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Featured interviews from SpeedwayMedia.com

  • Getting To Know John Hunter Nemechek

    Getting To Know John Hunter Nemechek

    John Hunter Nemechek’s road to NASCAR has been an interesting one. The Mooresville, North Carolina driver is the son of two-time NASCAR XFINITY Series champion, Joe Nemechek.

    Before getting his first start in NASCAR, John became interested in racing through his dad and has been involved in the sport since then.

    “The first time I went to a racetrack I was two weeks old,” Nemechek said. “I’ve grown up around the sport and I always knew I wanted to race from a young age. I just didn’t know if it was cars, motocross, I had no idea what exactly I wanted to race. I always loved being around the racetrack with the guys and hearing the cars soar by, and hearing the motors run was definitely something special. I got my first go-cart when I was three-years-old and continued to progress from there and moved there from motocross.”

    “I played stick-and-ball sports as well,” he continued. “I always came back to racing and stock cars was where I came back to. The motocross thing was cool, but I enjoyed being in a closed-cockpit environment and having a lot of fun.”

    Growing up, there were a lot of special memories for Nemechek and it was an early one as well.

    “My first real stock car win,” he said. “Had quite a few quarter-midget wins and motocross wins. The Allison legacy win was probably my most special, just because Dad was there and normally he wasn’t able to be there when I was racing. So, it was neat to have him there for the first one (win).”

    Being part of a racing family, Nemechek was around with his dad at an early age.

    “It was a lot of fun,” he said. “Being able to grow up with Motor Racing Outreach, around the racetrack and the community, outside of the racecars, everyone is one big family in NASCAR. It was definitely an experience that I’m glad and blessed to have the opportunity to be able to grow up in Dad’s footsteps and see what he did each and every weekend. Now for myself to be there growing up with Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney, the guys that are racing in the cup series now. Hopefully, we’ll be there one day racing against them.”

    Earlier this season, Nemechek scored two emotional wins at Gateway and Iowa and that was a huge part of his career moving forward. Important enough, that if the team didn’t win at Gateway, they possibly might not be around today.

    “Gateway was definitely a huge relief for us (NEMCO Motorsports),” he said. “We didn’t know exactly how many races we would be able to get to for the rest of the year at that time. Sponsorship wasn’t there and we didn’t have all the races sold, had we not won Gateway, Iowa would have been our last race.”

    “Luckily, we were able to get to victory lane there,” he said. “It was certainly emotional from the fact that we didn’t know what the future was going to hold for us. Iowa was proof that we could win back to back and it was a relief as well, but not as big as Gateway. I think Iowa was more of a statement.”

    Earlier this year on throwback weekend at Darlington Raceway, a couple of the truck series drivers paid tribute with a special paint scheme on their vehicle. For John, he ran the old BellSouth colors in honor of his dad, at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park and it was really special for him to do that.

    “We have a warehouse here in Mooresville, North Carolina and it has one of almost every car that dad has ever driven paint scheme wise or each team,” Nemechek said. “Every time we go in there, the most special one to him is the BellSouth colors, just because that’s when he got his first ever Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series win and it was special to be able to throw it back to that, running those colors.”

    “It stands out, it’s the one that’s always stood out to me,” he said. “People know dad by that in back of the days, so it was pretty cool.”

    In the beginning of the 2017 season, NASCAR implemented stage racing, which broke up the races into three segments for all three series. By doing that, it has made the racing much more exciting and tougher to win.

    “It’s definitely made racing more exciting,” Nemechek said. “It makes everyone stay on their toes, making every driver push as hard as they can to gain as many points as possible each and every weekend. Throughout the whole race, we used to see drivers stay back and save their stuff (equipment) for the end of the race, however, stage racing throws a different factor into it by pushing hard and leading laps, and finishing up front for each stage to gain points.”

    “I know it’s helped us a few times this year and has hurt us,” he says. “I definitely think it’s a good thing from a racing perspective and to make things more exciting.”

    Sometimes there are races where drivers wish they had another chance at winning a race. For Nemechek, the one race that stands out to him is Canadian Tire Motorsports Park.

    “At Canada, we had a shot to win and had a truck that could have won, but I ended up speeding on pit road,” he said. “We were going to come out the leader on a green flag pit stop and we were going to be way ahead, and I sped on pit road where it pretty much cost us the race.”

    Retirement is a long way for the young 20-year-old, but for Nemechek, he would like to have every track crossed off his list before he retires.

    “Each and every one of them,” he said. “That’s the goal before I retire. I wanna be able to win at every racetrack on the circuit in that (trucks) series, or in all three series. Just to be able to have wins at each racetrack shows that you’re diverse at what you can do. It also shows that you’re a great driver.”

    The 2017 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season is just about over. At this point, Nemechek has two wins, seven top fives and 10 top 10 finishes. However, he thinks he could have been a little better than that.

    “At this point in the season, I would give myself a B+ or A-,” he said. “I’ve had some mistakes this year, I learned some stuff the hard way but every time you’re in a racecar turning laps, you’re always learning something. I definitely think I’ve learned things the hard way, but I won’t make the same mistake twice because it only takes once.”

    “I don’t think I’ve been an A+ driver this year because of the mistakes but hopefully through these playoffs, we’re going to be an A+ team/driver making it to the Final Four at Homestead run for the championship.”

    With the Round of 6 beginning this weekend at Martinsville, Nemechek is excited as it is statistically one of his better racetracks, with three top fives and three top 10 finishes and a best finish of second coming in 2015 and ’16.

    “I am really looking forward to Martinsville,” Nemechek said. “Martinsville has been a great place to myself and our team. I finished second and third there in the last three out of four times, or four out of five times. It’s been a great place for us, I’ve always run well and have had fast trucks there. I’m confident in this weekend and in our team as I’m ready to get this Round of 6 kicked off.

    You can follow John Hunter Nemechek on twitter @JHNemechek and Nemco Motorsports @NEMCOMotorsports.

  • Jeremy Clements Savors Success While Preparing for Playoffs

    Jeremy Clements Savors Success While Preparing for Playoffs

    DARLINGTON, S.C. — Once in awhile, a particular driver catches your eye and you think to yourself, this one has possibilities.

    In April 2014, I wrote, ‘Jeremy Clements’ recipe for success is a combination of talent, tenacity and mathematical wizardry. Throw some sponsorship dollars and a little luck into the mix and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him standing in victory lane.’

    Almost 3 1/2 years later, Clements finally captured his first career XFINITY win at Road America and I can’t help but feel a sense of pride in his accomplishments.

    For him, it’s a childhood dream come true.

    “It’s what a lot of people dream about, myself included,” Clements told me, “competing and then winning a race in the next level. I’m extremely pleased. And obviously it makes me want more, so I can taste it again. Hopefully, it’s the first of many.”

    That sweet taste of success in a national series was a long time coming. He began racing go-karts when he was seven-years-old, thanks to his grandfather, Crawford Clements.

    “My grandfather was a crew chief for Rex White and Buck Baker in the 1960s,” Clements said, “and they won a championship. So he’s the one who got all this started. It was very special. He was in his upper 60s at that time and I learned a ton from him. He’s the reason I started racing. He was very smart and he could figure out how to make cars go faster. He was always a whiz with carburetors. We could use him today, I promise you that.

    “He passed away in ‘96 from lung cancer when I was about 11; I owe it all to him. I know he’s smiling down from heaven and I can’t wait to talk to him one day about all this and how it went down. I’m sure he’s proud of me.”

    Clements won 47 feature events in go-karts before moving on to dirt track racing. He began racing four cylinders on dirt in 1999 and over the next three years, he scored wins in over 50 feature events as well as two track championships.

    In 2002, he began competing in the Late Model division winning nine races and the championship at Cherokee Speedway. On October 25, 2002, Clements made his first ARCA Series start at Talladega Superspeedway.

    The following year he competed in Late Models and made five more starts in the ARCA Series with three top-10 finishes. His first start in the XFINITY Series came in 2003 when Clements was 18-years-old. In 2011 he began competing full-time in the series with a career total of one win, two top fives and 13 top 10s in 257 starts.

    Those numbers take on more significance when you realize that Jeremy Clements Racing is a small family-owned team with limited funding and a full-time staff of only four people.

    While Clements is basking in the afterglow of a trip to Victory Lane, he’s focused on what comes next – the Playoffs.

    “We’re trying to get ready for the Playoffs and trying to learn as much as we can to apply toward Kentucky, Dover, Charlotte,” Clements said. “Those are the first three and we want to try to make it to the next round, we don’t want to be a team that gets knocked out in the first round of the playoffs.”

    Their game plan is simple. It includes “not making any mistakes and finishing each race,” he explained. “Some of those guys are gonna have problems. They’ll wreck trying to race each other and if we can just be smart, be there at the end, get a good finish and I think we can possibly move on to the next round.”

    To say it’s been a year to remember is quite the understatement. In addition to the NASCAR XFINITY Series victory, Clements also got married in May. He doesn’t know what impact the win will have on his future but he is certain of one thing.

    “I’m very blessed to be able to do both in the same year, that’s pretty dang cool,” he said. “I’ll never forget this year regardless of what happens.”

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

     

  • NASCAR Should Consider XFINITY/Truck Series Regulars In Cup Interference Discussion

    NASCAR Should Consider XFINITY/Truck Series Regulars In Cup Interference Discussion

    The Johnsonville 180 at Road America will go down as the best XFINITY Series race of 2017, if not one of the best races of the NASCAR season, period. There was plenty of on-track action, drama, spinouts, a first-time winner, and nine of the top-15 drivers scoring their season-best finishes.

    One thing that was noticeably absent on a day that saw Jeremy Clements drive a nine-year-old chassis to Victory Lane were Monster Energy Cup drivers, a group that has won more races in the XFINITY Series in 2017 than XFINITY Series regulars. For that matter, it was a rare setting Sunday in which the field actually consisted more of XFINITY teams than Cup teams.

    NASCAR has taken steps to try to remedy this situation for the regulars by limiting the number of XFINITY Series and Camping World Truck Series races in which Cup drivers can compete. For the 2018 NASCAR season, that number looks to go even lower, a move which frustrated some of the Cup contingent who regularly compete in those divisions such as Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch.

    Early in August Harvick spoke on the matter on his SiriusXM NASCAR show Happy Hours.

    “Just let them race,” he said. “Who cares? Why not just let them race. I don’t understand it. That’s what we do. We race cars, we race trucks, we race late models. That’s what we did all our life, we raced. I don’t know why all of a sudden it’s become a problem.’’

    Harvick’s argument centered around the idea that up-and-coming drivers could learn a lot from the Cup drivers moonlighting in the lower divisions. This is an age-old argument used since the early days of “Buschwhacking,” when the series was the Busch Grand National Series, but it’s also an idea that some of the lower division regulars have taken issue with.

    “The way you make it to the bigs in every other sport is to consistently beat everyone else at lower levels,” explained Tommy Joe Martins, Owner/Driver of the No. 44 Martins Motorsports NASCAR Camping World Truck Series entry. “Cup drivers aren’t helping XFINITY/Truck Series drivers develop. At all. They’re hurting them. They’re taking the spotlight off of them in a sport where your ability to compete comes down to your ability to draw fans and sponsors to you.”

    XFINITY Series regular Joey Gase, driver of the No. 52 Jimmy Means Racing entry, is a little more generous regarding learning from the Cup drivers in the lower divisions.

    “We do learn from the Cup drivers when they come down and do the lower series,” Gase said, “although, the drivers that are in equal equipment will learn more from them than the drivers who are not. I think NASCAR limiting [Cup drivers] to seven races is good because that will still mean there is at least one cup driver in majority of the races.”

    However, there are drivers like Truck Series competitor John Hunter Nemechek who do believe in the education value of racing against Cup drivers in the lower divisions.

    Photo by: Simon Scoggins

    “Any time you’re able to race against the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup guys, or even the XFINITY Series guys, they can help you as a driver learning how to race, some of their techniques, what they’re doing better than you, where they’re faster,” said Nemechek. “It definitely helps you overall to be able to race against them and beat them and kind of show your talent.”

    “I definitely think that racing against them every time that you’re on the track, whether it’s practice, qualifying, or the race, you’re always learning and as a driver you want to learn as much as you can to be able to beat them one day.”

    Cup drivers racing in the lower series isn’t a new dilemma that the sport is facing, and granted, it does have its merits for Cup drivers looking for an edge on the weekend. Dale Earnhardt Sr. made 136 starts in the XFINITY Series between 1982 and 1994, winning 21 times. In that same span of years, Harry Gant made 128 starts and also earned 21 wins. Mark Martin made 25 starts in the NCWTS starts between 1996 and 2011, scoring seven wins.

    Although drivers like Busch, Harvick, and Brad Keselowski have all voiced displeasure at being limited in the lower divisions, XFINITY and Truck Series regulars do seem to be happy with the new rule.

    “The way I look at it is, of course, the Cup regulars and drivers that are already in top rides are against it because it will limit them from driving or they are already in top equipment so it doesn’t matter to them,” Gase continued. “If you ask a full-time driver in the XFINITY or Truck Series I’m sure at least 80 percent are happy for the rule. Brad [Keselowski] tweeted he thinks if a Cup driver wants to drive in XFINITY or Truck Series they should be in equipment they own and I love that idea. Brad is all about giving back to the sport and helping up and coming drivers and I think that is awesome. I do think Cup drivers should be able to race in the XFINITY and Truck Series but on a limited basis like we are starting to see now.”

    Martins took it one step further saying NASCAR’s theory that letting top tier talent play in the lower division is good for the sport, is, at it’s core, flawed.

    “[You’re] never going to hear that in any other sport,” he said. “Then be audacious enough to defend it by saying they just love to play – and then that it’s good for the whole sport for them to be down there? It’s inconceivable to me.”

    This isn’t to say that Cup drivers should be banned completely from racing in the lower tier divisions. But their dominance isn’t as beneficial to the XFINITY and NCWTS divisions as one would like to believe. In 2017 only four XFINITY regulars have gone to Victory Lane for a total of six wins in 23 events, while in the Truck Series there has been more parity; five regulars have gone to Victory Lane in 14 events and have won nine times.

    What does that tell the other teams looking to grow and earn their place in the sport? What kind of growth does that encourage? NASCAR is a performance-driven sport, where the better a driver is the more guaranteed their growth and longevity is. Yet there are several XFINITY-only and NCWTS-only teams who may have a dream-driver – accessible, charming, a draw for the fans, and extremely talented, only to be hindered by a Cup team stealing the show in a lower-division race.

    When NASCAR announced the further limitations to Cup drivers attempting to partake in racing in the lower divisions, Busch was open in his disdain for the new limitations during an interview on SiriusXM NASCAR.

    “But if we keep continuing to put the limits on it, I’m going to tell you right now, if the limits to the Truck Series go to zero, I’m done,” Keselowski stated. “So you wouldn’t see Kyle Busch Motorsports teams out on the race track. That’s just the way I’m going to make it and we’ll see how that progresses as the years go along. You know, the XFINITY Series side, I’m sure Joe’s [Gibbs] frustrated. I know I’m frustrated. We’ll just continue to race the races we’re allowed to run with the sponsorship that we have. We got great partners.”

    Another popular claim used frequently in this argument is that top-tier drivers like Busch, Harvick, Keselowski, and Larson racing in the lower divisions is that their participation brings funds, sponsorship, and attention to the divisions. However, according to regulars partaking in those divisions, that’s not entirely the case.

    “They do bring funds to the top teams that they are racing for but that is not the case for the smaller teams,” said Gase. “A few of the top drivers say if they couldn’t race in the lower series it would risk the [Cup affiliated teams] and they would have to shut down, but I think that would be okay. That would help equal out the rest of the field and would let smaller teams come into the sport and fill in the gaps.”

    Nemechek echoed Gase’s sentiments, saying, “I think when the Cup stars come down to run Trucks or XFINITY, it does bring funds and sponsorships, but to their own teams. It doesn’t necessarily help out other teams that they don’t own or drive for. I really don’t see those funds or sponsorships from where I’m in the Truck Series, maybe if I was driving for one of them or their teams you would see those funds trickling down to help out the program, help out the team, just to be able to use more resources and funding to make your equipment better.”

    Martins offered a similar, more pointed, take.

    “Funds to where?” he asked. “To their teams? That’s not helping Martins Motorsports. That’s not helping me. Their teams making more money isn’t helping the NASCAR economy. If anything it’s hurting it. They use the money to further develop the trucks and drive the price up for other teams in the series.”

    Considering that the involvement of Cup drivers in lower divisions piloting Cup-funded equipment affects the respective regulars more than NASCAR realizes, they should take them into account more than anything. If a Cup driver threatens to fold their lower division efforts, the sanctioning body should take into consideration that it won’t mean a loss to the sport.

    Instead, all they have to do is just check social media following a race at Iowa, Gateway, Road America, or even Mosport. When a XFINITY or Truck Series event has more regulars than outsiders and has regulars running at the front and winning, it’s a plus for that division. On top of that, it encourages growth in the sport. Any fan or competitor could tell you that that is a good thing.

    So the next time a rule change affects lower divisions, instead of leaning on what a Cup regular has to say, what the division regulars have to say may have more gravity in regards to competition.

  • Q&A With Matt Crafton

    Q&A With Matt Crafton

    The series of questions and answers series continues this week with two-time Truck Series champion Matt Crafton.

    Crafton is one of the longest active drivers in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Since making his debut in 2000 at Fontana driving for Thorsport Racing, Crafton has notched 14 career wins, 100 top fives, 235 top 10s with 2,241 laps led and he won consecutive championships in 2013 and 2014.

    Every driver has a different story about how they got into racing. For Crafton, though, he’s been interested since he was born. “I’ve gotten into racing since birth,” Crafton said. And with every story, each driver has a favorite win in their career. Currently, Crafton has 14 career wins in the Truck Series, however, his favorite was the first win that came for him at “Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2008.” In that race, Crafton had only ten laps to score his first career win.

    “I’ve gotten into racing since birth,” Crafton said. And with every story, each driver has a favorite win in their career. Currently, Crafton has 14 career wins in the Truck Series, however, his favorite was the first win that came for him at “Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2008.” In that race, Crafton had only ten laps to score his first career win.

    And with every story, each driver has a favorite win in their career. Currently, Crafton has 14 career wins in the Truck Series, however, his favorite was the first win that came for him at “Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2008.” In that race, Crafton led only 10 laps as he scored his first career win.

    Before a race, some drivers have a pre-race ritual and some don’t. In Crafton’s case, it’s entirely different and it may be interesting to people on what his ritual is.

    “Eat a PB&J on wheat bread with Strawberry Jelly,” Crafton said.

    Each racer has someone who they have idolized growing up and would have liked to race with from the past. Crafton says his racing hero growing up was, “Davey Allison.” He said he “would have liked the chance to race with him from the past.”

    Every racer also has a preference on what type of track they would like to race on. In night races, the track and air temperature is much cooler and not as hot, compared to what it’s like during a race in the day. Crafton enjoys racing at “night.”

    A track Crafton would like to have back on the schedule is “The Milwaukee Mile,” Crafton said. And finally, Crafton says, “The Camping World Truck Series is the most competitive series in NASCAR.”

    You can follow Matt Crafton on Twitter @Matt_Crafton.

  • Getting To Know Racer Sarah Cornett-Ching

    Getting To Know Racer Sarah Cornett-Ching

    Sarah Cornett-Ching is one of the most determined and focused racecar drivers from Canada. In fact, she has been racing from a young age and it’s all because of her father, who got her interested.

    “My dad had raced since I was one-year-old so it was something that was always in my life,” Cornett-Ching said. “I started helping at the shop around 10-years-old and finally convinced my mom at 12-years-old.”

    Some racecar drivers have people who they look up to or admire. However, that wasn’t the case for her, it was all about family.

    “I really can’t say I was ever inspired by anyone or anything,” Cornett-Ching explained. “I just really loved the time it allowed me to spend with my dad and I’ve always been very competitive so it was a great outlet for that.”

    When you’re a driver, you’re always on the go and busy most of the time. For Cornett-Ching, it’s quite hectic on race day.

    “My mind actually changes on race day,” she said. “Anyone will tell you I get totally zoned out and forget my phone, and everything. I probably need a babysitter on race day, but I am at the shop every day and it’s rare that I’m not thinking or preparing for something to do with an upcoming race.”

    During a racer’s career, there are some setbacks that a driver faces. In this case, it, unfortunately, happened to her last year during an ARCA race at Kentucky. On Lap 23, she made heavy contact with an inside SAFER barrier on the backstretch. Her car was completely destroyed. She was also facing other issues, such as a concussion. The wreck ended her 2016 season but not by choice and she faced a long road ahead to recovery.

    “Stepping out of a car at first really wasn’t a choice I got to make,” Cornett-Ching said.  “I was very out of it for a few weeks, so mostly I was just in bed. After I started to feel good enough to get back to the shop it was extremely difficult to be out of the car. I wanted so badly to drive but even just using an impact to take lug nuts off a car would make me feel extremely sick, and I would have to rest for hours afterwards.”

    When Cornett-Ching got back in the car after her recovery from a concussion, it was a weird feeling.

    “The first time I got back into the car was really strange,” she emphasized. “I struggled with my perception of where the wall was in relation to me in the car and it actually took me quite awhile to feel comfortable and get back to up speed in the car. Thankfully, I have very few lingering symptoms at this point and none that hinder my racing.”

    This doesn’t even give her any fears while racing. In fact, she says you have to be on point during a race.

    “I don’t have any fears when I get into a car,” Cornett-Ching said. “I think if you do have fears you shouldn’t be out there. You need your mind 100 percent focused on what you’re doing.”

    There is an exclusive group of racecar drivers from Canada. Patrick Carpentier, Stewart Friesen, Mario Gosselin, Alex Guenette, Cameron Hayley, D.J. Kennington, Gary Klutt, Alex Tagliani, Ron Fellows, Jacques Villeneuve and Paul Tracy, to name a few. In Sarah’s mind, she hasn’t looked more into that.

    “I have never really thought of it that way,” Cornett-Ching exclaimed. ” I just do what I can and race as hard as I can. It has never crossed my mind that people think of me when they think of famous Canadian drivers. That is very cool. I hope I can continue to be in that group for years to come.”

    As her career continues, she learns in every race and is passionate about her fans.

    “I feel like I’m learning and growing still with every race,” Cornett-Ching said. “It’s rare that I’ll run a race and not learn something. I have a great feel for consistency and I absorb information really well. I like all aspects of racing from building the cars to testing new ideas and meeting with fans.”

    “The actual race is definitely the rush but it’s actually the time I get to relax and forget everything else and just focus on my job,” she continued. “I love my fans, I love meeting them, talking to them, creating relationships with them and most of all seeing them enjoying themselves at the race track. The whole point is for them to enjoy a show. I want to be the person that they look forward to seeing and talking to.”

    With young drivers on the move to NASCAR recently, Cornett-Ching plans to keep it step-by-step.

    “Right now my focus is on Super Late Model racing,” she emphasized. “I am not in a hurry to move up or jump too fast back into NASCAR if it takes 10 years or 20. I want to be the most successful female race car driver in history. If I can accomplish that there is no telling what opportunities will arise from there.”

    You can follow Sarah Cornett-Ching on her Twitter page @scornettching.

     

  • You always remember your first time

    You always remember your first time

    My wife Sheryl leaned over to me and said “I think I want to cry!”.

    That was very understandable since our 11 year old son Bradley already had tears running down his face while our 7 year old son Jared had about as sad a look on his face as you could have without crying.

    Oh, and I think I may have muttered a few things under my breath that I can’t write in this space.

    Aric Almirola’s crash on the 1st lap of Sunday’s Overton’s Pennsylvania 400 at Pocono Raceway was one in a series of twists and turns in a spectrum of emotions that filled the day of our 1st ever experience at a NASCAR race. My kids were decked out in RPM blue t-shirts and all of us had brand new NASCAR hats on to cheer on Aric.

    Photo Credit: Peter Schwartz

    As guests of Richard Petty Motorsports, it was sad to for us to see Almirola’s day end so early, but it was just a small part of what was, for the most part, a very exciting day for me and my family. Not fully knowing what to expect, we made the 2 ½ hour drive from our Long Island home to embark on a new adventure for us.

    If you’ve never been to a NASCAR race before, you should make it your business to go because was about as unique and exciting of a sporting experience as I can remember. Qualifying was held on the same day as the race so it made for a long but thrilling Sunday, especially when you factor in the access that the fans had during the course of the day.

    During qualifying, fans had an up close look at their favorite NASCAR drivers and young fans had an opportunity to be right down at pit road in a special kid’s area. To be completely transparent, our “hot” passes gave us some pretty cool VIP treatment, so we had a chance to meet a couple of the drivers in the garage area and we were able to spend some time with the RPM team and co-owner Andrew Murstein.

    Andrew has been working tirelessly to return RPM to the top of NASCAR and with Richard Petty still a big part of the team, the quest continues to bring the “The King” back to where he belongs atop the NASCAR mountain. Petty continues to be very popular among the NASCAR fans. He draws huge crowds around him and signs every single autograph request.

    It was really cool to see all of the teams and staff that we came across, but it was especially an honor to chat with Richard Petty’s long-time crew chief Dale Inman. He is a NASCAR Hall of Famer and considered to be the best crew chief of all time.

    Inman, now a consultant for RPM, shared some great stories and upon learning that my son Bradley played football told us that he was a big Washington Redskins fan. We had a good chuckle, for obvious reasons, when I told him we were Jets fans. As a NASCAR novice, it was such an honor to chat with him and pick his brain.

    We all had a chance to talk to some other members of the team so we were ready for our 1st foray into the NASCAR experience!

    Inside Pocono Raceway was a fan fest and we had a chance to take pictures with race cars, enjoy some lunch, and also get the credit card out when the kids saw the various trailers filled with NASCAR merchandise. My son Jared clutched his Pocono Raceway mascot “Tricky” the whole day and Bradley picked up a couple of souvenir race cars including Aric Almirola’s #43. I’ll say this…NASCAR certainly knows how to take care of their fans even before a race even begins.

    Photo Credit: Peter Schwartz

    As we settled into our seats in the grandstand, the excitement started to build at the “Tricky Triangle”. There were special ceremonies on the track and the video boards showed highlight packages to get the crowd revved up for the race. There was also lots of attention paid to retiring NASCAR driver who was racing for the final time at Pocono Raceway.

    The introduction of the drivers was very cool and you could just sense the excitement building from the crowd that continued to swell in numbers right up to the start of the race. The atmosphere was incredible and this is coming from someone who has been to the Super Bowl, World Series, NBA finals and Stanley Cup final. It was an incredible experience.

    It was amazing to see the race begin and to hear how loud it gets. We had ear plugs but there’s no denying the noise that these cars can make and the speed at which they travel. You can’t appreciate this watching on television. You have to see it for yourself and the experience is second to none.

    Because of the relationship that I’ve built up with Richard Petty Motorsports, we’ve adopted Aric Almirola as our favorite NASCAR driver. We felt just awful when he crashed and hope he bounces back in a big way next week when the Monster Energy Series continues at Watkins Glen. It’s still amazing to me that he was able to return just 8 weeks after that nasty crash at Kansas.

    Our day ended with a pretty cool act of kindness by a member of the Pocono Raceway staff. When we were leaving the race, a staffer noticed that my sons’ were wearing light blue NASCAR shirts with “43” on them. Knowing what had happened in the race, he handed both Bradley and Jared a piece of Aric’s car tht had been taken off during the practice run on Saturday.

    My two boys went from tears to cheers and they can’t wait to meet Aric one day and see him race again!

    Thanks again to Andrew Murstein as well as RPM’s Chief Revenue Officer Sean Downes and Director of Communications Heather Lumpp for their amazing hospitality on Sunday and their incredible assistance all season long with this NASCAR novice.

    I can tell you one thing…Sunday might have been my 1st NASCAR race but it certainly won’t be my last!

  • Q&A With Austin Cindric

    Q&A With Austin Cindric

    This weeks Q&A is with Austin Cindric, who drives the no.19 Ford F-150 for Brad Keselowski Racing. In 16 career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts, Cindric has two top fives and four top ten finishes, with seven laps led.

    When asked when he first got interested in racing, he cant remember a time that I wasn’t around it.  “Racing has always been a part of my family long before I was born.” Cindric says.

    So if there was another career choice other than racing, what would it be?  “I’ve always been interested in engineering, design, and aerodynamics.” But Cindric can’t imagine another job.  “It’d be hard to imagine me carrying another job that wouldn’t be involved in racing somehow.”

    Besides his racing talent, when asked if he has another talent that no one knows about, Cindric says that he can cut his own hair.

    Cindric has too many favorite race tracks, but says that Mid-Ohio, Mosport, Bathurst, Dover and Kentucky are a few of his the top picks.  If he had a chance to design a racetrack he would choose a road course in the North Carolina Piedmont area. “because the biggest region in the United States for motorsports needs a proper road course and proving grounds nearby.”

    Every driver has a racing hero or heroes. In this case, Cindric has three racing heroes he has looked up too, and some of those racing heroes are talented and legendary. “Helio Castroneves, Rick Mears and Greg Moore.” A driver from the past that Cindric would like to race with would be “Tim Richmond.”

    Many drivers have different types of track preferences. Some prefer day races where the track is hot and slick, whereas, some prefer a night race where it’s much cooler and faster. For Cindric, he likes to race during the “day.”

    There is some tracks a driver hasn’t raced on and they would like to race on them before their career is over. In Cindric’s case, it’s one a track people are familiar with and that track is “Darlington.”

    You can follow Austin on his twitter page @AustinCindric.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Aric is back and ready to throw it back

    Aric is back and ready to throw it back

    When Aric Almirola suffered an acute compression fracture to his T5 vertebra during an accident at Kansas Speedway back in May, the expectation was that the veteran driver for Richard Petty Motorsports would be sidelined anywhere from eight to twelve weeks. After a grueling rehab process that included physical therapy and swimming, Almirola had just one step left to go before he could return.

    He had to get through a test run Tuesday at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

    “It felt great to be back in the racecar,” said Almirola. “After racing in the Monster Energy Series for five and a half years, it got to be routine, and I took it for granted. When something gets taken away from you at a moment’s notice like that, it has certainly made me appreciate my passion for racing and my desire to compete at this level.”

    The test run was a success and doctors have cleared Almirola to return to Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series competition this weekend in New Hampshire as he climbs back in to the #43 Smithfield ford. The entire Richard Petty Motorsports team, ownership, staff, and organization has been smiling ear to ear since the great news and now the excitement is building.

    “He’s a tough competitor and has a burning desire to win,” said RPO Co-Owner Andrew Murstein. “He’s in his prime now so it’s been frustrating to lose him especially after a few great consecutive finishes. I told him Kyle Busch came back from his injury to win a championship so he should use this time to reflect and come back better than ever. “

    Almirola returns at the earliest point of the expected recovery time, but while he was away, he went through a spectrum of emotions.

    “The thrill of running 200 miles per hour in a stock car was something that I had honestly lost a little bit,” admitted Almirola. “After being out of the car for eight weeks, the passion is back, now more than ever. ““Physically, I felt great in the car and had no pain associated with the injury during (Tuesday’s) test.”

    Almirola was diligent in his quest to return to action this season. Along the way, he stayed in constant communication with everyone in the organization and it was clear that he was determined to get back in that #43 car as soon as possible.

    “We touched base at least weekly,” said Murstein. “He handled it with poise, understanding, and a desire to come back better than ever.”

    While Almirola was sidelined, his seat in the #43 car was occupied by Bubba Wallace, Regan Smith and Billy Johnson but now he is back and his 1st race in eight weeks takes place at a track where he has notched one top five and two top ten finishes during his career. The juices will definitely be flowing throughout the organization and now the bar has been raised in terms of expectations.

    “I expect him to be even better than he was,” said Murstein. “When you’re away from the sport you realize how much you miss it and how fortunate he is to be a pro athlete. He’s one of the best in the world at what he does so It makes you appreciate things more.”

    As he makes his return, Almirola realizes that he’s had plenty of help along the way so that he could get back on the track seamlessly.

    “I’d like to sincerely thank all of the medical personnel that have helped me through this process, my family, my friends, my team and all the fans that supported me,” said Almirola. I’m very grateful to Bubba, Regan and Billy for all of their efforts subbing for me both on and off the track. I’m excited to get back to racing against all my friends and peers in the Monster Energy Series.”

    Filling in as a substitute driver is not an easy thing nor is it to find available drivers that can step in and fill the void. But during Aric’s absence, the RPM team was fortunate to find some more than capable veterans.

    “Regan is a true professional,” said Murstein. “He understood his role and handled it with class. Bubba is a star in the making. He has great talent and like Jimmy Johnson he can do better in the Monster Series than the Xfinity series. Some athletes rise to the occasion and you can see he has that belief in himself and personality that should make him a big star one day soon. Between him, Ryan Blaney and Kyle Larson among others, NASCAR has an exciting time ahead.

    This is a special time for Almirola as he’s not only back on the track but also now in a throwback mindset. He spoke with reporters on Wednesday at a press conference to also announce that on September 3rd in the Bojangles’ Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, he will drive a car with a paint scheme that resembles Richard Petty’s 1984 STP Pontiac. It was that car that “The King” drove to his record setting 200th and final NASCAR victory in July of 1984 at Daytona.

    “All of the 200 wins were special but the 200th definitely stands out,” said Petty. “We needed every win before to get to 200 but to have the President there was pretty special.”

    On that day, President Ronald Regan became the 1st acting United States President of the United States to attend a NASCAR event. Regan gave the command for the drivers to start their engines from a phone on Air force One and would greet Petty in the press box before the Victory Lane ceremonies.

    That particular race holds some extra meaning for Almirola because his first cup series win would come 30 years later to the weekend in that same Victory Lane at Daytona. Needless to say, he’s looking forward to throwback weekend and the opportunity to pay homage to Petty.

    “It will be very special to throwback to such a substantial moment in NASCAR history,” said Almirola. “I always like to have a little fun with it off the track. Although, I’m not sure I’ll be able to top the Fu Manchu this year. We’ll work on it though.”

    In addition to the throwback paint scheme on September 3rd, Almirola, crew chief Drew Blickensderfer and the RPM #43 team will also wear throwback firesuits and uniforms throughout the weekend. But for the moment, Almirola is just thrilled to be back in the #43 car after an injury that kept him out of action for eight weeks.

    Welcome back Aric!

  • Just the beginning for ”Bubba”

    Just the beginning for ”Bubba”

    After his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series debut, Darrell Wallace Jr. continues his journey in Michigan

    For many drivers, getting into a car for a NASCAR race and finishing in 26th place is not exactly the plan at the start of the day. But for Darrell Wallace Jr., this past Sunday at Pocono was a different story. That’s not to say he liked coming across the finish line in 26th place, but it was start of what he hopes is something big.

    The reality was that “Bubba” made his Monster Energy Cup Series debut driving the famous #43 and became just the 4th African-American driver to ever participate in the highest level of NASCAR.

    “I will cheer up,” said the 23 year old Wallace after the race. “This was a wonderful day for me, a wonderful day for the sport. I wish we could have got a little bit better finish in our Smithfield Ford, but I’m just thankful for the opportunity. I’ve been dreaming about this since I was a little kid and now it’s here, and I made a name for myself. We’ll build off of it. I’ll practice more with the dash and go debrief with the team, and we’ll just get better.”

    With those words, Wallace put it all into perspective and showed a great deal of maturity but also the passion to get better. He might have been down a bit after the race, but the magnitude of his accomplishment in getting to that moment in his career is what he will remember most about his historic day and not necessarily the speeding penalties that he attained during the course of the day.

    With all of those thoughts racing through his head, Wallace went through a whirlwind of emotions. After the race, he had a very productive conversation with RPM Co-Owner Andrew Murstein.

    “We spoke and he was upset with the speeding penalties and he was beating himself up a little bit,” said Murstein. “I loved to see that. It tells me how hungry he is. It reminded me a little of (the movie) “Talladega Nights” and the line “If you’re not first your last.” He wants nothing short of a win eventually. I told him that every long journey starts with a first step. Pocono was his first step in what should be a long and very successful career.”

    While he had mixed emotions about his performance at Pocono, Wallace certainly had a lot to smile about for a couple of reasons. 1st of all, it was an historic day for him just to be in the race and his good friend Ryan Blaney notched his 1st career win driving the iconic #21 car for Woods Brother Racing.

    The two buddies had a nice chat before the race about how getting to this point and representing these two teams was pretty surreal.

    “I loved how you had two young men in Bubba and Ryan talking before the race about how cool it was that they were driving arguably the two most prestigious numbers in the sport. They have great respect for the tradition and history of NASCAR. “That’s great to see and unfortunately is rare amount many athletes in other sports.”

    Wallace will certainly remember that 1st day in a Monster Energy Cup Series race for a long time, but for the moment it’s time to turn the page and move on to the next race this Sunday in Michigan for the “FireKeepers Casino 400”. It’s a fast track that Wallace is very comfortable with.

    “I like that place,” said Wallace. “I think I run a little bit better at Michigan. I’m looking forward to it. (Pocono) is a first step. I know we ran a good, clean race, and that’s all you can ask, didn’t wreck the car, brought it home in one piece, so I’m pumped for the guys.”

    It’s always good to see a little from an athlete, regardless of what sport it is. While Wallace was beating himself up over his mistakes at Pocono, he’s using it as motivation to get better starting this week in Michigan. The great ones have that ability to turn adversity into prosperity. “Bubba” is still climbing the ladder but has already shown what type of competitor he is.

    “I like how hungry he is and he also seems to see the big picture,” said Murstein. “The great ones have that. I often talked about that with my friend (Pro Football Hall of Famer) Jim Brown, who I took to a NASCAR race last year. He realizes that athletes can be more than just an athlete and can affect the way people view the world. Having Bubba succeed in this sport will be a great thing for everyone.”

    Wallace earned this opportunity with RPM because of what he accomplished in the NASCAR XfINITY Series and Camping World Truck Series where he notched five career wins. With that 1st victory, the graduate of NASCAR’s “Drive for Diversity” program became the 1st African-American to win a NASCAR race since Hall of famer Wendell Scott.

    But now he has reached the highest level of the sport and the competition is second to none.

    “These guys are good,” said Wallace. “These guys are here for a reason. There’s no more climbing. I’ve been in the ladder rungs for the last couple years and now I’m at the top. There’s nothing else I can do but just to go out there and just get better and better and learn how this sport works and how this series works.”

    With RPM, Wallace is filling in for the injured Aric Almirola who is expected to return later this season after suffering a compression fracture of the T5 vertebra in a crash May 13th at Kansas Speedway. This is a golden opportunity for “Bubba” who has a chance to audition for another team or even earn a permanent role with RPM next season should they add a second car.

    It’s only been one race for RPM, but Wallace already has a big fan in the owner’s box.

    “If we are lucky enough to have support for two cars it would be very exciting to have Bubba drive our second car,” said Murstein. “I think he will be a big star in the sport one day, with or without us. I hope it’s with us.”

    Darrell Wallace Jr. has worked very hard to get to this point. He’s already made NASCAR history but that’s only one chapter of a book he hasn’t finished writing yet. The next chapter is this Sunday in Michigan and he’ll use the rest of his opportunity with RPM to set the tone for what lies ahead next year and in years to come.

    But it certainly looks and sounds like Wallace and Richard Petty Motorsports is a marriage made in NASCAR heaven.