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  • Kenseth Captures the All-Star Pole

    Kenseth Captures the All-Star Pole

    Matt Kenseth captured the pole for Saturday night’s Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

    “The car drove good. It seemed fine. It was our first laps on the track today with all the rain and Ricky (Stenhouse, Jr.) was a huge help to me going out early and helping me with my braking in pit road and his spotter up there helping me,” Kenseth said.

    Kenseth captured the pole under a unique qualifying session for this race. The drivers were required to make one lap, pit for four tires and then make another lap. Kenseth, driving a special #DoYouKnowJack paint shame paying tribute to the 20th Anniversary of Jack Roush and Mark Martin’s 1998 All-Star win, posted a time of 127.644 mph.

    “The guys brought a fast car and they were great on pit road,” Kenseth added.

    Ricky Stenhouse Jr. qualified second, making it a Roush Fenway Racing front row.

    “My guys did an awesome job,” said Stenhouse Jr. “No penalties. That was big. Any time you do a format like this, being penalty free is good. I do think I could have gotten to pit road better. Right now, I am glad that we beat the 48 and the 2 because those cars were really good at doing this last year. Track position will be pretty key come tomorrow night.”

    Clint Bowyer qualified third, followed by Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr. to round out the top five.

    Qualifying for the Open was canceled due to inclement weather. Aric Almirola will start on the pole which was set by the owner’s points per the rule book.

    The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts with the Open Race at 6 p.m. ET Saturday evening on FS1 followed by the All-Star Race at 8 p.m. ET on FS1.

    All-Star Race lineup
    1. Matt Kenseth
    2. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
    3. Clint Bowyer
    4. Kevin Harvick
    5. Martin Truex Jr.
    6. Ryan Blaney
    7. Kyle Busch
    8. Brad Keselowski
    9. Austin Dillon
    10. Joey Logano
    11. Denny Hamlin
    12. Jimmie Johnson
    13. Jamie McMurray
    14. Ryan Newman
    15. Kasey Kahne
    16. Kurt Busch
    17. Kyle Larson

    Open lineup
    1. Aric Almirola
    2. Erik Jones
    3. Alex Bowman
    4. Chase Elliott
    5. Paul Menard
    6. William Byron
    7. Daniel Suarez
    8. Darrell Wallace Jr.
    9. AJ Allmendinger
    10. David Ragan
    11. Chris Buescher
    12. Michael McDowell
    13. Matt DiBenedetto
    14. Ty Dillon
    15. Corey LaJoie
    16. Ross Chastain
    17. Landon Cassill
    18. Gray Gaulding
    19. BJ McLeod
    20. Reed Sorenson
    21. Timmy Hill

  • 2018 a Winning Season For Both Rossi and IndyCar

    2018 a Winning Season For Both Rossi and IndyCar

    2018 continues to prove to the rest of the racing world that the Verizon IndyCar Series cannot stop winning. The new aero package has put competitors on a level playing field considering that there isn’t a discrepancy among manufacturers. The quality of the competitors in the field is top notch, and to boot the racing this season has been phenomenal.

    According to 2016 Indianapolis 500 winner Alexander Rossi, the sport has even been generating some much wanted (and needed) mainstream attraction.

    “I really think there has been a lot of extra buzz at the races this year,” said Rossi, who appeared on the most recent season of CBS’s The Amazing Race with fellow IndyCar driver Conor Daly. “It seems like there’s more fans in the stands and definitely more people who come and ask about the show.”

    Rossi also co-hosts the podcast Off Track with fellow IndyCar driver James Hinchcliffe, where they tackle topics both racing-related and mainstream. But when it comes to IndyCar’s mainstream media presence, he is optimistic where the sport stands in comparison to NASCAR and Formula One.

    “We’re not on their level, but we hope to get there soon and we have momentum,” said Rossi. “We have a lot of young talented drivers who can perform on the track, but also do things off-track to showcase their personalities.”

    The Andretti-Herta Autosport driver currently sits second in points following the Indianapolis Grand Prix, where his NAPA Racing Honda finished fifth behind winning Team Penske driver Will Power. Rossi has already gone to Victory Lane this season, winning at Long Beach in the third race of the season.

    According to Rossi, the credit for the excellent racing product this season goes to both the drivers and the cars this season, placing emphasis on the onslaught of rookies this year, pointing out that their level of talent just makes the talent level of the field even deeper and more competitive, which in turn brings the best out of each driver.

    Rossi is quick to credit his team for his growth and success, stating that great cars and great teammates can go a long way in the IndyCar garage.

    “Having a good car underneath you, and great veteran racers like [Ryan] Hunter-Reay and Marco Andretti, makes it easy to learn,” said Rossi. “The team has made a step forward each year on all types of courses. We are ready to compete against anyone on all types of tracks.”

    With the Indianapolis 500 less than two weeks from now, Rossi’s chances of success are high. Along with his 2016 victory in the event as a rookie, he placed seventh there a year ago after leading 23 laps. His average finish of fourth in the event should give him the confidence needed to contend for the victory if the last two Indy 500s are any indicator of his performance.

     

     

  • Shootout victory lane celebrations continue in Texas

    Shootout victory lane celebrations continue in Texas

    There has been much discussion around the subject of gun control in the US over recent months. The student protests following the Parkland school shooting have brought the issue to the forefront of American life.  Despite the protests, it does not look as though any changes to gun controls are likely, in the immediate future.

    The most likely change that could occur at some point in the future is the expansion of background checks to include all weapons purchased. This is a potential change that has even garnered support from many gun owners who responsibly search for the best products for their sport at sites such as gungods.net, ShrewdHunter.com.  Whether this change ever happens remains to be seen, but in most aspects, life with guns seems set to carry on as usual. This includes the six-shooter traditional that surrounds championship race victories at Texas Motor Speedway.

    Why the tradition was temporarily suspended
    The tradition of the winner shooting blanks from a pair of six-shooters, at Texas Motor Speedway, has been in place since the spring 2005 championship race. It was temporarily suspended for Kevin Harvick’s win in November 2017 as a sign of respect for the people affected by the Sutherland Springs shooting. The decision was a one-off and was never intended as a permanent change to the traditional celebrations.

    Shooting symbolizes the state of Texas
    Eddie Gossage, president of the Texas Motor Speedway track, has spoken about the decision to continue with the six-shooter tradition, in the current climate of disagreements over the need for further gun control. He has said that the winner shooting blanks from a pair of six-shooters while wearing a Stetson, has nothing to do with making a political statement. The tradition has always been intended to capture the spirit of Texas so that people immediately recognize which race is involved. It’s also worth noting that live ammunition has never been involved.

    The winner of the race also receives a shotgun, sponsored by Henry Repeating Arms. This is a tradition that will also continue. Gossage is quick to point out that the shotgun is handed over after the track celebrations and in accordance with regulations applicable to the home state of the winner.

    Despite the awarding of this weapon, Gossage insists that the celebrations at championship race victories are all about fun and enjoyment; involving a stereotypical depiction of Texans and using historic weapons rather than current models. There is no political motivation involved with the use of sharpshooters as part of the celebrations. There has been some argument from those in favor of gun control that, even though blanks are used, the celebrations help to glorify the use of guns. However, much like the gun laws of the US, it does not seem as though tradition at the Texas Motor Speedway is going to change anytime soon. Winners will continue to fire blanks from two sharpshooters as part of the victory celebrations.

  • Can Anyone Compete With Ford?

    Can Anyone Compete With Ford?

    Ford has done nothing short of dominating the 2018 NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series (MENCS) season. Eleven races into the 36 race season and Ford has managed to find their way into victory lane six total times. While it is true that four of the six wins came with Stewart-Hass Racing driver Kevin Harvick, the other Ford drivers in the field have been strong. There is no shortage of talent, or speed, in the Ford camp.

    So far in 2018, Ford has amassed 2,145 laps led, 48 top 10s, 17 stage wins, and six race wins. Things seem to be picking up for the “Blue Oval.”

    Stewart-Hass Racing has obviously been the dominant Ford team this season, accounting for five of the six wins that Ford has, of which Kevin Harvick owns four, and Clint Bowyer has one. Team Penske driver Joey Logano has the other Ford victory that came at Talladega Superspeedway in the 10th race of the Cup Series season.

    The fact that Harvick and Logano are the only two Ford drivers to win so far this season is not a reflection of the strong cars that the manufacturer has brought to each track this season. Brad Keselowski, Ryan Blaney, Kurt Busch, Aric Almirola, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. have all had some really great runs this season. Blaney probably should have won Bristol, until he was caught up in a wreck coming to the end of the second stage.

    Keselowski has had a strong car at several races this season but has fallen into the clutches of bad luck. At Bristol, he blew a tire toward the end of the race and erased any shot he had at winning. At Talladega, he got caught up in the big one on lap 165 by running into the back of teammate Blaney, who were both a part of the 14 cars involved in the calamity.

    Roush Fenway Racing has shown some speed with Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who drives the No. 17 for the team. Those strong runs, combined with the recent announcement that 2003 MENCS Champion Matt Kenseth will be returning to the team to run a part-time schedule in the No. 6 car currently driven by Trevor Bayne, could be the shot in the arm that team needs to become a contender again.

    But, Ford’s domination isn’t limited to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. They are also flexing some muscle in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Of the 10 races run in the series, Ford has snagged four wins with four different drivers. Harvick, Keselowski, Logano, and Blaney have all taken home a trophy this season driving a Ford.

    In the Xfinity Series, Ford has recorded 631 laps led, 22 top 10s, five stage wins, and four race wins. Team Penske accounts for three of the four wins, between three different drivers (Keselowski, Logano, and Blaney). Stewart-Hass Racing has the fourth win with Harvick.

    Ford has scored a win at four very different race tracks, including ISM Raceway, Atlanta, Auto Club, and Texas. These tracks range anywhere between one mile in length to two miles in length, showing that Ford is capable of winning regardless of the tracks that they run on. We will have to wait until later in the season to see if they will be able to keep the momentum going on the road courses and the bigger tracks like Michigan and Pocono.

    In short, if you are a Chevrolet or Toyota team, you need to be doing some serious digging to try to shut these Fords down this season. We do have to give credit where it is due; Toyota has won four races this season. Three with Kyle Busch and one with 2017 MENCS Champion, Martin Truex Jr. But if you are a Chevy team, you need to be worried. With only one win coming at this year’s Daytona 500, Chevy has not seen the early success that it is used to. Jimmie Johnson, a seven-time champion and one of the strongest, consistent Chevy drivers, has struggled this season and currently sits in the longest winless streak of his career, dating back to the spring Bristol race of 2017. Kyle Larson, though, has shown some strength this year. He battled with Kyle Busch for much of the third stage at Bristol but could not capitalize on the run after spinning out while leading the race.

    It may still be early in the season, but I don’t think it would be a surprise for us to see a Ford taking home the championship in the MENCS when they make their final stop of the year at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 18. And don’t be surprised if it is the No. 4 Fusion for Stewart-Hass Racing claiming his second MENCS title.

  • Talladega: From the Stands

    Talladega: From the Stands

    Talladega Superspeedway has always provided some of the most exciting finishes on the NASCAR circuit. Last second passes at the 2.66-mile tri-oval are basically a must. The atmosphere at the biggest track on the schedule is one that you have to simply experience to fully understand. Think of it like a college fraternity party with 100,000 of your closest friends, and you just happen to get to watch a race at the same time.

    I’ve been at Talladega for some memorable finishes including Dale Jarrett’s last win in 2005, Kyle Busch getting his first plate-track win in 2008 and when Brad Keselowski put Carl Edwards in the fence and took home his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) win for James Finch in 2009. Also, I was there last spring when Ricky Stenhouse Jr. won his first MENCS race. All of these races are etched in my mind.

    The most recent race was no different. While I do think the Geico 500 started out a bit stagnant and boring, the excitement began to build pretty quickly. After a slow Stage 1, Stage 2 was more exciting and included a wreck down the backstretch that took out some strong cars, including 2017 Champion, Martin Truex Jr. Kyle Larson, Trevor Bayne, Aric Almirola, Erik Jones, and Jamie McMurray were also involved in the crash that occurred when Jones drifted up into McMurray. Jones was turned into Bayne. Bayne and Jones were eliminated from the race due to the wreck, while Larson was sent to the garage when his vehicle damage clock ran out.

    The second stage ended with Paul Menard taking his first stage win, which was pretty exciting to see. The crowd really enjoyed seeing that No.21 car get the green-checkered flag.

    The beginning of  Stage 3 was boring. Not much was going on. Drivers just kind of riding around the top side of the track running out laps. Honestly, as a race fan, I hate to see that. I know the drivers do it to run out the laps and get to the end of these races, but as a fan, I want to see more racing.

    But then it happened. It only took 165 laps of the 188 run, but it happened. Jimmie Johnson got loose and made contact with the right front of teammate William Byron’s No. 24 Chevy and sent Johnson spinning. The Big One. Fourteen cars in total were collected in the carnage, including several drivers with a real shot at taking the checkered flag, such as Brad Keselowski, William Byron, and Paul Menard. Johnson was fortunate enough to continue on after making an amazing save on the apron and driving away from the wreck that ensued behind him.

    The stands were going wild all day long. There wasn’t a fan in the place that wasn’t enjoying themselves. I was sitting with fans of every different driver and we all were having the times of our lives. We couldn’t have asked for a better day to be at the track. Barely a cloud in the sky, and a mild 71 degrees.

    But, there was something that I noticed, and several drivers commented on it after the race; the lack of the ability to pass. Chase Elliot was in the fifth position in a group of Fords. Obviously, the Fords weren’t going to help him win, but none of the Ford drivers, with the exception of Ricky Stenhouse Jr., made an attempt to make a run at Joey Logano, who won the race.

    I don’t know if this was because the cars were, to quote several drivers, “evil”, or a product of the aero package of the cars, or the fact that NASCAR reduced the size of the restrictor plates after Jaime McMurray’s wreck in Friday’s practice.

    My opinion is this. NASCAR needs to take a look at the stark difference from Daytona in February and Talladega and make some changes. The finish of the race, again, in my opinion, was the most boring part of the race. Runs didn’t develop, drivers who had a legitimate chance at victory didn’t seem to make any moves to try to pass Logano.

    What say you?

    Follow me on Twitter @HMurray76

     

  • Spencer Gallagher Issued Indefinite Suspension for Substance Abuse

    Spencer Gallagher Issued Indefinite Suspension for Substance Abuse

    NASCAR officials announced Wednesday morning that driver Spencer Gallagher has been indefinitely suspended from NASCAR for violating the sanctioning body‘s substance abuse policy.

    Gallagher recently won his first career NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Talladega on Saturday afternoon in the No. 23 GMS Racing Chevrolet with a last lap pass on competitor Tyler Reddick. Later that week, Gallagher violated Section 19 of the 2018 NASCAR rule book, which discusses NASCAR’s zero-tolerance substance abuse policy. According to a press release by NASCAR, Gallagher has been indefinitely suspended from participating in any sanctioned event.

    He has agreed to participate in the Road to Recovery Program, a requirement before he is eligible to be cleared to race again.

    The Las Vegas native is not the first to be suspended for substance abuse.  AJ Allmendinger was one of the more recent stories of failing NASCAR’s random drug test back in 2012. Allmendinger was racing for Penske Racing in the No. 22 Ford in the NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series at the time. He pled not guilty, but went on to complete NASCAR’s recovery program and was reinstated back into the series. He returned to Penske in the Xfinity Series in 2013, and raced full-time for JTG Daugherty Racing. In 2014, he won his first career race at the Cup level at Watkins Glen.

    Gallagher released the following statement shortly after the breaking news. “I recently have had a positive result in a NASCAR drug screen which has violated NASCAR’s substance abuse policy. I want to assure everyone in the NASCAR community this one time error in judgement will never happen again. I am taking the steps to enroll in the Road to Recovery program supported by NASCAR. I would like to say that I am sorry to all of the GMS organization for my actions, especially my team and team owner, who have worked so hard this year and have put faith in me. I also want to apologize to NASCAR, Chevrolet and my fans for letting them down. I have not upheld the behavior that is expected of me. I promise you all here and know, I will do whatever it takes to make this right.”

    Mike Beam, president of GMS Racing, issued this as part of a team statement: “GMS fully supports NASCAR’s policy on substance abuse and we do not condone this type of behavior. First and foremost, our entire organization wants to apologize to NASCAR, our sponsors, teammates and fans due to this policy violation.

    “A substitute driver will be announced at a later date.”

    Additionally, Gallagher and GMS Racing are no longer eligible for the Dash 4 Cash field this week at Dover International Speedway. Ryan Sieg, driver of the No. 39 RSS Racing, will replace Gallagher after finishing sixth at Talladega.

    “Hate the circumstances but just got word from NASCAR we are in the Dash 4 Cash at Dover,” Sieg shared on Twitter later in the morning.

    Gallagher has made 49 starts in the Xfinity Series and an additional 59 starts in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. He has five top-five finishes and 22 top-10 finishes combined across both series.

  • Weather and Matt Kenseth

    Weather and Matt Kenseth

    Weather has plagued the NASCAR schedule from Atlanta to Martinsville to Bristol. This weather shows no weather concerns with sunny skies and warmth at Talladega. That’s good news for race fans whether heading to the race or watching on television. I’ve only attended two races this year—both postponed and run on Monday, but it’s easy to see that both saw unusual weather. I saw the smell of a snowstorm at Martinsville on Saturday. I’m from West Virginia where it can snow from October to May. It was, as they say in my rural neighborhood, a “doozy.” As many people who told me at the track they didn’t have snowstorms like that in March, they did.

    Same with Bristol. The weather people were right, and the temperature dropped 35 degrees plus the rains came. It was so cold on Monday that even this crusted mountain man couldn’t handle it. From the looks of the crowd, no one else could either. What people missed were two excellent races, and that’s a shame. Maybe the powers that be should re-think the schedule a bit. There is no reason why the teams should go to the left coast and come back to snowstorms and rains when it is possible. I know, weather is fickle, but why take a chance? Why not run Talladega and Texas before Martinsville, Bristol, and Atlanta? Just asking.

    My friend, Patrick suggested something to me. In cases where weather is almost certain, why not run those races by postponing them like baseball? Food for thought. There was no reason why lights couldn’t have been used or a better date used. Of course, every situation is different. I respect NASCAR for their decisions. But why not just move the schedule to avoid all of this? I’ve wiped snow off seats at Rockingham in years passed. Maybe someone is not thinking?

    +++

    I find the announcement that Matt Kenseth is coming back to Roush Fenway Racing a little bit head-scratching. Kenseth left RCR to move to Joe Gibbs Racing a few years ago. Later on, Carl Edwards joined him. One retired and the other was non-renewed. Both could have ended their careers at RFR but chose to go to greener pastures. Both were relatively successful, winning races and being competitive. Tomorrow, if reports are accurate, we will hear that Kenseth will return to the place he was most competitive and share a ride with Trevor Bayne. It’s no secret that after his debut with the Wood Brothers in 2011, Bayne hasn’t done much. The Daytona win was spectacular, but recent great runs by Ricky Stenhouse Jr., made him look like the underachiever.

    To this reporter, it seems that Bayne is on his way out or at least there to wait for the third charter, which may or not exist to become free for Kenseth. Getting over Kenseth’s move to eliminate Joey Logano at Martinsville still sticks in my craw, but I think Kenseth wants to race and there’s not a better racer in the circuit. With the move to younger racers, some great talent gets put on the sidelines. I applaud Jack Roush and his organization to bring Matt back. I feel sorry for Bayne, but in this industry like all industries, he wasn’t getting the job done. Just like everywhere else, that’s the way of business, which has, unfortunately, become part of NASCAR, today.

  • A Look at the Engineering Behind NASCAR Tires

    A Look at the Engineering Behind NASCAR Tires

    We usually focus on the cars, the big and powerful engines under the hood, and the drivers wrestling with the immense power of NASCAR cars. The sporting events we follow are just as exciting. But NASCAR is not as crude as many think – we’re looking at you, Formula 1 fans – and there is a lot of engineering that goes into preparing the car for every race.

    In this article, however, we are going to focus more on the tires. A set of NASCAR tires has to endure an incredible amount of force while maintaining grip and allowing the car to channel its power to the tarmac. The engineering feat behind NASCAR tires is nothing short of incredible.

    They Need to be Managed

    It is not a secret that tire degradation and managing that rate of degradation are critical to the success of a NASCAR team. There is an engineer behind every NASCAR team and its tire management system. One of the tasks of that engineer is measuring tire temperature before and after the tires are used, and then calculating tire degradation based on various metrics.

    NASCAR tires need to be managed because each team only has access to a limited set. You can’t expect to blow through tires and win the race. Teams can have as many as 14 sets for a single race – usually a longer one – but not all teams need to buy the maximum number of sets.

    NASCAR tire management really shows how engineers can lead in a management situation. Students pursuing their Ohio University masters in engineering management and a similar degree from other universities are learning to incorporate management skills into their work by using NASCAR as one of the case studies.

    They’re More High-Tech Than You Think

    It is also worth noting that NASCAR tires have more technology than you think. For starters, every tire has its own RFID chip and identifier. The chip used to be for managing tire distribution, especially with the regulation in force dictating that tires need to be returned at the end of every session.

    Today, the RFID chip works more for identification and research purposes. Goodyear, who is currently supplying the tires for NASCAR teams, always know which tires go to which team.

    “We know where they are, and if at any time we want a particular tire back, we can do that,” according to Goodyear’s director of racing Greg Stucker in an interview with Road and Track.

    Different Compounds for Different Challenges

    The most interesting thing about NASCAR tires is the many compounds teams can choose from, depending on the challenges they will face. Once again, students at top universities such as Ohio University often use these different compounds in their studies, particularly in relation to safety and performance.

    In fact, the Ohio University Online master of engineering management program teaches the same Six Sigma method used to improve NASCAR tires. The amount of engineering that goes into every compound provided for a particular race is simply mind-blowing.

  • NASCAR Releases 2019 Schedule for Monster Energy Cup Series

    NASCAR Releases 2019 Schedule for Monster Energy Cup Series

  • Jimmie Johnson looking to end drought at Texas Motor Speedway

    Jimmie Johnson looking to end drought at Texas Motor Speedway

    It’s safe to say the 2018 season hasn’t been particularly kind to Jimmie Johnson thus far. The seven-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series winner hasn’t tasted victory in 29 races, which is shocking considering his remarkable consistency in the past. Johnson has won 83 races over the course of his Hall of Fame-caliber career, but he’s been mired in a lengthy drought of late. In fact, it is the longest winless streak of his career to this point.

    Of course, that streak could be coming to an end in short order. Johnson will have a chance to break the streak this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway in the O’Reilly Auto Parts 500, or next weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway. Johnson is the defending champion at both events, and he has enjoyed massive success at Texas Motor Speedway in the past. As such, he’s a heavy favorite to win.

    Johnson may be the best driver Texas Motor Speedway has ever seen. He has won seven Cup events at TMS, which is the most all-time. He’s also racked up 15 top-five finishes and 21 top-10 finishes in his 29 starts at the Fort Worth track. Johnson is additionally the all-time leader in laps led at TMS (1,041) and he boasts a top-10 career average in finish (8.8) and starting position (9.4).

    It would be a gross understatement to say he’s comfortable with his surroundings at Texas Motor Speedway. Finding a good betting strategy is key if you want to make good on your wagers. Based on his decorated history at TMS, Johnson looks to be about the safest bet on the board, in spite of his extended recent slump.

    Johnson may have a little added motivation, as the first 30,000 fans that attend the race will receive a commemorative Jimmie Johnson bobblehead in honor of his 2017 victory at the same event. If nothing else, the bobblehead aspect may even add more pressure to the driver’s need to break his losing streak.

    While he did win at Bristol last season, Johnson hasn’t enjoyed nearly as much success in Tennessee as he has in Texas. Johnson has just two wins at Bristol, the first of which came way back in 2010. That said, he has shown some improvement. Johnson has finished 11th or better in six of his last seven trips to Bristol, including two second place finishes, the most recent of which was in 2015.

    Johnson needs to turn things around at some point. He’s just 17th in the standings as of this writing, though he has turned things around since his inauspicious start. Johnson wrecked at the season-opening Daytona 500, which put him in a points deficit from the get-go. Johnson has finished in the top-15 in each of his last four outings despite the fact that he has not led for a single lap at any event all season long. His best finish thus far was his ninth-place effort at the Auto Club Speedway in California last month.

    While the season hasn’t gone his way quite yet, Johnson isn’t giving up. Last week, he took to Twitter to share a quote from New York Yankees legend Babe Ruth, “It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up.” Johnson added, “I couldn’t agree more and can’t wait to get back to the track.”

    The O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 will get underway from Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth on Sunday, April 8, at 3pm Eastern Time.