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Author: Angie Campbell

  • Michigan International Speedway – Did You Know?

    Michigan International Speedway – Did You Know?

    The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and the XFINITY Series will compete at Michigan International Speedway this weekend while the Camping World Truck Series travels to Gateway Motorsports Park. The Cup Series race will headline the competition Sunday with 37 drivers entered in the Cup Series “FireKeepers Casino 400” event.

    Last week at Pocono Raceway Ryan Blaney scored his first win in the Cup Series giving Wood Brothers Racing their first checkered flag since Trevor Bayne won the Daytona 500 in 2011. But did you know that he was the 10th different driver to capture a Cup Series victory this season? Blaney joins Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Austin Dillon as first-time winners this year.

    Darrell Wallace Jr. will make his second Cup Series start this weekend, filling in for the injured Aric Almirola. Almirola’s recovery is progressing well and he could return as early as July 14 at New Hampshire. This means that Wallace has, at the least, four more chances to hone his skills in the Cup Series.

    Sunday’s race is the 95th Cup Series race at Michigan. The first race at the two-mile track was held on June 15, 1969, and was won by Cale Yarborough for Wood Brothers Racing. He gave them another win in the June event the following year. Yarborough has eight career wins at Michigan but did you know that David Pearson leads all drivers with nine victories? Kurt Busch and Matt Kenseth lead all active drivers with three each.

    Joey Logano heads to Michigan as the defending race winner. The Team Penske driver started the season strong and grabbed a win at Richmond in April but did you know that in the last five races, Logano’s best finish was a 21st place result at Charlotte? He has dropped from as high as third to 11th in the points standings.

    Will we see another first-time winner at Michigan?

    It may surprise you to learn that Chase Elliott has the series-best driver rating (125.1) at Michigan. In his only two starts last year, he earned two runner-up finishes. Elliott also has the series-best average finish (2.000), average running position (4.300) and the series-most laps in the top 15 (391 laps, 97.8 percent).

    Or will we see another veteran take the checkered flag?

    Kenseth has the second-best driver rating (102.2) heading into Michigan and the series-most quality passes with 990. He has scored three trips to victory lane at the track with 14 top-fives, 20 top-10s and one pole. Kenseth is looking for his first win this year to solidify his berth in the playoffs. But did you know that a Michigan victory would tie him with Tim Flock for 18th place on the all-time Cup Series wins list?

    Could this be the weekend that Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his team get it together and turn his final Cup season around?

    Earnhardt is currently 23rd in the standings. He has the fifth-best driver rating (96.0) at Michigan with two wins (2008, 2012), eight top fives, 14 top 10s and two poles plus the second-most quality passes at the track with 933. A top five finish could bolster the confidence of the No. 88 team as they head into the final 11 races of the regular season.

    Thirty-seven different drivers have won in 95 races at Michigan and capturing the pole may be the key to winning it all. The pole position has produced more winners (20) than any other starting position.

    The on-track activity begins Friday with practice and qualifying on FS2. Tune into the FireKeepers Casino 400 Sunday at 3 p.m. on FS1 for the 15th Cup Series race of the season at Michigan International Speedway.

    In the meantime, check out the video below as Dale Earnhardt Jr. wins the LifeLock 400 at Michigan on June 15, 2008, breaking a 76-race winless drought. It was his first visit to victory lane for Hendrick Motorsports.

    Follow @angiecampbell_ for the latest NASCAR news and feature stories.

     

  • NASCAR Racing Schedule for Michigan and Gateway

    NASCAR Racing Schedule for Michigan and Gateway

    The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and the XFINITY Series will compete at Michigan International Speedway this weekend while the Camping World Truck Series travels to Gateway Motorsports Park.

    Please check below for the complete schedule of events. All times are Eastern.

    Friday, June 16:

    On Track – Michigan International Speedway:
    11 a.m.-12:25 p.m.: Cup Series Practice – FS2
    12:30-1:25 p.m.: XFINITY Series Practice – FS2
    3-3:55 p.m.: XFINITY Series Final Practice – FS2
    4:15 p.m.: Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying – FS2

    Garage Cam: (Watch Live)
    10:30 a.m.: Cup Series
    Noon: XFINITY Series

    Press Conferences: (Watch live) 
    9:15 a.m.: Daniel Suarez
    9:30 a.m.: Wood Brothers Racing
    10:15 a.m.: Jimmie Johnson
    10:30 a.m.: Cole Custer, Matt Tifft, Tyler Reddick
    1 p.m.: Joey Logano
    1:15 p.m.: Kyle Larson
    1:30 p.m.: Erik Jones
    5 p.m.: Post-Cup Series Qualifying (time approx.)

    Saturday, June 17:

    On Track – Michigan International Speedway:
    9-9:55 a.m.: Cup Series Practice – FS2
    10 a.m.: XFINITY Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying – FS2
    Noon-12:50 p.m.: Cup Series Final Practice – FS2
    1:30 p.m.: XFINITY Series Irish Hills 250 at Michigan (125 laps, 250 miles) – FS1

    Press Conference:
    3:30 p.m.: Post-XFINITY Series Race (time approx.)  (Watch live)

    On Track – Gateway Motorsports Park:
    10:30-11:25 a.m.: Truck Series Practice – No TV
    12:30-1:25 p.m.: Truck Series Final Practice – No TV
    5:45 p.m.: Truck Series Keystone Light Pole Qualifying (tape delayed on FS1 at 7 p.m.)
    8:30 p.m.: Truck Series Drivin’ for Linemen 200 (160 laps, 200 miles) – FS1

    Sunday, June 18

    On Track – Michigan International Speedway:
    3 p.m.: Cup Series FireKeepers Casino 400 (200 laps, 400 miles) – FS1

    Press Conference:
    6:30 p.m.: Post-Cup Series Race (time approx.)  (Watch live)

    Race Details:

    NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
    Race: Drivin’ For Linemen 200 – Gateway Motorsports Park
    Date: Saturday, June 17
    Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
    TV: FS1, 8 p.m. ET
    Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
    Distance: 200 miles (160 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 35), Stage 2 (Ends on lap 70), Final Stage (Ends on lap 160)

    NASCAR XFINITY Series
    Race: Irish Hills 250 – Michigan International Speedway
    Date: Saturday, June 17
    Time: 1:30 p.m. ET       
    TV: FS1, 1 p.m. ET
    Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
    Distance: 250 miles (125 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 30),
    Stage 2 (Ends on lap 60), Final Stage (Ends on lap 125)

    Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
    Race: FireKeepers Casino 400 – Michigan International Speedway
    Date: Sunday, June 18
    Time: 3 p.m. ET
    TV: FS1, 2 p.m. ET
    Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
    Distance: 400 miles (200 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 60), Stage 2 (Ends on lap 120), Final Stage (Ends on lap 200)

    Complete TV Schedule

    Follow @angiecampbell_ for the latest NASCAR news and feature stories.

     

     

  • Wallace on Cup Debut – ‘I did okay, but I want to be better’

    Wallace on Cup Debut – ‘I did okay, but I want to be better’

    Darrell “Bubba” Wallace Jr. made his NASCAR Cup Series debut at Pocono Raceway Sunday in the historic No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford. There were a few bumps along the way but he characterized it as “a wonderful day for me, a wonderful day for the sport.”

    Wallace is filling in for Aric Almirola who was injured May 13 at Kansas Speedway, suffering a compression fracture that will sideline him for approximately two to three months.

    Although he said he was not nervous during the race, the emotions of the day caught up to him shortly after getting out of the car when he fainted during a media interview.

    “It’s happened three times now where I’m very hard on myself, Wallace said, “and I’m super pissed off at myself, and I’m just so mad I just pass out. Competitive.”

    Most of the day’s frustrations were a result of multiple penalties for speeding on pit road which put him a lap down. In preparation for his next race at Michigan International Speedway, the team will focus on practicing pit stops.

    “I’m so used to analog tachs and everything, and this digital stuff I’ve got to figure out.  I’ll say I’m not a fan of it right now,” he admitted. “It’s jumping around too much. You just don’t get a true feel of what you’re running down pit road. A lot of other guys say it’s fine, so I’ve just got to figure out what I’ve got to do better.”

    Wallace also realizes that it will take time to become accustomed to the feel and speed of the Cup cars.

    His goal is to become “more comfortable in these cars, having the raw speed. I was figuring some things out, figuring out which tire I could feel out there, and that was really cool, as opposed to the XFINITY car, I was talking to Blaney before, you’re kind of just sliding around, not really in the racetrack. Here you can feel each tire, so I was kind of pumped up about that, so some things to keep in the memory bank and talk at the debrief about to see how we can be better. At the end of the day, it was my first race.”

    “I did okay, but I want to be better.”

    It was not exactly the race he wanted to run but Wallace is having the time of his life.

    “I’ve been dreaming about this since I was a little kid, being in the Cup Series, and now it’s here, and I made a name for myself. I thought I ran a pretty decent race, just kind of running there by myself, passed a couple people, tried not to make anybody too mad, and hopefully earned a lot of respect from those guys out there. I definitely had a blast.”

    Follow @angiecampbell_ for the latest NASCAR news and feature stories.

  • Pocono Raceway – Did You Know?

    Pocono Raceway – Did You Know?

    The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and the XFINITY Series head to Pocono Raceway this week while the Camping World Truck Series travels to Texas Motor Speedway. The Cup Series “Axalta presents the Pocono 400” headlines the weekend’s competition, Sunday at 3 p.m. on FS1. Thirty-nine drivers are entered in the Cup event.

    But did you know that one of those 39 drivers is Darrell Wallace Jr., who will make his Cup Series debut at Pocono in the iconic No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford? On Monday, Wallace was named as the interim driver for Aric Almirola who is recovering from injuries sustained in an accident at Kansas Speedway on May 13.

    Wallace is determined to make the most of this opportunity.

    “I know I’ll go out there and prove to everybody inside the racetrack, outside the racetrack, on the TV, that I belong in the Cup Series,” he said. “Do the best that I can.  Give an extra 200% each and every time I climb in the car for Ford, for Richard Petty, for everybody on the team, for Smithfield, to go out there and make the opportunity the greatest it has been.”

    Did you know that the weekend will feature another first during the XFINITY Series Pocono Green 250? FOX will feature a special drivers-only broadcast that will be called by active Cup Series drivers? Kevin Harvick will handle the play-by-play announcing and will be joined by Joey Logano and Clint Bowyers as analysts. Ryan Blaney, Erik Jones and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will cover pit road while Danica Patrick and Denny Hamlin host the event coverage from the Hollywood Hotel studio.

    While we’re talking about firsts, we can’t forget the winner of the inaugural race in 1974, Richard Petty. But did you know that prior to 2012, all of the Cup races at Pocono were 500 miles? Beginning in 2012 the race length was shortened to 400 miles. There have been 78 Cup Series races at the 2.5-mile track, one race each year from 1974-1981 and two races per year since 1982.

    Thirty-five different drivers have won at Pocono with Jeff Gordon leading the way with six wins. Of the active drivers, five have multiple wins at the track including Denny Hamlin (four), Jimmie Johnson (three), and Kurt Busch (three). Kasey Kahne and Dale Earnhardt Jr. both have two wins.

    Kurt Busch is the defending race winner but did you know he has the series-best driver rating (105.7)? The Stewart-Haas Racing driver also has 13 top fives, 18 top 10s and two poles at Pocono. He is currently 16th in the points standings.

    Denny Hamlin (105.6) has the second-best driver rating followed by Jimmie Johnson (104.8), Chase Elliott (102.7) and Kyle Larson (95.6). All of these drivers are in the top-10 of the series standings but both Hamlin and Elliott are still searching for their first win this year.

    But did you know that the best chance for victory at Pocono begins with qualifying well? The pole is the most proficient starting position, having produced 15 winners while nine races have been won from the second starting position.

    Only seven drivers have swept Pocono in a single season. They include Bobby Allison (1982), Bill Elliott (1985), Tim Richmond (1986), Bobby Labonte (1999), Jimmie Johnson (2004) and Denny Hamlin (2006).

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. was the latest to sweep Pocono in 2014. In his past 11 starts at the track, Earnhardt has nine top-10 finishes including two wins and a runner-up finish last June.

    Tune in to FS1 this Sunday at 3 p.m. for the Pocono 400 to find out who will take home the trophy. In the meantime, watch the video below as Earnhardt holds off Kevin Harvick for the Pocono sweep.

    Follow @angiecampbell_ for the latest NASCAR news and feature stories.

     

  • NASCAR Racing Schedule for Pocono and Texas

    NASCAR Racing Schedule for Pocono and Texas

    The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and the XFINITY Series head to Pocono Raceway this weekend while the Camping World Truck Series travels to Texas Motor Speedway. There are 39 drivers on the entry list for the Cup Series Axalta presents the Pocono 400 race.

    Please check below for the complete schedule. All times are Eastern.

    Thursday, June 8:

    On Track – Texas Motor Speedway:
    4-4:55 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Practice – No TV (Follow live)
    6-6:55 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Practice – No TV (Follow live)
    8-8:55 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Final Practice – No TV (Follow live)

    Friday, June 9:
    On Track – Pocono Raceway:
    11 a.m.- 12:25 p.m.: Cup Series Practice – FS1
    1- 1:55 p.m.: XFINITY Series Practice – FS1
    3- 3:55 p.m.: XFINITY Series Final Practice – FS1
    4 p.m.: Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying – FS1

    Press Conferences: (Watch live)
    9 a.m.: Ty Dillon
    9:15 a.m.: Daniel Suarez
    9:30 a.m.: Darrell Wallace Jr.
    10:15 a.m.: Kurt Busch
    10:30 a.m.: Cole Custer, Brennan Poole, Brendan Gaughan
    12:45 p.m.: Martin Truex Jr.
    1:15 p.m.: Chris Buescher
    1:45 p.m.: Ryan Newman
    5 p.m.: Post-Cup Series Qualifying

    Garage Cam: (Watch live)
    10:30 a.m.: Cup Series
    12:30 p.m.: XFINITY Series

    On Track -Texas Motor Speedway:
    5:35 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series Keystone Light Pole Qualifying – No TV (Follow live)
    8 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series winstaronlinegaming.com 400 (167 laps, 250.5 miles – FS1

    Saturday, June 10:

    On Track – Pocono Raceway:
    9:35 a.m.: XFINITY Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying – FS1
    11:30 a.m.- 12:25 p.m.: Cup Series Final Practice – FS1
    1 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series Pocono Green 250 (100 laps, 250 miles) – FOX – Special Drivers-Only Broadcast with on-air time of 12:30 p.m. ET

    Press Conference: (Watch live)

    3:30 p.m.: Post-XFINITY Series Race

    Sunday, June 11:
    On Track – Pocono Raceway:
    3 p.m.: Cup Series Axalta presents the Pocono 400 (160 laps, 400 miles) – FS1

    Press Conference: (Watch live)
    6 p.m.: Post-Cup Series Race

    Race Details:

    NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
    Race: winstaronlinegaming.com 400 – Texas Motor Speedway
    Date: Friday, June 9
    Time: 8 p.m. ET
    TV: FS1, 7:30 p.m. ET
    Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
    Distance: 250.5 miles (167 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 40), Stage 2 (Ends on lap 80), Final Stage (Ends on lap 167)

    NASCAR XFINITY Series
    Race: Pocono Green 250 – Pocono Raceway
    Date: Saturday, June 10
    Time: 1 p.m. ET
    TV: FOX, 12:30 p.m. ET
    Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
    Distance: 250 miles (100 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 25), Stage 2 (Ends on lap 50), Final Stage (Ends on lap 100)

    Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
    Race: AXALTA presents the Pocono 400 – Pocono Raceway
    Date: Sunday, June 11
    Time: 3 p.m. ET
    TV: FS1, 1:30 p.m. ET
    Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
    Distance: 400 miles (160 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 50), Stage 2 (Ends on lap 100), Final Stage (Ends on lap 160)

    Complete TV Schedule

    Follow @angiecampbell_ for the latest NASCAR news and feature stories.

     

     

     

  • Jeffrey Earnhardt Scores Sponsorship Deal with Hulu

    Jeffrey Earnhardt Scores Sponsorship Deal with Hulu

    Jeffrey Earnhardt and team Circle Sport/TMG are breathing a little easier today after premium streaming service Hulu announced a 19-race sponsorship agreement for the No. 33 Chevrolet.

    Earnhardt and team owner, Joe Falk, spoke to the media Friday at Dover International Speedway to discuss the impact it will have on the under-funded organization.

    “I’ve got a lot of development to go, in myself, and we got a long way to build our race program, Earnhardt said. “We are aware of that and I know it’s not going to happen overnight.”

    “Hell, my grandpa didn’t become a champion overnight, he busted his butt to get there and become who he became. That is kind of what I feel like I’m doing and I like it that way.

    “Being a small team it’s huge for us. Every dollar goes a long way and there have been races where we haven’t had sponsorship and that is tough on anyone, but it’s even tougher on a small team like us. To be able to have good companies like Hulu come on board is huge and not just being able to have more funding going to the track, but to get us more exposure and branding is a huge plus too.”

    Falk explained that the benefits go far beyond the initial funding and will help “get us to the next level.”

    “We are hoping for a lot of different things here other than just the Hulu name on the car,” he said. “We are working on a partnership with them on some media and other things.”

    “We are looking forward to it and of course, having Hulu on (the car)  makes us legitimate in a lot of people’s eyes,” Falk continued, “and I think we will see a lot more support from Chevrolet and everybody else involved.”

    This is Earnhardt’s second full-time season in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. In 2016 he competed in 22 races, primarily with Go FAS Racing, with a best finish of 26th at Charlotte. In 12 starts this year, his best finish is another 26th place at Daytona. In four races this season, mechanical/engine failures prevented Earnhardt from finishing. He was also sidelined in three races due to accidents.

    The 27-year-old grandson of Dale Earnhardt admits he has a lot to learn and is willing to do whatever it takes to grow in the sport. He also takes pride in the fact that everything he has accomplished has little to do with his last name and everything to do with hard work and determination.

    The Earnhardt name is synonymous with NASCAR. With Dale Earnhardt Jr. retiring at the end of this season, fans can rest assured that the legacy will live on as Jeffrey Earnhardt continues the family tradition.

    “One of the main goals that I want to achieve in my career is to continue the legacy that my grandfather built,” he said. “You know that means a lot to me. I know how much that man meant to the sport and the fans and stuff. If I can continue that legacy at some level, I mean I would like to say that I’m going to go deliver it at its best, but those were big shoes that he made and I don’t think I could ever get close to even considering filling those, but if I could just do a big portion of keeping that Earnhardt legacy alive, I would be pretty happy.”

    Follow @angiecampbell_ for the latest NASCAR news and feature stories.

     

     

  • Dover International Speedway – Did You Know?

    Dover International Speedway – Did You Know?

    This week, NASCAR travels to Dover International Speedway for events in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, the XFINITY Series, and the Camping World Truck Series. The Cup Series AAA 400 Drive for Autism will close out the weekend’s competition Sunday at 1 p.m. on Fox Sports 1.

    There have been 94 Cup races with 35 different winners at Dover. The first Cup Series race was held on July 6, 1969, and was won by Richard Petty. David Pearson captured the inaugural pole and leads all drivers with six poles. But did you know that he also holds the record for most consecutive poles at Dover? From 1973 to the spring of 1974, he scored three straight poles.

    Matt Kenseth is the defending race winner and heads to Dover hoping for a repeat performance. Last year the Joe Gibbs Racing driver held off a relentless Kyle Larson, leading the final 47 laps in his No. 20 Toyota to capture the checkered flag. He has three wins, 17 top fives and 14 top 10s at the 1-mile track with a 108.6 driver rating, second only to Jimmie Johnson. But did you know that Kenseth posted his first career Coors Light Pole at Dover in 2002?

    Johnson is the undisputed master at the Monster Mile with a track-record 10 wins, the series-best driver rating (118.3) as well as the best average running position (7.8). In addition, the Hendrick Motorsports driver has 15 tops fives, 21 top 10s, and three poles. But did you know that if Johnson can pull off another win this weekend, he will become only the third Cup Series driver to win 11 or more races at a single track?

    Richard Petty has done it at four different tracks, Martinsville (15), North Wilkesboro (15), Richmond (13) and Rockingham (11). Darrell Waltrip has accomplished this feat twice with 12 victories at Bristol and 11 at Martinsville.

    Kyle Busch, winless this season, enters Dover with an opportunity to turn things around. He has the third-best driver (105.4), 11 top fives and 15 top 10s. With two victories, in 2008 and 2010, and a runner-up finish in the 2016 fall race after leading 102 laps, look for Busch to be a top contender. But did you know that if he leads 59 laps on Sunday, he will become the 11th Cup Series driver to lead 13,000 or more laps?

    The best chance to claim the trophy at Dover is to qualify on the front row. Thirteen of the 94 races have been won from the pole (13.8 percent) while 16 have been won from second place (17 percent).

    The AAA 400 Drive for Autism broadcast begins at 1 p.m. ET, Sunday, on FS1. Be sure to tune in early as this year’s pre-race activities will include special events to honor Richard Petty’s upcoming 80th birthday including a custom made cake to replicate the 1969 Ford that he drove to victory lane in the 1969 inaugural race plus a question and answer session. Petty will also drive a street-ready No. 43 Plymouth Road Runner Superbird tribute car around the track before the green flag drops.

    In the meantime, check out the video below as Kenseth and Larson battle for the lead in the final laps.

    Follow @angiecampbell_ for the latest NASCAR news and feature stories.

  • NASCAR Racing Schedule for Dover

    NASCAR Racing Schedule for Dover

    NASCAR travels to Dover International Speedway for a full weekend of competition with Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, XFINITY Series and Camping World Truck Series events. Please check below for the complete schedule. All times are Eastern.

    Thursday, June 1:

    On Track:
    2- 2:55 p.m.: Truck Series Practice – No TV (Follow live)
    4- 4:55 p.m.: Truck Series Final Practice – No TV (Follow live)

    Friday, June 2

    On Track:
    9:30- 10:25 a.m.: XFINITY Series Practice – FS2
    10:30- 11:55 a.m.: Cup Series Practice – FS2
    1:30- 2:25 p.m.: XFINITY Series Final Practice – FS1
    2:35 p.m.: Truck Series Keystone Light Pole Qualifying – FS1
    3:50 p.m.: Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying – FS1
    5:30 p.m.: Truck Series Bar Harbor 200 Presented by Sea Watch International (200 laps, 200 miles) – FS1

    Press Conferences: Watch Here
    9 a.m.: Jimmie Johnson
    9:15 a.m.: Chase Elliott
    9:30 a.m.: Jeffrey Earnhardt
    9:50 a.m.: Matt Kenseth
    Noon: NASCAR XFINITY Seris Dash 4 Cash Drivers Elliott Sadler and Daniel Hemric
    12:30 p.m.: Martin Truex Jr.
    12:45 p.m.: Austin Dillon
    4:30 p.m.: Post Cup Series Qualifying (time approx.)
    7:30 p.m.: Post-Truck Series Race (time approx.)

    Saturday, June 3:

    On Track:
    9- 9:55 a.m.: Cup Series Practice – FS1
    10:05 a.m.: XFINITY Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying – FS1
    11:30 a.m.- 12:20 p.m.: Cup Series Final Practice – FS1
    1 p.m.: XFINITY Series OneMain Financial 200 (200 laps, 200 miles) – FS1

    Press Conference:
    3 p.m.: Post-XFINITY Series Race (time approx.) Watch Here

    Sunday, June 4:

    Pre-Race Schedule:
    12:30:00 p.m.: Driver Introductions
    12:59:00 p.m.: “God Bless America” by Cassidy Daniels, Nashville Recording Artist
    1:00:00 p.m.: Aerial Adventures parachute teams lands on track
    1:00:00 p.m.: Presentation of Colors by The Dover Air Force Base Color Guard
    1:00:20 p.m.: Invocation by Dan Schafer Pastor of Calvary Assembly of God from Heightstown, NJ
    1:00:50 p.m.: Intro National Anthem
    1:01:00 p.m.: National Anthem by Cassidy Daniels, Nashville Recording Artist (pyro from backstretch during “rockets’ red glare”)
    1:01:30 p.m.: Three Parachutists land on track
    1:02:30 p.m.: Flyover: A-10 Warthogs from the 104th Fighter Squadron of the Maryland Air National Guard (Turn 4 to Turn 1)
    1:07:00 p.m.: “Driver’s Start Your Engines” by Gordon Ramsay
    1:15:00 p.m.: Start of the AAA Drive for Autism 400 (400 Laps / 400 Miles)

    On Track:
    1 p.m.: Cup Series AAA 400 Drive for Autism – FS1

    Press Conference:
    4:30 p.m.: Post-Cup Series Race (time approx.) Watch Here

    Race Details:

    NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
    Friday, June 2
    Time: 5:30 p.m. ET
    TV: FS1, 5 p.m. ET
    Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
    Distance: 200 miles (200 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 45), Stage 2 (Ends on lap 90),
    Final Stage (Ends on lap 200)

    NASCAR XFINITY Series
    Date: Saturday, June 3
    Time: 1 p.m. ET
    TV: FS1, 12:30 p.m. ET
    Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
    Distance: 200 miles (200 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 60), Stage 2 (Ends on lap 120),
    Final Stage (Ends on lap 200)

    Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
    Date: Sunday, June 4
    Time: 1 p.m. ET
    TV: FS1, 12:30 p.m. ET
    Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
    Distance: 400 miles (400 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 120), Stage 2 (Ends on lap 240),
    Final Stage (Ends on lap 400)

    Odds To Win NASCAR AAA 400
    Martin Truex Jr +550
    Kevin Harvick +551
    Kyle Busch +615
    Kyle Larson +632
    Jimmie Johnson +650
    Brad Keselowski +800
    Matt Kenseth +800
    Chase Elliott +850
    Joey Logano +1200
    Denny Hamlin +1500
    Clint Bowyer +3500
    Erik Jones +4000
    Ryan Blaney +4000
    Kurt Busch +4500
    Jamie McMurray +4500
    Dale Earnhardt Jr +5500
    Daniel Suarez +6500
    Ryan Newman +8000
    Ricky Stenhouse Jr +8500
    Austin Dillon +8500
    Kasey Kahne +8500
    Field (Any Other Driver) +3113

    Complete TV Schedule

    Follow @angiecampbell_ for the latest NASCAR news and feature stories.

     

  • Hall of Fame Inductees Hornaday, Squier, Yates Surprised by Nominations

    Hall of Fame Inductees Hornaday, Squier, Yates Surprised by Nominations

    CONCORD, N.C. — On May 24, 2017, five new inductees were announced for the 2018 class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Three of the future Hall of Famers, Ron Hornaday Jr., Ken Squier, and Robert Yates, visited Charlotte Motor Speedway Sunday afternoon to speak with the media.

    Hornaday has a record four Truck Series championships with 51 wins. He also holds the all-time record for top fives, with 158, and top 10s, with 234. Dale Earnhardt gave the Californian native his first opportunity in the Truck Series and he has continued the tradition by allowing young drivers to stay at his home while they pursue racing, most notably, Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick.

    He was humbled by his nomination.

    “I am the one person who shouldn’t be here,” Hornaday said. I quit racing three or four times. But Lindy (wife) always found enough money to go to the next race. In 1994, (Dale) Earnhardt called me to drive his truck. I have got a lot of people to thank – the sponsors, the people who put a lug nut on the car, the receptionist, all of the owners. This is just quite an honor. This is unbelievable.”

    Squier was one of NASCAR’s original broadcasters in its formative years. He transformed calling a race into an art form, painting a picture with his words as he captivated his audience. He began his career with Motor Racing Network in 1970 but is probably best-known for his coverage on CBS of the 1979 Daytona 500, a pivotal moment in NASCAR’s history.

    He went on to work with both CBS and TBS until 1997 before becoming the host for NASCAR broadcasts until 2000. In 2012 NASCAR created the Squier-Hall Award for NASCAR Media Excellence. Squier and Motor Racing Radio’s Barney Hall were the inaugural winners.

    Squier seemed surprised by the nomination and began by saying,  “Being honored in this way by the people who support this sport is beyond belief. I’m just overwhelmed with the fact that the media gets this kind of play. And, it does play an important factor in growing this sport. To think that I represent (the media) is a bit overwhelming.”

    Photo Credit: Tommy Dampier

    Robert Yates excelled at both engine building and team ownership. He won 77 races as an engine builder and 57 as a team owner. He began his career at Holman-Moody Racing in 1968 and got his “big break” in 1971 when Hall of Famer Junior Johnson hired him. He provided engines for Bobby Allison and Cale Yarborough before putting together his own team in the late 1980s.

    He found success with driver Davey Allison who won the 1995 Daytona 500 and finished third in the standings that year. Yates expanded to a two-car team in 1996 with drivers Dale Jarrett and Ernie Irvan with Jarrett winning the Daytona 500 that year. In 1999, Jarrett won the series championship. Today, his son, Doug, continues the family tradition as a top engine builder. Last year Doug announced that his father has been diagnosed with liver cancer.

    Yates said the nomination was unexpected, “I would have bet money that I would have had to wait another year. When they called me first, my heart must have missed one beat. I didn’t know it could miss three beats. I think if I was a driver like Richard Petty who won 200 races, I would have said, sure, they should be here. I didn’t expect this.”

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  • Austin Dillon Puts the No. 3 Back in Victory Lane at Charlotte

    Austin Dillon Puts the No. 3 Back in Victory Lane at Charlotte

    CONCORD, N.C. — Austin Dillon scored his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career win at Charlotte Motor Speedway, taking the legendary Richard Childress Racing No. 3 Chevrolet back to Victory Lane.

    Hendrick Motorsports driver Jimmie Johnson was leading the Coca-Cola 600 but with two laps to go, he ran out of gas, handing off the lead to Dillon. Dillon was also running on fumes with Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch closing fast, but, as it turned out, he had just enough for those final two laps.

    Dillon is the 10th driver to post their first Cup Series win at Charlotte joining David Pearson (5/28/1961), Buddy Baker (10/15/1967), Charlie Glotzbach (10/20/1968), Jeff Gordon ( 5/29/94), Bobby Labonte  (5/28/1995), Matt Kenseth ( 5/28/2000), Jamie McMurray (10/13/2002), Casey Mears ( 5/27/2007) and David Reutimann (5/25/2009).

    Dillon was ecstatic but said, “It hasn’t sunk in truthfully. I’m just so proud of all the effort that all these guys put in. I really feel like I have the best team and the best pit crew. I have no doubt in them.

    “My grandfather has done everything he can to give us the best we can get. Sometimes I feel like we’re the small team out there trying to get everything we can. Tonight proved that 600-mile race when it came down to it, we had everything we needed. It just feels amazing.”

    Dillon’s grandfather and team owner Richard Childress was almost as thrilled as Dillon and spoke about the emotional impact of seeing the No. 3 car claim the checkered flag in NASCAR’s premier series. Dale Earnhardt won his last race in the No. 3 on Oct. 15, 2000, at Talladega. After Earnhardt’s death in 2001, Childress decided to retire the number from Cup Series competition. It wasn’t until Dillon’s first full season in the series, in 2014, that the No. 3 was brought out of retirement.

    “I’m so proud…it’s just unbelievable,” he said. “Having my grandson just made it that much more special. I know Dale is up there smiling down because he would want this win, he’d want to see it with Austin.”

    “I didn’t want to put just anyone in the 3 car. I probably never would have brought it back. We kept the number with NASCAR throughout the whole time. We ended up, when the opportunity was there, to put Austin back in it. He started in the Truck Series. He won races there. He won races in the XFINITY with it. Ty has won with it.

    “Today is special. Here in Charlotte, on Memorial Day, such a special day for all the people that have gave so much to this country for us all to be here tonight. To be able to enjoy what we’re doing, I’m just honored to be here.

    Dillon also gave special credit for the win to his crew chief, Justin Alexander, who made the tough call not to pit when all but eight drivers (including Dillon) headed to pit road on Lap 368. This was Alexander’s first race as crew chief for the No. 3 team, replacing Richard “Slugger” Labbe, who had been with Dillon since mid-2015.

    Alexander discussed his decision, saying, “We had a good car all race. We run top 10 all race. Austin did a heck of a job, the whole team did. We were right there in position on that last stop when the caution came out. We were two or three laps short. Just right in that window where you have the option to stretch it, but there’s a risk with that. You give up a little track position early on trying to stretch it on fuel.

    “We got good fuel mileage all day. It really didn’t make much sense to do anything but that. He didn’t really have to back off that much. We didn’t give up that many spots on the racetrack doing it. I think we were around 10th when we started saving.

    Joe Gibbs Racing’s Kyle Busch won Stage 1 of the Coca-Cola 600 and finished in the runner-up position, followed by Martin Truex Jr. in third. Truex won Stage 2 and led a race-high 233 laps, leading the most laps in the Coca-Cola 600 for the straight year.  He clearly had the dominant car but lost the race when Dillon’s fuel strategy paid off with a trip to Victory Lane.

    Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Matt Kenseth and Denny Hamlin (winner of Stage 3) rounded out the top five, giving the JGR team three drivers in the top five but still searching for their first win this season.

    Race contenders Chase Elliott and Brad Keselowski exited the race early after getting caught up in the first caution of the night. On Lap 20 the No.  33 car of Jeffrey Earnhardt suffered a mechanical failure which left debris and fluid on the track. Elliot, who was running fifth, slowed to avoid the fluid but was hit by Keselowski who slid into the back of Elliott’s No. 24 car.

    “Somebody broke and there was just oil everywhere and I couldn’t turn,” Keselowski said of the incident.”

    The 400-lap race was red-flagged during the second segment due to heavy rain and the threat of lightning which resulted in a one hour, 39 minutes and 56 seconds delay. There were nine cautions for 53 laps during the event.

    Truex leads the points standings followed by Kyle Larson (-5), Brad Keselowski (-82), Kevin Harvick (-103) and Kyle Busch (-102). Check the link below for the complete driver standings.

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    Driver Standings

    Coca-Cola 600 Race Results:

    [pdf-embedder url=”http://www.speedwaymedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Coca-Cola-600-Results-C1712_UNOFFRES.pdf” title=”Coca Cola 600 Results C1712_UNOFFRES”]