Posted on by Adam Fenwick

For as long as Five Flags Speedway has existed, Ken Jernigan has been attending races.

The track, which is located in Pensacola, Florida and the host of Sunday’s Snowball Derby, opened for business in 1953. Jernigan, who is now 76, remembers visiting the track with his family while it was being built.

When the NASCAR Cup Series ran its only race at the half-mile oval on June 14, 1953, Jernigan was there. He still vividly remembers watching Lee Petty, father of seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Richard Petty, racing his No. 42 Dodge against men like Herb Thomas, Buck Baker and Tim Flock.

RELATED: A breakdown of the 2023 Snowball Derby entry list

“As a little guy I remember going out to Five Flags Speedway with my dad and uncles to see the new track that was being built,” Jernigan said. “As a little boy I watched Lee Petty race his Dodge. They had a bunch of top drivers from that era out there racing.”

Jernigan is a familiar face in Pensacola as the owner of Kenneth E. Jernigan & Associates, a company that specializes in official jewelry for businesses, the military, fraternities, sororities and honor societies.

He’s run his business since 1976, but it wasn’t until 2012 when he was able to merge his day job with his love for racing at Five Flags Speedway by creating the official champion’s ring for the winner of the Snowball Derby.

The Snowball Derby champion’s ring was formally established in 2012 by Ken Jernigan, who has been attending races at Five Flags Speedway since 1953. (Photo: Susan Wong/NASCAR Roots)

He said a conversation with friend and two-time Snowball Derby winner Dickie Davis led to an introduction to Five Flags Speedway promoter Tim Bryant. Jernigan pitched the idea of a champion’s ring that would be awarded to the winner of each Snowball Derby.

“A fellow named Dickie Davis, he won the Snowball in ’71 and ’73, and he was a longtime friend. He and I had talked and he said, ‘I need to let you meet Tim Bryant,’” Jernigan said. “I met with Tim, and right off the bat I said I wanted to do something for the Snowball Derby and your family. His family is the nicest people that you would ever meet. He and I started the program to design a ring.”

The process to design the Snowball Derby champion’s ring took nearly a year, with the first one going to the 2012 winner of the event.

The ring, made from a special jeweler’s alloy, features Five Flags Speedway’s familiar stylized “5” on the top, with “Snowball Derby” champion on the left and “Champion” on the right of the track’s stylized number. The top of the ring features 18 to 20 cubic zirconia stones with stippling used to help accent the stones and design.

RELATED: Take a closer look at the Snowball Derby champion’s ring

The left and ride sides of the ring are customized each year, with one side featuring the driver’s name, car number and Five Flags Speedway logo while the other side features the year and image of the Tom Dawson Trophy, the hardware that goes to each Snowball Derby winner.

“I wanted something that was going to be really special,” Jernigan said. “The size of this thing is probably close to a football Super Bowl ring with the size and the design and stuff. We made it happen.

“I’m like a little old lady sometimes. I wanted it to be right.”

Jernigan also designed a pendant featuring the top of the Snowball Derby champion’s ring, which is also awarded to the race winner each year.

The first driver to receive a Snowball Derby champion’s ring was current NASCAR Cup Series driver Erik Jones, who received it following his victory in 2012. He added a second ring one year later, making him the first and, so far, only driver to have two Snowball Derby champion rings.

Since its creation, ten different drivers have received the Snowball Derby champion’s ring. (Photo: Susan Wong/NASCAR Roots)

Each year after Victory Lane ceremonies are complete for the Snowball Derby, Jernigan quickly meets with the winning driver to get his or her ring size and mailing address. Once the winner is confirmed following post-race technical inspection, Jernigan begins the process of creating the champion’s ring.

In addition to Jones, John Hunter Nemechek, Chase Elliott, Christian Eckes, Kyle Busch, Noah Gragson, Travis Braden, Ty Majeski, Chandler Smith and Derek Thorn are the other drivers to receive a Snowball Derby champion’s ring.

Busch’s ring is a little different from the others. For winning the 50th running of the Snowball Derby in 2017, Busch received a 10-karat yellow gold ring.

The ring, which will be awarded for the 12th time this Sunday during the 56th running of the Snowball Derby, has quickly become just as sought after as the familiar Tom Dawson Trophy.

Each year drivers approach Jernigan and tell him they want their own Snowball Derby champion’s ring. Thirty-six drivers will have the chance to earn one Sunday afternoon.

“This is a very special program and a very special ring,” Jernigan said. “The young men that come here to race, they know about this ring, and they all want one. That’s for sure.”

Posted on by Staff Report

A friendly wager can go beyond households or office cubicles. In the case of Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden and Ryan Blaney, the stakes can even transcend racing series.

Such was the case for the 32-year-old NTT IndyCar Series star in Newgarden, who received a temporary tattoo of Blaney and the Bill France Cup following the No. 12’s 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Championship win at Phoenix Raceway on Nov. 5.

RELATED: Blaney savors Cup title at NASCAR Awards gala

The 2023 Indianapolis 500 winner showcased the newfound ink on his right thigh by posting a photo on X (formerly Twitter) while posing next to the very person — and newly crowned champion — the tattoo was based on.

On Nov. 6, Newgarden posted a screenshot on X of a text thread with Blaney, saying, “If you win this championship, I’m getting your face tattooed on my thigh.” A hearty reply from Blaney soon after, and it was time to get down to business.

Further discourse between the two drivers continued on social media, with Blaney discussing how much real estate the portrait would take up if he were to win the title. And so, the friendly banter continued between the two Penske pilots.

Blaney concluded the 2023 Cup Series season with three victories in conjunction with his title. Newgarden completed his 2023 IndyCar campaign with four race wins — including the Indy 500 — and a fifth-place finish in the driver standings.

Posted on by Staff Report

NASHVILLE — On Thursday night at the Music City Center, the NASCAR Champion’s Week festivities concluded with the honoring of Ryan Blaney, who reached the pinnacle of the sport — claiming the NASCAR Cup Series title — by outdueling three other Championship 4 contenders Nov. 5 at Phoenix Raceway.

The 29-year-old Blaney finished second to Ross Chastain in the season finale but crossed the finish line ahead of playoff drivers Kyle Larson and William Byron — both representing Hendrick Motorsports –to earn his first Cup championship and the second in a row for team owner Roger Penske.

“I know, all the competitors, we don’t agree all the time, but it is a true honor to race with the best in the world on a weekly basis, and I do appreciate that,” Blaney said after an introduction from NASCAR President Steve Phelps and a welcome to the stage from one of Blaney’s favorite bands, Whiskey Myers.

RELATED: Red carpet photos | Scenes from Champion’s Week in Music City

Blaney comes from a racing family that includes his father, Dave Blaney, and uncle, Dale Blaney, both superstars in the sprint car realm.

“Obviously, growing up, watching Dad race, that’s just what I wanted to do, and I wanted to be like my Dad,” Blaney said. “I was super lucky to be able to see that at a young age and get the whole spectrum of seeing what it’s like as a driver, seeing how teams operated.”

Blaney had special praise for team owner Roger Penske, who has fielded Cup cars for Blaney for the last six seasons.

“Roger and (wife) Kathy Penske — it’s hard to believe it’s been over 10 years since we first met,” Blaney said. “As a kid, there’s nothing more I wanted to do than to win you a championship and just be successful, because I was such a big fan of you, not only in NASCAR but in every form of motorsport.

“I have such a huge respect for what you did. You stuck with me for over 10 years, and it’s been unbelievable.”

Blaney delivered Penske’s first back-to-back Cup championships this season, with Jonathan Hassler as his crew chief.

“Ryan is the champion, but think about his position in the garage area with other teams and other drivers,” Penske said. “He’s a champion with them, too. It’s very important, as you climb the ladder in this sport.”

Chase Elliot won the National Motorsports Press Association Most Popular Driver Award for the sixth straight year. Justin Allgaier and Hailie Deegan were the most popular drivers in the NASCAR Xfinity and Craftsman Truck Series, respectively.

Elliott, who is 10 short of the 16 Most Popular Driver Awards won by his father, Bill Elliott, appeared on stage with a sling on his left arm, indicative of recent offseason shoulder surgery.

Ty Gibbs was named Sunoco Rookie of the Year in NASCAR’s top series.

“It’s been a great year, and we want to keep going,” said Gibbs, who scored 10 top-10 finishes with a best result of fourth in his first full-time season.

All 16 NASCAR Cup Series Playoff drivers appeared on stage during the award ceremony. Veteran Michael McDowell perhaps had the best laugh line of the evening.

“It’s taken me a long time not to suck,” said McDowell, a former Daytona 500 winner who earned his second career victory on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course this year.

Kevin Harvick summed up his retirement from full-time Cup racing with a poignant image.

“When I got out of my car in Phoenix, there wasn’t another (race),” said Harvick, who is leaving full-time racing after 23 Cup seasons.

NASCAR Vice Chairman Mike Helton had high praise for Harvick, who will remain prominent in the sport as an analyst in the FOX Sports booth.

“I want to say ‘thank you’ to everybody in this room,” Harvick said. “It’s been a heck of a ride. … Where’s Bubba (Wallace)? He bet me $100 I’d cry like a baby — I won $100. Thank you!”

Brad Keselowski, co-owner/driver at Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing, pointed to the progress the organization has made in 2023, with both Keselowski and teammate Chris Buescher, a three-time winner, qualifying for the playoffs.

Driving for Stewart-Haas Racing, Cole Custer bested Justin Allgaier, Sam Mayer and John Hunter Nemechek to win his first NASCAR Xfinity Series championship.

Custer returned to the Xfinity Series this season after three years in NASCAR’s top division.

“I think he’s matured a lot, and it’s very gratifying to see him win the Xfinity Series championship,” team owner Gene Haas said.

NASCAR Chief Operating Officer Steve O’Donnell brought Custer to the stage with high praise for the title-winning performance at Phoenix.

“He dug deep, like he always does,” O’Donnell said, referencing the nail-biting restarts late in the championship race.

“At the end of that race in Phoenix, when we held that championship trophy, I’ve never been more proud to be a part of that (team),” Custer said. “To the whole team, thank you for believing in me — I love you guys.”

Custer also acknowledged the help and advice he received from Harvick, the 2014 Cup Series champion.

In the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, Ben Rhodes won his second title for ThorSport Racing, beating Grant Enfinger, Carson Hocevar and Corey Heim in the Championship 4 finale. Also notable in the Truck Series was Sunoco Rookie of the Year Nick Sanchez, the only rookie driver to qualify for the playoffs this season.

Rhodes finished the season with Rich Lushes as his crew chief after two in-season changes to that vital role.

Ben Kennedy, NASCAR vice president of racing development and strategy, introduced Rhodes for his champion’s speech.

“I can’t speak for everyone on the team,” Rhodes said, “but I can say they had incredible tenacity. We went through a lot of adversity, and not once did I hear anyone complain. … While I stand before you tonight taking recognition, I really defer that to my team, without which none of it would have been possible.”

Carson Hocevar and John Hunter Nemechek earned respective driver of the year honors in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and Xfinity Series, while Christopher Bell won the 2023 Busch Light Pole Award for his career-best six pole positions this year.

Kurt Busch held back tears as he was recognized for a NASCAR career that spanned more than two decades.

“I want to say thank you to everyone in this room and everyone in this industry for supporting me for all these years,” said Busch, the 2004 series champion. “I want to thank my father, my mother and my brother Kyle — we always pushed each other to get to the next level.”

NASCAR Chairman Jim France presented the Bill France Award of Excellence to Rich Kramer, chairman, president and CEO of the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company.

“I’m completely humbled by this acknowledgment,” Kramer said. “The team you see at the track each weekend — anything I’m acknowledged for is due to them. … Goodyear is a long-term partner of NASCAR, I think, because we’re cut out of the same cloth.”

Lesa France Kennedy, executive vice chair of NASCAR, announced Molly Moran, a volunteer at Comfort Zone Camp, as the winner of this year’s prestigious Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award.

Comfort Zone Camp is a non-profit bereavement organization that transforms the lives of children who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling, primary caregiver, or significant person.

Ryan Vargas was honored as Comcast Community Champion of the Year for his work with FACES, the National Craniofacial Association. Diagnosed with craniosynostosis as a child, Vargas serves as a board member of FACES and earned a $60,000 donation from Comcast and Xfinity for the organization.

Sherry Pollex, long-time partner of 2017 Cup Series champion Martin Truex Jr., was honored with the NMPA Myers Brothers Award. Pollex lost a valiant, nine-year battle against ovarian cancer this year.

MORE: How to watch the Awards Show

Posted on by Zack Albert

NASHVILLE — In a sport where moving at a rapid pace is the key to success, newly crowned NASCAR champion Ryan Blaney says he’s spent the last three-plus weeks trying to slow time down.

Savoring every last drip from his first Cup Series championship was an intentional plan for Blaney after the checkered flag fell earlier this month at Phoenix Raceway. That philosophy threaded its way through Champion’s Week activities in the Tennessee capital, culminating with Thursday evening’s NASCAR Awards in the Music City Center.

RELATED: Scenes from NASCAR Awards | Recap of Awards Show

NASCAR marked a milestone in time by closing its season-long 75th anniversary celebration, with its annual gala held in Nashville for the fourth time. Blaney made sure to savor every moment that came his way — from the tour of country music landmarks with the Bill France Cup to seeing the excitement of his No. 12 Team Penske crew in the downtown parade to a prime seat of honor at the front of the ballroom.

“You get re-reminded of it, so it’s been fun,” Blaney said. “I’ve been trying to take it all in and trying to slow everything down. That’s what I keep telling people. Even at Phoenix, I was like, ‘We need to slow this stuff down and try to enjoy it and remember it and embrace it.’ We’ll keep trying to do that, but it’s been a blast, and I’m looking forward to the rest of the offseason and what’s to come.”

NASCAR marked the passage of time for its diamond celebration in a town where live music blares out of honky-tonk windows at all hours — early, odd and late. Drivers, teams and industry figures looked the part throughout the three-day festival, crowding the many clubs and venues along Broadway during the week and dressing up for Thursday’s main event. The sanctioning body also left town with a freshly cemented media-rights deal in the books, rallying the industry to set a seven-year course for race broadcasts starting in 2025.

The packed house feted three standouts who reached their own time of transition. Retiring drivers Kurt Busch and Kevin Harvick were celebrated with standing ovations for their contributions to a pair of Hall of Fame-caliber careers. Busch became emotional during his time at the lectern, saying, “It’s amazing when you have such a family around you all the time, but yet, you don’t take time to say thank you and reflect on the people that are around you.” NASCAR executive Mike Helton introduced Harvick, who expressed his appreciation after “one heck of a ride” and won a $100 bet with Bubba Wallace that he wouldn’t cry during his speech. Rich Kramer, the longtime Goodyear CEO who has set a retirement date for 2024, was recognized with the prestigious Bill France Award of Excellence, which is not presented annually.

By evening’s end, the time belonged to Blaney, who took the stage for a champion’s speech that he purposely intended to keep short to allow those gathered to get a head-start on more moments out on the town. The list of those he thanked represented a snapshot of those pivotal stages of his career and a gratitude for those who helped him to this point. And his specially tailored coat featured images of his wins in the suit’s lining.

The 29-year-old’s reign is just a handful of weeks old, but team owner Roger Penske said that his stature in the garage will be changed forever as a Cup Series champion as the sport enters its next 75 years. Blaney closed his freewheeling speech by sharing a Team Penske tradition with a remarkable victory toast.

“To us and those like us, cheers,” Blaney said.

MORE: How to watch the Awards Show

Posted on by Staff Report

Familiar faces prevailed as the 2023 National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) Most Popular Driver Award presented by Hooters was earned by Chase Elliott in the NASCAR Cup Series, Justin Allgaier in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and Hailie Deegan in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Thursday evening at the NASCAR Awards banquet in Nashville, Tennessee.

Elliott, 28, claims the honor in the Cup Series for a sixth consecutive year, dating back to 2018. The 2020 Cup champion is one of only five Cup drivers to win the award five times or more in NASCAR’s premier series, joining Richard Petty (8x), Bobby Allison (8x), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (15x) and Chase’s father, Bill Elliott (16x). The younger Elliott additionally won the award twice in the Xfinity Series (2014-15).

RELATED: Every NMPA MPD Award winner

“I don’t ever take it for granted,” Elliott said, noting that Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney and the retiring Kevin Harvick were also worthy candidates in this year’s balloting. “You know, I think it’s an easy thing to look at and to think that I would, but always grateful for the honor and always, always grateful to have the support that we’ve had. Like I said on stage, this has always been, to me, an extension of my family’s place in the sport and the success that they had over the years. The fans have been great to all of us, not just myself but my entire family. So that’s kind of how I look at it and certainly respect it and appreciate all that they do for me, and I’m looking forward to seeing folks back on the road next year.”

Elliott was seen on stage wearing a sling after having shoulder surgery roughly two weeks ago. Earlier in the day, fellow driver Denny Hamlin revealed details about the severity of his shoulder operation just eight days ago, noting that it has raised uncertainty about his status for the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum exhibition on Feb. 4.

Elliott said he felt confident that he should be ready for season-opening events in February, including the Daytona 500 on Feb. 18.

“Anytime you have surgery and you go through the process, any little setback or whatever can slow the process down, but thus far, everything has gone really well,” Elliott said. “So, you know, the way I see things today, I don’t think there’s anything that would make me think that next year would be compromised at the beginning of the season, including the Clash. So my goal is to be rehabbed and feeling good and ready to go for the Clash, and then ultimately, and more importantly, Daytona when that time rolls around, which gives you a couple more weeks, at that, But no, I feel good right now, and unless something changes, I should be totally fine.”

After winning the award for three consecutive years (2019-21), Allgaier, 37, found himself back in the Most Popular Driver award-winning column in the Xfinity circuit after Noah Gragson claimed the honor in 2022. With this achievement, a JR Motorsports pilot has won the award in the Xfinity Series for 12 consecutive years.

Deegan, 22, took home her third consecutive Most Popular Driver award in the Truck Series. Deegan became the first woman to win the award in the Truck Series in 2021 and remains the second woman to win the award all-time (Danica Patrick in the Xfinity Series in 2012).

Voting for this year’s award ran from Nov. 7 to Nov. 29.

Formed in 1965, the National Motorsports Press Association consists of qualified media members who report on the sport of auto racing through affiliations with print, radio, television and/or Internet news-gathering organizations. In addition to the NMPA Most Popular Driver Award, the NMPA presents an array of auto-racing honors, including the Richard Petty Driver of the Year Award, the Myers Brothers Award, the NMPA Pocono Spirit Award and the Wood Brothers Award of Excellence.

Posted on by Zack Albert

NASHVILLE — Sherry Pollex was honored in Thursday’s NASCAR Awards ceremonies as the recipient of the 2023 Myers Brothers Award for outstanding contributions to the sport of stock-car racing, a recognition of her long-standing charitable works in the fight against pediatric and ovarian cancer.

The award presented by the National Motorsports Press Association was given posthumously. Pollex died in September at age 44 after her own valiant personal battle against the disease.

The Myers Brothers recognition is Pollex’s second. In 2017, she shared the honor with her former partner, Cup Series driver Martin Truex Jr.

Pollex was a driving force behind the Catwalk for a Cause, an annual charity fashion show that rallied the NASCAR industry in the fight against cancer. The event was launched in 2010 and has raised more than $4 million to fund research and other initiatives in the campaign.

Pollex faced multiple surgeries and difficult diagnoses in her own battle, but she maintained an optimistic attitude in her quest to inspire others. Her legacy as an ambassador is a lasting one, through her “Sherry Strong” initiative, her foundation’s work, and an oncology clinic founded in 2020 through a partnership with Novant Health.

“I often wonder if that’s my purpose here,” Pollex told The Athletic in 2022. “It’s maybe not what I would have chosen for myself — nobody really wants to be the poster child for any type of cancer — but maybe I’m supposed to go through all this so I can pave the way for other women. On some days, that can be a really hard pill to swallow. But on other days, it’s like, ‘You know, I’ve been given this really important role in this life, and if I’m going to leave a legacy behind and help other people, then I need to do it 100 percent.’ ”

Pollex was also honored Wednesday with a remembrance at the Comcast Community Champion of the Year awards ceremony. Pollex was a 2022 finalist for the award, and Comcast paid tribute to her memory with a $10,000 donation to the Sherry Strong Foundation.

Posted on by Staff Report

The NASCAR Foundation announced Molly Moran of Walpole, Massachusetts, as the winner of the 13th annual Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award during Thursday’s NASCAR Awards in Nashville, Tennessee.

With the announcement, Moran secured a $100,000 donation to Comfort Zone Camp. This bereavement organization helps transform the lives of children who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling, primary caregiver or significant person.

“Molly’s work with grieving children is difficult but important,” The NASCAR Foundation Vice President and Executive Director Nichole Krieger said in a press release. “The relationships she builds with the campers at Comfort Zone Camp help them through the challenging time of losing a loved one. The $100,000 will help them expand their efforts into even more communities.”

RELATED: Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award archives

Additional finalists for the award included Darla Crown of Youth & Family Services in South Dakota, Jennifer Gage of GiGi’s Playhouse in Arizona and Sandy Stanley of City of Refuge in Georgia. Each of these organizations earned a $25,000 donation for their nominated achievements.

Moran began volunteering after her mother and grandmother passed away from cancer. Moran serves as a mentor for grieving children during camp weekends, attends community events to advocate for grieving children, trains volunteers, and organizes fundraising events.

Moran has been a NASCAR fan for over 30 years after being introduced to the sport by her family.

In its 13 years, the Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award has recognized 52 NASCAR fans who are dedicated volunteers working for children’s causes in communities nationwide. Over 515,000 children have been affected by the program, with $2.335 million contributed to children’s charities.

Learn more about The NASCAR Foundation’s programs, including the Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award and Speediatrics Children’s Fund, at www.NASCARfoundation.org. 

Posted on by Holly Cain

NASHVILLE — Ty Gibbs showed up at the NASCAR Awards Banquet smiling and ready to receive his 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year trophy. But the former NASCAR Xfinity Series champion said he was not absolutely satisfied with this first full-season run, even if he had plenty of which to be proud.

Gibbs earned the first top-five and top-10 finishes of his Cup Series career — posting four top fives and 10 top 10s over the 36-race season in the No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. He led 112 laps, including 102 laps in the fall Bristol night race where he finished fifth. His top finish was fourth place at the Charlotte Motor Speedway road course.

MORE: Cup schedule | Scenes from Champion’s Week

“Statistically, yes (he was happy), but I feel like I wanted to run a lot better, of course, and I’m working really hard,” Gibbs said. “The one thing I can take away from my (Xfinity Series) championship (last year) and all the other championships is to enjoy the journey, and I am.

“And I’m working hard. Getting better every weekend is the main goal, and I feel like I accomplished that, so I’m happy with that.”

The 21-year-old grandson of team owner Joe Gibbs said he learned many lessons throughout the season, primarily that patience is essential in racing, no matter how counterintuitive that may sound.

“You learn over time and the way Cup Series is now, there are not as many crazy moves going on as there were in Xfinity Series,” Gibbs said, allowing a smile.

“I’m not worried about showing others what I’m doing. I think for me, I’m just trying to do the best I can and when I can do that it shows others,” Gibbs added. “It’s a fine line. You can’t race to make everybody else happy, but at the same time, if you do everything right and calculate everything right and are patient, usually it pays off.

“For me, like this year, even if I wasn’t running as well, I’m still trying to figure out what I have to do to run better and win and that’s the same it will be for next year and until I retire. For me, it’s working hard during the week, having fun, but really learning where I can get better at. I want to win every week if I could, and I want to win championships, too. I feel like it’s been the same motto for me since I’ve been in ARCA and Xfinity; it was how I was raised.”

Posted on by Holly Cain

NASHVILLE — Perennial NASCAR Cup Series championship contender Denny Hamlin came to Nashville wearing a soft brace on his right arm to immobilize his shoulder after surgery a week ago to repair a lingering rotator cuff injury — aggravated by pulled tendons he suffered “playing sports” just before the Oct. 15 playoff race in Las Vegas.

Hamlin, driver of the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, didn’t disclose the injury publicly during the season, saying he didn’t want anyone to think it served as an “excuse” during his playoff performance. But he conceded Thursday that the post-surgery situation has turned out to be more painful and involved than he anticipated.

RELATED: Scenes from Champion’s Week

Surgeons have recommended three months of rest and rehabilitation so Hamlin is not absolutely certain today where he will be in the recovery process come the first race of 2024 – the Feb. 4 non-points Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum. He was reluctant to say for sure yet whether he would be in the field for that exhibition event or not.

“What I’m optimistic of is that I’ve got a great team that’s going to work on me to get this better and certainly, I find it hard to believe that I’ll have more pain in late-January than what I did in the end of October and November,” Hamlin said. “Getting through those last five races was really, really hard so I think if I can get through that, then certainly I’ll be able to challenge myself enough to get back in a car sooner than what they’d want me to.”

Hamlin finished fifth in the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series championship, but the right-handed 43-year-old conceded the injury did force him to rely more on his left arm as he completed the final part of the 2023 postseason schedule.

“It was painful, there were many times when they asked me to turn on a switch and I couldn’t reach it, I couldn’t touch it,’’ Hamlin said. “We were certainly up against the odds, but one thing is I didn’t want to use it as any kind of excuse for not making the final four.

“I think really our performance was as good as it possibly could be on track. I did everything I could to succeed, we just didn’t get it done for whatever reason. Certainly, I didn’t want that to be any excuse of why we didn’t perform well. … It’s just one of those things, I grew up being a right-arm driver and during the playoffs had to switch to holding the wheel with the left hand, so it was certainly different.”

Hamlin, was a three-race winner last season, earning his milestone 50th NASCAR Cup Series victory at Pocono Raceway in July then answering with a 51st at the celebrated Bristol Motor Speedway night race in September during the playoff portion of the schedule.

Posted on by Zack Albert

NASHVILLE — Team owner Roger Penske said Thursday that NASCAR Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney had expressed recent interest in a potential Indianapolis 500 bid.

His response? Let’s pump the brakes.

“It’s interesting that Blaney said to me at some point over the last several weeks that he’d like to go to Indy. I said, ‘whoa,’ ” Penske said with a chuckle. “Let’s slow down here a little bit.”

RELATED: Scenes from Champion’s Week

Penske’s remarks came Thursday morning ahead of the evening’s NASCAR Awards ceremonies, the culmination of a busy Champion’s Week celebration for Blaney and the Team Penske No. 12 group. Penske, who owns the IndyCar Series and Indianapolis Motor Speedway, had been asked about the impact of Kyle Larson’s quest to run the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 double next May. He said that the development has already created a boost in ticket sales.

Blaney said during his Thursday media availability that his interest in the Memorial Day doubleheader was authentic.

“Honestly, it’s something I’ve bounced around in my mind for a couple years, something I feel like if you could do the double, that’s cool,” Blaney said. “Larson’s doing it next year. That’s going to be great. Yeah, I’ve poked around that idea with RP for a couple years now, and I might have to bring it back up. So we’ll see where that goes.”

Penske said fellow team owner Rick Hendrick, who fields Larson’s cars, had approached him years ago about an Indy bid for Larson in one of Team Penske’s cars. He said stretching his resources with a fourth IndyCar entry wasn’t feasible at the time, but he applauds Larson’s partnership with Arrow McLaren for the 2024 running.

“I think that his skill and his fan base in the Midwest (are) amazing,” Penske said. “And he went out there did his rookie tests, just bang, bang, bang. And I think that look, Kurt Busch has run there and you think about the other people that have come from Formula One — Jimmy Clark, Graham Hill, other people and Nigel Mansell — have been successful there. I think that he comes with a tremendous amount of talent, and it’s something that he wants to do.”

MORE: Larson’s Indy, 600 entries debut at Brickyard

Blaney said the lure for him is a mix of participating in a race with so much tradition, but also the draw of an 1,100-mile test that few have attempted or achieved.

“I just feel like (there’s) not maybe many people (who) can do that, right, that can do the double, and it’s a pretty short list,” Blaney said. “It’d be neat to just do it. I have respect for all forms of motorsports, so I think you want to go experience something like that. At my age, it’d be kind of perfect to do it, but I just think the nostalgia of it, being able to say you ran hopefully 1,100 miles in one day on the race track is a cool feat, and cool for Kyle to be able to do it. And maybe one day, I’ll get the privilege, too.”

Blaney’s interest was news to Larson, who said he’d like to see drivers from the IndyCar world give the double a try with an extracurricular trip to the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

“I think that’d be really cool,” Larson said. “I would love to see, you know, a Josef Newgarden come and run the Coke 600 or something like that. I think, there’s been a lot of guys come from the NASCAR side to do it, and it would be interesting to see the other side of the switch. But yeah, I haven’t experienced it yet, so I don’t know. I’ll probably have a better opinion on it all here in a few months. But that’s cool to hear Ryan wants to do the double. I didn’t know that, so that would be be neat if he did actually get to do it someday.”