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Tag: Richard Petty

  • NASCAR: History of Leap Day Racing

    NASCAR: History of Leap Day Racing

    Today marks Leap Day, February 29, where an extra day is included in the calendar every four years and occurs due to Earth taking 365 days and an extra six hours to orbit around the Sun. The gain of an extra day within the 365-day calendar ensures the calendar itself remains aligned with Earth revolving around the Sun.

    With Leap Day providing its share of historic events and birthdays throughout human history, the holiday date has also provided a handful of significant moments within NASCAR history.

    The first known NASCAR competition to occur on Leap Day dates to February 29, 1976, at North Carolina Motor Speedway, where the Cup Series’ Carolina 500 occurred. During the event, Richard Petty won for the first time of the season after claiming the checkered flag by two laps over runner-up Darrell Waltrip and dodging a late multi-car pileup that resulted in Bobby Allison flipping. The victory was redemption for Petty, who was involved in a wild final lap accident and finish with David Pearson two weeks earlier that resulted in Pearson managing to nurse his damaged No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Mercury across the finish line in first place ahead of Petty, whose car was unable to restart.

    The 1976 victory at Rockingham’s North Carolina Motor Speedway would serve as Petty’s 178th of 200 overall Cup victories he would achieve, where he still stands as NASCAR’s “The King” with the most career victories all-time to coincide with his seven championships, which is tied for the most in the Cup Series history alongside Dale Earnhardt and Jimmie Johnson. Currently, Petty, who retired from NASCAR competition following the 1992 season, serves as a team ambassador for Legacy Motor Club, a team he formerly owned and is currently owned by Johnson and Maury Gallagher. The team was rebranded from Petty GMS Racing and Richard Petty Motorsports, both names that stood out over the last 14 years.

    Sixteen years later (1992), another Leap Day event at North Carolina Motor Speedway occurred. On this occasion, the Xfinity Series hosted the Goodwrench 200. During the event, Ward Burton scored his first Xfinity career win after leading the final 22 laps and beating Mark Martin by nine-tenths of a second. The Rockingham victory would serve as Burton’s first of four total victories he would achieve in his Xfinity career, with his latter three occurring in 1993. To date, Burton has made 161 career starts in the Xfinity Series, with his latest occurring in 2007. The South Boston, Virginia, native has also made a single start in the Craftsman Truck Series, which occurred in 2012 and marks his final national touring series career start, and 375 in the Cup Series, where he has achieved five victories, including the 2002 Daytona 500 and the 2001 Southern 500.

    In 2008, there were no NASCAR race day competitions that occurred on Leap Day. Instead, the Cup Series held a qualifying session for the upcoming UAW-Dodge 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. During the qualifying session, hometown hero Kyle Busch, who was making his third career start driving the No. 18 M&M’s Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing, secured his first pole position of the season after posting a pole-winning lap at 182.325 mph in 29.613 seconds. During the main event two days later, Busch, who led twice for 56 laps, ended up in 11th place while Carl Edwards would fend off Dale Earnhardt Jr. in a two-lap dash to win for the ninth time in his career and second in recent weeks.

    Today, Edwards, who would proceed to win eight additional events and settle in the runner-up spot behind Jimmie Johnson in the 2008 final standings, is retired with 28 Cup career victories added to his resume after electing to step away from full-time competition following the 2016 season. Earnhardt Jr., who would end up in 12th place in the 2008 standings, also retired following the 2017 season as he stands at 26 Cup career victories, including two Daytona 500 titles. Meanwhile, Busch, who ended up in 10th place in the 2008 standings despite winning a total of eight races, is currently campaigning in his 20th season as a Cup Series competitor and second driving for Richard Childress Racing. He currently has achieved two Cup Series championships (2015 & 2019) and holds 230 victories across NASCAR’s top-three national touring series (65 in Craftsman Truck Series, 102 in Xfinity Series and 63 in Cup Series).

    The third and latest NASCAR competition to occur on Leap Day was in 2020 at Auto Club Speedway in the Xfinity Series. During the year’s event, Harrison Burton, Ward Burton’s nephew who was campaigning in his first full-time Xfinity campaign and driving the No. 20 Toyota Supra for Joe Gibbs Racing, scored his first Xfinity victory in his 12th series start after he led twice for 40 laps and managed to retain the top spot during a restart with 19 laps remaining before fending off late challenges from teammate Riley Herbst and Austin Cindric. The Fontana victory would serve as the first of four victories accumulated for Burton throughout the 2020 Xfinity season, with the Huntersville, North Carolina, native securing a spot in the 2020 Xfinity Playoffs. Despite being eliminated from Playoff contention following the Round of 12, Burton, who won twice in the final four-scheduled events, proceeded to finish in eighth place in the final driver’s standings and secured the Rookie-of-the-Year title.

    Currently, Burton is campaigning in his third full-time season in the Cup Series for Wood Brothers Racing and as the driver of the No. 21 Ford Mustang Dark Horse. He has made 75 starts in NASCAR’s premier series and has racked up a single top-five result and four top-10 results.

    Prior to Harrison Burton’s first Xfinity victory, the Cup Series generated a dramatic moment earlier in the day when Clint Bowyer edged seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson by 0.007 seconds to claim what would be his fourth and final Cup career pole position at Fontana. Bowyer’s pole-winning lap, overall, occurred at 179.614 mph in 40.086 seconds. During the main event, Bowyer, who led the first 10 laps, ended up in 23rd place and Johnson settled in seventh place while Johnson’s teammate, Alex Bowman, won for the second time in his career after leading a race-high 110 laps.

    Bowyer and Johnson have since retired from full-time NASCAR competition, which occurred following the 2020 season, while Bowman is currently campaigning in his ninth season in the Cup Series and seventh driving for Hendrick Motorsports.

    Photo by David Myers for SpeedwayMedia.com.

    For this season, there are no NASCAR-sanctioned events that are scheduled to occur on Leap Day, with the Craftsman Truck Series, Xfinity and Cup divisions set to run at Las Vegas Motor Speedway as part of a triple-header weekend between March 1-3. With Leap Day 2028 scheduled to occur on a Tuesday and with race day events primarily occurring on weekends, Leap Day 2032 is scheduled to occur on a Sunday, which leaves the futuristic possibility of another addition to NASCAR competition on Leap Day to be made.

  • Northern Tool + Equipment and Richard Petty Partner to Donate Tools to School

    Northern Tool + Equipment and Richard Petty Partner to Donate Tools to School

    The donation from Petty and Northern Tool + Equipment’s Tools for the Trades™ program will help hundreds of students at Randleman High School for years to come

    Randleman, North Carolina, December 8, 2022 — Northern Tool + Equipment and Richard Petty are launching a partnership and providing a significant donation of professional-grade tools to Petty’s alma mater, Randleman High School. The donation is taking place on December 8th with the help of Lincoln Electric and Ingersoll Rand. The donation is part of Northern Tool + Equipment’s Tools for the Trades™ program which is dedicated to making tool donations to schools to ensure they can expand their trade learning options and show students the valuable option of working in the trades. 

    The partnership between Northern Tool + Equipment and Petty is fueled by Petty’s enthusiasm for the trades, particularly welding. Petty is joining Northern Tool + Equipment’s CEO, Suresh Krishna, to present the tools and gift cards to students in automotive and metals classes. 

    “We started the Tools for the Trades™ program in 2021 to give instructors the proper tools to effectively teach the trades and ignite excitement and curiosity for the trades in students,” Krishna explains. “We work with men and women in the trades every day. We know there is a skilled labor shortage. This program can help address the labor shortage.” 

    “Most people know about my NASCAR career, but welding has been a passion of mine since a young age,” said Petty. “Arming myself with a trade served me well in my post-racing days and is still an important part of the work we do at Petty’s Garage. Through this partnership, I hope more students will find a passion for the trades.” 

    Together with Petty and Lincoln Electric, Northern Tool and Equipment’s Tools for the Trades™ program will be donating pallets full of tools that will help hundreds of students for years to come in the school’s Career and Technical Education programs, including a Lincoln Electric welder, Ingersoll Rand compressor and equipment ranging from hand tools to inverters to air hoses.

    About Northern Tool + Equipment:

    Northern Tool + Equipment is a family owned company serving both DIYers and trades professionals tackling the tough projects. A leading supplier of high-quality tools and equipment for 40 years, they have 130 U.S. retail locations and provide a deep selection of more than 110,000 products online. Northern Tool + Equipment’s highly trained Parts Service Repair team at many of their locations offers product maintenance and repair and has the professional and industry knowledge to support customers. With a passion for both giving back and helping to fill the trades labor shortage, the company’s Tools for the Trades™ program donates high-quality tools directly into school classrooms, helping teachers show students the value of working in the trades. Learn more about Northern Tool + Equipment at www.NorthernTool.com and stay connected to Northern Tool through social media: Facebook (@northerntool), Instagram (@northern_tool), Twitter (@northerntool), YouTube, Pinterest

    About Lincoln Electric:

    Lincoln Electric is the world leader in the engineering, design, and manufacturing of advanced arc welding solutions, automated joining, assembly and cutting systems, plasma and oxy-fuel cutting equipment, and has a leading global position in brazing and soldering alloys. Lincoln Electric is recognized as the Welding Expert™ for its leading material science, software development, automation engineering, and application expertise, which advance customers’ fabrication capabilities to help them build a better world. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Lincoln has 56 manufacturing locations in 19 countries and a worldwide network of distributors and sales offices serving customers in over 160 countries. For more information about Lincoln Electric and its products and services, visit the Company’s website at https://www.lincolnelectric.com. 

    About Ingersoll Rand Inc.:

    Ingersoll Rand Inc. (NYSE: IR), driven by an entrepreneurial spirit and ownership mindset, is dedicated to helping make life better for our employees, customers, and communities. Customers lean on us for our technology-driven excellence in mission-critical flow creation and industrial solutions across 40+ respected brands where our products and services excel in the most complex and harsh conditions.

    Our employees develop customers for life through their daily commitment to expertise, productivity, and efficiency. For more information, visit www.IRCO.com.

  • Harvick set to move into second place on NASCAR national series starts list following Martinsville

    Harvick set to move into second place on NASCAR national series starts list following Martinsville

    Racing for a championship spot is not the only task at hand for Kevin Harvick for this upcoming weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series Playoff event at Martinsville Speedway. By taking the green flag at Martinsville on Sunday, November 1, the 2014 Cup champion is set to achieve another major accomplishment to his racing resume. That accomplishment is moving into second place on NASCAR’s national series starts list with his 1,186th career start.

    Following Wednesday night’s Cup event at Texas Motor Speedway, where he finished 16th, Harvick reached 1,185 career starts between NASCAR’s top three national series (Truck: 123, Xfinity: 346, Cup: 716). He also moved into a tie with NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty, who made all of his 1,185 career starts in the Cup level, for second place on the all-time national series starts list.

    Through 1,185 career starts, Harvick has amassed 119 wins, 60 poles, 459 top-five results, 709 top-10 results and over 27,000 laps led between NASCAR’s top three division series. He has also achieved two Xfinity Series championships (2001 and 2006) and one Cup championship (2014). Other accomplishments include the 2007 Daytona 500, three Brickyard 400 victories, two Coca-Cola 600 wins, two NASCAR All-Star Race wins, two Southern 500 victories and the 2001 Cup Rookie-of-the-Year title.

    Once Harvick surpasses Petty’s mark in national career starts, veteran Joe Nemechek will be next on Harvick’s radar. Nemechek holds the all-time record for starts between NASCAR’s top three national series with 1,197 career starts. He has made eight Xfinity starts and one Truck start throughout the 2020 season.

    This season, which marks his seventh season driving the No. 4 Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing, Harvick has claimed a career-high nine victories, 20 top-five results, 26 top-10 results and the 2020 Cup regular-season championship through 34 of the 36-race schedule. He also became the 17th competitor to reach 700 career starts in NASCAR’s premier series, a feat he made at Texas Motor Speedway in July 2020.

    Harvick enters this weekend’s Playoff event at Martinsville with a 42-point cushion for the finale at Phoenix Raceway scheduled on Sunday, November 8, as he attempts to qualify for the Championship 4 round and contend for his second Cup title.

    Catch Harvick’s milestone start at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday, November 1, at 2 p.m. ET on NBC.

  • Exclusive: Bubba Wallace embraces Richard Petty legacy while forging his own path

    Exclusive: Bubba Wallace embraces Richard Petty legacy while forging his own path

    MARTINSVILLE, Va. — In some ways, it was an unlikely pairing.

    Petty, deemed “The King” of stock car racing, was instrumental in the development of the sport while Bubba Wallace epitomizes the future of NASCAR.

    Wallace first connected with Richard Petty Motorsports in 2017 when he filled in for the injured Aric Almirola, competing in four races mid-season. After Almirola announced his departure from RPM at the end of 2017 Wallace was signed to drive the iconic No. 43 in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.

    Since then, he has handled being the face of the African American community in NASCAR with a maturity beyond his years. He has also risen to the challenge of representing the legacy of Petty with ease.

    And though they come from different generations, they share a passion for racing and an appreciation for their fans that is reflected in their working relationship. Petty’s iconic status stems not only from his 200 wins in NASCAR’s top series but because of his dedication to those fans.

    Some drivers look at signing autographs as an obligation. Today’s fans often have to jump through hoops just to be part of autograph sessions that are first-come, first-served and limited to a strict period of time. Petty is a different breed of driver and has never forgotten that without fans, there would be no racing.

    Wallace shares Petty’s point of view.

    “We’re here racing, putting on a show for them,” he told me. “There’s obviously boundaries and the right times for the right things.” But, he continued, “You’ve got to realize, you’ve got to put yourself in their shoes. They don’t get this opportunity but one time out of the year when we travel to their state. They get to see an athlete right in front of them having a meal and obviously at the track. NASCAR is second to none as far as fan access.”

    Wallace has learned from the master, not through words, but by example.

    “There’s been plenty of opportunities where it’s just been him and me going to appearances and you see the fan engagement with him and you’re just like, Hey, that’s pretty cool and you want to be that guy.”

    “I don’t know if I’d ever be able to pull off the cowboy hat and the sunglasses,” he joked, “but yeah it’s pretty cool to see what he does for his fans.”

    While Wallace’s respect for Petty and his heritage is profound, he remains grounded by striving above all else to be true to himself. He prefers to concentrate on what lies ahead rather than look backward.

    “I think about it a lot. But times have definitely changed since then. Back when he was racing versus now, is a huge difference. The sport has totally changed since then. I look at it as driving an iconic number but rewriting history, no.”

    Above all else, Wallace has found a team that embraces his values as he upholds their traditions.

    His favorite aspect of driving for Petty, he said, “is that because it’s a small team, we’re all like family. We see the same people every day of the week around the shop. Everybody’s just there to bring you back up or cheer you on or keep you going so it’s super nice”.

    The best thing, he reiterates, is, “The Petty’s are all about family.”

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

  • NASCAR’s Hot 20 of All-Time

    NASCAR’s Hot 20 of All-Time

    The best of the best, a legacy that has given us 70 championships since 1949. 33 individuals have been able to lay claim to the crown. Three men have won it seven times.

    To be a champion immortalizes you, but so does excellent performance. A driver can win, but fail to grab a title. He can also rack up Top Fives and Top Tens, even if he fell a tad short in claiming the checkered flags earned by his competitors.

    A few names might surprise you, at first. Yet, when ranked for most championships, wins, Top Fives, and Top Tens, these are the 20 best NASCAR has had to offer in the driver’s seat over 70 seasons of motor mayhem.

    I bet there is no argument that the King leads the parade.

    1. RICHARD PETTY – Born July 2, 1937
      7 Championships, 200 Wins, 555 Top Fives, 712 Top Tens
    2. JEFF GORDON – Born August 4, 1971
      4 Championships, 93 Wins, 325 Top Tens, 477 Top Tens
    3. DALE EARNHARDT – (April 29, 1951 – February 18, 2001)
      7 Championships, 76 Wins, 281 Top Fives, 428 Top Tens
    4. DAVID PEARSON – (December 22, 1934 – November 12, 2018)
      3 Championships, 105 Wins, 301 Top Fives, 366 Top Tens
    5. DARRELL WALTRIP – Born February 5, 1947
      3 Championships, 84 Wins, 276 Top Fives, 390 Top Tens
    6. JIMMIE JOHNSON – Born September 17, 1975
      7 Championships, 83 Wins, 224 Top Fives, 352 Top Tens
    7. BOBBY ALLISON – Born December 3, 1937
      1 Championship, 84 Wins, 336 Top Fives, 446 Top Tens
    8. CALE YARBOROUGH – Born March 27, 1939
      3 Championships, 83 Wins, 255 Top Fives, 319 Top Tens
    9. LEE PETTY – (March 14, 1914 – April 5, 2000)
      3 Championships, 54 Wins, 231 Top Fives, 332 Top Tens
    10. BUCK BAKER – (March 4, 1919 – April 14, 2002)
      2 Championships, 46 Wins, 246 Top Fives, 372 Tens
    11. MARK MARTIN (Born January 9, 1959)
      40 Wins, 271 Top Fives, 453 Top Tens
    12. RUSTY WALLACE – (Born August 14, 1956)
      1 Championship, 55 Wins, 202 Top Fives, 349 Top Tens
    13. TONY STEWART – (Born May 20, 1971)
      3 Championships, 49 Wins, 187 Top Fives, 308 Top Tens
    14. TERRY LABONTE – (Born November 16, 1956)
      2 Championships, 22 Wins, 182 Top Fives, 361 Top Tens
    15. NED JARRETT – (Born October 12, 1932)
      2 Championships, 50 Wins, 185 Top Fives, 239 Top Tens
    16. RICKY RUDD – (Born September 12, 1956)
      23 Wins, 194 Top Fives, 374 Top Tens
    17. KEVIN HARVICK – (Born December 8, 1975)
      1 Championship, 45 Wins, 191 Top Fives, 336 Top Tens
    18. HERB THOMAS – (April 6, 1923 – August 9, 2000)
      2 Championships, 48 Wins, 122 Top Fives, 156 Top Tens
    19. KYLE BUSCH – (Born May 2, 1985)
      1 Championship, 51 Wins, 183 Top Fives, 269 Top Tens
    20. BUDDY BAKER – (January 25, 1941 – August 10, 2015)
      19 Wins, 202 Top Fives, 311 Top Tens

    Three of those boys will be out to add to their accomplishments this weekend. The Daytona 500 is coming up this Sunday, a time for new beginnings and a time for bringing things to an end. After 15 years and over a thousand columns of various incarnations, this edition represents my final regular contribution to this site.

    I want to thank Barry Albert for providing a writing home for me back in 2004. My thanks to Angie Campbell for her editing prowess and her encouragement. I would like to give a shout out to Racing Reference, a website that helps a fellow make sense of it all, a great aid to such scribes as myself. Finally, thanks to you for joining me on this journey.

  • Hot 20 – At win at Homestead could move one of the boys closer to legendary status

    Hot 20 – At win at Homestead could move one of the boys closer to legendary status

    Legends are rare. Many get an honorary title, no doubt stars in their own right at one time long ago or a pioneer of some description. However, to be a true legend, an icon, it takes a lot to make the grade. In NASCAR, David Pearson was an undisputed legendary driver, one of the best all-time, a true giant of the sport.

    The Silver Fox passed away this week at the age of 83. His 105 career Cup victories have him placed only behind the 200 accumulated by the King, Richard Petty. Sixty-three times the pair finished one-two on the track, an amazing statistic showcasing what is unarguably the greatest rivalry in the sport. It stretched from the 1963 Sandlapper 200 in Columbia, South Carolina through to the 1977 World 600.

    Pearson’s career covered the years of 1960 through to his final start in 1986, yet he managed to race in more than half the schedule just a dozen times. Running 90 percent of the schedule? Just thrice. That does not even include his 1966 championship year, one of his three titles, when he won 15, competed in 42, skipped out on seven others. In 1973, he won 11 of the 18 he competed in. While Petty drove in everything, Pearson drove when he wanted. It appears that when he wanted, he wanted to win. Pearson’s first victory was the 1961 World 600. His last was Darlington’s Rebel 500 in 1980, one of the nine he competed in that season. In total, 574 starts, 105 wins.

    David Pearson is truly among NASCAR’s racing gods residing atop its Mount Olympus. Truth be told, he has had a reservation up there for a very long time.

    At Homestead, one of four hope to add to their own legacy, to maybe establish themselves as one of the sport’s future legends.

    1. KYLE BUSCH – 5000 POINTS (8 Wins – 1388 Season Points)
    Will the best on the season be the championship winner?

    2. KEVIN HARVICK – 5000 POINTS (8 Wins – 1333 Season Points)
    Back in the old days, this championship would have already been decided.

    3. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 5000 POINTS (4 Wins – 1212 Season Points)
    One final race for the boys and girls from Colorado.

    4. JOEY LOGANO – 5000 POINTS (2 Wins – 1192 Season Points)
    Believes he is the favorite going in. All he has to do now is prove it.

    5. CHASE ELLIOTT – 2320 POINTS (3 Wins)
    With one shot, Denny managed to burst the bubble of not one, but two rivals.

    6. KURT BUSCH – 2318 POINTS (1 Win)
    Too much gas cost him the lead, too much Hamlin kept him from taking it back.

    7. ARIC ALMIROLA – 2316 POINTS (1 Win)
    For a moment he must have believed, but the hamster under the hood was not big enough.

    8. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2309 POINTS (3 Wins)
    Penske teams are out…but they won’t let themselves be forgotten.

    9. RYAN BLANEY – 2278 POINTS (1 Win)
    In fact, no one would be terribly surprised if either Brad or Ryan wins this weekend.

    10. KYLE LARSON – 2256 POINTS
    Too late for this year, but he keeps reminding us that there is more than one Kyle out there.

    11. DENNY HAMLIN – 2252 POINTS
    His final shot to keep his yearly win streak alive, and he can not be counted out.

    12. CLINT BOWYER – 2242 POINTS (2 Wins)
    Went from rating among the top eight to hanging on as a member of the dirty dozen.

    13. AUSTIN DILLON – 2219 POINTS (1 Win)
    Might not win this one, but he has done well in the next one.

    14. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2217 POINTS
    The beginning of the end or just a blip on the radar?

    15. ERIK JONES – 2207 POINTS (1 Win)
    NASCAR has two guys with the same name, kind of. Is there room for an Eric one day?

    16. ALEX BOWMAN – 2196 POINTS
    Though he has done well, he still hasn’t made us forgot the name of the guy he replaced.

    17. RYAN NEWMAN – 747 POINTS
    No playoff run this year, but he still is the Hot Dog Eating Champion in four states.

    18. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 680 POINTS
    If you thought he was fired up at Phoenix, you should have seen his car.

    19. PAUL MENARD – 680 POINTS
    Last week at Phoenix he reminded me of the Arizona Cardinals. 29th place.

    20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 667 POINTS
    McMurray is just three points back. Neither has a ride for next season.

  • Darlington Raceway has the answers that NASCAR is seeking

    Darlington Raceway has the answers that NASCAR is seeking

    When Furniture Row Racing announced that they would cease operations Tuesday, my first reaction was shock. But as the news sunk in I realized that it should not have come as a surprise but rather another indication that NASCAR’s efforts to reduce the cost of operating a team at the premier Cup Series level are failing miserably.

    I won’t pretend that I have any answers. To say that NASCAR needs to cut costs is simplistic at best. What I do know is that the current system isn’t working and hasn’t been for some time. Fans aren’t attending races and we don’t need the track records to verify this. All we have to do is view the television broadcast on any given Sunday and it’s impossible to miss the empty seats. Television ratings are down and the only competitive teams are those that are funded by the owners with the deepest pockets.

    But as I pictured those empty seats I immediately thought about this past weekend at Darlington Raceway. I remembered standing outside and looking at the grandstands and realizing that they were packed with enthusiastic fans. So enthusiastic that when the threat of severe weather forced the track to announce that everyone should leave their seats and find shelter, hardly anyone moved. Those fans were not about to miss one minute of the upcoming Southern 500.

    Maybe Darlington has found at least some of the answers that have eluded NASCAR. Their throwback weekends have certainly been a success although it’s not a formula that would work anywhere else. But the ideals behind it just might. It may not address the main issue of cutting costs but it’s a place to start and a step in the right direction.

    What they do best is give fans what they want and it starts with tradition. Past winners include the men who laid the foundation for NASCAR, names like Cale Yarborough, Bobby Allison, Herb Thomas,  David Pearson, Dale Earnhardt, and Bill Elliott, to name a few.

    And each year, Darlington continues to pay tribute to its storied history. This weekend Richard Petty, one of NASCAR’s most iconic and influential ambassadors and winner of the 1967 Rebel 400  held court at the track. He was joined by others such as Jeff Burton, Ward Burton and Ricky Craven, all past winners at the “Track Too Tough to Tame.” Local dignitary, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, an ardent supporter of Darlington Raceway, was there as well.

    The track itself adds another distinctive element to the race’s appeal with its unique design, making it a standout among the newer cookie-cutter venues that are almost interchangeable. While adjusting the schedule to include a more diverse selection of tracks is not something that can be done overnight, it’s an issue that needs to be addressed, sooner rather than later.

    As for the next step, consider this tweet from Michael Waltrip, as he suggests a way to address risings costs.

    “Listen people closely and I will tell why making a NASCAR team work financially is nearly impossible. NASCAR stands for National Association for STOCK Car Auto Racing. The Stock piece of our name is gone. Bring back Stock and you might fix a broken business model.”

    Waltrip’s idea may sound good in theory but it is also unfeasible.

    Although it’s impossible to turn back time, it is never a good idea to forget the past. It’s time to embrace what drew people to NASCAR in the first place – competitive racing, passionate drivers who aren’t afraid to speak their minds, a sense of community and tradition. Focus on the basics; the fans will come and the sponsors will follow.

    What steps should NASCAR take to get back on course? That is the million dollar question.

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

     

  • Hot 20 – Michigan is the focus of this weekend but, apparently, so is France

    Hot 20 – Michigan is the focus of this weekend but, apparently, so is France

    Bill France. Bill France, Jr. These men were NASCAR.

    Smokey Yunick. Maurice Petty. Glen Wood, Leonard Wood. Ray Evernham. These men were NASCAR.

    Lee Petty. Richard Petty. Fireball Roberts. Joe Weatherly, Junior Johnson. Bobby Allison. Dale Earnhardt. Cale Yarborough. Darrell Waltrip. Bill Elliott. These men were NASCAR.

    Ned Jarrett. Ken Squier. These men were NASCAR.

    Tony Stewart. Jeff Gordon. Mark Martin. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Carl Edwards. These men were NASCAR.

    Rick Hendrick. Joe Gibbs. Roger Penske. Jack Roush. Richard Childress. These men are NASCAR.

    Jimmie Johnson. Kyle Busch, Kurt Busch. Kevin Harvick. Martin Truex, Jr. Denny Hamlin. Brad Keselowski. Kyle Larson. Chase Elliott. These men are NASCAR.

    These men, a few women, and so many others made the sport. Were the sport. Are the sport.

    Brian France is not NASCAR. There is a reason 97 percent of all family businesses do not survive as such into the fourth generation.

    At Michigan on Sunday, NBC’s stellar broadcast crew will once again deliver to our living rooms the people who are NASCAR. Those who matter. The reasons we watch.

    Especially our Hot 20. Only 16 spots are open to qualify for a championship run, but a win gets one in and there are only four opportunities left to do just that. Right now, that is the only driving news that matters when it comes to NASCAR.

    1. KYLE BUSCH – 6 WINS (934 Pts)
    Smokey Yunick would not have let a fueling malfunction stop one of his cars from winning.

    2. KEVIN HARVICK – 6 WINS (864 Pts)
    Such a terrible day it was at Watkins Glen. He only finished 10th. Only.

    3. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 4 WINS (813 Pts)
    Everyone was just thrilled Chase won last week…except for this one.

    4. CLINT BOWYER – 2 WINS (703 Pts)
    June was a good month to visit Michigan. Hoping August will be just as rewarding.

    5. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (691 Pts)
    Nice day at the beach at Watkins Glen, though the only water was pouring from his radiator.

    6. CHASE ELLIOTT – 1 WIN (619 Pts)
    Five Michigan career starts, finishing 2nd, 2nd, 2nd, 8th, and 9th. The boy wants another, it seems.

    7. ERIK JONES – 1 WIN (572 Pts)
    No longer the best 22-year-old driver this season.

    8. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (412 Pts)
    A win and you are in. I like that rule, but…

    9. KURT BUSCH – 705 POINTS
    No charges were issued, yet Brian France once suspended him. Just thought I would mention it.

    10. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 670 POINTS
    Winning his first of the season in his home state would be sweet.

    11. KYLE LARSON – 660 POINTS
    Has won three of the last four at Michigan, a string only interrupted by Bowyer two months ago.

    12. DENNY HAMLIN – 650 POINTS
    New Redskins’ Super Bowl XXVI cap comes 26 years after the original flew out the bus window.

    13. RYAN BLANEY – 639 POINTS
    As long as he does not drive like Brian France, he will be in the mix after Indianapolis.

    14. ARIC ALMIROLA – 602 POINTS
    Unlike Canada and Saudi Arabia, Almirola and DiBenedetto have renewed diplomatic relations.

    15. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 563 POINTS
    I bet you thought Bowyer was the NASCAR guy with the road service ties.

    16. ALEX BOWMAN – 523 POINTS
    Unless he gives up 18 points per race between now and after Indianapolis, he is in, unless…

    17. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 461 POINTS
    …Ricky or anyone from him down to Matt DiBenedetto can win one of the next four.

    18. PAUL MENARD – 451 POINTS
    The Wood Brothers auto should be strong at Michigan, but it needs to be the strongest.

    19. DANIEL SUAREZ – 434 POINTS
    Some actually believe Suarez has a shot this weekend to win. Maybe a small wager is in order.

    20. RYAN NEWMAN – 431 POINTS
    Won at Michigan once in 2003 and once in 2004. He sure could use another one now.

  • NASCAR Fans Need to Chill Out

    NASCAR Fans Need to Chill Out

    NASCAR fans are always looking for one thing; side by side racing, and passing for the lead a hundred times a race. That is what the fans say they want to see. But that just isn’t the reality, and it never has been.

    When people think of the old days of NASCAR, they think of names like Allison, Earnhardt, Petty, Bonnet and Waltrip, among others. They think of the 1979 Daytona 500 finish that saw Donnie Allison and Cale Yarborough wreck going into Turn 3 on the last lap while racing for the win, and that is what fans want to see. But the reality of the situation is that was never the reality at all.

    NASCAR has had good racing in the past, but also in the present as well. But to say that the past was filled with constant side by side racing and last lap passes and many drivers competing for the win each week is just a fantasy that the fans of today have made up based on stories from their parents. Stories such as the battles that Darrell Waltrip and Dale Earnhardt had, or those of Bobby Allison and Richard Petty; while that did exist, it wasn’t the utopia that most fans try to make it out to be.

    There are many different complaints that we could cover today, like the size of the current field, to the racing, to the fact that we have had three drivers and two manufacturers dominate this season. We will touch on them all so that maybe we can open the eyes of the current fans and try to make them realize that we have some of the best racing that we currently have on track, is as good, if not better, than what we had back in the day.

    Let’s take a trip down NASCAR memory lane, shall we?

    The year was 1985. The place was the Talladega Superspeedway. Bill Elliott had just set a new record for the fastest 0qualifying speed for a stock car at 212 mph. Elliott started on the pole for the race and had an issue and found himself two laps down, which surely meant trouble for the fastest car in the sport. However, over the course of the race, Elliott was able to make up over five miles, two laps, and win the race. This was something that we will probably never see again in our sport, and probably something that would cause a majority of the fanbase to complain that the car was illegal or something else to that effect. Bill Elliott would go on to win a total of 11 races that season.

    Fast forward two years to 1987. In route to his third championship, Dale Earnhardt claimed 11 wins of the 29 races run that year, and most of them, in a dominating fashion. But keep in mind, this is the supposed “Golden Age” of NASCAR, where one driver didn’t dominate the sport and there were last-lap passes for the win each week.

    In 1981 and 1982, Darrell Waltrip had two 12 win seasons. In 1996 and 1997, Jeff Gordon won 10 races each year, and then came back in 1998 and won 13 races.

    And now, in 2018, we have people complaining that Kevin Harvick has won five races, Kyle Busch has won four, and Martin Truex has won twice.

    This is the most competitive field that NASCAR has ever seen. Gone are the days of the leader lapping the entire field and just completely dominating the race. Now you have 20-30 cars finishing on the same lap, and racing for every position. There may not always be a battle for the lead, but you don’t see the leader lapping the entire field, which means that there is more of a chance for someone to come and challenge the leader for the win.

    Honestly, NASCAR fans nowadays need to go back and watch some of the races from the 80s and 90s, and they need to truly be thankful for the racing that we see today because it could be a lot more boring.

     

    ~Follow me on Twitter @HMurray76

  • Hot 20 – 50 years of NASCAR at Michigan

    Hot 20 – 50 years of NASCAR at Michigan

    Another weekend. Another race. Another track that does not excite me. Welcome to NASCAR.

    Michigan International Speedway, located in the lush, rolling Irish Hills, is about 40 miles southwest of Ann Arbor. The fact it is considered a sister track of Texas, and the basis of the facility in Fontana does not exactly thrill anyone, but they do go fast there. Speeds of over 215 mph can be expected. Will it cause a newbie to tune in for all of the excitement? Nope. However, there are questions those of us who follow the sport will watch in order to uncover some answers.

    Will the race change who is in a Chase place and who is not? Erik Jones and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. are less than 20 points to the good, leaving them vulnerable to be caught by Alex Bowman. That could happen. A win by Paul Menard, Daniel Suarez, Jamie McMurray, William Byron, Ryan Newman, or Bubba Wallace would tumble at least one of them out. Are the odds good that this will happen? Nope.

    As they are working on their 14th name sponsor since 1969, this track does not have a brand name that much resonates. That is unless you happen to have been a big fan of the FireKeepers Casino Hotel over the past couple of years. Newman has won there twice, in 2003 and 2004, so that should still your beating heart. Kurt Busch, Kyle Larson, and Matt Kenseth each have three to their credit over the years.

    If you want tradition, there was nine-time track winner David Pearson. Cale Yarborough had eight. Bill Elliott shook the suds seven times. Mark Martin and Rusty Wallace both won at Michigan five times. Four-time victors there include Dale Jarrett, Bobby Allison, Richard Petty, and Greg Biffle.

    This is not to say there have not been exciting finishes. Jarrett won his first in Cup with a razor-thin margin over Davey Allison in 1991. Ernie Irvan took one in 1997, three years after nearly losing his life at the same track. Jeff Gordon claimed a tight contest with Ricky Rudd in 2001. 2009 was the year Martin won when both Jimmie Johnson and then Biffle ran out of fuel on the final lap. Of course, there was 2012 when Dale Earnhardt Jr. finally snapped a 143-race winless streak. Great finishes. Great races? Don’t ask and I won’t tell.

    The last four who won this particular event include Johnson, the elder Busch, Logano, and Larson. If it is not Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, or Martin Truex Jr., the smart money is on either Logano or Larson. Anything else would be something of a shock.

    Here is a look at our Hot 20 going in.

    1. KYLE BUSCH – 4 WINS – 624 Pts
    Has won here, but that was August 21, 2011.

    2. KEVIN HARVICK – 4 WINS (1 E.W.) – 537 Pts
    One pit stop at Pocono made all the difference.

    3. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 2 WINS – 487 Pts
    After last weekend, he is back among the Big Three where he belongs.

    4. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN – 524 Pts
    One more win, and we will be talking about a Big Four, and all would belong on that pedestal.

    5. CLINT BOWYER – 1 WIN – 453 Pts
    I just saw a photo of Carly Bowyer. She looks nothing like Clint. Hey, just sayin’.

    6. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN – 269 Pts
    It is a very good thing a win is a golden ticket, as he has done nothing since Daytona.

    7. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 474 POINTS
    Just a 90 mile drive from his Michigan hometown to the track.

    8. KURT BUSCH – 447 POINTS
    Has won there with Roush Fenway, Penske, and Stewart-Haas. Maybe it was the driver.

    9. DENNY HAMLIN – 437 POINTS
    With less than 15 laps to go last week, turned a shot at a Top Ten into 35th.

    10. KYLE LARSON- 425 POINTS
    Has won three of the last four Michigan races, including a spring-summer sweep last year.

    11. RYAN BLANEY – 413 POINTS
    Took the pole last week, but only dogs truly appreciate a pole.

    12. ARIC ALMIROLA – 406 POINTS
    He is about as safe as one can be without a win.

    13. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 360 POINTS
    Five Top Tens in his last seven events. I do believe Mr. Johnson has returned.

    14. CHASE ELLIOTT – 334 POINTS
    Finished in the top dozen the last half dozen races. The boy is movin’ on up.

    15. ERIK JONES – 322 POINTS
    The pride and joy of Byron, Michigan has finishes of 13th and third in his two starts near home.

    16. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 319 POINTS
    Have You Driven a Ford Lately? This would be a good time to drive the hell out of this one.

    17. ALEX BOWMAN – 310 POINTS
    Last week’s meeting with Hamlin tumbled Alex out of his Chase place.

    18. PAUL MENARD – 289 POINTS
    Unless he has a win up his sleeve, he can not afford to let the points gap grow any wider.

    19. DANIEL SUAREZ – 258 POINTS
    The best Monterrey, Mexico born driver in NASCAR.

    20. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 253 POINTS
    The best Joplin, Missouri born driver in NASCAR. Carl Edwards was born in Columbia.