January 19th, 2016 (Shelby, NC) – Travis Kvapil, 2003 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) Champion will continue to drive the headliner Chevrolet Silverado for MAKE Motorsports in the 2016 season. Kvapil is returning to the MAKE team after running with the small team full time last year.
Travis Kvapil stated, “I look forward to continuing to build with this MAKE team. We had some decent runs last year and some bad luck that prevented other good runs. They’ve learned a lot from last year and made some changes this winter to be even better this year. I’m happy to be able to help contiribute to the effort. ”
Tracy Lowe, co-owner of MAKE Motorsports stated, “Mark (Beaver) and I are happy to have Travis back full time with our MAKE team. He has been an important piece to our growth in the sport. We want to continue to build and grow by giving him better equipment and resources. He is a great asset to our team personally and professionally.”
Kvapil finished the 2015 NCWTS season 16th in driver points with four top 15 finishes. He also scored MAKE’s best finishing position of 14th twice at Gateway Raceway Park and Kentucky Speedway.
Travis Kvapil will take the green for the season at Daytona International Speedway on February 19th in the Next Era Energy Resources 250.
About MAKE Motorsports
Hailing from Shelby, N.C., MAKE Motorsports is a race team that competes in the NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. The moniker “MAKE” is made up of the first letters of the first names of the owners’ children – Mark Beaver’s son Mikey and daughters Amanda and Emily, and Tracy Lowe’s daughter Katelyn. For more information about MAKE Motorsports, please visit www.MAKEMotorsports.com, Facebook.com/MAKEMotorsports or find them on Twitter (@MAKEMotorsports).
After months of speculation, there will be a Chase system for all the national series.
Starting this season, the NASCAR XFINITY Series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will decide their champion with a modified Chase format that mirrors the current model in the Sprint Cup Series.
The XFINITY Series will consist of 12 drivers, seven races and three rounds. It will begin with the Round of 12 in the VisitMyrtleBeach.com 300 at Kentucky Speedway. Four drivers will be eliminated when the checkered flag flies on the Drive for the Cure 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Eight drivers continue on in the Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway. The championship four drivers will be decided at Phoenix International Raceway.
The Camping World Truck Series will begin their Chase at New Hampshire Motor Speedway with the Round of Eight. The cutoff race will be Talladega Superspeedway where two drivers will be eliminated. The Round of Six cutoff will be Phoenix International Raceway.
Sprint Cup Series drivers who made the 2015 Chase for the Sprint Cup will be ineligible to race in the championship race of either the XFINITYor Truck Series at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Speaking before the NASCAR media corp at the 2016 Charlotte Motor Speedway Media Tour, NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France said that he believed “it’s important that they (drivers in the XFINITY and Truck Series) understand how difficult it’s going to be when they get to the next level. Certainly, it makes it more exciting for our fans. Fans love elimination style and emphasis on wins. I think for the drivers, I think it’s important to get conditioned to what it’s going to take … to handle the next level.”
Photo: NASCAR News PR/Media
The Dash 4 Cash has also been revamped. The lineup for the four races – Bristol, Richmond, Dover and Indianapolis – will be set by heat races (basically, like the Can-Am Duel’s at Daytona). Those who qualify in odd-numbered positions will race in the first heat race. Those who qualified in even-numbered positions will race in the second heat race. These set the starting lineup for the main race (the points race). The top-two finishers in both heat races will race for the Dash 4 Cash in that race. The highest finisher of those four wins the Dash 4 Cash event. Winning two of these is equivalent to one regular season win (minus the bonus points).
Photo: NASCAR News PR/Media
The Camping World Truck Series will utilize caution clocks for the 2016 season. If the race stays green for exactly 20 minutes, the caution will automatically fly. The time is reset to 20 when the race is put back under green. If a caution should come out before the 20 minutes are up, the time is reset back to 20. When the race gets to 20 laps to go, the caution clock is turned off and won’t be used for the remainder of the event. The caution clock won’t be used at Eldora and will be turned off with 10 laps to go at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park and Pocono Raceway.
XFINITY Dash 4 Cash Races To Include Two Heats & Main; Caution Clock Introduced For NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (January 19, 2016) – NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O’Donnell announced today several racing-related innovations to the NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, beginning with the 2016 season, designed to ignite and energize the growth of each series.
In the NASCAR XFINITY Series, where “Names Are Made,” each event in the popular Dash 4 Cash program now will be comprised of Two Heats and a Main. Drivers who win two of the four Dash 4 Cash bonuses available also are all but guaranteed a spot in the 2016 NASCAR XFINITY Series Chase.
In addition, the rugged NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races now will feature a Caution Clock, which will be triggered at the start of each green-flag run. When the green flag is displayed, 20 minutes will be placed on the clock. If/when the clock expires, a caution will be thrown.
“These innovations contain the elements of racing that our fans want the most,” said O’Donnell. “The enhancements put a premium on in-race strategy, and will create an unprecedented level of excitement as teams make tactical decisions that could impact their spot in the Chase.”
NASCAR XFINITY SERIES DASH 4 CASH
Photo: NASCAR News PR/Media
The NASCAR XFINITY Series Dash 4 Cash will be comprised of Two Heats and a Main at four tracks: Bristol Motor Speedway (April 16), Richmond International Raceway (April 23), Dover International Speedway (May 14) and Indianapolis Motor Speedway (July 23).
Qualifying for each Dash 4 Cash event will set the 40-car field and the starting positions for the Two Heats with the fastest qualifier awarded the Coors Light Pole Award. Odd-numbered qualifiers (1st, 3rd, 5th, etc.) will start in the first Heat in respective order, while even-numbered qualifiers (2nd, 4th, 6th, etc.) will start the second Heat in respective order.
The Two Heats will set the starting positions for the Main with the top two NASCAR XFINITY Series regulars in each Heat becoming eligible for the Dash 4 Cash bonus. The highest finishing driver among the four Dash 4 Cash eligible drivers will be awarded a $100,000 bonus. If any driver wins two of the four Dash 4 Cash bonuses available, he/she is all but guaranteed a spot in the 2016 NASCAR XFINITY Series Chase. In short, two Dash 4 Cash bonuses are equivalent to one race win in the new NASCAR XFINITY Series Chase format.
Drivers must have declared to earn NASCAR XFINITY Series points in order to be eligible for the NASCAR XFINITY Series Dash 4 Cash bonus.
NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES CAUTION CLOCK
Photo: NASCAR News PR/Media
A Caution Clock will be utilized in each NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event (except for Eldora Speedway). The clock will be set to 20 minutes and triggered at the start of each green-flag run during race events. When the clock counts down to zero, a caution flag then will be displayed and no beneficiary will be awarded. A caution occurring before time expires resets the clock when the subsequent green flag is displayed and the first truck a lap down will be the beneficiary.
The caution clock will be turned off with 20 laps to go at all events in the series, with the exception of Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and Pocono Raceway, where the clock will be turned off with 10 laps remaining.
The 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series regular season will kick off with the 58th running of the Daytona 500® on Sunday, Feb. 21 at Daytona International Speedway®. The Great American Race® will be broadcast live on FOX, MRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, with additional coverage on NASCAR.com.
About NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States. NASCAR consists of three national series (the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series™, NASCAR XFINITY Series™, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series™), four regional series, one local grassroots series and three international series. The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. Based in Daytona Beach, Fla., with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe. For more information visit http://www.NASCAR.com and http://www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR at www.Facebook.com/NASCAR and Twitter: @NASCAR.
Seven-Race Chase Formats to be Implemented in 2016
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (January 19, 2016) – Using the overwhelming success of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup format introduced in 2014 as a guidepost, NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France announced today the implementation of a playoff system in both the NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.
On the heels of a 2015 Chase that saw the highest season-finale viewership in nearly a decade, record-breaking page views on NASCAR.com and unparalleled volume on social media, the NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will each feature a seven-race Chase to decide its respective championships starting in 2016. The announcement was the first of a number of racing innovations presented by NASCAR on Tuesday.
“Fans, partners and the industry have embraced the new Chase format like nothing we’ve seen in the sport’s history,” said France. “Winning never has been this important, and the excitement generated the past two seasons in the Sprint Cup Series has led to this implementation of the Chase format in all three national series. Competition in both the NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will undoubtedly elevate to new heights and shine a spotlight on the rising stars of our sport.”
The NASCAR XFINITY Series, where “Names Are Made,” and the rugged NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will implement seven-race, three-round Chase formats with unique characteristics but very much in the same spirit of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. All three series will conclude the Chase with a Championship 4 race at Homestead-Miami Speedway to crown a champion. However, all three will begin at different tracks: Chicago (Sprint Cup Series), Kentucky (XFINITY Series) and New Hampshire (Camping World Truck Series)
Drivers still must declare a series in which they will earn points, and will only be eligible to compete for a championship in that series. The 16 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers who qualified for the 2015 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup will be ineligible to compete in the 2016 NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Championship 4 races at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Photo: NASCAR News/PR Media
NASCAR XFINITY SERIES CHASE
The seven-race NASCAR XFINITY Series Chase will begin at Kentucky Speedway on Sept. 24, and feature 12 drivers and two elimination rounds, with four drivers competing in the Championship 4 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
A win in the first 26 races all but guarantees a driver entry into the NASCAR XFINITY Series Chase, provided the driver is in the top 30 in points and has attempted to qualify for each race. Drivers who win two Dash 4 Cash bonuses are also all but guaranteed a Chase berth.
The first round, called the Round of 12, consists of the races at Kentucky, Dover and Charlotte. All drivers will start with their points adjusted to 2,000, with three additional bonus points added to their total for each win in the first 26 races. If a driver wins a race in the Round of 12, the driver automatically advances to the next round. The remaining available positions (1-8) that have not been filled by wins will be filled on points.
Each driver who advances to the Round of 8 (Kansas, Texas, Phoenix) then will have their points reset to 3,000. Drivers who win a race in the Round of 8 automatically advance to the Championship 4. The remaining available positions (1-4) that have not been filled by wins will be filled on points.
The four drivers who advance to the Championship 4 at Homestead will have their points reset to 4,000. The highest finishing Championship 4 driver will be crowned the NASCAR XFINITY Series champion.
NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES CHASE
The seven-race NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Chase will begin at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sept. 24. It will feature eight drivers and two elimination rounds, with four drivers competing in the Championship 4 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. A win in the first 16 races all but guarantees a driver entry into the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Chase, provided that the driver is in the Top 30 in points and has attempted to qualify for each race.
The first round, called the Round of 8, consists of the races at New Hampshire, Las Vegas, and Talladega. All drivers will have their points adjusted to 2,000, with three additional bonus points added to their total for each win in the first 16 races. If a driver wins a race in the Round of 8, the driver automatically advances to the next round. The remaining available positions (1-6) that have not been filled by wins will be filled on points.
Each driver who advances to the Round of 6 (Martinsville, Texas, Phoenix) then will have their points reset to 3,000. Drivers who win a race in the Round of 6 automatically advance to the Championship 4. The remaining available positions (1-4) that have not been filled by wins will be filled on points.
The four drivers who advance to the Championship 4 at Homestead will have their points reset to 4,000. The highest finishing Championship 4 driver will win the championship.
All rules outlined above also apply to both series’ owner championship structure.
The 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series regular season will kick off with the 58th running of the Daytona 500® on Sunday, Feb. 21 at Daytona International Speedway®. The Great American Race® will be broadcast live on FOX, Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, with additional coverage on NASCAR.com.
About NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States. NASCAR consists of three national series (the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series™, NASCAR XFINITY Series™, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series™), four regional series, one local grassroots series and three international series. The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. Based in Daytona Beach, Fla., with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe. For more information visit http://www.NASCAR.com and http://www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR at www.Facebook.com/NASCAR and Twitter: @NASCAR.
Cole Custer will no longer be running part-time now that he’s turning 18.
JR Motorsports co-owner Kelly Earnhardt Miller confirmed today on SiriusXM Speedway with Dave Moody that the driver of the No. 00 Chevrolet will pilot said truck for the full 23 race NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season. Needless to say, Custer is – and get used to hearing this word a lot the next few days – excited about the opportunity.
“We are all pretty confident heading into the season,” said Custer. “Joe (Shear Jr., crew chief) and I have been together for three years and we have a great relationship. We’ve shown a lot of speed in our time together, and we need to build a little more consistency. I can help that with the way I drive. Last year, we were running to win races and get experience; this year, it’s going to be all about the points.”
In 19 career Truck starts, Custer has amassed two wins, four top-fives and 10 top-10s. He thinks he’ll “still have the speed we had last year and I think we’re going to be contenders for the championship.”
Other team co-owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. said he looks “forward to seeing Cole run the full season. He and the team showed they have great speed and the ability to run up front in their limited schedule last year. We have great people and partners in place to make this a top-notch effort and give them the opportunity to go out and learn, win races, and compete for the championship.”
Abrew will pilot the No. 98 CURB Records Toyota Tundra full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Tulsa, Oklahoma (January 15, 2016) – Rico Abreu, USAC National Midget champion, open wheel standout, and 2015 Chili Bowl Nationals winner, will join ThorSport Racing as a full-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) driver in 2016 piloting the No. 98 Curb Records Toyota Tundra powered by Triad engines. Abreu’s first full-time season in NASCAR’s national touring division will be led by crew chief Doug George as he competes for Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors and the 2016 NCWTS championship.
“This is one of the best opportunities I have been given,” said Abreu. “I appreciate the support and the hard work that everyone at ThorSport Racing and Curb Records has put into all of this for me to live my dream. I’m thankful to be a part of Duke’s (Thorson) team and am excited to race with all my ThorSport Racing teammates and crewmembers.
“My team, sponsors and fans will know that I’m giving 100% effort every time I’m at the track and on the track. My goal is to get the most out of every lap and every opportunity this season. I’m looking forward to meeting new fans and representing ThorSport and Toyota well.”
Abreu, 23, has had the type of success in his early racing career that most drivers only dream about. In 2015 the St. Helena, California native competed in more than 100 events, with two major wins. After sweeping his Chili Bowl Nationals preliminary night, winning his heat, qualifier and A-Main, the open wheel standout went on to win the 29th annual Chili Bowl Nationals, one of dirt track racing’s most prestigious events.
The achievement introduced the talented racer to a new audience – NASCAR. Making just his seventh-career start in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East (NKNPSE), Abreu won his first NASCAR race at Columbus (Ohio) Motor Speedway (July). The sprint-car sensation concluded his rookie season in the 2015 NKNPSE fifth in points, earning three poles, and leading 119 laps en route to four top-five and eight top-10 finishes. He was also voted as the series Most Popular Driver.
“Competing full time in the NASCAR K&N East Series prepared me the most for this opportunity,” said Abreu. “My first time being in stock cars and getting a full season under my belt helped me understand how to race and put together full races, longer races, than I was used to running in open wheel cars.”
In November, 2015, Abreu made his NASCAR national touring debut in the NCWTS at Phoenix (Ariz.) International Raceway and went on to compete in the season-ending event at Homestead-Miami Speedway, earning a career-best finish of 13th.
“Running the last two Camping World Truck Series races of 2015 was a huge help as well,” continued Abreu. “I know what to expect now compared to last year when I had no experience on tracks bigger than one mile.”
The NASCAR NEXT alum’s 2016 campaign will be led by NCWTS veteran crew chief, Doug George. Entering his 12th season in the series, George is credited with five poles, two wins, 32 top-five and 65 to-10 finishes.
ThorSport Racing has competed in the Truck Series annually since 1996 and has fielded at least one truck in 454 races, a series record.
“We look forward to Rico joining our race team in 2016,” said Duke Thorson, owner of ThorSport Racing. “Rico has proven himself at every level in racing to date, and is a winner and true racer in every sense of the word. He brings a style and attitude that reflects who we are, and what we are all about. We are prepared to give him every single opportunity to win, and look forward to seeing what he can do in his first full-time season in the Truck Series.”
ThorSport Racing will kick off it’s 21st season of completion in the season-opening NextEra Energy Resources 250 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway on Friday, Feb. 19. All the action will be televised live on FOX Sports 1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR channel 90.
Additional sponsorship for the No. 98 Toyota Tundra will be announced at a later date.
Abreu plans to defend his Chili Bowl Midget Nationals title on Saturday night in the 30th annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals presented by General Tire in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The final features will be televised Saturday, Jan. 16 on MAVTV American Real. F or a complete listing of channels, and to request MAVTV, log onto http://www.mavtv.com.
One track will have a fresh coat of asphalt before the NASCAR circus returns to it in 2016.
Kentucky Speedway announced Tuesday that it will undergo its first-ever resurfacing in its 17-year history. In addition to repaving the entire 1.5-mile intermediate track, they will increase the banking in Turns 1 and 2 from 14 to 17 degrees, narrow the width of the turns from 74 to 56-feet, improve drainage and add over 3,000 feet of SAFER barrier.
The project will be completed before the tripleheader NASCAR race weekend July 7-9.
Kentucky Speedway General Manager Mark Simendinger explained their reasoning for the upcoming changes, saying, “Modifying Turns 1 and 2 will present an exciting challenge to the drivers while addressing issues of the track surface, SAFER barrier, and drainage will improve safety, which is always our paramount concern.”
Coordinating the repave will be Speedway Motorsports Inc. Vice President of Operations and Development, Steve Swift, who said, “We have assembled an excellent team, all of whom are familiar with the demands of speedway construction. I am excited about the finished product as we wanted to present a unique challenge to the drivers. This design, with Turns 1 and 2 completely different than 3 and 4, accomplishes that goal. The big winner will be the race fan.”
MOORESVILLE, NC (December 10, 2015) – AM Racing is proud to announce it has tabbed 19-year old Austin Wayne Self as the driver of the newly formed team’s No. 22 Toyota Tundra. Self will compete in all 23 races on the 2016 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series schedule and compete for the Rookie of the Year honor.
“This is a dream come true for me,” said Austin. “I grew up dreaming about competing at the highest levels of NASCAR and now I get to compete in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. I am very appreciative of this opportunity and look forward to working hard on and off the track so I can do the best job possible. I will have a lot to learn and will turn to our manufacturer and fellow veteran drivers for some key guidance.”
Self is coming off competing the last two seasons in the ARCA Racing Series where he earned one win (Winchester 2015), finished second in the championship points in the 2015 season, won the S&S Volvo Most Laps Completed Award Winner and was the 2014 ARCA Scott Rookie of the Year. He also collected 13 Top-Five’s and 30 Top-10 finishes in his 45 career starts in the ARCA Racing Series. The Austin, Texas native will lean on these past experiences as he goes through the 2016 season and navigates some of the rookie hurdles such as visiting some tracks for the first time.
The AM Racing team recently announced its newly formed NASCAR operation with its debut coming at Daytona International Speedway in February. The team has joined forces with Toyota Racing Development (TRD) which is a critical element of their growth. The team will utilize a Triad Racing Technologies engine program for the season and is in the process of building a new stable of Toyota trucks featuring KBM chassis and suspension components.
“The ability to partner with Toyota, TRD and Triad engines will allow us to put a top level truck on the track each week,” added Self. “The team is building brand new Toyota trucks which raises my excitement level even higher. A tremendous amount of work has been put into this AM Racing program and I can’t wait to get to Daytona. I am very focused on putting my best foot forward on and off the track for the 2016 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season and beyond. Finally, as a native of the great state of Texas it is an honor to represent the only brand of pickup truck that is manufactured in Texas and the largest selling truck in the state – just like me the Toyota Tundra is “Born In Texas and Built by Texans”.”
AM Racing and Austin Wayne Self will make their NASCAR debut together on February 19, 2016 at Daytona International Speedway in the running of the NextEra Energy Resources 250. To learn more information on Austin Wayne Self and AM Racing please visit awsracing.com.
A new face is joining the NASCAR executive hierarchy.
NASCAR announced today that Scott Miller will take over as the Senior Vice President of Competition. He takes over the position from Robin Pemberton, who announced yesterday that he was leaving the post at the end of the 2015 calendar year. The Senior Vice President of Competition is responsible for managing all competition efforts related to technology, inspection, rule development and officiating across all NASCAR racing series.
Miller will be subservient to NASCAR Executive Vice-President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O’Donnell and will be based at the Research & Development Center in Concord, N.C.
Prior to accepting the position, he spent the last four years as the head of competition at Michael Waltrip Racing. Under his leadership, the organization put at least one car in the Chase in 2012 (two), 2013 and 2015.
“I’m looking forward to using the experience I’ve gained working within teams in an entirely new way at NASCAR,” Miller said. “Our sport has evolved quickly over the last several seasons through advanced technology and its creative application in the garage area. We will strive to continue this forward momentum while assuring a level playing field and competitive racing. It’s a challenging opportunity and a logical next step for me. I can’t wait to get started.”
His résumé includes motorcycle racing in AMA Motocross, being an owner/driver in the NASCAR Winston West Series from 1983 to 1990, five seasons as a chief mechanic in the Verizon IndyCar Series and TriStar Motorsports in 1995.
Veteran Team Executive to Guide Day-to-Day Management of Competition Efforts across All Sanctioned Racing Events
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Dec. 2, 2015) – NASCAR announced today that Scott Miller has joined the organization as Senior Vice President of Competition, responsible for managing all competition efforts related to technology, inspection, rule development and officiating across NASCAR’s wide portfolio of racing.
Miller will report directly to Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O’Donnell, and work closely with Senior Vice President of Innovation and Racing Development Gene Stefanyshyn. All three are based at NASCAR’s Research & Development Center in Concord, N.C.
Miller most recently served as Executive Vice President of Competition at Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR). There he was responsible for managing all areas of competition. During his four-year tenure, MWR teams qualified for the Chase for the Sprint Cup in 2012, 2013, and 2015.
“We’re pleased to have Scott, an executive with a wide range of racing experience, join our team,” O’Donnell said. “He will be an immediate asset to NASCAR, our teams and each of our national series. Scott has worked in a collaborative spirit throughout his career, and represents the forward-looking approach we celebrate within our competition team.”
A respected leader within the garage area, Miller has more than two decades of NASCAR experience. Prior to his stint at MWR, he served in competition leadership roles at Richard Childress Racing. There he also helped lead teams into The Chase as both a crew chief and while serving as the Vice President of Competition. As a crew chief, Miller enjoyed his most successful season in 2008 when he called veteran Jeff Burton to two wins, seven top-five and 18 top-10 finishes en route to a sixth-place championship points finish. In all, the Bardstown, Ky., native has six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series wins as a crew chief.
“I’m looking forward to using the experience I’ve gained working within teams in an entirely new way at NASCAR,” Miller said. “Our sport has evolved quickly over the last several seasons through advanced technology and its creative application in the garage area. We will strive to continue this forward momentum while assuring a level playing field and competitive racing. It’s a challenging opportunity and a logical next step for me. I can’t wait to get started.”
Prior to his focus on the mechanical side of motorsports, Miller got his start as a motorcycle racer, eventually advancing to the national level in AMA Motocross. He made the transition to race cars in 1981 and was competing in NASCAR shortly after. In 1983, he was an owner/driver in the NASCAR Winston West Series. He spent five seasons in IndyCar where he worked as a chief mechanic before joining Tri-Star Motorsports in 1995, competing weekly on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series circuit.
About NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States. NASCAR consists of three national series (the NASCAR Sprint Cup SeriesTM, NASCAR XFINITY Series™, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series™), four regional series, one local grassroots series and three international series. The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. Based in Daytona Beach, Fla., with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe. For more information visit http://www.NASCAR.com and http://www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR at www.Facebook.com/NASCAR and Twitter: @NASCAR.
