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Tag: Michael Waltrip Racing

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: Ford EcoBoost 400

    Surprising and Not Surprising: Ford EcoBoost 400

    With rain interfering one last time and delaying the race start for over an hour, here is what else was surprising and not surprising from the season finale, the 17th annual Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

    Surprising:  The last race of the year at Homestead was surprisingly filled with a series of firsts and lasts. Kyle Busch, of course, scored a host of firsts with his trip to Victory Lane, winning his own first championship as well as winning the first championship in the Cup Series for his manufacturer Toyota.

    There were, however, an even greater number of lasts in the race, including the last race for Jeff Gordon, the final run for Sam Hornish Jr. under the auspices of Richard Petty Motorsports, the final race for Michael Waltrip Racing as a company, the finale for Go Daddy as sponsor or Danica Patrick’s car, and the final race for Justin Allgaier with HScott Motorsports.

    And while Jeff Gordon basked in the accolades of his last trip around the track behind the wheel, others such as Clint Bowyer bemoaned his last run after crashing and finishing dead last.

    “I don’t know what the hell happened to our car,” Bowyer said. “My car got loose. I couldn’t catch it. I hate to have it end this way.”

    “Unfortunately, it’s over.”

    Not Surprising:  It may have been his first Sprint Cup championship, but Kyle Busch was already a champion coming into his final race, having secured the Truck championship as owner, with Erik Jones behind the wheel.

    “I don’t know how you top this, but I’d sure like to see,” Busch said. “I wouldn’t do it without everyone that surrounds me, my wife, my family, my friends, my employees at KBM, Joe (Gibbs), J.D. (Gibbs), the team at JGR, Adam (Stevens, crew chief).”

    “You surround yourself with good people in business and in sports and it sometimes will more than likely pay it back.”

    “You know, this is pretty special.”

    Surprising:  There were no baby steps involved this season for Martin Truex Jr., who finished 12th in the race but fourth in the championship standings, his highest finish to date.

    “Super proud of our season and really proud to come this far to come from 24th in points last year to fourth this year is a pretty big step,” Truex said. “I don’t think most people realize just how big of a deal it is and how hard it was for us to get that far.”

    “You never know what the future holds, but excited already about next year, and I think we’ll be back here in mid-December testing already for next year.  Not a whole lot of rest, and looking forward to spending a week or so down here relaxing and having a few beers, catching a few fish, and really just let it all soak in what we’ve been able to accomplish, and really proud of everybody on our team.”

    Not Surprising:  While he did not win the race, Kevin Harvick scored his own record of sorts, finishing in the second place for the 13th time for the season. Harvick became the 10th Cup driver to score double-digit runner-up finishes in a single season and his was the first since Bobby Allison in 1972.

    “The 18 car, he just had the speed all night, for the most part,” Harvick said. “You know, as the night went, I just couldn’t find anywhere that would make the car run better.  The higher I would run, the looser it would get. I’d get on the seams and then it would push the front and slide the back. Just never could find anything.”

    “I know we’re disappointed about finishing second tonight, but it’s kind of the theme of the year, finishing second. Unfortunately it’s just one short, but all in all, it’s been a great couple years, and couldn’t be prouder of our bunch of guys.”

    Surprising: While one Kyle was in Victory Lane, another Kyle, Larson that is, was bemoaning a bit the chance that he had to get his first Cup victory. The driver of the No. 42 Target Chevrolet was stung by the final caution after riding the wall to a fifth place finish.

    “I think I was 1 water bottle away from my first cup win,” Larson tweeted after the race. “Congratulations to Kyle Busch, such an amazing comeback story you had this year!”

    Not Surprising:  Team Penske finished the season strong, with a third and fourth place finish for Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano respectively.

    “I was really proud of my team tonight, really happy with what they were able to give me and we were able to take a run at it, we just didn’t quite have enough at the end on that final restart to hold those guys off.” Keselowski said after the race. “We were really strong and we just didn’t have enough to close it at the end.”

    “Unfortunately, we didn’t win and that’s what we wanted to do,” teammate Logano said. “We had a fast Shell/Pennzoil Ford that led a lot of laps, so I’m proud of the laps we led. We had a few good runs and made an adjustment that just took it out of the track and by the time we got it back we lost too much track position. We had a bad pit stop under green and lost more there, so it was too little, too late. We couldn’t redeem ourselves after a couple mistakes tonight.”

    Surprising:  While Brett Moffitt reveled in winning the 2015 Sunoco Rookie of the Year title, he also revealed that his 2016 future driving plans are a bit up in the air at present.

    “Throughout the season, Front Row has given me a great home, and it’s a great place to be, and thankful for this opportunity and being able to bring home the Rookie of the Year title,” Moffitt said. “Right now my slate is empty.”

    “I mean, we’re working hard, but it’s hard to secure the funding to be able to run in any of the top three series.  If anything would come forward, I’d be more than willing to work with any series, whether it was truck, XFINITY or another Cup ride.”

    Not Surprising:  One young up and coming driver no doubt summed it all up as he raced with one of his idols for the last time.

    “I was a big fan of Jeff Gordon growing up,” Ryan Blaney, driver of the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford, said. “You’re obviously honored to be in his last race with him. I got to race around him a little bit at the beginning of the race. I was having trouble passing him. I was trying to be as nice as I could and let him race his own deal.”

    “But that was fun racing hard with him there.”

    Surprisingly, that concludes the 2015 race season, which seems to have gone by in the blink of an eye. Enjoy the off-season, Happy Thanksgiving, Happy Holidays and here’s to a great 2016!

     

  • Hot 20 – Bowyer soon to become a free agent as MWR goes part-time in 2016

    Hot 20 – Bowyer soon to become a free agent as MWR goes part-time in 2016

    Hot news this week is headlined by the near-demise of Michael Waltrip Racing. The team has announced that it will not run full-time entries in 2016 and that Clint Bowyer will indeed be a free agent after this season. It has been a bit of a bumpy ride for the team that Mikey built, and Rob Kauffman paid for, and with the money man headed elsewhere, the writing was all over the wall. Kauffman is looking to buy into the Ganassi operation, but that deal is not done. Bowyer could wind up there, or wherever an opening appears between now and next season.

    Danica Patrick has a new sponsor. With Go Daddy about to be Gone Daddy, Nature’s Bakery has decided that sponsoring the only woman in Sprint Cup is a great $20 million sponsorship opportunity. With just a single IndyCar win back in 2008 to go with her Budweiser Duel victory in 2013, she is not a great driver, but still a competent one with tons of drawing power. Plus, did you see her latest yoga video? I mean, I am a straight male and I fear the day I find something similar posted by Tony Stewart.

    Stewart has had some tough times, with results no better than Patrick’s since he broke his leg driving on dirt in 2013. Then came the tragedy in upstate New York a year ago. The family of Kevin Ward Jr. filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Stewart on Friday. It alleges Stewart drove his car up the track, gunned his engine, causing the vehicle to slide and strike Ward with the rear-right tire. As a father of a couple of lads about Kevin’s age, I understand the family’s course of action. It was either Stewart’s fault or, as what came out of the criminal investigation, their son had enough marijuana in his system to impair his judgement and that in an act of bravado he approached Stewart’s car on foot and simply got too close and was struck. As a parent, what would you want to believe?

    The action will be hot on Saturday night at Bristol, one of NASCAR’s fan favorite venues. There should be enough action to satisfy a television viewer who simply finds their way to the telecast, along with those who know what it all means for Kyle Busch, Bowyer, Aric Almirola, Kasey Kahne, and those behind them in the standings.

    Our Hot 20 heading into Bristol include…

    1. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 4 WINS
    You know your focus is off when you can’t even remember where your pit stall is.

    2. KYLE BUSCH – 4 WINS
    Second in the standings, yet battling Cole Whitt for his playoff position.

    3. MATT KENSETH – 3 WINS
    Owned Michigan, has a down payment on Bristol.

    4. KEVIN HARVICK – 2 WINS
    Only three times he has missed finishing in the Top Ten…including Bristol in the springtime.

    5. JOEY LOGANO – 2 WINS
    Winner at the Brickyard and the Glen…you know, races one might actually remember.

    6. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 2 WINS
    Man, he feels like a woman. Really. I heard him say so. You can’t make something like this up.

    7. KURT BUSCH – 2 WINS
    Sure, his brother has more wins, but when it comes to points, baby, Kurt rules!

    8. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN
    Finished third and is still frustrated. I wonder if he has ever met Timmy Hill?

    9. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 WIN
    He and Joey no doubt would like their splitters back, splitters back.

    10. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN
    Kyle and Matt and…what are the names of their two teammates again?

    11. CARL EDWARDS – 1 WIN
    Figures he has the car to beat at Bristol. Forty-two other drivers will attempt to prove him right.

    12. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 663 POINTS
    70 points up on Almirola, 47 ahead of Bowyer. McMurray remains good to go this Saturday.

    13. PAUL MENARD – 654 POINTS
    Along with Junior, loses 15 minutes of practice time this weekend due to inspection issues.

    14. RYAN NEWMAN – 649 POINTS
    Having an actress of the same name is confusing. I do not believe he is dating Jack Griffo.

    15. JEFF GORDON – 648 POINTS
    When they say “pull those belts tight, boys”, his boys tend to argue for a bit of slack.

    16. CLINT BOWYER – 616 POINTS
    NASCAR’s own bubble boy.

    17. ARIC ALMIROLA – 593 POINTS
    It would be a real shame if Clint has another bad day. Yes, it sure would be. Just ask Aric.

    18. KASEY KAHNE – 590 POINTS
    Now, if both Clint and Aric had bad days this Saturday night…

    19. GREG BIFFLE – 553 POINTS
    Three races in just over two weeks and he has to win one of them.

    20. KYLE LARSON – 548 POINTS
    Has done well in the few he has raced at Bristol. Now he needs to be great.

  • Brett Moffitt Sweet on Ice Cream and Good Pocono Run

    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.”

     

  • David Ragan Road Rallies for LuMind Foundation

    David Ragan Road Rallies for LuMind Foundation

    In spite of all the changes in his life on the track, NASCAR driver David Ragan’s commitment off the track to raising money for the LuMind Research Down Syndrome Foundation has remained steadfast.

    So, on July 6th through July 8th, Ragan will jump out of his Michael Waltrip Racing No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine and into his road rally car to raise funds and awareness for Down Syndrome cognition research.

    This is the second year of the event, which features teams of decaled cars making ‘pit stops’ at various places, from its beginning at Darlington Raceway and Museum in South Carolina to the finish at various race shops in Charlotte, North Carolina.

    “It obviously was a great event last year so this will be the second annual event,” Ragan said. “It was such a success and everyone had such a good time that the LuMind Foundation decided to do it again in the southeast region. The participants really enjoyed learning about the history of NASCAR, spending time with some of the Hall of Famers, and it was a great chance to introduce people to the sport while raising some money for the Down Syndrome community.”

    While some of the teams may be repeats from the first annual event, there are also newbies who will be taking on the road rally challenge, including Ragan’s new race family at Michael Waltrip Racing.

    “We have some of the same people coming back for the second year, but we also have quite a few new people,” Ragan said. “I would say so far half to three-quarters of the ones who raced last year are coming back again. Then some folks that couldn’t make it last year are making it part of their schedule.

    “We try to keep it at that 20 to 25 team number. That’s a good number to visit the stops and travel in a decent manner.

    “They are starting at Darlington Speedway this year, with a tour of the race track and the museum there. Then they are going to Charlotte. There are a few of the same stops as last year, like Charlotte Motor Speedway, the Richard Childress Race shop and Hendrick Motorsports, but we added a few more new ones like Michael Waltrip Racing and the Go Pro Motorsports complex in Mooresville and the pit stop school in Mooresville as well.

    “The folks at MWR have been so accommodating with this. It all starts from the top and Michael certainly understands the relationship that we have with the fans. So, he goes above and beyond to accommodate any fan that comes to our shop like this.

    “The folks at Aaron’s have also been very good to work with as well. At Michael Waltrip Racing they are going to be checking things out at the shop, learning more about my new team and then they will have a short break there before heading to the Go Pro Motorsports complex.”

    Unfortunately, Ragan himself will have to interrupt his road rally schedule due to additional testing at Kentucky Speedway for the new rules package. But he will get by with a little help from his friends and family.

    “I’m going to have to miss that stop at MWR to test so some of our team and maybe my father will show everyone around,” Ragan said. “I’ve got a few teams myself with some friends and I’ll stop along the way and visit to have some fun with the group.

    “It certainly is a family affair. My mom, my father, and my older brother Adam, who has Down Syndrome, have a team representing Georgia and we have a team representing the Ragan part of North Carolina. Racing is in our blood but being a part of the Race for Research is a lot of fun and something my brother looks forward to.

    “There may be a little rivalry as far as raising the most funds. I’ve got a few more fans on my Facebook page and through Twitter so I may have a bit of an advantage there. But my Dad’s pretty savvy with all the NASCAR-related history so it should be a fun event.”

    Ragan is also passionate about the Race for Research Road Rally because he sees the need on a daily basis, as well as the need to call more attention to those impacted by Down Syndrome and their families.

    “There are a lot of charitable events in the NASCAR community that get a lot of attention,” Ragan said. “That says a lot about the NASCAR family because there are so many charities that are close to the hearts of drivers, race team owners and sponsors.

    “But they all rally around and anytime we ask for donations or visiting some of the shops, everyone is so accommodating. We’re all grateful that we are healthy enough to pursue our racing dreams all around the country so we enjoy giving back.

    “And the Down Syndrome community is something that is important to me because my older brother is affected. There are a lot of other families, whether at other shops, those that work for NASCAR, and even in the media group that are impacted by Down Syndrome. Once you start talking about it, a lot of people come out of the woodwork that are in the same boat as we are.”

    When the checkered flag flies on the final stop in the road rally, Ragan hopes that he will have accomplished his goals of raising dollars and awareness, as well as helping NASCAR fans have fun.

    “I’m hoping we can raise awareness and money for research for young kids and adults who have Down Syndrome,” Ragan said. “At the end of the day, this impacts so many families. It doesn’t get the notice or mentions that a lot of other disabilities get.

    “So, if we could just create an awareness and certainly some money to fund research, that is my number one goal. We achieved that last year, having raised over $100,000 which was a great amount. But we also raised awareness with folks that may not know or understand what the Down Syndrome community experiences. And that’s a great thing.

    “We hope that fans will check out the LuMindRaceforResearch.org website to learn more, make a general donation or donate to their favorite road rally team.

    “Just look into it, have some fun and if you are a NASCAR fan, it’s a great opportunity to get some behind the scenes visits to your favorite race shop or race track.”

     

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: New Hampshire Sylvania 300

    Surprising and Not Surprising: New Hampshire Sylvania 300

    In the second race of the Chase for NASCAR’s championship, here is what was surprising and not surprising from the 18th annual Sylvania 300 at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

    Surprising: Instead of being magical, New Hampshire Motor Speedway proved to be more of a combination of Daytona, Darlington and Martinsville.

    The 303 lap race included a Daytona-like ‘big one’, many cars striping the wall similar to Darlington, and some typically short-track Martinsville-like beating and banging, especially during the restarts.

    David Ragan was involved in New Hampshire’s version of the ‘big one’, slamming hard into the wall after tangling with Kurt Busch and Martin Truex Jr. and then getting tagged after the wreck by Denny Hamlin to boot.

    “It was unfortunate,” Ragan, driver of the No. 32 Taco Bell Ford, said. “It looked like the 51 and 78 were both mad and they were running over each other. They kind of shot up the race track and that just kind of shot me up.”

    Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. was just one of many drivers who had a too close encounter with the New Hampshire wall, getting an even more severe stripe than at Darlington.

    “I blew a left-front,” the driver of the No. 17 EcoPower Ford said. “We were all just racing really, really hard on that restart. Everybody was bouncing off each other. I don’t know who hit my left-front, but it got a fender rub and just blew the left-front going down the front straightaway.”

    “I was trying to get it slowed down as much as I could, but it wasn’t gonna turn, so I just hit the wall.”

    Chaser Matt Kenseth and Paul Menard were just one pair that were duking it out like on a short track while on the Magic Mile. Both drivers spun, causing a 21st place finish for Kenseth while Menard soldiered on to finish 15th.

    “I got spun out on that wall up there,” the driver of the No. 20 Dollar General Toyota said. “Menard said he wheel-hopped it in there and got into me.”

    Not Surprising: New England native Joey Logano, clicking his heels together in Victory Lane, proved that there truly is no place like home. Logano won his fourth race of the season at his home track and secured his place, along with his Penske teammate, in the next round of the Chase competition.

    “This is my home race track, the coolest place to win for me,” the driver of the No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford said. “I could never pick a better race track to win.”

    “I watched my first Cup race here when I was five and I won that other Cup race here (rain-shortened race), but I just felt like I had to win one the right way here, and this means so much.”

    This was Logano’s seventh career NASCAR victory and his second win at the Magic Mile.

    Surprising: Penske teammate Brad Keselowski emerged after the race surprisingly conflicted, in spite of finishing fourth in the No. 2 Miller Lite Ford.

    “I don’t know,” Keselowski said. “We had a lot of adversity. I made a few mistakes that got us behind, but Paul Wolfe (crew chief) and the crew did a great job of getting us back in position. It was kind of an up-and-down day and I guess we ended on an OK note.”

    “We finished seventh, but I was definitely looking for more than that,” Keselowski continued. “We certainly have a lot to be proud of, but there’s still a lot of work to do.”

    Not Surprising: It certainly was not surprising that Denny Hamlin’s post-race interview included the word crap as he battled a fueling issue and then got involved in a wreck to finish 37th in his No. 11 FedEx Ground Toyota.

    “It’s so frustrating,” Hamlin said. “We just got bit by a mechanical deal. We’ve had them bite us in the Chase in the past, but I thought we were past that — but sometimes you roll the dice and you crap out.”

    “Today is that day for us.”

    Surprising: While Michael Waltrip lived to dance another day after being in the bottom three in ‘Dancing with the Stars’, his drivers both had decent top-15 runs at New Hampshire this race weekend.

    Vickers fared best in his No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota, with a 10th place finish, while Clint Bowyer, expectant father, finished 14th.

    “The guys just did an awesome job with our Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota today,” Vickers said. “We had a really good race car — it was fast, we were one of the best cars in the corner today.”

    “The guys did a good job today, I’m really proud of them.”

    Not Surprising: Yes, the youngster did it again. Kyle Larson, the highest finishing rookie, scored the runner up finishing spot in his No. 42 Target Chevrolet.

    “It was a really good race for us,” Larson said. “Our Target Chevy wasn’t even a top-15 car the first 100 laps, and Shine (Chris Heroy, crew chief) and everybody on this Target team did a great job to get me in the game.”

    “They made some big changes there under the second or third caution, and it felt like a totally different race car.”

    This was Larson’s second top-10 finish in just two races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and his 13th top-10 finish of the season.

    Surprising: There was plenty of talk after the race yet again about restarts, from Kevin Harvick’s complaint about the restarts late in the race to other drivers commenting on the craziness of the multiple restarts, particularly the green-white-checkered finish.

    “And then at the end there, NASCAR must not be able to see the lines on the restart there and the No. 22 (Joey Logano) was way early all day,” Harvick said ruefully about the restarts after finishing third. “But all in all, we did what we had to do and I just enjoyed racing that hard.”

    “All those cautions are fairly frustrating,” Jamie McMurray said after finishing fourth in his No. 1 Belkin/WEMO Chevrolet. “I know it is fun to watch as a fan, but you are so panicked as a driver as to which lane you are going to get to restart in because that is critical.”

    “It was a wild day, especially with all of those restarts,” six-time champ Jimmie Johnson said. “Man I don’t know what it looked like from the grandstands today, but I can tell you that inside the car, I was hanging on trying not to spin out.”

    Not Surprising: The pendulum swung for Aric Almirola, whose engine blew up last weekend, to his sixth place finish this weekend in his No. 43 Smithfield Ford.

    “We’re down but we’re not out,” Almirola said. “We can only control what we can control and today we did that and did a good job and finished sixth.”

    “Last week it didn’t work out in our favor, but this week it did,” Almirola continued. “We’ll do the same thing at Dover and we’ll see what happens.”

    Surprising: Martin Truex, Jr. made another surprising comeback from two laps down just like last weekend to finish a respectable 12th place.

    “The guys didn’t quit on me today and I’m driving my heart out,” Truex said. “Though we made good adjustments today and came through at the end, we struggled for most of the weekend and need to work out some issues. But the guys worked hard and kept on making the car better.”

    “I never thought I would say this about New Hampshire Motor Speedway, but I wish the race was longer,” stated Truex. “We were moving forward and felt there were more cars that we could have passed.”

    Not Surprising: Next week will be anything but comfortable for the remaining Chase contenders fighting to go into the next round.

    “I wonder that the last race in each round may be quite eventful,” Dale Earnhardt Jr. said about the next race in Dover after finishing ninth at the Magic Mile. “Guys are going to have to – you know on the last restarts or those last cautions guys that need those points and aren’t going to get them any other way are going to have to take some crazy gamble on tires, fuel.”

    “You are going to have some guys out there on old tires trying to hold people off and it’s going to cause a lot of traffic,” Junior continued. “It’s going to get tight. It’s going to get furious.”

     

  • Brett Moffitt Equipped For Sprint Cup Debut at Dover

    Brett Moffitt Equipped For Sprint Cup Debut at Dover

    Jay Robinson Racing, affiliate to Michael Waltrip Racing, announced that Brett Moffitt will make his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut at Dover International Raceway this weekend.

    Moffitt, 22, competed in the NASCAR K&N East Pro Series for five season registering nine victories after 61 career-starts, however, an  championship eluded him; his best finish in the championship standings was second (twice).

    Though, despite the K&N East experience, Moffitt has limited tenure in the NASCAR Touring Series, running two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series events and a single NASCAR Nationwide Series race.

    Moffitt, however, isn’t concerned the limited experience will affect him this weekend at Dover, especially since he’s captured two K&N East triumphs at the Monster Mile.

    “I’m honored Jay asked me to drive his car at Dover,” Moffitt said. “The Monster Mile is a tough, but fun track and I can’t wait to get there. I won the 2009 & 2010 K&N East races at Dover so I think I’ll feel comfortable there, but SprintCup racing is a whole new world.”

    Moffitt, piloting from Grimes, Iowa, understands the expectations: qualify (as the team will be forced to qualify in on time) and gain crucial track time.

    “I appreciate all support I have received from Jay Robinson, TRD and everyone at Michael Waltrip Racing for making this happen,” Moffitt explained. “My goals are to qualify well and learn all I can during the race.”

    Robinson, who formed an alliance with Michael Waltrip following last season, is expecting a solid result from the developing driver, in fact, he believes he could have a diamond in the rough, considering the respect Moffitt holds in the garage area.

    “Brett is a very young driver with a lot of experience for his age,” said Robinson. “If you ask around the garage, you will learn he’s one of the most respected young men in the sport who just hasn’t had a chance at a full-time ride. We think he has a lot of talent and will show it at Dover.”

    Moffitt will attain the driver seat of the No. 66 Toyota which has been occupied by Joe Nemechek, primary driver, and Jeff Burton, secondary driver.

    The FedEx benefiting Autism Speaks 400 at Dover will be held this Sunday, June 1, 2014.

  • Clint Bowyer Animated For 300th Start at Kansas Speedway

    Clint Bowyer Animated For 300th Start at Kansas Speedway

    Clint Bowyer’s tenure in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series reaches a milestone this weekend when he makes his 300th career-start at an ideal place, his home track of Kansas Speedway.

    “Yeah, every time you see one of these 300 starts or 400 starts, whatever it is with us, it really doesn’t register until you get back to thinking about how it all began and what it really means,” Bowyer expressed on Tuesday afternoon. “(I’m) very fortunate to be a part of this sport for 300 races.

    “Love this sport, love being a part of it, and hopefully we’re a part of it for a long time. All of that coming down to Kansas, my home track, is even that much more special to be able to celebrate my 300th (start) right here in my own backyard at Kansas Speedway.”

    Bowyer, on the heels of declaring his newly-wed wife, Lorra, is pregnant with a male, received a three-year extension on his current contract with Michael Waltrip Racing; a team he’s partnered with the past two seasons.

    “Yeah, really excited about a multi-year deal with them,” Bowyer further explained about the recently signed contract. “It means a lot that we were able to put it back together at MWR. I’ve had a tremendous amount of success there right off the bat. The key to success in this sport is people and being able to keep those people together, so really happy about keeping (Brian) Pattie and the whole group intact.”

    Bowyer, who began his career at Richard Childress Racing, is now alluding to how fortunate he’s become racing for Michael Waltrip’s organization.

    “I have a great team; I have a great sponsor; I have a great manufacturer; I’ve got a great organization that takes care of my sponsors that builds a great platform for all of them to be able to showcase a product and get their bang for the buck. That is so important,” Bowyer further commented during a media conference.

    The Emporia, Kansas competitor is also reliving his greatest moments during his first 299 appearances, and one sticks out – his first career-win in 2007 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

    “I’ll never forget it,” Bowyer noted about his first-victory. “Both of my parents were there, my brothers were there, and it was just like surreal because here all these people were to help me get to where I was at, you know, and it immediately made you think back to how it all started. You almost get giddy and start laughing like how in the hell is this happening right now.”

    Bowyer, 33, now rotates his attention towards the ultimate goal – winning and guaranteeing a Chase berth – however, he’s not pondering upon that thought, he’s hoping to seal the situation and grant the placement in the Chase this weekend at Kansas.

    “I’m pretty excited about the weekend,” Bowyer added. “I had a great week, and can’t wait for the race.  It’s our first night race.  Everybody’s excited about the night race at Kansas, and can’t wait to get on the track. Hopefully my 5-Hour Energy Toyota is going to be strong.”

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: Kobalt 400

    Surprising and Not Surprising: Kobalt 400

    From the Team Penske pole repeat to the Most Interesting Man’s command to start the engines, here is what was surprising and not surprising from the 17th annual Kobalt 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

    Surprising:  Boy, is he ever back…in so many surprising ways. With his crew chief Paul Wolfe back on top of the pit box after being out one race for the birth of his baby, driver Brad Keselowski sailed on past the out-of-gas Dale Earnhardt Jr. to make his way right back to Victory Lane.

    The driver of the No. 2 Miller Lite Ford also went back to back for the race weekend, becoming the first driver to sweep both the Nationwide and Cup races at Las Vegas in the same weekend since 2000 when Jeff Burton did it.

    Finally, Keselowski himself noted after crossing the finish line that he was back in the Chase, having scored the first win for Team Penske of the young 2014 season. He is also back in the point standings, just one point shy of the top spot.

    Not Surprising:  Dale Earnhardt, Jr. joined fellow competitor Martin Truex Jr. in trying to look on the bright side of life after finishes that did not quite live up to their expectations.

    “We knew we were a lap short,” Junior said after finishing second on fumes. “We tried to save as much as we could.”

    “We took a gamble and didn’t win the race, but it still worked in our favor to run second,” the driver of the No. 88 Mountain Dew Kickstart Chevrolet continued. “It sucks to lose like that, but we can’t let that be a negative. The only way to be productive is to be positive.”

    “We have got to look at the positives in today and keep working toward our goal of winning some more races.”

    “We were better than 14th, no question about that,” Martin Truex Jr. said. “We ran in the top-10 for most of the race but lost track position at the end.”

    “On the bright side this was our best performance as a team, much better than last week at Phoenix,” the driver of the No. 78 Furniture Row/Denver Mattress Chevrolet said. “We had good pit stops all day and I really like the gains we made this weekend.”

    Adding to their bright sides was the fact that Martin Truex Jr. made his 300th career start and Dale Jr. became only the second driver, next to the King, to begin a race year with three top-2 finishes in a row.

    Surprising:  Danica Patrick was the best of the Stewart Haas crew, finishing 21st.  Teammates Kurt Busch finished 26; Tony Stewart 33rd and Kevin Harvick 41st with a wheel hub issue putting him 30 laps down.

    “Obviously you always want more, but I’m happy with it, especially after what we’ve gone through the last two weeks,” Patrick said. “It’s a good day and gives us something to build on going to Bristol.”

    Driver and team owner summed up the surprisingly poor overall team performance with three words, “Something wasn’t right.” In fact, Stewart asked that his car at least not be touched after the race so it could return to North Carolina for diagnosis of its troubles.

    Not Surprising:  With a sense of urgency, given his wife was due with their first child at any minute, Paul Menard drove right up to the third spot in his No. 27 Quaker State/Menards Chevrolet. And not surprisingly given his record there, this ended up as Menard’s third top-10 finish in eight races in SinCity.

    “It’s big for sure,” Menard said. “This Quaker State/Menards Chevy was hauling ass on long runs. Had a lot of those today and it kind of played in our favor.”

    “And now I want to get home as soon as possible.”

    Surprising:  For the first time back on the race track since announcing his departure from full-time racing and his soon-to-be broadcast career and for his first time behind the wheel of a Toyota Camry, Jeff Burton had a surprisingly good run.

    In fact, the driver of the No. 66 Let’s Go Places Toyota for Michael Waltrip Racing brought it home top-20, finishing in the 17th spot.

    “That was a lot of fun,” Burton said. “That was a good day for the No. 66 guys.  Chad (Walter, crew chief) and the guys were a pleasure to work with this weekend.”

    Not Surprising:  While Carl Edwards was pleased with his top-5 finish in his No. 99 Aflac Ford, he could not help but mourn the passing of William Clay Ford, Sr., the grandson of Henry Ford.

    “We’re all thinking of the Ford family,” Edwards said. “For Brad in a Ford to win both of those races (Nationwide and Cup), I think it says a lot.”

    NASCAR echoed Edwards’ sentiments with Brian France, NASCAR Chairman and CEO, issuing these words, “He will be remembered as a man of style, for both the automobiles he built and the life he led. He was a giant….who forever will be missed.”

    Surprising:  With the new Chase system focusing on race wins, it was surprising to hear at least one driver talk about a good points day after the Kobalt 400.

    “It was a good effort for the team and it was a good points day,” Ryan Newman said after finishing seventh in his No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet. “If we keep running like that, we’ll put it in the top five and if we do that we’ll win.”

    Not Surprising:   That Austin Dillon is just good so it was not surprising that he not only had a good finish in 16th, the highest finishing rookie, but as a result, he now sits as the highest rookie in the point standings. In fact, Austin Dillon is 13th in the point standings, ahead of the likes of Kevin Harvick, Kasey Kahne, Clint Bowyer, Tony Stewart and Kurt Busch.

    Surprising:  While Kyle Busch is usually a favorite with the kids due to the M&Ms candy on his car, he felt more like a kid’s toy, in this case a yoyo, after a grueling day in his home town.

    “We had a really up and down day with our M&M’s Peanut Camry,” Busch said. “We started off getting blocked in the pits and had to come from the back.”

    “The car was too loose on the first run and we tightened it up and it was really fast for a while,” Busch continued. “But, we kept adjusting on it to try and help the tight in the center of the corner and it was just getting looser and looser, especially on the last run.  Just disappointing when we looked like we had a good car earlier in the race.”

    Not Surprising:  With three top-ten finishes to his name, Jeff Gordon is one happy camper so far this season. And to finish top-ten at Las Vegas, admittedly one of his struggles tracks, he was almost giddy.

    “I knew today was going to be one of the most challenging races that we were going to have, possibly all year long,” Gordon said. “And so, I feel like this team did an incredible job. I think we were much better than ninth, but at the same time, this I think is one of my worst tracks right now.”

    “We’re off to a fantastic start. We’re very motivated by that. We’re excited.”

     

  • Looking Back at NASCAR’s 2013

    Looking Back at NASCAR’s 2013

    Looking back at the 2013 season, NASCAR had the usual ups and downs but this year would be different. NASCAR unveiled its new GEN-6 car to mixed reviews and fans waiting to see what this new car would bring to actual racing.

    It started with the horrific wreck during the NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) season opener at Daytona International Speedway (DIS).  Unfortunately, we watched the same scene played out at most restrictor plate tracks like Daytona, only this time when the “big one” happened the fence didn’t hold and fans were hurt, some seriously.  Everyone waited and listened the rest of the day for updates on those injured and looked back in amazement that the car of Kyle Larson, which had hit the fence, was destroyed, yet he walked away.

    The next day at the Daytona 500 we all waited and watched, held our breath and prayed that the scene the day before would not repeat itself and thankfully it didn’t. The 55th running of the Daytona 500 went off without any major issues with Jimmie Johnson in his 400th start taking the prize. That perhaps was a sign of the year to come.

    It was the fifth race of the season in Fontana, California that Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin got together with six laps to go and ended up wrecking each other. Denny Hamlin suffered a compression fracture in his back that most thought would sideline the driver for the season.  But Hamlin worked hard at his recovery and was able to return to race at Talladega.

    Talladega was a rainy day and eventually the race was red flagged due to the rain. The red flag was three hours and 36 minutes long and darkness had started to fall but with the rain stopped, NASCAR made the decision to go ahead and race. A late race caution bunched the field up with 20 to go. By this time the skies were even darker and the “big one” happened sending Kurt Busch flipping and landing on top of Ryan Newman’s car. In all 14 cars were involved and Newman went on to criticize NASCAR for continuing the race in the dark.

    It was at Iowa Speedway where Tony Stewart crashed hard into a car that spun in front of him. Stewart was taken to the hospital where it was determined by doctors that he had broken both his tibia and fibula in his lower right leg. Stewart would be sidelined for the rest of the season, after undergoing several surgeries and then physical therapy, so that he would be ready for the 2014 season.

    There was a lot of hype over Danica Patrick joining the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) for the 2013 season. There was a lot of expectation put on her but she was still a rookie and ended up with a best finish of 8th, her only top-10 finish, which came in the Daytona 500 where she had also won the pole.  Her boyfriend, Ricky Stenhouse Jr, competed with Patrick for Rookie of the Year in which Stenhouse took home the prize.

    Jamie McMurray won at Talladega, his second at that track, and his seventh win overall in his NSCS career. The win snapped a 108 winless streak for McMurray.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. would see the 2013 season close without a win.  But it was a consistent season overall and he ended up fifth in the series standings.

    We had the announcement that Mark Martin had decided to retire along with Ken Schrader. Martin ended a long career with NASCAR starting in 1981 in North Wilkesboro and giving him a career with 40 wins, 453 top 10′s and 56 poles. Schrader started his career in 1984 in Nashville and went on to have four wins, 184 top 10′s, and 23 poles. NASCAR will not be the same without these drivers and they will both be missed in 2014.

    To everyone’s astonishment we also had what was dubbed “Spingate” which was Michael Waltrip Racing’s (MWR) attempt to manipulate the chase for the championship. This not only marred MWR but their reputation was further damaged by Clint Bowyer who is believed to have spun to cause a caution in order to get a teammate into the chase.  These issues actually made NASCAR add a 13th spot to the chase, to the benefit of Jeff Gordon being that 13th driver. This put another mark on NASCAR for adding the 13th spot but with the chase outcome in question, it was the only course of action NASCAR could see to attempt to right what MWR had attempted to change. The biggest loser in that whole deal was Martin Truex Jr. who had done no wrong but paid a penalty all the same.

    Matt Kenseth probably had one of his best years of his career and in the end was truly the only driver in contention with Johnson to take home the big prize. Kevin Harvick, having a good run of his own, was unable to catch Kenseth and Johnson. Kenseth did everything he could and came out strong at the end but it was Johnson who would bring home the 2013 Sprint Cup Series trophy, the sixth of his career, making him at the moment the only driver with the chance to tie or surpass Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt’s seven championships.

    When we look back on the year there were tragedies as well.

    On June 12th 2013 on a Wednesday night we heard of a serious crash at Bridgeport Speedway involving former NASCAR driver Jason Leffler in a Sprint car. We would find out later that Jason “LEFturn” Leffler had died from the injuries that he sustained in the accident. He left behind one son, five year old Charlie. The biggest tragedy of all is learning that if Sprint cars used the same neck restraints as NASCAR does, he may have survived the accident.

    It was May 16th that I learned of the death of my friend, Richard Leroy Trickle, aka Dick Trickle; he had taken his own life after years of struggling with chronic pain. He had raced in NASCAR becoming the oldest Rookie of the Year at age 48 in 1989. He was best known for his career in the Midwest. Known best as “the White Knight,” it is estimated that he ran well over 2,200 races in his Midwest short track career and his many loyal fans will remember not how he died, but how he lived.  He will be remembered wearing snakeskin boots, a cigarette in one hand, and a cup of coffee or barley pop (beer) in the other, signing autographs and even going down to his knees to be eye level with children who wanted an autograph.

    With a new season beginning, questions remain to be answered.

    • What will the 2014 NASCAR season bring?
    • Which rookie will come out on top, maybe Kyle Larson or perhaps Parker Kligerman?
    • Who will win their first race this season?
    • Will Austin Dillon, driving the number three, live up to the expectations of fans that are waiting to see if he will do the number three proud?
    • Who will take it all? Matt Kenseth or maybe it will be Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s breakout year, or will it be Jimmie Johnson again, tying that seventh championship.
    • What new rivalries will form, and what old rivalries will manage to put it behind them?

    Hopefully in 2014 there will be no injuries or tragedies as we’ve seen this year. Perhaps it will be NASCAR’s best year yet. We won’t have to wait long as it’s right around the corner!

  • NASCAR Class of 2013 Yearbook Memories

    NASCAR Class of 2013 Yearbook Memories

    The 2013 season of NASCAR will be remembered as one of the most tumultuous in recent memory. The year would not be complete without a few snapshots to commemorate the highs and lows.

    Favorite Couple: Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Steve Letarte

    The partnership between the most popular driver and his Hendrick Motorsports crew chief continues to improve with each passing year. In 2013 the pair had their best season together earning fifth place in the Chase point standings.

    Dale Jr. had an impressive run during the final 10 races of the Chase with five top-5s that included three runner-up finishes and 8 top-10 finishes. His most disappointing result was due to a blown engine at Chicagoland Speedway.

    “I don’t know what would have happened if we could have done Chicago over but we ran so good in the other nine races, we’ve just got to be real proud of ourselves,” Earnhardt said.

    “We’ve got nothing to be disappointed about. We’ve gotten better each year, and that’s what we’re supposed to do.”

    Worst Breakup: Kevin Harvick and Richard Childress Racing

    Few in NASCAR will ever forget how Harvick took over the vacant seat at RCR after Dale Earnhardt’s tragic death in 2001. They were shoes that could never be filled but Harvick handled the challenge with humility and respect.

    When Kevin Harvick first announced that he was leaving Richard Childress Racing after the end of the 2013 season, many were surprised. However Harvick emphasized that he and the team were committed to finishing the year on a positive note by contending for the championship. From the outside, it appeared to be an amicable split.

    But appearances can be deceiving.

    During a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Martinsville Speedway, tempers flared between Harvick and Ty Dillon as they were competing for second place during the final laps of the race and got together. The two drivers spun out and continued to show their displeasure with each other on the track. Things disintegrated further when Dillon’s crew members got involved by going after Harvick on pit road.

    It was Harvick’s comments after the race that sealed the end of this partnership.

    “The 3 just dumped me,” he said. “Exactly the reason why I’m leaving RCR because you’ve got those kids coming up that got no respect for what they do in this sport and they’ve had everything fed to them with a spoon.”

    Although Harvick later apologized, it was obvious that the relationship had actually ended long before the season came to a close.

    Most Popular Race: Eldora Speedway – The Mudsummer Classic Camping World Truck Series race

    The race at Eldora Speedway was one of the most highly anticipated events of the 2013 NASCAR season and it lived up to expectations.  It wasn’t the biggest or the fastest but it showcased the best short track competition that NASCAR has to offer.

    Austin Dillon won the inaugural event becoming the first driver to win a Camping World Truck Series race on dirt.

    The event marked NASCAR’s first national series dirt race since 1970. It was filled with side-by-side racing action, exciting passes and enough beating and banging to keep the sold out crowd on their feet. This back to basics, stripped down version of racing is the heart and soul of a sport that many feel has lost its way.

    Biggest Controversy:  The September 7th race at Richmond International Raceway

    The final race of NASCAR’s 2013 regular season will be remembered as a turning point in the sport’s history. A suspicious spin by Clint Bowyer led to an investigation and NASCAR determined that Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) manipulated the race results at Richmond. Penalties were issued, points were deducted and as a result MWR teammate Martin Truex Jr. lost his spot in the Chase to Ryan Newman.

    But that was only the beginning. Further allegations of cheating by two other teams led to more investigation by NASCAR and an unprecedented decision to add a 13th driver, Jeff Gordon, to the Chase for the Championship.

    Brian France explained, “We believe that there were too many things that altered the event that gave an unfair disadvantage to Jeff and his team, who would have qualified. It’s just the right thing to do. I have the authority to do that, and we are going to do that.”

    Many fans applauded NASCAR for doing the “right thing” but just as many were appalled at what they saw as NASCAR “fixing” the Chase to include one of its most influential drivers. The fact that Gordon drives for Hendrick Motorsports, arguably the most powerful team in NASCAR, only added fuel to the fire.

    Has the integrity of NASCAR been irreparably damaged by this incident? Only time will tell.

    Most Likely to Continue to Succeed: Jimmie Johnson

    Jimmie Johnson’s sixth championship title has catapulted him into an elite group of NASCAR champions. Only Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt have more with seven each.  Johnson already has the record for most consecutive championships with five titles between the years 2006-2010. It is entirely within the realm of possibility that he will not only equal but surpass the record set by Petty and Earnhardt.

    There is no doubt that Johnson has earned his place as one of the best drivers in the history of NASCAR and he’s not done yet. The more intriguing question is this. Does success equal greatness?

    Best Move: Matt Kenseth

    Matt Kenseth’s move from Roush Fenway Racing to Joe Gibbs Racing has provided what Kenseth called an “unbelievable” year.

    “Obviously it’s been a great year, best year I’ve ever had,” said Kenseth. “I think when you look at our season overall, when I talk about it being the best season of my career, we didn’t come up with the championship, the championship is the ultimate goal, you always want that, but from a competitive standpoint it’s been by far the best season of my career.

    “We lead the most laps, qualified the best, most wins, all that stuff. From a competitive standpoint, it was our best year.”

    Kenseth scored a career best seven Sprint Cup wins in one season, a career best of 1,783 laps led and captured three poles along the way.

    Most Significant Victory: Darrell Wallace Jr.

    When Darrell Wallace Jr. won the Kroger 200 Camping World Truck Series race at Martinsville Speedway in October, he became the first African-American driver to win a NASCAR national series race since Wendell Scott’s win on December 1, 1963.

    After the race, Wallace spoke passionately about the impact of this win.

    “It means everything,” Wallace said. “This is an emotional one for me, especially to do it in Wendell Scott’s backyard. I love coming here to Martinsville. It’s always good to me, and it finally paid off.”

    He also hopes that it will help propel his career forward.

    “Winning, there’s nothing better than winning,” he said. “And I think that’ll help kind of pave its own way there, and hopefully get my name out there even more. Winning this big race can always do that, and that’s what I’ve been trying to do all year is to get my name out there, to keep pushing, to strive for kids younger than me to get in the sport and be here sitting here talking to you guys one day.”

    Best Comeback: Shane Hmiel

    Shane Hmiel’s story is one of triumph over adversity. As he made his way through the ranks of the Busch Series (now Nationwide Series), his career was put on hold when he failed a drug test in 2003 and was suspended indefinitely. He was reinstated in 2004 but over the next couple of years failed two more drug tests and in 2006 was banned from NASCAR for life.

    Hmiel fought his way back to sobriety and began competing in the touring divisions of the United States Auto Club (USAC) Series. Then, in 2010 he faced the biggest challenge of his life.

    While attempting to qualify for a USAC Silver Crown race, his car hit the outside wall and rolled several times. The roll cage was damaged and Hmiel suffered head and spinal injuries that left him paralyzed. He wasn’t expected to live but once more, Hmiel defied the odds.

    In January 2013 his recovery took another leap forward when he was given the chance to get behind the wheel of a racecar one more time at Rockingham Speedway.

    Accessible Racing co-founder and president, Brian Hanaford, Hmiel’s mother, Lisa, and Andy Hillenburg, president of Rockingham Speedway, were instrumental in giving Shane this unique opportunity. Randy LaJoie whose company ‘Joie of Seating’ makes custom seats for race cars, provided the specialized seats.

    Hmiel drove 10 laps around the track and as he headed into the pits, the huge grin on his face spoke volumes.

    “I don’t want to get out, let’s go again,” he exclaimed!”

    Shane Hmiel’s tenacity is a testament to the strength of the human spirit.

    “It felt so great to be back,” he said. “The conceited side of me loves this. It proves to people, do not quit. You can always do more. Believe in that. It’ll get you so far.”

    These are only a few of the most memorable NASCAR moments in 2013. Records were broken, champions were crowned and controversy abounded. The new season begins in less than three months. Will you be watching?