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  • NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Power Rankings-Pocono

    NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Power Rankings-Pocono

    The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series headed to Pocono International Raceway yesterday for the annual running of the Overton’s 150. It was quite the interesting race, regarding pit strategy. Here’s a look at who’s in my power rankings this week.

    Christopher Bell- Bell had another strong run this year to collect his fourth win of the season. In the two practice sessions on Friday, he was fourth in the first practice and topped the final practice number one. Bell ended up the first stage second. In stage 2, it was almost the same as he finished third. It wasn’t until lap 54 of 60, where Bell took the lead from John Hunter Nemechek and went on to win for the fourth time of the year. Not only win the race, but grabbed the points lead as well from Johnny Sauter. Bell now leads Sauter over 18 points.
    “It was really tough, but my guys do the best and they take really good care of me,” Bell said. “Rudy (Fugle, crew chief) does a great job and Tony (Hirschman, spotter) does a great job on top. I’m glad we were able to get the SiriusXM Tundra to victory lane, we’ve had had them on a lot, but we haven’t been able to win.”

    Ben Rhodes- Before Pocono, Rhodes was still searching for his first win of the season. After wrecking out the past two races, he was looking to get a solid finish at Pocono. In stage 1, he finished third and in stage 2, Rhodes finished fourth. He didn’t battle for the lead until five laps to go as he took second. However, eventual race winner Bell was so far ahead, that it was difficult for Rhodes to catch him in the remaining laps. Though, Rhodes was happy with second.
    “It is a great race,” Rhodes said. “This race reminds a lot of Michigan, Daytona, Talladega, just the big tracks where we’re drafting and aerodynamics are so important- but you’re playing those games the whole time here at Pocono. Good race for our Safelite Tundra. We were fast, just not fast enough to beat the 4 (Christopher Bell).”  This was Rhodes’ best career finish of second, since Gateway of 2016.

    Ryan Truex- Truex continues to keep having a solid year for the Hattori Racing team. In stage 1, Truex finished right where he started the race, fourth. In stage 2, Truex battled for the lead with Kyle Busch for a short-while, before settling taking second in stage 2. In the end, Truex was among the four battling for the win with eight laps to go. However, he eventually finished third. Truex scored his best finish of the year and moved to seventh in the playoff standings.

    John Hunter Nemechek- Nemechek had another strong run at Pocono on Saturday. It almost looked liked, he would end up winning his third race of the year. He took the lead on lap 45, but was passed by Bell with six laps to go. Nemechek faded back just a bit, but still finished in the top five with a fourth. In the point standings, Nemechek is currently fifth with four races remaining until the playoffs.

    Cody Coughlin- Coughlin had a career best finish on Saturday of second. Although, he did not finish in the top ten in both of the stages. However, Coughlin restarted fifth in stage 3 and dropped a few positions, but ended up eighth scoring his best finish of his career.
    “It was a good day,” Coughlin said. “We’ve been running in the top-10 all year, we just haven’t finished there. It was nice to at least finish where we’ve been running, but I wanna be better. I think this is good momentum though, for sure.”The race featured four cautions for 15 laps, as well as, five leaders among five lead changes.
    Next Up: The Truck Series take a week off this weekend, before heading to the Irish Hills of Michigan International Speedway for the 13th race of the year.

  • 2018 National Series Driver Participation Guidelines Announced

    2018 National Series Driver Participation Guidelines Announced

    Update Brightens Spotlight on New Stars

    DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (August 1, 2017) – With the emergence of NASCAR’s next generation of stars defining the 2017 season, NASCAR today announced new guidelines that will further highlight the young talent battling for championships in the NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

    Starting next season, drivers with more than five years of full-time experience in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series will be limited to a maximum of seven races in the NASCAR XFINITY Series and five races in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

    Drivers who have elected to accumulate Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship points, regardless of series tenure, will be ineligible to compete in the regular season finale and playoff races in each series, as well as the Dash 4 Cash races in the NASCAR XFINITY Series.

    “Fans have made it clear that they want to see the future stars of the sport racing against their peers in the XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series,” said Jim Cassidy, senior vice president of racing operations. “These guidelines achieve that and preserve limited opportunities for developing drivers to compete against the best in motorsports.”

    The 2018 rules continue the evolution of driver participation guidelines, and NASCAR’s effort to strengthen the identities of all three national series while allowing up-and-coming drivers important developmental opportunities. Guidelines implemented for the 2017 season limited drivers with five years of full-time experience in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series to 10 XFINITY Series races and seven races in the Camping World Truck Series.

    The updated guidelines do not apply to drivers who are competing for the championship in the NASCAR XFINITY Series or NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

     

    About NASCAR

    The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States. NASCAR consists of three national series (Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR XFINITY Series™, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series™), four regional series, one local grassroots series and three international series. The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. Based in Daytona Beach, Fla., with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe. For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (‘NASCAR’).

  • Ryan Preece finds Victory Lane at Iowa in pressure-packed performance

    Ryan Preece finds Victory Lane at Iowa in pressure-packed performance

    By Rob Gray

    NEWTON, Iowa — Ryan Preece’s short-lived, but ambitious 2017 NASCAR XFINITY Series schedule began three weeks ago at his de facto home track, New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

    It ended Saturday in the U.S. Cellular 250 at Iowa Speedway — as confetti swirled and soared to highlight his first career series triumph in Victory Lane.

    Preece, held off a hard-charging Kyle Benjamin in a green-white checkered finish that came after the third restart in the race’s final 17 pulse-quickening laps.

    “I thought this race would never end, that’s for sure,” an emotional Preece told the NBCSN after finally slowing his fast Joe Gibbs Racing No. 20 car to a stop. “But man, nothing’s going to beat today.”

    No one could beat Preece, who ran full-time in 2016, but chose to funnel his 2017 XFINITY Series resources into this two-race stint with JGR.

    That high-stakes gamble clearly paid off — as Preece beamed and raised his arms, his season over, but his future visibly brighter.

    “I don’t even know what to say,” said Preece, who owns 17 career NASCAR Whelan Modified Tour wins, including two this season. “I’ve got to thank everybody.”

    So he did.

    Benjamin settled for second, which also is his best career finish. Veteran Brian Scott took third in his first start of the season.

    “I was very nervous,” said Benjamin, who also runs part-time for JGR. “I wanted to make it happen right there.”

    Preece did just that, from start to finish, with a slight hiccup in between.

    He earned his first career Coors Light Pole Award earlier Saturday, powering to a lap of 24.072 seconds at a top speed of 130.857 mph. That dominance carried over into the first stage, which Preece led in its entirety.

    He dropped to sixth off pit road, however, which allowed Justin Allgaier to surge to the front. Allgaier would narrowly hold off Preece to win the second stage and gain a coveted playoff point, but a later gamble would reap misfortune instead of reward.

    Drivers faced a dilemma when Spencer Gallagher hit the wall, drawing the caution flag with 80 laps to go. Every top contender eventually dove onto pit road. Everyone except Allgaier, that is, whose team hoped another caution would help the decision pay off.

    That didn’t happen, as Allgaier swiftly dropped from first to seventh, then to 15th — and finally, to a green flag pit stop that came with 25 laps to go. That longed-for caution finally flew shortly after Allgaier returned to the track when Sam Hornish Jr.’s No. 22 Ford hit the wall.

    Allgaier’s second bad break in as many weeks preceded that nerve-fraying — and caution-filled — finish.

    Points leader Elliott Sadler raced near the front most of the day, but ended up 12th. He maintains a 54-point lead over William Byron, who finished ninth.

    Preece clearly wasn’t racing for points. Only a win.

    And he edged Benjamin by a mere .054 seconds — a fitting margin to conclude a sprint-sized season that ended in happy incredulity.

    “I’m so at a loss of words right now,” Preece said. “I don’t know what to say. This is what emotion is, I can tell you that.”

     

    NASCAR XFINITY Series Race – US Cellular 250 Presented by American Ethanol
    Iowa Speedway
    Newton, Iowa
    Saturday, July 29, 2017

    1. (1) Ryan Preece, Toyota, 254.
    2. (2) Kyle Benjamin, Toyota, 254.
    3. (11) Brian Scott, Chevrolet, 254.
    4. (8) Brennan Poole, Chevrolet, 254.
    5. (5) Cole Custer #, Ford, 254.
    6. (28) JJ Yeley, Toyota, 254.
    7. (3) Daniel Hemric #, Chevrolet, 254.
    8. (7) Blake Koch, Chevrolet, 254.
    9. (17) William Byron #, Chevrolet, 254.
    10. (19) Brandon Jones, Chevrolet, 254.
    11. (21) Brett Moffitt(i), Chevrolet, 254.
    12. (6) Elliott Sadler, Chevrolet, 254.
    13. (16) Brendan Gaughan, Chevrolet, 254.
    14. (25) Ryan Sieg, Chevrolet, 254.
    15. (26) Harrison Rhodes, Chevrolet, 254.
    16. (9) Ty Majeski, Ford, 254.
    17. (20) Dakoda Armstrong, Toyota, 254.
    18. (22) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 254.
    19. (10) Matt Tifft #, Toyota, 253.
    20. (14) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 252.
    21. (18) Ryan Reed, Ford, 252.
    22. (31) BJ McLeod, Chevrolet, 252.
    23. (13) Ben Kennedy #, Chevrolet, 251.
    24. (30) Joey Gase, Chevrolet, 249.
    25. (32) Dylan Lupton, Toyota, 249.
    26. (36) David Starr, Chevrolet, 249.
    27. (35) Tommy Joe Martins, Chevrolet, 249.
    28. (27) Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 249.
    29. (38) Brandon Brown, Chevrolet, 248.
    30. (37) Ray Black II, Chevrolet, 247.
    31. (40) Mike Harmon, Dodge, 243.
    32. (39) Stan Mullis, Chevrolet, 241.
    33. (23) Michael Annett, Chevrolet, 233.
    34. (4) Sam Hornish Jr., Ford, Accident, 229.
    35. (34) Garrett Smithley, Chevrolet, Accident, 218.
    36. (15) Tyler Reddick, Chevrolet, 218.
    37. (12) Spencer Gallagher #, Chevrolet, Accident, 170.
    38. (33) Morgan Shepherd, Chevrolet, Handling, 46.
    39. (29) Reed Sorenson(i), Chevrolet, Transmission, 9.
    40. (24) Jeff Green, Chevrolet, Vibration, 3.

    Average Speed of Race Winner: 96.9 mph.
    Time of Race: 02 Hrs, 17 Mins, 37 Secs. Margin of Victory: 0.054 Seconds.
    Caution Flags: 7 for 40 laps.
    Lead Changes: 4 among 4 drivers.
    Lap Leaders: R. Preece 1-63; K. Benjamin 64-68; E. Sadler 69-70; J. Allgaier 71-176; R. Preece 177-254.
    Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): R. Preece 2 times for 141 laps; J. Allgaier 1 time for 106 laps; K. Benjamin 1 time for 5 laps; E. Sadler 1 time for 2 laps.
    Stage #1 Top Ten: 20,1,18,48,22,7,00,19,2,11
    Stage #2 Top Ten: 7,20,1,2,18,48,22,00,60,19

  • Kyle Busch fastest in final practice

    Kyle Busch fastest in final practice

    Kyle Busch topped the chart in final Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice at Pocono Raceway.

    The driver of the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota was the fastest with a time of 50.898 and a speed of 176.824 mph. Kyle Larson was second in his No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet with a time of 51.163 and a speed of 175.908 mph. Jamie McMurray was third in his No. 1 Ganassi Chevrolet with a time of 51.239 and a speed of 175.647 mph. Denny Hamlin was fourth in his No. 11 Gibbs Toyota with a time of 51.307 and a speed of 175.415 mph. Chase Elliott rounded out the top-five in his No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet with a time of 51.352 and a speed of 175.261 mph.

    Ryan Blaney, Martin Truex Jr., Clint Bowyer, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Kevin Harvick rounded out the top-10.

    Busch posted the fastest 10 consecutive lap average at a speed of 173.058 mph.

    [pdf-embedder url=”http://www.speedwaymedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/C1721_PRACFINAL.pdf”]

  • Kenseth fastest in first practice

    Kenseth fastest in first practice

    Matt Kenseth topped the chart in first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice at Pocono Raceway.

    The driver of the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota was the fastest with a time of 51.114 and a speed of 176.077 mph. Kyle Larson was second in his No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet with a time of 51.149 and a speed of 175.957 mph. Erik Jones was third in his No. 77 Furniture Row Racing Toyota with a time of 51.307 and a speed of 175.415 mph. Kyle Busch was fourth in his No. 18 Gibbs Toyota with a time of 51.323 and a speed of 175.360 mph. Chris Buescher rounded out the top-five in his No. 37 JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet with a time of 51.495 and a speed of 174.774 mph.

    Daniel Suarez, Martin Truex Jr., Ryan Blaney, Ryan Newman and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. rounded out the top-10.

    Jamie McMurray, who clocked in the 14th fastest single-lap, posted the fastest 10 consecutive lap average at a speed of 172.280 mph.

    [pdf-embedder url=”http://www.speedwaymedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/C1721_PRAC1.pdf”]

  • Dale Earnhardt Jr. Signs Multiyear Deal with NBC

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. Signs Multiyear Deal with NBC

    By Holly Cain for NASCAR.com

    NBC Sports Group announced Monday morning that retiring NASCAR superstar Dale Earnhardt Jr. will join the company on a multiyear deal beginning in 2018.

    The two-time Daytona 500 winner Earnhardt, 42, who is retiring from full-time competition at the end of the season, has worked in the live television booth a handful of times — including at this year’s “The Clash” preseason opener during Daytona Speedweeks — as well as some XFINITY Series races over the last two years.

    NBC broadcasts the second half of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR XFINITY Series seasons. NBC also is partnering with Earnhardt on Dirty Mo Media and Hammerhead Entertainment.

    “It is a tremendous honor not only to join NBC Sports next year but to begin a new career alongside people who love NASCAR as much as I do,” Earnhardt said in an NBC release. “To be reunited with Steve Letarte, to be able to call legends like Jeff Burton, Dale Jarrett and Kyle Petty teammates rather than just friends, to be able to continue going to the track and connecting with race fans, it’s a privilege I don’t take lightly. I will devote my heart and soul to this broadcast team and pledge my very best to the millions who watch it.”

    @NASCARonNBC  Welcome to the team, @DaleJr! Dale Earnhardt Jr. Signs Multiyear On-Air Deal With NBC: bit.ly/2vBm7C2

    Mark Lazarus, Chairman, NBC Broadcasting and Sports hinted that Earnhardt Jr. could have an opportunity outside of NASCAR as well.

    “We are excited to welcome Dale Jr. to our team – both on and off the track,” Lazarus said. “As a company, NBCUniversal allows for talent to stretch themselves across not just their field of expertise, but across other areas of their interests in the media world.”

    NBC executives previously had discussed Earnhardt’s TV potential in conference calls with reporters.

    “I think he’d be an excellent broadcaster,” NBC executive Sam Flood said during a call with media members in June. ” … He’s a talented guy and I think he’d be quite an addition to any broadcast because he’s curious, asks good questions and cares deeply about the sport.

    “That’s the hallmark of our group. These people care deeply about the sport of NASCAR and the growth of NASCAR. … Junior’s got a bright future, it’s up to him where he wants to do it and what the opportunity might be for him.”

    NBC television analyst Jeff Burton, a 21-race winner who retired from NASCAR competition three years ago, also gave his thumbs-up to Earnhardt’s potential behind a microphone.

    “It’s difficult (to leave),” Burton conceded. “But it gives you an opportunity to have an impact on the sport and continue to have the relationships you’ve built over a lifetime and quite honestly to talk about something you’d be watching anyway.

    “I love watching racing and Junior’s no different. It’s been a great transition (for me) and I think it would be for Junior as well.”

  • Earnhardt Receives Piece of Indy’s Scoring Pylon During Retirement Tour

    Earnhardt Receives Piece of Indy’s Scoring Pylon During Retirement Tour

    Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s farewell tour rolled into Speedway, Indiana this weekend and the gift he received from the Brickyard was a piece of the old scoring pylon.

    The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is the latest in the line of tracks to present Earnhardt with a going-away gift for his final race at the track of the week. It started with naming a litter of service puppies after him at Sonoma Raceway, a painting documenting momentous races through his career at Daytona International Speedway and a jukebox that was donated in his name to the Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.

    To commemorate his final race at the track, Doug Boles, president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, presented as a gift a panel with the No. 8 from the old scoring pylon during his media availability earlier this afternoon.

    “I like stuff like that. We have a lot of old memorabilia and I’ve got a great spot for that one,” Earnhardt said. “This track, to me, has so much history beyond obviously the stock cars. It’s really interesting what this track has been through and how its survived recessions and wars and initially you know this is where all the guys were bringing their cars that they were building Louis Chevrolet and guys like that were coming here and racing and kind of created the auto industry at Indy. I have a lot of respect and admiration for this race track, for its history, for what it means to American motorsports and what it means to motorsports globally. It’s an honor to have an opportunity to ever race here. So, I appreciate that a lot.”

  • Indianapolis Motor Speedway – Did You Know?

    Indianapolis Motor Speedway – Did You Know?

    The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series heads to Indianapolis Motor Speedway this weekend for the Brickyard 400. There are 41 drivers entered into the event and with only seven regular season races remaining before the playoffs begin, expect the competition to intensify.

    Indianapolis Motor Speedway opened in 1909 with a track surface consisting of crushed stone and tar but was repaved with 3.2 million bricks for the first running of the Indy 500 in 1911. By October 1961 the bricks were completely covered with asphalt and now only a one-yard strip of bricks remain at the start/finish line.

    The inaugural NASCAR Cup Series Brickyard 400 was held on August 6, 1994, and was won by Jeff Gordon. It was the first race, other than the Indianapolis 500, to be held at the track since 1916. But did you know it was NASCAR’s most-attended race of the season with an estimated 250,000 plus fans on hand to watch the event?

    While the track is best known for the Indianapolis 500, NASCAR has made its mark there as well. Did you know that “kissing the bricks” was started by Dale Jarrett? In 1996, after winning the Brickyard 400, Jarrett and his crew chief, Todd Parrott, paid tribute to the track’s history by kneeling down and kissing the “Yard of Bricks.” The entire team quickly joined them, starting a tradition that continues today with winners of both the Indy 500 and the Brickyard 400.

    There have been 23 Cup Series races at the 2.5-mile track and 13 different drivers have visited Victory Lane. Gordon leads all drivers with five wins and Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers with four. But did you know that only two drivers have captured consecutive Cup Series wins at Indy? Johnson did so in 2008 and 2009 while Kyle Busch won the last two (2015-2016).

    Johnson leads the way as we head to Indianapolis with four victories, the series-best driver rating (105.7) plus six top fives and one pole. He is one of only four drivers who have won from the pole (2008). Johnson also has the distinction of winning from the deepest in the field, starting in 16th place, for his 2009 triumph.

    But did you know that last year at Indianapolis Busch became the only driver in history to win the XFINITY Series and Cup Series races from the pole in the same weekend? Busch, still seeking his first victory of the season, has the series second-best driver rating (105.5) at the track plus two wins, five top fives, one pole and the second-best average finish of ninth. He also has the series-most quality passes with 356.

    Matt Kenseth is another driver to watch as he looks for his first win of the year to guarantee his spot in the playoffs. He is currently 12th in the standings and has never won at Indy. However, he has the fourth-best driver rating (98.3), eight top fives and 11 top 10s. And did you know that Kenseth leads all active drivers at Indianapolis with three runner-up finishes and eight top-five finishes?

    Qualifying well will be crucial this weekend. The Coors Light Pole has produced four winners while two races have been won from second place. Twelve of the 23 Cup Series events (52.2 percent) have been won from a top five starting position.

    The on-track Cup Series action begins Saturday with the first practice at 9 a.m. ET and concludes with Coors Light Pole qualifying at 6:15 p.m. ET. The Brickyard 400 is set for Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

    In the meantime, check out the video below to relive a few of the most memorable Brickyard 400 finishes.

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

  • Hot 20 – Indianapolis is fine, but all things considered, I’d rather have been watching Eldora

    Hot 20 – Indianapolis is fine, but all things considered, I’d rather have been watching Eldora

    The most anticipated race of the week is not the one slated for Sunday in Indianapolis. Sure, the Brickyard has been around since 1909. Sure, it has been home to the Indianapolis 500 since 1911. Yes, it has hosted NASCAR’s Brickyard 400 since 1994, when Jeff Gordon won his first of five at the iconic track. It retains its brick finishing line, where every winner kneels down with his entire crew, along with some family members, to pucker up and lay a nice wet and dirty one in celebration.

    Now, if you want to get dirty, the truck race at Eldora Raceway in Rossburg, Ohio was the place to be. Dirt. No bricks, no pavement, nothing but slip sliding away dirt. You would think such a showcase would have been broadcast universally. It was not. Unless you had the Fox Business Network as part of your cable package, you were screwed.

    I wonder what Humphrey Bogart’s Rick Blaine of Casablanca fame would have thought?

    Of all the tracks, in all the towns, in all the world, on all the television sets, that race could have been broadcast onto mine. We had our hopes. Canadians will always have Eldora, we thought. No. We lost it. We have to wait until Sunday when Cup action comes to us from Indianapolis. Damn. Well, here’s looking at you, kid, and our Hot 20 as they prepare to pound the bricks.

    1. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 3 WINS (758 Pts)
    Finishes sixth or better in seven of his last ten races…but those three he missed he missed big.

    2. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 3 WINS (552 Pts)
    Is Alex Bowman the guy to replace Junior next season? As far as Jimmie is concerned, he is.

    3. KYLE LARSON – 2 WINS (720 Pts)
    Starting from the rear allows him to give a friendly wave each and every one of his competitors.

    4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS (564 Pts)
    NASCAR is shaking up leadership team, prompting a driver to change his name to Brad France.

    5. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 2 WINS (441 Pts)
    Fewest points among those with 2 wins or more. I bet he feels just awful about that.

    6. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN (639 Pts)
    It is hard to do play-by-play when Keelan’s hands are covering the toy cars.

    7. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (589 Pts)
    Nobody runs away from a grandfather clock but put a live 22-pound lobster in Denny’s hands…

    8. RYAN BLANEY – 1 WIN (486 Pts)
    Loudon was not good, but not really bad. It was just…Loudon.

    9. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (455 Pts)
    Another race, another few lugnuts loose, another $10,000 fine for another crew chief.

    10. RYAN NEWMAN – 1 WIN (428 Pts)
    When it comes to cycling with the boys, Ryan would rather be riding a moped.

    11. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (363 Pts)
    The fact he is actually 20th in points probably does not cause him any sleepless nights.

    12. KYLE BUSCH – 650 POINTS
    Damn stupid penalties, but Sunday it is Indy. Kyle always wins at Indy, doesn’t he?

    13. CHASE ELLIOTT – 587 POINTS
    It is untrue that Elliott has more points than there will be fans in the stands on Sunday. I hope.

    14. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 572 POINTS
    Jamie will appear in Friday’s hauler parade. Hoping fans will return the favor on the weekend.

    15. CLINT BOWYER – 526 POINTS
    As long as Logano does not win anytime soon, things are looking good.

    16. MATT KENSETH – 524 POINTS
    Sure, a win at Loudon would have been nice, but Logano’s disaster proved almost as helpful.

    17. JOEY LOGANO – 472 POINTS (1 Win)
    He needs another win to get in…and a hell of a lot better scriptwriter for the rest of this season.

    18. ERIK JONES – 427 POINTS
    Gibbs pays his salary, so he is leaving to join that crew next season. It might be a step down.

    19. DANIEL SUAREZ – 404 POINTS
    Has a pair of 6th place finishes to go with a trio of 7th place results. Now, it is time for a Top Five.

    20. TREVOR BAYNE – 369 POINTS
    The good news is that he leads Dillon by six points. The bad news is…

     

  • Underfunded Team Series: Copp Motorsports and D.J. Copp – Part One

    Underfunded Team Series: Copp Motorsports and D.J. Copp – Part One

    In NASCAR, there are big teams who run up front and contend for the win each week and there are also smaller teams. The smaller teams are some of the hardest working teams in NASCAR, with some teams only having volunteers to help them out.  In this case, those smaller teams are working 24/7 toward the next race.

    In this first installment of the underfunded team series, we take a look at Copp Motorsports.  D.J. Copp gives his side of the story on how tough it is to run a team.

    Copp Motorsports began in January 2017.  The owner, D.J. Copp, who is always “looking for opportunities for continuously growing,” says “The goal is to build inventory on all levels including basic tools, carburetors, engines, to shop equipment. At the same time, attend and finish every race.”

    The team consists of Copp, his wife Amanda and other individuals on a “case by case” basis. “My wife Amanda Leach and I are the only full-time focused individuals. I say focused because even when we are not at the shop, we are still working through details around finances, planning, travel, etc.,” Copp said.

    For a big team, a top 15-25 finish is considered a bad day, but for a team like Copp Motorsports, it’s considered a win.

    Copp explains, “Top teams can unload every week with the intent to win. I, on the other hand, have to pick and choose my battles. With funding being limited, I have to look at cost and what is my point of diminishing return from week to week. When we unload what I consider our “A” plan, then 15th is a win for me. My “A” plan is almost 40 horsepower down from the top teams.

    I have never been to the wind tunnel with my equipment,” he continued, so I am sure, I am missing in the aero department. With minimal funding, I am unable to afford the talent to assemble my vehicles to their maximum capability. So I have to be resourceful, rely on my friends and make the best of it. To finish 15th is still a stretch with all the obstacles in our way. So from my viewpoint, we have one win and three top fives (finishes) this year.”

    It is always difficult for a small team who just started to field a team in any series. For Copp, he’s doing his very best to strive in a sport that’s very competitive.

    “I have been in the sport since 1995 and worked at every level within the sport with some of the biggest names,” Copp said.

    “I thought I knew what I needed and I do, but never imagined how hard it would be. To get people to uphold their word and follow through with what they said, to navigate the political undermining within the sport to making sure you have gas in the generator and bread for the guys (crew) to make sandwiches at the track, to make sure all the details are in line so we can maximize on what we have, is more than I could ever imagine.”

    In today’s ever advancing technology, it is important for teams to interact and connect with their fans.  But Copp says their fan base is ever building.

    “We have a small, but loyal following,” he said. “We just started our Facebook page back in February and have not been able to put the effort it deserves. We have a goal to build that area of our program and look forward to developing more personal and raw content.”

    In Copp’s career, there have been some proud moments for him.

    “Previous to being a team owner,” he explained, “was winning at Atlanta as the front tire changer for Carl Edwards’ first win in Cup. As an owner, seeing the No. 83 that my grandfather, father and myself ran at the local dirt track means a lot. However, showing up every week to the track and hearing someone from another team ask me how we are doing as well as we are with so little resources, I like being the little guy playing in the big boy world.”

    For an underfunded team, it’s tough to continue to build in the rapidly changing sport of NASCAR. Copp hopes to be the “lucky one” in the next 10-15 years to have a team in NASCAR, but right now it’s tough to know what that will be like for him.

    “Hard to say,” Copp said. “I have to be honest. I’m optimistic the sport and the industry will grow, but reality is, the sport is in a tough spot. It is hard to succeed in an industry that has limited potential. However, I will say if I’m one of the lucky ones that continue on, I see my program being one that works outside the industry standard and creates to innovative ways to not only market but to help create a workplace that is just fun!”

    In a sport that’s extremely competitive and with so many big names, some fans are cheering more for the “underdogs” to succeed. Copp gives some ways for fans to support them as they continue to build their team.

    “For now, I would ask that everyone support my sponsors by following and leaving comments on their pages referencing to Copp Motorsports,” he said. “Those sponsors would be NanoProMY, Fr8austions.com, UNOH, Bell Plantation and ZAK Products.”

    Copp Motorsports has raced in all 10 races in 2017, with the likes of Todd Peck, Donnie Levister, Camden Murphy, J.J. Yeley and Mike Senica.

    You can like Copp Motorsports Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/coppmotorsports/
    You can also follow the owner D.J. Copp on Twitter at @DJCopp83.