. The 20-year-old Concord, N.C., is a throwback to the days his dad was running short tracks in the northeast and having a good time doing it.

People’s Exhibit 2: Ask him if he’s having fun on the race track.

“We’ve definitely been bringing good cars to the race track,” Corey said. “It’s definitely fun when you have a good car. It doesn’t matter if you’re racing shopping carts. If you’re shopping cart is handling better than the other guy’s, it’s fun to drive.”

Dig a little deeper under the wisecracks and southern drawl, however, and you’ll find one of the hardest workers in the garage. LaJoie helps his dad out with The Joie of Seating, which is at the forefront of driver safety, and builds and maintains his two race cars with the help of a friend. Despite the limited resources, LaJoie managed to finish eighth in points last year and finish second in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings against a stout field.

He has three runner-up finishes and was out front in the season-opener at Bristol vying for his first win when he cut a tire. Undaunted, LaJoie is right in the thick of the championship battle.

“We’re doing the best we knew we can,” LaJoie said.

KYLE LARSON

Kyle Larson has been around racing his whole life. Literally.

The 19-year-old from Elk Grove, Calif., accompanied his dad to the local dirt track when he was just a week old. At 4, his dad built him a little fun kart to navigate around in. He spent his formative years learning to master go karts before transitioning to sprint cars, Silver Crown cars, midget cars – with and without wings. So it’s no surprise that Larson has taken to stock cars with an extraordinarily smooth transition.

“That just helps me adapt quicker to all the different race cars I run,” Larson said. “And I play a lot of video games on iRacing.”

It’s worked. Larson impressed many observers when he climbed into a Late Model for the first time last fall and was turning some of the fastest laps at the NASCAR Drive For Diversity Combine at Langley Speedway in Hampton, Va. The performance earned him a spot in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series program for Rev Racing – his mother is Japanese-American – and he has rolled off three top 10s in four starts and heads to Bowman Gray third in points.

Larson’s reasoning for switching from open wheel to the NASCAR K&N Pro Series is simple.

“I want to get to the Sprint Cup Series, so that’s the step you have to take,” said Larson. “Plus, there’s a lot of really good young drivers to compete against, and I get to go to some of the tracks the Cup guys go to.”

He’s already on the right track. Last year, Larson won features in the World of Outlaws, the American Sprint Car Series, and all three divisions of USAC. The only other driver to accomplish that feat? Tony Stewart.

SERGIO PEÑA

Perspective and patience.

For a driver, these two fundamentals can mean as much to winning a championship as going fast. Sergio Peña, in the midst of his third season in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series, will point to them as the two biggest keys he’s learned from his experience in NASCAR’s top developmental series.

Going fast was never a problem. After earning a spot with NASCAR Drive for Diversity, Peña earned the pole award and finished second in his first event – the series’ all-star race in Irwindale, Calif. It took over a full year, though, to get to Victory Lane. Now, he’s looking to contend for a championship and show he’s ready to move up.

“I really tore up so much equipment my first year,” Peña said. “You have to race with your head and race smart. You just really need to be mature and patient in this series.”

The 19-year-old from Winchester, Va., isn’t afraid of tackling new challenges. After two years with Rev Racing, Peña is with a new team (Hattori Racing) under old coaches (Andy Santerre and crew chief Matt Goslant). And he’s juggling his racing career with his freshman year at Radford (Va.) University.

“College and racing, it’s really tough,” said Peña. “It just takes a lot of time management. It’s definitely worth it. It teaches you so much about the real world. I’m majoring in communications, and it’s helped me in so many different aspects – just the way you think about things.

“Plus, I’ll have a backup plan: To have a college degree to fall back on was really important to me.”

While Peña got off to a rough start in his first two races of 2012, he’s rolled off a pair of top 10 finishes and heads to a summer stretch that includes a trip to Langley, where’s he’s the defending race winner.

“We just need to find some luck,” said Peña. “We’ve been right there. We just need to pull the whole deal together and get a good finish. We’re getting there, I think the win will be coming soon.”

There’s that perspective and patience again.

DANIEL SUÁREZ

There’s very little slowing Daniel Suárez down – on the track or off.

The 20-year-old from Monterrey, Mexico, isn’t content with just tackling the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. With the ultimate goal of being the first NASCAR Toyota Series graduate to race in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Suárez is getting as much seat time as possible.

“When I switched to these big cars, it was really different for me,” said Suárez. “The teams, the drivers, the cars, the tracks in NASCAR, they are all very difficult, but I think it’s the best racing in the world.

“I think we are in a good position now, and the team wants to learn and wants to have young drivers, different drivers, to learn about how to drive in America.”

That means, in addition to his full-time ride with X Team Racing, a Charlotte-based team committed to opening doors to NASCAR for Latin American drivers, Suárez is also attempting to run the complete NASCAR Toyota Series in Mexico.

He also opened the season racing in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race at Phoenix, where he finished third. He’s second in points in the Toyota Series and picked up his first NASCAR victory earlier in May at the historic night race on the oval in Mexico City.

Suárez has run 10 touring series races in 2012, the most of any driver in NASCAR.

As the Toyota Series rookie of the year in 2009, Suárez initially jumped to the NASCAR K&N Pro Series last year on a limited basis. After starting the season with Troy Williams Racing, he jumped over to X Team the second half of the year and really hit his stride. Suárez picked up top 10 finishes in his final three starts in the East and finished sixth in the West season finale at Phoenix.

Perhaps the defining moment of Suárez’s young NASCAR career came in that race. Battling for second late in the race, contact knocked him sideways and it looked, for a moment, like his night would end in a wreck. Rather than spinning, though, Suárez was able to save it, keep it on the pavement and get back on the gas.

His crew chief, Coleman Pressley, remarked before that event that it’s fun working with a driver that has no fear.

And one that isn’t slowing down for anything.

DARRELL WALLACE JR.

Darrell Wallace Jr. knows the expectations are high for him.

That isn’t anything new. The 18-year-old from Concord, N.C., has had people talking since he dominated in a Bandolero car. And every step of the way, Wallace has met those expectations with results.

Like in his NASCAR K&N Pro Series debut in 2009, when he became the youngest winner in series history. Or later in the season, when he made a daring three-wide pass on eventual series champion Ryan Truex and veteran Eddie MacDonald to steal a win away on the final lap. Or last year, when he rolled off three more wins en route to a second-place finish in points.

So it should come as no surprise that the first time he strapped into a NASCAR Nationwide Series car for Joe Gibbs Racing, Wallace brought home a top-10 finish.

The thing about Wallace, though, is how he takes everything in stride. His first national series start came a day after an early-race accident took him out of contention in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series race. Instead of dwelling on his misfortune this season in the series – his one win has been surrounded by struggles in the other three events – Wallace bounced right back and put on a solid performance in one of the biggest moments of his young career.

“Drivers just have to keep going out there and showcasing their skills,” Wallace told NASCAR.com following the race. “It’s all about having patience on and off the track.”

It’s something that Wallace has shown in his first two years driving for NASCAR Drive for Diversity and Rev Racing, and continues to showcase with JGR.

When the opportunity presents itself, Wallace will be ready.

Posted on by Tadd Haislop

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — It started when Joey Logano became the youngest winner in NASCAR Nationwide Series history and Joe Gibbs Racing tabbed him to fill the No. 20 Home Depot Toyota vacated by two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart. It continued when Austin Dillon drove the famed black No. 3 to wins in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Iowa and Las Vegas. And it reached a crescendo when Trevor Bayne returned the Woods Brothers to Victory Lane with an improbable — and inspirational — win at the 2011 Daytona 500.

It’s led to the inevitable questions: Where are all these talented young drivers coming from? And, who’s next?

The answer is the NASCAR K&N Pro Series. Whether it’s current NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship points leader, rookie Cole Whitt, or action sports stars looking to transition to stock cars, like Travis Pastrana and Ricky Carmichael, the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and West have become the launching pad for drivers looking to break their way into one of NASCAR’s three national series.

Whether it’s learning when to be patient and when to make your move on one of the bullrings the series visits or the seat time at national series tracks like Phoenix, New Hampshire and Dover, the NASCAR K&N Pro Series has become a proving ground for the next generation of NASCAR Cup Series drivers.

“It’s the patience, the close-quartered racing, and pushing these guys around,” said Bayne, after the Daytona 500 win, of his series experience. “I never thought I’d be a superspeedway racer just because short tracks were my niche. But man, it really does relate to everything we were doing here today.”

The NASCAR K&N Pro Series is coming off one of its biggest events of the year, the annual combination race between the East and West at Iowa Speedway. They now head their separate ways — the East will travel to history Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C., on June 4, while the West makes a stop at The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on June 11.

Before they return to the track, NASCAR gathered nine of the brightest stars that are 21-and-under in Charlotte, N.C., recently to talk about where they are, where they’ve been, and where they’re going. Alex Bowman, Matt DiBenedetto, Dylan Kwasniewski, Corey LaJoie, Luis Martinez Jr., Brett Moffitt, Sergio Peña, Daniel Suárez, and Darrell Wallace Jr. are just the tip of the iceberg of the next wave of talented young drivers competing in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series today, with an eye at becoming a star on the big stage tomorrow.

And when the next “Trevor Bayne moment” happens — and it will — and you wonder “who’s that kid?’ … chances are it’s going to be one of these Next 9:

ALEX BOWMAN

All you need to know about Alex Bowman — aside from the fact he can be pretty darn funny — is his reaction following his run in the Night Before The 500 USAC race in Indianapolis last week.

“We got beat pretty bad,” said Bowman. “We just over-adjusted for the feature and got way too loose. It’s disappointing.”

And that was his analysis after finishing second.

But for the 18-year-old Tucson, Ariz., native, if it isn’t first …

“The biggest thing is I’m a really, really competitive person,” said Bowman. “No matter what I’m doing. If I’m not winning, I’m not happy.”

Bowman went through a similar post-race self-review following his NASCAR debut, when he ran third at Greenville (S.C.) Pickens Speedway. Bowman said he was happy for about 10 minutes, before he started to roll through the race in his head. He figured if he had gotten a handle on the car and track a little sooner, his late charge through the field may have resulted in contending for a win instead of a podium finish. Still, it was a more-than-impressive debut as he qualified 16th, and went from 24th to third in the final 50 laps.

Bowman stoked his competitive fire starting in open wheel. At 15, he took down the USAC Ford Focus Midget main event on Turkey Night at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale (Calif.) and had the most combined wins in USAC in 2008. He hasn’t slowed down in a stock car, keeping pace with more established teammates Matt DiBenedetto and Coleman Pressley with first-year X Team Racing. In addition to Greenville, Bowman picked up a fifth-place finish at Richmond International Raceway.

“They’re two completely different feelings,” said Bowman of the transition. “Realistically, we were just trying to go out there and get some solid top 10s. Now that I’m used to the car, it’s time to go out there and win some races.”

MATT DIBENEDETTO

The two biggest things Matt DiBenedetto learned during his time at Joe Gibbs Racing were how to train properly off the track and be more aggressive on it.

In his second stint in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, the 19-year-old Grass Valley, Calif., driver is putting that experience to good use. While a cut tire ended a strong run from the pole position at Iowa Speedway — and possibly prevented him from taking the points lead — DiBenedetto has put together a strong return to the series in which he had two wins and three pole awards in just seven starts in 2009.

“I think a lot of things are different this go around — in a good way — from all the experience I learned from,” said DiBenedetto, now driving for first-year X Team Racing. “I feel like one of those veterans in the East and I’m not even 20 yet.”

DiBenedetto didn’t have the success he would have like driving for JGR on a limited basis in the NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2010. But the time there was not wasted. For starters, he found a workout partner in teammate Brad Coleman, and direction from JGR motocross trainer Tim Gearhart. Getting on a training and eating program enabled the 6-foot DiBenedetto to bulk up from a scrawny 155 pounds to solid 180.

“I got tired of always being the really small guy in high school,” said DiBenedetto, who has discovered his newfound fitness has paid off in the driver’s seat. “I feel like it’s a big difference because I don’t get so tired and wore out. It gives you a little edge. If you pressure them at the end, and they’re getting tired, you have the advantage.”

He hopes it will pay off down the stretch. Still left on the schedule are three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series companion events — two at New Hampshire, where he has a win, and one at Dover, where he set the series’ track record in qualifying.

DYLAN KWASNIEWSKI

While Chase Elliott may be the most well-known beneficiary of NASCAR’s decision to lower the minimum age for running in the touring series to 15 years old this year, Dylan Kwasniewski wants to make sure everybody knows that the son of the former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion isn’t the only one getting a jump on moving up the ladder. The Las Vegas driver, who just turned 16 on May 31, was fourth in his debut at All American Speedway in Roseville, Calif., and overcame a pit-road speeding penalty to rally for a 10th-place finish at Iowa Speedway.

Even that, though, doesn’t cut it for Kwasniewski, who is teammates with West points leader Greg Pursley with car owner Gene Price.

“I have really high expectations for myself in whatever I get into,” said Kwasniewski, who is already the leader in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings, despite not competing in the season opener at Phoenix. “I push myself.”

After moving up to Late Models and Modifieds out West last year, Kwasniewski already has a pair of wins in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Super Late Model Division at The Bullring at Las Vegas. As the series heads to the 3/8-mile that helped produce Kyle and Kurt Busch, Kwasniewski is hoping home-track advantage will pay off.

“If I can beat Greg, hopefully I can come out with a win at Vegas,” Kwasniewski said.

Like many of the drivers making their way up the stock-car ranks at a young age, Kwasniewski started in go karts. It didn’t take him long to get the hang of it — or get hooked on the thrill of speed and competition.

“What else would you love at five — going that fast?” Kwasniewski said. “I love the aspect of racing with people side-by-side. It’s a blast and I love doing it.”

COREY LAJOIE

Corey LaJoie knows his last name — and the connections his father, two-time NASCAR Nationwide Series champion Randy LaJoie, made while racing — may get his foot in the door or some parts at a discount. But it won’t put the pieces together. And for the 19-year-old from Concord, N.C., that’s good news, bad news.

“If it wasn’t for dad making those connections, it would take way more dollars for me to do what I’m doing,” said Corey LaJoie, “but it doesn’t mean I get to show up with my helmet bag and go racing. It’s the complete opposite of that.

“I think that’s what makes me a good race car driver. I know every nut and bolt that goes into that thing.”

LaJoie made an impression in a limited run last year, contending for wins at New Hampshire, Iowa and Dover. While he managed to pull down a third-place finish this year at Richmond, mechanical issues and bad lucked have side tracked him elsewhere. Still, it’s hard to dent the confidence of LaJoie, who is nearly as quick with his wit as he is on the track.

“We’ve had a third-place car everwhere we’ve went this year,” said LaJoie. “As our results go, it looks like we’ve had a 25th-place car.

“It goes both ways: it makes you work even harder just to run better; and then when you run good, you want to run even better. Hopefully the second half of this year, we can catch some breaks and win a couple of these.”

When LaJoie isn’t behind the wheel or under the car, he’s behind the race shop in Concord, N.C., as a budding track promoter. He and Brandon McReynolds, the son of former championship crew chief Larry McReynolds who is also looking for his shot at moving up the NASCAR ranks, operate the Field Fillers Fairgrounds (Facebook Page). The karting track has built a steady cult following in the Charlotte area (it was features on SPEED’s Race Hub earlier this year) since they re-opened it in August of last year.

“The things been behind the track for 10 years, now it’s grown into about 200 people watching 20 go karts go around,” LaJoie said.

LUIS MARTINEZ JR.

Replacing a champion can be a daunting task.

But it’s a challenge that 21-year-old Luis Martinez Jr. has met head on. The Long Beach, Calif., native was took over the driving duties for Bob Bruncati’s No. 6 in 2010, a year after Jason Bowles won the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West championship in it. And like Bowles’ first year in the car three seasons prior, Martinez produced a solid season that earned him the Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors and top-10 finish in points. He picked up a pole award last year at Colorado and earlier this year on the road course at Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah.

Martinez recently made his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut with a solid run at Iowa.

“That was probably the most incredible experience I’ve ever done,” Martinez said. “It’s much, much harder than anybody would ever think. That was just a big eye-opener for me. Very humbling, but it was just a ton, a ton of fun.”

Not bad considering how far off the radar a NASCAR career was for Martinez until just a few years ago.

“Honestly, five years ago, I was not even into NASCAR that much at all,” Martinez said. “I was really into Formula car racing. I did a lot of Skip Barber and Formula Renault stuff. That’s really where I saw myself going. But I went to Irwindale one day and did a school there.

“I did a couple of test laps in a Super Late Model, and I turned to short-track really fast. Just the whole racing and the competition, I loved it. I wouldn’t trade this for anything else.”

BRETT MOFFITT

In each of the last two seasons, Brett Moffitt stood in Victory Lane at Dover International Speedway and hoisted the track’s “Monster” trophy after wins in the season finale. Each time, less than 100 yards away, Ryan Truex celebrated series championships with the really big trophy. Now, in his third season in the series, Moffitt has his sights set on ending the 2011 season with both. The 18-year-old from Grimes, Iowa, already has two wins in the first four races and a one-point lead on Darrell Wallace Jr. in the title hunt.

Moffitt made quite a debut with Andy Santerre Motorsports in 2009. Driving for the former four-time NASCAR K&N Pro Series East championship driver-turned-car owner, Moffitt broke Logano’s record as the youngest pole winner in his debut at Greenville, and picked up a pair of wins. Moving over to Joe Gibbs Racing last year, he added two more wins and moved up one spot in points to second. This season, he has taken over for Truex in the No. 00 for Michael Waltrip Racing and looks to give that organization its third straight title.

“Starting with Andy was really a good step for my career,” Moffitt said. “He has really good equipment and he takes the time to teach you. At JGR, it was not exactly the results we wanted but still really good step. And here at MWR, we’re putting ourself in position to win a champion and win as many races as possible.”

The biggest win of his career came in his last time out, when he took the checkered flag at his home track of Iowa. The win came a year after he was wrecked while leading in the closing laps at the speedway, and allowed him to join Logano, Brian Ickler, Kyle Busch and JGR development driver Max Gresham on the exclusive winner’s list in the annual combination race between the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and West.

“That was just an amazing experience,” Moffitt said. “It’s not only a really cool track, and a track you’ll go to down the road (in the NASCAR Campign World Truck Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series), but having it being in front of 17,000 fans is just really awesome.”

The affable Moffitt has shown the remarkable ability to remain even-keel, whether he’s winning the big race or watching a sure-win disappear in a wreck with a lapped car, as it did two races earlier at South Boston (Va.) Speedway. It’s an attribute that he’ll need to maximize as he carries the championship-aspirations of MWR forward.

“The biggest pressure I put on myself,” Moffitt said. “In all reality, it’s how bad do you want it.”

SERGIO PEÑA

Sitting in a sunny Victory Lane at South Boston earlier this year, Sergio Peña couldn’t stop smiling. His first series win — which also gave him the points lead at the time — was a long time coming. It was also an indication that the 18-year-old from Winchester, Va., was beginning to realize the potential he flashed a year prior. With only a limited résumé of Late Model experience, Peña burst onto the scene with a runner-up finish to Logano in the 2010 NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown.

What followed — three top 10s and a 12th-place finish in the standings — however, was not what Peña envisioned. The lessons learned during his struggles as a rookie, though, have provided him a solid foundation on which he has built on this year.

“I didn’t know what to expect (getting into Late Models). I had no idea what I was getting myself into,” Peña said. “I had no idea that one year later, I’d be racing the K&N Pro Series. It’s pretty cool.

“Last year was definitely a huge learning year for me, and I think the results showed that. I think this year is a huge turnaround for me.

In addition to his win at South Boston, Peña has a pair of top 10 finishes. Even when tire issues sidetracked him at Iowa and knocked him down to sixth in points, he’s shown the mettle to be in the championship hunt all season long.

“This series has really matured me as a person” Peña said. “It’s helped me become more like an adult. Not so much just a kid playing around all the time, you’ve got to take everything seriously on the track and off.”

DANIEL SUÁREZ

One step at a time.

As Daniel Suárez methodically works his way up the racing hierarchy, he understands that each step helps prepare him for the next challenge. And brings him closer to his ultimate goal. The 19-year-old from Monterrey, Mexico, looks to follow the path set before by fellow NASCAR Mexico Series drivers like Rogelio Lopez, Antonio Perez, and Carlos and Ruben Pardo, as they’ve found success transitioning to the NASCAR K&N Pro Series. Suárez hopes to take it even further.

“My goal is to keep learning and training to get to the highest level — the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series,” Suárez said. “I am very happy to be racing in the NASCAR K&N East Pro Series. I have learned a lot and everyone has welcomed me, which I am grateful.”

Like many young drivers in the United States, Suárez got his start in karting. He moved up to Mexico’s T4 Series in 2008, and won three times as a rookie en route to the championship. Last season, he collected five top 10s and the rookie of the year honors in the NASCAR Mexico Series.

Suárez balances his racing schedule between the No. 1 Telcel Dodge in the NASCAR Mexico Series and driving for Troy Williams Racing in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. He made an impressive series debut with a solid 12th-place run at the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown in January. Suárez finished one spot in front of 2010 NASCAR Mexico champion German Quiroga to become the highest finishing driver from Mexico in the history of the event.

“Being a race car driver from Mexico and driving in the NASCAR Mexico Series, I am also very happy to be racing in the United States,” Suárez said. “I hope to earn the support of the fans to help me get even further in NASCAR.”

DARRELL WALLACE JR.

Darrell Wallace Jr. Or “Bubba” to his friends.

Either way, the 17-year-old from Mobile, Ala., is certainly making a name for himself. In his NASCAR K&N Pro Series East debut last year, he became the youngest winner in series history. He’s since added another two wins, including a victory on the big stage at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway earlier this season, and the 2010 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Sunoco Rookie of the Year. Just one point behind Moffitt in the championship standings heading to historic Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C., this weekend, Wallace hopes to provide Revolution Racing and the Drive for Diversity initiative with its first touring series title.

While he’s found quick success in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is the ultimate goal, Wallace remains squarely focused on the next rung of the NASCAR ladder.

“Hopefully, I’ll be either in the Truck or Nationwide Series (in three years),” Wallace said. “I don’t want to say Cup yet, because I don’t think I’m ready for it yet. It takes a lot to get that stage. Really, I just want to be anywhere – but I think I could be in a Truck or the Nationwide Series, and that would be pretty cool.”

Wallace also realizes there’s more to the sport than just going fast all the time.

“It’s just being able to get my name out there,” Wallace said. “It’s not always about being prepared for the next race all the time. Sometimes it’s about being able to run up front and then doing a news deal the next day, which is a big thing.”

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Fourth Annual NASCAR Diversity Luncheon Spotlights Excellence

 

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – NASCAR celebrated the outstanding accomplishments of pioneering individuals and organizations in the area of diversity at the fourth annual NASCAR Diversity Luncheon.

“Teams, tracks, sponsors and other stakeholders play a vital role in our efforts to further diversify our sport,” said Marcus Jadotte, NASCAR managing director of public affairs. “The NASCAR Diversity Awards are a small way to say thank you and recognize a few special people who create awareness and opportunity in NASCAR.”

At a ceremony held at The Daytona 500 Club at Daytona International Speedway, NASCAR recognized the following individuals and organizations across the industry for their outstanding impact:

Drive for Diversity Participant: Darrell Wallace Jr.
Darrell Wallace Jr. became the first African American and youngest driver in history to win a race in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. Darrell was also crowned rookie of the year and became the first African American to achieve the honor. Wallace Jr., 17, who lives in Concord, N.C., started racing when he was 9 years old and has found plenty of success along the way. In 2009, Wallace was named a development driver for Joe Gibbs Racing. With support from JGR, he competed with his family-operated team in a number of late model events throughout the Southeast. He won his first late model race at Franklin County Speedway (Callaway, Va.) in 2008, becoming the youngest driver to win a late model race at the historic speedway, at age 14. He graduated last month from North West Cabarrus High School in Concord, N.C., on the honor roll.

Young Racer Award: Elijah Bacon
Elijah Bacon, 12, hails from Mooresville, N.C., where an interest in auto racing blossomed. Bacon, who is African American, was identified for the Revolution Racing Youth Driver Program last year after a community auto racing event at the New Birth Church in Huntersville, N.C. Last year marked his first year in racing, driving Bandoleros for Revolution Racing where he had three podium finishes. His most memorable experience came when he finished second in just the third race of his career.

NASCAR Diversity Internship Program Award: Kathryn Lee and Brittani Parker
Kathryn Lee, 20, of Jacksonville, Fla., interned last summer in the NASCAR Human Resources department in Daytona Beach, Fla. She’s currently a senior at the University of Central Florida in Orlando.

Some of the projects she worked on included “Bring Your Kids to Work Day,” NASCAR University, and creating the framework for the new NASCAR employment website. Lee also did administrative research, including employee reference and background checks, and researching job posting databases.

Brittani Parker, 22, of Winston-Salem, N.C., was an intern last summer with The NASCAR Foundation in Charlotte where she performed a number of key duties. She’s a graduate of Winston-Salem State University. Parker also served as lead coordinator for a NASCAR Foundation-sponsored event at the NASCAR Hall of Fame, where 3,000 inner city youth and 1,000 business community members came together at the Hall of Fame to celebrate summer learning and the Freedom Schools program. She assisted with NASCAR Day projects, including event planning and project coordination of the Ronald McDonald playground built in Kansas City, and coordinated donor receipts and gift records for events such as the Rusty Wallace Roast in Iowa.

The NASCAR Diversity Internship Program is a 10-week paid summer internship program that exposes students to the many career opportunities within the motorsports industry.

Educational Institutional Award: Virginia State University
Virginia State University is awarded this prestigious honor because of their role in shaping tomorrow’s industry leaders. The school has set a high standard of excellence in the motorsports industry, and it is a prime example of the level of involvement and passion its students portray in regard to NASCAR and the entire motorsports industry. The institution has inspired and raised the student body’s interest and appreciation of motorsports. Professor Dr. Leon Bey received the award on behalf of Virginia State University, who has made great contributions to the advancement of the motorsports program at the school.

NASCAR Partner Award: Toyota
Toyota is recognized for their exemplary effort to incorporate diversity and inclusion within the motorsports industry. Toyota will be a vital component of Revolution Racing, the team all NASCAR Drive for Diversity racers will drive for this coming season. They have recognized the value and accomplishments of the team’s mission and will play a major role in the success of Revolution Racing. Revolution Racing will be the only team in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East without an affiliation to a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team that will receive Toyota Racing Development support.

Toyota was the primary sponsor to Darrell Wallace Jr.’s No. 6 car at the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown last month, and they will have a year-long primary sponsorship of one car in both the NASCAR K& Pro Series East and NASCAR Whelen All-American Series.

Industry Ambassador Award: Phil Horton
Phil Horton is the strength and conditioning coach for Revolution Racing, and is a 10-year veteran in NASCAR. Horton is a former pit crew coach for Chip Ganassi Racing, and driver Juan Pablo Montoya. He has accumulated 15 NASCAR Sprint Cup, 11 NASCAR Nationwide Series and five NASCAR Camping World Truck Series wins with notable drivers such as Rick Crawford, Jason Keller, Dale Jarrett, and Juan Pablo Montoya.

Horton is honored for being an outstanding figure in this industry for his commitment to diversity in the motorsports industry, growing the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Crew Member Development Program, and his ability to bring talented people to the program. A total of 40 athletes have participated in the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Crew Member Development Program since its inception in 2004, and last year program participants competed in 160 races, including 34 at the NASCAR Camping World Truck or NASCAR Nationwide Series levels. Horton is from Lenoir, N.C.

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Has Strong Support, Solid Game Plan For Pocono Debut

LONG POND, Pa. — Darrell “Bubba” Wallace Jr. entered the Pocono Raceway garage early Friday morning walking alongside and chatting with NASCAR’s biggest superstar, Dale Earnhardt Jr.

As always, a huge crowd of adoring NASCAR fans excitedly made their way toward the pair.

Only this time, they didn’t just make a beeline to Earnhardt. They surrounded Wallace — offering him congratulatory back slaps and good luck wishes as he prepared to make his first ever Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series start Sunday, driving for Richard Petty Motorsports as a substitute for the injured Aric Almirola.

Wallace, 23, will be the fourth African-American to compete in NASCAR’s marquee division and the first since 2006 when Bill Lester made two starts for Bill Davis Racing with a best showing of 32nd at Michigan.

But the prevailing good feeling here toward Wallace isn’t only about this important history — it’s about important opportunity.

“I was talking about this the other day and it’s pretty cool to see how many people are in my corner,” Wallace said. “You don’t think about that on a normal basis. This is a big opportunity to prove myself and make them all very happy.”

The reality is most people are already pleased for Wallace, one of the most popular and outgoing drivers in the sport. The support inside and outside the garage has been tremendous on all levels.

“Jimmie Johnson reached out pretty much as soon as we announced it,” Wallace said of the sport’s reigning seven-time champion. “He said, ‘See you on Sundays now, bro.’ I was like, ‘All right, that’s cool. That’s really cool.’

“He said that if I needed anything to reach out to him. … At the end of the day it’s just a race car with a little bit more horsepower, a little bit bigger venue, a little bit bigger crowd, but at the end of the day I’ve been waiting for this moment for 15 years or however long I’ve been racing — a long time. Now it’s finally here, so it’s just another stroll in the park.”

Perhaps more of a jog, Wallace conceded Friday after qualifying the No. 43 Smithfield Foods Ford 16th on Sunday’s starting grid. This is the big time. And the sport’s Drive for Diversity graduate and Rev Racing product has spent a lifetime preparing himself for this moment.

MORE: Inside Wallace’s rise from Rev Racing

Almost immediately after his family moved from Alabama to the Charlotte area to better position Wallace in the sport, he established himself as a driver to watch.

He won his first start in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East at Greenville, South Carolina, at age 16.

In his first four NASCAR XFINITY starts in 2012 — at the age of 18 — he had three top-10 finishes and won the pole position at Dover International Speedway.

A year later, Wallace won his first NASCAR national series event, a Camping World Truck Series race at Martinsville, only weeks after his 19th birthday. Since then he has collected four more truck series victories and 34 top-10 finishes in 84 XFINITY Series starts.

He was ranked fourth in the XFINITY Series championship before his Roush Fenway Racing team announced this week it will withdraw from full-time competition to pursue sponsorship following his start at Pocono on Saturday.

It all makes the timing of Wallace’s ride in the No. 43 serendipitous. And Wallace intends to make full use of his “big chance,” hoping to parlay this part-time opportunity in the big leagues into a full-time job in the Monster Energy Series next year.

That starts this weekend in Pocono, where Wallace is determined to turn in a good effort. Aside from preparing for the XFINITY Series race on Saturday, Wallace joked about his lack of time on track — only two hour-long Monster Energy Series practice sessions — saying “We decided to pick the weekend where I get the least amount of practice possible.”

The goal for Wallace is in doing well enough in these starts (Almirola is expected to be out 5-9 more weeks) that he gets a chance to race full time in the series. It may start with big results this weekend, or it may be a combination of his efforts in the next few weeks.

Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate Daniel Suarez was quick to offer support and encouragement. He also got a rather sudden and unexpected opportunity in the Monster Energy Series ranks, taking over the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota after veteran Carl Edward’s unanticipated retirement this past offseason.

“It’s a lot going on, a lot of interviews. … But it’s a lot of opportunity,” Suarez said, adding, “When we’re 8 or 10 years old, we dream to be in this position and luckily we get this opportunity. I’m very happy for him. I’ve known him since racing in the K&N Series.”

Wallace’s new boss, NASCAR’s “King” Richard Petty is optimistic about his new driver and sympathetic to all the attention being directed toward his young driver.

“Well, it’s going to be different, especially since this is his first race in the Cup Series and there’s a lot of pressure on him, not a lot of pressure on us,” Petty said. “It really comes down to how he adapts to the Cup Series deal, and we’re willing to give him a chance.”

Petty smiled and conceded there’s only so much the 200-time race winner could do to help Wallace behind the wheel.

“We’ve talked a little bit about what the car’s doing but I can’t help him. … It’s been so long since I’ve been in the car,” Petty said. “He’s got a lot of attention, so maybe being bolted down in the car he’ll settle down. He’s got it handled.”

Wallace was 19th fastest in his first Monster Energy Series practice Friday, and only Trevor Bayne ran more laps (22 laps to Wallace’s 21). He advanced to the second round of qualifying and will start 16th on the grid — ahead of his friend Johnson (19th).

“I don’t know what more I could ask for,” Wallace said. “These guys are awesome, all pumped up to be here and it’s a good showing for our Smithfield Ford. Hopefully, RP (Richard Petty) likes it, the King’s been smiling about it. He gave me a little fist pump earlier.’

“It’s a big moment for me and a big moment for the sport. Sunday is all about driving a clean race. Don’t make anybody mad, try to gain and earn respect and prove myself to everybody. I’m looking just for a good, solid race and gaining respect from the veterans here and to prove to everybody that I belong in the series.”