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Interview: First Seasons-Bob Tasca

In this edition of “First Seasons” Speedway Media caught up with NHRA Top Fuel driver Bob Tasca III.

Tasca joined the professional ranks of the National Hot Rod Association in 2008 where he first competed full-time in the Funny Car division. Since then, the Motorcraft Quick Lane driver has notched six wins and has enjoyed success.

During the interview, Tasca spoke about what it was like making his debut during that time period of NHRA as compared to now, his thoughts on the very first NHRA race in which he competed, his first win and if he would do anything differently if time travel was possible.

SM: You began racing Funny Car in 2008, not that long ago, at the age of 33-years-old. Can you talk about what it was like making your debut in NHRA during that time period? It only may be 12 years ago but seemingly a lot has changed since then. What differences are there in today’s sport compared to when you started racing?

BT: “It doesn’t seem like that long ago,” Tasca said. The time has gone pretty fast. By 2008, I’d already raced for years in the sportsman classes. It felt like my work had finally paid off because during those years, I was always working toward making it to Funny Car (highest class division in NHRA) and once I did, it felt like ‘Okay, I made the first goal. Now let’s go after the next one.’ And the next one was a Funny Car win.”

SM: It seems as though 33-years-old is kind of a late start for someone wanting to make it in NHRA as a full-time driver. Did you feel as though it was the right time to break into the sport? Kind of explain what you were doing prior to making your NHRA debut.

BT: “NHRA is a little different than other sports and that you can race for years as a sportsman to get plenty of time under your belt and then enter the pro ranks when the budget looks good or a ride opens up, whatever the scenario is,” Tasca said. “And when you do, as long as you have the right people behind you, and you’ve done the work preparing as a driver, you’re on the same playing field as the rest of the pros. It’s not like IndyCar or NASCAR racing, where if you don’t start as a young kid, you can’t get there. So in that way, I felt completely at home when I made my pro debut.”

SM: When entering the 2008 season, do you remember having any high expectations for that year? Was a win on the radar despite being a rookie? What were your expectations as the season began and did they ever change as the season went along?

BT: “I’m realistic, but of course, I always wanted to win,” he said. “I think you have to go in expecting you have what it takes to do it with as much time away from your family and effort it takes to do this full-time. So, I knew I had what it took, it was just a a matter of time.”

SM: Your first Top Fuel start came at the famous Pomona nationals. What was it like in the weeks leading up to that event? Were you starting to feel anxious or nervous about getting to the track? Kind of talk about what you were doing to help prepare for your debut?

BT: “My everyday job in the family (car) dealership comes with a lot of pressure, so I was pretty used to operating under that anyway (laughs),” Tasca said. “Of course, it’s a bigger show when you show up in Pomona, but I wouldn’t say I was really nervous. Maybe excited.”

SM: Your first win wouldn’t be until 2009 at the Gainesville Nationals, where you scored your first Wally. What does that victory still mean to you to this day and have you ever had a chance to go watch that race back? Did that victory sort of help you break through and put you on the map?

BT: “I can remember every moment of that day,” Tasca said about his first victory in NHRA, Every moment. You never forget a big win like that and the feeling always comes back when I get back there. The NHRA world is pretty small so people are always aware of each other, but I’m sure the win helped me on the fan side.

SM: Before that 2009 win, were there any turning points when you and the team started to click with each other where you felt like you were capable of winning races? Was not winning starting to get frustrating?

BT: “While you go into a career like this expecting you have what it takes to win, you know there are 15 other very talented drivers starting every Sunday, so you never know when it (winning) will happen,” he said. “Every driver I know wants to win every race, but like I said, with a talent field this deep, you just never know when it’ll be your turn (to win). I had faith that with my team behind me, we’d get there.”

SM: Looking back on your rookie years, what races in your mind do you wish you had another chance at?

BT: “I guess if I had to answer this question, I’d say all of them (laughter),” Tasca said. “As a driver, I’d love to get another shot and put our team in a position to win, but not one (race) in particular.”

SM: I’m sure a lot of seasons are a blur to you but are there any fond memories that you still remember to this day or always will remember about your rookie year in Top Fuel? If so, what memory sticks out the most?

BT: “There’s so many memories about my rookie season,” he said. “It’s always a dream of mine to compete in the Nitro Funny Car ranks and to actually have been able to do it (race in Funny Car), and go out there and compete with the icons in the sport, it’ll be a year I’ll never forget.”

SM: Some racers have a memorabilia collection and some don’t. Are you a driver that collects your own merchandise? If so, what do you have in your collection that reminds you of your rookie season?

BT: “I don’t collect much (merchandise), however, I have every helmet (other than the one I gave to Jay Leno) and every fire suit that I ever wore in my collection.”

SM: It’s been 12 years since your rookie season in NHRA. What would a 45-year-old Bob Tasca tell a 33-year-old Bob Tasca? Is there anything you would do differently?

BT: “Yeah, there would be a whole bunch of things I would tell a 33-year-old Bob Tasca, however, a 45-year-old Bob Tasca wouldn’t have gotten to where I’ve gotten today without all the lessons learned along the way,” Tasca said. “I would have told him to keep going and don’t look back.”

Tasca has raced professionally in the NHRA Funny Car division for 12 years now, ever since making his first start in 2008. His highest championship points standing finish was fifth, which occurred twice in 2010 and most recently in 2019. In addition, the Rhode Island native has a total of 27 semi-final round appearances, 10 runner-ups, 67 quarter rounds, and four playoff appearances.

Fans wanting to learn more information or follow Bob Tasca on Social Media at Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

September 2, 2020
Annett to reach 400 starts across NASCAR at Darlington

A significant milestone is in the making for Michael Annett, driver of the No. 1 Chevrolet Camaro for JR Motorsports in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. When Annett takes the green flag this weekend at Darlington Raceway, he will achieve 400 starts across NASCAR’s three major division series (Truck, Xfinity and Cup Series).

A native of Des Moines, Iowa, who achieved two ARCA career victories from 2007 and 2008, Annett made his debut within NASCAR’s top three division series at the Milwaukee Mile in June 2008, where he piloted the No. 22 Toyota Tundra for Bill Davis Racing in the NASCAR Truck Series. He finished in sixth place in his series debut and two races later, he earned a career-best runner-up result at Kentucky Speedway. He made a total of eight starts in the Truck Series in 2008 (seven with Bill Davis Racing and one with Germain Racing). He also made his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November, where he drove the No. 03 Toyota for Germain Racing and finished 36th.

In 2009, Annett campaigned on a full-time basis in the Xfinity Series as a rookie candidate and in the No. 15 Toyota Camry led by crew chief Bruce Cook for Germain Racing. Throughout his rookie season, Annett achieved four top-10 results (best result of sixth place at Auto Club Speedway in October) and he concluded the season in 10th place in the final standings. He remained with Germain Racing for the 2010 Xfinity season, where he achieved two top-10 results and concluded the season in 13th place in the final standings and with crew chief Ryan “Rudy” Fugle.

In 2011, Annett moved to Rusty Wallace Racing to pilot the No. 62 Toyota Camry with primary sponsorship from Pilot Flying J and led by crew chief Rick Viers in the Xfinity Series. For the first 13 races of the season, he finished no higher than 13th place. For five of the next six races, however, he achieved five top-10 results. He nearly won at Daytona International Speedway in July after taking the lead on the final lap with two corners remaining. He, however, lost the draft with teammate Steve Wallace and settled in sixth place. For the final 15 races of the season, he achieved two additional top-10 results and he concluded the season in ninth place in the final standings. By then, he surpassed 100 career starts across NASCAR’s three major division series.

For the 2012 season and after Rusty Wallace Racing ceased operations due to lack of sponsorship, Annett made the move to Richard Petty Motorsports to drive the No. 43 Ford Mustang sponsored by Pilot Flying J and led by crew chief Philippe Lopez. Annett had a successful run in the series, where he achieved his first six top-five career results, led by a pair of third-place results at Daytona International Speedway in July and at Dover International Speedway in September. He also earned a total of 17 top-10 results and he claimed the Dash 4 Cash $100,000 bonus at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in July following a sixth-place result. When the season concluded, he ended up with a career-best fifth place in the final standings.

Annett started off the 2013 Xfinity season on a rough note, when he was involved in a late multi-car accident in the season opener at Daytona and had dislocated and fractured his sternum. Missing the first eight races of the season and while Aric Almirola and Reed Sorenson filled in for Annett, he returned at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May, where he finished 17th. For the remainder of the season, he achieved one top-five result and a total of four top-10 results before he concluded the season in 15th place in the final standings.

Following a five-year run in the Xfinity Series, Annett moved up to the NASCAR Cup Series in 2014 and he entered the series as a rookie candidate in the No. 7 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet SS for Tommy Baldwin Racing led by veteran Kevin “Bono” Manion. Making his series debut at the Daytona 500, Annett was involved in a late multi-car wreck and finished in 37th place. Throughout the 36-race stretch, Annett only achieved four top-20 results and he concluded the season in 33rd place in the final standings. He also competed in the NASCAR Truck Series race at Eldora Speedway for NTS Motorsports, where he raced his way into the main event following a final qualifying race and finished 25th. By then, he surpassed 200 career starts across NASCAR.

The following season, Annett remained in the Cup Series, but he made the move to HScott Motorsports to pilot the team’s second car, the No. 46 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet SS, led by crew chief Jay Guy. Annett achieved a career-best result of 13th place in the Daytona 500. The following week, however, Annett initially failed to qualify for the upcoming race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Nonetheless, Annett still got to race at Atlanta when Brian Scott relinquished his seat, the No. 33 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet SS, since Annett was competing for Cup points. Driving under the Hillman-Circle Sport LLC banner, Annett finished 29th. The remaining 34 races of the season, however, was a disappointing one as Annett finished no higher than 23rd place and he concluded the season in 36th place in the final standings. He also failed to qualify at Talladega Superspeedway in October.

Returning for a third season in the Cup circuit with Hscott Motorsports in 2016, Annett’s best result throughout the 36-race schedule was 20th, which occurred at Daytona in July. At Bristol Motor Speedway in August, Justin Allgaier filled in as an interim competitor when Annett suffered from flu-like symptoms. Prior to the season concluding, Annett declared himself a free agent for the 2017 season.

After three seasons in the Cup Series, Annett scaled back down to the Xfinity Series for the 2017 season and joined forces with JR Motorsports to pilot the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro sponsored by Pilot Flying J, TMC Transportation and Allstate Parts & Service Group, and led by crew chief Jason Stockert. Annett started the season with a 14th-place run at Daytona followed by a 15th-place run at Atlanta. Two races later, he achieved his first top-10 result of the season at Phoenix (ninth place). Through the first 22 races of the season, Annett recorded a total of five top-10 results. At Road America in August, Annett achieved a career-best runner-up result behind Jeremy Clements. Following his result, Annett dedicated his run to Adam Wright, a mechanic at JR Motorsports who died in a car accident a week prior to Road America. Annett went on to make the 2017 Xfinity Series Playoffs before he was eliminated from title contention at Charlotte Motor Speedway in October. He wrapped up the season in ninth place in the final standings and with seven top-10 results. By then, he surpassed 300 career starts across NASCAR.

Returning for a second full-time season with JRM in 2018, Annett struggled with on-track consistency. For the first 21 races of the season, he finished no higher than 11th. A week later, he recorded his first top-10 result at Bristol in August. By then, he was paired with new crew chief Travis Mack. He only achieved one additional top-10 result (10th place at Darlington Raceway) throughout the regular-season stretch while he also recorded five DNFs. Following the regular-season finale at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in September, Annett failed to make the Playoffs. He went on to conclude the season in 14th place in the final standings.

For the 2019 Xfinity season, Annett remained at JRM, but assumed driving responsibilities of the No. 1 Chevrolet Camaro with crew chief Travis Mack remaining with Annett. To start the season and with American Heart Association co-sponsoring the No. 1 car along with Pilot Flying J, Annett responded back to all of his past struggles throughout his career by winning the season opener at Daytona and achieving his first victory across NASCAR’s three major series in his 230th Xfinity career start. The victory guaranteed Annett’s No. 1 team a spot in the Playoffs. His early success did not stop there as he recorded a total of five top-five results and 15 top-10 results throughout the 26-race regular-season stretch. He also achieved his first career pole at Talladega in April. During the Playoffs, Annett earned finishes of ninth, 15th and sixth in the first round, spanning three races, to advance to the Round of 8. He finished fourth, 11th and ninth in the second round, but he failed to transfer to the Championship Round at Homestead. He concluded the season with an 11th-place run at Homestead and a ninth-place result in the final standings. Though he fell short of the 2019 Xfinity title, Annett achieved a career-high six top-five results, 19 top-10 results and 94 laps led throughout the season.

This season, his fourth consecutive season with JRM, Annett started off the season with an 11th-place run at Daytona and after being involved in a multi-car accident on the final lap. Through the first 22 races of this season, he has recorded three top-five results and 13 top-10 results, and he is in eighth place in the regular-season standings. He has also started on pole position for three consecutive races in the summer (Texas, Kansas and Road America) by virtue of a random draw amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition to making his ninth Xfinity career start at Darlington this weekend and while he continues to secure one of 12 spots for this year’s Xfinity Playoffs, Annett is set to sport a special Oreo scheme to his No. 1 Chevrolet Camaro that his boss and former NASCAR star Dale Earnhardt Jr. drove to an Xfinity win at Daytona in February 2002.

Catch Annett’s milestone start at Darlington Raceway on Saturday, September 5, at 12:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

September 2, 2020
Elliott to start on pole position for Playoff opener at Darlington

Chase Elliott was awarded the pole position and will lead the field to the start of the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series Playoff opener at Darlington Raceway on Sunday, September 6, for the Cook Out Southern 500.

The starting lineup was based on a modified metric formula to the starting lineup for an upcoming NASCAR race based on four stats: the driver’s result from a previous Cup race, the owner’s result from a previous Cup race, the current owner’s points standings and the fastest lap recorded from a previous race. The owner’s finishing result is a new category that was added as part of the lineup formula on September 1 and will affect the starting positions for any car/team that changes a competitor from a previous race.

In addition, with the 2020 Cup Playoffs set to commence this weekend at Darlington, the competitors competing in the Playoffs will occupy the top starting positions on the grid. Even after every round of the Playoffs, consisting of three races per round and where four competitors will be eliminated from title contention after each round until the Championship Round, the competitors still contending for the championship will line up ahead of the rest of the field on the grid for an upcoming race.

Elliott, who finished in the runner-up position in last weekend’s regular-season event at Daytona International Speedway, will lead the field to the start of a Cup race for the third time this season. This season marks Elliott’s fifth consecutive season of making the Cup Playoffs as he will contend for his first championship in NASCAR’s premier series (second division title after winning the 2014 Xfinity Series championship).

In addition, with the upcoming race at Darlington Raceway set to occur on Labor Day weekend and known as NASCAR’s throwback weekend, celebrating the past, present and future of the sport, Elliott is one of a multitude of competitors who will be sporting throwback-inspired schemes on race day on Sunday. Elliott’s No. 9 NAPA Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE will mirror the 2009 scheme that teammate and seven-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson sported when he achieved his record-setting fourth consecutive championship as he pays tribute to Johnson’s final full-time season of racing in NASCAR.

Denny Hamlin, a three-time Darlington winner who will sport a special purple, white and orange throwback scheme to his No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry while paying tribute to the inception of Federal Express in 1973 and when NASCAR Hall of Famer Cale Yarborough competed in the No. 11 car during the same year, will start alongside Elliott on the front row. This season marks Hamlin’s 14th postseason season as a title contender as he pursues his first Cup title.

William Byron, fresh off his first Cup career victory last weekend at Daytona and a two-year contract extension with Hendrick Motorsports, will start in third place in a patriotic scheme that mirrors the scheme Jimmie Johnson sported when he achieved his record-leading fourth All-Star win in 2013. Teammate Alex Bowman will start alongside Byron in the second row and in a scheme that mirrors the 2006 scheme Johnson sported when he achieved his first of seven Cup titles.

Brad Keselowski, sporting a Discount Tire scheme that mirrors his 2010 Xfinity Series championship scheme, will start in fifth place alongside Martin Truex Jr., who will sport a black, yellow and red Bass Pro Shops throwback scheme that mirrors the scheme former competitor Hank Parker Jr. sported at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 2003 while driving for Chance 2 Motorsports and which marked the first primary sponsorship of Bass Pro Shops.

Ryan Blaney, who will sport a blue, yellow, orange, red and white Menards throwback scheme while paying tribute to former competitor Paul Menard and his early career in racing, will start in seventh place followed by Kevin Harvick, who will sport a retro blue and white Busch Beer scheme on his No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford Mustang; teammate Clint Bowyer, who will sport a blue, white and red PEAK Antifreeze scheme that mirrors the scheme former competitor Kyle Petty sported when he achieved his third Cup career victory at Rockingham Speedway in 1990; and teammate Aric Almirola, fresh off a one-year contract extension with SHR and who will sport a special red and white throwback scheme that mirrors the scheme the late NASCAR Hall of Famer Fireball Roberts sported in the 1957 season, where he won eight races.

Matt DiBenedetto, who will be sporting a red and white throwback scheme to his No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford Mustang that pays tribute and was also driven by names like Tiny Lund, Glenn Wood and Marvin Panch, will start in 11th place alongside Austin Dillon, who will sport a white and red throwback scheme to his No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE that pays tribute to the late NASCAR Hall of Famer Junior Johnson.

Joey Logano will start in 13th place and in a red and white throwback scheme that mirrors the scheme the 1983 NASCAR Cup champion Bobby Allison sported in 1985 while Cole Custer, the 2020 Cup Rookie-of-the-Year recipient, will line up in 14th place in a red and white scheme that pays tribute to the late NASCAR Hall of Famer Curtis Turner and the 1965 Ford Galaxie he drove in his final Cup season.

Finally, Kyle Busch will line up in 15th place in a throwback No. 18 M&M’s Toyota scheme that mirrors the scheme driven by former competitor/veteran Elliott Sadler in 2004 while brother Kurt will start in 16th place.

Bubba Wallace, the first non-Playoff contender, will start in 17th place followed by John Hunter Nemechek, teammate Michael McDowell and Chris Buescher. Christopher Bell will start in 21st place alongside Jimmie Johnson, who will make his 24th and final start at Darlington and is set to sport a special red, white, blue and black scheme that pays tribute to seven-time Cup champions Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt.

Rounding out the field in positions 25-39 are Brennan Poole, Tyler Reddick, Ty Dillon, Matt Kenseth, Corey LaJoie, Daniel Suarez, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Erik Jones, Ryan Newman, Quin Houff, Timmy Hill, Reed Sorenson, Ryan Preece, James Davison, J.J. Yeley, Josh Bilicki and Joey Gase.

The Cook Out Southern 500, which marks the first race of the 2020 Cup Playoffs, will occur on September 6 at 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

September 2, 2020
Almirola set to remain at Stewart-Haas Racing for 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season

Another name has been erased from the Silly Season topic for the 2021 NASCAR season. That name is Aric Almirola, who will return as driver of the No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford Mustang along with primary sponsor, Smithfield Foods, next season.

In addition to Almirola’s return to SHR, Smithfield has also inked an extension to remain as a primary partner of Almirola with the team for an unknown number of races. The 2021 Cup season will mark the fourth season where Almirola and Smithfield (partners since 2012) will be competing underneath the Stewart-Haas Racing banner in the Cup level.

“He’s done a really good job, him and [crew chief] Mike [Bugarewicz], of growing together as a team and figuring out what he likes,” Greg Zipadelli, Vice President of Competition for SHR and former championship-winning crew chief, said during a Monday teleconference. “Buga has done a great job at that, but it’s time to go. They’ve been picking up and building their confidence and I feel like they’re ready, they just have to go out and execute. When you go back through and you look at the top fives and top 10s he’s had all year, I don’t know if a single one of them was just a good, clean race. They’ve had issues. Pit crews, restarts, speeding on pit road – things of that nature that have made him go to the back and have to race to the front. If we can clean all of those things up and not make any mistakes, I think he’ll have a good opportunity.”

Thus far, Almirola is coming off a strong 26-race regular-season stretch, where he has recorded two stage victories, five top-five results and 14 top-10 results. Since Homestead-Miami Speedway in June through the Michigan International Speedway doubleheaders in August, he recorded 10 top-10 results in 11 starts, all of which stabilized himself and his No. 10 Ford team inside the top 10 in the regular-season standings.

Almirola is one of 16 Cup competitors that have qualified for this year’s Playoffs (along with SHR teammates Clint Bowyer, Cole Custer and Kevin Harvick) and is set to embark on a 10-race postseason battle for this year’s championship. He is slated in a three-way tie with Austin Dillon and Cole Custer for 10th place in the standings with 2,005 points and with the 2020 Cup Playoffs five days away from commencing at Darlington Raceway.

From 2007 to 2017, Almirola competed for a number of teams, which include Joe Gibbs Racing, Dale Earnhardt Inc., Phoenix Racing, Billy Ballew Motorsports, JR Motorsports and Richard Petty Motorsports, before he made the move to Stewart-Haas Racing for the 2018 season to pilot the No. 10 Smithfield Ford. Since joining the team, Almirola has recorded one victory, which occurred at Talladega Superspeedway in October 2018 following a pass on the final lap. In addition, he has earned five stage wins, 12 top-five results and 43 top-10 results in 98 starts with SHR. He has also led a total of 648 laps and has made the Playoffs throughout his current three-year run with the team. His best result in the standings with the team was fifth place in 2018, where he also recorded his best average result of 12.8. He worked with crew chief Johnny Klausmeier in 2018 and 2019 before being paired with crew chief Mike Bugarewicz for this season.

With his racing plans for next season confirmed and secured, Aric Almirola’s quest for his first Cup title begins on Sunday, September 6, at Darlington Raceway for the Cook Out Southern 500, which will air at 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

September 1, 2020
Custer wraps up 2020 Cup Rookie-of-the-Year title

Following a seven-month regular-season voyage and an eventful regular-season finale at Daytona International Speedway on August 29, the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series Playoff field is set as 16 competitors will compete for this year’s Cup title in a 10-race postseason stretch, beginning next weekend at Darlington Raceway in September. Of the 16 competitors that have qualified for the Playoffs, one competitor is also celebrating a major achievement to this season. That competitor is Cole Custer, who was named this year’s Cup Rookie-of-the-Year recipient.

The 22-year-old native from Ladera Ranch, California, wrapped up the title by being the only rookie Cup candidate of this season to make the Playoffs and since he will emerge as the highest-finishing rookie candidate in the standings. The Cup Rookie-of-the-Year Award marks the first time Custer has achieved the award within NASCAR’s three major division series after he came into this season competing against fellow Truck and Xfinity Series competitors Tyler Reddick, Christopher Bell, John Hunter Nemechek and Brennan Poole. Quin Houff was also part of this year’s rookie battle.

Following a productive path through NASCAR’s touring series, including finishing the 2018 and 2019 Xfinity Series seasons as the championship runner-up behind Reddick, Custer was promoted to a full-time driving role in the 2020 Cup Series season and in the No. 41 Haas Automation Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing led by veteran crew chief Mike Shiplett. By then, Custer had already made three previous starts in NASCAR’s premier series in 2018. In addition, Reddick, Bell, Nemechek, Poole and Houff were also set to compete for the first time in the Cup circuit as full-time competitors.

For the first 15 races of his rookie season, Custer achieved one top-10 result (ninth place at Phoenix Raceway in March) and was ranked in 26th place in the regular-season standings. The turning point for Custer and his team came the following race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in July, where Custer notched his first top-five career result in fifth place. The following race at Kentucky Speedway, he made a bold four-wide move against teammate Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex Jr. and Ryan Blaney on the final lap to storm to his first Cup career victory in his 20th series start. Custer’s victory at Kentucky guaranteed himself a spot in this year’s Playoffs.

For the remaining nine regular-season events, Custer went on to record three additional top-10 results while Reddick, Bell, Nemechek, Poole and Houff were unable to record a win to make the Playoffs and challenge Custer for the rookie title through the season finale at Phoenix in November.

With his accomplishment, Custer is the sixth competitor from the NASCAR Next initiative to earn the Cup Rookie-of-the-Year Award, an accomplishment that has also been made by Kyle Larson, Brett Moffitt, Chase Elliott, Erik Jones and William Byron. He also became the first competitor to achieve the Cup Rookie-of-the-Year title while driving for Stewart-Haas Racing as his three SHR teammates (Aric Almirola, Clint Bowyer and Kevin Harvick) have also made this year’s Playoffs.

Based on his victory at Kentucky and points he earned throughout the 26-race regular-season stretch, Custer will start the Playoffs ranked in a three-way tie with teammate Aric Almirola and Austin Dillon for 10th place in the standings with 2,005 points. He and Matt DiBenedetto are the lone newcomers to qualify for the Cup Playoffs as title contenders.

Custer’s first run to a Cup championship in the Playoffs will begin on Sunday, September 6, at Darlington Raceway for the Cook Out Southern 500, which will occur at 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

August 30, 2020
Harvick officially wraps up 2020 Cup regular-season title

Even before Kevin Harvick climbed behind the wheel of his No. 4 Mobil 1 Ford Mustang for the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway on August 29 and went on to finish in 20th place, he was already celebrating a major accomplishment of this season after he was awarded the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series regular-season championship trophy.

This season marks Harvick’s 20th consecutive season of competing in NASCAR’s premier series and his seventh with Stewart-Haas Racing. Through the 26-race regular-season stretch, led by crew chief Rodney Childers, Harvick recorded seven victories, seven stage victories, 17 top-five results, 21 top-10 results and an average result of 6.6 while he has also led over 1,100 laps. Among his accomplishments this season include winning at Darlington Raceway in May following NASCAR’s return from a hiatus due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and backing it up with victories at Atlanta Motor Speedway, the first of a Pocono Raceway doubleheader weekend, the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, sweeping Michigan International Speedway in a doubleheader weekend and winning the second Dover International Speedway doubleheader while recording the 700th Cup win for the Ford nameplate. Once he first took the lead in the regular-season standings following Phoenix Raceway in March, he never looked back as he stormed ahead from the competition on a weekly basis.

Having a competitive car towards the front throughout the regular season makes Harvick and his No. 4 Ford Mustang team a championship favorite entering the 2020 Cup Playoffs as he pursues his second Cup championship, the third title for Stewart-Haas Racing and the first title for Ford since 2018.

In addition to becoming the third overall regular-season champion in the NASCAR Cup Series since its inception in 2017, Harvick was also awarded 15 bonus points and will start off the 2020 Cup Playoffs with the top seed with 2,057 points and ahead of Denny Hamlin (2047), Brad Keselowski (2029), Joey Logano (2022) and Chase Elliott (2020). He will also compete against his three Stewart-Haas Racing teammates (Aric Almirola, Clint Bowyer and Cole Custer) along with 12 other competitors throughout the 2020 postseason.

Kevin Harvick’s pursuit for a second Cup title will commence on Sunday, September 6, at Darlington Raceway for the Cook Out Southern 500, which will occur at 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

August 30, 2020
Johnson misses the Playoffs for the second consecutive season

The 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season will not be the season where seven-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson will compete for a record-setting eighth title in his 19th and final full-time season of racing. Though Johnson kept himself and the No. 48 Ally/Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team in contention for both the win and an opportunity to make the postseason, it all came to a crashing halt with two laps remaining after a multi-car wreck prevented the El Cajon, California, native from making the cutoff as one of 16 competitors vying for the 2020 title.

Starting seventh, Johnson came into the regular-season finale at Daytona trailing the top-16 cutline by four points and following a strong doubleheader weekend at Dover International Speedway while vowing to give it his all to make the postseason for his team. Throughout the race, Johnson raced competitively within a bevy of Chevrolet competitors in the draft, among which included teammate William Byron, who was competing against Johnson for a postseason berth and who had Chad Knaus, Johnson’s former crew chief, atop Byron’s pit box.

Following the first stage spanning 50 laps, Johnson was able to make a late charge towards the front to finish in fifth place ahead of Byron and Matt DiBenedetto. By then, with Clint Bowyer securing one of three spots to this year’s Playoffs, Johnson was still trailing DiBenedetto and Byron in the points standings.

Following the second stage and after 100 laps, Johnson notched another fifth-place result and finished ahead of DiBenedetto and Byron on track again. On this occasion, with Byron failing to secure a stage point from the second stage while Johnson did, Johnson moved back into the top-16 cutline by a small margin over Byron.

Throughout the final stage, Johnson continued to battle his way back into the cutline. With eight laps remaining, he was able to dodge a multi-car wreck. With two laps remaining, however, he was unable to dodge another multi-car wreck that ignited at the front. After being hit by Matt Kenseth across the Turn 1 outside wall and spinning down across Turn 2, Johnson’s No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE sustained significant damage on all ends of his car.

Despite the damage, the No. 48 crew went to work to repair Johnson’s car to keep him on the lead lap and with a last-stretch opportunity to make the Playoffs. During overtime, however, teammate William Byron secured a postseason berth after claiming his first Cup career win at Daytona while Matt DiBenedetto claimed the final spot to the Playoffs after finishing 12th. Johnson, however, came across the line in 17th place and was left on the outside of the cutline by a mere six points.

The end result marked the second time in Johnson’s 19-year racing career where he will not qualify for the Cup Playoffs after he missed the Playoffs last season following a wreck during the regular-season finale at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

“I really felt like we had a way to transfer, to win or point our way in the way it went the first two stages,” Johnson said on NBC. “Things just got ugly down in Turn 1. Unfortunate, but that’s plate racing. We had a really good car. The last couple of months, we we’ve been really getting our act together and running well. Definitely disappointed to not be in the Playoffs. That was the number one goal to start the year.”

Since the drop of the green flag for the 62nd running of the Daytona 500 in February through the regular-season finale at Daytona in August, Johnson recorded four top-five results and nine top-10 results. He missed his first race since 2001 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in July after COVID-19 symptoms kept him out of the car and competing. Despite the one-race absence, Johnson was granted a waiver to make the Playoffs should he gain enough points to move into the top-16 cutline, which he nearly did following the regular season.

“When I look back at disqualification at Charlotte [May 2020] and then, missing the Brickyard 400 due to my COVID-19 positive test, and only miss it by six points,…not gonna dwell on it,” Johnson added. “We did all that we could this year. I am so thankful for Hendrick Motorsports and the career that I’ve had there, the relationship with Ally and their continued support with this race team, [crew chief] Cliff Daniels and these guys on my team that pour their guys out for me.”

Though Johnson’s attempt to compete for an eighth title is diminished, his season throughout the Playoffs is not over as he has a final opportunity (10-race stretch) to win for the first time since June 2017 and grab his first victory with crew chief Cliff Daniels before retiring from full-time NASCAR competition.

“There’s 10 races left, 10 trophies to go chase and we’ll have to focus our efforts there.”

Johnson’s final 10-race stretch in the NASCAR Cup Series will commence on September 6 at Darlington Raceway for the Cook Out Southern 500, which will occur at 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

August 30, 2020
DiBenedetto survives Daytona, qualifies for first Cup Playoffs

While William Byron raced his way into the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs after claiming a thrilling first career win in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway on August 29, there was another competitor who was left beaming following the race. That competitor was Matt DiBenedetto, driver of the No. 21 Ford Mustang for the legendary Wood Brothers Racing Ford team, after the Grass Valley, California, native made the 2020 Cup Series Playoff field following an eventful 12th-place run at Daytona.

Starting 15th, DiBenedetto came into Daytona with a nine-point cushion above the top-16 cutline and battling names like Clint Bowyer, William Byron and Jimmie Johnson for one of three open spots to the Playoffs.

DiBenedetto did not finish in the top 10 following the first stage (50 laps), but he was able to record a seventh-place result following the second stage (100 laps) and collect a handful of stage points for himself and for the Wood Brothers Racing team. By then, he was still ahead of Byron and Johnson in the points standings. Throughout the final stage of the race, while DiBenedetto was racing around his Ford teammates and towards the lead pack, he was able to dodge two multi-car wrecks, including the second one with two laps remaining that occurred right in front of him, to nurse the No. 21 Menards/Dutch Boy Ford Mustang across the line in 12th place. In the end, DiBenedetto claimed a spot in the postseason after he finished five spots ahead of Johnson (17th place) while Byron also secured a spot after winning.

Even after climbing out of his car with his mask on, his grin could be seen as he accomplished his goal of making his first NASCAR Cup Playoffs as a title contender in his sixth season in NASCAR’s premier series and first driving the iconic No. 21 car for the Wood Brothers Racing team.

“We made it!” DiBenedetto exclaimed on NBC. “I don’t care how we did it. I wasn’t, obviously, super thrilled with the finish. We couldn’t get going there on the restart. I don’t care. My goal was to come in here and make it. We had some really good competitors. Obviously, Jimmie [Johnson] and Willy B. [William Byron]. Congrats to him on his first win. Man, I wanted this so bad for this team, for Menards, Dutch Boy, Motorcraft, Quicklane and the Wood Brothers! Man, driving for the Wood Brothers. It’s something special. We’ll celebrate tomorrow and have a good day. It’s gonna be time to get to work, but I’m so glad we made the Playoffs. This team deserves this. I’m mentally tired after that one.”

The result left DiBenedetto both jubilated and emotional following a six-year voyage and journey to his first Cup postseason appearance as a title contender, from starting his Cup career with BK Racing before competing in two seasons with Go Fas Racing. Then came last season, where DiBenedetto had a career year while driving for Leavine Family Racing that included an opportunity to win at Bristol Motor Speedway in August, only to have the win taken away by Denny Hamlin in the closing laps. Fearing that his racing career was in jeopardy following his loss at Bristol and with no racing plans originally established for 2020, he was given an opportunity to drive the No. 21 Ford for the Wood Brothers Racing team and take the next step up in his racing career.

Since the Daytona 500 in February through the regular-season finale at Daytona, DiBenedetto was able to record seven top-10 results and notch enough consistent runs inside the top 20, including the regular-season finale, to make the Playoffs based on points. DiBenedetto’s accomplishment marks the second time the Wood Brothers Racing team will be part of the NASCAR Cup Playoffs. In addition, DiBenedetto joins Cole Custer as the lone newcomers of this year’s Cup Playoffs.

Even throughout the race at Daytona, DiBenedetto had to fend off the stress of competing for a postseason berth against some of NASCAR’s elite while also navigating his way to the finish at Daytona International Speedway in one piece.

“That was the most stressful situation inside a race car I’ve even been in my life hands down,” DiBenedetto added. “I’ve never been in a situation like that. It’s unreal that it came down to the three of us and racing like right next to each other at Daytona where it shuffles around like crazy. I was calm going into the week and I really have to thank my career path for grooming me for this type of situation ’cause it’s been a tough fight and it makes me so appreciate of these situations. I was calm, but my wife wasn’t. My wife, Taylor, I know she is crying happy at home…I held it together and just had to deal with it the best in the car.”

DiBenedetto’s first run as a title contender in this year’s NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs will begin on Sunday, September 6, at Darlington Raceway for the Cook Out Southern 500 at 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

August 30, 2020
You want politics out of NASCAR? It has to be all or nothing.

It felt gross typing that, honestly. Just flat out nasty. How is that so? Well, for one, in a normal year there would be more of a chance to write and talk about the NASCAR Playoffs, who is in and who is out, who looks the strongest, so on and so on. But instead, we still have to talk about ideological issues in the sport of NASCAR.

When Bubba Wallace began speaking up as a person of color, it set in motion the greatest paradigm shift in a sport that has received years of flak for being predominantly white and predominantly male. Wallace saw his chance to use his platform as a person of color to help push awareness of the systemic racism which plagues America. Of course; he’s a human being who has been vocal on what it’s like to be profiled as a black person in America. This in the face of a constant stream of brutality and racism, and the fact that he put his best foot forward did not go unnoticed.

While it brought eyes onto the sport in a positive manner, it also disrupted and angered those who just wanted to keep to the status quo. Due to that, the anger came pouring in. Go on Facebook or Twitter on any NASCAR account and there’s undoubtedly going to be countless posters quick to swipe at Wallace for “bringing politics into NASCAR” and denouncing Wallace following Talladega where his team found that the pull chord to the door at his garage stall was fashioned into a noose even if the topic has nothing to do with Wallace.

Somehow, these are people who believe that the ethical treatment of black people and the call to admonish acts of racism and unwarranted police brutality is somehow “political.” That in itself is a thought process that takes Olympic-level mental gymnastics. These are people who say they aren’t racist because they have “one black friend,” yet they are quick to downplay the plight of a black man or woman because they’ve never experienced that plight themselves. Even if they truly aren’t racist, they’re still operating on an unconscious bias and that’s not okay.

Please explain how any of the above is political, then explain why it’s okay for GoFas Racing to run a Trump 2020 car or Tim Viens to make an appearance in a Trump 2020 rap video (WARNING: High cringe factor). Explain why it’s okay that the Daytona 500 this year was briefly turned into a Trump rally? That’s politics, isn’t it? The president of the United States isn’t a God or a King, but just another man employed as a politician, right? If the leap can be made to explain why Trump making appearances in 2020 is okay while Bubba Wallace becoming a BLM advocate isn’t, well, the comment section is below.

We live in a divided time, and suffice to say, we need to be united. Calling for violence against those with differing political ideologies isn’t a uniting tactic. Blaming the problems that we’re facing as a country on those with differing political ideologies isn’t a uniting tactic. In all honesty that only adds to the problem. One look at all the cries of violence toward those of a different skin color or religion or creed on social media is all the proof you need.

Instead, taking a stand to speak out on the injustices made on fellow Americans and calling for a change isn’t a political matter. Therefore, it is a uniting matter. Becoming an ally, a voice for the voiceless, that’s a humanitarian thing. That’s base human ethics. Just because a politician condemns it to their base doesn’t make it any less so. How is that? Well, simple. Politicians are humans just like the rest of us.

When it comes down to it, it isn’t human or ethical or Christ-like to demean a human being because of their skin color. It’s a political thing, sure, depending on the politician in question. In that case, wouldn’t it be prudent to remove all mention of that politician from the sport if “politics in NASCAR” is truly ruining the sport? In a word, yes. But is it going to happen? No, because teams are privately owned and the choice to run a political campaign on a car or a politically aligned affiliation such as the National Rifle Association is really up to the team owner.

So if it’s okay for the owners to run a politically based scheme on their teams, it’d make sense for another team to endorse a humanitarian scheme if it’s something they truly back, right? Right. There are those on social media who think Richard Petty and company need to fire Wallace; they don’t realize that when the racism in the garage was more blatant and prevalent, Petty was one of Wendell Scott’s biggest advocates. This is the same Scott who is the only black man in the NASCAR Hall of Fame, in case there’s any questions. Petty has seen what hate looks like and has stared down inequality through the years in the NASCAR garage; few people in NASCAR are as qualified to speak on it as Petty. So if Petty thinks the case in legitimate when it comes to Wallace, it probably is.

I’d like to get back to writing about how Wallace’s quiet consistency on the track is netting him a career-high season so far, and I’d love to get back to discussing the merits of the 2020 Silly Season. I’d love to talk about my newfound love of the FIA Formula E series. But as long as ignorant people continue to take ignorant stances and whitewash the inequality problem we have as Americans, and as long as people continue to assert that some people shouldn’t have basic rights including the right to be treated with dignity, then it looks like it’ll continue to be a topic to be written on. Inequality and divisiveness aren’t going to go away just by being ignored. For that matter, they’re not going to even be tolerated. Nobody has the right to dehumanize anyone else.

In closing, you say you want politics out of NASCAR? Then take the stand and make the moves to take politicians out of NASCAR. Ethical matters aren’t political matters.

August 28, 2020
Bowyer and Truex to move into 15th place on all-time Cup consecutive starts list at Daytona

A unique milestone is in the making for Clint Bowyer and Martin Truex Jr., former NASCAR Xfinity Series champions and current Cup Series competitors, approaching this weekend’s regular-season finale at Daytona International Speedway. By the time both Cup veterans complete this Saturday’s event at Daytona, both will surpass former NASCAR veteran Kasey Kahne and move into a tie with one another in 15th place on the all-time Cup consecutive starts list with 530 consecutive starts.

For Bowyer, his current streak of 529 consecutive starts in NASCAR’s premier series spans all the way back to the 2006 Daytona 500 in February. By then, Bowyer was prepared to run his first full-time season in the Cup Series and in the No. 07 Jack Daniel’s Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing with support from crew chief Gil Martin. In addition, he had made one previous start in the Cup Series at Phoenix in April 2005, where he started 25th and finished 22nd in RCR’s No. 33 Chevrolet.

From 2006 to 2008, Bowyer made 108 consecutive starts in the No. 07 Chevrolet for RCR, where he earned his first two Cup career victories in 2007 and 2008. He also achieved two poles, 16 top-five results, 45 top-10 results and a best result of third place in the 2007 standings.

From 2009 to 2011, he remained at RCR, but assumed driving responsibilities of the No. 33 General Mills/BB&T Chevrolet led by crew chief Shane Wilson. During his three seasons in the No. 33 car (108 consecutive races), Bowyer achieved three wins, 15 top-five results and 50 top-10 results. His best result in the final standings while driving RCR’s No. 33 car was 10th place in 2010.

From 2012 to 2015, Bowyer changed gears as he moved to Michael Waltrip Racing to pilot the No. 15 5-Hour Energy Toyota Camry led by Brian Pattie. During his four-year run with MWR (144 consecutive races), Bowyer achieved three victories, 27 top-five results and 69 top-10 results with a best result in the final standings being second place in 2012. Following the closure of MWR, Bowyer spent one season racing with HScott Motorsports, where he only achieved three top-10 results and concluded the 2016 Cup season in 27th place in the final standings.

Since 2017, Bowyer drives the No. 14 Rush Truck Centers/Mobil 1/PEAK/Haas Automation/One Cure Ford for Stewart-Haas Racing. From 2017 to 2019, where he worked with crew chief Mike Bugarewicz and made 108 consecutive starts, he achieved two wins, one pole, 22 top-five results and 47 top-10 results. His best result in the final standings during the three seasons he drove SHR’s No. 14 car was ninth place in 2019.

This season, through the first 25 Cup races and his first season with crew chief Johnny Klausmeier, Bowyer has achieved three stage wins, two top-five results and seven top-10 results. He is currently in 11th place in the regular-season standings and with a 57-point cushion above the top-16 cutline in the standings, he can secure a spot for the 2020 Cup Playoffs should he notch three or more points at Daytona.

Ironically, Truex’s current streak of 529 consecutive starts in the Cup Series also spans back to the 2006 Daytona 500 when he entered the season as a full-time Cup Rookie-of-the-Year candidate and in the No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet for Dale Earnhardt Inc. with support from crew chief Kevin “Bono” Manion. By then, he made a total of nine previous Cup starts in DEI’s No. 1 Chevrolet in 2004 and 2005.

From 2006 to 2009, Truex made 144 consecutive starts in DEI’s No. 1 Chevrolet. During his four-year run, he earned his first career win and notched three poles. In addition, he recorded 13 top-five results and 36 top-10 results. His best result in the standings during the four seasons with DEI was 11th place in 2007.

From 2010 to 2013, Truex competed in 144 consecutive races in the No. 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota Camry for Michael Waltrip Racing, first with Pat Tryson before Chad Johnston came on board midway in 2011. During his four-year run with MWR, Truex achieved one win along with three poles, 18 top-five results, 53 top-10 results and a best result in the standings of 11th place in 2012.

After departing MWR due to sponsorship issues, Truex joined Furniture Row Racing to drive the No. 78 Furniture Row car in 2014, first with Todd Berrier before Canadian Cole Pearn was assigned crew chief in 2015. From 2014 to 2018 (180 consecutive races), Truex’s career skyrocketed as he notched 17 wins, 12 poles, 56 top-five results and 91 top-10 results. In 2017, Truex won his first NASCAR Cup Series championship with Pearn after winning the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He also finished second and fourth in the final standings in 2018 and 2015.

Since 2019 and after Furniture Row Racing ceased operations following the 2018 season due to a lack of funding and sponsorship, Truex has been driving the No. 19 Bass Pro Shops/Auto-Owners Insurance/SiriusXM Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing. Last season, Truex won seven races and recorded 15 top-five results and 24 top-10 results throughout the 36-race schedule before he concluded the season as the championship runner up in the final standings behind teammate Kyle Busch.

This season, through the first 25 Cup races and his first season with new crew chief James Small following Pearn’s departure from NASCAR, Truex has won once and has also recorded two stage wins, 10 top-five results and 16 top-10 results. He is ranked in fourth place in the regular-season standings. Compared to Bowyer, Truex is one of 10 competitors that have already clinched a spot in the 2020 Cup Playoffs based on winning throughout the regular season.

In addition to Kasey Kahne (529 consecutive starts), both Bowyer and Truex surpassed Richard Petty (513) and Tony Stewart (521) on the all-time consecutive starts list in the Cup circuit earlier this season. They also hold the second longest active streak in consecutive starts of the current Cup field behind Kevin Harvick, who just completed his 665th consecutive start and surpassed Jimmie Johnson to move into the top five in the all-time starts list.

Catch Bowyer and Truex’s milestone start at Daytona on August 29 at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

August 27, 2020