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Regan Smith Makes a Statement with Top-10 Finish at Daytona

Regan Smith hasn’t raced a full season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series since 2012 but this year he’s back and he isn’t wasting any time, finishing eighth in the season opener at Daytona International Speedway.

After racing his No. 7 Nikko RC/Golden Corral Chevrolet to score a top-10 in the Dayton 500, Smith said, “It was a good, smooth day for us. The car, other than the spin at the beginning, I don’t know what happened there. But I got on the brakes and it just spun out. It handled great all day long. All the guys at Tommy Baldwin Racing gave me probably one of the better handling cars I’ve ever had here.

“Once it came down to it in the end and we were able to get a little bit of position, and we got four tires and made the most of an opportunity on that last pit stop and it came to life. I’m proud of this team. It’s a small team. We work hard. Tommy pours everything he’s got into this race team. And we’ve got some great partners and great investors, and we’re going to work hard all year.”

Smith spent the last three years in the XFINITY Series with JR Motorsports but his future was uncertain as he announced that he would leave JRM at the end of the 2015 season. It wasn’t until a few weeks ago that he found a home with the single-car organization of Tommy Baldwin Racing.

Smith described the chaotic off-season that culminated with this new partnership.

“It feels good. Even three weeks ago, I had no clue what was going on. I got a call from Tommy. Everything happened quick, and the next thing I know I’m coming to Daytona to go racing and have a full-time, locked-in deal with a charter. It was probably one of the craziest off-seasons I’ve been a part of and one of the most unenjoyable to be brutally honest with you. By the time it all played out, it turned out to be one of the better off-seasons for me.”

Smith sees it as not only a new beginning in the Sprint Cup Series but also envisions a future rich with potential.

“I see this as an opportunity to build something and help something continue to grow. Tommy has done a great job with what he’s got already. The difference this year with the alliances and the partners that he’s got is clear for me to see, and I’m new to the program. As I see it and I see the people that he’s brought in and the faces that are there, this is something where I’ve said we can grow this and be what Furniture Row was. The only difference is that I’d like to see it through this time and not see it go away too quick. It’s an opportunity to get back in the Cup series but at the same time, it’s an opportunity to help a team grow and be a part of that growing.”

From uncertainty to stability, Smith is determined to make the most of this second chance. If the Daytona 500 is any indication, the possibilities are endless.

February 23, 2016
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Daytona

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin powered his way past Matt Kenseth on the final lap, then edged Martin Truex Jr. at the line by .010 seconds, the closest finish in Daytona 500 history, to win his first 500.

“It was a bold move to leave the draft and go high,” Hamlin said. “Joe Gibbs’ drivers are known for getting ‘out of line,’ notably Matt Kenseth anytime Joey Logano’s in front of him, or Kyle Busch anytime he’s behind the wheel of a street car.

“I’m just glad I was able to end Joe Gibbs’ 23-year Daytona drought. Joe said this felt like winning the Super Bowl. Speaking of football, maybe NASCAR should follow the NFL’s lead and make it much easier to pass.”

2. Martin Truex, Jr.: Truex took the runner-up spot at Daytona, falling .010 seconds short to Denny Hamlin in the closest finish in Daytona 500 history.

“I’m disappointed,” Truex said, “but it was a great result for Furniture Row Racing. To celebrate, Furniture Row is throwing in a free ‘photo finish’ on all products purchased this week.

“I can’t be too unhappy about finishing second. I think I made a name for myself at Daytona. Unfortunately, that name is ‘Martin Truex II.’”

3. Kyle Busch: Busch started defense of his 2015 Sprint Cup championship with a strong third in the Daytona 500, as Joe Gibbs Racing placed three cars in the top 5.

“These Gibbs Toyotas were strong all day long,” Busch said. “We knew if we remained grouped together in the low line, we’d be there at the end. It may not have worked out so well for Tim Richmond, but running a train sure did for JGR.”

4. Matt Kenseth: Leading on the final lap, Kenseth was passed after a daring move to the high line by Denny Hamlin, who sailed past Kenseth’s failed attempt to block. Hamlin went on to edge Martin Truex Jr. as Kenseth slid back to 14th.

“Maybe I should have held my line,” Kenseth said. “But it’s hard to remain disciplined when you think you may get passed. Trust me, last year taught me how hard it was to ‘be disciplined.’

“But congratulations to Hamlin. He predicted his Daytona 500 win as a second-grader. Speaking of school, maybe I should have paid more attention in drafting class.”

5. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished fourth, and generated the momentum that propelled Denny Hamlin past Matt Kenseth on the final turn to result in Hamlin’s win.

“That’s the second¬-most famous push in the back I’m known for,” Harvick said. “The first was in Texas in 2014 when I shoved Brad Keselowski. Hamlin’s post-race fist pump was the only punch thrown in either situation.”

6. Joey Logano: Logano, last year’s Daytona 500 winner, took sixth in this year’s race after starting fifth on the grid.

“I can’t be too sad for Matt Kenseth,” Logano said. “You could say he got what was coming to him.

“As for the race itself, it was a pretty boring affair save for the last lap. Maybe NASCAR needs to institute a ‘repetition’ caution before fans revolt in a ‘Mutiny On Monotony.’”

7. Kyle Larson: Larson finished seventh in the Daytona 500, his best result ever in the season’s inaugural race.

“How about Scottish actor Gerard Butler’s role as Grand Marshal?” Larson said. “Nothing says ‘The Great American Race’ like a Scottish accent.”

8. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson led 18 laps and was poised for a strong finish until a pit road penalty with 45 laps to go. Johnson was issued a drive-through penalty after NASCAR deemed his pit crew were over the wall too soon.

“Too many men over the wall?” Johnson said. “Who called this penalty, Donald Trump?

“Pole-sitter and Hendrick teammate Chase Elliott took a spin through the Daytona infield, as did Danica Patrick. For some drivers, like Chase, it’s a ‘spin in the grass;’ for others, like Ricky Stenhouse Jr., it’s a ‘roll in the hay.’”

9. Regan Smith: Smith, in the No. 7 Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet, finished eighth in the Daytona 500.

“Hamlin wrote a letter in the second grade saying his dream was to win the Daytona 500,” Smith said. “Most NASCAR fans would respond to that by saying, ‘Dreams do come true.’ The remaining NASCAR fans would say, ‘Hamlin could write in the second grade?’”

10. Kurt Busch: Busch started eighth and finished tenth at Daytona.

“Brian France promised lots of changes for the 2016 NASCAR season,” Busch said. “I guess lead changes wasn’t one of them. There were only four lead changes that didn’t happen as a result of pit stops.

“But what would you expect from NASCAR’s CEO and Chairman? Maybe ‘CFO’ would be a better title because he’s a ‘Chubby-Faced Oaf.’ France wants to be omnipresent. He should start by just being present. Just to clarify, I took those words right out of Tony Stewart’s mouth. As long as it’s not food, Tony doesn’t mind.”

February 23, 2016
June Bug Takes the Win, McDowell Gets In

The pied piper of Daytona scored the win in duel race No. 1 and Michael McDowell will have his chance to race for immortality on Sunday.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. led all but 17 of the 60 laps to take home his fifth career Cam-Am Duel victory at Daytona International Speedway in his No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. His performance was a clinic that showed he’ll be the car to beat this Sunday in the Daytona 500. He’ll start the Daytona 500 in third. Joey Logano finished second in his No. 22 Team Penske Ford and will start fifth in Sunday’s Daytona 500.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. led all but 17 of the 60 laps to take home his fifth career Cam-Am Duel victory at Daytona International Speedway in his No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. His performance was a clinic that showed he’ll be the car to beat this Sunday in the Daytona 500. Earnhardt will start the Daytona 500 in third place.

He gave credit for the win to his car, affectionately named Amelia.

“The car is awesome. I don’t really get too confident, I don’t want to get overly confident in what I’m doing. But the car really does everything I ask it to do. When you have a car that you know can do the things that this car can do, you’re willing to take those gambles and risks to pull out and pass and not worry about getting shuffled to the back because you feel like the car is really capable of doing what you’re going to ask it to do every time you make a move.

“It’s just a fun car to drive, really special car. Rick leaned into the window, I told him, whatever happens to this thing from here on out, he needs to keep track of it. Might be one he wants to put in a museum one day because it’s done a lot of good things.”

Joey Logano finished second in his No. 22 Team Penske Ford and will start fifth in Sunday’s Daytona 500.

Ryan Blaney didn’t need to fall back on his qualifying speed to make the Daytona 500 as his third-place finish was enough to transfer him into the race. He’ll start the Daytona 500 in seventh.

Michael McDowell and his No. 59 Circle Sport Leavine Family Racing Chevrolet will transfer into the Daytona 500 based on his qualifying speed. He’ll start the Daytona 500 in 37th.

Immortality wasn’t meant to be for Cole Whitt and Josh Wise. Whitt suffered damage in a spin with less than 20 laps remaining and retired his car from the race. Wise lost the draft with two laps to go and finished in 17th behind McDowell.

February 18, 2016
Sprint Unlimited at Daytona – Schedule & Driver Lineup

NASCAR returns this week with the Sprint Unlimited at Daytona International Raceway Saturday night followed by Sprint Cup qualifying for the Daytona 500 on Sunday. FOX will provide television coverage for both events while all practices can be seen on FS1. Please see the complete schedule and the driver lineup for the Sprint Unlimited below.

Friday, Feb. 12:

On Track:

5-5:55 p.m.: Sprint Cup Series Sprint Unlimited Practice – FS1
6:30-7:25 p.m.: Sprint Cup Series Sprint Unlimited Final Practice – FS1

GarageCam: (Watch live)

4:30 p.m.: Sprint Cup Series

Press Conferences (Watch live at NASCAR.com)

11 a.m.: Daytona International Speedway announcement
11:30 a.m.: Stewart-Haas Racing announcement
1 p.m.: Eddie Wood, Leonard Wood, Jon Wood
2 p.m.: NASCAR, Chip Ganassi Racing announcement with Jamie McMurray
3:30 p.m.: Martin Truex Jr.
3:45 p.m.: Joey Logano
4 p.m.: Jimmie Johnson and Steve Post

Saturday, Feb. 13:

On Track:

10:30 a.m-12:25 p.m.: Sprint Cup Series Practice – FS1
1:30-3:25 p.m.: Sprint Cup Series Practice – FS1
8:15 p.m.: Sprint Cup Series Sprint Unlimited – (75 laps, 187.5 miles) – FOX

Press Conferences (Watch live at NASCAR.com)

10 p.m.: Sprint Unlimited Post-race (Time approx.)

Sunday, Feb. 14:

On Track:

1:15 p.m.: Sprint Cup Series Daytona 500 Coors Light Pole Qualifying – FOX

Press Conferences (Watch live at NASCAR.com)

2:45 p.m.: Sprint Cup Daytona 500 Post-qualifying (Time approx.)

Sprint Unlimited Driver Eligibility:

There are 25 open positions for the Sprint Unlimited. The eligible drivers include 2015 Coors Light Pole Award winners, former winners of the Sprint Unlimited and former Daytona 500 pole winners who competed full time in 2015.

The 16 drivers who participated in the 2015 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship are also eligible. Any remaining available positions will be filled based on 2015 Sprint Cup driver points.

Eligible Drivers:

2015 Coors Light Pole Awards Winners

AJ Allmendinger
Kurt Busch
Kyle Busch
Carl Edwards
Denny Hamlin
Kevin Harvick
Jimmie Johnson
Kasey Kahne
Matt Kenseth
Brad Keselowski
Jeff Gordon – Will be replaced by Casey Mears as the first provisional
Joey Logano

Former Sprint Unlimited Race Winners

Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Tony Stewart – Will be replaced by Brian Vickers

Former DAYTONA 500 Coors Light Pole Award Winners

Greg Biffle
Austin Dillon
David Gilliland – Replaced by Ricky Stenhouse Jr. due to no car available
Danica Patrick
Martin Truex Jr.

2015 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Drivers

Clint Bowyer
Jamie McMurray
Paul Menard
Ryan Newman

2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship Driver Points

Aric Almirola
Kyle Larson

If an eligible driver cannot or does not enter the race, the open position is filled based on 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship driver points.

The first five provisional drivers are as follows:

Casey Mears – Will compete as a result of Jeff Gordon’s retirement
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – Will compete because David Gilliand cannot (no car)
Sam Hornish Jr.
David Ragan
Trevor Bayne

Sprint Unlimited Format Notes:

The event will be split into two segments with a competition caution at lap 25 separating the segments. As in 2015, NASCAR will pair select fans with each crew chief and hold a random drawing to determine the starting grid and pit road positions.

February 11, 2016
Tony Stewart Injury Update from Stewart-Haas Racing

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. (Feb. 4, 2016) – Tony Stewart, driver of the No. 14 Chevrolet for Stewart-Haas Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, sustained a burst fracture of the L1 vertebra in an all-terrain vehicle accident Sunday while vacationing on the West Coast.

Stewart was transported to a local hospital following the non-racing accident and promptly evaluated. He was awake and alert throughout the process and able to move all of his extremities.

Stewart flew to North Carolina Tuesday evening and was admitted to a Charlotte-area hospital for further evaluation. On Wednesday, he underwent surgery.

The subsequent recovery period means Stewart will miss the beginning of the Sprint Cup season. A timetable for Stewart’s return has not been determined, but he is expected to make a full recovery and return to the No. 14 Chevrolet in 2016. Plans for an interim driver have not been finalized.

February 4, 2016
Premium Motorsports Signs Cole Whitt to Drive No. 98 Car in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (February 2, 2016) — Premium Motorsports is pleased to announce it has officially signed Cole Whitt to drive the No. 98 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car. The 24-year-old Whitt, who will be entering his third full season in the premier Sprint Cup Series, finished 31st in driver points each of his first two seasons.

“We believe Cole is an accomplished young driver who drives aggressively, yet smart,” team owner Jay Robinson said. “He’s a great fit for our team as we look to improve our competitiveness in the Sprint Cup Series.”

This off-season, Premium made several strategic moves to upgrade the team and its race cars. On the competition side, Premium acquired additional updated equipment along with hiring Mike Hillman to fill the role of competition director and Mark Hillman to serve as crew chief. Mike and Mark join team manager Scott Eggleston along with owner Jay Robinson to round out the Premium Motorsports management team.

“Jay and the crew at Premium Motorsports impressed me with their vision for the future and commitment to making the No. 98 car competitive week in and week out,” said Whitt. “I look forward to being a big part of the family atmosphere at Premium and having a successful start at the Daytona 500 in a few weeks.”

Whitt starting racing at a young age out of his native state of California, rising up through the karting, midget and sprint car ranks. In 2008, he became the youngest winner of the USAC National Midget Championship. Whitt switched to NASCAR in 2010 to run a full season in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, later moving up to run full seasons in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2011 and the NASCAR XFINITY Series in 2012. He finished in the top 10 in driver points each of those rookie seasons.

Many of Whitt’s previous partners in the Sprint Cup Series the past two years are expected to support him again in 2016 at Premium. More details regarding car sponsors will be released at a further date.

February 2, 2016
Statement from Stewart-Haas Racing Regarding Tony Stewart Being Injured in Non-Racing Accident

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. (Feb. 2, 2016) – Tony Stewart, driver of the No. 14 Chevrolet for Stewart-Haas Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, sustained a back injury in a non-racing accident Sunday afternoon.

Stewart was transported to a local hospital following the accident and is currently being evaluated. Stewart is awake and alert, and able to move all extremities. An update will be provided Thursday afternoon when more information is known.

February 2, 2016
Finley Factor: Media Week Thoughts
Instead of focusing on one big story, today I’m going to tackle five of the bigger stories coming out of last week’s media conferences and interviews.

Tony Stewart criticizes Brian France for not being around often

On SirusXM Speedway last week, Tony Stewart commented that Brian France is never around and that he wants to see him be more active. Tony is right on the ball with these comments. The Frances, both Bill and Bill Jr., were very common around the garage area. Brian wouldn’t be caught dead near it. It kind of reminds me of what happened at Dale Earnhardt Incorporated in its last few years of existence, when Teresa Earnhardt wasn’t around and team performance dropped off greatly. With everything Brian France has done in the last 12 years, probably more than his father did in his 30 years in ownership, it’s strange not to see him around. I was at Richmond in the fall of last year and it seemed crazy to me that France was nowhere to be seen for the start of the second season of what will ultimately be his legacy (The 16 driver Chase format). When introducing such wild changes to a sport or team, you need to be there and show your employees or players that you care. If you don’t, why should they?

Denny Hamlin’s Knee Still Not Healed

After tearing his ACL playing basketball last season, Hamlin told USA Today that he still is only “about 50 percent” but that he’s fine to get back in the car. You can say a lot about Denny Hamlin, but you have to give the Virginian credit; he has shown time and time again that he doesn’t slow down when he gets injured. Just look at Martinsville in 2010, where he won with the same exact injury before getting surgery. He’ll be fine this year.

Tommy Baldwin Racing replaces Alex Bowman, Bowman finds out on Twitter

Where to begin with this. You just can’t do this in today’s world without it completely backfiring on you. It would have been perfectly fine had Baldwin informed Mr. Bowman a month or even a week ago that he was out of a job. It’s not perfectly fine to make a deal on your new driver on Tuesday, tell your current driver on Wednesday night everything is fine, then officially announce the change Thursday. And then, just to make things even better, Baldwin doesn’t even really apologize to Bowman in their third press release of the week. Instead, he takes a shot at the media for leaking the story out before he could inform Bowman. Mind you, Baldwin didn’t need to announce his driver change almost as soon as the news leaked; look at how long it took a couple of years ago for Carl Edwards to announce his move to JGR after it leaked out online. Plenty of people want to root for the underdog like Baldwin’s team. But a move like this could kill any good feelings race fans may have had for TBR, and it’s because of such an easy thing to prevent.

XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series Chases

It’s about time. It has always been strange that the XFINITY and Truck series determine their champions in a different way from the Cup Series. Hopefully, in 2017, the Homestead ban extends to the entire chase period. It’s understandable NASCAR might have been squeamish about cutting such a large portion of the schedule out from Cup Series drivers on relatively short notice.

Caution Clock in the Truck Series

Probably the most controversial new change announced this season is the addition of the caution clock in the Truck Series, where every 20 minutes of green flag racing a competition caution will come out. It’s certainly controversial and definitely the brainchild of Brian France.

Why is it happening? Because it’s a test to see if this can work and bring in the fan base NASCAR has been marketing to; the young millennials. The NASCAR audience is the oldest in sports today, according to just about every study done in the past five years. NASCAR just hasn’t attracted young fans since the sport was in its late 1990s boom period, and that’s a huge problem for advertisers/sponsors craving the 18-49 demo. And it’s not for lack of trying; just look at Fox Sport’s Daytona Day commercial aired this past weekend. Not one person among the hundreds of people in that ad looked above 30.

You can’t say “Well, it’s because all the drivers are old,” because even in the late 90s plenty were over thirty. It’s because my generation simply doesn’t have patience and wants to see everything happen right now. Look at the smartphone, for example. Within seconds, I can watch almost anything that has ever been put in front of a camera. Why should I, hypothetically speaking, sit down and watch an hour long green flag run when I can watch, say, a few episodes of Top Gear on Netflix? I’m not going to miss much and because fast cars are everywhere (Like in Top Gear), I’m not impressed with how fast these go.

So overall, putting marketing aside, is this new rule good or is it bad? I’m going to reserve overall judgment on that one. Why? Two simple reasons –
1. Let’s not pretend cautions are frequently called in national series races anyway. There are legitimate debris cautions, but there is also, say, the tiny piece of metal that caused the final caution of the 2015 season at Homestead. Is it really going to make a huge difference calling a caution every 20 minutes instead of calling one every 40?
2. Truck races are only around an hour and a half long. So we’re talking maybe 1-4 time cautions as it is, which is probably the same amount of debris cautions in these races to begin with.
This rule will have one of two results. It could be a complete failure and NASCAR does away with it by mid-season. Or it brings excitement to the sport and goes to the XFINITY and Cup Series in 2017 (albeit with a modified time). Is it fabricating excitement? Yes, it is, but that’s to be expected in today’s NASCAR.

As I was finishing up this article, news broke that Barney Hall, the lead track announcer for the Motor Racing Network for many years, has passed away. Barney was an absolute legend and many in and around the sport grew up hearing him. He was a person I looked up to as a journalist and it will never feel right to me hearing anybody but Hall calling these races over the radio. There were more famous announcers over the years, such as Ken Squier, but there was only ever one voice of NASCAR, and that was Hall.
January 26, 2016
NASCAR Champions Featuring Benny Parsons

Cup Champion: 1973
Born: July 12, 1941
Died: January 16, 2007
Hometown: Detroit, Michigan
Career: 1964-1988

Premier Series Stats:
Starts: 526
Wins: 21
Poles: 20

Racer, broadcaster, mentor, friend; you could use any of these words to describe Benjamin “Benny” Parsons. But his most endearing quality was that he was simply one of the most gracious and unpretentious people you could ever hope to meet. That’s a rare commodity in a sport as competitive as NASCAR.

To his colleagues and friends, he was known as “Gentle Ben.” His ever-present smile and upbeat attitude was infectious. It was impossible not to like him.

Pit reporter Matt Yocum probably said it best, describing Parsons as “part Elvis, part Santa Claus and part comedian.”

As this month marks nine years since we lost our beloved BP, it seems only fitting that we take a moment to reflect on his life and career in NASCAR. Newer fans will remember him as a familiar face and voice in the broadcast booth while more established fans will recount stories from his racing career, highlighted by his 1973 Winston Cup (now Sprint Cup) Championship.

It was a championship that almost wasn’t and it all came down to the final race of the 1973 season at North Carolina Motor Speedway. Parsons undoubtedly thought his championship hopes were over when he came upon a wrecked car on the track.

“A car had spun and was sitting on the racetrack sideways, just sitting there,” Parsons explained. “I tried to turn under him and when I did I just caught him with the right side of my car and ripped the whole right side off of it.”

But he headed in for repairs and was able to return to the track and run enough laps to win the championship by 67 points, besting Cale Yarborough.

Parsons’ most dramatic win came in 1975 at the Daytona 500. David Pearson was leading the race but spun out with two laps remaining. Parsons, who had started the race from the 32nd position in the No. 72 DeWitt Chevrolet, found himself in position to take advantage of Pearson’s mistake and captured the checkered flag, earning his third career Cup victory.

Parsons was born in Wilkes County, North Carolina but was raised in Detroit where he worked driving a taxi. He won two consecutive championships in the ARCA Racing Series (1968-1969) before moving back down south to pursue a career in the Cup Series.

He made 526 starts during his Cup racing career, winning 21 races and 20 poles. More impressive, Parsons finished no lower than fifth place in the points standings from 1972-1980. He also had the distinction of being the first Cup driver to qualify for a race at a speed faster than 200 mph, posting a lap of 200.176 mph in 1982 for the Winston 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.

He retired from racing in 1988 and entered the world of broadcasting, utilizing his expertise on the track and his gift for storytelling. Parsons won an ACE Award in 1989 and an Emmy in 1996 while working at ESPN. In 2001, he moved to NBC and TNT and also co-hosted the show, “Fast Talk,” with Doug Rice on the Performance Racing Network.

Parsons’ multi-faceted career also included appearances in several movies including Stroker Ace, Herbie Fully Loaded and Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. His gregarious personality made him a natural for the big screen.

In July 2006, Parsons was diagnosed with cancer in his left lung and underwent radiation and chemotherapy treatments. The treatments were successful and he was declared “cancer-free” but he lost the use of his left lung.

Parsons was hospitalized on Dec. 26 after doctors discovered a blood clot in his right lung. Shortly after, he was moved to intensive care and placed in an induced coma. Parsons passed away Jan. 16 at the age of 65.

After his death, Darrell Waltrip said, “Benny Parsons was the kindest, sweetest, most considerate person I have ever known. He was almost too nice to be a race car driver, and I say that as a compliment. In my 30-odd years of racing Benny Parsons, I never knew of anyone being mad at Benny.”

Jeff Gordon echoed Waltrip’s sentiments, saying, “Benny was a special person and anyone who came in contact with him knew it. He was one of the most genuine and generous individuals I’ve ever met.”

Greg Biffle was discovered by Parsons who convinced Jack Roush to hire the young driver. “It’s obvious he’s the only reason why I am here in this sport,” Biffle said. “I would still be in Washington racing local stuff if not for BP.”

Racer, broadcaster, mentor, friend; Parsons’ influence is still felt today. And nine years later, NASCAR continues to mourn his loss.

Accomplishments:

1965 – ARCA Racing Series Rookie of the Year Award
1968 – 1969 ARCA Racing Series Champion
1989 – Cable ACE Award for Best Sports Analyst
1994 – Inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame
1994 – Inducted into Charlotte Motor Speedway’s Court of Legends
1995 – Inducted into the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame
1996 – ESPN Emmy
1998 – Named One of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers
2005 – Motorsports Hall of Fame Inductee
2006 – Myers Brothers Award
2007 – North Carolina Motorsports Industry Lifetime Tribute Award
2010 –2016 Nominee to NASCAR Hall of Fame

January 11, 2016
Your Guide to the 2016 NASCAR Season – Driver, Crew Chief Changes & More

As the beginning of a new year of racing approaches, it’s often difficult to keep up with the off-season changes. Drivers move to different teams, crew chiefs come and go, new sponsors are announced and more. To aid your transition into the 2016 NASCAR season, I’ve compiled a list of the major changes.

Tony Stewart – No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet

Stewart, who announced that 2016 will be his last season driving in the Sprint Cup Series, will end his career with a new crew chief. Mike Bugarewicz, the former race engineer for Kevin Harvick’s car, will be on top of the pit box in Stewart’s final season. He replaces Chad Johnston who is moving to the crew chief position for Kyle Larson.

Kyle Larson – No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates Chevrolet

Chad Johnston moves from Stewart-Haas Racing to become Larson’s new crew chief, replacing Chris Heroy. Johnston was most recently crew chief for Tony Stewart.

Brian Scott – No. 9 – Richard Petty Motorsports Ford

Scott will replace Sam Hornish Jr. as he heads to Richard Petty Motorsports to drive the No. 9 RPM Ford. He will be paired with crew chief Chris Heroy (Larson’s former crew chief). Scott has 17 previous Cup starts but this will be his first full-time Sprint Cup season. He will be competing for Rookie of the Year.

Danica Patrick – No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet

Patrick will have a different crew chief in 2016 as Billy Scott moves from Michael Waltrip Racing who closed their doors at the end of the 2015 season. He replaces Daniel Knost who was promoted to a senior leadership position within the company. This is Patrick’s third crew chief in as many seasons. Nature’s Bakery will join Patrick as a new primary sponsor.

Clint Bowyer – HScott Motorsports Chevrolet

Bowyer will move to HScott Motorsports for one season before moving to Stewart-Haas Racing in 2017 to replace Tony Stewart after his final season. 5-Hour Energy will make the move with Bowyer as primary sponsor for 24 races in 2016.

Justin Allgaier – No. 7 – JR Motorsports Chevrolet

Allgaier will move to the XFINITY Series in 2016 with JR Motorsports. He competed for the last two years in the Cup Series with HScott Motorsports but lost his ride when the organization added Clint Bowyer to their lineup. He has three wins in the XFINITY Series.

Greg Biffle – No. 16 – Roush Fenway Racing Ford

Biffle will also be the recipient of a new crew chief, veteran Brian Pattie. Pattie replaces Matt Puccia who had been with Biffle since mid-2011.

Sam Hornish Jr. – Unknown

Hornish previously drove the No. 9 Ford for Richard Petty Motorsports but Brian Scott takes over driving duties in 2016. Hornish has not announced his future plans.

AJ Allmendinger – No. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet

Allmendinger will have a new competition director as Ernie Cope moves to JTG Daugherty Racing. Cope’s most recent position was as crew chief for Chase Elliott in the XFINITY Series in 2015. Allmendinger will also have a new crew chief, Randall Burnett. Burnett was an engineer on Kyle Larson’s car this past season.

Chris Buescher – No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford

After winning the 2015 XFINITY Series championship, Buescher is moving to the Sprint Cup Series in 2016. He had six Cup starts for FRM last year with a best finish of 20th place at Auto Club Speedway. Buescher will be in the running for Rookie of the Year.

Darian Grubb – Vehicle Production Director – Hendrick Motorsports

Hendrick Motorsports recently named Grubb to the newly created position of vehicle production director where he will oversee every facet of race car manufacturing for the organization. Grubb was formerly employed by HMS in 2003 in various capacities including race engineer and crew chief before leaving to join Tony Stewart at SHR in 2009. He moved to Joe Gibbs Racing and in 2012-2014 worked with Denny Hamlin. In 2015, he was the crew chief for Carl Edwards. He has 23 Sprint Cup victories as a crew chief.

Ryan Blaney – No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford

Blaney will run a full schedule in the No. 21 in 2016. It will be the first time since 2008 that Wood Brothers Racing has run a full-time schedule in the Sprint Cup Series. Blaney has 18 Cup starts with a best finish of fourth at Talladega in 2015. Because he has not run for Sprint Cup points in his career, Blaney will be eligible to compete for the Sunoco Rookie of the Year award.

Denny Hamlin – No. 11 – Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Hamlin will have a new crew chief in 2016 as Mike Wheeler, who has been Hamlin’s race engineer for much of his career, takes over the position. Wheeler also served as crew chief in 2015 for the No. 20 car in the XFINITY Series. He replaces Dave Rogers who will move to the pit box for Carl Edwards.

Carl Edwards – No. 19 – Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

As noted above, Edwards will have a new crew chief in 2016 with Dave Rogers taking over the job, replacing Darian Grubb. Rogers is an experienced leader having worked previously with Kyle Busch as well as Hamlin with 15 Sprint Cup victories.

Jeffrey Earnhardt – Go FAS Racing – No. 32 Ford

Earnhardt recently signed a multi-year deal with Go FAS Racing to drive in the Sprint Cup Series beginning in 2016. He will run the majority of the races for the No. 32 team while Bobby Labonte will drive for several events. Earnhardt made his Cup debut at Richmond in 2015 and also competed at Loudon. He will be eligible for the Rookie of the Year award.

Chase Elliott – No. 24 – Hendrick Motorsports

Elliott moves into the No. 24 ride in 2016 after Jeff Gordon’s departure in 2015. He captured the XFINITY Series championship in 2014, the youngest driver, at age 18, to win a NASCAR national series title, and finished second last year. Elliott made five Cup starts last year in preparation for this season and will be competing for Rookie of the Year honors in 2016.

Furniture Row Racing – Will change manufacturers from Chevrolet to Toyota in 2016

After running only Chevrolets since their debut in 2005, Furniture Row Racing has entered into a partnership with Toyota and will field the No. 78 Toyota of Martin Truex Jr. in 2016. Toyota Racing Development will build the engines and Furniture Row Racing will also benefit from a technical alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing.

January 5, 2016