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Billy Scott to call 300th Cup event as crew chief at Gateway

In his ninth season as a full-time crew chief in the NASCAR Cup Series, Billy Scott, crew chief for Tyler Reddick and the No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota Camry XSE team, is scheduled to achieve a milestone start. By participating in this weekend’s Enjoy Illinois 300 at World Wide Technology Raceway, Scott will call his 300th career event as a crew chief in NASCAR’s premier series.

A native of Land O’Lakes, Florida, and a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering, Scott made his inaugural presence as a Cup Series crew chief at the start of the 2014 season, where he worked atop the pit box of the No. 55 Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota Camry team piloted by former Xfinity Series champion Brian Vickers. By then, he had spent the previous two seasons as a lead engineer for MWR’s No. 55 team and had previously assumed the role of engineer for both MWR and Robert Yates Racing.

In Scott’s first season as a crew chief, he led Vickers and the No. 55 team to a pole at Talladega Superspeedway in October, a season-best runner-up result at Daytona International Speedway in July, three top-five results, nine top-10 results, an average-finishing result of 18.6 and a 22nd-place result in the final driver’s standings.

The following season, Scott retained his role as the crew chief for MWR’s No. 55 team that commenced the season with team owner Michael Waltrip competing in the 57th running of the Daytona 500 and Brett Moffitt earning a strong top-10 result at Atlanta Motor Speedway in March. Meanwhile, Vickers was absent for the start of the season due to health issues. Despite returning for the next two scheduled events at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and at Phoenix Raceway, respectively, in March, Vickers was sidelined again due to blood clots, a health issue that would ultimately sideline him for the remainder of the season and would result with Moffitt and Waltrip filling in for the next six-scheduled events. By May, David Ragan became the full-time competitor of the No. 55 Toyota Camry as he finished no higher than 13th during his first four starts.

Then in June 2015, MWR swapped the crew chiefs of its two-car entry field with Scott replacing Brian Pattie as crew chief of the No. 15 entry piloted by Clint Bowyer. In his first race paired with Bowyer, Scott led the No. 15 team to a 10th-place run at Michigan International Speedway. The duo then earned a strong third-place finish at Sonoma Raceway followed by another 10th-place run at Daytona in July. With a total of eight top-10 results in 12 races paired together, Scott and Bowyer managed to secure a spot for the 2015 Cup Playoffs based on points.

Their run for the title, however, came to an early end at the start of the Playoffs when NASCAR issued a P4-level penalty and docked Bowyer’s team 25 points due to an illegal discovery made during the inspection process at Chicagoland Speedway in September. In addition, Scott was assessed a three-race suspension and a fine of $75,000. While MWR appealed the penalty, their appeal was denied as Scott was suspended, beginning at Dover Motor Speedway through Kansas Speedway in October. By then, Bowyer was one of four competitors to be eliminated from the Playoffs after finishing 19th, 26th and 14th, respectively, during the Round of 16. Once Scott returned atop the pit box at Talladega Superspeedway, he and Bowyer could only achieve just one additional top-10 result during the final seven scheduled events before capping off the season in 16th place in the final standings.

When Michael Waltrip Racing ceased all operations following the 2015 campaign, Scott joined Stewart-Haas Racing for the 2016 Cup season and was paired with Danica Patrick and the No. 10 Chevrolet SS team. Commencing the season with a 35th-place run during the 58th running of the Daytona 500, the duo recorded an average-finishing result of 22.0 throughout the 36-race schedule, with Patrick’s best on-track result being an 11th-place run at Charlotte Motor Speedway in October, before finishing in 24th place in the final standings. Scott and Patrick would record a single top-10 result of 10th place at Dover throughout the 2017 season along with an average-finishing result of 23.8 before settling in 28th place in the final standings. At the conclusion of the 2017 season, Patrick retired from full-time competition.

A month after the 2017 Cup season concluded, Stewart-Haas Racing shuffled its driver-crew chief pairing for the 2018 season, which included Scott transitioning to the No. 41 Ford Fusion team piloted by the 2004 Cup champion Kurt Busch. The new duo commenced the season with a 26th-place result in the 60th running of the Daytona 500 after Busch was involved in a late multi-car wreck while contending for his second consecutive 500 title. They rallied by recording three poles and 14 top-10 results during the next 23 scheduled events. Then at Bristol Motor Speedway in August, Scott achieved his first career victory as a NASCAR crew chief when Busch held off Kyle Larson in a 13-lap shootout to claim his first win of the season, his sixth at Bristol, his 30th Cup career victory and a spot to the 2018 Cup Series Playoffs.

Despite enduring an up-and-down road throughout the Playoffs, the duo managed to transfer from the Round of 16 to 8. Their Playoff run, however, came to a late end during the Round of 8 after Busch recorded respective finishes of sixth, seventh and 32nd. With a 10th-place finish at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November to cap off the 2018 season, Scott and Busch finished in seventh place in the final standings and accumulated a total of 22 top-10 results throughout the 36-race campaign.

For the 2019 Cup season, Scott, who remained as the crew chief of SHR’s No. 41 team, was paired with the 2016 Xfinity Series champion Daniel Suarez, who replaced Busch as Busch joined Chip Ganassi Racing. Throughout the 26-race regular-season stretch, Scott and Suarez endured an up-and-down journey that was highlighted with a pole at Kentucky Speedway in July along with nine top-10 results and a bid for a spot in the 2019 Playoffs. Ultimately, they missed the Playoffs by four points as Suarez proceeded to record two additional top-10 results during the 10-race Playoff stretch before finishing in 17th place in the final standings.

Following the 2019 season, Scott, who was released by Stewart-Haas Racing, joined Richard Childress Racing and worked as the team’s head of engineering for the 2020 Cup season. He also served as a crew chief for a single Cup event for Kaulig Racing’s debut in NASCAR’s premier series with Justin Haley for the 62nd running of the Daytona 500. During the event, Haley, who managed to qualify for the event based on speed, settled in 13th place. Scott’s next pair of events as a crew chief occurred during the 2021 Xfinity Series season for Our Motorsports and Austin Dillon, where Dillon finished 37th at Watkins Glen International and sixth at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course, respectively.

In November 2021, Scott was announced as a Cup Series crew chief for 23XI Racing’s newly formed No. 45 Toyota TRD Camry that was set to be piloted by Kurt Busch for the 2022 season, which marked Scott’s return atop the pit box and his reunion with Busch since 2018. After accumulating four top-10 results during the first 12 scheduled events, the reunited duo achieved their first victory of the season when Busch prevailed over another late battle against Kyle Larson to grab a dominant win at Kansas Speedway in May and record the second career victory for 23XI Racing. The victory also gave Busch and the No. 45 team a guaranteed spot to make the Playoffs.

Seven races and three additional top-10 results later, however, Busch was involved in a hard wreck during a qualifying session at Pocono Raceway in July and was forced to sit out while recovering from concussion-like symptoms, a move that would eventually force him to rule out from full-time competition for the remainder of the 2022 season along with the full 2023 schedule. Busch’s absence allowed newcomer Ty Gibbs to pilot the No. 45 entry for the remainder of the 2022 Cup regular-season stretch with Scott remaining atop the pit box. Then in September and at the start of the 2022 Playoffs, Scott moved over to 23XI Racing’s No. 23 entry along with Gibbs while the team’s primary competitor, Bubba Wallace, took over the No. 45 Toyota that was competing for the owners’ title, which made it as high through the Round of 12.

Since being paired with Gibbs for the last 15 events, which started in mid-July, Scott has led the driver and 23XI Racing’s Nos. 23 and 45 entries to a single top-10 result, which occurred at Michigan International Speedway in August, along with a combined seven top-20 results. During the finale at Phoenix Raceway in November, Scott was paired with the 2021 Xfinity champion Daniel Hemric, who filled in for Gibbs as Gibbs missed the event due to the death of his father, Coy. With Hemric finishing in 17th place on the track, 23XI Racing’s No. 23 entry settled in 24th place in the final owner’s standings, 14 spots below the No. 45 entry.

Returning as the crew chief of 23XI Racing’s No. 45 entry piloted by two-time Xfinity champion Tyler Reddick for the 2023 Cup season, Scott navigated the driver and team to two top-five through the first five-schedule events before they achieved their first victory of the season at Circuit of the Americas in March. Reddick led a race-high 41 laps and muscled away from the field during a two-lap shootout. Scott and Reddick then proceeded to record eight top-10 results in 19 regular-season events, minus Darlington Raceway in May after Scott was ejected due to Reddick’s car failing pre-race inspection twice two days before race day and before entering the Playoffs alongside teammate Bubba Wallace and the No. 23 23XI Racing team.

Coming off a runner-up result in the Playoff opener at Darlington in September, Scott achieved his second Cup victory of the season after Reddick went from fifth to first during an overtime shootout to win and grab an automatic berth into the Round of 12. After transferring into the Round of 8 despite achieving only a single top-10 result in their next four races, the duo was eliminated from title contention after ending up eighth, third and 26th, respectively, throughout the Round of 8. Despite finishing in 22nd place during the finale at Phoenix, Scott and Reddick concluded their first campaign together in sixth place in the final driver’s standings, with the points result being the current best for both the driver and crew chief.

Through the first 14 events of the 2024 Cup Series season, Scott has navigated Reddick and the No. 45 23XI Racing team to a single victory, which occurred at Talladega Superspeedway in April after Reddick dodged a final-lap multi-car wreck to overtake Brad Keselowski through the frontstretch to win for the first time at Talladega. To go along with seven additional top-10 results, including a fourth-place run during last Monday’s rain-shortened Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Scott and Reddick are currently ranked in sixth place in the 2024 regular-season standings and are guaranteed a spot to make the 2024 Cup Series Playoffs.

Through 299 previous Cup events, Scott has achieved five victories, 10 poles, 34 top-five results, 85 top-10 results and 1,864 laps led while working with 12 different competitors.

Billy Scott is scheduled to call his 300th Cup Series event as a crew chief at World Wide Technology Raceway for the Enjoy Illinois 300 on Sunday, June 2. The event’s broadcast time is set to commence at 3:30 p.m. ET on FS1.

May 30, 2024
Mike Bugarewicz to call 200th Cup race as crew chief at New Hampshire

A significant milestone start is in the making for Mike “Buga” Bugarewicz, crew chief for Aric Almirola and the No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford Mustang team in the NASCAR Cup Series. By participating in this weekend’s event at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Bugarewicz will call his 200th Cup career race as a crew chief.

A native of Lehighton, Pennsylvania, Bugarewicz earned a B.S. and a M.S. degree in mechanical engineering from Penn State before joining Roush Fenway Racing as an engineer in December 2005, which marked the beginning of his racing career. From 2006 to 2013, Bugarewicz worked as an engineer within the Roush organization, where he also worked with names like Danny O’Quinn, David Ragan, Paul Menard, Matt Kenseth and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

In 2014, Bugarewicz became a lead race engineer for veteran driver Kevin Harvick, crew chief Rodney Childers and the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet team. The season was one to remember for Bugarewicz as Harvick, who was in his first season with SHR, captured five victories, eight poles, 14 top-five results, 20 top-10 results and the season’s Cup championship.

Following a productive 2015 season with Harvick, where Harvick won three races before settling in second place in the final standings, Bugarewicz was named a Cup Series crew chief for three-time champion Tony Stewart and the No. 14 SHR Chevrolet team for the 2016 season, which marked Stewart’s final full-time season as a NASCAR competitor. A month prior to the season, however, Stewart suffered a back injury after being involved in a sand buggy accident outside of San Diego. With Stewart hospitalized and forced to miss the early portion of the upcoming season, Bugarewicz spent the first eight Cup events of the season and of his career with Brian Vickers and Ty Dillon. During this span, Vickers, who made five starts, finished as high as seventh at Martinsville Speedway in April while Dillon, who competed in the other three events, finished as high as 15th at Phoenix Raceway in March.

At Richmond Raceway in April, Stewart was medically cleared to return to racing. In his first race with Bugarewicz, Stewart finished 19th. The following race at Talladega Superspeedway, Stewart, with relief help from Ty Dillon, was credited with a sixth-place result before he competed the following six races through the entire distance.

Then at Sonoma Raceway in June, Bugarewicz achieved his first NASCAR victory as a crew chief when Stewart prevailed over a late battle with former teammate Denny Hamlin to snap an 84-race winless drought and collect his 49th Cup career win, a victory that also placed the No. 14 team in a guaranteed spot to make the Playoffs. After winning at Sonoma, Bugarewicz and Stewart earned four top-five results and recorded enough points through the final 10 regular-season events to secure their spot in the 2016 Cup Playoffs. Their run in the Playoffs, however, came to an end following the Playoff’s Round of 16, where Stewart finished 16th, 23rd and 13th in a three-race postseason stretch and missed the cutline to the Round of 12. Bugarewicz and Stewart went on to finish in 15th place in the final standings.

Bugarewicz remained as crew chief for SHR’s No. 14 team in 2017 with the organization swapping manufacturers from Chevrolet to Ford. With Stewart retired, Bugarewicz was paired with veteran Clint Bowyer, who was named Stewart’s successor of the No. 14 car. Participating in all but two of the 36-race schedule, Bugarewicz and Bowyer achieved six top-five results, 13 top-10 results and an average result of 15.0. They, however, did not make the Playoffs as Bowyer settled in 18th place in the final standings.

Following the first five events of the 2018 Cup season, Bugarewicz returned to Victory Lane when Bowyer scored a dominating win at Martinsville Speedway, the sixth event of the schedule, in March and snapped a 190-race winless drought. Ten races later, they won for the second time of the season at Michigan International Speedway in June, which was a rain-shortened event. Making the 2018 Cup Playoffs, Bugarewicz and Bowyer remained in title contention through the Round of 8, where they fell short of making the Championship Round and contending for the title at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November. Nonetheless, Bugarewicz and Bowyer achieved two victories, nine top-five results and 16 top-10 results before finishing in 12th place in the final standings.

Remaining as crew chief for Bowyer and SHR’s No. 14 Ford team in 2019, Bugarewicz guided the driver and team to a pole, seven top-five results, 18 top-10 results and through the first two rounds of the Playoffs before finishing in ninth place in the final standings. By then, Bugarewicz had called more than 100 Cup races as a crew chief.

For the 2020 season, Stewart-Haas Racing reshuffled most of its crew chief lineup, placing Bugarewicz as crew chief for Aric Almirola and the No. 10 SHR Ford Mustang team for the upcoming season. Bugarewicz achieved a second consecutive consistent season as he led Almirola to six top-five results, 18 top-10 results and through the first two rounds of the Playoffs before settling in 15th place in the final standings.

Thus far, Bugarewicz and Almirola have recorded a pole, one top-five result and two top-10 results through the first 21 Cup races of the 2021 season. They also achieved a victory in the first Bluegreen Vacations Duel event at Daytona International Speedway in February and the NASCAR All-Star Open at Texas Motor Speedway in June. They are currently ranked in 27th place in the regular-season standings.

Through 199 previous Cup appearances, Bugarewicz has achieved three victories, two poles, 34 top-five results and 76 top-10 results while working with five different competitors.

Bugarewicz is set to call his 200th Cup race as a crew chief at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sunday, July 18, with the race scheduled to start at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

July 14, 2021
Logging Laps: Road course racing is perfect.

NASCAR is and has always been a southern sport. Even with the massive boom in popularity we saw from the early 90s till the late 2000s, NASCAR’s primary fan base and roots were always in the short tracks of the Deep South. Bumping, banging, and hard-nosed racing is where rivalries and champions were born. It’s what led blue-collar workers to become racers and race fans.

However, like everything else in the world, the only thing constant is change. NASCAR is no exception to this rule, with the cars, drivers, tracks, and the very sport itself, being reshaped and remodeled over and over again in the last 15 years. We see more competition now that we ever have, and the cars and drivers are closer than they ever were before.

On a typical race weekend, the difference between the fastest five cars and the rest of the top 25 is little more than a few tenths of a second. That makes aero, clean air, and track position more important than just about everything else now. That’s why we see so many races where the leader after pit stops is the leader at the next flag. Passing is so hard now that even with almost all the downforce taken off these cars, it’s still a rarity to see a green-flag pass for the lead. It creates a racing product that is a damned hard sell to new fans and a sport that has seen a massive exodus of its old, core demographic.

Like I said before, times change. We can’t stop advancement in the sport any more than we could actually go back in time. It’s just not possible. However, there is a beacon of light in the garage. A small window to the past that we often times miss, road course racing.

Sonoma Raceway and Watkins Glen have quickly become the only real analogs to the old style of racing that made NASCAR so popular. A race where tires fall off, drivers can show their skill, aero means almost nothing and if you’re faster than the guy in front of you, you can pass him.

It’s almost ironic when you stop to think about it because NASCAR has always been oval-centric. There was a time when most of the teams took their worst car to the road course races and didn’t even try. It was the era of ringers where top teams would hire a specialist just for 1-3 races a year simply because they thought they would get a better result that way. They put little to no effort into the road courses because they didn’t matter. Drivers dreaded going to a road course race and would bemoan it. Now, the drivers, crews, and fans resoundingly love it, so much so that we’re actually going to see a road course (Roval) race at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the playoffs next year.

What is truly amazing is that when you watch the races from Sonoma or Watkins Glen, you see what the sport used to be – men and women, braver than most, wrestling an unruly 3400 pounds race car, side-by-side and bumper to bumper, for position. We see the bumping and banging that the old fans miss. We see the action at the front of the pack and the passing we used to enjoy. Tires fall off, tempers flare, and strategies come into play that we could never have predicted. It’s truly a great show for everyone involved and a microcosm of the sport we all remember and miss.

Sure, NASCAR has evolved and the time when short-track racing at small fairgrounds across the country is gone. Yes, we’re stuck with 1.5-mile tracks that try every trick in the book to make something out of nothing, tire dragons, VHT, progressive banking, soft green tires, and more. Attendance is down and so are the TV ratings, but in my opinion, and based on what I’ve seen from the fans in the stands, the people online, and the crews in the garage, we have an antidote for the anemic state of racing we love so much – road courses.

It’s as simple as tuning into the last few years of races and watching the action, the fender-banging, the last lap passes, the fuel games and the pit strategy. Road course racing is giving us everything you could want as a NASCAR fan, rivalries included. Just look back at Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski, Tony Stewart and Brian Vickers, Martin Truex Jr. and Keselowski, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Matt Kenseth. The list of driver flare-ups over contact goes on and on.

This is exactly what so many fans have been complaining about, boring races with no passing, no action, and no drama. Now, after another great weekend of road course racing, it appears obvious that we have a pretty simple solution to those issues, now don’t we?

June 27, 2017
The Final Word – Kentucky is wide open for 2017, but the even years belong to Brad Keselowski

Brad Keselowski is one of the most generous drivers in NASCAR. When they opened the track in Kentucky, did Brad win it in 2011? He did not. No, he was gracious enough to let Kyle Busch take the inaugural event. In fact, he was thoughtful enough to let Kyle take it last year as well. Keselowski is no race hog. Matt Kenseth benefitted from his generosity in 2013. Brad Keselowski is a swell guy. However, note that the even years belong to him and only to him.

Saturday night, Keselowski claimed his third Kentucky contest in six attempts. With the tank running dry and the competition diving down pit road for a top off on fuel, Keselowski just kept going on and on and on to the finish. He managed to turn around to capture the flag, but after that, he was powered by the front bumper of a tow truck. For him, Sonoco was good to the very last drop.

Four wins on the season, at the top of the charts in the standings, three wins and eight Top Tens in his last 10, with a worst finish of 15th in that span. It would appear all is well in Brad’s world. For others, it appears they were traveling behind a honey wagon last weekend.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is trying to at least stay within hailing distance of a Chase place. That cause was not helped a wit in Kentucky. A blown tire just nine laps in and he was toast and dead last. Joey Logano has a win and is high in the points, so when he pounded the wall with just 52 gone and more than 200 to go, it was not as devastating but he was just as parked.

A.J. Allmendinger picked up five big needed points, but maybe just taking the day off would have been better. He got caught up in a multi-car wreck, then got pasted into the fence even worse later on, injuring his thumb while he was at it. Ryan Blaney is dropping further and further from contention, this time, he and fellow rookie Chase Elliott found themselves emulating synchro swimmers in a lovely choreographed dual spin. Neither were to finish in the Top 30. As for Jimmie Johnson, he did not go unnoticed, but that spin 33 laps in did the damage, and the time to make repairs left him behind Elliott on the day, and that was not good.

Carl Edwards was second best on the day while others with a Chase place also finishing in the Top Ten include Ryan Newman, Kurt Busch, Jamie McMurray, Matt Kenseth, Kevin Harvick, and Martin Truex Jr. Tony Stewart was fifth and is 31 points to the good in making his win count toward a championship run. Greg Biffle was sixth, but a win might be what it takes to be in at this point.

Only McMurray appears to have much heat behind him as they move on to New Hampshire on Sunday. He goes in with a 10 point lead over Bayne, with Kasey Kahne 16 off the pace, and Blaney 23 back in the weeds.

Kahne has won there before, while McMurray has not. Going back to September of 2002, only five of the 27 races there were not claimed by someone not currently holding a place in the Chase. Only Kahne (once), Clint Bowyer (twice), along with Brian Vickers and Mark Martin are the anomalies. As for Brad Keselowski, he did not win it last year, but he did in 2014. Do I need to remind you that this is one of those even years?

July 11, 2016
The Final Word – The best little race car in Texas was not the one that won

Watching NASCAR is very much akin to viewing a bunch of toddlers race each other. Little Johnny might take off early, get within a few feet of the finish line, then that damn butterfly takes all his attention and he swerves right and off the course. Saturday night in Texas was a lot like that.

If you tuned in early, you saw rain for two hours. Not the beginning they had hoped for, but for others the rain on their parade would come later. In the beginning, it was pole sitter Carl Edwards dueling Martin Truex Jr. for the lead. If it was not one, it was the other. That is how it went for 200 laps, then came the butterfly. Actually, then came a loose lug nut on the right front after a pit miscue, and Edwards went from leading 124 laps to fighting just to get close enough to finish seventh.

That left Truex. He led 141 laps. He was leading with just over 30 laps to go. Truex did not wander anywhere, but he should have. When most came to the pits for tires under caution, the team threw caution to the wind, and Truex under the bus. Sometimes Little Johnny needs to come in for a change, but the call from Cole Pearn to dive into the pits came too late for the driver to do so, and they were left with a soiled diaper.

Some wore their big boy pants, again. If you tuned in when things turned green, you would have thought Kyle Busch had one hell of a day. He immediately charged past Truex, who finished sixth, and that was it. Rowdy was literally off to the races to claim his second straight Cup victory, the 36th of his career. While Busch was near the front for the latter half of the event, Dale Earnhardt Jr. made a few cameos but only in the late stages did he emerge to claim the runner-up spot. Joey Logano, Jimmie Johnson and Chase Elliott rounded out the top five.

Matt Kenseth was a factor early, but you just knew something had to go wrong. It always does this season. Look, a butterfly. Eleventh proved to be a good result after a flying lug nut in the pits got caught behind a new tire and prevented the crew from tightening the replacement. Greg Biffle is having a sad season, and after hitting the wall he got even sadder. The Biff was boffed, to finish 39th, just one behind Clint Bowyer. Driving for Harry Scott this season as he awaits Tony Stewart’s retirement is not proving to be much fun.

In fact, you probably did not notice Bowyer much out on the playground, at least not until late. With 40 laps left, Austin Dillon tried to fit into a spot ahead of Johnson, but there was not enough room and soon enough not enough air on the rear spoiler. Dillon lost control, hit the wall, and came back across the track to clip the inside fence. Meanwhile, the checkers behind him became wreckers, with Bowyer and Brian Vickers ending their day as a host of other cars received a dent or five in the mishap. Hard to watch for butterflies when someone just kicked open a hornets nest.

The Danica Patrick Line was set this week at 21st in Texas, just ahead of Ty Dillon and one up on A.J. Allmendinger. The trio were all a lap off the pace and nowhere near the front the entire day. As much as I wish for her better things, this fourth season appears a be a lot like the previous three. Patrick sits, as per usual, 24th in the rankings. If we are asking too much of her, at what time should we?

Any butterflies at Bristol this Sunday probably will come in the form of a similar looking vehicle doing things to make a driver’s auto look less similar. Six drivers come in with at least a pair of victories there, but no one could use another more than four-time winner Matt Kenseth. He comes in as the Food City 500’s defending champion. Just as long as those Busch toddlers are not so spoiled as to add to the 10 they have already split between them.

I just do not think you can rely on their sharing natures at Bristol over the past five years to continue. The younger one has been exceptionally greedy as of late.

April 11, 2016
Brian Vickers Fastest in First Practice

MARTINSVILLE, Va.– Brian Vickers posted the fastest time in first Sprint Cup Series practice at Martinsville Speedway.

The driver of the No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet was fastest in the first practice session with a time of 19.485 and a speed of 97.182 mph. Denny Hamlin was second in his No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota with a time of 19.500 and a speed of 97.108 mph. Joey Logano was third in his No. 22 Team Penske Ford with a time of 19.504 and a speed of 97.088 mph. Ryan Newman was fourth in his No. 31 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet with a time of 19.511 and a speed of 97.053 mph. Kyle Larson rounded out the top-five in his No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet with a time of 19.517 and a speed of 97.023 mph.

Kasey Kahne was sixth in his No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. Ryan Blaney was seventh in his No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford. Matt Kenseth was eighth in his No. 20 JGR Toyota. Paul Menard was ninth in his No. 27 RCR Chevrolet. Jamie McMurray rounded out the top-10 in his No. 1 CGR Chevrolet.

Larson posted the fastest 10 consecutive lap average at a speed of 94.369 mph.

Trevor Bayne crashed his car after locking up the brakes going into turn 1.

“We had a really good car in race true and the long run,” Bayne said. “It was lacking short-run speed and I felt like I was really being held up on my brakes. I was having a lot of rear wheel hop getting into the corner. We were giving up two to three-tenths into both corners and I tried to just push the braking zone a little bit more and it started wheel-hopping really bad. There was nothing I could do about it. Once it started bouncing, I tried to save it and once it got backwards stood in the gas and it just backed in. You never want to tear one up, especially not in practice, but maybe that rear wheel-hop won’t be in our backup car and we can go qualify OK.”

The team opted to roll out the backup car. Because this took place prior to qualifying, the driver of the No. 6 Roush Fenway Racing Ford won’t be required to drop to the rear of the field.

The Sprint Cup Series will be back on track later this evening for qualifying at 4:15.

NSCS Complete Practice 1 Results – Martinsville Speedway

April 1, 2016
Vickers Has Rough Outing in Return to NASCAR

The return to racing wasn’t too pleasant for Brian Vickers.

The substitute driver of the No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet suffered a cut right-rear tire, t-boned the right side of Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s car, ripped its side off, slid back up the track, slammed the wall hard on the driver’s side, collected Kevin Harvick, slid back down the track and clipped the No. 15 HScott Motorsports Chevrolet of Clint Bowyer. Kurt Busch also got a piece of the wreck as he just got clipped by the 14 car.

Vickers was treated and released from the infield care center.

“I don’t know how I cut it yet,” he said. “I felt it going down the straightaway, and at that point, I started to roll out. But at that point, you’re going 200 mph and there’s nothing you can do.”

Asked if this wreck could have an effect on his health, he said, “Not really. Every wreck sucks, especially the hard ones. I don’t think it was so much scary. If you’re thinking about whether or not it’s scary, you’re fine. For me, as soon as you hit the wall, it’s really more of a process of, like, why did I hit the wall.”

He’ll continue on driving the No. 14 car for the rest of Speedweeks.

Teammate Harvick said that if one was “going to wreck, tonight is the night to wreck. Just the wrong place at the wrong time.”

If you missed the wreck, here’s the video of it. See video: https://youtu.be/7A43sG6LZPc

Vickers will use what he learned from the Sprint Unlimited next week for the Daytona 500.

“We learned a lot,” he said. “It’s the first time back and we worked on the spotter-driver relationship, talked about what we want and what we need.

“Unfortunately, we didn’t get to pit road, that was the part I was most disappointed in, I needed to make sure I hit the marks. But we’ve got plenty of time, the Duels, practice and then the Daytona 500.”

Vickers went on to say, “I think the most frustrating part of it for me was not to finish this first race back. But these guys have done so much and worked hard and gave me a great car. Not gonna get ’em tonight. We’ll have to get ’em in the Daytona 500.”

February 13, 2016
Brett Moffitt Sweet on Ice Cream and Good Pocono Run

This is a sweet weekend for Brett Moffitt and his No. 34 All American Food Front Row Motorsports team. They are not only promoting National Root Beer Float day but also hoping for a sweet finish at Pocono Raceway in the Windows 10 400.

Moffitt is most excited about promoting National Root Beer Float Day for A&W restaurants on August 6th. Anyone can ask for a root beer float at any A&W store between 2:00 p.m. and closing and get it for free. The only catch is that participants will be asked to make a donation to the Wounded Warrior Foundation to pay it forward.

“It’s really cool and it is a really fun thing to have on the car,” Moffitt said. “It’s amazing that this huge company A&W is doing that.

“They don’t need to do that, but it shows what’s in their hearts. It will help everyone have a little enjoyment in their day and also help Wounded Warriors benefit from it too.”

Moffitt advised that the saying ‘We all scream for ice cream’ definitely applies to him and is why he is so excited about the root beer float promotion on his race car.

“I like anything sweet,” Moffitt said. “The inner kid in me loves candy, ice cream and especially root beer floats. Any chance I get to snack out, I’m good with it. It’s a free excuse for me.”

“I’m going to head for the nearest A&W in my area on August 6,” Moffitt said. “This is the second year we’ve done this so we should be good.”

Moffitt is also excited that the Root Beer Float promotion will also benefit a charity that he feels strongly about.

“I haven’t been directly involved in the Wounded Warrior Project, but I would sure like to,” Moffitt said. “I think it’s a great cause and something that a lot of people overlook.

“Without the warriors who paid such a price, we wouldn’t be standing here doing our jobs today. So, that means a lot to me.”

With sweets on his car and a car that was good off the truck, Moffitt is also looking forward to a good run at Pocono Raceway in the Cup race on Sunday.

“We actually unloaded and we were pretty happy with our race car,” Moffitt said. “So, that’s a good sign.

“The biggest thing is that they got rid of the bumps in Turn Two. So, we’re carrying quite a bit more speed through there than we were a month or so ago. Trying to adjust to that is the newest thing that I’m worried about. Other than that, it’s going good and I’m happy with the car.

“You can shift in all three corners but I haven’t decided which ones are really better yet. I’ve done it both ways and run the same lap times both ways. So, I don’t really know which one I’m going to stick with.

“I’m sure in traffic in the race, you’ll shift more and run faster laps. I still think it will be big to take care of your transmission and brakes throughout the race to save it all for the end.”

Another sweet development for Moffitt is his Rookie of the Year battle with Jeb Burton. In fact, the two young drivers are actually tied at present at 151 points.

“Yes, we are tied but he’s been in every race and I haven’t,” Moffitt said. “It’s an odd battle and I’m not sure how everything is going to work out. They take your 17 best races I believe it is. So, I don’t know.

“We’re just going out here every weekend and doing the best we can. At the end of the year if I get it, that’s great. And if not, then it kind of sucks.

“It’s hard to really focus on that week in and week out and with all the stipulations that go along with it. So, for me, it’s go out, perform, and if you beat him on the track every time, it will be hard to lose it.”

Moffitt admitted that his journey to racing the No. 34 A&W All American Food Ford has taken many twists and turns. But the young racer admitted that it has been sweet and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“It’s been a weird journey and not your traditional way up. I ran the K&N East Series for five years and had a lot of success there. I started testing for Michael Waltrip Racing in their Cup cars at the end of 2011 until NASCAR did away with the testing. I’m still under contract with Michael Waltrip Racing but I didn’t get the chance to run XFINITY or Trucks much.

“It’s a weird way to get here but am thankful to the opportunity to be here.

“I also got the opportunity to fill in for Brian Vickers this year in the No. 55 car and that was a great opportunity as well. And for the remainder of this year, I’ve found a great home here at Front Row. It’s been a really good year so far and I hope we can continue it on.

“Ever since the first few races I’ve come over here, we’ve really been working well together. It’s a great group of guys. We’re all kind of smart butts to each other but it is great chemistry for the team. And everyone knows we’re just joking. It’s a fun atmosphere but when it comes time to get stuff done, we do it. I think that makes for a great team.”

In addition to National Root Beer Float Day, Moffitt will also soon celebrate a sweet thing of his own. He has a birthday next week and will turn 23 years old.

“I’m not racing Watkins Glen next weekend so I’m actually going to go home to Iowa and visit my parents, family and friends for my birthday,” Moffitt said. “I haven’t been there since Christmas so it will be good to see all of them.”

“But until then, just go get those root beer floats on August 6,” Moffitt said. “It’s a cool and easy thing to do.”

August 1, 2015
The Final Word – If Fontana were a Hollywood movie, we would have wanted our money back

Imagine watching the final confrontation of Lord of the Rings. We have Sam somewhere out on the mountain, as Frodo and Smeagol battle for the ring on the edge of the volcano. Then, out of nowhere, Barliman Butterbur, the owner of the Prancing Pony bar, jumps in to steal the ring from them both, leaps onto the back of Bill the horse, and disappears into the sunset. You are left wondering just what in hell just happened. Fontana was just like that.

Barliman…er…Brad Keselowski, on a nice set of four new tires, utilized the second attempt at a green-white-checker to come out of nowhere to get by Kurt Busch (Smeagol) and Kevin Harvick (Frodo), who just had fresh right side only chariots. On the final lap, as Greg Biffle (Sauron?) wrecked in the distance, he pulled it off. We knew Brad was in the movie, but we just did not expect to see him in the end. It marked the first win of the season for the 2012 champ, and the 17th of his career.

While Frodo was second best, a top two performer in his last eight straight, and Smeagol was third, the role of Sam was played by Matt Kenseth. Absolutely superb pit stops left him in front or challenging for the top spot all day. Then, with 14 to go, the boys got their driver out in under 11 seconds, only the see his rear axle failing to survive the departure. Amazingly, they managed to do repairs to allow him to finish on the lead lap, though in 31st.

Kenseth failed to win, but both he and Ryan Newman got good news. With the statute of limitations removed from eligibility for the all-star race, they both got their passes renewed for this May’s event.

Brian Vickers was out in California bringing awareness to those who suffer from blood clots. That is exactly what has removed him from his ride yet again. We hope to see him back in his seat this summer.

NASCAR boss Brian France admits that the COT was a mistake. The ill-handling box was designed for safety, but was not worth a damn for racing. Now if he would only admit that the new rule for runaway tires is a bit of a mistake. Joey Logano got totally screwed for such an infraction, even though the rubber never left the pit stall. Denny Hamlin got called late, but at least his tread did cross over, albeit barely.

So…what exactly was the debris that caused that final caution with less than two laps remaining, with Busch and Harvick dueling for the finish line? Damned if I know. Do you? Does anyone?

So NASCAR has taken a few dollars, a very few, from the Cup folks to pay drivers in its developmental series. I guess stealing from Peter to pay Paul is preferable to actually digging into their own bulging wallets but it is something. Funny how they want to redistribute the wealth Obama style now, at a time when the truck series is no longer broadcast beyond American borders and the Xfinity series is being invaded by drivers a tad beyond developmental. Then again, we now live in a world that does not always makes sense to us, so why should NASCAR be any different.

If you watched on Sunday for excitement, for tight action, or for carnage, you might have been disappointed. If you like surprises, you loved Fontana. Godspeed, Barliman Butterbur. Godspeed.

March 23, 2015
The Final Word – Harvick Once Again the Best in Phoenix but Fontana is Johnson Country

Phoenix got somewhat exciting near the end. Kevin Harvick was the star of this show, with the likes of Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski, Kurt Busch and Jamie McMurray in supporting roles. Two straight this season, four straight at Phoenix, a lock on a Chase spot (you would think) and 30 career victories as he defends his Cup championship. It is good being Kevin Harvick.

Not so good being Tony Stewart. Take some orange paper, write a number 14 on it, then crumple it all up and toss it on the floor. That is pretty much how Stewart’s car looked when it finally stopped along the wall. Thirty-ninth on the day, 35th in the standings. It is not good being Tony Stewart, at least after four Cup races.

It was good being Dale Earnhardt Jr. Top Fives at Daytona, Atlanta and Las Vegas was good. A blown tire and a sharp slap to the wall to finish 43rd was not.

It was good, finally, to be Kurt Busch. In the words of Mike Joy, he went from suspension to redemption, as he finished fourth in his return.

Danica Patrick had another day outside the Top 25. Sure, her team-mates with the law firm of Stewart-Harvick-and Busch may all have won championships, but none of them have a cook book coming out. Game, set and match, losers.

One day, one race, 43 teams. I guess that is a bit too much even for Will Ferrell.

The best on the day amongst the lesser lights was Justin Allgaier. The 29th ranked driver from last season was 18th at Phoenix. Among the brighter bulbs who went dim were Junior, Brian Vickers, Sam Hornish Jr. and Smoke, all of whom wound up amongst the bottom five.

The great thing about FOX Sports taking over coverage is all the extra time it has given me. No truck racing, no practices, no qualifying to sit through. Now, if I only don’t blow it all on watching curling on TSN.

What does Junior’s puppy at Martin Truex Jr’s motorcoach have in common with Junior’s car last Sunday out on the track? That is where both suddenly went to crap.

Someone stole the No. 44. Now a lawyer wants it. Apparently, there is a claim that team owner John Cohen owes some money, so when the counsel for the other party heard Cohen claim the car was worth $250,000 he thought he would claim a piece. Insert your favorite lawyer joke here, I guess.

The western swing wraps up this Sunday in Fontana, California, where the mending Kyle Busch will see an end to his two race dominance of that track. Maybe that will work in favor of five time race winner Jimmie Johnson, or allow Kyle Larson to build on his runner-up performance in his one and only start there. Will it be exciting? It depends on who you like and where they are racing. Then again, who watches live events anymore? Hit record and watch the action at your own pace, maybe catch an inning or two of a ball game in the meantime, or shovel some snow, if you live in the northeast, then return to the track. Hey, it is a multi-task world.

March 16, 2015