Under the warm, dry desert sun and amidst the cacti in the Estrella Mountains sits a gem of a facility known as Phoenix Raceway, and this weekend it sets the stage for the NASCAR Cup Series competitors to do battle on its 1-mile track for the 50th-time in series history. (more…)
Chandler Smith will begin his first full-time season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series behind the wheel of Kyle Busch Motorsports’ (KBM) No. 18 Safelite AutoGlass Tundra in Friday night’s season-opening event at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. The 18-year-old Georgia native will compete for the Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award in 2021 after competing in a part-time schedule for KBM each of the last two seasons. (more…)
Chris Buescher makes his second start in the annual Clash event on Tuesday, and first since 2017. The 2021 field is limited to 2020 pole winners, past Clash winners who competed full-time in 2020, Daytona 500 Champions who competed full-time in 2020, former Daytona 500 pole winners who competed full time in 2020 and 2020 NCS Playoff drivers, race winners and stage winners. (more…)
Earnhardt Jr., Farmer, Stefanik make up first three-person class
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (June 16, 2020) – NASCAR announced today the inductees who will comprise the NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2021. Dale Earnhardt Jr., Red Farmer and Mike Stefanik make up the Hall of Fame’s 12th class, and first with three members. In addition, Ralph Seagraves was named as the recipient of the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR.
As a result of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the NASCAR Hall of Fame Voting Panel met virtually to debate and vote upon the 15 nominees for the induction class of 2021 and the five nominees for the Landmark Award. The group also became the first to vote on two different Hall of Fame ballots.
Ten nominees appeared on the Modern Era ballot, which was selected by the traditional Nominating Committee. The same committee selected the five Landmark Award nominees. The Pioneer ballot, which included five nominees whose careers began in 1961 or earlier, was selected by a new Honors Committee. Beginning with the Class of 2021, each Hall of Fame class will feature two inductees from the Modern Era ballot and one from the Pioneer ballot.
Earnhardt Jr. received 76% of the Modern Era ballot votes, Stefanik received 49%. Ricky Rudd finished third, followed by Neil Bonnett. Red Farmer received 71% of the Pioneer ballot votes. Hershel McGriff finished second.
Each class is selected by the Voting Panel, which expanded to 65 members this year. They include representatives from NASCAR, the NASCAR Hall of Fame, track owners from major facilities and historic short tracks, media members, manufacturer representatives, competitors (drivers, owners, crew chiefs), recognized industry leaders, the reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion (Kyle Busch) and a nationwide fan vote conducted through NASCAR.com. Seven new voters from the Honors Committee – Richard Childress, Rick Hendrick, Ron Hornaday Jr., Dale Jarrett, Roger Penske, Darrell Waltrip and Rusty Wallace – participated for the first time. In all, 63 votes were cast. The accounting firm of EY presided over the tabulation of the votes.
Results for the NASCAR.com Fan Vote were Neil Bonnett, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Red Farmer.
In addition to Earnhardt Jr. and Stefanik, the other Modern Era ballot nominees included Neil Bonnett, Jeff Burton, Carl Edwards, Harry Gant, Harry Hyde, Larry Phillips, Ricky Rudd and Kirk Shelmerdine. The other Pioneer ballot nominees were Jake Elder, Banjo Matthews, Hershel McGriff and Ralph Moody.
Nominees for the Landmark Award included Janet Guthrie, Alvin Hawkins, Mike Helton and Dr. Joe Mattiolli.
Class of 2021 Inductees:
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Dale Earnhardt Jr., a third-generation NASCAR champion in a family synonymous with the sport, is perhaps the most popular driver in NASCAR history. The son of “The Intimidator,” Earnhardt Jr. made his own path and served as the face of NASCAR as 15-time Most Popular Driver. He began his career at family-owned Dale Earnhardt Inc. (DEI) winning back-to-back Xfinity Series titles and 13 races in two full-time seasons. He quickly moved to the Cup Series where he won in his 12th career start. Like his father, Earnhardt Jr. was a master of the draft and thrived in restrictor plate racing. Ten of his 26 Cup victories came at Daytona and Talladega, including Daytona 500 wins in 2004 and 2014. In 2006, Earnhardt founded JR Motorsports, adding team owner to his resume. The team has three Xfinity Series championships and 47 wins. Earnhardt currently serves as an analyst for NBC Sports and hosts the popular podcast ‘Dale Jr Download.’
Red Farmer
Red Farmer’s career is one long series of immeasurable accolades. For instance, it’s entirely unknown just how many wins Farmer has. One thing is for sure: it’s a lot … somewhere north of 700. His passion for the sport is likewise immeasurable. After all, he continues to race, even as he approaches 90 years of age. But the record books do have a few things that are black-and-white and proof positive about this member of the Alabama Gang. He collected three consecutive championships in NASCAR’s Late Model Sportsman division from 1969-71, long after he won the Modified title in 1956. Though he preferred racing in the Late Model Sportsman division, Farmer did run 36 Cup Series races, with a best finish of fourth (twice). In 1998, Farmer’s many successes – clearly too many to officially count – landed him on the list of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers.
Mike Stefanik
At the very top of the list of all-time NASCAR championships sit two men: NASCAR Hall of Famer Richie Evans … and Mike Stefanik. Each tallied nine in their exemplary careers, with Stefanik’s coming in both the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and NASCAR East Series. Seven of his titles came in his primary racing series – the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. In 2003, he was named one of the Tour’s 10 Greatest Drivers, an obvious choice if there ever was one – Stefanik holds the all-time series record in championships, wins, poles, top fives and top 10s. Stefanik won two championships consecutively in the NASCAR East Series, in 1997-98. That, along with a win total that ties for ninth on the all-time series wins list, earned him a spot on the Top 10 Drivers of the First 25 Years of the NASCAR East Series list in 2011. In addition, Stefanik spent one full-time season in the NASCAR Gander Outdoor & RV Truck Series – and it was a successful one. He captured the Rookie of the Year Award in 1999.
Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR:
Ralph Seagraves
Ralph Seagraves’ life – and NASCAR’s world – changed the moment he met NASCAR Hall of Famer Junior Johnson. In the late 1960s, Seagraves, an official with R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, had been searching for a means to market cigarettes after the federal government banned RJR’s products from advertising on television and radio. Johnson, ever the entrepreneur, had an idea. How about RJR sponsor his cars? Seagraves had a bigger idea: Why not sponsor NASCAR’s top series? And so, in 1971, for the first time since its inception in 1949, NASCAR’s premier series had major corporate backing. The NASCAR Winston Cup Series was born. The partnership helped NASCAR launch into the national spotlight, and created a bedrock of stability for the next three decades. RJR’s Winston brand sponsored NASCAR’s top series for more than 30 years, ending in 2003. Under Seagraves leadership, RJR helped a number of race track operators refurbish their facilities, many of which were short tracks that ran developmental NASCAR Winston Racing Series races.
About NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 16 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR consists of three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series™), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour), one local grassroots series and three international series. The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, Americrown Service and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe. For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (‘NASCAR’).
About the NASCAR Hall of Fame
Located in Uptown Charlotte, North Carolina, the NASCAR Hall of Fame is an interactive, entertainment attraction honoring the history and heritage of NASCAR. The high-tech venue, designed to educate and entertain race fans and non-fans alike, includes artifacts, hands-on exhibits, a 278-person state-of-the-art theater, Hall of Honor, Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant, NASCAR Hall of Fame Gear Shop and NASCAR Productions-operated broadcast studio. Opened on May 11, 2010, the NASCAR Hall of Fame is owned by the City of Charlotte, licensed by NASCAR and operated by the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority. For more information, visit nascarhall.com.
Richard Childress Racing at Bristol Motor Speedway … In 175 NASCAR Cup Series starts, Richard Childress Racing has earned a total of nine race wins at Bristol Motor Speedway, including seven with Dale Earnhardt, one with Kevin Harvick and one with Jeff Burton. The Welcome, N.C.-based organization also has nine NASCAR Xfinity Series wins at the World’s Fastest Half-Mile, including four with Kevin Harvick and one each with Jeff Green, Clint Bowyer, Elliott Sadler, Austin Dillon and Tyler Reddick. COVID-19 Relief … Own a piece of history by participating in an auction and sale of Richard Childress’ personal collection of memorabilia. All proceeds will assist COVID-19 relief efforts. Thousands of rare, hard-to-find and exclusive items from Richard Childress’ 50+ years in NASCAR are up for bid or sale. Visit https://www.ebay.com/ Catch the Action … The Supermarket Heroes 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway will be televised live Sunday, May 31, beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 and will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. The NASCAR Xfinity Series Cheddar’s 300 presented by Alsco at Bristol Motor Speedway will be televised live Monday, June 1, beginning at 7 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 and will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. |
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Austin Dillon at Bristol Motor Speedway … In 12 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Dillon has one top-five and two top-10 finishes. He posted his best finish of fourth in August 2016. He is a former winner in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at the track. SYMBICORT Partners with the No. 3 at Bristol Motor Speedway … SYMBICORT is an AstraZeneca product and the sponsor of the No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Bristol Motor Speedway with Austin Dillon. You can learn more at MySymbicort.com. AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES: What do you think about racing at Bristol Motor Speedway? “Man, they can’t mess Bristol Motor Speedway up, truthfully. Bristol is Bristol, and it doesn’t matter what lane you are in, it is good racing. I enjoy going there. Bristol is just a hardcore track where you need some drivability that you have built into the car mechanically. I look forward to Bristol each year.” |
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Tyler Reddick at Bristol Motor Speedway … Tyler Reddick will be making his NASCAR Cup Series debut at Bristol Motor Speedway during this Sunday’s Supermarket Heroes 500. Reddick has five NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the track, winning last fall’s race there with crew chief Randall Burnett, along with two top-five and four top-10 finishes. Reddick also has two NASCAR Truck Series starts, with two top-five finishes at Bristol. About Alsco … Alsco is a fourth-generation family owned and operated business, founded in 1889, that was recognized by the prestigious Hohenstein Institute for having invented the linen and uniform rental industry. Celebrating over 130 years of business, Alsco provides linen and workwear rental services to customers that include restaurants, healthcare, automotive industry and industrial facilities. With over 180 locations and more than 20,000 employees, Alsco provides world-class service to over 355,000 customers in 14 countries. Learn more at alsco.com. Watch with Cheddar’s … Reddick and his No. 8 team are excited to tune in to the Cheddar’s 300 on Monday, June 1, and watch RCR’s Xfinity team try to capture the win. To celebrate the race, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen is offering 15 percent off all online to go orders with the offer code RACEDAY placed on 6/1. With scratch-made favorites like Santa Fe Spinach Dip served with house-fried tortilla chips or Cheddar’s signature hand-breaded Chicken Tenders, fans can enjoy a taste of the race at their Cheddar’s 300 watch-parties. Or pick up one of Cheddar’s new Family Bundles and feed your whole pit-crew like a bundle of Slow-Smoked Baby Back Ribs that comes complete with 2 family-sized sides and 6 of your favorite Honey-Butter Croissants. Terms & conditions apply. Visit cheddars.com/offer/race-day for full offer details. TYLER REDDICK QUOTES: Bristol Motor Speedway is known for being a tough track. How do you feel entering your first Cup Series start there with no practice or qualifying? “It’s going to be tough on Sunday. Bristol is one of the toughest tracks to go around when it doesn’t have rubber and heat on it. I’ve ran Truck races there through my career, and when we’re one of the first ones on the track, that first hour of practice, you can’t really learn much. The traction compound is slick – you go down in there to try to use it and you almost spin out. You run the middle, and that’s about it. Man, the first hour or so of practice you can’t get up in that either because it’s slick, and you almost wreck. I remember the first time they put traction compound down at Bristol, I went out for practice and I was in the middle of it, so we were OK. But I wanted to try the bottom, so I went down there, got loose and couldn’t go anywhere. I realized that wasn’t going to work, so I went up to try to use the top and I drove it straight into the fence. Given that experience, I’m worried that the start of Sunday’s race is going to be very chaotic. I don’t know how that’s going to go. There’s only one groove, and we’re going to be starting double-file, so that’s going to be very interesting.” |
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This Week’s No. 21 TaxSlayer Chevrolet Camaro at Bristol Motor Speedway … Myatt Snider will look to back up a strong top-10 performance as the NASCAR Xfinity Series visits the half-mile of Bristol Motor Speedway. Snider will be making his Xfinity Series debut at Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend. He has one career NASCAR Truck Series start at the track in 2018. About TaxSlayer … TaxSlayer makes online tax filing accessible for millions of Americans, with an easy-to-use platform and unlimited support at a fraction of the cost of the competition. Trusted for over 50 years, the Augusta-based tech company successfully completed more than 10 million state and federal e-filed tax returns in 2019 and processed $12 billion in refunds. TaxSlayer achieved a 4.5/5 TrustScore on consumer review site Trustpilot, with 87% of its customers rating the tax filing platform Great or Excellent. For more information, visit www.TaxSlayer.com. Tax Day … The IRS has extended the federal tax filing deadline for 2020. Tax Day is now July 15, 2020. This extension is automatic and applies to all taxpayers. For up-to-date information and advice, check out TaxSlayer.com/blog. Save Now … When you file with TaxSlayer, the savings are around every turn. All the deductions, all the credits, and all the money you deserve comes back to you in your refund. Start for free at TaxSlayer.com. MYATT SNIDER QUOTE: After a strong top-10 performance at Charlotte, what kind of momentum can you and your team bring into a place like Bristol Motor Speedway? “We had great speed in Charlotte and performed really well together as a team. I am thankful for all the hard work my crew chief Andy Street and our entire Richard Childress Racing team has put into producing these fast TaxSlayer Chevrolet Camaros. The speed we’re bringing to the racetrack gives me that much more confidence heading into Bristol. This will be my last race with RCR until the end of the year, so I really want to go out and have our best performance yet this weekend. I can’t wait to slay it at the Last Great Colosseum with my No. 21 TaxSlayer Chevrolet Camaro.” |
Roush Fenway Weekly Advance | Charlotte II
The NASCAR Cup Series hits the 1.5-mile Charlotte Motor Speedway for its second event in four days with a shorter, 310.6-mile event under the lights. After Chris Buescher’s top-10 finish in Sunday’s Coke 600, Jack Roush has 80 top-10 runs at the oval at CMS all-time, the fourth-most of any track on the circuit for the NASCAR Hall of Fame owner.
Charlotte Motor Speedway (1.5-Mile)
Alsco Uniforms 500
Wednesday, May 27, 2020 | 8 p.m. ET
FS1, PRN, SiriusXM Channel 90
NASCAR Returns to Action
Wednesday Recap, Sunday Preview
Invert Determines Starting Lineup for Wednesday
The NASCAR Cup Series held a qualifying session for Sunday’s Coke 600 – the first and only scheduled qualifying thus far in NASCAR’s return – as Newman qualified 18th with Buescher 19th. The top-20 invert is back for Wednesday’s race, with Buescher rolling off 11th after a 10th-place run. Newman will fire off 28th after his finish on Sunday.
Golden Sombrero
Roush Fenway won a record four-consecutive Coca-Cola 600’s from 1999-2002 with drivers Jeff Burton, Matt Kenseth and Mark Martin. During that span, Roush Fenway led 427 laps, including 201 of 400 laps in the 1999 event.
2006 Dominance in the Coca-Cola 600
Roush Fenway had its best overall outing in the Coca-Cola 600 in 2006, when its five entries averaged a 5.4 finish. Roush Fenway Fords finished third, fourth, fifth, seventh and eighth while leading 52 laps in the event. In 2002, Roush Fenway posted a one-two finish in the event with Martin and Kenseth battling feverishly for the win and combining to lead 67 laps in the race (with Martin taking the win).
Tale of the Tape
Roush Fenway has started 212 NCS races at Charlotte, recording eight total wins with 46 top-five and 80 top-10 finishes. RFR Fords have an average finish of 16.3 with 2627 laps led all-time.
Roush Fenway Charlotte Wins
1992-2 Martin Cup
1995-2 Martin Cup
1998-2 Martin Cup
1999-1 Burton Cup
2000-1 Kenseth Cup
2001-1 Burton Cup
2002-1 Martin Cup
2011-2 Kenseth Cup
1993-2 Martin NXS
1995-2 Martin NXS
1996-1 Martin NXS
1996-2 Martin NXS
1998-1 Martin NXS
1999-1 Martin NXS
2000-1 Burton NXS
2001-2 Biffle NXS
2002-2 Burton NXS
2006-1 Edwards NXS
2011-1 Kenseth NXS
2011-2 Edwards NXS
2011-2 Edwards NXS
2015-1 Buescher NXS
NASCAR’s return to racing continues Memorial Day weekend with the running of the prestigious Coca-Cola 600. Roush Fenway has 20 wins all-time at Charlotte Motor Speedway, including four in the Coke 600. Chris Buescher – who will pilot the Fifth Third Ford – is coming off a sixth-place run in this race a year ago while Ryan Newman –piloting the Roman Ford – has nine-career poles at the 1.5-mile track, the most of any active driver in NASCAR.
Charlotte Motor Speedway (1.5-Mile)
Coca-Cola 600
Sunday, May 24, 2020 | 6 p.m. ET
FOX, PRN, SiriusXM Channel 90
NASCAR Returns to Action
Wednesday Recap, Sunday Preview
Roush Fenway in the 600
In 102 NCS starts in the famed Coca-Cola 600, Roush Fenway Racing has visited victory lane four times and recorded 23 top-five and 38 top-10 finishes. Jeff Burton leads the way with two Coke 600 victories for Jack Roush, while Mark Martin and Matt Kenseth have one each.
Golden Sombrero
Roush Fenway won a record four-consecutive Coca-Cola 600’s from 1999-2002 with drivers Jeff Burton, Matt Kenseth and Mark Martin. During that span, Roush Fenway led 427 laps, including 201 of 400 laps in the 1999 event.
2006 Dominance in the Coca-Cola 600
Roush Fenway had its best overall outing in the Coca-Cola 600 in 2006, when its five entries averaged a 5.4 finish. Roush Fenway Fords finished third, fourth, fifth, seventh and eighth, while leading 52 laps in the event. In 2002, Roush Fenway posted a one-two finish in the event with Martin and Kenseth battling feverishly for the win and combining to lead 67 laps in the race (with Martin taking the win).
Tale of the Tape
Roush Fenway has started 210 NCS races at Charlotte, recording eight total wins with 46 top-five and 79 top-10 finishes. RFR Fords have an average finish of 16.3 with 2627 laps led all-time.
600 Miles of Remembrance
To align with the nation’s spirit of Memorial Day, the NASCAR industry will come together to honor and remember the brave men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces who’ve made the ultimate sacrifice defending our freedom. Each driver/team entry into the Coca-Cola 600 will display a fallen service member name on the windshield header decal of the racecar.
Buescher will carry the name of SPC Anthony Kinslow, a native of Phoenix who was based in Fort Carson, Colorado, in the U.S. Army. Kinslow was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 17th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division. He was killed June 13, 2005, when his military vehicle came under a grenade attack while he was conducting combat operations in Ramadi, Iraq.
Newman will carry the name of Nathan Bruckenthal, a native of Stony Brook, N.Y., who enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard on Jan. 5, 1999. He was later assigned to Tactical Law Enforcement Detachment South, LEDET 403, at Coast Guard Air Station Miami, Florida, and deployed to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
On April 24, 2004, while serving as part of Coast Guard Patrol Forces Southwest Asia aboard USS Firebolt, Petty Officer 3rd Class Bruckenthal, a damage controlman, and two U. S. Navy sailors were killed in the line of duty while conducting maritime intercept operations in the North Arabian Gulf. Bruckenthal and six other coalition sailors attempted to board a small boat near the Iraqi Khawr Al Amaya Oil Terminal. As they boarded the boat, it exploded. Bruckenthal later died from the wounds he sustained in the explosion. Bruckenthal was the first Coast Guard member killed in action since the Vietnam War.
Roush Fenway Charlotte Wins
1992-2 Martin Cup
1995-2 Martin Cup
1998-2 Martin Cup
1999-1 Burton Cup
2000-1 Kenseth Cup
2001-1 Burton Cup
2002-1 Martin Cup
2011-2 Kenseth Cup
1993-2 Martin NXS
1995-2 Martin NXS
1996-1 Martin NXS
1996-2 Martin NXS
1998-1 Martin NXS
1999-1 Martin NXS
2000-1 Burton NXS
2001-2 Biffle NXS
2002-2 Burton NXS
2006-1 Edwards NXS
2011-1 Kenseth NXS
2011-2 Edwards NXS
2011-2 Edwards NXS
2015-1 Buescher NXS
Darlington Raceway
Toyota 500
Wednesday, May 20, 2020 | 7:30 p.m. ET
FS1, MRN, SiriusXM Channel 90
NASCAR Returns to Action
Sunday Recap, Wednesday Preview
Darlington Two-Step
Roush Fenway has twice won consecutive NCS races at Darlington, including a season sweep in 1999 with former driver and current NBC commentator Jeff Burton. Roush Fenway also earned victories in consecutive seasons at the egg-shaped oval in 2005 and 2006 with Biffle.
Tale of the Tape
In 246 all-time NASCAR starts at ‘The Lady in Black,’ Jack Roush’s Fords have 20 wins, 69 top-five and 116 top-10 finishes, along with 20 poles. Over the years RFR has led 4500+ laps across the Cup, Xfinity and Truck series, with more than 85,000 miles logged at the 1.366-mile track. In NCS action alone, RFR has finished top-10 in 43 percent (69-of-160) of the races with 35 top-five results and five wins.
Kickin’ It Old School
Legendary Roush Fenway drivers Mark Martin, Jeff Burton and Greg Biffle are responsible for the five Cup wins for Jack Roush at Darlington. Martin earned Roush’s first Cup win back in 1993 after leading 178 laps. Burton swept the 1999 events as the dominant car, and Biffle earned the two most recent victories in 2005 and 2006.
Most All-Time
It’s no secret that when Roush has dominated in the Xfinity Series at Darlington. In 79 starts, the organization has 15 wins, 33 top-five and 44 top-10s. Mark Martin is responsible for eight of the victories, second-most for him among any track, after winning five of the first seven races at the track for Roush from 1993-96. He also went on to win in 1999, and swept again in 2000. Jeff Burton got in on the fun with wins in 1997, 2001 and 2002, while Biffle earned a win in 2004. Most recently, Kenseth drove to victory lane in 2005 and 2009.
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 Wednesday night.
NASCAR allowed teams to select the names of the frontline workers to appear on their cars, and Roush Fenway elected to have Newman select two names that were influential in his recovery since the Daytona 500. 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.
Roush Fenway Darlington Wins
1993-2 Martin Cup
1999-1 Burton Cup
1999-2 Burton Cup
2005 Biffle Cup
2006 Biffle Cup
1993-2 Martin NXS
1994-1 Martin NXS
1994-2 Martin NXS
1995-2 Martin NXS
1996-1 Martin NXS
1997-2 Burton NXS
1999-2 Martin NXS
2000-1 Martin NXS
2000-2 Martin NXS
2001-2 Burton NXS
2002-1 Burton NXS
2002-2 Burton NXS
2004-1 Biffle NXS
2005 Kenseth NXS
2009 Kenseth NXS
By the Numbers at Darlington Raceway
Race Win T5 T10 Pole Laps Led AvSt AvFn Miles
160 5 35 69 7 51132 2718 16.7 16.1 69846.3
79 15 33 44 12 10616 1856 9.9 12.9 14501.4
7 0 1 3 1 944 9 16.0 15.9 1289.50
246 20 69 116 20 62692 4583 14.5 15.1 85637.2
“I feel like his leadership was really on display today.” – Earnhardt Jr. on Kevin Harvick’s victory
“When you get a star that’s in a slump, they almost try too hard. That was Jimmie Johnson trying too hard.” – Letarte on Jimmie Johnson’s wreck at end of Stage One
“If he can clean up those mental mistakes, he’ll not only win races, but have a real opportunity to play a role in the Playoffs later in the season.” – Earnhardt Jr. on Jimmie Johnson
“It really makes me question, how much practice do we really need?” – Burton on quality of racing at Darlington
Kevin Harvick Joins Mike Tirico on Lunch Talk Live Today at Noon ET on NBCSN
Weekday Episodes and Post-Race Analysis on NBCSports.com and Motorsports on NBC YouTube Page
STAMFORD, Conn. – May 18, 2020 – NBC Sports NASCAR analysts Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Burton and Steve Letarte discussed the major storylines and takeaways from NASCAR’s return at Darlington Raceway on the latest edition NASCAR America At Home on NBCSports.com and the Motorsports on NBC YouTube page.
Topics from Sunday night’s NASCAR America At Home included:
The trio also interviewed Tyler Reddick to discuss his Top 10 performance. Click here to watch the interview.
Harvick will join Mike Tirico on Lunch Talk Live today at noon discuss his win at Darlington and NASCAR’s return. Following are excerpts from Sunday night’s edition of NASCAR America at Home:
Earnhardt Jr. on NASCAR’s return and Harvick’s win: “Rodney Childers and the no. 4 team prepared an incredible car…I feel like his leadership was really on display today…no way to lean on the driver to give him feedback on what direction to go with the car. It was an opportunity for him or any crew chief to step up, and that’s what (the No. 4 team) did.”
Burton on Jimmie Johnson: “This was a big race in the history of NASCAR … Jimmie Johnson ran really well. I know he’s heartbroken tonight. He had the lead with one to go at the end of the stage and just made a mistake in my eyes…it was good at the very least to see the no. 48 out front.”
Letarte on Johnson: “When you get a star that’s in a slump, they almost try too hard…that was Jimmie Johnson, trying too hard with one lap to go in a stage. He’s only won a handful of stages since stage racing has begun…Jimmie was the guy when we chased him that never made mistakes. You had to beat him. He didn’t beat himself. What Jimmie Johnson did was eliminate his chances in the first stage. That’s not very Jimmie Johnson-esque. What I saw up until that mistake is a team and a driver that can win a race. The question has been, can he win a race in this final year? From what I saw, it would be yes.”
Earnhardt Jr. on Johnson: “If he can clean up those mental mistakes, dial it back a little bit, have faith in his car for the duration for the race and put races together, he’ll not only win races but have a real opportunity to play a role in the Playoffs later in the season.”
Letarte on impact of less practice: “I’m always on team ‘no practice’ or ‘less practice.’ I realize we’re going to have some practice at some point this season…but can we all agree we don’t need two or three hours (of practice)? This was zero practice in 71 days and other than Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s mistake on the first lap, not only was the racing great, but there were some different names, different moves, different guys throughout the race.”
Burton on impact of less practice: “Even though there were so many things done differently to make this race happen, it didn’t show up…it really makes me question, how much practice do we really need? This has given NASCAR and the teams and opportunity to look at different ways to do different things and how can the sport be better for it…John Hunter Nemecheck is a great example. He got a Top 10 finish and that’s like a win for that team. If every team out there would have practice, could they have made that happen? I don’t know.”
Earnhardt Jr. on John Hunter Nemecheck and impact of iRacing: “I feel like what we did during the break where we were racing online with iRacing may have given some guys a little bit of confidence to be able to go out there and compete and run up front. I know that’s a crazy idea, but someone like John Hunter Nemecheck that has been honing his skills, doing well in the iRacing in the last couple of months…I think that carried over.”
Earnhardt Jr. on Tyler Reddick: “He continues to amaze me…he’s not making these rookie mistakes that are taking him out of the running, especially at a place like Darlington where it’s easy…he’s got the confidence. He doesn’t know any better. He’s just driving that thing as hard as he can go.”
Letarte on William Byron: “One flat tire – William Byron was going to show the world that he was going to go to victory lane…I think William Byron will be one to watch. Bad luck got him at Darlington, not a mistake.”
New post-race episodes of NASCAR America At Home will be posted following the checkered flag of each NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series as NASCAR makes its return, and new weekday editions of NASCAR America At Home will be posted during the week.
Racing is back this weekend at Darlington Raceway for the first of two NASCAR Cup Series races in four days. Following Sunday’s return to racing – the first time on track since March 8 at the end of the West Coast swing – the NCS will again visit ‘The Lady in Black’ for a primetime event under the lights Wednesday night. Roush Fenway Racing has five Cup Series wins all-time at Darlington and has finished in the top-ten in nearly half the events it has raced it.
Darlington Raceway
The Real Heroes 400
Sunday, May 17, 2020 | 3:30 p.m. ET
FOX, MRN, SiriusXM Channel 90
NASCAR Returns to Action
Newman Returns to the Seat Following Daytona 500
Newman makes his return to the No. 6 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).
Darlington Two-Step
Roush Fenway has twice won consecutive NCS races at Darlington, including a season sweep in 1999 with former driver and current NBC commentator Jeff Burton. Roush Fenway also earned victories in consecutive seasons at the egg-shaped oval in 2005 and 2006 with Biffle.
Tale of the Tape
In 244 all-time NASCAR starts at ‘The Lady in Black,’ Jack Roush’s Fords have 20 wins, 69 top-five and 116 top-10 finishes, along with 20 poles. Over the years RFR has led 4500+ laps across the Cup, Xfinity and Truck series, with more than 84,000 miles logged at the 1.366-mile track. In NCS action alone, RFR has finished top-10 in 44 percent (69-of-158) of the races with 35 top-five results and five wins.
Kickin’ It Old School
Legendary Roush Fenway drivers Mark Martin, Jeff Burton and Greg Biffle are responsible for the five Cup wins for Jack Roush at Darlington. Martin earned Roush’s first Cup win back in 1993 after leading 178 laps. Burton swept the 1999 events as the dominant car, and Biffle earned the two most recent victories in 2005 and 2006.
Most All-Time
It’s no secret that when Roush has dominated in the Xfinity Series at Darlington. In 79 starts, the organization has 15 wins, 33 top-five and 44 top-10s. Mark Martin is responsible for eight of the victories, second-most for him among any track, after winning five of the first seven races at the track for Roush from 1993-96. He also went on to win in 1999, and swept again in 2000. Jeff Burton got in on the fun with wins in 1997, 2001 and 2002, while Biffle earned a win in 2004. Most recently, Kenseth drove to victory lane in 2005 and 2009.
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.
Roush Fenway Darlington Wins
1993-2 Martin Cup
1999-1 Burton Cup
1999-2 Burton Cup
2005 Biffle Cup
2006 Biffle Cup
1993-2 Martin NXS
1994-1 Martin NXS
1994-2 Martin NXS
1995-2 Martin NXS
1996-1 Martin NXS
1997-2 Burton NXS
1999-2 Martin NXS
2000-1 Martin NXS
2000-2 Martin NXS
2001-2 Burton NXS
2002-1 Burton NXS
2002-2 Burton NXS
2004-1 Biffle NXS
2005 Kenseth NXS
2009 Kenseth NXS
By the Numbers at Darlington Raceway
Race Win T5 T10 Pole Laps Led AvSt AvFn Miles
158 5 35 69 7 50552 2718 16.6 16.0 69054.0
79 15 33 44 12 10616 1856 9.9 12.9 14501.4
7 0 1 3 1 944 9 16.0 15.9 1289.50
244 20 69 116 20 62112 4583 14.4 15.0 84844.9
