DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Dec. 8, 2020) – NASCAR and Daytona International Speedway announced today, that for the second consecutive year, the storied DAYTONA Road Course will play host to the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Feb. 19-21, just one week after the 63rd running of the DAYTONA 500. (more…)
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Dec. 8, 2020) – Due to challenges resulting from the ongoing pandemic and the need for significant advance planning, NASCAR will adjust two race weekends immediately following the 63rd running of the DAYTONA 500 on Sunday, Feb. 14. All three NASCAR national series will now remain in Daytona to run a tripleheader at the storied road course Feb. 19-21 before the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series head down to Homestead-Miami Speedway on Feb. 27-28. (more…)
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Dec. 2, 2020) – The 63rd Annual DAYTONA 500 will play host to a limited number of fans, but The Great American Race will – as it has since 1959 – continue the tradition of the biggest event in all of motorsports, delivering the pageantry, excitement and drama like nowhere else in the world. (more…)
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Nov. 19, 2020) – Since 2000, the season opener for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series has been hosted by storied Daytona International Speedway. Next February will be no different for the NextEra Energy 250 that has produced some of the most memorable finishes in the sport as NASCAR announced the 2021 slate for the Series today. (more…)
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Nov. 19, 2020) – NASCAR today announced the 2021 schedule for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series™. The schedule is highlighted by trips to traditional and new tracks alike, including a new battle in the dirt at an iconic NASCAR track, and a second dirt contest at another storied – yet brand-new – venue. (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.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 14, 2020) – NASCAR today announced the next installment of races in its return to racing, featuring events at Bristol Motor Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway, Martinsville Speedway, Homestead-Miami Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway. The slate of races include events in the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Series and the ARCA Menards Series. (more…)
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 14, 2020) – As NASCAR returns to the racetrack for the first time in more than two months, the sport will honor frontline healthcare workers in The Real Heroes 400 at Darlington Raceway on Sunday, May 17 at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX.
The special NASCAR Cup Series race entitlement at Darlington Raceway follows the launch of The Real Heroes Project, a collaborative initiative by 14 sports leagues including NASCAR to recognize and pay tribute to medical professionals serving on the front lines in the fight against COVID-19.
“As the coronavirus challenges our country in unprecedented ways, the frontline healthcare workers – the nurses, paramedics, emergency physicians and many others – continue to inspire us with their strength and bravery in caring for their fellow Americans,” said Jill Gregory, NASCAR executive vice president and chief marketing and content officer. “These men and women are the real heroes and the NASCAR industry is incredibly proud to honor their selflessness and service as we return to racing on Sunday.”
Through a collaboration with NASCAR, FOX Sports and the race teams, each driver’s name will be replaced above the driver-side window with the name of an individual healthcare worker currently battling the coronavirus pandemic. In addition, The Real Heroes Project logo will be displayed on the side panel of each racecar.
The healthcare workers honored on the cars, selected in part by local FOX affiliates from cities across the country, will serve as grand marshals for The Real Heroes 400 and appear in an on-air mosaic to simultaneously give the command for drivers to start their engines for the race.
“Real heroes” from the state of South Carolina include healthcare workers from St. Francis Downtown hospital in Greenville S.C., and McLeod Regional Medical Center in Florence, S.C., located just south of Darlington Raceway.
The sports leagues behind the Real Heroes Project launched a public service announcement on May 6 that featured some of the biggest names in sports including a pair of NASCAR Cup Series champions in Joe Gibbs Racing driver Kyle Busch and Stewart-Haas Racing driver Kevin Harvick. The PSA features more than 30 athletes sharing personal thank-you messages with their healthcare heroes and replacing the names on their own jerseys and uniforms with the names of individual medical professionals.
The campaign encourages sports fans to pay tribute to the frontline healthcare workers in their lives on social media using #TheRealHeroes.
As NASCAR resumes the 2020 race season on Sunday, The Real Heroes 400 will be the first of three national series races at Darlington Raceway in the span of four days – all taking place without fans in attendance. The NASCAR Xfinity Series will return to action on Tuesday, May 19 (8 p.m. ET on FS1), followed by the second NASCAR Cup Series race at Darlington on Wednesday, May 20 (7:30 p.m. ET on FS1).
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’).
Series Kicks Off Tonight at Virtual Homestead-Miami Speedway; Full Season Streamed on eNASCAR.com
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (April 22, 2020) – NASCAR, Race Team Alliance and Motorsport Games announced today the highly anticipated eNASCAR Heat Pro League™ season two kicks off tonight at 8 p.m. ET at virtual Homestead-Miami Speedway. The series will again be streamed on eNASCAR.com, as well as NASCAR Heat’s Twitch and Facebook.
“The eNASCAR Heat Pro League debut last year highlighted the significant opportunity for our esports platforms,” said Tim Clark, senior vice president and chief digital officer, NASCAR. “We’re excited about season two, and in the midst of this sport’s hiatus, we’re proud those platforms can help fill that void for our fans.”
The 2020 season features 14 races at tracks across the NASCAR circuit, including Eldora Speedway, Road America and Iowa Speedway, with gamers showcasing their skills in all three of NASCAR’s national series. The 14-race season is broken up into three four-race segments, with one driver per platform (Xbox One™ and PlayStation®4) capturing a spot in the Championship race as well as a shot at the $200,000 prize pool. In addition, a final wildcard event at the virtual Daytona International Speedway in July will allow for two more drivers to secure their Championship hopes.
“eNASCAR Heat Pro League competition helps create yet another opportunity for teams across NASCAR to engage with fans and grow their presence in the evolving esports space,” said Dmitry Kozko, CEO, Motorsport Games. “With an increased prize pool to $200,000 and a new schedule format, competitors and teams have more on the line this season, and the racing is sure to show it.”
The eNASCAR Heat Pro League will once again offer gamers the opportunity to race for one of 14 NASCAR teams, with all of last year’s teams returning. Prior to the virtual draft on April 8, organizations were required to clear at least one roster spot from last year. Chip Ganassi Gaming, GoFas Gaming and Joe Gibbs Gaming elected to start with fully clean slates. Teams had a pool of 48 gamers to choose from, with the draft order determined by inverse point standings from last season. Draft results and team rosters can be found here.
The debut season of the eNASCAR Heat Pro League produced over one million live views of its race broadcasts and numerous live events throughout the year, including a live draft at Phoenix Raceway, an in-person race at Charlotte Motor Speedway and the Championship finale at NASCAR’s Arena 43 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The eNASCAR Heat Pro League features 28 gamers from 14 teams, each owned and operated by prominent NASCAR race teams. Each team fields two drivers, one racing on Xbox One™ and the other on PlayStation®4, all competing for a shared championship. The eNASCAR Heat Pro League transitioned to NASCAR Heat 4, the latest game in the NASCAR Heat franchise, last September, prior to the 2019 playoffs.
For more information on the eNASCAR Heat Pro League and the 2020 season, please visit eNASCAR.com.
| Regular Season Schedule | ||||
| Segment 1 | Race | Date | Track | Series |
| 1 | April 22, 2020 | Homestead-Miami Speedway | NASCAR Cup Series | |
| 2 | April 29, 2020 | Watkins Glen International | NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series | |
| 3 | May 6, 2020 | Dover International Speedway | NASCAR Xfinity Series | |
| 4 | May 13, 2020 | New Hampshire Motor Speedway | NASCAR Cup Series | |
| Segment 2 | 1 | May 20, 2020 | Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course | NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series |
| 2 | May 27, 2020 | Talladega Superspeedway | NASCAR Cup Series | |
| 3 | June 3, 2020 | Iowa Speedway | NASCAR Xfinity Series | |
| 4 | June 10, 2020 | Atlanta Motor Speedway | NASCAR Cup Series | |
| Segment 3 | 1 | June 17, 2020 | Eldora Speedway | NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series |
| 2 | June 24, 2020 | Auto Club Speedway | NASCAR Cup Series | |
| 3 | July 1, 2020 | Road America | NASCAR Xfinity Series | |
| 4 | July 8, 2020 | Las Vegas Motor Speedway | NASCAR Cup Series | |
| Wildcard | July 15, 2020 | Daytona International Speedway | NASCAR Cup Series | |
| Championship | TBD | TBD | NASCAR Cup Series | |
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 Motorsport Games
Motorsport Games, part of the Motorsport Network, is dedicated to virtual racing. Our mission is to combine video game development with esports to deliver exciting, innovative experiences people will play, watch and engage with. We develop and publish console, PC and mobile video games. Including the NASCAR Heat franchise, Officially Licensed by NASCAR. Motorsport Games is the esports partner of choice for many of the world’s leading motorsport rights holders including the NASCAR, Formula E, Le Mans and the FIA World Rallycross Championship and others.
For more information about Motorsport Games visit: www.motorsportgames.com
About Motorsport Network
Motorsport Network is an integrated digital platform that is the destination for everything cars and racing. We sit at the heart of the automotive and racing industries offering a global community of millions of fans the inside track on the world’s best teams, drivers, car brands and experiences no one else can.
We’re building a community for the fans, unlocking incredible personalized experiences that fuel their passion and opens up the world of cars and racing to the next generation.
(NASCAR PR)
NASCAR Cup Series Drivers and Racing Icons to Compete in Esports Series;
Exhibition Races to Provide Fans with Entertaining Content While NASCAR’s National Series Await Return
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 17, 2020) – NASCAR and iRacing announced today the formation of the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series, an exhibition esports series featuring many of the sports most talented and popular drivers. The simulation-style showcase will include a cross-section of competitors from the NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series™ and a group of NASCAR dignitaries.
