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  • Keselowski rolls to a dominant win at New Hampshire

    Keselowski rolls to a dominant win at New Hampshire

    With his status for next season uncertain, Brad Keselowski reignited his momentum for his second Cup title by dominating and prevailing over several battles with Denny Hamlin to win the Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, the 20th race of the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season. The win was Keselowski’s third of this season, second at New Hampshire, third with crew chief Jeremy Bullins and 33rd of his Cup career, which moved him into a tie with the late NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee Fireball Roberts for 24th on the all-time wins list.

    The starting lineup was based on a random draw. Aric Almirola started on pole position for the third time this season and was joined on the front row with Denny Hamlin, a three-time winner at New Hampshire and last week’s winner at Kansas Speedway. 

    Prior to the race, Jerry Baxter, crew chief for Bubba Wallace and the No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE team, and Ryan Sparks, crew chief for Corey LaJoie and the No. 32 Go Fas Racing Ford Mustang team, were both suspended from the race due to a pre-race inspection infraction for an improperly mounted ballast. In addition, both Wallace and LaJoie started at the rear of the field and were each docked 10 points. Engineer Roy Gangdal served as LaJoie’s interim crew chief while the No. 43 team went into a group effort for Wallace. Austin Dillon also dropped to the rear of the field due to unapproved adjustments.

    When the green flag waved, Almirola, who started on the outside lane, jumped to an early advantage followed by Brad Keselowski while Denny Hamlin, who started on the inside lane and had issues getting started, dropped to third. Behind, Kyle Busch moved his way into fourth place followed by Clint Bowyer while Chase Elliott dropped to sixth. 

    On the third lap, Keselowski made his move beneath Almirola to move into the lead. Behind, Kurt Busch slipped up the racing groove entering Turn 3 and dropped all the way back to 18th. While Keselowski continued to lead by two-tenths of a second over Almirola, teammates Kyle Busch and Hamlin along with Bowyer battled intensely for third with Elliott lurking behind. 

    On Lap 10, Blaney missed the racing groove in Turn 3 while running 10th and nearly slapped the outside wall, though he was able to gather his car back into the racing groove entering Turn 4. By the time he gathered his No. 12 Menards/Sylvania/Team Penske Ford Mustang back, he had fallen back to 15th. A lap later, a similar thing happened to William Byron, who nearly collected teammate Jimmie Johnson in the process when Byron and his No. 24 Liberty University/Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE slipped. Byron’s miscue dropped him back to 15th as he was locked into a battle with rookie Tyler Reddick.

    A few laps later, Bowyer and Elliott made their way into the top five, which dropped Kyle Busch back to sixth and with Kevin Harvick and Joey Logano closing in towards Busch. 

    The first caution flew on Lap 15 when Kyle Busch blew a right-front tire and went dead straight into the Turn 3 outside wall as he sustained significant damage to the right side of his No. 18 Pedigree/Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry. Following his incident, Busch nursed his No. 18 Toyota back to pit road and made the left-hand turn to the garage as he parked his car near his hauler and his race came to an early end. The incident also extended his winless streak this season to 20 races.

    “Just going down the backstretch there and about halfway down the backstretch, I felt it go flat and tried to get it slowed down enough without taking everybody else running over me behind me down the straightaway,” Busch said after being released from the infield care center on NBCSN. “I don’t know. I think there’s a replay of another Pedigree car here a few years ago that blew a right-front tire for absolutely no reason, too. Seems to be our luck with the Pedigree car here at New Hampshire. Sorry to all of our fans and all the Pedigree folks, but it’s still 2020.”

    Under caution, many that included Hamlin, Bowyer, Harvick, Kurt Busch, Erik Jones and others pitted for tires while the rest led by Keselowski and Almirola remained on track. Following the pit stops, Jones was held a lap for pitting outside his pit box.

    The race restarted on Lap 22 and Keselowski retained the lead followed by teammate Logano. Johnson gained a huge run on the outside lane entering Turn 4 to move into third place over Almirola while Elliott and Reddick battled for fifth. Behind, rookie Cole Custer moved into seventh followed by Hamlin and Byron. Harvick, the first car on fresh tires, moved back into 10th followed by Blaney and Bowyer. On Lap 25, Byron missed the racing groove entering Turn 3 for the second time of the day while battling inside the top 10 as he fell back to 16th. 

    While the battling for positions continued to ensue around the track, Keselowski was able to stabilize his advantage by nearly a second over teammate Logano by the time the competition flew on Lap 30. Under caution, a majority led by Logano pitted while others led by Keselowski, Hamlin, Reddick, Blaney and Harvick remained on track. Following the pit stops, LaJoie was assessed an over-the-wall too soon pit penalty. 

    When the race restarted on Lap 35, Keselowski retained the lead while Hamlin prevailed in a battle with Blaney for the runner-up spot. Bowyer, meanwhile, moved into fourth followed by Matt DiBenedetto and Harvick. 

    On Lap 38, Hamlin started to challenge Keselowski for the lead. He made a few attempts to move Keselowski for the lead, including bumping Keselowski’s rear bumper to loosen up the 2012 Cup champion, but Keselowski still prevailed with the top spot. Shortly after, Blaney joined the party as he started challenging Hamlin for the runner-up spot. 

    On Lap 44, Blaney moved into the runner-up spot after bumping Hamlin out of the way the previous lap as he started to set his sights towards teammate Keselowski for the lead. Behind, Bowyer and DiBenedetto continued battling for fourth followed by Harvick and Truex. Johnson, Bell and Byron were running in the top 10 while Logano, following his slow pit stop under the competition caution, was back in 12th ahead of Almirola. Elliott was in 14th followed by Reddick and Kurt Busch while Jones, who got back to the lead lap, was in 18th.

    On Lap 50, with the clouds and weather concerns surrounding the track, Keselowski was still leading by a narrow margin over teammate Blaney and Hamlin with the trio being two seconds ahead of Bowyer and DiBenedetto. 

    Three laps later, Blaney made a challenge for the lead over Keselowski, but was unable to clear his teammate for the lead as he lost his momentum and allowed Hamlin to move back into the runner-up spot. Another five laps later, Hamlin muscled his way to the lead but a lap later, Keselowski took it back while Blaney went to work again for the runner-up spot. 

    On Lap 61, following a heated, intense battle with two Penske competitors, Hamlin was able to move into the lead and retain it while being pressured by Keselowski and Blaney. Shortly after, the caution flew when Johnson got loose underneath Bowyer while battling for position and spun entering Turn 2. He was able to continue without sustaining any significant damage to his No. 48 Ally/Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE.

    Under caution, the majority of competitors led by Keselowski pitted while some led by Blaney and Byron remained on track. Following the pit stops, Elliott was sent to the rear of the field for speeding on pit road.

    With seven laps remaining in the first stage, the race restarted under green with Blaney remaining as the leader. Behind, Hamlin, on fresh tires, bolted his way into the runner-up spot as the shuffling of positions ensued behind the leaders. With five laps remaining in the stage, Hamlin muscled his way back into the lead. Truex moved into the runner-up spot as Blaney fell back to third on older tires. Shortly after, Harvick moved into third followed by Blaney while Bell and Keselowski battled for position. 

    With the battling for positions continuing and light rain drops being reported near the track, Hamlin was able to cruise to the first stage win on Lap 75 as he also recorded his third stage victory of the season. Teammate Truex settled in the runner-up spot followed by Harvick, Bell and Keselowski while Blaney, Bowyer, Logano, Preece and Almirola settled in the top 10.

    Under the stage break, some like Blaney, Bowyer, Bell, Byron, Harvick, Custer, Reddick, Bubba Wallace, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Daniel Suarez and others pitted while the rest led by Hamlin remained on track.

    The second stage commenced on Lap 83 with Hamlin retaining the lead. Behind, teammate Truex remained in sight for the lead while Harvick moved into third over Bell. Keselowski was in fifth followed by teammate Logano, Almirola, Kurt Busch, Ryan Preece and DiBenedetto. 

    By Lap 90, with the intense racing from earlier easing down, Hamlin was still ahead by seven-tenths of a second over teammate Truex followed by Harvick, Keselowski and Bell. Behind, Elliott was in 13th followed by Blaney, Matt Kenseth, Custer and Jones. Byron was in 18th ahead of Ryan Newman and Bowman while Wallace was in 21st ahead of Reddick. Bowyer was in 24th while Johnson was in 27th. Not long after, the caution flew due to rain. By then, Harvick had overtaken Truex for the runner-up spot.

    Under caution, where the field continued to remain on track under cautious pace, nearly the entire field led by Hamlin pitted while few like Harvick, Blaney, Wallace and Bowyer remained on track. Following the pit stops, Truex was assessed an uncontrolled tire violation penalty and was sent to the rear of the field.

    With the race surpassing 100 laps, the race restarted as Harvick and Blaney engaged in a heated battle for the lead before Harvick cleared the field entering Turn 4. Behind, Hamlin, who restarted sixth on fresh tires, bolted his way to the runner-up spot while Logano moved into fourth. Soon after, Logano moved into third ahead of his two Penske teammates, Blaney and Keselowski, Behind, Bowyer was locked into a battle with Bell for sixth.

    On lap 104, Hamlin returned to the lead and three laps later, Logano moved into the runner-up spot over Harvick. Another three laps later, Keselowski moved into third. Behind, Bell was in fifth followed by Blaney, Bowyer, Almirola, Kurt Busch and Elliott, who was just ahead of teammate Byron.

    By Lap 125, Hamlin was leading by a second over Logano, who was starting to be pressured by teammate Keselowski for position. Harvick was still in fourth followed by Bell while Almirola was in sixth ahead of Blaney, Bowyer, Elliott and Byron, all of whom were in the top 10. Truex was in 14th following his pit penalty while Johnson was in 20th.

    Five laps later, Hamlin was still leading by nearly two seconds over Keselowski, who overtook Logano for the runner-up spot. Another two laps later, Almirola overtook teammate Harvick for the fourth spot.

    On Lap 141, Hamlin, who struggled with passing and lapping teammate Jones in Turn 2, was overtaken for the lead in Turn 3 by Keselowski. The lead for Keselowski, however, did not last long as Hamlin crossed over beneath Keselowski and moved back into the lead, though Keselowski remained within sight of his target for the top spot. 

    On Lap 146, Hamlin, who struggled with passing and lapping Wallace in Turn 2 again, passed Hamlin for the lead again in Turn 3 and entering Turn 4. This time, Keselowski was able to prevail on the outside lane in Turn 1 the following lap to retain the lead with clear race track while Hamlin went to work in challenging Keselowski back for the lead. Soon after, Keselowski started to approach a handful of cars that included Michael McDowell and Ty Dillon in lapping them, but he was ahead by nearly a second over Hamlin.

    At the halfway mark on Lap 151, Keselowski was ahead by more than a second over Hamlin followed by Logano, Almirola and Harvick, who was trailing by nearly 10 seconds. Ten laps later, Keselowski extended his advantage by more than three seconds over Hamlin with Logano trailing by nearly four seconds. Almirola was still in fourth, trailing by five seconds, while Byron moved up to fifth, trailing by nearly 12 seconds. Behind, Bell moved into sixth after passing Harvick while Bowyer, DiBenedetto and Elliott were in the top 10. Truex was in 11th while Johnson was in 19th.

    On Lap 166, Harvick made a pit stop under green for fresh tires and fuel. Nearly five laps later, just as Blaney entered pit road for service, the caution flew due to a spin in Turn 2 involving Bell, who was having a strong run prior to his incident caused by a flat tire. Under caution, the lead lap cars led by Keselowski, Hamlin and Logano pitted. Following the pit stops, Austin Dillon was the first off of pit road following a two-tire stop followed by Keselowski, Hamlin, Almirola, Byron and Logano. 

    With less than 10 laps remaining in the second stage, the race restarted and Keselowski prevailed on four fresh tires to move into the lead through Turns 1 and 2. Behind, Hamlin moved into the runner-up spot while Almirola was in third. Logano moved into fourth ahead of Byron while Bowyer tried to shove his way into sixth between Austin Dillon and Truex. Shortly after, the caution flew when Kenseth spun in Turn 2. Under caution, with light sprinkles reported on the track, some like Blaney, Jones, Chris Buescher, Stenhouse, Ty Dillon and rookie Brennan Poole pitted while the rest remained on track.

    With two laps remaining in the stage, the racing under green resumed and Keselowski retained the lead through Turn 1 until Hamlin took it back in Turn 2. On the final lap of the stage, Keselowski and Hamlin battled against one another for the lead and Keselowski was just able to clear Hamlin entering Turn 4 to win the second stage on Lap 185 for his sixth stage victory of the season. Hamlin was in second followed by Logano, Almirola and Byron while Bowyer, Austin Dillon, Truex, Elliott and DiBenedetto settled in the top 10.

    Under the stage break, some like Austin Dillon, Harvick, Reddick, Wallace, Suarez and McDowell pitted while the rest remained on track.

    The final stage started with approximately 110 laps remaining with Keselowski leading, but Hamlin muscled his way into the lead the following lap. While Hamlin and Keselowski continued battling back and forth against one another for the lead, Byron started to challenge Almirola for third place, which he prevailed as he started to set his sights on the front two for the lead. Behind, Logano was in fifth ahead of Elliott and Truex with Bowyer, DiBenedetto and Johnson in the top 10. 

    Four laps after the restart, the caution returned for another single-car incident involving Kenseth, who blew a right-front tire. Under caution, some like Blaney, Harvick, Logano, Ty Dillon and McDowell pitted while the rest remained on track.

    With approximately 100 laps remaining, the race restarted and Keselowski reassumed the lead while Hamlin and Byron battled for the runner-up spot. A lap later, Hamlin was able to clear Byron for the runner-up spot while Almirola, Truex, DiBenedetto and Elliott railed behind. Johnson was in eighth followed by Custer and Bowyer. Another three laps later, a race turned bad became worse for Kenseth when he drew another caution due to another cut tire. Following his third incident, Kenseth took his No. 42 Clover/Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE to the garage and retired. 

    Under caution, a majority of competitors led by Keselowski, Hamlin and Byron pitted. Following the pit stops, Logano, who miscommunicated with crew chief Paul Wolfe in opting to pit the previous caution and who pitted again this time with the field, emerged ahead after a fuel only stop followed by Ty Dillon, Hamlin, Byron, Keselowski and Truex. When the field cycled through, Elliott moved into the lead after opting to remain on track followed by Stenhouse, Bell, Blaney, Harvick and J.J. Yeley.

    With 93 laps remaining, the race restarted and Elliott retained the lead followed by Blaney and Stenhouse while Hamlin moved his way towards the top five. While Elliott and Blaney battled for the lead, Hamlin continued moving up the pack as he worked his way to third. Logano was in fifth, one spot ahead of Keselowski, while Harvick was in seventh. 

    Not long after the restart, the caution fell again when rookie John Hunter Nemechek made hard contact into the Turn 3 outside wall when he blew a right-front tire. Under caution, some like Elliott, Blaney, Stenhouse, Harvick, Bell, the Dillon brothers and McDowell pitted while the rest led by Hamlin, Logano and Keselowski remained on track.

    With 83 laps remaining, the race restarted under green and Hamlin retained the lead while Keselowski issued another challenge for the lead. Three laps later, Keselowski returned to the lead with Logano lurking behind. Truex was in fourth followed by Johnson and DiBenedetto. Byron, Custer, Reddick and Bowyer were in the top 10.

    With 75 laps remaining and with the skies starting to darken while overshadowed by the clouds, Keselowski and Hamlin continued to battle against one another intensely for the lead. Behind, Truex moved into third place, but not before Logano issued a challenge to retain the spot. Also, DiBenedetto moved into the top five ahead of Johnson while Byron and Custer battled inside the top 10. Elliott was in 12th ahead of Bowyer, Blaney was in 17th and Harvick was in 19th.

    Fifteen laps later, Keselowski was still ahead by more than a second over Hamlin and nearly two seconds over Truex. Logano was in fourth, trailing by nearly four seconds, followed by DiBenedetto. Johnson was in sixth followed by Byron, Almirola, Custer and Elliott while Reddick was in 11th ahead of Harvick. Behind, Kurt Busch was in 14th and Blaney was trapped in 16th.

    With approximately 50 laps remaining, Bell made a pit stop under green due to a flat right-rear tire, which ended his hopes of posting a top-10 result following an up-and-down day. Ten laps later, Keselowski was still leading by more than a second and a half over Hamlin with Truex, Logano and DiBenedetto trailing behind by four seconds or more.

    Another 10 laps later, Keselowski extended his advantage by more than two seconds over Hamlin with Truex trailing by less than five seconds. Logano was in fourth, trailing by eight seconds, followed by DiBenedetto, Almirola and Johnson. Harvick, one of the fastest cars on the circuit, continued charging his way up to eighth followed by Custer and Byron. Two laps later, Harvick overtook Johnson for seventh place.

    With 20 laps remaining, with fuel becoming the topic for some in terms of making it to the end, Keselowski extended his advantage to more than three seconds over Hamlin with Truex, Logano and DiBenedetto trailing by less than 10 seconds. 

    With 10 laps remaining, Keselowski was still ahead by less than three seconds over Hamlin as he started to approach lapped traffic. Once he was able to navigate his way through traffic, he was able to conserve and save enough fuel for the final 10 laps to take the checkered flag by 1.6 seconds over Hamlin after leading a race-high 184 laps and following an intense battle between the two veterans.

    Keselowski’s victory was also the sixth of the season for car owner Roger Penske and the 21st Cup career win for the new Ford Mustang since its inception for the 2019 season. The win at New Hampshire also marked the eighth season where Keselowski has won three or more races in a Cup season.

    “We’ve had a lot of great races this year with the 2 car, but we just hadn’t really went out and kind of dominated a race,” Keselowski said on NBCSN in front of an estimated crowd of 12,000 fans. “I was talking to Jeremy Bullins and that’s what we need to get to that next level. We’re right there, we need to go out and just dominate a race and that’s what today was for us with the Western Star/Alliance Truck Parts Ford Mustang. I’m really proud of my team and the effort they gave today. … It’s so great to be racing in front of fans again. It feels like forever, so welcome back, guys. Jeremy and this whole team’s been a kick in the butt for me to make me a little bit better and push me to find another level, and we’re doing that so far. I’m just really thankful. I’m in a great spot here and hungry for more wins. I don’t want to stop here. I want us to keep going and I know this team can do it.”

    Hamlin, who led 92 laps, settled in the runner-up spot for the third time this season and second in a row at New Hampshire as he also collected his 11th top-five finish of this season.

    “We just kind of were second there to [Keselowski],” Hamlin said. “We could really do well on restarts and we were going back-and-forth. Wow, that was some really, really good short track racing there. Hopefully the fans liked what they saw there with me and [Keselowski] for most of the day. Some great side-by-side racing. We treated each other fair and it’s good that we got one-two out of it.”

    Behind Keselowski and Hamlin, Truex made a nice rebound from his uncontrolled tire violation penalty to finish in third place followed by Logano and Harvick, who recorded his 13th top-five result of this season.

    “We ran second in the first stage and had a tire get away on pit road, had to come from the back,” Truex, who recorded his fifth top-five finish of the season, said. “That definitely made things a lot more challenging. [I] Had a decent Sport Clips Toyota, just wasn’t quite driving like we needed it to and then it kind of burned the tires off after 25 or 30 laps. We could hang with them and we would fall consistently off [Keselowski] and [Hamlin]. Third-best car and we finished third so all in all, a good day. Just have to find a little bit more. Just missed the balance a little bit today. Love coming up here to Loudon and this was a fun day.”

    DiBenedetto, Almirola and Custer finished sixth, seventh and eighth while Elliott and Reddick overtook Byron and Johnson in the final laps to round out the top 10. Johnson finished 12th in his 35th and final race at New Hampshire, one spot behind teammate Byron, while Bowyer, a two-time Cup New Hampshire winner, finished 18th, two spots ahead of Blaney.

    There were 22 lead changes for seven different leaders. The race featured 11 cautions for 52 laps.

    With his top-five finish, Harvick continues to lead the regular-season standings by 81 points over Keselowski with Hamlin trailing by 115 points and Blaney trailing by 118 points.

    Results.

    1. Brad Keselowski, 184 laps led, Stage 2 winner

    2. Denny Hamlin, 92 laps led, Stage 1 winner

    3. Martin Truex Jr.

    4. Joey Logano

    5. Kevin Harvick, six laps led

    6. Matt DiBenedetto

    7. Aric Almirola, three laps led

    8. Cole Custer

    9. Chase Elliott, nine laps led

    10. Tyler Reddick

    11. William Byron

    12. Jimmie Johnson

    13. Austin Dillon, three laps led

    14. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

    15. Alex Bowman

    16. Ryan Preece

    17. Kurt Busch

    18. Clint Bowyer 

    19. Michael McDowell

    20. Ryan Blaney, five laps led

    21. Ryan Newman, one lap down

    22. Ty Dillon, one lap down

    23. Bubba Wallace, one lap down

    24. Erik Jones, one lap down

    25. Chris Buescher, one lap down

    26. Daniel Suarez, two laps down

    27. Brennan Poole, two laps down

    28. Christopher Bell, two laps down

    29. J.J. Yeley, two laps down

    30. James Davison, three laps down

    31. Garrett Smithley, six laps down

    32. Quin Houff, seven laps down

    33. Timmy Hill, seven laps down

    34. Joey Gase, eight laps down

    35. Corey LaJoie, 39 laps down

    36. John Hunter Nemechek – OUT, Accident

    37. Matt Kenseth – OUT, Accident

    38. Kyle Busch – OUT, Accident

    The NASCAR Cup Series will return next weekend and host its second series doubleheader weekend of this season at Michigan International Speedway. The first Cup Michigan race will run on August 8 at 4 p.m. ET on NBCSN while the second will run the following day, August 9, at 4:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN. 

  • Quarantined with Corey LaJoie

    Quarantined with Corey LaJoie

    It’s been a little over a month since NASCAR had to postpone the 2020 racing season due to the Covid-19 pandemic. NASCAR hopes to resume the season potentially in May but without fans in attendance. In the meantime, NASCAR has implemented the iRacing Pro Invitational Series to fill the gap. While many of the current drivers are participating, it is, at best, a substitution for the real thing.  

    This week I caught up with Go Fas Racing’s Corey LaJoie to find out how he’s coping during the stay-at-home order that most states have issued. On March 10, LaJoie and his wife, Kelly, welcomed their first child, Levi Ronnie, into the family.

    While he misses the racing action, he is enjoying this unique opportunity to spend more quality time with his family and embrace his new role as a dad.

    SM:  Are you enjoying the time off or going stir crazy while you wait to get back to racing?

    CL: A little bit of both. I’m enjoying spending time with Levi and my wife but I’m ready to get back to the racetrack.

    SM: Are you typically the kind of person who enjoys alone time or do you miss being around people?

    CL: I tend to go many places throughout the day whether it be the Cup shop or different businesses so I miss that part of my routine.

    SM: What’s the one thing you miss most other than racing?

    CL: I miss being able to go to the Joie of Seating and work on projects or build things.

    SM: If for some reason you couldn’t race anymore, what career would you choose and why?

    CL: I’d probably stay in racing in some sort. Maybe spotting while diving into Dad’s business a little more to help grow that.

    SM: What has been your favorite thing to do while you’re stuck at home?

    CL: Just chilling with Levi and doing projects around the house. I’ve retrofitted my garage into a gym.

    Lately sleep is a hot commodity that is hard to come by so that’s something I love but I know nighttime is tough with little man.

    SM: Have you picked up any new hobbies or gotten back to a hobby you didn’t have time to pursue before?

    CL: I’ve been mountain biking a lot more since it’s a great way to social distance while also training hand-eye coordination and stamina.

    SM: Have you started any new projects around the house?

    CL: Painting the garage, cleaning out junk drawers, organizing the man cave.

    SM: Are you cooking for yourself at home? If so what’s the one thing you can cook well?

    CL: We cook almost every meal now. I actually like cooking some things. I’m decent at steak and breakfast but Kelly can cook just about anything.

    SM: What’s your favorite music or band to listen to while you’re isolated at home?

    CL: I listen to a lot of country. I like Luke Combs, Sturgill Simpson and some good Christian music.

    SM: What are you doing to stay active and keep in shape?

    CL: Mountain biking and using some Onnit kettlebells, medicine balls and weighted vests keep the workouts intense.

    SM: Are you participating in iRacing? If so, does it help pass the time while you wait for the season to restart?

    CL: I haven’t done much on it yet. I don’t have much time to get away and fire up the simulator. It’s a great platform for the sport to stay relevant during the delay but I’ll be glad when we have real life topics to talk about every week.

    SM: What are you doing to keep positive and motivated?

    CL: The wife and I have been digging into the Word quite a bit and spending some great quality time together with Levi. We live next to a park so we get over there for a couple mile walks a day.

    SM: What’s the first thing you will do when the quarantine is over?

    CL: I’ll still be pretty cautious of where I go even when the lockdown is lifted since I don’t want to risk bringing anything home but I’m ready to go to the shop and start getting busy.

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

  • Corey LaJoie wins fourth quarter NMPA Pocono Spirit Award

    Corey LaJoie wins fourth quarter NMPA Pocono Spirit Award

    DARLINGTON, S.C.- Corey LaJoie, driver of the No. 32 Go FAS Racing Ford, has been named the Fourth Quarter NMPA Pocono Spirit Award recipient for his generosity in donating a month’s salary this past August to charity. LaJoie and his wife Kelly teamed up with Samaritan’s Feet, an organization founded in 2003, to provide shoes to children and individuals in need to inspire hope and encouragement. With help from GO FAS Racing, $100,000 was raised through names placed on his car to support Samaritan’s Feet during the Cup race at Watkins Glen International.

    Also receiving votes were the Denny Hamlin Foundation and Speedway Children’s Charities-Texas Motor Speedway.

    Hamlin’s foundation raises awareness and funds for the specific needs of children with cystic fibrosis. Speedway Children’s Charities and Texas Motor Speedway held an online auction allowing fans to purchase special access passes during their November Cup series race weekend benefitting children in need across north Texas.  

    The NMPA Pocono Spirit Award is designed to recognize character and achievement in the face of adversity, sportsmanship and contributions to motorsports. The NMPA membership selects quarterly recipients as well as an overall winner each year. The award is sponsored by Pocono (Pa.) Raceway and has been presented annually since 1992.

    The overall winner of the NMPA Pocono Spirit Award will be presented Feb. 1, 2020, at the NMPA Awards Ceremony.

  • Samaritan’s Feet – Watkins Glen – Race Advance

    Samaritan’s Feet – Watkins Glen – Race Advance

    Event: Go Bowling at The Glen (Race 22 of 36)

    Venue: Watkins Glen (Watkins Glen, NY)

    Format: Three Stages – Stages End: Lap 20, 40, 90 = 220.5 Miles

    Date/Broadcast: Sunday, August 4 at 3:00 PM ET on NBCSN and MRN

    More than 1.5 billion people, or 24% of the world’s population, are infected with soil-transmitted helminth infections worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.

    Corey LaJoie is headed to Watkins Glen with a special cause on-board his No. 32 Ford Mustang that has reached major strides in an effort to reduce that heart-tugging statistic.

    LaJoie and his wife Kelly have teamed up with Samaritan’s Feet, an organization founded in 2003 to provide shoes to children and individuals in need to inspire hope and encouragement.

    “There is absolutely no better fit being that my longtime racing nickname is “SuperShoe.” Now being a “SuperShoe” is being a part of something bigger than myself to bring the gift of a new pair of shoes,” LaJoie said gracefully.

    People without shoes face dangers such as laceration, fungus, and insect bites that can lead to infection, disease, and even death.

    Since its founding in 2003, Samaritan’s Feet and its partners have distributed over 7 million pairs of shoes in 108 countries and more than 389 U.S. cities.

    LaJoie hopes to spread the mission and raise awareness of this enormous undertaking throughout the weekend at The Glen, the second of three road courses on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series schedule.

    In his lone Cup start at the 2.45-mile road course, the Charlotte, NC native finished 33rd.

    On Sunday, August 4 at 3pm ET, tune in to catch the No. 32 making left and right turns at the famed Watkins Glen International and consider how you can get involved in the effort to provide shoes by visiting samaritansfeet.org.

    LaJoie on the upcoming weekend at Watkins Glen:
    “I certainly wouldn’t call road racing one of my strong suits, but hopefully I can apply what I learned my first trip there and some simulator work to have a solid weekend. I can’t wait to get kick off the alliance with Samaritan’s Feet this week by having them on the racecar as well as being a Hope Giver for their campaign from August to November. I genuinely care enough about their mission to feel called to personally commit financially to give Samaritan’s Feet the platform they deserve.

    LaJoie MENCS career highlights at Watkins Glen:
    Starts: 1
    Start: 36th
    Finish: 33rd

    In the Rearview Mirror: Gander RV 400
    Corey LaJoie and the No. 32 Adirondack Tree Surgeons team rallied to a 26th-place finish in the Gander RV 400 on Sunday afternoon. LaJoie qualified 30th for the 160-lap race but rolled off 36th after pre-race tech inspection issues. Despite being relegated to the rear, LaJoie showed no lack of speed as he made his way up to 29th by lap six. Around lap 28 the third-generation driver reported that he may have a tire going down, resulting in crew chief Randy Cox calling LaJoie to pit road early to assess the situation and to prevent any trouble. Good until the Stage break, LaJoie would finish Stage One 31st, before another visit to pit road. As Stage Two got underway, the Charlotte, NC native would be racing the Ty Dillon and Matt Tifft for the free-pass position. The No. 32 would run in the 30th position until a caution came out for the No. 9. The caution allowed the Adirondack Tree Surgeons team to pit for service, just before another caution for a brief rain shower. When Stage Two came to a close, the No. 32 Ford was scored 29th. Set for the final Stage, LaJoie would hold the free pass position when another yellow was thrown for a stopped car, allowing LaJoie to only be two laps down instead of three. An intense restart brought out another caution, giving LaJoie another lap back, now just one lap down. LaJoie concluded the day 26th in a G-W-C finish.
    ————————————————————–
    About Our Team

    About Samaritan’s Feet
    Samaritan’s Feet serves and inspires hope in children by providing shoes as the foundation to a spiritual and healthy life resulting in the advancement of education and economic opportunities. Since their founding in 2003, Samaritan’s Feet and its partners have distributed over 7 million pairs of shoes in 108 countries and 395 U.S. cities. For more information, visit samaritansfeet.org.

    Get Corey LaJoie Updates:
    To get live updates during the race weekends follow @coreylajoie on Instagram and Twitter. Make sure to give Corey a “like” on Facebook – “@CoreyLaJoieRacing”. For a detailed bio and updated in-season statistics, please visit www.coreylajoieracing.com .

    About Go Fas Racing:
    Go Fas Racing (GFR) currently fields Ford Mustangs in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series for driver Corey LaJoie. Located in Mooresville, North Carolina, GFR has competed in the NASCAR’s premier series since 2014; fielding cars for some of NASCAR’s top drivers, including past champions. To find out more information about our team please visit www.GoFasRacing.com.

  • The Final Word – Phoenix kind of reminded me of Las Vegas…and Atlanta. How about you?

    The Final Word – Phoenix kind of reminded me of Las Vegas…and Atlanta. How about you?

    Round round get around
    I get around
    Yeah
    Get around round round I get around

    It sure sounds cool when the Beach Boys sing it. It sure was kind of boring when we watched the drivers do the same at Phoenix.

    Get around round round I get around
    Ahh ooo ooo
    Get around round round I get around
    Ahh ooo ooo

    The song ends like that every time. Same for NASCAR lately. Kevin Harvick won his third straight, maybe it was even unencumbered but we will have to wait on that. At least he was not the only car featured. Kyle Busch was strong all day and finished second. Chase Elliott was not, yet arrived later on to matter when it mattered to finish third. Not yet a win, but the result sends him back in the right direction. Denny Hamlin was a factor and, to a much lesser degree, so was pole sitter Martin Truex, Jr. as they completed our Top Five.

    Excitement? No, not much. However, Chris Buescher was having a bad day, lost a right front, and forced a caution late in the second segment that at least shook up the running order some. Hey, you got to take it where you can get it. 37 cars were entered, and it is becoming more and more obvious that, strictly for entertainment value, we could even reduce that by a half dozen and not miss a beat. The only surprise in the Top 30 was Ross Chastain with a season best 27th for Jay Robinson’s team. On the outside we had Michael McDowell and Paul Menard, but I do not think anyone was surprised they were joined by D.J. Kennington, Timmy Hill, Gray Gaulding, Jeffrey Earnhardt, and Corey LaJoie.

    Well, what have we got next? California. Beautiful Fontana. The track were excitement goes to die. Usually. Still, arriving on the west coast should come as good news for six-time winner Jimmie Johnson. Do you know who else has won there? Kyle Busch has three trophies, and probably thinks that it would be nice to claim a win after two straight runner-up finishes. Kasey Kahne, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Larson, and Kurt Busch also have a victory there. As does Kevin Harvick. At least he has not won there since 2011. Over the past ten at Fontana he has just one win…was 2nd two out of the last three…and seven Top Tens.

    What goes around comes around. Tell me, could we see a four-peat this Sunday?

    Maybe he is getting bugged driving up and down the same old strip
    Wants to find a new place where the kids are hip

    Then again, maybe not. He seems to like winning. A lot.

  • TriStar Motorsports Continues Competition in Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series with Corey LaJoie and Cole Whitt

    TriStar Motorsports Continues Competition in Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series with Corey LaJoie and Cole Whitt

    Mooresville, NC (February 6, 2018) – TriStar Motorsports will continue competition in NASCAR’s premier series fielding one full-time entry in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series for the 2018 season.

    The No. 72 Chevrolet will compete with collective efforts of two drivers. TriStar welcomes the return of Cole Whitt and proudly announces the addition of Corey LaJoie to the driver lineup. Corey LaJoie will fill the seat of the No. 72 for the majority of the schedule including the season opener at Daytona International Speedway. Whitt returns to TriStar after a solid effort in No. 72 in 2017. With intentions to shift focus, Whitt has elected to decrease his racing commitments and has requested a limited schedule.

    Whitt’s NASCAR career includes seven years on the circuit and races in which he has competed in NASCAR K&N Pro Series, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, NASCAR XFINITY Series and the Monster Energy Cup Series. He completed the full 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in the TriStar Motorsports No. 72 securing three top-20 finishes and one top-15 being his best finish of 12th place at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

    “I want to thank TriStar and the Smith family for allowing me to do something I feel is the right decision for me and my family,” said Whitt. “I am excited and a little nervous to say that I will be racing a limited schedule this year. I am looking forward to taking the next step in my life and trying to spend most of my time with my family. Stepping back from racing is a hard choice but I strongly believe this is the right path. TriStar has been an amazing blessing to me and my family and I look forward to what the future holds for both of us.”

    Corey LaJoie, a third-generation racer, is very well-known name in the racing community. He is the son of Randy LaJoie, 1996 and 1997 NASCAR XFINITY Series Champion.  Already having an impressive racing career that includes six wins in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and three wins in the ARCA Series, LaJoie was selected as a member of the 2012 NASCAR Next Class, an industry platform to help spotlight NASCAR’s rising stars and bolster fan recognition initiative cultivating Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) mainstays. In 2016, LaJoie competed in ten XFINITY Series races and earned two top-ten finishes. He made the leap to the MENCS in 2017, earning the highest finish of his rookie year campaign;  11th place, in the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway.

    “It’s such a great opportunity to work with TriStar Motorsports,” said Corey LaJoie. “I hope to use the learning experiences from my 2017 Rookie Season and work hard for some great finishes this year.  It’s my goal to continue building a successful team with Bryan, while honoring the legacy his dad, Mark left behind.”

    “We are taking a different approach with our competitive platform for 2018 by utilizing two drivers”, said Bryan Smith, owner of TriStar Motorsports. “It is an opportunity we feel is the best direction for this season and accommodates the goals of both drivers as well as the team.  We are more than pleased with Cole’s efforts in 2017 and are extremely glad to have him back this season.  He has been an integral part of our return to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and we appreciate his contributions to our team. We are equally as pleased to add Corey to our driver roster. His attitude, desire and ability are a welcomed addition and we feel he will be a great fit.  We feel both drivers embody the core elements of who we are as a team and are confident each will contribute to the betterment of our program.”

    TriStar Motorsports has acquired a charter from Front Row Motorsports for the 2018 season and will continue competitive efforts under the direction of Crew Chief Frankie Kerr.

    Sponsorship details for the MENCS No. 72 are forthcoming in addition to plans for the TriStar NASCAR XFINITY Series program

    ABOUT TRISTAR:

    TriStar Motorsports NC, LLC is an independent, family owned and operated NASCAR team located Mooresville, North Carolina. The organization currently fields one, full-time entry in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (No. 72) with combined efforts of drivers Corey LaJoie and Cole Whitt. For more information about TriStar Motorsports please visit www.tristarmotorsportsnc.com, Facebook www.facebook.com/TriStarMotorsports/,  Twitter @TriStarRaceTeam and Instagram @TriStarMotorsports

     

  • Darlington Southern 500 – Did You Know?

    Darlington Southern 500 – Did You Know?

    DARLINGTON, S.C. — The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series heads to Darlington Raceway this Labor Day weekend for the Bojangles’ Southern 500. This is the third straight year of Darlington’s throwback campaign and this edition will focus on the 1985-89 era. There are 40 drivers on the entry list and, as of today, 32 will run retro paint schemes to honor the rich history of the sport.

    The tributes are as varied as the drivers. Did you know that three different Cup Series drivers will feature a salute to Dale Earnhardt? Earnhardt has nine Darlington victories, second only to David Pearson. Jeffrey Earnhardt’s No. 33 car will feature a green and white scheme that resembles the one his grandfather drove in the XFINITY Series in the 1980s. Austin Dillon’s No. 3 Chevy and Ryan Newman’s No. 31 will honor Earnhardt’s yellow and blue Wrangler scheme. This particular paint scheme is similar to the one Earnhardt drove in 1987 when he won his first Southern 500.

    Jamie McMurray will pay tribute to David Pearson, who leads all drivers with 10 Darlington wins, Brad Keselowski will honor Rusty Wallace’s 1994 “Midnight” paint scheme and Trevor Bayne’s car will represent the scheme that Mark Martin drove when he claimed the first Cup victory for Roush Fenway Racing at North Carolina Motor Speedway in 1989.

    Other drivers being honored includes Davey Allison (Corey LaJoie), Bobby Allison (Matt DiBenedetto) and Alan Kulwicki (Michael McDowell). Check out this preview of all the Darlington throwback paint schemes.

    Darlington Raceway’s throwback weekend pays homage to a tradition that began on Sept. 4, 1950, when they hosted NASCAR’s first 500-mile race. There were 75 drivers entered into the event but did you know that the race was won by Johnny Mantz? It was his first and only win in the Cup Series. There have been 113 Cup races at the 1.366-mile track and 49 different drivers have won.

    Martin Truex Jr. is the defending race winner and is one of only six active drivers who has visited Victory Lane at Darlington. Jimmie Johnson leads all drivers with three victories while Kevin Harvick (2014), Matt Kenseth (2013), Denny Hamlin (2010) and Kyle Busch (2008) have one win each. But did you know that the last 11 races have been won by 11 different drivers?

    With only two races remaining in the regular season, the Southern 500 should deliver a night to remember. Capture the Coors Light Pole Award and you’re one step closer to victory. The pole is the most proficient starting position at Darlington. It has produced 20 winners while 17 drivers have won from the second place starting position. But did you know that the deepest in the field that a race winner has started is 43rd? That driver was Johnny Mantz in the Darlington inaugural Cup Series race in 1950. Qualifying for this year’s Southern 500 will be held Saturday at 1:45 p.m. ET.

    Tune in this weekend for all the on-track action beginning with the first Cup Series practice Friday at 1 p.m. ET followed by the final practice at 3:30 p.m. The Southern 500 closes out the weekend Sunday at 6 p.m. on NBCSN.

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

     

  • Ryan Blaney Captures First Career Coors Light Pole at Kansas

    Ryan Blaney Captures First Career Coors Light Pole at Kansas

    Ryan Blaney scored his first career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Coors Light Pole Award Friday at Kansas Speedway.

    Blaney raced to the top of the qualifying leaderboard with a lap of 189.600 mph in his No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford to earn his first pole in 64 Cup starts. It was the 117th pole for Wood Brothers Racing and their first since April 2004 when Ricky Rudd led the field to green in the Aaron’s 499 race at Talladega Superspeedway.

    “We’ve been really close a few times this year and it’s nice to finally get it done,” said Blaney. “I know it’s only qualifying but it feels really cool to get the first pole because qualifying hasn’t really been my best thing. That says a lot about this whole team. I can’t tell you how proud I am of this 21 team.”

    Blaney gave credit to his team and Ford for their improved performance this season.

    “It’s just hard work in the off-season,” he explained. “Ford made a big dedication to our team, really all the Ford teams and they stepped it up. I think you can see it this year, not only in qualifying but racing as well. It’s nice to be part of a team that’s so hard-working and dedicated.”

    Joey Logano will start the Go Bowling 400 on the outside pole in his No. 22 Team Penske Ford after delivering the second-fastest qualifying lap of 189.540 mph.

    Logano was disappointed but said, “Congratulations to Blaney. That is cool. Your first pole is a big deal. It is a big deal for him. I just hate being second. I have to be honest.”

    Furniture Row Racing’s Martin Truex Jr. qualified third in his No. 78 Toyota with a speed of 189.201 mph, followed by Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s  No. 17 Roush Fenway Racing Ford in fourth. Kyle Busch, the defending race winner, rounded out the top five in his No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota.

    Eleven drivers missed the opening qualifying session after problems during the pre-qualifying inspection, including Clint Bowyer, Landon Cassill, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Timmy Hill, Erik Jones, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Corey LaJoie, Carl Long, David Ragan and Reed Sorenson.

    Michael McDowell had engine trouble and also missed qualifying.

    The Cup Series Go Bowling 400 is set for Saturday evening at 7:30 p.m. and will be televised on FS1.

    Starting Lineup for the Go Bowling 400:

    [pdf-embedder url=”http://www.speedwaymedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Kansas-Go-Bowling-400-C1711_STARTROW.pdf” title=”Kansas Go Bowling 400 C1711_STARTROW”]

     

  • Corey LaJoie Races his way into the Daytona 500

    Corey LaJoie Races his way into the Daytona 500

    Corey LaJoie made the most of his Monster Energy NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut at Daytona International Speedway, securing a spot in the Daytona 500 in his No. 83 BK Racing Toyota.

    The 25-year-old third generation racer finished 18th in the first CanAm Duel, ahead of Reed Sorenson and Brendan Gaughan, to capture the transfer position that was available for one of these non-charter teams. It was not, however, without controversy.

    On Lap 49, LaJoie made contact with the No. 55 car of Reed Sorenson which then spun into Paul Menard’s No. 27. Sorenson hit the inside retaining wall and was eliminated from the race.

    After the qualifying race, Sorenson was understandably upset.

    “I guess he felt like he did what he had to do to make the race,” he said. “I hope he’s proud of that part of it. There’s a lot of pressure going into making this race. It’s a very big deal for a small team like ours.”

    LaJoie maintains that he didn’t intentionally wreck Sorensen, saying, “I mean, obviously wrecking Reed wasn’t how I drew it up. It certainly wasn’t on purpose. I was just trying to fill a hole. He didn’t think I should be there.”

    But, he was also determined to do whatever it took to make the race,

    “I just had to beat him,” he explained. “I didn’t want to be sipping Margaritas on the beach on Sunday. I wanted to be out there racing. If that was my mom, I’d probably spin her out to make the Daytona 500, too. That’s just frank. I’m not going on Reed’s Christmas card list this year, but that’s all right.”

    To put it into perspective, LaJoie talked about how this opportunity came about and what it means to him.

    “You know, Ron (Devine, BK Racing owner) could have put lots of guys in it, Casey Mears, the list is long for guys he could have put in it,” he said. “Obviously he likes giving young drivers a shot with Matt (DiBenedetto), Alex Bowman, the list goes on.

    “I was politicking very hard. I don’t have a whole lot of starts in any division. I’ve been part-timing in everything.  Limited XFINITY starts, a couple Truck starts, a couple Cup starts.

    “I know I can do it in the right opportunity. I politicked very hard. I didn’t feel like I was making a whole lot of headway with it. I texted Jimmie Johnson.  I said, ‘Hey, I feel like if the seven-time champ comes two weeks removed from the seventh championship makes a text, it could carry some weight.’ He said, ‘Oh, yeah, no problem.’

    “So he called him up, talked for about an hour. Two days later the call came to me.  Hey, this is the call you’ve been waiting for. Let’s go. It’s still only part-time. BK is working hard to try to sell sponsorship to fill more races, but right now all I care about is Sunday.”

    LaJoie might have limited experience by some standards but his talent behind the wheel is undeniable.

    He has six wins in the K&N Pro Series East Series where he finished second in the championship standings in 2012 and was selected as part of the 2012 NASCAR Next Class. LaJoie also has three wins in the ARCA Series and earned two top-10 finishes in 10 starts in the XFINITY Series in 2016.

    And, while some may question his aggressiveness on the track, for LaJoie, this could be the break he’s been waiting for his entire life and he’s not about to waste it.

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

     

  • LaJoie Returns To Victory Lane

    LaJoie Returns To Victory Lane

    Picks Up First K&N Pro East Win Since 2012 At New Hampshire
    By Jason Christley, NASCAR

    LOUDON, N.H. (July 16, 2016) – Corey LaJoie returned to Victory Lane in dominating style Saturday night.

    LaJoie led the final 34 laps and drove away from the field on a green-white-checkered finish to win the United Site Services 70 at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway. It was LaJoie’s first win since 2012 when he had five victories en route to a runner-up finish in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East.

    The victory came twenty years to the week that his father, two-time NASCAR XFINITY Series champion Randy LaJoie, won at New Hampshire. A then four-year-old Corey was in Victory Lane with his dad that day.

    This time, Corey LaJoie was the elder statesman, as the 24-year-old NASCAR Next alum held off runner-up Todd Gilliland, 16, and 17-year-old third-place finisher Justin Haley.

    Kyle Benjamin and Austin Theriault finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

    LaJoie was making his first NASCAR K&N Pro Series East start of the season, driving the No. 41 CarQuest Auto Part Chevrolet for Ranier Racing with MDM. He started second alongside teammate Benjamin and took the lead from him on Lap 39.

    It was sweep redemption for LaJoie, who suffered a mechanical failure while running in the top 10 earlier in the day in the NASCAR XFINITY Series race. LaJoie also twice came close to winning the NASCAR K&N Pro Series race at New Hampshire. He was was runner-up to Kyle Larson in 2012, and wrecked late in the running of the 2010 race while battling for the lead.

    Hunter Baize was sixth Saturday night, followed by Harrison Burton, Trey Hutchens, Ryan Preece and Tyler Dippel.

    With his finish, Haley was able to keep his lead to 40 points over Benjamin with five races remaining.

    The United Site Services 70 will air on NBCSN on Thursday, July 21 at 11 p.m.

    The NASCAR K&N Pro Series will next run at Iowa Speedway in the annual combination showdown with the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West in the Casey’s General Store 150 presented by Vatterott College on Friday, July 28.

    Complete Results:

    [pdf-embedder url=”http://www.speedwaymedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/race_results_-_nhms-KN.pdf”]