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Season, as well as opportunities, far from over for DiBenedetto and Leavine Family Racing

When it comes to Bristol, it is usually a story of hot tempers that trumps out whoever it is that won the race. Surprisingly, though, the biggest storyline to come out of Saturday night’s event was instead one of heartbreak and admiration in regards to Matt DiBenedetto’s performance in the No. 95 Leavine Family Racing Toyota, as he managed to not only lead the most laps (93) but also narrowly missed taking the checkered in a battle with eventual winner Denny Hamlin.

Despite Hamlin’s fourth win tying teammates Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. for most wins this season, the entire NASCAR community was focused on DiBenedetto’s performance as the 28-year-old Californian had a career night not only in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series but in his entire NASCAR national touring series career. Fans, media, and peers all reached out to DiBenedetto to congratulate him and offer him support, as earlier in the week it was announced that he would not be returning as driver of the No. 95. A lot of backlash was aimed at team owner Bob Leavine despite it being made clear that the decision was purely business related.

Although the loss and DiBenedetto’s post-race reaction were heart-rending, something a lot of people are neglecting to realize is that the 2019 season isn’t over. DiBenedetto still has plenty of racing to do this season, and if anything, his Bristol performance may be the momentum his team needs to contend for more wins before the checkered flag flies at Homestead.

One thing to note about DiBenedetto’s recent surge in performance is that he’s gotten to be strong on tracks where he must muscle the car. All three of his top-fives this season have come on such hard-driving tracks, as he finished fourth at Sonoma, fifth at Loudon, and second at Bristol. Going into Darlington he has an average finish of 29th, but with the way his team has performed recently that may be a statistic worth disregarding. Darlington is also a track where a driver has to drive hard and muscle the car around, and DiBenedetto is big enough to get the job done.

Similar tracks where the No. 95 may shine include Richmond, the Charlotte Roval (where he finished 13th a year ago), Dover, Martinsville, and Phoenix. None of those tracks are handled with finesse; if anything they’re tracks where a driver has to manhandle their car to get the results they want. However, DiBenedetto has also shown himself to be an adept restrictor plate racer. He led the most laps in the Daytona 500 earlier this year (49) and has three top-10s at Daytona, including an eighth in July. He’s yet to score a top-10 at Talladega, but he has momentum from a string of strong runs in recent weeks, and that could very well carry on for plenty of weeks to come.

It’s true that the revitalized LFR organization is without a question the best Cup team that DiBenedetto has driven for in his young career, and it’s likely that his previous averages at the upcoming tracks can change for the better. He’s still learning and growing as is LFR, and it is likely that there are other top-20 Cup teams who are currently eyeballing DiBenedetto for their seats. The general consensus it that he’ll end up in a race car in 2020 for better or worse.

At this point in time, there’s no need to fret. If Alex Bowman can go from BK Racing backmarker to race-winning Cup standout, then DiBenedetto’s trajectory may not be all that different. He’s got it all: Charisma, talent, passion, and a strong relationship with the fans. He’s a humble driver who knows his worth in the sport and he has the drive needed to make it work at the top level. Team owners will get their money’s worth by hiring him.

But more importantly at this moment, he’s got the final leg of the Cup season to race through, and he’ll have plenty of racing and plenty of opportunities to build off of his Bristol performance. His season isn’t over by a long shot, and with Mike Wheeler on the pit box anything is possible. He’s got plenty of good runs left in the No. 95 this season. That’s where his focus and the NASCAR community’s focus should be lying right now.

August 19, 2019
DiBenedetto reveals he is not returning to Leavine Family Racing

By Staff Report | NASCAR.com

Matt DiBenedetto revealed Thursday on social media that he will not return to Leavine Family Racing for the 2020 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season.

This is DiBenedetto’s fifth full-time season in the Monster Energy Series, but his first with LFR. The Grass Valley, California, native had 163 Monster Energy Series starts at the time of his announcement.

Four of DiBenedetto’s eight career top-10 finishes have come this season with LFR, including his only two top-five finishes in NASCAR’s premier series. The top fives came at Sonoma Raceway and New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Plus, he finished sixth at Watkins Glen International earlier this month.

Leavine Family Racing is affiliated with Joe Gibbs Racing, an alliance that began this season with LFR switching manufacturers to Toyota.

August 15, 2019
Hot 20 – Bristol is not over-hyped, but a lot is

Sometimes the news can be a little over-hyped. For example, no matter what you might hear, Kyle Busch is going to claim the bonus for the most points garnered by the time they leave Indianapolis. Kevin Harvick would need to close the gap by 21 points in each of the remaining three events to change that, and that is not going to happen. It is a done deal.

The purveyors of all things NASCAR who tell you there is going to be a change in the lineup for the Playoffs are dreaming. No one outside the current Top 16 is going to make the Chase for the Championship, unless someone outside that group wins at Bristol, Darlington, or Indianapolis. Those who have won on those tracks in the recent past are already among that Top 16.

With one exception. There is a driver not among the already blessed who has won at two of those venues who will be trying to win his way in. However, do not bet on Kasey Kahne succeeding. He won at Bristol five years ago. He won at Darlington last year. However, there is a mighty big difference driving equipment supplied by Rick Hendrick and what Leavine Family Racing has in stock this season. Kahne finished fourth at Daytona last month, but outside the Top 15 everywhere else. Do not expect a Bristol or Indianapolis miracle.

Sometimes a story gets clearer once you get the details. Actually, it always does. Take former driver Greg Biffle. When you heard he was secretly videotaping his wife in the bedroom and bathroom, you could have been forgiven for wondering what in hell was up with the Biff. However, he suspected his wife was cheating on him. It appears she was. Biffle was convicted for invading his wife’s privacy, but the jury awarded his now ex-wife $1. That is ONE dollar. Even the jury saw things much clearer once they got all the details.

As for Saturday night, Bristol is going to be freaking awesome. A venue that usually delivers great racing, and this year we have the NBC broadcast crew that actually keeps you tuned in even when the track is in Chicago or Michigan. Hey, do not take my word for it. I could be over-hyping the event, but I am not. Watch for yourself. I think you will be glad you did.

1. KYLE BUSCH – 6 WINS (986 Pts)
Has a Top Five in 10 of the past 11 events. There is a reason he is up here.

2. KEVIN HARVICK – 6 WINS (1 E.W. – 924 Pts)
Keelan is a great kid, but we hear he still can not drive a golf cart worth a damn.

3. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 4 WINS (842 Pts)
Other than for Bowman, that pit penalty, and the gas issue, it was one hell of a day last Sunday.

4. CLINT BOWYER – 2 WINS (732 Pts)
Clint’s last Top Ten was at Chicago on July 1st.

5. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (723 Pts)
Roger Penske has Logano, Keselowski, and Blaney in his stable. That could work.

6. CHASE ELLIOTT – 1 WIN (647 Pts)
A straight quartet of Top Tens, including his win at Watkins Glen. Peaking at the right time.

7. ERIK JONES – 1 WIN (596 Pts)
Well, Michigan sure sucked.

8. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (451 Pts)
Damn. There was a Dillon sighting at Michigan, I kid you not.

9. KURT BUSCH – 750 POINTS
Could he be replacing McMurray over at Ganassi?

10. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 709 POINTS
His promise to drive through blockers might come true this Saturday night.

11. RYAN BLANEY – 687 POINTS
Chase has a win. Erik has a win. The young gent is starting to feel left out.

12. DENNY HAMLIN – 684 POINTS
Works for his favorite NFL coach, and now he has a replacement for his long-lost cap.

13. KYLE LARSON – 681 POINTS
The lad likes to get down and dirty.

14. ARIC ALMIROLA – 639 POINTS
Before we set off at Bristol, Abby and Alex will be setting off back to school.

15. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 572 POINTS
Isn’t it time for the firm of Johnson and Knaus to show up?

16. ALEX BOWMAN – 542 POINTS
Spin Truex. Check. What else did you want me to do?

17. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 480 POINTS
Win? Hell, he has not even managed a Top Ten since May.

18. PAUL MENARD – 472 POINTS
Do not expect great things at Bristol. It just does not happen.

19. DANIEL SUAREZ – 460 POINTS
Daniel claims he is capable of winning races this season. Okay. Prove it.

20. RYAN NEWMAN – 456 POINTS
Just glad Kurt is not rumored to be replacing him again.

August 15, 2018
Kasey Kahne Relishes his Role As the Underdog in 2018

Kasey Kahne discussed his new role as an underdog on Wednesday at the 36th annual NASCAR Media Tour. Kahne has experienced the highs and lows of Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series racing in a career approaching its 15th season.

He came into the sport as a phenom. He started out at Evernham Motorsports and drove as a factory driver for Dodge. From there he went to Robert Yates racing when Yates retired, became a Toyota driver at Red Bull for a season awaiting an offer from Hendrick Motorsports, and left HMS when the youth movement gained momentum, but there were some highs.

There weren’t many, though – save for a win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway last year – in the late stages of Kahne’s tenure at Hendrick Motorsports, so Kahne looks forward to the fresh opportunity presented to him by his new team, Leavine Family Racing.

“I’ve had a lot of experience throughout the years, being with different teams and different manufacturers but this year, every single person is new,” Kahne said. “It’s a fresh start. For me, it’s something that I feel like I can contribute to. My whole mindset is about the relationships and doing things together.

“It’s a small group compared to what I’ve had the last six years and it’s a group of people who want to go in the same direction. I feel like if we do that and we work together to make the No. 95 the best car it can be, we’ll have some success.”

Kahne’s crew chief, Travis Mack, left his role as Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s car chief at Hendrick to run the pit crew at LFR.

“He works hard,” Kahne said of Mack. “He’s really into Cup cars and being a crew chief. I think that having a young guy who’s super excited and enthusiastic will be good for our team the whole season.”

January 27, 2018
The View From My Recliner: Pre-Clash Edition
After taking the holidays to recharge and fight this never ending cold, it’s time to park myself in the recliner and share my view of what is going on in the world of NASCAR.

To be honest, the view right now is foggy at best. There are a ton of questions that need to be answered. Some we will never find out the true answer (How long is the contract with Monster Energy and how much did they pay to sponsor the premiere series?) and many others we will find out on the track.

Last year, the Charter system was going to help give owners something tangible for their teams if they decide to get out. This off-season, we have watched so many charters move around that it is hard to figure out who actually owns charters.

According to NASCAR.com, here is the updated charter shuffle as we get close to the Clash.

Premium Motorsports sold this Charter to Furniture Row Racing for its second team, the No. 77. In 2016, the Charter was leased by the No. 46 team of HScott Motorsports.

Richard Petty Motorsports is leasing the No. 44 Charter to the No. 32 team of Go Fas Racing in 2017 and Roush Fenway Racing will lease the No. 16 Charter to JTG Daugherty Racing’s newly formed second team (No. 37) in 2017.

Near the end of the 2016 season, Tommy Baldwin Racing sold its Charter to Leavine Family Racing.

HScott Motorsports’ No. 15 Charter was sold to Premium Motorsports and Go Fas Racing is leasing the No. 32 Charter to the No. 21 team of Wood Brothers Racing.

Circle Sport and The Motorsports Group merged operations to field the No. 33 team with the Charter Circle Sport had. In 2016, Circle Sport partnered with Leavine Family Racing to field the No. 95 for the season.

BK Racing sold the No. 83 Charter to Front Row Motorsports, who is leasing the Charter to TriStar Motorsports for the 2017 season.

This charter shuffling makes me worry about the sport’s future. That is something we can attack later in the season.

Three big questions in 2017:
1. Will the new even lower downforce package help the racing product?
2. How big are the sponsor issues at Stewart-Haas Racing with plenty of inventory available on the 10 and 14 cars?
3. Will there be a surprise driver who makes the playoffs like Chris Buescher did in 2016?
Three things I think will happen:
1. Dodge will announce they will return to the sport with a surprise team in the lead of the effort.
2. Danica Patrick will be replaced at Stewart-Haas Racing by Matt Kenseth.
3. William Byron replaces Kasey Kahne at Hendrick Motorsports, Erik Jones replaces Kenseth at Joe Gibbs Racing and Kahne replaces Jones at Furniture Row Racing.
Enjoy the wreck fest this Saturday and we’ll talk next week with my thoughts on the Clash and the new race formats.
February 13, 2017
The Final Word – Daytona was a tale of two lane blacktop, at least for the final lap

“Stay on the bottom, stay in line, and they can’t pass us.”

For 199 laps, Darrell Waltrip’s observation of the 2016 Daytona 500 was dead on. Then, it became dead wrong. With Matt Kenseth leading Martin Truex Jr. on the bottom, Denny Hamlin jumped to the outside with some rarely seen momentum in that lane. Kenseth moved up to block, overshot just as Hamlin cut to his inside to leave the No. 20 wiggling high and dry. Moving beside Truex the pair fought it out to the line, with Hamlin taking his first Great American Race by about four inches, the closest finish in the history of the classic.

For 199 laps, it was the inside lane and only the inside that mattered. Nothing moved on top. Until Hamlin’s maneuver, nothing did. In claiming the prize, the most dominant car of the day got back to the front where he had led for 95 laps though he needed to finish it off the hard way. Well, hard for everyone else, but it looked pretty darn easy for the now 27-race winner.

Racing at Daytona is usually exciting, even when it becomes a single lane contest for the most part. Twenty-year-old Chase Elliott led a couple from the pole, but later his car drifted away from him to leave it wrecked in the infield. Dale Earnhardt Jr. looked strong for the next dozen, and while he was coming back with 30 laps to run, his own snapped from beneath him and found an inside wall. Other than that, Hamlin, Kenseth, and Truex were the only names worth remembering.

Among the milestones, the worst Charter finish was that of Chris Buescher in 39th after his crash with Matt DiBenedetto near the mid-point on Sunday. The best non-Charter was 15th, recorded by Michael McDowell in the No. 59 of Leavine Family Racing. Danica Patrick is usually the dividing line between the good and the ugly, so the car finishing just ahead of her at Daytona was Greg Biffle in 34th. The pair had a meeting over disputed real estate and neither came away well from that. Right behind her was Junior in 36th.

There are times when cars can go from the front to near the back and within a few laps they are back racing up front again. That was not this race. Unless you could get back using the checkers method, by jumping over the opposition, it took some time to make up lost ground. Unlike some, this was not a case of follow the leader, but rather one where the leaders ran on the inside and those on the outside just sat there frustrated going nowhere. That is, until the final lap.

Some claim that is was a snore fest. I disagree as pack racing is never boring. When you drive that close and that fast, with only the first handful of cars not within a racing buddy in tight beside them, things can happen and not all of them good. It became obvious that the leader was going to likely be our eventual winner. Obvious to everyone, except for Denny Hamlin, that is.

February 22, 2016
The Wood Brothers and Leavine Family Racing Look Forward to the New Season

Charlotte, NC – The legendary Wood Brothers and Leavine Family Racing held a joint press conference on Wednesday during the 2015 Charlotte Motor Speedway Media Tour. Neither of the Ford teams won a race in 2015, but the excitement was evident.

The Wood Brothers will be celebrating their 65th year in NASCAR this year. NASCAR has certified that they are the oldest continuing team of all time. Eddie Wood spoke to the media on what he expects in 2015.

“It is just an honor I guess. I wasn’t around when it began obviously but my dad and his brothers, the first race they ever went to on the way home they burned their car to the ground,” said Wood. “There was a group of people there that I think we’re kind of second guessing our dad, kind of saying that would show old Glen that he doesn’t want to do that. I think that made him mad and gave him incentive to go do it again and they won the second or third time out.

“To still be in the sport is really humbling and we owe all our partners, Ford Motor Company especially, we have had Ford products throughout our entire existence and that is really the basis of what has kept us going. I think our role with Ford Motor Company is to help develop younger drivers and over the past four years I think we have tried to do that with Trevor Bayne, which we had success at the 2011 Daytona 500, so when he moved on to the full time deal for 2015 we were looking for who would be the next guy,” Len Wood said.

“Ryan Blaney’s name kept popping up as the guy we need. I think with choosing Ryan, he was a Team Penske affiliated driver so it made perfect sense to switch the alliance to Penske. Ford helped us through that whole process. I think he has been a winner pretty much everywhere he has been. We lack a couple wins to get to 100. Maybe he can fill the trophy case out.”

Bob Leavine was satisfied with Leavine Family Racing’s year, but looks for more successes in the coming year.

“It was an exciting year, 2014 was an exciting year for us,” Leavine said. “We made some gains and advances and as always sometimes it is one step forward and two steps back but we are excited about what we did. We had some personal bests including Daytona where Michael (McDowell) finished seventh and obviously it was our best finish also. We had solid finishes in Bristol with an 18th and 21st at Homestead. We are excited about that and the steps that we made. In 2015 the momentum is really built off of what we didn’t get done last year. That is motivation. The successes are okay but if you don’t learn from what you did wrong you aren’t going to get any better.

“Our team is motivated by getting better. We are obviously a small team but a team with a lot of heart. I really appreciate the family, my wife and I, this group has become family to us and that is important to us. They really, really give it their all.

“Wally Rodgers has assembled a great group of guys and the desire and determination they show is awesome. We are going to run a minimum of 20 races this year and we are excited about our partners which you will hear about. We are excited about several things, our equipment we get, we run great equipment and I feel really good about it. Secondly, our resource are people and our partners and with that we are looking forward to an improved 2015. Our goals this year, we all set goals, I was asked about that a while ago and our goal is to qualify for every race we go to, qualify well, run strong and run in the top-25. With our people, I believe we can do that. Those are realistic goals for our team.”

Leavine Family Racing driver Michael McDowell is driving the No. 95 Ford and he talks about how 2015 will improve on 2014.

“A lot of what will transfer over is just my relationship with Wally Rodgers,” McDowell said. “It was my first year with Leavine Family Racing last year and we started building momentum halfway through the season. By the end of the year we were starting to figure out the cars and what I needed. I am looking forward to working with Wally again. He has assembled a great team. We had a few changes in the off season and feel like we have been fortunate to add a lot of great people to our organization and with our partnerships and alliances with Ford and Team Penske we feel like we have the tools to go out there and be competitive and like Bob said, we are a small team but still have great equipment and great people.

“I am thankful to be back here racing the Sprint Cup Series and excited to tell you guys a little about what we have going on with our partnerships as well. For us, we can’t do this without our partners and I am excited to have Thrivent Financial back on board again this year. They did a handful of races last year including a debut at Bristol. We are excited to bring new sponsors into the sport and Thrivent is back with us again and we extended their schedule and they are coming on to do a minimum of 10 races and we are really thankful for that and excited about that. For those of you that don’t know what Thrivent is, it is a financial institute that helps Christians be wise with money so that they can live generously. For those of you that know me, it is really cool for me to be partnered with faith-based organizations that understand the value that I have for myself and my family and it gives me a platform to share that. It is more than just a partnership, it is personal and something that is special and that is what makes it authentic and we believe that is where the success will come from.”

January 28, 2015
Sprint Media Tour – Day One Continued – JTG Daugherty and Leavine Family Racing

The final stop on the Sprint Media Tour presented by Charlotte Motor Speedway was a double stop with JTG Daugherty Racing and Leavine Family Racing. These two smaller teams are trying to make inroads in the Sprint Cup Series and have high hopes for 2014.

JTG Daugherty is facing many changes in the new year, but leaving Toyota and aligning with Richard Childress Racing and Chevrolet gives the new team new hope. Co-owner Brad Daugherty was extremely pleased with the results of their Daytona test.

“I watched that 195 mph lap at Daytona and I knew things would be better,” Daugherty said. “Not criticizing any of our former partners, but we struggled last year. We had no direction. With RCR equipment, we’re on the right track. We’ve scanned the cars they’ve sent us and are building identical cars in-house. We feel like we have the tools to do what we can to be competitive. Bobby Labonte drove his guts out last year and the result just wasn’t there.”

Daugherty also spoke about signing Allmendinger to drive for the team in 2014.

“I talked to Roger Penske about (Allmendinger), and I told him I wanted to offer him a full time Cup Ride. Roger said, ‘I can live with that,’ and that was that. We feel we have the driver to win races and challenge for the championship.”

Leavine Family Racing will go to war with Michael McDowell as its driver in 2014. The talented McDowell will drive their cars in the Sprint Cup Series in 2014, as he moves over from Phil Parsons Racing, in Ford Fusions with motors from Roush-Yates power.

Finally, the Nationwide Series hosted a stop at Strike City with Nationwide Series drivers taking part in the festivities. Trevor Bayne, Sam Hornish, Jr. and Ty Dillon were among the participants. Members of the media were challenged to bowling matches with Nationwide Series drivers.

January 27, 2014
Sprint Media Tour Day One – Stewart-Haas Racing

The first day of Charlotte Motor Speedway’s Sprint Media Tour involved three teams—Stewart-Haas Racing and a joint media event with JTG Daugherty Racing and Leavine Family Racing. Following the usual presentation by each team where an opening statement was made with questions from those present, all drivers and team principals were available for breakout sessions.

First up was Stewart-Haas Racing. The new four-member team of Tony Stewart, Danica Patrick, Kevin Harvick, and Kurt Busch was announced to the multitudes present. The first question fielded by Stewart was the obvious one. Will the team be a clash of egos as the season goes along?

“We do have four alpha drivers here, but we understand each other,” Stewart said. “It’s like a support system.”

Stewart went on to say since the drives know each other so well, it will tend to make them stronger rather than weaker.

Stewart was asked about his health after last summer’s injury and if he was cleared to compete in the Daytona 500 in February. His first response was, “Read the internet,” followed by, “I got released a couple of weeks ago. I feel great and I’m ready. It was harder not being in the car than it will be getting in the car. We’ve all had injuries.”

Patrick was asked how she viewed 2014 and what she expected for the new season.

“Kurt and Kevin have been a big help already,” Patrick said. “I have so much to learn from this group since they have all this experience already. I’m growing.” She was upset that the team got better in the middle part of the schedule in 2013, but floundered as the season ended.

Team co-owner Gene Haas also took the stage, which was unusual. He has been taking more of a hands-on approach of late, but insisted no changes were going to be made in the management area.

“I’m the kind of guy who hires great people and lets them do what they do best,” Haas said. “I’m there and I take part in all the big decisions, though.”

Haas also commented on his publicized desire to form a Formula One team. He made it clear that he would not want to buy an existing team, nor would he move the team from North Carolina, but said it was going to be a tough road getting a team.

“Mr. Ecclestone made it clear that he didn’t think I could get a team. I don’t know if that was his way of just showing me how tough it was going to be or what,” Haas said. “I’m interested in that form of racing because it’s the most difficult racing in the world. It would show the world Haas Automotive could compete with the best and it might open markets worldwide for our products.”

Harvick and Busch admitted they were excited to start the season with Stewart-Haas. Harvick, who was fast at Daytona, was beaming.

“I’m really excited to start (2014). This team is what I have been seeking for a long time. I think we can go out and be fast immediately and challenge for a championship. I can’t wait for the season to start.”

The day began with a noon luncheon presented by Charlotte Motor Speedway. Attending were the Governor of North Carolina, Charlotte’s mayor, and the staff at CMS, as well as other Speedway Motorsports facilities. At the luncheon, Governor Pat McCrory admitted he saw his first race at CMS by sneaking in the speedway. He offered SMI’s CEO, Bruton Smith, the price of a ticket since he was honored at the luncheon. Later on, McCrory offered Smith $5 for the ticket—half of the cost of admission because he only saw half the race.

The media met with JTG Daugherty and the Leavine Family Racing principals later on and will be reported on in a separate article.

January 27, 2014
Amanda Speed Juggles Racing Husband and New Motherhood

[media-credit name=”Photo Credit: Ashley Wise” align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]Amanda Speed is not only juggling the role of wife to NASCAR racer Scott Speed, but also being a new mom to their daughter Juliet.

And while she misses being as consistently present at the race track and as involved in Scott’s career, she is enjoying all the challenges of having a little one in the house and, in fact, looking forward to planning for another.

“It has changed everything, let me tell you,” Amanda Speed said. “You think you remember, but you don’t. You can’t even take a shower unless you have her occupied somehow. But it’s fun.”

“She is not sleeping at night so we’re not getting any sleep,” Speed continued. “She likes to eat a lot so she eats every two hours at night.”

While Speed loves being a new mom, she has indeed missed going to the race track with her husband. Yet, traveling with a baby has brought its own set of challenges.

“Not being able to go to the track as much has also been an adjustment,” Speed said. “I went to Texas earlier this year with her and, man that was a handful.”

“Since we don’t have the motor home anymore, when she took a nap we had to go sit in the car,” Speed continued. “She loves the noise and thinks it’s cool, but it’s just more of a hassle now.”

“Between the plane ride and the time change, it’s just a lot different now that she’s here,” Speed said. “You don’t realize how difficult it is taking her to the track until I did it.”

As if the Speed family did not have enough stress in their lives, they also recently moved to another home, closer to family.

“That was the most stressful thing I’ve ever done,” Speed said. “We’ve been looking to move closer to family and found the deal we wanted.”

“So, we ended up moving,” Speed continued. “Jules cannot crawl yet and I’m glad she can’t, especially as we moved.”

“I don’t recommend moving with a baby to anyone.”

Although Juliet is Amanda and Scott’s first child together, Amanda is also mom to son Rex. And she admits that she couldn’t handle new motherhood without the help of Juliet’s big brother.

“Rex loves being a big brother,” Speed said. “If I need help, he is like taken her under his wing. He is so good with her I can’t even explain.”

While Rex may be the doting big brother, husband Scott has definitely embraced the new daddy role as well.

“It was funny because when I was pregnant, Scott was always real squeamish,” Amanda Speed said. “He loved me being pregnant but he thought he would be the one passing out during the birth. But he pulled her out and changed her first diaper.”

“This morning she looked at him and said ‘Da da’ and he just melted,” Speed said. “When she can really start talking and say ‘I want, I want’, we’re going to be really broke. He won’t be able to say ‘no.’

“He’s a big kid too,” Speed continued. “I always say I have three kids.”

While keeping extremely busy juggling the new home and the new baby, Amanda Speed has also tried to stay as involved as possible in husband Scott’s racing career. And she admits that has had many ups and downs, from the not so easy parting of the ways with Red Bull Racing to now running part-time with Leavine Family Racing in the No. 95 race car.

“I try to be involved as much as we can,” Speed said. “We have more people helping us now but I still do his schedule and communicate with the team.”

“In the beginning, it was hard,” Speed continued. “Running part-time and with a new team, there’s a lot of unknowns and a lot of ‘what ifs’.”

“But they have figured each other out and are running really well now together,” Speed said. “Things are much better now.”

“The team believes in him and he believes in the team,” Speed continued. “It was definitely a struggle at first but now things are starting to click. Everyone is excited and pumped up every weekend.”

The couple has also learned many lessons together as they have endured the ups and downs of NASCAR racing. They have a sense of closure now that the Red Bull lawsuit has been settled and is in their rear view mirror.

“Obviously we can’t go into detail about that, but the fact that the lawsuit was closed gave Scott closure,” Speed said. “That’s what he needed because he was pretty pissed off at the way it ended.”

“But in the end, they came to terms with each other and that brought a ton of closure and a weight off his shoulders,” Speed continued. “The whole process wore on both of us, so much. It was the most difficult thing we’ve gone through together for sure.”

“We’ve learned you can never fully put your trust in anyone, so you have to just back each other,” Speed continued. “Scott and I are our own best friends.”

“Certain friends we have had out there, we also didn’t expect the things to have happened that have happened,” Speed said. “So, I guess to say to just trust and believe in each other and not put your trust in anyone else is the biggest lesson learned.”

While Amanda Speed has been taking it one day at a time with juggling her role as racing wife and new mom, she also is very much looking forward to the future, personally and from a racing perspective.

“In my crystal ball, we are getting pregnant again quickly,” Speed said. “If it were up to Scott, he would probably be pregnant right now and have a whole litter.”

“And I’m pretty sure things are going better with the team and I hope we can find more sponsorship to run more races,” Speed continued. “This team really, really wants to run the whole season.”

“So, hopefully the crystal ball brings sponsorship and a full season of racing.”

“We’re in a good place right now,” Speed said. “Everyone believes in each other right now.”

“It’s good that Scott’s getting his fire back in his belly,” Speed continued. “He felt like he lost a lot of that and he’s up for proving himself again.”

“So, hopefully we’ll be back racing competitively and have lots of children around us.”

As Amanda Speed continues her juggling act, she has just a few words for the Amanda and Scott Speed fans.

“I’d like to say thank you for supporting us, especially through everything we’ve been through,” Speed said. “There are some die-hard fans and they still believe in us.”

“Thanks for sticking with us and for understanding us.”

July 4, 2012