Click on through to read the post-race transcript of the interview with Martin Truex, Jr., the winner of the 2021 NASCAR Instacart 500, from Phoenix… (more…)
Bojangles’ Southern 500
COLE CUSTER A Second Consecutive Cup Series Start at Darlington
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Ryan Newman | Darlington II Advance
Team: No. 6 Oscar Mayer Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Scott Graves
PR Contact: Brandon Lee; blee@roushfenway.com; 704-783-5446
Twitter: @Roush6Team, @RoushFenway and @RyanJNewman
Race Format: 311.4 miles, 228 laps, Stage Lengths: 60-65-103
Toyota 500 – Wednesday, May 20 at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN, SiriusXM Channel 90
ADVANCE NOTES
NASCAR Returns to Action
- Following its return to racing Sunday at Darlington Raceway, NASCAR continues its modified schedule with a second event at ‘The Lady in Black’ Wednesday night in primetime. It will mark the third of seven NASCAR national series races in an 11-day span.
- Once competition wraps at Darlington on Wednesday, the NCS will transition to Charlotte Motor Speedway for two-consecutive events, the first on May 24 with the crown jewel Coca-Cola 600. It will be followed by a shorter event on May 27.
- Four weeks of NASCAR action were completed prior to the hiatus with races at Atlanta, Homestead, Texas, Bristol, Richmond, Talladega, Dover and Martinsville postponed.
Sunday Recap, Wednesday Preview
- In his first race back since the Daytona 500, Newman fought his way inside the top-10 early on in Sunday’s 293-lap race at Darlington before finishing 15th. He crossed the line ninth in stage one to earn two stage points, and came back from a speeding penalty and cut tire in the closing laps to earn a top-15 finish.
- The starting lineup for Wednesday’s 311.4-mile race will be determined by an invert for positions 1-20, putting Newman sixth on the grid for Wednesday night’s race.
Newman Historically at Darlington Raceway
- Wednesday will be Newman’s 23rd Cup Series start at Darlington, where he has 13 top-10s and seven top fives. He carries a 12.7 average finish – his second-best of any track on the circuit behind only Richmond (12.3).
- Newman has finished top-10 in 59 percent of the races at the 1.366-mile track, including a runner-up finish in his first ever-Southern 500 back in 2002. Dating back eight events, Newman has five finishes of 13th or better including four top-10s.
- Newman has one career pole at ‘The Lady in Black’, which came back in the 2003 Southern 500. Overall he has an average starting position of 11.1 with 13 top-10 starts, eight of which were inside the top five.
- Newman also made five starts at Darlington in the Xfinity Series, earning the pole in each of the first two events in 2001. He went on to finish fourth in the 2001 fall race – his best career Xfinity result – with an overall finish of 13.6 in the series at the famed track.
Scott Graves at Darlington Raceway
- Graves will call his sixth NCS race at Darlington atop the pit box. In five prior events, Graves has an average finish of 24.6, coming off Newman’s 15th-place finish on Sunday.
- In Xfinity Series action, Graves led Suarez to a third-place finish in 2016 after starting fifth. A year prior, he and Chris Buescher paired up for a fifth-place result.
QUOTE WORTHY
Newman on Wednesday’s race:
“I felt like we unloaded pretty well Sunday and had a good run going for a good portion of the race. We just got a little off in terms of adjustments and had a couple things go south, but battled back for a top-15. With those notes and our performance early on I feel pretty good heading into Wednesday. Looking forward to putting together another strong race in our Oscar Mayer Ford and once again showing everyone how NASCAR is coming back during these times.”
The Real Heroes Project Continues at Darlington
NASCAR is collaborating with other professional sports properties across the country to embark on The Real Heroes Project. The goal is to motivate and inspire healthcare workers as sports only can, by turning its greatest heroes (the athletes) into their greatest fans. To that end, the name of a COVID-19 frontline worker will be displayed above the driver’s side door on each entry Wednesday night.
NASCAR allowed teams to select the names of the frontline workers to appear on their cars, and Newman chose a name special to him, Fe Roster, VP & Chief Care Continuum Officer at Halifax Health. Fe played a vital role in Newman’s life in the days following his horrific, last-lap crash in the Daytona 500, where he walked out of Halifax Medical Center three days later under the care of Roster and others. Dr. Jerry Petty, a partner with NASCAR for 40+ years, also played a vital role in Newman’s recovery all the way up until clearing him for NASCAR action, and – at Newman’s request – Petty will be on the name rail of the No. 17 machine Wednesday night.
On the Car
Oscar Mayer returns for Wednesday’s race at Darlington, this time promoting its love for hot dogs. Oscar Mayer and Roush Fenway announced their continued partnership at the end of the 2019 season, as the company continues to highlight its quality meat offerings via its paint schemes throughout the season.
About The Kraft Heinz Company
For 150 years, we have produced some of the world’s most beloved products at The Kraft Heinz Company (NASDAQ: KHC). Our Vision is To Be the Best Food Company, Growing a Better World. We are one of the largest global food and beverage companies, with 2018 net sales of approximately $26 billion. Our portfolio is a diverse mix of iconic and emerging brands. As the guardians of these brands and the creators of innovative new products, we are dedicated to the sustainable health of our people and our planet. To learn more, visit https://www.kraftheinzcompany.com/or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Erik Jones / No. 20 DEWALT ATOMIC Thank You Heroes Toyota Camry Preview Darlington 400 at Darlington Raceway
No. 20 DEWALT ATOMIC Thank You Heroes Toyota Camry News and Notes:
- JONES AT DARLINGTON RACEWAY: Erik Jones will make his fourth start in the Cup Series at Darlington Raceway on Sunday, May 17, when NASCAR returns to the track. In his most recent trip to “The Lady in Black,” Jones captured his first Southern 500 victory and his second Cup Series victory in just his 100th Cup Series start. In his other two starts at the track, Jones recorded a fifth-place and an eighth-place finish. In addition to his Cup Series starts, Jones has two starts at the South Carolina track in the Xfinity Series where he earned a sixth-place and fourth-place finish.
- JGR AT DARLINGTON RACEWAY: Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) has 88 total starts at Darlington Raceway in Cup Series competition. In those starts, the team has earned seven wins, 24 top-five finishes, 52 top-10 finishes and two pole starting positions. The team has led 1,595 laps, completed 29,735 of 30,465 attempted laps (97.6%) and earned an average start of 14.4 and an average finish of 11.7. Denny Hamlin leads the team with two wins followed by Bobby Labonte, Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth, Carl Edwards and Jones with one win each.
- THIS WEEK ON THE NO. 20 CAMRY: For the return to racing this weekend, the No. 20 Toyota Camry will carry the familiar black and yellow DEWALT paint scheme featuring DEWALT ATOMIC. The No. 20 Camry will also feature a “Thank You Heroes” message on the car to honor those what have been fighting and continue to fight the Covid-19 pandemic around the United States and the world.
- DEWALT ATOMIC:
- The ATOMIC Compact Series ™ is an addition to the 20V MAX* system, which is DEWALT’s largest cordless platform with 200+ products.
- Where Size Meets Power, the ATOMIC™ Compact Series combines performance and durability in a compact format for a variety of applications.
- RACE INFO: The Darlington 400 at Darlington Raceway is scheduled for Sunday, May 17, 2020. Coverage will begin at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX, Sirius XM Channel 90 and MRN Radio.
Jones Career NASCAR Cup Series Stats at Darlington Raceway:
Starts | Wins | Top 5 | Top 10 | Poles | Laps Led | Avg. Start | Avg. Finish |
3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 79 | 10.7 | 4.7 |
Jones 2020 Season NASCAR Cup Series Stats:
Starts | Wins | Top 5 | Top 10 | Poles | Laps Led | Avg. Start | Avg. Finish |
4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 17.5 | 19.8 |
Jones Career NASCAR Cup Series Stats:
Starts | Wins | Top 5 | Top 10 | Poles | Laps Led | Avg. Start | Avg. Finish |
115 | 2 | 24 | 50 | 2 | 582 | 13.4 | 16.1 |
From the Driver’s Seat:
Erik Jones: “I’m looking forward to Darlington. It’s been a really good track to me in the past, over the last few years and especially last year getting the win there in the Southern 500. Hopefully I have another shot at a good run this weekend. It’s going to be a unique weekend with no practice or qualifying. We’re really going to have to hit it right off the truck and hopefully our car is where it needs to be when we start the race. I’m just excited to get back to the race track in general. The iRacing has been fun, but it’s nothing like really being in the car, really being at the track and working with your guys and having that team effort. It’s always a good feeling of everyone working toward one goal, it’s pretty cool. I’m just excited. Darlington has been a great track for me. It’s going to be a unique race and kind of knocking the rust off at first, and then hopefully getting in to a groove and being able to run up front and contend for a win. Really looking forward to it and getting back in the seat.
About DEWALT
DEWALT is obsessed with how users work in the real world and is relentlessly pursuing total jobsite solutions. By incorporating its latest technology and industry innovations, DEWALT is leading the charge for the jobsite of the future. DEWALT products. GUARANTEED TOUGH®. For more information, visit www.dewalt.com or follow DEWALT on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Ryan Newman on Darlington: I’m so excited and thankful to be healthy to get back into the race car.
Team: No. 6 Oscar Mayer Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Scott Graves
Twitter: @Roush6Team, @RoushFenway and @RyanJNewman
Race Format: 400.2 miles, 293 laps, Stage Lengths: 90-95-108
Darlington 400 – Sunday, May 17 at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN, SiriusXM Channel 90
ADVANCE NOTES
NASCAR Returns to Action
- NASCAR makes its return to racing this weekend with a NASCAR Cup Series race that will serve as the first of seven national series races over an 11-day span at two different tracks throughout May.
- The race at the historic South Carolina track will be held without fans in attendance and is slated to be NASCAR’s first on-track action in more than two months as the sport and world have been on pause during COVID-19.
- Following the initial race back on Sunday, the NCS will again visit Darlington for a midweek race under the lights three days later. The May schedule also includes the crown jewel Coca-Cola 600 in its traditional Memorial Day Weekend home for the 60th consecutive season, plus other midweek races in prime time.
- Four weeks of NASCAR action were completed prior to the outbreak before races at Atlanta, Homestead, Texas, Bristol, Richmond, Talladega, Dover and Martinsville were later postponed.
Newman at Darlington Raceway
- Newman makes his return to the car this weekend following a last-lap crash in the Daytona 500 in which he was leading coming to the checkered flag. After recovering from the injuries sustained in the crash, Newman was cleared for racing activity on April 28 and granted a playoff waiver from NASCAR after missing three races (Las Vegas, Fontana, Phoenix).
- Newman will make his 22nd Cup Series start at Darlington on Sunday, a track he has 13 top-10s at with seven top-five finishes. He has an average finish of 12.6 – his second best of any track on the circuit behind only Richmond (12.3).
- Newman has finished top-10 in 62 percent of the races at the 1.366-mile track, including a runner-up finish in is first ever-Southern 500 back in 2002. Dating back seven events, Newman has five finishes of 13th or better including four top-10s.
- Newman has one career pole at ‘The Lady in Black’, which came back in the 2003 Southern 500. Overall he has an average starting position of 10.6 with 13 top-10 starts, eight of which were inside the top five.
- Newman also made five starts at Darlington in the Xfinity Series, earning the pole in each of the first two events in 2001. He went on to finish fourth in the 2001 fall race – his best career Xfinity result – with an overall finish of 13.6 in the series at the famed track.
Scott Graves at Darlington Raceway
- Graves will call his fifth NCS race at Darlington atop the pit box. In four prior events, Graves has an average finish of 27th (two starts with Daniel Suarez, one each with Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., and Ryan Newman).
- In Xfinity Series action, Graves led Suarez to a third-place finish in 2016 after starting fifth. A year prior, he and Chris Buescher paired up for a fifth-place result.
QUOTE WORTHY
Newman on return to racing:
“I’m so excited and thankful to be healthy to get back into the race car. I am thankful for all the people and support that have prayed for me and given me a multitude of miracles. I cannot think of a better track to start back at than Darlington, my favorite track and one we feel confident in. I’m excited to get back behind the wheel of the Oscar Mayer Ford.”
The Real Heroes Project Debuts at Darlington
NASCAR is collaborating with other professional sports properties across the country to embark on The Real Heroes Project. The goal is to motivate and inspire healthcare workers as sports only can, by turning its greatest heroes (the athletes) into their greatest fans. To that end, the name of a COVID-19 frontline worker will be displayed above the driver’s side door on each entry this weekend at Darlington.
For the first race back on May 17, NASCAR worked in partnership with FOX and their tune-in priority market affiliate program to select the COVID-19 worker being recognized. FOX affiliates from around the country were asked to nominate a local hero from their community to be recognized during the return. Newman’s frontline worker will be Dr. Benjamin Petty, an Emergency Medicine Physician at IU Health West Hospital in Avon, selected by WXIN FOX 59 in the Indianapolis market.
On the Car
Oscar Mayer returns to the No. 6 Ford this weekend at Darlington. Oscar Mayer and Roush Fenway announced their continued partnership at the end of the 2019 season, as the company continues to highlight its quality meat offerings via its paint schemes throughout the season.
- Oscar Mayer’s Front Yard Cookout initiative inspired the No. 6 Oscar Mayer Ford scheme for Darlington. To celebrate the return of NASCAR and Ryan Newman, the brand is encouraging fans to recreate their own at-home infield experience by firing up the grill and connecting with fellow race fans and neighbors on their front lawn from a safe distance.
- Snap a pic of your pre-race cookout and share for a good cause! Each usage of #FrontYardCookout on Twitter donates one additional meal to Feeding America on top of the brand’s 1 million-meal commitment. Oscar Mayer’s Front Yard Cookout runs through May 31, 2020.
About The Kraft Heinz Company
For 150 years, we have produced some of the world’s most beloved products at The Kraft Heinz Company (NASDAQ: KHC). Our Vision is To Be the Best Food Company, Growing a Better World. We are one of the largest global food and beverage companies, with 2018 net sales of approximately $26 billion. Our portfolio is a diverse mix of iconic and emerging brands. As the guardians of these brands and the creators of innovative new products, we are dedicated to the sustainable health of our people and our planet. To learn more, visit https://www.kraftheinzcompany.com/or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.
On This Date in NASCAR History…
Sunday, April 14, 2002 – On this day in history, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Labonte took the lead with 55 laps to go from fellow NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart to win the NASCAR Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway – an event that ended under caution. In 42 starts at Martinsville the victory was Labonte’s lone win on the historic short track. (more…)
On This Date in NASCAR History…
Sunday, April 12, 2014, On this day in history, NASCAR Cup Series driver Kevin Harvick put on a clinic in the NASCAR Cup Series race at Darlington Raceway leading 238 of scheduled 374 laps and winning from the pole. Harvick would put up a total of five wins in 2014 and win his first and only NASCAR Cup Series championship. (more…)
On This Date in NASCAR History…
Sunday, April 11, 2015 – On this day in history, Hendrick Motorsports driver Jimmie Johnson started fifth and led 134 laps and beat runner-up Kevin Harvick to the finish by 1.107 seconds in the NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway. It was his fifth of his career seven NASCAR Cup Series wins at Texas. Johnson swept the 2015 season at Texas.
Monday, April 11, 1966 – On this day in history, NASCAR Hall of Famer David Pearson battled with driver Tom Pistone in the NASCAR Cup Series race at Winston-Salem Speedway. Pearson started on the pole but Pistone jumped out front early leading six laps, then Pearson locked in and took the lead and led 194 laps and won. Pearson won 15 races in 1966 and his first of three NASCAR Cup Series championships (1966, ’68, ’69).
NASCAR Announces Nominees For NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2021, Landmark Award
Burton, Earnhardt Jr., Edwards, Elder, Matthews nominated for first time
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (April 7, 2020) — NASCAR today announced the 15 nominees for the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s Class of 2021, introducing the Modern Era and Pioneer Ballots for the first time.
Tony Stewart ‘Free Wheeling’ with Newfound Free Time
With No Races to Run, NASCAR Hall of Famer Goes Retro with 1979 Ford Bronco
KANNAPOLIS, N.C. (March 18, 2020) – Born in 1971, Tony Stewart grew up in a robust era of car culture, where manufacturers catered directly to the consumer with unabashedly loud graphics splashed across premium versions of its cars and trucks.