Kurt Busch, the most recent pole winner in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, kept his speed streak going, leading the first practice for the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Busch, driving the No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Chevy, posted a fast lap of 190.846 mph to lead the 90-minute session. Younger brother Kyle Busch was second-best at 190.469 mph in the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. Followed by Kasey Kahne, the defending winner in NASCAR's longest race, and Hendrick Motorsports team mate and series points leader Jimmie Johnson, a six-time Charlotte winner in points-paying events turned an identical lap to Kahne's to place three Chevy drivers in the top four on the speed chart ahead of Sunday's race.
But it was Denny Hamlin who layed down the fastest time when it mattered by winning the pole for the Coca-Cola 600 with a record-setting qualifying lap. Hamlin broke the track record with a lap of 195.624 mph to capture his first pole at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Hamlin will start alongside Kurt Busch on the front row, followed by Matt Kenseth, Mark Martin and Clint Bowyer.
During this weekend's Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Michael Waltrip Racing will carry Feed The Children decals on the roofs of all three of its NASCAR Sprint Cup Toyotas. The decals will bring greater awareness to an organization forced to turn its focus to its own Oklahoma community. The cars of drivers #56-Martin Truex Jr., #15-Clint Bowyer and #55-Mark Martin will carry the decals in Sunday's 600-mile race. Founded in 1979, Feed The Children is on the front lines helping tornado victims and first responders in their hometown.
Congratulations to the #55 Aaron's Dream Machine mechanic Chris Hall and his wife Denelle welcomed James Mason Dean (7 lbs 8 oz) into the world yesterday. Mother and baby are doing well.
myla min 5-23
NASCAR announced the inductees who will comprise the 2014 class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. The five-person group; the fifth in NASCAR Hall of Fame history consists of Tim Flock, Jack Ingram, Dale Jarrett, Maurice Petty and Fireball Roberts. Next year's Induction Day is scheduled for Jan. 29, 2014; it will be broadcast on Fox Sports 1 from Charlotte.
In honor of National Guard Soldiers and Memorial Day, the #88 Chevrolet SS of Dale Earnhardt Jr. will carry a camouflage paint scheme this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. As the nation's oldest Armed Forces component, the National Guard and its Citizen Soldiers play a vital role in protecting the freedoms Americans hold dear. Join Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the National Guard this Memorial Day by celebrating America and the men and women who serve this great county.
Scott Speed is adding up to 10 further NASCAR Sprint Cup events to his schedule after his recent top-10 finish at Talladega secured extra backing for his #95 Ford Fusion. The ex-Toro Rosso Formula 1 racer now plans to combine top-level US stock car racing with a Global Rallycross Championship campaign for the rest of the season.
NASCAR's Matt Kenseth crushed the opposition to win the first quarter Driver of the Year Award 2013. The 2003 Sprint Cup Champion scored twice the points of his nearest rivals in a vote by an elite panel of American broadcasters and journalists. Kenseth will receive a trophy and a Tissot wristwatch to be presented at a race weekend at to be determined.
myla min 5-22
The newest class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame is set to be announced live today; you can watch on NASCAR Race Hub on FOX Sports' SPEED starting at 5:00pm. Steve Byrnes and Danielle Trotta host the event in-studio, while Mike Joy, Kyle Petty and Rick Allen all report from the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Uptown Charlotte to provide news, analysis and interviews. They choose among a group of 25 nominees, including those on the ballot for the first time in Maurice Petty, Dale Jarrett, Larry Phillips, Rex White and Bruton Smith.
Speedway Motorsports chairman Bruton Smith has long advocated for Las Vegas Motor Speedway to host the NASCAR season finales for the Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Camping World Truck series. Over the past month, rumors circulated on the possibility of Smith’s desire to move his fall NASCAR race dates from Charlotte Motor Speedway to Las Vegas Motor Speedway to expedite the process.
With the season ending NASCAR Sprint Cup banquet having moved to Las Vegas; the simplicity of holding the season finale and the awards celebration in the same venue makes sense.
Smith has not had discussions with NASCAR regarding a date change prior to the interview. NASCAR senior vice president Steve O’Donnell said “It would include formal request which is our well-documented realignment process where we evaluate what is in the best interest of the entire sport — fans, race teams, tracks, TV partners, sponsors.” Currently, Ford sponsors the season-ending Ford Championship Weekend in Homestead and the contract runs through 2014. But ultimately, NASCAR, which controls the race dates, would have the final word.
We told you yesterday about q national contest with PEAK Motor Oil, searching for 10 racers to compete in a three-day performance driving school. The fastest driver wins extensive race training, licensing, and an opportunity to qualify for a professional stock car race with full support - Use of a car, crew and equipment to prove that you have what it takes to become the Next Stock Car Star.
Bowling Green’s 23 yr old Dillon Oliver tells us why he wants to win!
Vote for Dillon at peakstockcardream.com
Sat, May 26 - 2012
2:30 PM
Charlotte
NASCAR Nationwide Series
ABC
Sun, May 27 - 2012
5:30 PM
Charlotte
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
FOX
myla min 5-21
Despite a dismal season to date, there are no crew chief changes planned at Stewart-Haas Racing [#10-Patrick, #14-Stewart & #39-Newman], a high-ranking team official told SPEED yesterday. After Saturday night's Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, team co-owner Tony Stewart spent nearly two hours in the team hauler, meeting with crew chief Steve Addington and team engineers to work on solving the team's handling issues.
Held on Memorial Day weekend, the Coca-Cola 600 presents an opportunity for the NASCAR community to display appreciation for our country's military forces. This year, Fastenal is proud to honor military service men and women, both active and retired, with a three-car tribute on the #16, #17 and #99 Ford Fusions at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Twenty years after losing their mentor, their leader, in a plane crash near Bristol, Tenn., nine members of Alan Kulwicki's 1992 NASCAR Winston Cup championship team reunited. It was a time to laugh, shed a few tears, renew friendships and help raise money for the Alan Kulwicki Memorial Scholarship fund at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte. The event, last Sunday, was full of storytelling and dinner.
Almost daily, Kyle Busch and members of his #18 M&M'S Toyota team practice to improve their efficiency changing tires and pouring gas, to ensure they can save precious seconds necessary to maintain track position. Today, the team banded together with colleagues from Joe Gibbs Racing, NASCAR and M&M'S to make improvements of a different kind. This unique team, comprised of more than 50 volunteers, is helping build two Habitat for Humanity of Charlotte homes in the Charlotte area. Fans can join Busch and M&M'S by pledging to volunteer their time and talents at Habitat for Humanity build sites across the country at www.mproveamerica.com. Later this month, M&M'S will also introduce specially marked M'Prove America packages of red, white and blue M&M'S Brand Candies in stores nationwide.
PEAK Motor Oil is searching for 10 racers to compete in a three-day performance driving school. The fastest driver wins extensive race training, licensing, and an opportunity to qualify for a professional stock car race with full support - Use of a car, crew and equipment to prove that you have what it takes to become the Next Stock Car Star. This is open to everyone from the seasoned track rat to the racing noob who thinks he can compete with the best of 'em. One Bowling Green Driver has signed up for the challenge; 23 yr old Dillon Oliver who has Multiple track Champ's-mini cups, legends, & LM
National Legends Champ, King of Short Track 2009
Vote for Dillon at peakstockcardream.com
myla min 5-20
Cross another milestone off of Jimmie Johnson's list. He stands alone in All-Star history. ''Five-time'' became the first four-time winner of NASCAR's annual All-Star race, breaking a tie with the late Dale Earnhardt and teammate Jeff Gordon Saturday night. This win in the $1 million Sprint All-Star Race was his second straight and fourth in 12 years. Joey Logano finished second and Kyle Busch, who won two of the first four segments, was third as neither had a shot at running down Johnson once he got his No. 48 Chevrolet out front. Kurt Busch, who also won two segments finished fifth.
Kyle Busch cashed in on another invasion of the Truck series Friday night, rebounding from a pit-road issue to win by .468 of a second over Brendan Gaughan. It was Busch’s 112th win in NASCAR’s top three series and his 31st in trucks. Johnny Sauter, formerly leading the points and entering Friday’s race in second place, was knocked out of the race with 20 laps to go.
Ken Schrader won the ARCA race yesterday afternoon at Toledo Speedway, making him the oldest winner in ARCA Racing Series. Schrader started second in his Federated Auto Parts Chevrolet and led 163 laps.
Kevin Harvick will join Folds of Honor Foundation founder Major Dan Rooney at Fort Bragg to make a special presentation to the base, tour the Warrior Transition Battalion and meet with soldiers on Thursday. (5/23) The visit is a part of Budweiser's "red, white and blue summer" initiative, which benefits the Folds of Honor Foundation. Since 2010, Budweiser has raised more than $5 million for the Folds of Honor Foundation and provided more than 1,000 educational scholarships to the families of soldiers killed or disabled in service
myla min 5-17
Retired race car driver Richard "Dick" Trickle, 71, died yesterday from an apparent self inflicted gun shot wound. Investigators say Trickle apparently went to the Forest Lawn Cemetery Boger City around noon; he used his phone to call 911. The operator was told "there would be a dead body and it would be his." He then hung up the phone. Workers attempted to call Trickle back, but he did not answer. When emergency crews arrived on the scene, they found Trickle's body lying near his pickup.
Dick Trickle was NASCAR legend who actually didn't start with the organization until he was 48-years-old. He won the Winston Cup Series' "Rookie of the Year" in 1989. Trickle, a Wisconsin-native achieved much success on short tracks outside of NASCAR, made his Cup debut in 1970 but didn't race full time in the series until 19-years later.
Trickle was known as "The White Knight" and often referred to as the "winningest short track driver in history" with more than 1,200 wins on short tracks all over the country. His last Winston Cup start was in 2002. He finished his Cup career with 303 starts, but no wins.
Truck Series driver Jennifer Jo Cobb says she feels ''in danger'' of racing tonight at Charlotte against another NASCAR driver who was arrested for stealing her team trailer this week. Cobb reported she had a trailer and its contents, valued at $279,000, taken from her shop last Saturday. The trailer hasn't been located.
Fellow NASCAR driver Mike Harmon says he turned himself into the police after a warrant was issued for his arrest on charges of felony larceny. He posted $10,000 bond. Harmon says he's innocent of all charges, claiming he was in Darlington, S.C., when the trailer was taken. He plans to race Friday.
There's some discrepancy over who owns the trailer -- Cobb or David Novak, her business partner until last December. Harmon used to be the team manager for Cobb's Nationwide team.
For the first time since this year's Daytona 500, FOX Sports and SPEED bring CAMCAT back to the track, as the 85-mph, high-tech camera suspended above the race track by a pair of gigantic cranes positioned outside of Charlotte Motor Speedway adds a strong element to SPEED's signature coverage of the 29th NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race on Saturday night. With $1 million-to-win from Sprint, and another $1 million available to any driver that can win all five segments, this 'anything goes' event showcases the sport's biggest stars.
The pit crew of the #48 Lowe's Chevy of Jimmie Johnson has been together for nearly 3 years and done a good job on pit road. Over the last few weeks the team is moving in another direction and has made 3 changes.
Martin Truex Jr. He raised $60,000 for charity-Wednesday night, his foundation held its fourth annual Catwalk for a Cause. The fashion show sold out with more than 450 in attendance including several drivers and NASCAR celebrities. All of the monies raised benefit the Martin Truex Jr. Special Needs Fund at Levine Children's Hospital in Charlotte.
