Sam Mayer capitalized on Ty Gibbs’s misfortune to take home his second ARCA Menards East Series victory of the 2020 season. Gibbs’s misfortune came with 15 to go when he made hard contact with the wall off Turn 2 after what appeared to be a right-front tire go down. Despite Gibbs’ issue, Wisconsin native, Mayer, had already grabbed the lead with less than 25 to go and came home with the victory.
“I got a really, really good restart and I don’t think he (Ty Gibbs) expected me too,” Mayer said. “We got a really good restart and was able to get inside of him, and he took the air off my door. You know, if you’re the leader, you have the right to do that because you want to keep the lead obviously. You expect to get a good restart, but when you don’t, you have to fight for it.”
“I understand that and I ended up giving it right back to him. I packed his air under his spoiler and he (Gibbs) got a little bit loose, he was able to gather it up and I let him go because I got a little bit tight under him. So, it was pretty much a whole aerodynamic mess under that restart. It was a lot of fun though. That’s how I ended up getting by Ty (Gibbs) is packing the air under his spoiler and getting loose, side draft him and clear myself into (Turn) 1. It was a really good car, I can’t thank GMS Racing enough.”
The General Tire 125 from Dover International Speedway consisted of three segment breaks. The first came on Lap 35, the second on Lap 70, and the checkered flag on Lap 125.
Through the first two segments, there were some drivers who were off the pace. Rookie of the Year contender, Nick Sanchez, had his motor expire and he had to leave the race early. Sanchez was credited with a 16th place finish. One other competitor who was off the pace as well was Justin S. Carroll in the No. 91 Toyota. Carroll went behind the wall on Lap 26 and would not return. The Virginia native ended up placing 14th in the final results.
Meanwhile, with Gibbs out front and checking out, there was some intense action between Venturini Motorsports teammates, Drew Dollar and Mason Diaz. The two drivers were racing each other hard and both nearly crashed off Turn 4 at one point. Thankfully, both would keep on racing for position.
Loose continued to be the word of the day in the General Tire 125. Multiple drivers such as Taylor Gray and race winner Sam Mayer were loose early on. Unfortunately for Gray, he fought an ill-handling car and fell off the pace. Gray hit the wall a couple of times off Turn 4, ruining a good finish as the DGR-Crosley driver came home ninth, the last car on the lead lap.
After the two segments were completed through Lap 70, the action really picked up when the third and final segment got underway.
Mayer and Gibbs got loose on Lap 76 in Turns 1 and 2 which almost made them both wreck and take each other out of contention. During that moment, Mayer received some slight damage from contact with Gibbs’s left-rear quarter panel. Gibbs was able to keep on racing and so did Mayer, but Mayer regrouped and passed Gibbs for the lead with 20 to go.
Just a few laps later, Gibbs’s accident occurred which prompted ARCA Menards Series officials to display the red flag for clean up. Fortunately for Gibbs, he was unhurt after his hard hit with the wall.
An 11-lap dash to the finish ensued but no one proved to be a match for Mayer as he scored the checkered flag.
While Mayer enjoyed his victory, DGR-Crosley team owner David Gilliland, made a special cameo appearance driving in his own No. 54 Ford. Gilliland brought his car home to a second-place finish.
“We came up a little bit short,” Gilliland said. “Sam (Mayer) and those No. 21 guys had a heck of a race car. It was a lot of fun to get back in and race in the ARCA Menards Series. Obviously, I am a huge supporter of it (the series) on the ownership side. I watched my son (Todd Gilliland) raced in it. But, this is my first one (race). We had a fast Ford, just came up a little bit short.”
There were three cautions for 10 laps and one lead change among two different leaders.
Official Results following the General Tire 125.
Sam Mayer, led 21 laps
David Gilliland
Mason Diaz
Max McLaughlin
Drew Dollar
Corey Heim
Parker Retzlaff
Chase Cabre
Taylor Gray
Chuck Buchanan JR, 9 laps down
Kyle Sieg, 9 laps down
Ty Gibbs, OUT, Accident
Ed Pompa, 59 laps down
Justin S. Carroll, OUT, Mechanical
Tommy Vigh Jr, OUT, Electrical
Nick Sanchez, OUT, Mechanical
Joe Graf Jr, OUT, Mechanical
Sam Mayer leads Ty Gibbs by 13 points in the championship points standings.
Up Next: The ARCA Menards East Series will visit New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Saturday, September 12 for Round No. 4 of the 2020 season.
More than a month after featuring select fans in attendance for NASCAR’s annual exhibition event, Bristol Motor Speedway will open its facilities and grandstands to allow fans to return in attendance for the upcoming NASCAR Xfinity and Cup Series races on September 18-19.
The Xfinity and Cup Series are slated to return to Bristol Motor Speedway on September 18 and 19 as part of a quadruple-header week of racing that also involves the Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series and the ARCA Menards Series. The Xfinity Series event on September 18, the Food City 300, will occur at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN with the race serving as the final regular-season event of the season, where the 12-car Xfinity Playoff field will be determined. The Cup Series event on September 19, the Bass Pro Shops Night Race, will occur at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN with the event serving as the third and final Round of 16 event during the 2020 Cup Playoffs.
“We are thrilled that fans will be joining us this September for both the Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race and Food City 300,” said Jerry Caldwell, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Bristol Motor Speedway, said. “We realize hosting major events here with fans during these unprecedented times comes with great responsibility. We anticipate a similar crowd size to July’s NASCAR All-Star Race for Saturday’s event and we will reduce capacity further for Friday night’s race. We will continue to be steadfast in our execution of our protocols and modified procedures to ensure these events are as safe as possible for everyone involved.”
Bristol Motor Speedway officials noted that all fans who attend the events in September are required to wear a face covering/mask in common areas (gates, concessions, restrooms and concourse areas) and will have their temperatures checked upon entering the facility. In addition, all ticketing transactions will be conducted digitally to reduce touch points, enhanced cleaning/sanitation will be provided in highly public areas, hand sanitizers will be provided for the fans throughout the track’s facility and the fans will be encouraged to wear masks upon exiting the facility when the races are concluded. Social distancing will be in effect and encouraged for all fans upon entering the grandstand seats, but all spectators who are inside the facility are permitted to remove their masks after arriving in their grandstands seats while socially distancing oneself from others.
“The opportunity to safely welcome back a limited number of guests for the first-ever NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race in Bristol Motor Speedway history is certainly a privilege that our team doesn’t take for granted,” Caldwell added. “Our extensive plan that we used successfully in July during the NASCAR All-Star Race, which has been utilized as a blueprint recently by other sports leagues in their planning to conduct live events, definitely meets or exceeds all recommended state and local guidelines. We remain in constant communication with local and state leaders and NASCAR about our safety plan and we’ll continue to carefully work with them to ensure we’re doing everything we can to keep our customers, participants, employees and surrounding communities safe.”
Exact attendance figures for the races will vary based on group sizes and keeping fans socially distanced from one another. Bristol Motor Speedway noted that masks will provided for fans, if needed. Fans will also be permitted to bring one clear bag (14x14x14) with food and beverages, but no coolers. The fans will also have options to park freely at Speedway Parking near the corner of White Top Road and Highway 394 or opt for paid parking at neighboring properties, but shuttles and trams will not operate during the events.
This marks the second time this season where Bristol Motor Speedway will allow fans to attend a NASCAR event. On July 15, the 36th running of the NASCAR All-Star Race occurred at Bristol Motor Speedway after the event was moved earlier to Bristol from Charlotte Motor Speedway due to an increase in COVID-19 cases in North Carolina and to allow fans to attend the event. Approximately 20,000 fans were in attendance throughout Bristol Motor Speedway’s grandstands, starting from the NASCAR All-Star Open to the All-Star Race occurring under the lights and when Chase Elliott notched his first All-Star victory, which made this the biggest crowd attendance since the COVID-19 pandemic paused all sporting events throughout the United States of America.
The NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series and ARCA Menards Series races at Bristol, both to occur on September 17, will proceed with no fans in attendance.
Richmond Raceway will not have fans in attendance when NASCAR competes in Richmond, Virginia, on September 10-12 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and following further review and consideration with public health officials, medical experts and state/federal officials. The decision comes as NASCAR and Richmond elected to ensure the safety of the competitors, staff and the local community.
“This was a difficult decision, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic we believe at this time it is in the best interests of the local community to host races without fans,” said Richmond Raceway President Dennis Bickmeier. “We are grateful for the patience and support of our long-time loyal fans in this unprecedented season, but we will unite over race weekend as we tune in to the national broadcasts on NBCSN, FS1, and MRN to watch NASCAR’s best compete in four races over three days at America’s Premier Short Track.”
Prior to the 2020 season, NASCAR was slated to run four national division series races (Truck, Xfinity and Cup), with the Truck and Cup to run a doubleheader weekend on April 18-19 before the Xfinity and Cup Series competes on a doubleheader weekend on September 11-12. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however, NASCAR was forced to rescheduled its racing events for March and beyond in an effort to complete the season by early November.
On August 6, when NASCAR released the final installment of its racing schedule for its three national division series, Richmond was revealed to host a quadruple-header weekend in September. It will all begin on Thursday, September 10, when the Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series makes its return to Richmond since 2005. The following day on Friday, September 11, the Xfinity Series will race at Richmond, which will serve as the 24th series event of the season. The quadruple-header weekend of racing will cap off on September 12 with the Xfinity and Cup Series to compete throughout Saturday.
The Truck Series Richmond event on September 10 will serve as the final regular-season race of this season, where the 10-Truck Playoff field will be determined. The Xfinity Series doubleheader races at Richmond will serve as the penultimate regular-season events of the season prior to the Playoffs. In addition, the Xfinity event at Richmond on September 12 replaces the Xfinity race at Michigan International Speedway that was originally slated to occur in early June. Finally, the lone Cup Series event at Richmond on September 12 will serve as the second Round of 16 race during the Playoffs.
Ticketholders for the Richmond Cup Series race and the Xfinity Series races will automatically receive a credit for the full amount of their purchase, along with an additional 20% of the total amount paid, in their ticket account by Friday, August 28. The 120% event credit can be used to apply towards future race events, including, but not limited to, a 2021 Cup Series race weekend at Richmond or another 2021 NASCAR sanctioned event at any NASCAR-owned tracks, subject to availability. For additional details or other options, fans can visit richmondraceway.com/assistance.
The NASCAR Truck Series race at Richmond on September 10 will air at 8 p.m. ET on FS1 while the first Xfinity Series race at Richmond on September 11 will air at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN. On September 12, the second Xfinity race will air at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN while the Cup Playoff race will air at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN. All races will also air on the Motor Racing Network (MRN) and its network of nationwide affiliates, including SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
A unique milestone is in the making for Ty Dillon entering this weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series doubleheader races at Dover International Speedway on August 22 and 23. By the time Dillon completes both Cup races at Dover, he will reach and surpass 150 starts in NASCAR’s premier series.
A native of Lewisville, North Carolina, the grandson of championship team owner Richard Childress and the younger brother of the 2018 Daytona 500 champion Austin Dillon, Ty Dillon was already a rising star in NASCAR, having won the 2011 ARCA championship, three Truck Series career races, the 2012 Truck Rookie-of-the-Year title and his first Xfinity Series career victory at Indianapolis Motor Speedway when he made his Cup debut at Atlanta Motor Speedway in August 2014. Driving the No. 33 Realtree/Rheem Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing and led by the late Nick Harrison, Dillon started 29th and finished 25th in his series debut. He competed in one additional Cup race at Phoenix in November, where he finished 27th, before he went on to conclude his first full-time stint in the Xfinity Series in fifth place in the final standings.
The following season, Dillon qualified for his first Daytona 500 start in February after finishing 16th in the first Duel qualifying race at Daytona and earning a final transfer spot to the main event. Starting 31st, Dillon finished 28th in his first 500 attempt. He competed in four additional Cup races throughout the 2015 season while he competed on a full-time basis in the Xfinity Series for RCR. His best result during his four-race Cup span was a 14th-place result at Michigan International Speedway in June. He went on to conclude the 2015 Xfinity Series season in a career-best third place in the final standings.
In 2016, Dillon returned as a full-time Xfinity Series for RCR and a part-time Cup Series competitor for two organizations. His first start of the season was the Daytona 500, where he finished 25th while driving the No. 95 Cheerios/Kroger Chevrolet for Leavine Family Racing. The following race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Dillon served as an interim competitor for three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart, who was recovering from injuries from a dune buggy accident in January and was able to compete in the opening races of the 2016 season. Driving the No. 14 Bass Pro Shops/Mobil 1 Chevrolet for Stewart-Haas Racing in three races, Dillon recorded finishes of 17th, 15th and 25th at Atlanta, Phoenix and at Bristol. He also relieved for Stewart for the remainder of the Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway in May, where he finished sixth despite the points being awarded to Stewart since Stewart started the race. He also made six additional starts in Leavine Family Racing’s No. 95 Chevrolet. His best results were 20th-place at Texas in April and 21st at Pocono in June.
Following three full-time seasons in the Xfinity Series, Dillon was promoted to the Cup Series in 2017 and as driver of the No. 13 GEICO Chevrolet for Germain Racing led by crew chief Robert “Bootie” Barker. In Dillon’s first full-time season in the Cup Series as a rookie candidate, he recorded eight top-15 results, 40 laps led and an average result of 20.7 as he concluded the season in 24th place in the final standings, third place in the rookie standings behind Erik Jones and Daniel Suarez. His best results throughout the season were a pair of 11th-place results at Talladega in October and at Phoenix in November.
In 2018, Dillon remained with Germain Racing and was paired with veteran crew chief Matt Borland. In July at Daytona International Speedway, Dillon achieved his first top-10 career result in the Cup Series after finishing in sixth place. Throughout his sophomore season in the Cup circuit, Dillon recorded four additional top-15 results. When the season concluded, his average result was 24.1 and he concluded the season in 27th place in the final standings.
Dillon started the 2019 Cup season by finishing in sixth place in the Daytona 500 in February. After finishing no higher than 15th over the next six races, he finished 15th at Bristol in April after winning the first stage in a photo finish over Clint Bowyer. Two races later, at Talladega in April 2019, Dillon made his 100th Cup career start. During the main event, he won the first stage and finished in 17th place. In July at Daytona International Speedway, he achieved his first top-five career finish (fourth place) in a rain-shortened event. For the remainder of the season, Dillon achieved one additional top-10 result and four additional top-15 results before he concluded the season in 24th place in the final standings. He earned an average result of 20.6 and led 14 laps throughout his junior season in the Cup Series.
This season, through the first 23 Cup races, Dillon has achieved one top-10 result, five top-15 results and an average result of 22.3. He is in 27th place in the regular-season standings and is 235 points below the top-16 cutline to make this year’s Cup Playoffs with three regular-season races remaining.
Catch Dillon’s milestone start at Dover International Speedway on August 22 at 4 p.m. ET on NBCSN.
In this edition of ‘First Seasons” Speedway Media caught up with NHRA driver, Ron Capps, who ranks second on the all-time wins list in the Funny Car division.
During the interview, the Don Schumacher Racing driver reflected on his first season in NHRA, which occurred in 1995 when Capps drove a Top Fuel dragster on a part-time basis for the legendary Roger Primm. During the interview, the San Luis Obispo, California native details his first victory, why it put him on the map, and what, if anything, he wishes he could have done differently.
SM: You began racing Top Fuel in 1995 for Roger Primm 25 years ago at the age of 30. What was it like making your debut in NHRA during that time period as well as getting connected with Primm who gave you that opportunity?
RC: “For me, I grew up as a crew member working on them (Top Fuel dragsters),” Capps said. “You know, always wanting to drive, but obviously, I didn’t have wealthy parents or anyone I could go to for sponsorship to try and get a ride. So, I had to sort of wait and hope to get a chance, which was hard to come by at that time.”
“The fact I worked on them, it drew the attention of Roger (Primm, Team Owner), but more importantly, his crew chief who took a liking to me. That was basically my chance to get my (NHRA) license. When I was first asked to get my license, that’s just a small step. It’s not a guaranteeing (you a ride). So for me working on them, being a crew member on the road, driving the truck, I think that all really helped my learning curve.”
“So, I remember getting a phone call from Roger, he had narrowed his list down to 20 drivers that were very experienced and big-name drivers. I didn’t think I had a shot at it (driving for Roger), but as the list got smaller, my name kept popping up. To get that phone call was definitely a dream come true.”
SM: At 30-years-old in your first season, did you feel as though it was the right time to break into the sport? Most drivers start at a much younger age.
RC: “That was the other thing,” he said about wanting to race in NHRA. “I had kind of been around a little bit and I got a late start (on racing). I don’t think my path would have happened if it was one small little thing changed for something I did or didn’t do. It was almost, I couldn’t think I would do it again (my career) if I wanted to growing up. Things happen for a reason.”
“I was a crew member and I had just married my wife. I was traveling around a little bit, but I wanted to go on the road and hit all the races one time in my life. She allowed me to do that in our first year of marriage. That sort of gave me a chance where I met that crew chief and gave me a shot of getting my license. To be honest with you, I felt like I was 18–years-old (despite being 30). Being on the road traveling and driving a Top Fuel dragster, and going to races like Atlanta and Indianapolis, places I read about growing up as a kid.”
“You know, my dad drove when I was a kid, but he never did it (NHRA) professionally. Going to every race with my dad as a kid just as a hobby, I never in my imagination would drive for Don ‘The Snake’ Prudhomme who was one of my ultimate heroes growing up. So, I didn’t feel 30 (years old), I just felt like a rookie.
Photo Courtesy of Don Schumacher Racing
SM: While entering the ‘95 season, do you remember having any high expectations for that year? Was a win on your radar considering your rookie status? What were your expectations as the season began and did those expectations change as the season progressed?
RC: “I think for sure, we exceeded our expectations,” Capps said about his rookie season. “Our rookie year, we didn’t have full-time crew members. We had a few of them, but a lot of them were fly in guys. People who had regular jobs. We were a part-time team, but one of the reasons Roger hired me was because he wanted to get a sponsor.”
“His family was involved in casinos, so we had money from his family, but he wanted to get a legitimate sponsor. So, he wanted to use me in the car, to sort of be a marketability part of it. We didn’t hit every race but ventured out to the east coast because we talked to NCI, which was a huge telephone communications business back then. And at the time, we were only going to hit four or five races.”
“Well next thing you know, we go to Atlanta, and we’re in the final round as a rookie in an unsponsored car and I’m up against a McDonald’s car in the final round of the Southern Nationals. That just doesn’t happen as a rookie, especially for a team that wasn’t funded. That put us on the radar. We were just lucky to qualify for these races. That was our goal, not to tear anything up. Then later that year, I ended up winning the Seattle race. Low and behold, we beat that McDonald’s car that beat us in Atlanta. So, yes, we exceeded our expectations by miles.”
SM: You made your NHRA debut at Phoenix in ‘95. 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? What did you do to prepare for your debut?
RC: “We were supposed to start at the Winternationals in Pomona, California, two weeks before that (Phoenix), as that was the second of the race of the season,” Capps said. I was bummed we missed our first race, but I understood the owner didn’t want to rush things.”
“The Phoenix race was our initial debut. Yeah, I was a nervous wreck. In fact, I still hadn’t driven the car under power and kept my foot down to the finish line because I wasn’t quite used to the massive amounts of g-force and speed. In addition, we didn’t have a lot of parts, so I was trying to be careful. I knew if I went out there, didn’t pay attention, and blew it up, that would mean we didn’t get to go to some races back east.”
“On top of that, we qualified and I had Joe Amato, who at the time was ‘Mr. Top Fuel.’ He had won everything, set every record, and that’s who we ended up racing in the first round and I ended up beating him. That ended up being a fantastic start.”
SM: Later on that season, you achieved your first win at Seattle. What does that victory still mean to you to this day and have you ever had a chance to go back and watch that specific victory? Do you feel like the victory put you on the map in the NHRA world?
RC: “Oh yeah, without a doubt,” he said regarding the Seattle victory putting him on the NHRA map. “That caught the eye of John Force, who at the time wanted to hire me to be his team driver, which didn’t end up happening. However, what entailed was the fact of John Force started talking about me and put me in a Funny Car. All that talk with the media, all the magazines, it drew the attention of Don ‘The Snake’ Prudhomme.”
“I think his ears (Prudhomme) perked up and he heard Force talking about me. So, Prudhomme started watching me a little bit. Obviously, he was the one I went to go work for, and Force hired Tony Pedregon. But in reality, all things worked out in the long run. I was driving for one of my heroes.”
“But yes, that win at Seattle put me on the map for sure to what we were doing as a part-time team. The firesuit I had on was a plain white suit and the patches were sewed by my mom. I didn’t have a sponsor. I borrowed money from my mom and dad because I couldn’t afford to buy one (firesuit) when I first started. So, I still look back to this day about that race.”
Photo Courtesy of Don Schumacher Racing
SM: Was there ever any point in the season you and Primm felt you were capable of winning races?
RC: “The Southern Nationals event in Atlanta, several months before that, definitely showed we could (make it to the finals), without having all the parts, we showed we could consistently put pressure on other teams and getting to that final round was huge,” he said.
“The Atlanta race was in May back then and the Seattle race in July. One of the biggest things about getting to the final round of Atlanta was most of our races were on TNN (The Nashville Network, a cable channel that broadcast races). There were only four or five races that were put on ABC and that was one of them, the Atlanta race. You couldn’t have picked a better race.”
“When the race came out a couple of weeks later and they (TNN) aired it, the amount of coverage it (race) got was 10 times bigger than any other race. That race was a huge race to show what we did.”
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 about your rookie season in either Top Fuel or Funny Car? If so, what memory sticks out the most?
RC: “One thing that people forget, when Don Prudhomme hired me in ’97 my rookie year in Top Fuel to drive the Cophenhagen car, we didn’t qualify or race on Sunday (Winternationals) which was a huge blunder,” Capps said. “That also marked Chevrolet’s first appearance in drag racing. So a lot of people forget that. (Not qualifying) was humbling for sure.”
SM: Did you ever think when you came into this sport in ’95 that you would have championships, multiple race wins, and have the second most race victories?
RC: “No, not even,” he said about his success. “I only dreamed about having one Wally (NHRA’s trophy). And now, we just won our 65th, which is crazy. At that time, I was just happy with racing.”
SM: Some racers have a memorabilia collection and some don’t. Are you a guy that collects your own merchandise? If so, what do you have in your collection that reminds you of your rookie season?
RC: ” I do have a collection,” he said. “I normally wouldn’t of, but my parents and my wife’s parents make sure to collect stuff which is cool because through all of this COVID stuff our front room in our house is full of stuff for what fans have given me, what we kept.”
“The pictures I have of my rookie year, especially the one in Seattle of me holding the trophy up in the winner circle with the firesuit and no sponsors on it. That race was run on a Tuesday because it rained on Sunday. My wife and the team owner both flew back home. I beat Kenny Bernstein on Monday, but it rained right after that round. Not only we won the race, but we did it on a Tuesday. So that’s probably one of the crazier stories.”
SM: Wrapping it up, it’s been 25 years since your first season in NHRA. What would a 55-year-old Ron Capps tell a 30-year-old Ron Capps, if you had the ability to time travel? Is there anything you would do differently?
RC: “I don’t know if I would want to tell my younger self anything,” Capps said. “I think things have worked out well. Probably. if more than anything, relish the kids when they’re younger because you travel so much, and I had missed so much. I would love to have them back at a younger age. I sort of took it for granted early on of winning races, taking pictures with my kids in the winner circle. I would definitely relish those moments a little bit more.”
A significant milestone is in the making for Kevin Harvick approaching this weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series doubleheader races at Dover International Speedway. By the time the Cup Series completes both Dover races on August 22 and 23, Harvick will move into fifth place on the all-time consecutive starts list with 665 consecutive starts.
Harvick’s previous 663 consecutive starts spans all the way back to April 2002 at Talladega Superspeedway, where he returned from a one-race suspension following an on-track altercation with Coy Gibbs in the NASCAR Truck Series at Martinsville Speedway. From April 2002 at Talladega to November 2013 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, he made 424 consecutive starts in the No. 29 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing. During his consecutive streak span with RCR, Harvick achieved 21 victories, six poles, 93 top-five results, 192 top-10 results and over 4,000 laps led. His best points result during his time with RCR was third place, which he achieved in 2010, 2011 and 2013.
From February 2014 at Daytona International Speedway through August 2020 at the Daytona International Speedway Road Course, Harvick’s streak of consecutive starts continued when he made the move to Stewart-Haas Racing to drive the No. 4 car. Through 239 consecutive starts with SHR, Harvick achieved 32 victories, 26 poles, 121 top-five results, 172 top-10 results and over 10,000 laps led. In 2014, Harvick captured his first NASCAR Cup Series championship in his first season with SHR after winning the finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November.
Following the first 23 Cup races of this season, where Harvick has won six races and is the current regular-season points leader, he is tied with seven-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson with 663 consecutive starts. In addition to surpassing Johnson and moving into the top five in the all-time Cup consecutive starts list, Harvick is the leading active Cup competitor with the most consecutive starts among the current Cup field. Johnson’s streak came to an end in July when he tested positive for COVID-19 symptoms and was unable to compete at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a race that was ironically won by Harvick.
With Harvick set to achieve 665 consecutive starts following this weekend, he continues to trail Jeff Gordon (797), Ricky Rudd (788), Bobby Labonte (704) and Rusty Wallace (697) for the most consecutive starts as a Cup Series competitor.
Catch Harvick’s milestone starts at Dover International Speedway on August 22 and 23, with both races to air at 4 p.m. ET on NBCSN.
A significant milestone is in the making for Adam Stevens, crew chief for Kyle Busch and the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry team in the NASCAR Cup Series. By the time the Cup Series completes its upcoming doubleheader races at Dover International Speedway on August 22 and 23, Stevens will reach 200 starts as a Cup crew chief.
A native of Portsmouth, Ohio, who raced in late models throughout high school and college, and whose father raced dune buggies and dirt late model cars, Stevens’ career in working with racing cars started off as a designer for Petty Enterprises after graduating from Ohio University with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. After working for Petty Enterprises for three seasons, he joined Joe Gibbs Racing and worked as a race engineer for Tony Stewart, crew chief Greg Zipadelli and the No. 20 Home Depot team. Stevens worked with Stewart from 2005 to 2008, winning the 2005 Cup title with Stewart, and continued working with JGR’s No. 20 Toyota team as a team engineer from 2009 and 2010 with Joey Logano.
In 2011, Joe Gibbs Racing fielded three cars for the Xfinity Series season and Stevens was named crew chief for the team’s No. 20 Toyota Camry team driven by a number of competitors, including Logano, Denny Hamlin and Ryan Truex. In April, Stevens achieved his first NASCAR win as a crew chief when Hamlin won at Richmond. From 2011 to 2014, Stevens won 31 NASCAR Xfinity Series career races as a crew chief with drivers Hamlin, Logano, Kyle Busch and Sam Hornish Jr. between the Nos. 18, 20 and 54 operations. During his four-year span as an Xfinity crew chief, Adams worked with 12 competitors.
In 2015, JGR underwent major changes to its driver-crew chief pairing for its Cup and Xfinity Series program. As part of the changes, Stevens graduated to the NASCAR Cup Series and was named crew chief for Kyle Busch and the No. 18 M&M’s Toyota Camry team. A day prior to the 2015 Daytona 500, however, Busch suffered a massive compound fracture in his lower right leg, a small fracture in his left foot and a sprained left finger after being involved in a multi-car wreck in the Xfinity Series season opener at Daytona International Speedway, where he made head-on contact into a concrete barrier installed with no SAFER barriers. As a result, with Busch out of the early portions of the season due to his injuries, Stevens worked with Matt Crafton, David Ragan and Erik Jones for the first 11 races of the season. In May, Busch was medically cleared to return behind the wheel of the No. 18 Toyota and was also granted an injury waiver to make the Playoffs if he won and gained enough points to remain within the top-30 mark by Richmond in September. Following his first four Cup races with Busch, Stevens achieved his first Cup victory as a crew chief when Busch won at Sonoma Raceway the following race.
Following the win at Sonoma, Busch and Adams stormed out of the gate as they won three consecutive races over the summer (Kentucky Speedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Indianapolis Motor Speedway). With five additional top-10 results to go along with four regular-season victories, Busch was able to earn enough points to make the Playoffs. Throughout the Playoffs, Busch was consistent and was able to earn a spot in the Championship Round at Homestead-Miami Speedway. During the finale, Busch took the lead on a late restart and was able to claim his first NASCAR Cup Series championship after winning the finale. The championship was not only the first for Busch, but it was also the fourth for Joe Gibbs Racing, the first for Toyota and the first for Adam Stevens in his rookie season as a Cup crew chief.
For the first 11 races of the 2016 Cup season, Busch and Adams won three races (Martinsville Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway and Kansas Speedway) and achieved nine top-five results. Following Busch’s victory at Kansas in May, however, the No. 18 team was issued a P3-level penalty as a result of an infraction with the No. 18 Toyota’s lug nuts discovered during post-race inspection. As a result, Stevens was fined $20,000 and suspended for one race along with front tire changer Josh Leslie while veteran Todd Berrier filled in as an interim crew chief. When Adams returned atop the pit box at Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Coca-Cola 600 in May, he and Busch achieved seven top-10 results and won at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the second year in a row as they both qualified for the Playoffs. Throughout the Playoffs, Busch was consistent as he earned eight top-10 results and made the Championship Round at Homestead with an opportunity to defend the title from the previous season. During the finale, however, Busch and Adams concluded the season in third place in the final standings after Busch finished in sixth place, five spots behind race winner and the champion Jimmie Johnson.
In 2017, Adams was atop the No. 18 pit box for 32 of the season’s 36-race schedule. In May, Adams and Busch captured the All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway and in Busch’s 12th attempt to win NASCAR’s annual event. In June, following the 12th race of the season at Dover, Stevens was suspended for the upcoming four races due to a safety violation, where a left-rear tire came off of Busch’s car and rolled on the track as Busch was exiting his pit stall and heading back on the track under cautious pace. This was a result of Busch’s car being dropped off the jack with no lug nuts being safely secured on the left-rear tire. Engineers Ben Beshore and Jacob Canter served as interim crew chiefs before Stevens returned atop the pit box at Kentucky Speedway in July. Three races later, Stevens and Kyle Busch achieved their first victory of the season at Pocono Raceway. The combo would win four more races, make the Playoffs and make it all the way through to the Championship Round at Homestead, where they settled in the runner-up spot behind Martin Truex Jr., crew chief Cole Pearn and Furniture Row Racing. By the time the 2017 concluded, Stevens surpassed 100 races as a Cup crew chief.
From 2018 to 2019, Stevens was atop the No. 18 pit box for the entire 36-race schedule. With Kyle Busch remaining as driver of the No. 18 Toyota, the combo achieved 13 wins, five poles, 39 top-five results, 56 top-10 results and back-to-back regular-season titles. In addition, Busch and Stevens claimed their second Cup championship in 2019 after winning the finale at Homestead and capping off a dominating season for Joe Gibbs Racing, which achieved its fifth Cup career title after winning 19 races throughout the 2019 season. By then, Adams also achieved his 27th Cup career win as a crew chief.
This season, through the first 23 Cup races of this season and in his sixth season as a Cup crew chief, Adams and Busch have earned one stage win, 10 top-five results, 12 top-10 results, 211 laps led and an average result of 15.1. With Busch still pursuing his first Cup victory of the season, they are in 10th place in the regular-season standings and are 100 points above the top-16 cutline to make this year’s Playoffs with three regular-season races remaining.
Catch Adams’ milestone start in the second Dover International Speedway race of a doubleheader weekend on August 23 at 4 p.m. ET on NBCSN.
A major milestone is in the making for Bubba Wallace, driver of the No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE and NASCAR’s current lone African-American competitor in the Cup Series. When the green flag waves on Saturday, August 22, at Dover International Speedway, Wallace will reach 100 starts in the sport’s premier series and in his third full-time season competing against NASCAR’s elite.
A native of Mobile, Alabama, Wallace was already a rising star in NASCAR entering June 2017, having won six ARCA Menards Series East races and five NASCAR Truck Series races while competing in his third season in the Xfinity Series with Roush Fenway Racing. By then, Aric Almirola was in his sixth season as driver of the No. 43 Smithfield Ford Fusion for Richard Petty Motorsports.
When Almirola was injured and diagnosed with a compression fracture of his T5 vertebrae after being involved in a vicious multi-car accident at Kansas Speedway in May, Richard Petty Motorsports named Wallace as an interim competitor of the No. 43 Smithfield Ford, beginning at Pocono Raceway in June. Wallace’s interim role at Pocono not only marked his Cup debut, but he also became the first African-American competitor to compete in the Cup Series since Bill Lester made the last accomplishment in 2006. At Pocono, Wallace qualified 16th and finished 26th in his Cup debut after being hampered with a handful of pit road speeding penalties. Following the race, where he congratulated his longtime friend, fellow competitor and first-time winner Ryan Blaney, Wallace passed out and required medical attention.
Wallace made three additional starts in 2017 in the No. 43 car at Michigan International Speedway in June, Daytona International Speedway and at Kentucky Speedway (both in July). His best results during those three races were a 15th-place result at Daytona and an 11th-place result at Kentucky. The following race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Almirola was medically cleared to return to competition and Wallace was left without a full-time ride for the remainder of the season after his Xfinity ride at Roush Fenway Racing was terminated due to sponsorship issues. He made one start in the Truck Series at Michigan in August, where he won driving for MDM Motorsports, and one additional start in the Xfinity Series at Chicagoland Speedway in September, where he finished 10th driving for Biagi-DenBeste Racing.
In mid-October, amid months of speculation, NASCAR Hall of Famer and team owner Richard Petty named Bubba Wallace as a full-time competitor of the No. 43 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for the 2018 NASCAR Cup Series season, which Wallace entered as a Rookie-of-the-Year candidate as he also became the first African-American competitor to compete on a full-time basis in the Cup Series since the late NASCAR Hall of Famer Wendell Scott made the last accomplishment in 1971.
Wallace made his first start in the No. 43 Chevrolet in the first of two Can-Am Duel races at Daytona International Speedway in February, where he dodged a handful of on-track incidents to finish in third place behind race winner Blaney and Joey Logano. Wallace’s third-place result in the duel event earned him the seventh-place starting spot for the 60th running of the Daytona 500 three days later. Prior to the 500, Wallace received support from a number of star athletes, including Super Bowl XLV champion Charles Woodson, Baseball Hall of Famer Hank Aaron and Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton. During the Daytona 500, Wallace made a late charge and edged Denny Hamlin by a nose to finish in second place behind race winner Austin Dillon. Though he did not win the race, he won the hearts of fans over his strong performance and he cherished the result during his post-race press conference by sharing a tearful hug with his mother and family. Wallace also became the highest-finishing African-American competitor in the Daytona 500, eclipsing the previous record made by Scott’s 13th-place result in 1966.
Following his historic run in the Daytona 500, Wallace finished no higher than 20th place in the next five Cup races before he earned his second top-10 career finish (eighth-place) at Texas Motor Speedway. The following race at Bristol Motor Speedway, Wallace had a historic run in the making when he took the lead from Brad Keselowski on Lap 375 of 500 and led his first six laps in the Cup Series and in a blue and orange No. 43 STP Chevrolet that mirrored the scheme Richard Petty sported when he dominated stock car racing in the past. Though Wallace was primed for a strong result at Bristol, he ended his race with a disappointing 16th-place finish following handling issues. For the remainder of his rookie Cup season, Wallace earned one additional top-10 result (10th at Phoenix) and was beaten by William Byron for the Rookie-of-the-Year title. Overall, Wallace earned one top-five result, three top-10 results and an average result of 24.5 throughout the 36-race schedule before he concluded the season in 28th place in the final standings.
Wallace started off the 2019 season with lead engineer Derek Stamets as his new crew chief following Blickensderfer’s departure from RPM to Front Row Motorsports. For the first 12 Cup races of the season, Wallace finished no higher than 17th place (Martinsville in March). The following race, which was the Monster Energy Open at Charlotte Motor Speedway, was where Wallace flexed his muscles after he fended off a late charge from Daniel Suarez to win the second of three stages in the Open and transfer to his first All-Star Race of his career. Wallace’s success continued during the main event, where he finished in fifth place. His other success to the 2019 season occurred at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where he dodged a series of carnages to finish in third place behind race winner Kevin Harvick and Logano. The third-place result marked his first top-five result since finishing second in the 2018 Daytona 500 and the second crown-jewel event where he earned a podium result. Wallace, however, recorded four additional top-15 results before he concluded the season in 28th place in the final standings and with an average result of 23.9.
This season, Wallace reunited with veteran crew chief Jerry Baxter, who won five Truck races with Wallace in 2013 and 2014 with Kyle Busch Motorsports. Wallace started off the season by finishing 15th in the Daytona 500. He rebounded the following race by finishing in sixth place at Las Vegas Motor Speedway after opting to remain on track on old tires for a two-lap shootout to the finish. He went on to finish 27th and 19th in the next two Cup races before COVID-19 paused this year’s racing season through May. By then, Wallace was in 18th place in the regular-season standings.
Since the return of racing at Darlington Raceway in May through last weekend at the Daytona International Speedway Road Course, Wallace has earned three additional top-10 results, seven additional top-15 results and an average result of 19.8. He is currently in 21st place in the regular-season standings and is 165 points below the top-16 cutline to make this year’s Cup Playoffs. He has yet to announce his racing plans for next season and beyond.
In addition to his competitiveness on the track, Wallace, this season, has become the face of NASCAR’s involvement in the Black Lives Matter movement and speaking out on the abuse of African Americans by the police. At Martinsville Speedway, he sported a special black scheme on his No. 43 Chevrolet that featured the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter and the phrase “Compassion, Love, Understanding.” Shortly after at Talladega Superspeedway, where a noose was discovered in Wallace’s garage stall, all the competitors and crew members joined Wallace to the front of the pit road in a show of solidarity through the national anthem and prior to the race. Despite the incident being determined that Wallace was not a target of a hate crime and the backlash that followed suit towards the competitor of the iconic No. 43 car, Wallace vows to continue to maintain his stance against his doubters and race towards history both on and off the track.
Catch Wallace’s milestone start on August 22 at Dover at 4 p.m. ET on NBCSN.
Chase Elliott will start on pole position in the first of two NASCAR Cup Series races at Dover International Speedway this upcoming weekend on Saturday, August 22.
The Dawsonville, Georgia, native, is coming off a historic win last weekend at the Daytona International Speedway Road Course, a victory which was his second of the season, eighth of his Cup career and made him the fifth multi-winner of this year’s season. In earning the pole position for Saturday’s race at Dover based on three statistical categories (owner points standings, results from a previous Cup race and fastest lap from a previous Cup race), he will lead the field to the green flag for the third time this season.
Denny Hamlin, who finished in the runner-up position behind Elliott at Daytona, will start alongside him on the front row. Martin Truex Jr., Clint Bowyer and Joey Logano will start in the top five. Jimmie Johnson, a 10-time Dover winner who will make his final two starts at the track this weekend, will start in sixth place followed by Brad Keselowski, William Byron, Kurt Busch and regular-season leader Kevin Harvick. Alex Bowman and Chris Buescher will start 11th and 12th.
Starting in positions 13-26 are Erik Jones, Matt DiBenedetto, Michael McDowell, rookie Tyler Reddick, Aric Almirola, rookie Christopher Bell, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ryan Blaney, rookie Cole Custer, Kyle Busch, Ryan Newman, Bubba Wallace, Ty Dillon and Matt Kenseth.
Starting in positions 27-40 are Ryan Preece, Daniel Suarez, Corey LaJoie, rookie Brennan Poole, rookie John Hunter Nemechek, Austin Dillon, Timmy Hill, J.J. Yeley, rookie Quin Houff, Reed Sorenson, Josh Bilicki, Joey Gase, Garrett Smithley and B.J. McLeod.
Though he is scheduled to start in 32nd place on Saturday, Austin Dillon continues to await his status and medical clearance to return to racing after missing last weekend’s race at Daytona due to being diagnosed with COVID-19 symptoms a day prior to the main event.
The results from Saturday will determine the lineup for the second Cup Dover race on Sunday, August 23, where only the top-20 finishers on Saturday will be inverted for Sunday’s race.
The first NASCAR Cup Series race at Dover this upcoming weekend will occur on August 22 at 4 p.m. ET on NBCSN. The second Cup race at Dover will occur the following day on August 23 at 4 p.m. ET on NBCSN, and it will cap off an eventful weekend of racing in Dover, Delaware, featuring the ARCA Menards Series East, the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series (which will also compete twice on Saturday and Sunday with the Cup Series).
