Roush Fenway Racing | The MotorSportsNews.Net(work)

Castrol Expands Partnership with Roush Fenway Racing

by MikeDecember 17, 2020

High-performance lubricant brand to continue serving as team’s official oil partner

Castrol to Serve as Primaries on both No. 6 and No. 17 Ford Mustangs

CONCORD, N.C., (December 15, 2020) – Roush Fenway Racing has announced that Castrol, who joined the team prior to the 2020 season, has expanded its partnership with Jack Roush’s championship organization in 2021 and beyond. In addition to serving as the team’s official oil partner, Castrol will serve as a primary on both Ryan Newman and Chris Buescher’s Cup Series entries in select events. (more…)

Ryan Newman Featured in MotorTrend Season Documentary

by MikeNovember 24, 2020

CONCORD, N.C., (Nov. 24, 2020) – Ryan Newman’s post-Daytona 500 crash has been well documented, and his story is once again featured in national headlines as he is featured in NASCAR 2020: Under Pressure, a multi-part documentary that tells the story of the 2020 NASCAR season. (more…)

Jimmy Fennig to Lead Competition at Roush Fenway Racing

by MikeNovember 12, 2020November 12, 2020

Long-time Roush Fenway Employee/Championship Crew Chief Named EVP of Competition

CONCORD, N.C. (Nov. 11, 2020) – Roush Fenway Racing has named Jimmy Fennig executive vice president in charge of competition. Fennig, who joined the organization in 1997 and played a major role in several of the team’s greatest successes, will oversee all aspects of competition for Roush Fenway’s racing operations that currently fields two entries in the NASCAR Cup Series. (more…)

Roush Fenway Weekly Advance | Bristol I

by MikeMay 30, 2020

NASCAR makes its return to Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend with the NASCAR Cup Series set to roll Sunday afternoon for 500 laps at ‘The World’s Fastest Half Mile.’ A Jack Roush Ford has visited victory lane 18 times at Bristol, including 11 times in the Cup Series. Ryan Newman will pilot the No. 6 Castrol Ford Mustang and Chris Buescher will pilot the No. 17 SunnyD Ford Mustang.

Bristol Motor Speedway (.533-mile)
Food City presents the Supermarket Heroes 500

Sunday, May 31, 2020 | 3:30 p.m. ET

FS1, PRN, SiriusXM Channel 90

Ryan Newman, No. 6 Castrol Ford Mustang
Chris Buescher, No. 17 SunnyD Ford Mustang

NASCAR Returns to Action

Following four races in the Carolinas as part of NASCAR’s return to the track, the focus shifts to ‘The World’s Fastest Half Mile’ in Bristol, Tennessee, as the NASCAR Cup Series battles for 500 laps Sunday afternoon.
Following action at Bristol, the NCS will enjoy its first midweek off since the return before heading to Atlanta Motor Speedway on June 7 for the 10^th points race of 2020.
Four weeks of NASCAR action were completed prior to the hiatus with races at Atlanta, Homestead, Texas, Bristol, Richmond, Talladega, Dover and Martinsville postponed.

Thursday Recap, Sunday Preview

Ryan Newman found himself in the top-15 at the start of the final stage in Thursday night’s 208-lap event at Charlotte Motor Speedway, before crossing the line 17^th in the Roush Performance Ford. Teammate Chris Buescher earned a stage point in the opening 55 laps at Charlotte before going on to finish 22^nd.
The focus again shifts to a short track with Bristol, which happens to be a favorite of both Newman’s and Buescher’s.

Starting Lineup Procedures at Bristol

NASCAR announced this week the starting lineup for Bristol would be determined by a random draw based on teams’ order in owners points. Both Buescher and Newman – 20^th and 21^st, respectively – fall within the 13-24 group, with their random draw coming from charter teams in those positions. Newman drew the 17^th starting spot for Sunday, while Buescher drew 19^th.

Runner Up

Roush Fenway’s storied history at Bristol began on April 10, 1988 with the No. 6 NCS car earning a second-place finish. Since that time, in addition to the organization’s 11 NCS wins at the track, Roush Fenway Fords have finished second at Bristol on 15 occasions (7 NCS, 4 NXS, 4 NGROTS).

One-Two Punch

Roush Fenway’s most recent victory at Bristol came after sweeping the top two positions in the March 2014 event with former driver Carl Edwards taking the victory and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. coming home in second. Edwards led the final 78 laps of the event to earn the victory.

History and Hot Streaks at “Thunder Valley”

Roush Fenway’s history at Bristol has been one of hot streaks, including trips to victory lane in nine of the last 16 seasons at the famed short track. Roush Fenway swept the track in 2003 and put a NCS car in victory lane at least once in every season from 2002-2008.

Thunder Rolls

Roush Fenway has earned five victories, 23 top-five finishes, 37 top-10 finishes and an average finish of 15.8 at Bristol in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Former Roush Fenway driver David Ragan earned the organization’s most recent Xfinity victory at the .533-mile short track in the Aug. 2009 event.

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 Bristol Wins

1993-2 Martin Cup

1996-1 Martin NXS

1997-1 Burton NXS

1998-2 Martin Cup

2002-1 Busch Cup

2003-1 Busch Cup

2003-2 Busch Cup

2004-1 Busch Cup

2004 Edwards Truck

2005-2 Kenseth Cup

2006-2 Kenseth Cup

2006 Martin Truck

2006-2 Kenseth NXS

2007-1 Edwards NXS

2007-2 Edwards Cup

2008-2 Edwards Cup

2009-2 Ragan NXS

2014 -1 Edwards Cup

Roush Fenway Weekly Advance | Darlington II

by MikeMay 20, 2020

Darlington Raceway
Toyota 500

Wednesday, May 20, 2020 | 7:30 p.m. ET

FS1, MRN, SiriusXM Channel 90

Ryan Newman, No. 6 Oscar Mayer Ford Mustang
Chris Buescher, No. 17 Fifth Third Ford Mustang

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 outbreak before races at Atlanta, Homestead, Texas, Bristol, Richmond, Talladega, Dover and Martinsville were later postponed.

Sunday Recap, Wednesday Preview

Buescher had an unlucky return to the track Sunday at Darlington after being caught up in two other cars’ incidents twice. He received heavy damage early on that set he and the No. 17 team back for the remainder, eventually crossing the line 32^nd.
The starting lineup for Wednesday’s 311.4-mile race will be determined by an invert for the top-20 cars, with cars 21-40 starting where they finished on Sunday, meaning Buescher will fire off 32^nd.
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 15^th. He crossed the line ninth in stage one to earn stage points, and came back from a speeding penalty and cut tire in the closing laps to earn a top-15.
With the top-20 invert, Newman will be sixth on the grid Wednesday night.

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

Chris Buescher | Darlington II Advance

by MikeMay 19, 2020

Team: No. 17 Fifth Third Bank Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Luke Lambert

PR Contact: Brandon Lee; blee@roushfenway.com; 704-783-5446

Twitter: @17RoushTeam, @RoushFenway and @Chris_Buescher
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

Buescher had an unlucky return to the track Sunday at Darlington, getting caught up in other cars’ incidents twice. He received heavy damage early on that set the No. 17 team back for the remainder of the race, eventually crossing the line 32^nd.
The starting lineup for Wednesday’s 311.4-mile race will be determined by an invert for the top-20 cars, with cars 21-40 starting where they finished on Sunday, meaning Buescher will fire off 32^nd.

Buescher Historically at Darlington Raceway

Buescher makes his sixth Cup start at Darlington Wednesday night where he carries an average finish of 18.2.
Buescher finished 12^th last fall at ‘The Lady in Black,’ his best effort in five starts.
After qualifying 31^st and 27^th in his first two events at Darlington, Buescher followed that with qualifying efforts of 19^th and 12^th in 2018-19.
Buescher earned a Xfinity career-best fifth-place run at Darlington back in 2015 in the No. 60 RFR entry. He also finished 12^th two years prior in the No. 16 for Jack Roush.

Luke Lambert at Darlington Raceway

Lambert will be atop the box for his ninth NCS race at Darlington on Sunday. In eight prior events, he has an average finish of 18.4 including three top-10 runs.
All three of those came with Newman in the No. 31, with a 10^th-place result in 2014, an eighth-place finish in 2016 followed by seventh a year later.
Lambert also has one Xfinity Series race under his belt at Darlington with Elliott Sadler in 2012, finishing 24^th.

QUOTE WORTHY
Buescher on racing at Darlington:
“We had an unlucky Sunday at Darlington in getting caught up in a couple accidents that spoiled our day. Thankfully, the turnaround is quick and we can put that behind us and use our notes to tackle Wednesday night. We’re excited to have Fifth Third on board in their first race of 2020, and look forward to putting on a great show at one of my favorite tracks.”

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 Buescher’s teammate, Ryan Newman, select two names that were influential in his recovery since the Daytona 500. Dr. Jerry Petty, a partner with NASCAR for 40+ years, 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
Fifth Third Bank makes its 2020 debut aboard Buescher’s No. 17 entry Wednesday night at Darlington. As part of NASCAR’s return and Fifth Third’s return to the car, the company will run special messaging aboard Buescher’s Ford Mustang on the hood and TV panel.

In appreciation of all frontline employees, Fifth Third has added a special tribute to the No. 17 scheme. The message reads, “Thank you frontline heroes for giving your 166.7%.” The messaging is a nod to the Bank’s brand campaign, which plays off the improper fraction that is the Bank’s name.
As a fraction, 5/3 translates to more than 100 percent – 166.7 percent, to be exact – this special scheme honors all frontline employees who are going the extra mile to help our communities during this difficult time.

About Fifth Third Bank
Fifth Third Bancorp is a diversified financial services company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, and the indirect parent company of Fifth Third Bank, National Association, a federally chartered institution. As of March 31, 2020, Fifth Third had $185 billion in assets and operated 1,123 full-service banking centers and 2,464 ATMs with Fifth Third branding in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Florida, Tennessee, West Virginia, Georgia and North Carolina. In total, Fifth Third provides its customers with access to approximately 53,000 fee-free ATMs across the United States. Fifth Third operates four main businesses: Commercial Banking, Branch Banking, Consumer Lending and Wealth & Asset Management. Fifth Third is among the largest money managers in the Midwest and, as of March 31, 2020, had $374 billion in assets under care, of which it managed $42 billion for individuals, corporations and not-for-profit organizations through its Trust and Registered Investment Advisory businesses. Investor information and press releases can be viewed at www.53.com. Fifth Third’s common stock is traded on the Nasdaq^® Global Select Market under the symbol “FITB.” Fifth Third Bank was established in 1858. Deposit and Credit products are offered by Fifth Third Bank, National Association. Member FDIC.

Roush Fenway Racing Showing Support for Frontline Heroes

by MikeMay 16, 2020

CONCORD, N.C. (May 15, 2020) – Roush Fenway Racing will show its support for first responders, nurses, doctors and paramedics serving during the COVID-19 pandemic with a special ‘Frontline Hero’ logo on masks worn by team personnel at Darlington Raceway this weekend. (more…)

Roush Fenway Weekly Advance | Darlington

by MikeMay 15, 2020

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

Ryan Newman, No. 6 Oscar Mayer Ford Mustang
Chris Buescher, No. 17 Fastenal Ford Mustang

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 60^th 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 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

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

Most All-Time

The Real Heroes Project Debuts 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

eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series – Roush Fenway

by MikeMarch 28, 2020March 28, 2020

eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series – Advance
Track:   Virtual Texas Motor Speedway (1.5-mile)
Teams:   No. 6 Fifth Third Bank/Nutrien Ag Ford, No. 16 Castrol Ford, No. 17 Fastenal Ford
Drivers:   Ross Chastain (No. 6), Greg Biffle (No. 16), Chris Buescher (No. 17)
Twitter:   @RoushFenway, @Roush6Team, @Roush16Team, @17RoushTeam
Hashtag:   #ProInvitationalSeries

eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series – Sunday, March 29 at 1 p.m. ET on FOX Broadcast Network, FS1, FOX Sports App

ADVANCE NOTES
Event Details
· Last Sunday, NASCAR, iRacing and FOX Sports teamed up to deliver the first-ever eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series event, with a 100-lap race from the virtual Homestead-Miami Speedway.
· After drawing 903,000 viewers on FS1 last week, FOX has committed to coverage of the remainder of the season, beginning Sunday at 1 p.m. live from virtual Texas Motor Speedway.
· Chris Buescher will once again pilot the No. 17 eMustang, while Ross Chastain will again be behind the virtual wheel of the No. 6. In a surprising return to his roots, Greg Biffle will join the eField and pilot the No. 16 car.

Buescher at Texas Motor Speedway
· Buescher returns to his virtual home track at TMS this weekend, where he has nine career Cup Series starts.
· He holds an average finish of 22.1 with a best Cup finish of 15^th back in 2018.
· In Xfinity Series action, Buescher has five starts at Texas with one top-10, a ninth-place run in the No. 60 in 2015.

Chastain at Texas Motor Speedway
· Chastain has four career NCS starts at TMS with a best finish of 18^th (spring – 2018).
· In Xfinity action, Chastain has 10 races under his belt at the 1.5-mile track, including a runner-up finish in the fall of last season.

Biffle at Texas Motor Speedway
· Biffle returns to the virtual seat at Roush Fenway Racing, where he made 760 combined starts for Jack Roush across NASCAR’s three major touring series. Texas is the home of four of Biffle’s career NASCAR wins, including two in the Cup Series and two in trucks.
· Biffle made 26 Cup starts at TMS from 2003-16, earning a pair of wins (2005, 2012) along with 13 top-10s. He earned the same number of wins in the Truck Series, most recently jumping in the seat for Kyle Busch’s No. 51 truck where he won last season. His other Truck win came in 2000 in the No. 50 truck for Jack Roush.

NASCAR/iRacing History
NASCAR and iRacing have an unprecedented history in the esports space, currently in the 11th season of the longest-running officially sanctioned esports racing series, the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series. It features 40 of the best sim racers in the world competing for more than $300,000, one of the richest payouts in esports racing competition.

Roush Fenway’s 2020 lineup includes Nathan Lyon, driver of the No. 6 and a native of St. Louis Missouri, and Kollin Keister, driver of the No. 17, who hails from Frostburg, Maryland.

Greg Biffle to Make Return Behind the Wheel of Roush Fenway’s No. 16 Ford

by MikeMarch 27, 2020

CONCORD, N.C. (March 27, 2020) – Greg Biffle will make his return to Roush Fenway’s No. 16 this weekend, when he takes the wheel of the Castrol© Ford Mustang in Sunday’s eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series event set at Texas Motor Speedway. Biffle piloted Jack Roush Fords for 19 seasons, carving out a career worthy of the Hall of Fame while winning a pair of championships in the Truck and Xfinity Series and coming just short of becoming the only driver in history to win the championship in all three of NASCAR’s major touring series.

(more…)