NASCAR CUP SERIESDARLINGTON RACEWAYTHE REAL HEROES 400TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE NOTES AND QUOTESMAY 17, 2020 
TOP TEAM CHEVY UNOFFICIAL RACE RESULTS:POS.   DRIVER2nd     ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 88 CHEVYGOODS.COM / NOCO CAMARO ZL1 1LE3rd     KURT BUSCH, NO. 1 MONSTER ENERGY CAMARO ZL1 1LE 4th      CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CAMARO ZL1 1LE 7th      TYLER REDDICK, NO. 8 CATERPILLAR CAMARO ZL1 1LE 10th    MATT KENSETH, NO. 42 CREDIT ONE BANK CAMARO ZL1 1LE TOP FIVE UNOFFICIAL RACE RESULTS: POS.  DRIVER1st      Kevin Harvick (Ford)2nd     Alex Bowman (Chevrolet)3rd     Kurt Busch (Chevrolet)4th      Chase Elliott (Chevrolet)5th     Denny Hamlin (Toyota)  The NASCAR Cup Series season continues with a return visit to Darlington Raceway on Wednesday, May 20, at 7:30 p.m. ET. Live coverage can be found on FS1, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. TEAM CHEVY NOTES AND QUOTES:ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 88 CHEVYGOODS.COM / NOCO CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Finished 2ndYOU AND KEVIN (HARVICK) HAD A BATTLE ON THAT FINAL RESTART, JUST NOT QUITE ENOUGH TO PULL IT OFF. MAN, THAT WAS FUN TO WATCH YOU GUYS RACING THAT HARD.“Yeah, it was a lot of fun to get to race a guy like Kevin (Harvick) at a place like Darlington (Raceway). Man, I’m pumped for ChevyGoods.com and NOCO. Hendrick Motorsports had four really fast race cars. It sucks to finish second, but it’s really good to restart the season this way with a strong car off the truck. We just needed a little bit more. I don’t really know what it was. At times we were tight, at times we were free. Neither times were we faster than the 4 on the long runs. So, I thought if I could get him there on the restart, we’d have a shot at it, but just came up a little bit short.” KURT BUSCH, NO. 1 MONSTER ENERGY CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Finished 3rdI HEARD YOU SAY AT ONE STAGE IN THE RACE THAT ‘WE HAVE A GOOD CAR AFTER TEN LAPS’, SO IT JUST TOOK A LITTLE BIT TO GET THAT THING GOING. “We were a little bit tight here, a little bit loose there. But, man, what a great team. Thank you to Chip Ganassi, Rob Kauffman, Felix Sabates. I’m the happiest guy in the world. I got to drive 200 mph today, pass some cars, felt the energy of the race car, and just to be out here and have a job. Thank you to Monster Energy and Chevrolet. I miss you race fans. We didn’t have you here, but I felt you through the camera. Thank you to FOX and NASCAR for making this happen.” CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Finished 4th“Had a slow start for sure, it was nice to get our NAPA Chevy back driving decent there at the end. Hate that we were so far in left field to start the race, but really proud of the effort. Pit stops were fantastic and the adjustments were really good. The track kept changing and we were able to kind of keep up with things and finally get caught back up to a decent place at the end. Hopefully we have something really good to build off of on Wednesday. Heard that was our best run at Darlington, so that’s good! Hopefully Wednesday is a few spots better.” “Thought NASCAR did a great job of executing today in a safe manner. It was a good atmosphere, in my opinion. The lack of people is certainly a weird vibe, but I think from execution and them (NASCAR) doing a really good job of keeping everybody safe and trying to execute the first race back was very well done. Looking forward to Wednesday, like I said, just excited to be back racing. It was a fun day, it was a fun vibe. I loved the atmosphere and the fact that we didn’t practice, I thought it was really cool. I think it had zero percent effect on the race winner today. Hopefully we can kind of make this a trend and get back to our roots. It reminded me a lot of short track racing, which I think is a lot of fun. Looking forward to Wednesday.” TYLER REDDICK, NO. 8 CATERPILLAR CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Finished 7th“Well, we’re officially back to racing, and it felt great. Our first day back in the No. 8 Caterpillar Chevrolet was a little rough around the edges at times, but starting out in the 29^th spot and racing our way into the top five in about the first 125 laps was just an outstanding kick off our race. It felt like we were bouncing right back from our good momentum that we had at Phoenix Raceway before this break. It was a hot, slick track for sure today, which I love, but we also saw the track change quite a bit. Our No. 8 Caterpillar Chevrolet was really good and took off so well at the start of the race, that it was tough to adjust on it throughout the day. We really needed to though as the track changed, so that’s something I think we can look to improve on for Wednesday’s race, since we know how much the lanes could change during a race now. It was a wild day for us though. We had that piece of debris come off the wall and stick our splitter, which slowed one of our stops as we tried to get it all off. That caused a slight pit road miscue with a tire, which sent us to the tail of the line and forced us to fight back from 29^th one more time. We never gave up, and all in all, it was a great day. A seventh-place finish is a great way to come back, and we’ll look to build momentum from here. Good news is, we get to come back Wednesday night and try to finish seven spots better.” AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 SYMBICORT CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Finished 11th“First off, I want to start off by saying good job NASCAR. That was awesome to be able to pull off a race like that here in Darlington. This place is awesome, I love this track. It can be so frustrating and so fun at the same time. Position 11; we had a really fast car there at the end. We ran the 42 (Matt Kenseth) down from way back. We didn’t have enough time, messed around there too much early in that last run.” “Man, that was fun. The 8 car was amazing; really fast today also. So, I think we can look at both of our setups and learn something, and kind of mix between the two. Thank you to everyone from Symbicort and all our partners. Once again, thank you NASCAR for coming back and being successful. This was cool. I miss the fans, for sure. I was worried it wasn’t going to feel like a race, but when you put the helmet on and get in the car, it was a race. It was nice to be out there racing against all those guys. It was a good one. Thank you to everyone that helped put this on.” TY DILLON, NO. 13 GEICO CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Finished 19th “My Germain Racing guys did a good job today and prepared a solid race car to bring here to Darlington. It’s not easy to just unload and have your first lap on the track, be the first lap of the race, but it is a pure testament to their hard work at the shop. Our GEICO Camaro ZL1 1LE was way too tight for two-thirds of the race, but Matt (Borland) and I kept working on it to make the handling pretty good by the end. We as a team worked through the frustration in the beginning and kept building on it. I’m happy to get a top-20 finish to kick off this stretch and now we will look forward to Wednesday night.” RYAN PREECE, NO. 37 COTTONELLE CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Finished 20th“Overall, it was a solid day for our Cottonelle Chevy. We’ve been in a little bit of a hole to start out the season for reasons we weren’t able to control, but this is a positive step forward. We were able to get some stage points and run towards the front, just had a few pit stops that didn’t go our way. We’re a team and we’re moving forward together. We know we have the speed, just need to put everything together. Starting on the pole this Wednesday is going to be really fun. I’m very grateful for all of our frontline workers, everyone at the shop, and our NASCAR industry as a whole for rallying together to be able to safely get us back on the racetrack. We definitely miss the fans but hope that having our sport live on TV fills the gap until we can safely have everyone back at the racetrack. WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 AXALTA ‘COLOR OF THE YEAR’ CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Finished 35th “We had such a fast car today. We just had a vibration that kept getting worse and the wheel finally came loose. I really appreciate me team sticking with it today and for all the hard work they have put in to unload with such a fast Axalta Chevy. Good thing we can rally and do it all again on Wednesday. We’ll be ready.” JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Sidelined in crash on lap 89; Finished 38th YOU HAD A LIGHTNING-FAST 48 CAR TODAY. WAS THERE ANYTHING DIFFERENT OFF OF TURN TWO THAT YOU COULD HAVE DONE OVER THERE?“Gosh, what I would do to get that corner back to do it over again. Coming to the end of the stage, I was just trying to make sure I got a good run off of turn two. I felt like I was going to be able to exit the corner side-by-side with him, things just went horribly wrong there. What a great car, I feel terrible for my team and everybody at Hendrick Motorsports. I’m very thankful for Ally and all of their support. We have great race cars and things are coming in the right direction, just unfortunate that things didn’t really turn out there off of turn two.” “Man, that hurts, what a bummer. There’s a race in a few days and we’ll be back. Stuff happens, it’s racing. The good news is that the 48 is fast, my team is on it, and my Camaro is fast. We have great support from Ally and great support from my fans. This will sting a little on the drive home, there’s no doubt. But I will use this and learn from it. I will be back Wednesday and then it’s on.” RICKY STENHOUSE JR., NO. 47 KROGER CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Sidelined in crash on lap 1; Finished 40th “Not really sure what to say there about our first lap, first corner. Pretty embarrassing for myself, our team. My crew guys, I feel awful for them. They put a lot of hard work into getting our cars ready and coming all the way down here to Darlington. I put myself in a bad spot there. The 32 (Corey LaJoie) looked like he had to check up and I put myself on the inside of him. Just put ourselves in a bad spot and ended our race before it ever started. I’m looking forward to getting back here on Wednesday to try and put a better run together, and put this behind us.”

Late-Race Momentum Helps Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Symbicort (budesonide/formoterol fumarate dihydrate) Chevrolet Team Finish Strong at Darlington Raceway

“Good job NASCAR. That was awesome to be able to pull off a race like that at Darlington Raceway. This place is great. I love this track. It can be so frustrating, and then so fun at the same time. We finished 11th in the No. 3 Symbicort (budesonide/formoterol fumarate dihydrate) Chevrolet. We had a really fast Chevy at the end of the race. We ran the No. 42 car down from way back, but we didn’t have enough time to pass him for 10th. I messed around too much early in the last run. That was a fun race. Both RCR entries were good today. The No. 8 Caterpillar Chevrolet was amazing. I think we can look at both of our setups and learn something, maybe a mix between the two setups for Wednesday night’s race. I want to thank everybody from AstraZeneca, and all of our partners. It was a huge accomplishment for our industry to come back, and to be successful. I missed the fans, for sure. I was worried it wasn’t going to feel like a race, but when you put the helmet on and got into the car, it was a race. It was nice to be out there racing. Thanks to everybody who put this on.” -Austin Dillon

Tyler Reddick Earns Career-Best NASCAR Cup Series Finish in the No. 8 Caterpillar Chevrolet at Darlington Raceway

“We’re officially back to racing, and it feels great. Our first day back in the No. 8 Caterpillar Chevrolet was a little rough around the edges at times, but starting out in the 29th spot and racing our way into the top five in the first 125 laps was just an outstanding kick off to our race. It felt like we were bouncing right back into our good momentum that we had at Phoenix Raceway before this break. It was a hot, slick track for sure today, which I love. We also saw the track change quite a bit. Our No. 8 Caterpillar Chevrolet was really good and took off so well at the start of the race, that it was tough to adjust on it throughout the day. We really needed to though as the track changed, so that’s something I think we can look to improve on for Wednesday’s race. It was a wild day for us though. We had a piece of debris come off the wall and stick to our splitter, which slowed one of our pit stops as we tried to get it all off. That caused a slight pit road miscue with a tire and sent us to the tail of the line, forcing us to fight back from 29th one more time. We never gave up, and all in all, it was a great day. A seventh place finish is a great way to come back, and we’ll look to build momentum from here. The good news is, we get to come back Wednesday night and try to finish seven spots better.”

Richard Childress Racing at Darlington Raceway … Richard Childress is tied for third in all-time car owner victories with Holman-Moody and the Wood Brothers in NASCAR Cup Series competition at Darlington Raceway with eight wins each. RCR’s history at the South Carolina-based track began in 1976 with Richard Childress earning a top-10 finish behind the wheel of a No. 3 Chevrolet. Since that time, RCR has notched 125 collective Cup Series starts at the 1.366-mile egg-shaped oval, accumulating 23 top-five and 40 top-10 finishes. RCR also has 58 starts at the track in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, with 10 top-five finishes and 23 top-10 finishes, and three NASCAR Truck Series starts, with one top-five finish. COVID-19 Relief … Own a piece of history by participating in a recently launched 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, including an original No. 3 Chevrolet once raced by Dale Earnhardt, complete with engine. To bid or purchase items from Childress’ personal collection, visit https://www.ebay.com/str/RichardChildresscollection. Bidders interested in the Dale Earnhardt racecar should register here https://www.barrett-jackson.com/Events/Event/Home/OnlineMay-2020/4ac775c5-37d9-4906-800b-84478937ab2b. The NASCAR Cup Series Race at Darlington Raceway will be televised live Wednesday, May 20 beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1 and will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Austin Dillon at Darlington Raceway … Austin Dillon has made six career starts in the NASCAR Cup Series at Darlington Raceway, posting a career-best fourth-place finish in 2017. He has made three appearances at “The Lady in Black” in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, securing his best finish of fifth in 2012. The 2011 NASCAR Truck Series champion has two starts at the track in the Truck Series, earning his best finish of fifth in August 2010. SYMBICORT Partners with the No. 3 at Darlington Raceway … SYMBICORT is an AstraZeneca product and the sponsor of the No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Darlington Raceway with Austin Dillon. You can learn more at MySymbicort.com. AstraZeneca is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development and commercialization of prescription medicines. AstraZeneca operates in over 100 countries and its innovative medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide. Dow brings a science and engineering crew who is driven by limitless curiosity to the RCR Team … Austin Dillon and the RCR team are again supported by Dow’s materials science expertise and technologies this season. Backed by the power of data analysis and virtual modeling, Dow develops and manufactures high-performance components and materials custom-made for the No. 3 car. Dow and RCR’s partnership has expedited innovation and shortened testing time in the automotive industry by recreating in the lab one of the most extreme environments – the racetrack. After 7 years of collaboration, Dow scientists and RCR engineers are continuing to work together to make the No. 3 car faster, safer and more precise. Stay up to date with Dow’s exciting developments at www.dow.com/sports and follow us on Twitter @DowSports & @DowNewsroom. About Keep America Beautiful … Keep America Beautiful, the nation’s leading community improvement nonprofit organization, inspires and educates people to take action every day to improve and beautify their community environment. Established in 1953, Keep America Beautiful strives to End Littering, Improve Recycling and Beautify America’s Communities. We believe everyone has a right to live in a clean, green and beautiful community, and shares a responsibility to contribute to that vision. The organization is driven by the work and passion of more than 600 Keep America Beautiful affiliates, millions of volunteers, and the collaborative support of corporate partners, social and civic service organizations, academia, municipalities, elected officials, and individuals. Join us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. Donate and take action at kab.org. The Real Heroes … In support and appreciation of the frontline workers who have been improving our communities and contributing to our health and safety as we navigate COVID-19, Dillon and Richard Childress Racing are partnering with FOX and NASCAR to honor healthcare workers at Darlington Raceway. On Sunday, Dillon’s name above the door of the No. 3 Chevrolet will be replaced with the name of Elisa Bowman. Bowman has been a nurse for many years, but during the current crisis she’s volunteered to take on new responsibilities, working the makeshift ER for COVID patients that’s set up in the tent outside. She trains new nurses, not only on standard procedures, but the new COVID procedures as well. For Wednesday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Darlington Raceway, RCR will honor Wake-Forest Baptist Health above the door on the No. 3 Chevrolet. AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:If you run at Darlington Raceway and you don’t have a Darlington Stripe have you truly raced at that track? “Yeah, I have actually made it through without a Darlington stripe, but I have wiped out two cars in first practice. It’s a place that will bite you quick and you just have to have the right mentality going into it of what you are racing against. It’s not necessarily the competition as much as yourself. Mentally it’s a challenging place, and I love that about it.”  Is Darlington Raceway a place where you feel like it’s more in your control versus some other tracks? “For sure, it is. It’s a place where if you do your job and you have to have a good car, obviously, everybody that runs well there does, but doing your job rewards you at the end of the night.”Tyler Reddick at Darlington Raceway … Tyler Reddick will be making his NASCAR Cup Series debut at Darlington Raceway this weekend. The two-time NASCAR Xfinity Series champion has three starts at “The Lady in Black” in the Xfinity Series, collecting two top-five finishes and leading 70 laps during last year’s race. Caterpillar Gives Thanks … What does it mean when someone says, “thank you?” The global health crisis truly illustrates how critical many jobs are and how many of us took them for granted. While some of us are safely isolating from home, others bravely continue to do the work, risking their health and safety to keep their communities moving forward. Medical professionals putting the rest of us ahead of their own loved ones. Folks who are part of supply chains are doing more than just stocking shelves, they’re delivering inspiration. We’re all feeling the uncertainty, but we’re also feeling a profound sense of gratitude. At Caterpillar, we want to say, “thank you.” Not just to our customers who continue to build towards a better tomorrow. But to people everywhere who are digging in, working hard and giving us hope as we struggle through.  We’re in a fight for the future. We’re in it together. And to those of you on the front lines… “thank you.” Learn more by visiting Cat.com/thanks or Caterpillar’s Facebook Page. Real Heroes … Reddick and his No. 8 team are honored to take part in The Real Heroes Project in conjunction with NASCAR and FOX to highlight healthcare workers and systems that play a major role in the fight against COVID-19. On Sunday, Reddick’s name above his driver side door will be replaced with Dr. David Zich, an Internist specializing in Internal and Emergency Medicine. Dr. Zich, based out of Chicago, Illinois, has been recognized as a Fellow of both the American College of Physicians and the American College of Emergency Physicians, denoting high achievement and fulfillment of rigorous professional standards for both specialties. Dr. Zich has also been recognized for his ability to explain complex medical topics to the general public. On Wednesday, Reddick’s name will be replaced with OSF Healthcare Systems, a healthcare system located in Peoria, Illinois, and the backyard of Caterpillar’s global headquarters. The staff at OSF has fought against COVID-19 both at their local hospital and locations across the country, with some of their staff traveling to New York and Chicago to provide further assistance where they can.  TYLER REDDICK QUOTE:It looks like it’s going to be very warm on Sunday for the return to racing at Darlington Raceway, are you concerned about that for the first race back?“I’m very excited about the possibility of hot weather at Darlington Raceway, and the slipping and sliding we’ll probably see during these two races there, especially the first one. We’ve seen that race run a lot at night, so I think we’ll see two different races between the ones on Sunday and Wednesday. They are both going to be tough races, but I’m really looking forward to the race on Sunday during the middle of the day. I love hot, slick racetracks when we’re hot in the car, which probably seems strange to people, but I love it. It just seems like the hotter it gets, the more fun I have in a race car. Granted, a lot of that experience is on the Xfinity side, so maybe I’ll think differently after this Cup race since most our races have been relatively cool this year. But I’m looking forward to being back at the track. I’ve been karting lately, trying to keep my instincts up for when I’m back in the No. 8 Caterpillar Chevrolet, and I think I’m ready to go on Sunday.” The industry is doing a lot to recognize frontline workers across the country during these races. What have you seen stand out as we head into the race weekend?“I really appreciate what everyone is doing to thank and honor frontline workers across the country and across multiple industries. Caterpillar has a great ‘Thank You’ campaign going on that focuses on those who are helping to keep moving our country forward during this time and is including everyone from healthcare workers to truck drivers and construction workers. As someone who has a couple friends that are truck drivers who’ve been working non-stop lately, it’s really cool to see them get some recognition. Then on top of that, we’re going to be part of the Real Heroes Project through NASCAR and honor healthcare workers and systems by putting their names over ours on the door. I think that’s a really special way that we’re able to show some gratitude towards everything these people have done for us during this time. All their hard work does not go unnoticed, and it is the reason we’re able to return to racing like this.”This Week’s No. 21 iRacing Chevrolet Camaro at Darlington Raceway … This weekend will mark Anthony Alfredo’s return to the No. 21 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing and his debut at Darlington Raceway in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. In preparation for the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ return to action on Tuesday night, Alfredo has been familiarizing himself with Darlington Raceway by practicing on iRacing. Welcome iRacing … iRacing is the leading sim racing game for your PC. Developed as a centralized racing and competition service, iRacing organizes, hosts, and officiates online racing on virtual tracks all around the world. In the fast-paced world of eSports, iRacing is a one-stop-shop for online racing. We utilize the latest technologies to recreate our ever-expanding lineup of famed race cars and tracks from the comfort of your home. Simulate what a professional NASCAR driver experiences inside the seat of a stock car, or a Grand Prix driver sees over the dash. All of the details add up to a lineup of cars and tracks that are virtually indistinguishable from the real thing. This creates unmatched immersion when sim racers take the green flag in our online racing simulator. Although iRacing is an online racing simulator at heart, the value as a training tool is just as real. The best sim racers in the world compete on iRacing and you can watch the race broadcasts live on the iRacing eSports Network. Sign up today and get 50% off all new memberships at iracing.com.  Did You Know … Anthony Alfredo established his own iRacing league called the ERL (eSports Racing League) that featured several talented iRacing drivers, including competitors from the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series. ANTHONY ALFREDO QUOTES:You are making your Darlington Raceway debut on Tuesday in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. What will it be like going into Turn 1 at Darlington with no practice or qualifying prior to the green flag?“It will definitely be a bit nerve-racking heading into Turn 1 at one of the most difficult tracks on the circuit. Not only will we be without any practice or qualifying, but this is just my second NASCAR Xfinity Series start. It is definitely not ideal circumstances; however, I am confident in my Richard Childress Racing team. I know we will have great equipment, and the guys will make sure to get me comfortable quickly so I can figure out the racetrack. Hopefully, we can work together with our competitors to ensure we all make it through the first corner at the very least. After that, we can all settle in and get back into our rhythm. I am looking forward to getting back to racing and putting on a great show for our fans.”

BATAVIA, OH (May 15, 2020) – The rescheduled “Lucas Oil Reopening Tour” for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will now consist of six events at two venues, starting with Golden Isles Speedway in Waynesville, GA on May 19th, 20th, and 21st, with the next three events taking place at East Bay Raceway Park in Tampa, FL on May 25th, 26th, and 27th. The Lucas Oil Reopening Tour will now have additional bonus money up for grabs, courtesy of Riggs Drilling Solutions. The driver that earns the most points in these six events and maintains perfect attendance at all six, will receive a $5,000 cash award after the final event at East Bay Raceway Park. 
Riggs Drilling Solutions, owned by Jason and Scott Riggs and based in Norris City, Illinois, provides general excavation and directional drilling services for any of your personal or corporate needs. Utilizing a wealth of knowledge and years of experience, the family owned and operated business specializes in land clearing, driveway work, spreading rock, and dirt work, as well as installation of underground conduit for various applications. The Riggs family also owns Riggs Motorsports, a super late model race team with Tanner English as their driver. To learn more about their company visit their website: www.riggsdrilling.com. 
The six events, within the Lucas Oil Reopening Tour, will pay $7,000 to-win, each night. All races are full series points races, with a five-person limit – per team. No Fans will be allowed to attend these six events but Fans can watch the action LIVE on www.LucasOilRacing.TV and LIVE on the Series Facebook page. “A very special thanks to Jason and Scott Riggs, and Riggs Drilling Solutions for putting up the $5,000 cash bonus to the driver that earns the most points during the six race reopening tour. It is very generous of the Riggs family to offer this bonus and give racers additional money to race for during these unique times – due to the COVID-19 Pandemic,” stated Wayne Castleberry, Corporate Motorsports Sales and Marketing for Lucas Oil Motorsports.
Any companies or individuals that would like to contribute to this bonus/point fund program for the Lucas Oil Reopening Tour can contact Wayne Castleberry directly at his email at wcastleberry@lucasoil.com or by phone at 951-741-8679. The more contributions we receive, the more spots the point fund will pay back to the drivers that compete on the Lucas Oil Reopening Tour.

DELAWARE, Ohio (May 15) — With an annual stop in Houston each year, drivers on the NHRA drag racing tour have a great opportunity to visit NASA’s Johnson Space Center, which has been the operational home of space exploration and flight for nearly 50 years. Always interested in the USA’s space program, Jeg Coughlin Jr. took advantage of a special invitation to tour the facility, a memory he cherishes more now as his days of full-time professional competition are drawing to an end. “We’ve all heard the line ‘Houston, we have a problem,’ from countless astronaut movies and this was a special chance to see where the folks on the other end of that distress call were all those years ago, plus so much more,” Coughlin said. “When I was asked if I’d like a tour, I jumped at it, and I’m so happy to have had the chance to peek behind the curtain. “The first thing you notice when you arrive on campus is that you’re not just entering a big facility; it’s more like a city. It’s just overwhelming to see the assets on hand and to try and figure out the number of very intelligent people it takes to do their missions. It was a real treat to be there.” Johnson Space Center sits just 26 miles from Houston Raceway Park powered by Pennzoil, site of the annual Mopar Express Lanes NHRA SpringNationals, so it was an easy and worthwhile jaunt for the six-time world champion, who is currently ranked second in the championship points.   “We started off with a visit to the Saturn V building, which houses the most powerful rocket ever flown,” Coughlin said. “It’s laying on its side in this enormous hanger and it pretty much takes up the whole place. To think about what it took to build with the technology they had back when it was assembled in the late ’60s and early ’70s just blows your mind. “There was another building adjacent to that one that housed all kinds of additional spacecraft, small little landing capsules, lunar rovers, a bunch of really neat stuff. Every wall seemed to be covered with so much history of the various Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Apollo-Soyuz and Space Shuttle missions. They certainly show a great respect for the pioneers who made it to the moon and back using slide rules and such.”   The tour continued to various training areas where modern-day astronauts are put to the test, as well as a trip back in time to the actual mission control room where NASA personnel heard those (slightly embellished) fateful words from Apollo 13 astronaut Jack Swigert. Swigert’s actual transmission, as Coughlin learned, was “Okay Houston, I believe we’ve had a problem here,” in regards to an onboard explosion that crippled their space ship.  “To sit in the seat the main engineer was in at that historic moment was really cool,” Coughlin said. “That specific mission control room was deactivated after the Apollo era and they’ve kept it just as it was so you really get a feel for it.   “They also took us to a virtual gravity room where you get a bit of a sense of what it’s like to be in zero gravity. Obviously, that’s not possible on the surface of the Earth but you do get some idea of what it must be like. We were using the same equipment the actual astronaut trainees use.   “We also had a chance to visit a complete space shuttle they have on campus, and I had the honor of sitting in the driver’s seat, as it were.” Since his hosts knew of his auto racing background, Coughlin was offered a rare chance to drive a prototype of a lunar rover, which ended up being the highlight of the trip.    “We actually took it out on the streets of Johnson Space Center and drove it around,” he said. “It was pretty wild because it can go in any direction: forward, backward, sideways, diagonally, whatever you wanted. You could get yourself dizzy in a hurry if you weren’t careful. That thing made my Pro Stock car feel stable. It was a lot of fun, for sure, and cool of them to let me have a rip around the block.”   As always when visiting Houston, Coughlin concluded his special day by taking his JEGS.com crew to Lupe Tortilla’s Mexican Restaurant, a favorite stop each year.    “My buddy Stan Holt and his wife Sheila-Mae always take great care of us and it was a good place to tell all the neat stories we had from our incredible day at NASA,” Coughlin said.

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCETHE REAL HEROES 400DARLINGTON RACEWAYDARLINGTON, SOUTH CAROLINAMAY 17, 2020
NASCAR IS BACK ON-TRACK:After a two-month hiatus due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, The NASCAR Cup Series returns to the race track on Sunday afternoon, May 17th, with The Real Heroes 400 at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina. The 293-lap, 400-mile race at the historic 1.366-mile egg-shaped oval track, known as ‘The Lady in Black’, and ‘The Track Too Tough to Tame’, will mark the fifth event on the 2020 schedule and the first of four Cup races slated in the span of 11 days. The series return to racing will be a one-day show without the traditional practice and qualifying.  The entry list features 18 Team Chevy Camaro ZL1 1LE drivers. Owner points and a random draw played a role in determining the starting lineup. By virtue of the random draw, Alex Bowman will lead Team Chevy to the green with an outside, front row starting spot for his No. 88 Valvoline Camaro ZL1 1LE.  BOWTIE BULLETS:·       Of the 116 Cup races at the Darlington venue since 1950, Chevrolet has captured 41 wins in NASCAR’s premier division, leading all other manufacturers.  ·       Of today’s active drivers, Jimmie Johnson, who pilots the No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1 1LE, has scored the most victories with three (2012, and two in ‘04) at Darlington Raceway.  ·       A Team Chevy driver has sat on the pole 22 times. William Byron, who drives the No. 24 Axalta ‘Color of the Year’ Camaro ZL1 1LE, was the most-recent pole sitter at the track for the famed Southern 500 in September of last year.   ·       Matt Kenseth will make his season debut in the No. 42 Credit One Bank Camaro ZL1 1LE for Chip Ganassi Racing, which marks his first Cup race since retiring at the end of 2018.  FOUR RACES IN THE BOOKSLeading into Race #5 of the season at Darlington, Team Chevy has scored 1 victory, 2 poles, and has three competitors in the Top-5 in the point standings. Hendrick Motorsports drivers Chase Elliott, No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro Zl1 1LE is third; Alex Bowman, No. 88 ChevyGoods.com-NOCO Camaro ZL1 1LE is fourth; and Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1 1LE is fifth in the point standings. With his recent win at Auto Club Speedway in March, Bowman has clinched a spot in the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. Elliott also captured the pole at the most recent race at Phoenix Raceway on March 8th, as did Ricky Stenhouse, No. 47 Kroger Camaro ZL1 1LE, at the season-opening Daytona 500 in February. Of laps led this season so far, Elliott tops all drivers with a total of 186.  TUNE-IN:In compliance with the pandemic guidelines, The Real Heroes 400 will run without spectators, but you can view the live competition on Sunday, May 17th, at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX. Live coverage can also be found on MRN and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. QUOTABLE QUOTES:CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 3rd IN STANDINGS“It’s exciting to have something new and I’m excited that we are going to be back on TV and give our fans something to watch. I think the silver lining is that we are going to be able to offer something to our viewers on TV.” ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 88 VALVOLINE CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 4th IN STANDINGS“I am definitely ready to get back in the No. 88 Chevrolet and race on track. Virtual racing was a great way to pass this time, but man am I glad to get back to the real track. Darlington is a tough track at times, but this team has brought some fast Camaro ZL1 1LE’s to the track this season and I have tons of confidence that they will do that this weekend.” “Since we have been away from the track, I have really been focused on working out and keeping my mind focused. We moved into the new ABR shop and have been working to get that shop organized and put together. Josh (Wise) has had me working out like crazy, but it has definitely been key to stay on track and continue with our typical schedule.” GREG IVES, CREW CHIEF OF THE NO. 88 VALVOLINE CAMARO ZL1 1LE“Going to Darlington, unloading and going straight to the race is going to be interesting. We typically unload pretty close each weekend and Alex is good at adapting to what we have. The pit crew making quick stops and getting the team great track position helps put us in the right spot. We always say that the race is ultimately won in the shop, so this will be a true test.” JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 5th IN STANDINGSWHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING DURING THE BREAK? “We are highly organized around the house; we have checked things off the list that we haven’t been able to get to for a very long time. I am an educator and homeschooler Dad now, as I assume most people out there have become. As things have opened up, I have been able to take some laps in a go kart with my girls, done some pedaling and dirt biking, and obviously I have done the iRacing thing.” HOW DO YOU THINK DARLINGTON IS GOING TO GO WITHOUT PRACTICE OR QUALIFYING? “It’s hard to say how things are going to go. But the depth we have in the No. 48 team and at Hendrick Motorsports, this is a great challenge for us. It could be beneficial for us. I think my physical fitness and knowledge of hydration will also certainly come into play racing twice a week – these race tracks are tough. I’m very excited for this opportunity.” KURT BUSCH, NO. 1 MONSTER ENERGY CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 16th IN STANDINGS“To get the call and know that we are going back to Darlington is huge and great for the sport of NASCAR. The industry has been collaboratively working together to make sure that this is done safely and properly to put on a good show. I’m excited to go to Darlington. The track is going to change a bunch over the course of 400 miles, but I’m excited to feel the car with the G-forces, the pit stop sequences with the guys and everything about getting back to live racing. It’s refreshing to know that we are headed back to the track soon.” RICKY STENHOUSE JR., NO. 47 KROGER CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 17th IN STANDINGS“I’m looking forward to getting down to Darlington Raceway this weekend and getting back in our Kroger Camaro. I felt like we got off to a great start and good momentum early this season and I’m ready to pick back up right where we left off. Going to Darlington with no practice and no qualifying is going to be fun. All of us drivers and teams will be in the same spot, same position in terms of things that we’re going to have to correct and make right on our race cars. That includes making sure everything in the driver compartment is how I want it. All the nut and bolt checks and everything that comes along that you would learn in practice is going to be key to having prepared when we get to the track. All of my guys on this No. 47 team have been working really hard to make sure everything is perfect and ready to go. The track is going to be really fast with no practice on it. Darlington definitely wears the tires out so it’ll be interesting to see how that changes throughout the race. Racing during the day will also be different for us at Darlington. We always start in the day and finish at night and I think that will play a big factor into how this race plays out. More importantly, I’m grateful to all of our frontline workers, all of our friends and partners at Kroger who have been busier than ever serving their communities, and to NASCAR for giving us a safe space to race and getting back to a little bit of our normal.” BUBBA WALLACE, NO. 43 WORLD WIDE TECHNOLOGY CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 18th IN STANDINGS“Darlington, Darlington. Man, Darlington Raceway tough. Obviously, the track has the nickname ‘Too Tough to Tame’ for a reason. It is one of those places where I have always had on the list to keep getting better and better at – because it’s such a special place and a unique place. There are two different corners. The focus level there is so much higher, I feel like, more than any other track. It’s so easy to over-step your boundaries, and get yourself in a tough spot and earn your Darlington stripe early.” “With no practice and no qualifying, there is no room for error. There’s no ‘oaky, that’ll buff out. We can get it ready after we hit the fence in practice.’ It’s something where our Richard Petty Motorsports team has to be on top of our game, so we’ll be on the cautious side to start out.” “I’m just excited to get the season back underway. It’s been a long break and a much-anticipated time to get back. I think it’s great that NASCAR is putting in every effort to get us back and put on a great show for the fans. But I think it’s also really awesome that we’re just showing up and racing at one of the toughest places that we go to. I hope everyone enjoys the show.” JERRY BAXTER, CREW CHIEF OF THE NO. 43 WORLD WIDE TECHNOLOGY CAMARO ZL1 1LE“Our whole team at Richard Petty Motorsports are all excited about going to Darlington Raceway because it’s been so long since we have been to the track. It is almost like preparing for the DAYTONA 500. You’ve been off all winter and you go start the season, everyone’s excited and it’s just a good thing. I think we are pretty well-prepared and we will go down there and see what we can do.” WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 AXALTA ‘COLOR OF THE YEAR’ CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 19th IN STANDINGS“I’m excited to get back on track this week. While being able to spend some time at home to regroup has been nice, I’m ready to get back behind the wheel and keep the momentum going that the No. 24 team had been working on this year. It will be different not having any practice or qualifying before we race, but everyone is in the same position. Darlington (Raceway) is a track that relies on car setup and tire management. You’re constantly on the wheel it feels like, so you try to work the grip limit while not over taxing it. I’ve had good runs going my last two races there, but we’ve just had bad luck. Hopefully that changes this time.” AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 BASS PRO SHOPS/TRACKER OFF ROAD CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 20th IN STANDINGSIF YOU RUN AT DARLINGTON RACEWAY AND YOU DON’T HAVE A DARLINGTON STRIPE, HAVE YOU TRULY RACED AT THAT TRACK? “Yeah, I have actually made it through without a Darlington stripe, but I have wiped out two cars in first practice. It’s a place that will bite you quick and you just have to have the right mentality going into it of what you are racing against. It’s not necessarily the competition as much as yourself. Mentally it’s a challenging place and I love that about it.” IS DARLINGTON RACEWAY A PLACE WHERE YOU FEEL LIKE IT’S MORE IN YOUR CONTROL VERSUS SOME OTHER TRACKS? “For sure, it is. It’s a place where if you do your job and you have to have a good car, obviously, everybody that runs well there does, but doing your job rewards you at the end of the night.” TY DILLON, NO. 13 GEICO CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 24th IN STANDINGSDARLINGTON IS A TRACK THAT TAKES A LOT OF MENTAL AND PHYSICAL CAPACITY FROM DRIVERS. WHEN YOU GO INTO TURN ONE, WHAT IS IT GOING TO BE LIKE? “It’s going to be unique, probably a little more conservative than normal. You are going to be feeling everything out and hope that your car is all together in one piece and everything is working properly. Usually in practice, you get to feel it out and if there is anything that is off, you and your team can work on it. Drivers will probably be a little conservative on lap one, but it’s also really hard to be conservative at 190 mph. Darlington is definitely the hardest track to adapt to. It’s a track we always say is ‘too tough to tame’ and you race the racetrack, you don’t race the other guys around you, and it’s hard enough to race the racetrack. With no practice, no qualifying, fans are going to see talent rise to the top right away and as the race goes on, guys are going to work together with their teams to even out the field. The beginning of the race, especially, will be super fun and exciting under these unique circumstances. I’m pumped to get back to the track with my Germain Racing team and we are looking for a good run from our GEICO Chevrolet.” TYLER REDDICK, NO. 8 CATERPILLAR CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 25th IN STANDINGSIT LOOS LIKE IT’S GOING TO BE VERY WARM ON SUNDAY FOR THE RETURN TO RACING AT DARLINGTON RACEWAY. ARE YOU CONCERNED ABOUT THAT FOR YOUR FIRST RACE BACK?“I’m very excited about the possibility of the hot weather at Darlington Raceway, and the slipping and sliding we’ll probably see during these two races there, especially the first one. We’ve seen that race run a lot at night, so I think we’ll see two different races between the ones on Sunday and Wednesday. They are both going to be tough races, but I’m really looking forward to the race on Sunday during the middle of the day. I love hot, slick racetracks when we’re hot in the car, which probably seems strange to people, but I love it. It just seems like the hotter it gets, the more fun I have in a race car. Granted, a lot of that experience is on the Xfinity side so maybe I’ll think differently after a Cup race since most our races have been relatively cool this year. But I’m looking forward to being back at the track. I’ve been karting lately, trying to keep my instincts up for when I’m back in the No. 8 Caterpillar Chevrolet, and I think I’m ready to go on Sunday.” THE INDUSTRY IS DOING A LOT TO RECOGNIZE FRONTLINE WORKERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY DURING THESE RACES. WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN STAND OUT AS WE HEAD INTO THE RACE WEEKEND? “I really appreciate what everyone is doing to thank and honor frontline workers across the country and across multiple industries. Caterpillar has a great ‘Thank You’ campaign going on that focuses on those who are helping to keep moving our country forward during this time, and is including everyone from healthcare workers to truck drivers and construction workers. As someone who has a couple friends that are truck drivers who’ve been working non-stop lately, it’s really cool to see them get some recognition. Then on top of that, we’re going to be part of the Real Heroes Project through NASCAR and honor healthcare workers and systems by putting their names over ours on the door. I think that’s a really special way that we’re able to show some gratitude towards everything these people have done for us during this time. All their hard work does not go unnoticed, and it is the reason we’re able to return to racing like this.” RYAN PREECE, NO. 37 COTTONELLE CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 33rd IN STANDINGS“I’m absolutely ready to get back to the racetrack this weekend at Darlington Raceway. Darlington is going to be challenging. That track is its own special racetrack. Speed doesn’t seem to matter nearly as much as longevity and keeping the tires on our Cottonelle Camaro ZL1 1LE. It’s one of those tracks where you race the drivers less, and the track more. It’s going to be a lot of fun. We’re really thankful for everyone at Kroger for all of the hard work they’ve put in during this pandemic to keep their employees safe, shelves stocked and communities healthy. It’s going to be a safe environment and getting back to racing is hopefully a much-needed relief during the quarantine.” MATT KENSETH, NO. 42 CREDIT ONE BANK CAMARO ZL1 1LE “I’m just as excited as I’ve been to go racing in many, many years, and I’m really looking forward to getting to the track. I really like this group of guys at Ganassi; the cars look nice and the Camaro looks like they’re really fast, so I’m really looking forward to this first race. The 42 team has run really well at Darlington in the last two years, so setup-wise we’re probably not going to veer too far off of that. I think you’ll run those first thirty laps, see how the car feels and then be able to make some small adjustments and go from there. Everyone is going to be out there ready to pounce on whatever spot they can, so you just have to be smart. Especially for me, I just need to be smart and get through those first bunch of laps to get in a rhythm, get a little bit of room to move around, breath, get kind of acclimated, and go from there. I know that it’s going to be a big challenge, and I’m going to do my best to try and take advantage of the opportunity.”

NASCAR CUP SERIESDARLINGTON RACEWAYTHE REAL HEROES 400TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPTMAY 14, 2020 
CHAD KNAUS, CREW CHIEF OF THE NO. 24 AXALTA ‘COLOR OF THE YEAR’ CAMARO ZL1 1LE FOR HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS, spoke with media via video conference to discuss safety protocols for his teams, how they have prepared for Darlington, and more. Transcript:CAN YOU TELL US HOW MUCH TIME YOU HAVE SPENT FACE-TO-FACE WITH YOUR TEAM AND ROAD CREW AND THE TYPES OF PRECAUTIONS YOU’VE TAKEN THIS WEEK FOR SUNDAY’S RACE?“Do you mean personally or via computer?”
PERSONAL INTERACTION“Really none. I saw my team today for the first time. My pit crew. And I was in my car while they were doing pit stops and that was it. So, really, I haven’t been at Hendrick Motorsports. I went there three weeks ago to pick up something for my printer and other than that, I haven’t been there at all. So, no face-to-face or contact with these guys whatsoever. Everything has been on team meetings and looking at them just like I’m looking at you now (via Zoom).
SO YOU WON’T HAVE TOUCHED THE CAR AT ALL UNTIL MAYBE YOU HELP PUSH IT THROUGH TECH ON SUNDAY?“I haven’t seen the race car at all. Nope, haven’t seen it or touched it. Nothing.”
I’M SURPRISED YOU’RE STILL BREATHING (LAUGHTER)“That’s the recommendation by NASCAR for the traveling teams to stay as isolated as they can and try to keep everybody at the race track as healthy as we can and that’s the protocol we put into place and that’s what we’ve been abiding by.”
HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT STRATEGIZING FOR THIS RACE AS FAR AS SET-UP? DO YOU JUST LOOK AT LAST YEAR’S DARLINGTON RACE AND TRY TO DO SOMETHING OFF THAT? DO YOU ASSUME THINGS HAVE CHANGED? WHERE DO YOU GO FOR A STARTING POINT?“Well, that’s a great question (laughs). It’s not easy, man. We obviously used last year as a baseline; 2019 was a solid race for us at Darlington. We qualified on the pole. We raced really well. We lost some track position early and we kind of ran around seventh most of the day until the end when we were caught-up in an accident. So, we used that as a baseline. Obviously the Camaro was a new beast for us, so we had a really good race in Las Vegas. Our teammates had a really good run in Fontana. So we took the data from there and applied those offsets to the best of our ability and where we feel like the characteristics re going to be when we go to Darlington and kind of came up with what it was; the derivative of 2019 with a little bit of what we’ve learned so far in the mix.”
I REALIZE YOU’VE HAD TO REALLY GO BACK ON THE AMOUNT OF PERSONNEL YOU’VE HAD IN THE SHOP. WHERE HAVE YOU HAD TO CUT AND MAYBE GET A LITTLE BIT INNOVATIVE OR CREATIVE WITH SOME OF THE PROCESSES TO GET THINGS READY FOR THE RACE TRACK?“It’s been a huge challenge and I really have to throw a lot of thank-yous and a lot of accolades to everybody at Hendrick Motorsports because it’s not been an easy process to get back in there in a very, very short period of time and get race cars ready to go to a very unique venue. Darlington is quite a lot different than any other race track that we go to, obviously. But, we’ve got staggered work hours. We’ve got blocks of people that work. We’re not really alternating days. We’re going in blocks of days to try to keep the exposure down to a minimum.
“We’re thermal testing people as they come into the facility. You see everybody wearing their masks and practicing social distancing. We’re doing all that we can to be in accordance with the CDC regulations and what the governor has put out there, to make sure we’re doing what’s right and being smart. It’s not easy. As we were chatting a little bit ago, I haven’t seen the race car. The Car Chief hasn’t seen the race cars. My guys that are going to be at the race track are basically going to show up and say, okay, hey what have we got here and let’s get after it.’ It’s all unique but it’s actually been educational for the folks that are working at the shop to make sure they cars show up at the race track with the best amount of detail that’s capable of being put in our cars. It’s been good. It’s unique for sure, for everybody, but it’s what’s necessary at this time.”
WITH NO PRACTICE OR QUALIFYING AND JUST SHOW-UP AND ‘RUN WHAT YOU BRUNG’, THAT’S NOW GOING TO BE THE CASE. CAN THESE RACES BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR TEAMS TO CAPITALIZE IF THEY’RE ABLE TO UNLOAD WITH SOMETHING REALLY CLOSE, WHEREAS OTHER TEAMS MAY STRUGGLE? OR, WILL THE RACES STILL BE LONG ENOUGH THAT IT’S GOING TO BE THE SAME OLD RISING TO THE TOP MID-WAY AND TOWARD THE END OF THEM?“I think the potential for somebody to really hit on it and have an advantage, is definitely there. Absolutely. Although, like what you mentioned, I think the best teams will still manage to work their way toward the front, either by the end of the race or by the end of this little jaunt that we’ve got going on. The best teams out there are going to learn from their experiences in the first couple of races and be able to build upon that; and the best teams have a very deep notebook. I think if you go to any venue, and you don’t think that a Kyle Busch or a Chase Elliott are not going to rumble, I think you’re just kind of fooling yourself, right? They’ve got depth. They’ve got time and tenure with their crew chief. So, they’ve got a lot to fall back on. So, I think the best teams will still be the best teams when it’s all said and done.”
AT HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS, EACH OF THE FOUR TEAMS ARE TAKING AN ENGINEER EACH THIS WEEKEND. SOME OF THE ORGANIZATIONS ARE LEAVING ENGINEERS AT HOME TO HAVE THE EXTRA CREW MEMBER THERE TO HELP WITH THE CAR. CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS FOR THAT?“Well, it’s interesting because when you say an ‘engineer’…. For my instance, one of my engineers is very mechanically inclined. So, he can cross over and do a multitude of things. It’s not like he’s just hugging a computer, right? So, I think every team is being adjusted per their strengths and what they feel their needs are. Some times, all their engineers do is look at a computer, right? And they have no value at the race track and can do everything remotely. So, it just depends on what your strengths are and what you need. Personally, I need my engineer. I’m not smart enough to go out there and do it by myself. I have to have somebody hold my hand. These guys are very well-rounded and that’s why they’re going to the race track in case things come up. And, I feel honestly, that the preparation at the shop is what’s going to really be the key. So, we wanted to keep a good, strong, staff of mechanics at the shop with good and recent race track experience, to try to make sure that when we unload the race car that we’re absolutely race ready.”
NASCAR HAS SHARED THE FACT THAT AS PART OF THE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS, THEY ARE ASKING EVERYONE THAT COMES TO THE TRACK TO KEEP A LOG OR JOURNAL OF THEIR WHEREABOUTS AND CONTACTS, IF NEEDED FOR FUTURE TRACING. CAN YOU SHARE ANYTHING ABOUT THE TYPES OF INFORMATION YOU’RE HAVING TO KEEP A LOG OF? “That would be very difficult for me to manage exactly whoever we’re in contact with. We’re trying to do everything we can to be in compliance with what NASCAR is asking for. And then we’re just trying to manage like, okay, we’re going to be around this group of guys. And as long as you stay with that group of guys, you really know where you’re going to be. We’re not going to do a lot of cross-talking with other teams or other officials. So, we’re really just trying to keep that pared down so that it’s easy to make that determination when it’s all said and done. I think that’s what we really have to do. And, that’s the wisest way to go about it. So, everybody’s got responsibility in this because the goal is for nobody to get sick and for nobody to have a big problem. So, we have to do our best as an industry to make that happen so we can get out there and keep racing and put on a great show for the fans and we can get our fill for the completion that we’re looking for. We’re all going to do everything in our power to do what NASCAR needs and everybody around us needs.”
WHEN IT COMES TO THE SAFETY PROTOCOLS, HOW MUCH DIRECTION IS COMING FROM NASCAR VERSUS HENDRICK VERSUS YOUR OWN SAFETY PRECAUTIONS?“There’s a lot of information out there, as we all know. And we’re all trying to sift through that and we’re using the best information we possibly can. Obviously NASCAR is our sanctioning body and they’ve done a lot of work to lay the ground rules we’re making sure we’re following what it is that they need to do and what they’ve recommended. We’re also doing everything we can to follow the governor’s wishes, the local governor’s wishes, and the CDC. We’re taking all of that information and providing the teams with all the equipment that they’re going to need as far as the masks and whatnot, and we’re going to go ahead and try to stick with that as best we possibly can. It’s not easy. Everybody is throwing you different information from all of these angles. We’re trying to keep it consolidated to the local and state governments and NASCAR and just honestly, using our heads a little bit.”
THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CREW CHIEF IS TO MANAGE THE TEAM AND IF THEY DO SOMETHING WRONG, YOU’RE IN CHARGE AND RESPONSIBLE. TALK ABOUT THAT AS IT RELATES TO ALL YOUR TEAM MEMBERS DOING WHAT THEY’RE REQUIRED TO DO, INCLUDING YOUR DRIVER. AND WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST CONCERN IN GENERAL?‘Yeah, it’s tough because we are ultimately responsible and we sign our name on that line, it’s tough. Jimmie Johnson always said I’ve signed my name on the wrong line. I picked the hard job, you picked the easy job, right? And, it’s a difficult thing. But we’ve been educating our guys consistently and providing them with materials that they need and trying to give them proper direction and a clear direction. There is so much information out there that it can get cluttered and cloudy really quick. So, we’re trying to be very specific about what the needs need to be and how they need to approach the weekend and putting forward protocol so it’s easy for them to follow. And look, if something happens and the guys make a mistake, it’s a mistake. And if they’re held accountable for it, look, I get it. Now if one of the guys just get out of line and is just going off the rails and not doing what we feel he should be, then that’s a personal problem that we’re going to handle ourselves. So ultimately yeah, I guess it all falls on me and I’ll deal with it.”
IT SOUNDS LIKE SOME TEAMS ARE GOING TO HAVE A CONTINGENCY PLAN WHERE THEY MAY HAVE CREW MEMBERS IN THE VICINITY OR EVEN A BACK-UP DRIVER JUST IN CASE THEY NEED TO RELY ON THEM. DOES HENDRICK HAVE A PLAN LIKE THAT?“We’re going a good job, I feel, of that. We’ve got a complete track protocol group, and at-track-activation group, that we’ve worked with and I was a huge part of that. We’ve got some very responsible people that are working on that and we’ve got a complete list of team members we’re going to have that are prepared to go to the race track and we’re keeping dibs on and understanding where they’re at from a health standpoint and they’re in the back-up roster that’s been submitted to NASCAR already. We’re going through and have them on-the-ready. For instance, let’s say Joe Mechanic gets up on Sunday morning and he’s getting ready to drive to Darlington and he’s got a fever, he calls me and I tell Joe to stay home and we call Bob and bring him in. We call the proper people at NASCAR that this person has already been cleared and tested and we’re ready to rock and roll with this fellow. That’s how we’re doing it. I hope we don’t have to deal with that, but we like to be prepared nonetheless, in a case of emergency. We’ve dealt with everything from drivers all the way down to crew chiefs.”
WILL THE FIRST SUNDAY DARLINGTON RACE MIRROR THE SECOND? ARE YOU GOING TO BE TAKING A LOT OF NOTES AND SEARCHING FOR IMPROVEMENT FOR THE MIDWEEK RACE, REGARDLESS OF HOW YOU’RE DOING? AND, DO YOU GUYS HAVE BRANDED FACE MASKS?“Nice to throw that one in there at the end (laughs)! We do not have branded face masks but we have some really nice face masks that we think are going to keep our guys really safe. Hendrick Motorsports has done an amazing job of really trying to be prepared in all levels. You bring up a great point. What happens if you go and you run well, and what happens if you don’t run well? Why, right? We’ve got a couple of options right now on the No. 24 car. If things don’t go the way we want them to, we’ve got a whole other package that we’re ready to put into our next race car to take to the race track. If we go and it runs well and just needs a little bit of massaging, then we just go ahead and take that race car, with the right set-up in it, and just adjust a little bit. Going from the 400 to the 300, I don’t know that it’s going to be significantly different because of the greenness of the race track that we’re going to have. It’s going to rubber-up fairly quickly, I understand that but it’s still going to be fairly green. By the time we get there and we race later in the evening, the track’s going to be a little bit cooler and the grip level will come back up a little bit. So, we’re just going to have to wait and see. If you see a car go out there and run really well on Sunday, my dime would be that he’s probably going to come back and run pretty well again on Wednesday.”

NASCAR CUP SERIESDARLINGTON RACEWAYTHE REAL HEROES 400TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPTMAY 14, 2020 
KURT BUSCH, NO. 1 MONSTER ENERGY CAMARO ZL1 1LE, spoke with media via teleconference to discuss getting back to racing at Darlington, his new teammate Matt Kenseth, and more. Full Transcript: REGARDING THAT TURN ONE MOMENT WITH NO PRACTICE OR QUALIFYING. WILL IT BE DIFFERENT OR WILL YOU TREAT IT LIKE ANY OTHER RACE?“It will be exciting to say the least. When I ran the Indianapolis 500 a few years ago, everybody was hyped up and going three-wide into turn one. It’s because the whole month of practice, preparation, and drafting, you are only doing it with a few cars at a time. This will be the same thing for us. It’s a group of cars, group of professionals, all barreling down into turn one with months of built up anxiety and excitement. Everybody knows it. Everybody can feel it. And I hope everybody uses their best judgement because we all know there is going to be a competition caution for everybody to check their settings with the front splitter, cambers, and the set-up balances. My approach is that we all need to drive down there at an 80% level and then ramp up our percentage of aggressiveness as the race moves forward.” HOW DIFFERENTLY DOES DARLINGTON RACE IN THE DAYTIME VERSUS THE NIGHT THIS TIME OF YEAR AND WITH THIS PACKAGE?“You know, each of our upcoming races are all going to be in different time slots and the track grip levels are going to be very different than what they have shown for patterns in the years past. For this race, I want everybody to look at how bleached-out the asphalt will look when we turn on that broadcast on Sunday. You are going to look and go, ‘wow, I don’t even recognize the racetrack’, and that is because there has been no track activity. No Xfinity Series, no Trucks, and nobody that put any kind of rubber down from the practice sessions. So, the whole thing will be a whole different look. It will get built up with rubber and it will be slicker in the daytime and turns 1 and 2 will have the sun beating down on it hard. And looking at the weather forecast, it’s going to be in the upper 80s. So, this will be a big challenge right off the bat. It’s a 400-miler, everybody’s physical level will be tested, mental level, and then adjusting to track conditions. This on a scale of 1-10 is a 9.5 to start off with.” DO YOU FEEL LIKE ALL EYES ARE GOING TO BE ON NASCAR THIS WEEK TO SEE HOW IT GOES OFF THE NEXT 10 DAYS AND DO YOU FEEL LIKE IT COULD BE A TEST FOR ALL PROFESSIONAL SPORTS LEAGUES?“I feel like this is a genuine opportunity for many different reasons. All sports fans, NASCAR fans, the drivers, and the sanctioning body – we are all looking forward to it. At the end of the day, we are hopeful that this is a light at the end of the tunnel that people can see. It is a beacon that is shining out there saying this is a professional sport with competitors and millions of dollars in TV and team sponsorships that create a sense of balance. Something that says, ‘if they can do it, we can do it’. But other sports have many other hurdles that they have to overcome. For us, it’s exciting that we have our chance to go out there and compete. Whether it is a stage to stand on or not, you have to block out all that pressure. I am looking forward to trying to grab that first checkered flag in two months.” HOW DO YOU THINK YOUR NEW TEAMMATE (MATT KENSETH) WILL DO WITH NO PRACTICE AND THE NEW SITUATION FOR HIM?“Yeah, I think Matt Kenseth is up for the challenge. It’s a unique set of circumstances for him, as well as everybody. For Matt to not be in a car for a longer duration than most of us, it will be different with a new team and new communication over the radio. He has gone through the steps with Ganassi and with Chevrolet in the simulator to make some laps and hear his crew chief on the radio and to do things in the virtual aspect. But again, nothing translates to the real thing in feeling the G forces and being out there with the competitors. He has the option to start in the seventh-place position, or wherever the random draw goes for the top-12 in points. So, there is that question of whether he wants to drop to the back and kind of ease into it. But Matt is a champion, a true professional, and I am excited to work with him as we move forward.” DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO GET BACK ON TRACK AFTER 9-11 AND KIND OF THE EMOTIONS THAT FOLLOWED THAT AND THE FAN REACTION?“That is a loaded question and a great question. With 9-11 and having that moment for our country to be attacked in a terrorism-type of setting, there are some similarities to that in this current day, but everybody wanted to go back to the track and I swear, everybody was wearing red, white and blue. There was no other color and the grandstands were packed. The electricity was beyond. That moment is going to be similar, but it’s going to be an empty set of grandstands. It’s going to be all eyeballs and spirits watching through the FOX network. We will be able to feel that, but we will have a whole different set of feelings and circumstances around us as teams, as sponsors, and as drivers when we get to the track on Sunday. But we know that everyone is going to be looking at us through that camera lenses, and that is what we saw in 1979 with everybody having travel issues and everybody being snowed-in on the east coast. With all those eyeballs watching, it transcended our sport. That happens over time. I think the 9-11 thing happened instantaneously and this one has been a two month break in racing action. But yes, we are not going to have our fans at a full capacity right now at the track, it will be through the television. It’s a blend. It’s a big moment, but at the same time, time will tell what this will do with our sport and how we are able to create a little bit of normalcy for the fans that tune in on Sunday.” DO YOU THINK HAVING MATT KENSETH AS A VETERAN TEAMMATE YOU TWO TOGETHER CAN PUSH GANASSI TO THE NEXT LEVEL?“Oh absolutely. I think that is one of the reasons for the decision, to go with Matt Kenseth, a past champion. For us to have been teammates years ago, that already helps us cross over a bridge that sometimes youneed to spend time on. His work ethic, his drive and also the chance here for this opportunity is to use his experience and his wisdom to help a whole new group of guys on that 42 car. Those are the things that I did with the 1 car and it’s a matter of raising the bar for everybody. So, yes, Matt is going to look for that opportunity to do it when there is the right time to implement certain things. For the two of us, I hope quicker rather than later we get in this sync, side-by-side, pushing as well with General Motors and what we can do with Chevrolet, to make Ganassi a winner week in and week out.” 

NASCAR CUP SERIESDARLINGTON RACEWAYTHE REAL HEROES 400TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPTMAY 14, 2020 
MATT KENSETH, NO. 42 CREDIT ONE BANK CAMARO ZL1 1LE, spoke with media via teleconference to discuss his anticipation to returning back to racing, how he has been able to prepare for his first race back, the challenges that come with racing at Darlington Raceway, and more. Transcript: WHAT IS YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE SETUP OF THE CAR WHEN YOU GET THERE? YOU HAVEN’T BEEN IN A CAR SINCE THE END OF 2018. HAVE YOU GUYS DISCUSSED WHAT SETUP YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO USE?“Chad (Johnston) assures me it’s going to be perfect (laughs). I mean, yes and no. I leave that job to him, the engineers and everyone here at CGR. They’ve ran really well at Darlington in the last two years, so I’m thinking they’re probably not going to veer too far off of that. I think you’ll run those first thirty laps and you’ll get kind of the extended caution there to be able to make some small adjustments and go from there. So, I don’t think it’s really different from what they ran there last year or maybe even the year before.” JUST CURIOUS, HOW MUCH TIME HAVE YOU SPENT IN THE SIMULATOR TO PREPARE FOR THIS WEEKEND?“About fifteen minutes or so. There are a lot of good things about it, but it’s still not exactly the racecar. I’ve been doing as much as I can, as far as being prepared, looking at data and reading notes. Going to the simulator was one of those boxes that I wanted to check. So, I did go over there to drive it and make a few runs at Darlington to just kind of drive it, feel comfortable and all that stuff. I didn’t really spend an extended period of time there because, in my mind, it’s still not like driving the racecar. There are a lot of things that are very similar, but a lot of things that are different as well. I did spend a little bit of time there, but not a lot.” WHEN YOU ROLL OFF AT DARLINGTON AND THINK ABOUT THE FEEL AT THE START OF THE RACE, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? HOW DO YOU THINK IT WILL LOOK? IT COULD BE A LITTLE BIT CRAZY OR MAYBE NOT. HOW DO YOU INVISION THIS ALL HAPPENING?“Well, I don’t know, we’ll have to see where everyone starts. Nobody has been in a car in a while; certainly, it’s been longer for me. I think the biggest difference for me, also, is that I haven’t driven these racecars or for this team. So, there are a few more unknowns. I’m not sure how exactly everything is going to feel and all that kind of stuff. There is certainly a little bit of anxiety for those first few corners to kind of get rolling and get used to things. At the same time, everybody is going to be ready to pounce. Restarts are very important, track position is very important and you always want to get what you can get when you can get it. So, I don’t expect people to be taking it real easy or maybe giving you a bunch of extra room or anything like that. You certainly don’t expect any kind of special treatment. You know everyone is going to be out there ready to pounce on whatever spot they can, so you just have to be smart. Especially for me, just be smart and get through those first bunch of laps to get in a rhythm, get a little bit of room to move around, breath, get kind of acclimated, and go from there.” DRIVERS ARE BEING TOLD TO STAY IN THEIR MOTORHOMES. SO, I WAS CURIOUS, DO YOU HAVE A MOTORHOME OR WILL YOU HAVE TO DRIVE DOWN AND STAY IN YOUR CAR?“I was just planning on driving my car down for the first bunch of weeks, but I heard that as well. I know they are trying to keep everybody kind of by themselves as much as they can and away from a bunch of other people. I still own my motorhome. I was hoping to sell it, but didn’t, so thankfully I still have it and I’ll have that there to have somewhere to hangout for a while.” KURT BUSCH WAS JUST ON THE LINE AND SAID THAT HE HAS PLANS TO HEAD TO THE RACE SHOP AND TALK TO HIS CREW CHIEF. I’M CURIOUS IF YOU HAVE ALREADY BEEN TO THE SHOP IN PERSON OR HAVE PLANS TO DO THAT BEFORE HEADING TO DARLINGTON?“I haven’t met with Tony (Raines), my spotter, yet. I met with Chad (Johnston) a bunch of times. I’m actually at the shop right now and was just meeting with him and Chip (Ganassi) when I ran upstairs here to make this call. So, yeah, I’ve been over here a fair amount. Like I touched on before, it’s different with the shifts and there aren’t a lot of people here at the same time. I was actually just going through all the final details for the car for Sunday, just making sure everything was good and going through all that stuff to get ready.” YOU STARTED RACING AT DARLINGTON IN 1997. AT WHAT POINT IN YOUR CAREER DID YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH DARLINGTON AND ALL THE CHALLENGES IT PRESENTS AS A DRIVER? HOW DIFFERENTLY DOES THIS TRACK RACE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SPRING COMPARED TO LATE IN THE EVENING AT THE END OF SUMMER?“Things change rapidly. I think Darlington and, when Rockingham was still on the schedule, those tracks down there in that part of the state with all the sand and the environment seem to change more than most tracks that we go to from year to year. Darlington has obviously changed a lot during the years. There has been a re-pave in between there and certainly keeps getting bumpier and all that kind of stuff. But I think the cars, setups, rules and all that stuff seem to change probably faster than a lot of the tracks change. So, it’s a little different every time you go down. I don’t know that I have a good comparison for a day race in May compared to a summer race in September. It sounds like it’s going to be the first hot day of year on Sunday. It sounds like it’s going to get up to 90 degrees the last time I looked and that’s about the same that it usually is when we’re down there Labor Day weekend. I don’t really anticipate it being that much different at the start of the race, but it’ll certainly still be light by the end of the race. So, I think the end of the race will be different than the second one. I think it changes a little more at night. I think it picks up speed and changes balance just a little bit.” HOW IMPORTANT IS IT FOR YOU TO BE ABLE TO SHOWCASE YOUR SKILLS GOING FORWARD AND MAYBE SETTING UP A FUTURE FOR RACING BEYOND THIS YEAR?“Right now, I’m not really looking too far beyond Sunday, to be totally honest with you. Certainly, the learning curve is going to be steep. I know being out of the car that long, starting with a different team and piling on top of not being able to practice for the foreseeable future, or testing and anything like that, is going to be very challenging. But, I’m really excited. I have to admit, I’m just as excited as I’ve been to go racing in many, many years. So, I’m really looking forward to getting to the track. I really like this group of guys, the cars look nice, the Camaro looks like they’re really fast, so I’m really looking forward to it. I’m really looking forward to the opportunity, I just know that it’s going to be a big challenge. I’m going to have to work hard and do my best to try and take advantage of the opportunity.”

May 13, 2020

When Matt DiBenedetto travels to Darlington Raceway for Sunday’s resumption of the NASCAR Cup Series season he’ll be doing it much like old-school race fans have done over the years.

Due to conditions placed on the event because of concerns of spreading COVID-19, DiBenedetto and his fellow drivers will drive themselves to the track and basically quarantine themselves until they strap in for the start of the 400-mile race.

Just as old-school fans who packed a picnic lunch and fired up the ol’ hotrod for the trip to NASCAR’s original superspeedway, DiBenedetto plans to take his favorite street ride – a blue 2020 Ford Mustang GT – and a cooler full of goodies prepared by his wife Taylor.
 
“I’m going to enjoy driving down there,” DiBenedetto said, adding that since he doesn’t have a motorcoach, he’ll hang out in and around his Mustang before he takes the wheel of the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Mustang. “I’ll eat a couple of sandwiches and do some stretching to be sure I’m ready to race.”
 
For Sunday’s race, and three of the next four Cup races, there will be no practice and no qualifying – just line up and race. The starting field for Sunday will be set by a modified random draw. The No. 21 team, which is ninth in Cup points, will join the other teams in the top 12 in points for a draw for the top 12 starting positions.  The rest of the field will be set in a similar fashion.
 
DiBenedetto said he’s not worried about the entire field barreling off into Turn One at the Track Too Tough to Tame without a single lap of practice.
 
“Call me crazy, but I think that will be pretty cool,” he said. “It’ll be a fun opportunity to fire off cold turkey, especially at Darlington, one of the toughest places we go to.
  
“It’ll be a neat story that we can tell the rest of our lives.”
 
DiBenedetto said he believes his Motorcraft/Quick Lane Mustang will be in the ballpark, handling-wise, when the race starts. The team has data from previous races to use in setting up the car.

“I have so much confidence in my team,” he said. “They are so good.”
 
He did say that he expects the competition to be stiff, even at the start of the race.
 
“People will give each other some room, but they will still be pretty aggressive,” DiBenedetto said. “With the higher downforce package we’re running, passing cars in dirty air is difficult. 

 “Starts and restarts are where you make up the most ground.” 
 
DiBenedetto has made five career Cup starts at Darlington, with a best finish of eighth in his most recent appearance there.
 

– Fans offered PPV option to watch entire race weekend –

ENNIS, TX (May 13, 2020) — The Texas Motorplex will be one of the first sporting venues in the state to host events following Governor Abbott’s new directives on public gatherings and sporting events. The Keurig Dr Pepper Lone Star Nationals presented by Driven Automotive Protection, a primarily participant only event, will be held May 21-23. The event will be an opportunity for race teams to test as well as race for one of the largest cash purses ever offered to Alcohol Funny Cars and Dragsters. The Mid-West Pro Mods will also be competing showing off their 200 mph door-slammer speed.

“First we want to assure everyone that we are taking all necessary safety precautions to keep our employees, competitors and fans safe during this event,” said Andy Carter Texas Motorplex General Manager. “We know racers have been staying at home for over two months and we just want to give them one of the first opportunities to get back on the track. We have set up a program for fans to watch from home from their mobile devices, computer or even smart TV. The Lone Star Nationals will feature a great assortment of race cars and the track will be in great shape.”

Fans will be able to enjoy the three days of racing action for the low price of $15 by purchasing the event Pay Per View livestream on TheFoat.com Ticketing with BangShift.  The entire event from the first burnout to the last win light will be broadcast with wildly entertaining Al Tucci calling the action.

The event will be contested on May 22-23 with qualifying on Friday beginning at 5 p.m.. On Saturday competitors in Top Alcohol Funny Car and Top Alcohol Dragster will battle it out for a winner’s purse of $3,500 in prize money. Additionally Mid-West Pro Mod drivers will be tearing up the track throughout the weekend. In addition to the record cash purse drivers will earn valuable Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series points.

10-Round Schedule Slated to Kick Off in Reno-Sparks on July 24-25

CORONA, Calif. (May 7, 2020) – As states across the country continue to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic and begin the individual processes of reopening local economies and businesses, series officials at the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series Presented by GEICO have taken the initiative to develop an updated racing schedule for the 2020 season in correspondence to the multi-phase efforts being implemented throughout the United States. The newly condensed schedule will consist of 10 rounds, running from late July to mid November, while the Lucas Oil Challenge Cup remains the closing event on the calendar. “So far, we’ve found ourselves with a series of difficult decisions to make throughout the ongoing pandemic, but we’ve remained steadfast in our goal to host a successful 2020 season of the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series,” said Ritchie Lewis, Director of Race Operations, Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series. “With so much uncertainty surrounding the reopening of the various states and municipalities in which our events are held, we’ve decided to move forward with a new plan for the season that will allot us additional time to work alongside local officials, in hopes that we’re able to host a large gathering of competitors and fans, alike, while also observing necessary protocols to ensure the health and safety of everyone in attendance.”

Scenic Wild West Motorsports Park will kick off the 2020 season  with a nighttime doubleheader from Reno-Sparks on July 24-25. Photo: Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series

Under the new schedule, the opening weekend of the season will take place from Wild West Motorsports Park in Reno-Sparks, Nevada, with a high-octane doubleheader under the lights on Friday, July 24, and Saturday, July 25 (Rounds 1 & 2). Just a few weeks later, the series will make its anticipated return to Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Missouri, for a historic weekend that will consist of three days of racing on Friday, August 21, Saturday, August 22, and Sunday, August 23 (Rounds 3, 4, & 5). As the fall season approaches, the championship will make its first of two visits to Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park in Chandler, Arizona, for back-to-back nighttime spectacles on Friday, September 18, and Saturday, September 19 (Rounds 6 & 7). A long overdue return to Southern California follows for the penultimate stop on the schedule, where San Bernardino’s Glen Helen Raceway will host a pair of afternoon showcases on Saturday, October 10, and Sunday, October 11 (Rounds 8 & 9). Finally, the 2020 season will come to a dramatic conclusion with a return to Wild Horse Pass for the 10th and final round on the afternoon of Saturday, November 14, followed by the always memorable Lucas Oil Challenge Cup that same evening. “No matter how you look at it, the 2020 season is slated to be a historic one, and we’re bringing a renewed sense of hope that this updated schedule will provide us with the best possibility to bring the spectacular sport of short course off road to our fans,” continued Ritchie. “We know we have an exceptionally hungry collection of drivers that have been patiently waiting for their chance to return to the track, and in providing this new schedule it will allow us all to work towards the common goal of finally getting things underway at Wild West Motorsports Park in July.”

2020 Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series – Updated Schedule 5/7/20July 24-25Wild West Motorsports ParkSparks, NVAugust 21-23Lucas Oil SpeedwayWheatland, MOSeptember 18-19Wild Horse Pass Motorsports ParkChandler, AZOctober 10-11Glen Helen RacewaySan Bernardino, CANovember 14Wild Horse Pass Motorsports ParkChandler, AZ

May 7, 2020

For decades people in southern Virginia and beyond knew Ray Lee Wood for the beautiful flowers growing in front of his home in the community of Buffalo Ridge and for the sourwood honey that he collected from his beehives. 

They knew of his prized Persian cats and Siberian Huskies, and the goldfish he raised in ponds on his family property.

Others were amazed at his knowledge of the Bible and his loyalty to the Pentecostal Holiness Church.

And there were some that knew the rest of the story, about how Wood was an integral part of some of the grandest triumphs in motor racing history – among them victories in the 1963 Daytona 500, the 1965 Indianapolis 500 and the inaugural American 500 at North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham in 1965.

Ray Lee Wood, who died May 5 at the age of 92, was the third son of J. Walter and Ada Wood. In the early 1950s, he and his brothers Glenn, Clay, Delano and Leonard, took on the world of automobile racing with the same passion and determination that they applied to every task they ever took on.

Early in the Wood Brothers’ career, they worked on their race cars under a giant beech tree, its limbs serving as support for pulling engines with a chain hoist. Ray Lee Wood spent the last half of his life serving as caretaker of the famous tree, one that attracted visitors including Edsel Ford II.

As the team began competing in the series now known as Cup, Ray Lee changed front tires and helped prepare the Fords initially driven by his brother Glenn but later driven by some of the biggest names in motorsports. 

Leonard Wood said his brother could have added his name to that list had he chosen to do so.

“Ray Lee could have been a race driver as well as Glenn,” he said. In 1958, on the sands of Daytona Beach, Ray Lee hit 142 miles per hour on the measured mile in a hopped-up street car, topping the speed chart for that day.

When the Wood Brothers won the Car Owner’s Championship in 1963 using multiple drivers, Ray Lee Wood was the car owner of record and the Championship trophy bears his name. 

When the Woods scored the first of their five Daytona 500 victories, with Tiny Lund filling in for a badly burned Marvin Panch, Ray Lee played a key role in the team’s winning pit strategy.

After the first 10 laps of the 500 were run under the yellow flag because of rain, the Woods saw an opportunity to play a pit strategy similar to those used in road-course races today. They began making their pit stops with the intention of making one fewer stop than their competitors. 

They also were hoping to run the race on a single set of tires.

Firestone representative John Laux and Ray Lee were in charge of checking the tires. Both agreed on each early stop that the tires were good to go.

On the final stop, Laux wasn’t so certain. Ray Lee said the tires were good for another 100 miles. His brothers took his advice, and Lund drove on to the checkered flag.

Wood played a similar role in the Indianapolis 500, as he and his brothers pitted the Lotus Ford driven by Jim Clark. Again, Wood checked tires on each stop, and again the call was made to continue. The result was another major win for the Stuart, Va.-based team.

That trip to Indianapolis was a life-changer for Wood.

“When we were up there in Indiana, I felt the calling of the Lord,” Wood said in a 2010 interview. “He had something else for me to do.”

It was the same calling his brother Delano, the family jack man, would feel at the end of the 1983 season.

Not wanting to leave his brothers in mid-season, in an era when good tire changers were hard to find, Ray Lee decided to stay on through the end of that year.

His racing career ended in storybook fashion, with his old friend Curtis Turner driving the Woods’ Ford to victory at Rockingham.

Wood and Turner had become close over the years, and Wood often flew back from races with Turner, so he could be back at work with his grading business on Monday morning.

That race, Turner’s 17th and final Cup win, also was the final NASCAR appearance for Ray Lee Wood, who began spending his Sunday’s at his beloved church, located near his home in Buffalo Ridge.

In the years after that, he never attended another NASCAR race, although he did participate in a Fan Appreciation event at the Wood Brothers Museum in 2011.

His nephew Eddie Wood said that in a family of cool brothers, Ray Lee stood out.

“He had the coolest cars,” Eddie Wood said. “He had lots of girlfriends. He had one of the first color TVs in our county. He was just a happy-go-lucky guy.”

Like his brothers, Ray Lee didn’t do things halfway.

“He started a rose garden, and the next thing you know he had 500 of them, and then a thousand,” Wood said. “He bought two expensive Persian cats, Sam and George, and kept getting more until he had 50 show cats.

“He got into Siberian Huskies and had giant goldfish… Whatever he did, he went at it 100 percent.”

Ray Lee Wood lived in the same house where he grew up, and in his latter years was content with a simple life, far removed from the cheering crowds and checkered flags of his early years.

“He was just laid back, in no hurry,” his nephew Len Wood said. “Nothing ruffled his feathers.”

With his racing career behind him, Ray Lee was close to his sister Crystal and his church family, and remained supportive of the racing side of his family.

“Ray never went back to the track after 1965, but he supported us all the way and always followed our races on the radio or TV,” Leonard Wood said. “He was a great brother and a great all-around person.

“I can’t say enough good words about him.”

G

Inside Line Promotions – FRESNO, Calif. (May 6, 2020) – Giovanni Scelzi is anticipating his return to Knoxville Raceway this Friday during his first race since the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March.

Scelzi will pilot a family owned sprint car at the half-mile oval in Knoxville, Iowa, with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series.

“It’s definitely one of my favorite tracks and I wouldn’t want to restart the season anywhere else,” he said. “It’s a fun track that usually gives different grooves to race. We’ve had success there so that is a confidence boost going into the race.”

Scelzi became the youngest 410ci winged sprint car driver in the history of the track last year when he captured an Ollie’s Bargain Outlet All Star Circuit of Champions triumph. He then finished third out of 77 drivers during the 8^th annual Bell Helmets Capitani Classic presented by Great Southern Bank and 10^th at the 59^th annual NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey’s General Stores. Scelzi also won the Knoxville Raceway season finale two weeks later.

Following the event in Iowa Scelzi will shift to 360ci winged sprint car action next Tuesday and Wednesday during the West Texas Crude Nationals at West Texas Raceway in Lubbock, Texas.

“There will be a lot of great drivers at Knoxville and at West Texas so it will be important to start each night strong,” he said. “We’re grateful to resume racing and hopefully we can put together consistent nights that result in us running up front.”

Professional sim driver Lance Fenderson joins all-star lineup

Live coverage starts at 7:10 p.m. ET: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EV22mgJ77VU

LEEDS, ALABAMA (April 14, 2020)- Following three successful rounds with thousands of viewers cheering on the action from the best seat in the house, their couches, the Formula Regional Americas iRacing Invitational Championship drivers return to battle on Tuesday (April 14) with this week’s match set on the scenic Barber Motorsports Park.

Nearly four dozen drivers, the largest field since the start of the seven-round iRacing championship, from different racing disciplines across the world are slated to participate in Round 4 of the simulation championship tonight with live coverage presented by PitFit Training starting at 7:10 p.m. Eastern on the series’ YouTube and Twitch channels.

In the first three rounds of competition, three different drivers (Ben Waddell, Dario Cangialosi and Phillippe Denes) claimed victories driving the retired F3 International chassis with identical setups, but as the competitions increases with more professional simulation drivers like paraplegic athlete Lance Fenderson joining the roster, the chance to take multiple victories in the championship becomes even harder.

Fenderson competed in the Formula Race Promotion F1600 Championship before sustaining a spinal cord injury while playing lacrosse. As the North Carolina-based teenager worked through extensive rehabilitation, his passion to be behind the wheel of single-seater race car never fizzled. Now equipped with a self-designed modified simulator that is completely controlled by his hands, Fenderson races professionally online until he can once again return to on-track competition. 

“At first, I thought my love for the sport would be overwhelmed by the difficulties associated with my injury, but then I realized that I need to focus on my capabilities,” explained Fenderson. “I set up my simulator by putting a tri-pin on the steering wheel. I then bought a flight simulator joystick. I set up forward as brake, back as throttle, right as up shift and left as downshift. It’s a challenging task, having no use in my fingers, but of course possible.”

Round 4 live coverage by Apex Racing TV starts at 7:10pm Eastern with a swift 10-minute qualifying followed by a 30-minute race and featuring “podium” interviews with the top drivers. Following the race, FR Americas iRacing Invitational Championship drivers will host a LIVE question and answer session with fans on the FR Americas Instagram(https://www.instagram.com/framericas/)

Simon Pagenaud wins first oval race of NTT INDYCAR SERIES IRacing ChallengeDale Earnhardt Jr. places third in IndyCar iRacing debut
DETROIT (April 11, 2020) – Fuel strategy paid dividends for Simon Pagenaud as the reigning Indianapolis 500 champion led a Chevrolet sweep of the podium in the Chevrolet 275 INDYCAR iRacing Challenge at Michigan International Speedway.
Team Penske teammate Scott McLaughlin finished second and two-time Daytona 500 winner and NBC Sports motorsports analyst Dale Earnhardt Jr. placed third in his INDYCAR iRacing Challenge debut. Team Chevy has won all three races in the six-race virtual series that runs through May 2.
Pagenaud, driving the No. 22 DXC Chevrolet, took the lead for good on Lap 82 of 85.
“I cannot believe this just happened,” said Pagenaud, who competed in the virtual race on the 2-mile oval in his full race suit and celebrated the victory with a champagne toast. “We worked hard to understand this kind of racing, fuel consumption and strategies. It’s a pleasure to bring the DXC Chevrolet into Victory Lane this year.”
After qualifying toward the rear of the 31-car field and avoiding a first-lap crash involving midfield cars, Pagenaud went to Option B, which was to save fuel and conserve the Firestone tires.
“The goal was to stay out of trouble. We avoided the crash and I thought I’ll just stay back there and see what we can do,” he said. “Then, when I started doing that, we started saving a lot of fuel and realized there was that strategy lurking. But we had some good pace as well saving fuel.”
McLaughlin, a two-time champion in the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship for Team Penske, won the second INDYCAR iRacing Challenge at Barber Motorsports Park last week.
Earnhardt started 18th in the No. 3 Nationwide JR Motorsports Chevrolet and pitted on Lap 3, which also set up the career Chevrolet driver to employ a fuel-saving strategy. With 15 laps left, Earnhardt was running 10th and gained positions when competitors were forced to pit for a splash of fuel.
“We got a little damage on that wreck at the start of the race. I had a really bad push in the car so I couldn’t really run with the lead pack, but it was fun,” said Earnhardt, who was a two-time NASCAR Cup Series winner at Michigan International Speedway.
Earnhardt said driving in a virtual race against NTT IndyCar Series regulars will “be as close as I get to the real thing.”
“That’s why I like it; I can do it from the comfort of my own home. I don’t know if (wife) Amy would want me to get back in a race car much less an IndyCar. I had fun racing all those guys. A lot of those guys were ticked off about how the strategy worked out for them. That wreck on the front straightaway at the start sort of took a bunch of guys down pit road and put a bunch of in fuel-mileage mode. So, the fastest cars didn’t’ win.”
The next race in the series will be drivers’ choice. If it’s an oval, Earnhardt said he’s in.
“I really appreciated the invite and I think I need to do a better account of myself as far as just showing pure speed. I just wasn’t able to show it today, but we had a pretty good car in practice and had good speed in all the practices. I felt really confident going into the race, but just wasn’t able to show what we could do. Just maybe it might be Daytona, it might be Indy. I never imagined racing against the real drivers in IndyCar at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. What a great trip that would be for me.”
Team Penske’s Will Power, who traded the lead with Sage Karam through the first half of the race, finished fourth in the No. 12 Verizon Chevrolet. Both Power and Karam, driving the No. 24 DRR Wix Filters Chevrolet, were among the competitors who had to roll down pit lane for fuel late with 15 laps left. Ed Carpenter, driving the No. 21 SONAX Chevrolet, finished ninth.
Karam won the series opener on the Watkins Glen International road course. Drivers in the six-round virtual series use identical car setups provided by iRacing.
DRIVER QUOTESSCOTT MCLAUGHLIN, NO. 2 SNAP-ON TEAM PENSKE: “probably for me the biggest thing to get used to was the spotter with T.J. I actually have T.J.’s spotter pack in iRacing, now it’s a computer generated call. It’s not quite accurate. This is the first time where I’ve actually had a human genuinely telling me where the cars were, the runs. Getting used to that, the constant talk, how much chatter I wanted was interesting, I really enjoyed it all week. I’m glad I did it a few practice races to get used to oval stuff, how hard some people race, how hard some people didn’t. In the end, obviously been on my roof, on my lid on the first start wasn’t good, but thankfully had a fast repair, we were all granted one of those. I was able to repair my car and get back out. Became a strategy to the end in saving fuel. I think me and Dale did very similar strategies all the way to the end, as well as Simon.”
SAGE KARAM, NO. 24 DRR WIX FILTERS CHEVROLET: “We had a great day. Led a bunch of laps. It was fun. We knew it was going to be a crap shoot with fuel strategy. For the 2nd straight race, it was fuel affair. It’s all good. This is all about having fun for the drivers and fans. They knew we were here today. I was racing with Will (Power) late in the race in a effort to get to the front. And traffic got up with us and I spun. We kind of knew it would be a wild race on an oval. That first crash helping some guys with pit stops and it hurt us. But our pit stops were fast today. We picked up time over the other guys.”
MAX CHILTON, NO. 59 GALLAGHER CARLIN CHEVROLET: “I had a lot of fun in my first iRacing event of the INDYCAR Challenge. I’ve spent the last four days working really hard with our engineers and Felipe (Nasr) getting up to speed and I felt like I was getting pretty quick at it. We had a decent qualifying and were ready to go on the green, but annoyingly there was a massive pile up before the green that we got collected in. In iRacing you thankfully can repair the damages to your car, but apparently we had some damage to the No. 59 Gallagher Carlin Chevrolet that couldn’t be repaired and we ended up having to spend the entire race with a car that was never 100%. It’s amazing what can be done with these types of games and I thought the graphics were great and we put on a really nice show for the fans. We’ll be putting in more time this week and will be even more prepared for next weekend’s race.”
FELIPE NASR, NO. 31 CARLIN CHEVROLET: “Today was so much fun; I had a great time on my first oval. Unfortunately our result today was completely on me. We qualified really well and got a spot on the second row (third) and we spent most of the race battling with Power and Karam for the lead, but I just came into the pit lane a little too hot on the pit entry and I think the grip level was quite a bit lower than what we were practicing with and I just lost it on pit lane. I think a lot of drivers got caught off guard by that to be honest. The first 40 laps were great and I had such a good time battling up in front, but it’s such a shame that my pit lane mistake took the No. 31 Carlin Chevrolet out of contention for a win or even a podium finish. I think we put on a good show for the fans and I want to thank everyone from the Carlin team for the effort they’ve put into the INDYCAR Challenge the last few weeks. The guys in the UK and the US were on it and I want to especially thank my engineer Steve who also spotted for me this weekend and did an incredible job. We did a lot of preparation heading into the weekend and I felt like we had a really good car that had a good shot, but it was completely my bad and I want to apologize to everyone on the team for that. Thankfully we have another race next weekend to prepare for and hopefully we’ll keep moving up and get a good result for Carlin.”
TONY KANAAN, NO. 14 ABC SUPPLY AJ FOYT RACING CHEVROLET: “Big crash on the first lap and that put us behind right away. We couldn’t save fuel, I ran on my own the entire time. We finished this time and I’m glad we got to do the whole race. Good day for us, despite the results. I think we entertained the fans a lot.”
DALTON KELLETT, NO. 41 K-LINE INSULATORS AJ FOYT RACING CHEVROLET: “We knew this race was going to be wild but I honestly didn’t expect it to start before the green flag. I am happy that I was able to weave the K-Line Insulators USA No. 41 Chevrolet through that chaos. In the end, running a two-stop strategy hurt us, we needed a splash with six to go and came out 16th. Thanks to everyone who tuned in on the broadcast and live streams. See you all next week.”
SEBASTIEN BOURDAIS, NO. 4 TRESIBA AJ FOYT RACING CHEVROLET: “We were a casualty of the software. We were told to pit just before the green flag, we did, got serviced and the pits were open but we got held for 40 seconds. So we were almost a lap down as the race was starting which we never really recovered from because there was never a yellow flag. Pretty disappointed for the whole team but we were running strong after that. Got another penalty for 15 seconds on the last fuel stop and not quite sure about why that happened. Tried to play the fuel game but never got that lucky yellow so we’ll keep trying and see you next weekend.”
JOSEF NEWGARDEN, NO. 1 XPEL TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET: “ “Not the way we wanted to end the day in XPEL No. 1, but I had a ton of fun running at Michigan and I’m happy Team Penske could bring home the win. Congrats to Simon and the 22 team! I still have a lot to learn about this whole sim racing program but I’m excited to get back to work and figure it all out!” WILL POWER, NO. 12 VERIZON TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET: ““P4 today for the Verizon Chevy. We qualified at the front and led most of the race going back-and-forth with Sage Karam which was a lot of fun. All the guys who crashed at the start got to fuel up and Simon (Pagenaud) and others saved that won them the race. I guess I won being the first on my strategy which is two weeks in-a-row I’ve been beaten on strategy, but that means we are going to have a win here soon. But I’m having a lot of fun with this and see what happens next week.” 
An interview with podium finishers Simon Pagenaud, Scott McLaughlin and Dale Earnhardt Jr.:THE MODERATOR: Wasn’t that refreshing to see IndyCars back at Michigan International Speedway after a long wait. I think as Townsend Bell and Paul Tracy mentioned on the broadcast, after viewing some of the practice race, we were expecting a pretty entertaining race. It was an unfortunate start, but a terrific finish.There was so much happening in the race that made it very entertaining for the first oval in this iRacing INDYCAR Challenge. It was a Chevrolet that won the race. It was a very good day for Team Penske.We’re going to start with the driver of the No. 2 Snap-on Tools Dallara, Scott McLaughlin. If there was an official points tally, he would be the leader. We know, Scott, that your experience level in iRacing, you’re showing that whether it be on road courses or now on an oval. I know you’re getting used to having a spotter as well. Tell us about your day, your successful day.SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Yeah, look, probably for me the biggest thing for me to get used to was the spotter with T.J. I actually have T.J.’s spotter pack in iRacing, now it’s a computer generated call. It’s not quite accurate.This is the first time where I’ve actually had a human genuinely telling me where the cars were, the runs. Getting used to that, the constant talk, how much chatter I wanted was interesting, I really enjoyed it all week.I’m glad I did it a few practice races to get used to oval stuff, how hard some people race, how hard some people didn’t. In the end, obviously been on my roof, on my lid on the first start wasn’t good, but thankfully had a fast repair, we were all granted one of those. I was able to repair my car and get back out. Became a strategy to the end in saving fuel. I think me and Dale did very similar strategies all the way to the end, as well as Simon.THE MODERATOR: There was a lot of prerace discussions about ‘the big one’. We weren’t expecting that to come coming to green. How was the general conduct of your peers? Everyone racing pretty sensibly?SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: It’s funny, in the practice races everyone is crashing, stuff going on everywhere. When you get into the real thing, unbelievable, everyone was really good. I was in really clean air most of the race. I only raced sort of four or five cars, most of it with the strategy, how it all worked out.In the end, we were all trying to save a little bit of fuel there. The conduct was really good. I think everyone is getting use to the Internet racing side of things because it’s not exactly the same in regards to how close you can touch people, all that sort of stuff, pinch people down. It’s all getting used to that. It gives you a really good feel, I’m sure, of what it’s like in the real life thing.THE MODERATOR: To the third-place finisher, Dale Earnhardt Jr., in the Nationwide Chevrolet under an INDYCAR entry, your first INDYCAR iRacing Challenge, Junior. You got on your first INDYCAR podium. How about that?DALE EARNHARDT JR.: There was a lot of luck involved. The start of the race was a little bit odd. We’d been starting much quicker much earlier off of turn four in our practice races. I think the rest of the field behind the leaders were anticipating going around that same area.The leaders chose to roll a little closer to the start/finish line. Everybody kind of got banged up there, accordion-ed into each other. Someone ran into the back of me. We wanted to save our quick fix that would repair all the damage on the car because I was anticipating a lot more yellows. With the damage we had, the car would burn the right front tire really quickly, so we didn’t have the pace that we had in the practices to run with the leaders.We did pit. I didn’t even know that we had fell into the strategy on fuel that we had. That kind of became apparent as we started to think about taking our first pit stop. I was like, Let’s split the race in half. We ended up running out the gas as we crossed the finish line, getting the checkered. Ended up frustrating some guys because their strategy didn’t work out well in the fastest car, the best sim racers didn’t finish where they should have.I had a good time. I was really thankful to be invited. Really appreciated the opportunity to be a part of this. I really became a huge fan of the series, even more of a fan of the series last year when I went to the Indy 500.The guys, it’s fun to get to know them. They all have such wild personalities, different personalities. So much complexity to the stars in that series. It’s kind of fun getting to know who they really are.I think in sim racing, much like any kind of console gaming, PC gaming, whatever, that’s going to bring out your real personality, the good and the bad (laughter). It’s kind of fun to see some of those guys really kind of come out of their shell.THE MODERATOR: We have a lot of people on the line who will be keen to ask questions. We’re waiting for the race winner, Simon Pagenaud.Dale, a lot of guys who ran up front today were avid iRacers and sim racers. Do you think this really displays a new car for this platform when you try a different race like this?DALE EARNHARDT JR.: Yeah, I mean, if you were to put the best guys in the service in that race, they would destroy all of us. If you were to put some of the best customers or best drivers on the service in the NASCAR events, they would destroy all the NASCAR drivers. You can’t hold a candle to them because of their experience and the time they put into it.But you can see there is a wide variety of skill sets when it comes to the real world drivers. When you group them together, you see the guys have a lot of time on the sim that are smart and clever about how the sim reacts, how the tires fall off, how you can counter that. There’s other guys that have no idea what is about to happen. They just drive the car as hard as they can, burn it up.But the funny thing about it is, with all that said, I’ve seen this on the NASCAR side, I certainly think it’s got to be true on the INDYCAR side, is they adapt super fast. The guys that have never used the service, never drove the sim, not even gamers, really adapt so quickly because of how realistic I believe the platform is, the iRacing platform is. They pick up on it really quick.I mean, I kind of hate to step outside of the INDYCAR world, but we’ve been spending so much time with our Cup cars, all the Cup regulars. Kyle Busch, what a great example of a guy who had no clue of what he was doing, and now he’s guaranteed a top-10 finish, maybe top-five, and it shouldn’t be that way. It’s much more challenging than he makes it look. He puts so much time in.I can say the same thing with the INDYCAR guys. We’ve had a lot of time together this weekend, a lot of laps, a lot of practice, a lot of little test races and so forth, more so than I even see on the NASCAR side. There’s a lot more commitment for the drivers to put the laps in, put the time in, to be as good as they can so they can make the show as good as they can make it.There was a lot of people on social media that would love to see you try a real INDYCAR race at some point. Would you even consider a road course or a road course test in an INDYCAR?DALE EARNHARDT JR.: No, I probably wouldn’t. For the most part my driving days are over. I have a few events left in me. I don’t know how many of those Xfinity races I’ll be running beyond this year.For me, I mean, I guess it’s okay to be honest. This is a dream come true, to have all the real world guys on the computer. That’s where I’ve been for two decades. This is awesome to have all these guys, whether they all 100% really loved and wanted to be there, it’s awesome that they’re all competing and we’re having these races broadcast on network television in front of so many people.The reaction generally from the population and public is, Man, I’d love to have the real thing, but this is pretty good. I’ll watch this till we get the real thing back.I’m loving it. This is awesome. Dream come true. I never would have imagined this would happen in a million years, for there to be legitimate, in my mind, as far as sim racing goes, in that community and that bubble, legitimate racing with real world drivers. It’s pretty impressive.
THE MODERATOR: We are joined by our race winner, Simon Pagenaud.SIMON PAGENAUD: It was an awesome day. I’m just as excited as I would be for a race win. Winning is everything.Simon and Scott, you experienced racing with Dale Jr., what does it say that you are competing not just with your fellow INDYCAR base but also drivers from different disciplines?SIMON PAGENAUD: I was just talking to Dale earlier. First of all it’s really awesome to see him join us because he’s such a big name in racing. He can reach to so many more people than we do because he’s been racing for so many years at such high level. It’s pretty amazing to see the humility he has to come and race a series he doesn’t know, a car he doesn’t know.I know he’s been doing a lot of iRacing, but still what he did today is pretty amazing. I just really like him. I’m a big fan of him and his dad. I was of his dad. I’m just very happy that he joined us. I hope he can do more in the future because I think he’s having fun. I’m personally having a lot of fun racing him. It’s amazing to get to race your heroes.SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: For me it was the same thing as what Simon just said. I think it’s really cool to race people like Dale, like Jimmie Johnson, like people I’ve watched for many years in Australia. For me it’s really cool. For me to race against the INDYCAR guys is even a better treat for me, to learn how everyone races, who is aggressive, who is not aggressive, it’s quite interesting.Dale, in the Cup Series you had a couple wins that snapped some stretches where you weren’t doing too well. Were you drawing on what you were able to do in NASCAR in today’s INDYCAR event even though it’s sim racing?DALE EARNHARDT JR.: My approach to the race today was, like Simon said, even though I’ve been on the service a lot, all the cars have such unique characteristics, I didn’t have much time in the INDYCAR. I was trying to find the challenges with the car and understand them as fast as I could, how the car works, how it likes to be driven for tire degradation and all those things. The sim is so realistic, sometimes too realistic.Also there tended to be some pack racing. Practices were pretty wild. Like Simon said about being excited for the win, they had the same emotions as they would in the real car. They get as angered as easily, they get a thrill out of sim racing if it goes well. I’ve had that same experience on the oval side.You know all those guys are there to do well. They got partners, cars that they want to put toward the front of the field so their sponsors are happy because this is really all the sponsors can attain right now when it comes to exposure, engagement. A lot of pressure on these drivers.I was just trying to ease in there and not ruin anybody’s day but also have a reasonable finish that I could be proud of.Scott, being so successful in sim racing in multiple series, talk about what you’ve been able to do. If you had to pinpoint one thing that’s made you successful in this, what has exactly that been?SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Probably for me a lot of hard work. In some ways I’ve really worked hard on my setup and my understanding of the setup in the Supercar and the tracks. Certainly haven’t driven a Supercar in Monza before, so that was good to learn.Obviously this week I’ve got up twice now, this is my third time getting up at 4, 5 a.m. in the morning for the practice races to learn the draft, what it was like with group practices.With the fixed setup races, I enjoy it because everybody is in the same boat. You can’t do much about it. It’s all about how you understand the tire, how it heats up, how it goes across the run. I guess just a little bit of effort, yeah, sacrificing my sleep, getting around it.Simon, you talked about how hectic it was having so many people in your ear. Was it more difficult to win today or winning the Indy 500?SIMON PAGENAUD: Very different feeling, for sure. Very different situation. At the 500 we went all out and tried to take control. We had the fastest car, so we just wanted to control the race. I ended up being in the same situation with fuel on the other side, we were a bit short on fuel and we had to save.But today the strategy, we didn’t qualify so well. I didn’t understand how to run the best line to get speed out of the car. Maybe I didn’t practice enough qualifying runs.But I knew in race pace I was going to be good. Like Dale said, it was so hectic throughout the week in practices that I decided to just actually hang with Dale because he has so much experience in this kind of racing in general. We figured out that we were actually saving fuel and tires really well. It helped us to do only one stop.At the end I was a bit stressed out, I must say. I was very stressed because I don’t feel as much in control. My engineer, Ben Bretzman, who is my usual engineer, was telling me the fuel code, the fuel level, how much to save fuel, that I was fine. He was telling me basically not to race people around me, which is very difficult. It’s a very different space awareness. That’s what I’m struggling with the most.But, yeah, today was a very stressful day, very intense, very intense.Dale, you said you ran out of fuel, crossed the line. Did you know how low that fuel was? Were you planning that the last few laps? Is that how it worked out?DALE EARNHARDT JR.: That’s how it worked out. I was playing with the fuel in the last run. If I ran any harder than I was running, I was going to be short. Even as we got the white, I couldn’t change what I was doing with the throttle to be able to get back to the checkered.There was no point, I wasn’t going to catch Scott. His car was working pretty good. He did a great job not only saving his fuel but keeping his tires good, keeping the right front on his car.When he took off, I might have tried for a corner or two to see if I could keep up with him, but I was going to run out of fuel so there was no point.You said you were trying to save your fast repair in case something else came up. Was that hurting you on the speed or the handling of your car?DALE EARNHARDT JR.: I think a little bit of both, but mainly the right front. The car was real tight. The back end was broke. When we had the crash on the front straightaway, I slowed down and I kind of stopped. But somebody came from behind and slid into the back of the car. We had some damage there.It would just push the right front off real easy. I don’t know if it was hurting the speed, the power, but definitely as the car got deeper and deeper into the run, it started to kind of act like a chair that had a short leg. It was very funky how it was driving.I was waiting on that quick fix. I was expecting to have multiple yellows. The way the practice sessions had been going, we were all on top of each other, having a lot of accidents. Turned out to be a fuel mileage race.Dale, what were you first impressions with your first INDYCAR race? What do you think your dad would think that you decided to do INDYCAR racing?DALE EARNHARDT JR.: I think he’d certainly have a hard time with this, just the sim racing part of it I guess. That’s what we’re all watching on television, and everyone is enjoying it. You never know, he might have came around to be a big fan of it.For me driving the INDYCAR is just an opportunity to hang out with those guys, get to know Simon, Scott, all the rest of those guys better. It’s just fun for me to have the opportunity.As a fan you can only get so much access, the drivers do a great job of giving a lot. There’s only so far that you can really push that to get to know these guys. This is a bit behind closed doors, get to kind of see what their world is like.Being a driver in the NASCAR series, I got a real good idea how those guys are, their lifestyles, how they interact with each other. Certainly some similarities in the INDYCAR world.The fact that they’re from all over the world, where NASCAR it’s just basically guys from the United States, it’s a little smaller of a bubble, the INDYCAR personalities are just so complex and so different from each other. Really contrasting. That’s a lot of fun to hear them interact with each other.With the world and the country going through this crisis, how helpful is it or relieving to set time aside, have a routine to sim race for fans?DALE EARNHARDT JR.: It’s great. Just for a moment you get to forget about everything that’s going on out there. I promise you, during those laps, thinking about fuel, trying to figure out where we’re going to end up, you’re not thinking about all the sadness and frustration and troubles going on in the world around you.Hopefully that’s the same feeling that a lot of people get when they tune in and watch or races on NBCSN. For a minute things feel good. When it’s over you snap back into reality and have to start trying to stay healthy and keep up the regimen that you have to say healthy, wait for this thing to play itself out.Dale, obviously Amy, they would never find your remains if you said you were going to go INDYCAR racing full-time. What about next week? If you get the invite, are you going to go around next week?DALE EARNHARDT JR.: She just ended the first trimester for our second child. She has her good days and bad days. But I’m kind of committed to running the NASCAR stuff. There’s NASCAR stuff on both networks happening on the weekend and throughout the week.I believe I’m pushing my luck to add more racing to my schedule. As much as I would love to sit on the sim rig every single day, compete and Twitch stream and do all those things, I need to be a dad and help her at this particular time especially.I do badly want to race again with Scott and Simon and all the guys, even if it’s a road course, get out there and give it a go. Hopefully there will be opportunities for me to do that if not next weekend. I might need to take a little bit of a break. If not next weekend, I’d love to get another invite if they’re open to having me back.Simon, I have to know something. I heard this was your first full iRace.SIMON PAGENAUD: No, I’ve been on iRacing since 2008. I took a big break, maybe too long of a break. I’m certainly readjusting a lot.When was your first race back after the break?SIMON PAGENAUD: Watkins Glen was my first race back in a while. Especially at this level, it’s taking me time to train. I’m training five hours minimum a day right now. I want to be competitive. That’s my nature. I want to win races. When INDYCAR announced this official racing, I wanted to be myself and I wanted to go out there and do the best I could.Winning is the most satisfying thing that I know. Being able to do what we did today to me is why I train so hard, it’s why I do this.Scott, you were all set to make your INDYCAR debut with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course in May. With that being changed, I imagine everything is up in the air. How much is your participation in this really increasing your desire and hope to get back in an IndyCar and possibly come over full-time?SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Yeah, look, I just appreciate Team Penske allowing me to jump in an INDYCAR, jump in the INDYCAR Challenge. It’s been fun. I’m taking it onboard and learning. I’m learning some tracks I’ve never been to before in real life. For instance, Barber last week, Michigan as a speedway, learning the oval side.Look, for me right now it’s a wait-and-see type thing. Obviously the Indy GP is put off. It’s a matter of waiting and seeing what goes on with border controls and travel restrictions, all that sort of stuff.It’s all good. Just have to keep doing what I can do. I’m focused on keeping myself fit, like Simon said, making sure I’m ready whenever the call comes. We’ll see how we go.Simon, it’s obvious you’re all in on this deal, wearing your driver’s suit. When will we see a virtual Norman package?SIMON PAGENAUD: Norman comes at the end of every race to give me kisses. He was very excited today like he can be when I win a race.The biggest thing about the race suit is my fellow drivers, they think I sleep in my race suit. I just wanted to show that I do sleep in my race suit.I also wanted to give some love to DXC. In these tough times, our sponsors are there for us. DXC Technology has been a phenomenal partner. We transitioned from HPE to DXE. I’ve had lot of good luck with that car. I love these guys. End of the day it’s a relationship and we work really hard on it with Team Penske. I just felt like wearing the race suit was probably the best way to represent them. 

NTT IndyCar Series News ConferenceSage KaramNo. 24 Wix Filters ChevroletConor DalyNo. 20 U.S. Air Force ChevroletDale Earnhardt Jr.No. 3 Nationwide JR Motorsports Chevrolet THE MODERATOR: Welcome, everyone, to today’s INDYCAR iRacing Challenge videoconference. My name is Kate Davis. I work at INDYCAR. I’m the director of communications. Today we’re joined by three athletes competing in this weekend’s Chevrolet 275 from virtual Michigan International Speedway: Sage Karam, driver of the No. 24 Wix Filters Chevrolet; Conor Daly, driver of the No. 20 U.S. Air Force Chevrolet; and Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the No. 3 Nationwide JR Motorsports Chevrolet. Gentlemen, thanks for joining us today. I’ll kick it off with a question for each of you and then we’ll open it up to the media on the line. Sage is our resident INDYCAR iRacing expert. You won our week 1 race, but you’re too young to have raced at Michigan, but you did race at Auto Club Speedway, which is quite similar. What should fans expect this weekend? SAGE KARAM: I think from yesterday’s race running we did, I think it’s going to be a pack race kind of feel, kind of like Fontana was in 2015. But it’s going to be exciting, that’s for sure. I just think we need to stay off of each other, and we should be all right. I think once it comes race time, I think it’ll be a bit better. I think the guys will then know that the race is on the line and stuff like that. It’s just kind of the same thing that’s happened the last couple events. I think when we’re doing these practice runs and stuff, we just kind of go out there, have a little bit more fun, and then when the race comes we turn it down 5 percent or whatever we need to to get through it all. But no, it’ll be cool. I think you’ll see like in the beginning of stints when the tires are fresh and good, you’ll see a lot of like three-wide action, and then as the stint goes on, the tires will start to wear a bit, guys will start battling some understeer, and I think you’ll see guys more single file and it spread out a little bit. But we’re going to do another practice race with everybody today to see if we can work with some new weather settings and stuff to maybe make it a bit easier for us to race and stay off each other a little bit. THE MODERATOR: Conor, we know you’re a big gamer, but up until recently you had not been a big iRacing guy. But in the NTT INDYCAR Series you typically have success at ovals. How has practice been going this week for you, and what should we expect from you this weekend? CONOR DALY: Thank you. It’s been fun, honestly. Michigan was actually the first track that we got on when this whole iRacing INDYCAR challenge was set up. They had Michigan and Watkins Glen as two practice sessions because we didn’t really know what our first race was at the time. And we got on there, and it’s been a lot of fun, honestly. Like the racing there, the track being so wide, so many different lanes you can use, and just yesterday the practice race, honestly I was really impressed with all of us. I thought it was going to be a lot more chaotic than it was, and the racing is crazy. Like it’s very close. There was a lot of overtaking, but there was also — it thinned out a little bit at times. Pitting for tires was super important. And you know, I don’t know, I thought it was a lot of fun. We ended up fighting up at the front for once. I know everyone is probably really surprised about that, but battling with Scott McLachlan for the lead, a lot of fun. So we hope to do that again. But even if we’re 28th, I’m still probably going to have a great time. That’s what Michigan is all about, I think, and that’s what this weekend is going to be all about. THE MODERATOR: All right, last but certainly not least, let’s welcome Dale Jr. who’s joining us. You’re the only driver here that has actually raced at Michigan International Speedway, obviously not in an INDYCAR but in a NASCAR. You have two wins in both the Xfinity Series and the Cup Series. How is practice going for you? I know you were a late entry this week. How excited are you to be participating this weekend? DALE EARNHARDT JR.: Practice was a lot of fun, and I don’t have any time in the car on the simulator. I’ve been on iRacing for a couple decades, but I haven’t put much time on the INDYCAR, and obviously have no real-world experience, so there’s a lot of learning and trying to understand why the car reacts the way it does and what creates those issues because some of them are realistic and some of them may be because of the sim or the tire model of the sim. Just trying to understand how to stay out of trouble. Keep yourself out of trouble was what yesterday’s practice was about, and I’m looking forward to today, practicing some more with these guys. I had such a great time when I went to the Indy 500 last year and I have so much respect for the guys that are in the field and the guys that we’ll be practicing with and racing with this weekend. It’s kind of fun for me to get to know their personalities a little bit and how they interact with each other was really fun yesterday during practice. I was just kind of sitting there listening to everybody go back and forth with each other, and it’s kind of funny. I kind of understand that camaraderie and the back and forth that they have is really similar to what we have in the Cup Series, and they’re all racers, you know, so it was — you know, I just hope that I can stay out of trouble, and that’s going to be the main thing early. There’s two kind of trains of thought there, that you can go real hard and try to keep yourself toward the front if you can because there’ll hopefully not be a lot of trouble up there, or if you’re not able to do that, you’ve got to hope that you don’t get caught up in anything going on in the middle or back of the back which is definitely probably going to have some action. That’s what iRacing is all about, just trying to know when to stay out of trouble and then when to push. The tires are going to fall off a little bit. The car gets real, real tight in some circumstances that’s real challenging for everybody in the pack, and just knowing how to keep yourself out of trouble is the main thing. Q. Conor and Sage, what, if any, attention has this brought you? Can this platform raise your visibility, and has it led to sponsorship either for iRacing or start of discussions on real-world opportunities?CONOR DALY: Well, I guess I’ll start. We didn’t really know what to expect from it at first. Obviously we have this incredible looking U.S. Air Force car, and we want to put it out on the internet because they’ve committed to us in real life and they’re willing to invest in me and our sport, and obviously in this difficult time in the world right now, we’ve got to give them as much as possible for being willing to commit to us in the first place. I think we are honestly still in the early stages of figuring out how to make this work as good as we can. The Twitch stuff is really kind of funny for me. I just did it two years ago just for fun because I play a lot of Call of Duty, and I play games, and I think sometimes we might say hilarious things, and I know Colton Herta and I play a lot, and some of the other guys, we’ve played a lot. We’ve played some Forza Motorsport, as well. It just gives you something — it’s all about building your brand, and if you have four different areas where your brand can build, Twitch, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, that’s more than, I guess, you’re used to with just the Facebook or Twitter or even Instagram. To add a fourth element to that, maybe I continue to develop a YouTube channel, as well, who knows. There’s stuff that I think you’ll end up doing during this time that will no matter what help you in the long run, and that’s just what we’re trying to do is when we do go back to racing. Maybe we’ve built a bigger fan base, we’ve built a bigger brand for our sponsors and the people that do support us. SAGE KARAM: Yeah, I agree with Conor. Just another point about the Twitch thing, the fans can see our reactions to certain events that take place, where before when we’re inside the cars and stuff, they don’t really get to see those things and hear what we say, and whether it’s good or bad things, I think the fans like to make that first-person connection with us and seeing how we go about it. It’s pretty interesting, you see different drivers, how they’re handling these situations and stuff, and it’s pretty cool. I mean, I’ll be the first to admit, I watch Conor’s stream all the time because it’s pretty funny when he’s streaming these races, he gets on it pretty good with some jokes and stuff and he’s always entertaining to watch. It’s cool to see the personalities of some of these guys while they’re racing. Q. Dale, greetings from another neighbor in Mooresville. You never had a chance to drive an INDYCAR in your career, so in a lot of ways this is a little bit new. You were a master of the draft in a stock car. How is drafting different in these cars at Michigan in the virtual world than maybe the way the car is handled in your world in NASCAR?DALE EARNHARDT JR.: Well, there’s one thing, where two wide was pretty common all day long at Daytona and Talladega in a Cup car, three wide seems to be real common in the INDYCAR. Not only are you worried about the guy beside you, whichever side he’s on, and the run you’re trying to create off the car in front of him, the run the guys have behind you, but most of the time you might have two guys beside you, you get boxed in real easy, and then when the car produces the runs, you don’t have something to do with it, you don’t have a place to go, and you have to make that decision for yourself to not take it, and that’s the hard thing to do but probably the best thing to do in a lot of situations is just to wait for another opportunity, another lap, another run. Hopefully I have enough patience to do that. I definitely don’t want to be the one to start any crashes. I’m the new guy. It definitely is — I’m a fish out of water, and just being able to shift gears and have gear selection while you’re drafting and trying to understand how to produce opportunities using that is really foreign to me, so I’m learning on the fly. All these guys have been really helpful, the ones I’ve reached out to have been very supportive, and it’s a good group. Q. And also when Harding Racing started a couple years ago, they chose No. 88 as a tribute to you. How excited or impressed were you when you heard that? And also Conor Daly is an alumni of a guy that’s driven that No. 88 in INDYCAR.DALE EARNHARDT JR.: I wasn’t sure if that was really a tribute to me or they just liked the font. Either way, I know the guy over the team or owns the team was a fan, I suppose, but I loved it. I thought it was beautiful. It’s a good-looking number and looks good on that race car. Looks good on their race car, and they’ve been able to develop that team and improve that team and it’s great to see the success that they’ve been able to have. I love seeing it out there. Q. And finally, bringing some more of your fans maybe to tune in tomorrow to maybe see INDYCAR for the first time, how important is that?DALE EARNHARDT JR.: Well I think these guys have such great personalities, and they’re even more diverse than what we have in NASCAR because they’re from all over the world. I think that that’s the real value in the series is the drivers and their personalities and who they are, and so I’m “fan boying” myself just being out there hearing them talk, hearing them interact with each other, getting to know them better. I’ve got a few friends in the series but certainly want to know the other guys and get to know the rest of them really well, so this is such a great opportunity for me to do that, and I think the fans are really going to appreciate getting the opportunity to see them on the racetrack, on the virtual racetrack throughout this break, to get to know them even more. Q. Dale, you mentioned you have a handful of friends in the INDYCAR Series. I’d be interested to know who are some of the guys you’ve looked to for some help getting adjusted to the car this week, whether it was Jimmie who I know has raced the last two weeks and isn’t going to be racing this week?DALE EARNHARDT JR.: Well, I reached out to Jimmie just to get temperature, get an understanding of his experience so far. But I have some guys in the iRacing service, customers that use the car a little bit to offer some advice. Rahal is a good buddy of mine. We’ve interacted over the last several years on a pretty regular basis. And Marco and me became pals over the last couple years. Simon — you know, when I went — Simon was on the podcast. Mr. Penske is going to be on the podcast Monday. I don’t even know if we’ve announced that yet. I just had such a great opportunity, like I said, when I went there to the Indy 500, being in a NASCAR, being a NASCAR driver for all these years, there’s just no opportunities to go to these races. To actually be at the Indy 500 for the first time, my first INDYCAR race, to meet and interact with some of the drivers was a real treat for me and really got to see the series and the value in it and enjoy it. I’ve met Conor a few times, great guy, going to ask him for some twitch advice here because I’m starting to try to figure out how to get Twitch going on my end, overlays and all that good stuff. So you know, it’s an opportunity to sort of connect with some of these people and create some friendships. Q. You talked a little bit already about some of the intricacies with drafting, running three wide through some of the practicing that you’ve done thus far. Is there any one thing for you that’s been the hardest thing to adjust to or get the feel to jumping over from a Cup car sim to an INDYCAR this week?DALE EARNHARDT JR.: Well, the way they had the aero modeled in the INDYCAR on iRacing, it’s tough for me to understand what of that is realistic and what of that is exaggerated or whatever because the car will get real tight sometimes and I’m not quite — I haven’t quite really figured out why that happens and how to try to prevent that the best I can, whether it’s how I’m positioned behind the car in front of me, if I need to offset my car to that car some way, somehow, but sometimes the car just takes off, gets real tight off of Turn 2 particularly, and trying to — I think that’s really going to be the thing I’m most worried about right now is trying to understand that and trying to avoid that. Sometimes the car gets runs, gets — you’re able to just take off and get a run in the draft, and again, I’m not sure — I want to know why. I want to know why, what produced that run and created that car to take off like that, because I want to be able to do it every time all the time. Just trying to figure out what’s going on there. I have zero real-world experience in the car, so I don’t know what’s real and what’s not, what’s real and what’s iRacing. So I’m just trying to learn as fast as I can. THE MODERATOR: Conor, Sage, you want to tell him? CONOR DALY: No, because I have no idea. DALE EARNHARDT JR.: I don’t know if he’s telling me the truth. Q. Conor, you talked about having fun and talked about building a bigger brand through this on Twitch, and yet it’s been seen on the NASCAR side that interactions in iRacing can still have business and sponsor implications. How much fun can you have when knowing everything can still be dissected by sponsors, and how much of this is business versus fun?CONOR DALY: That’s a great point. I think that was really interesting obviously after the NASCAR race with what happened with Bubba. I mean, it’s not like we’re getting on the internet and going into like crazy mode. Yes, we’re getting emotional and we’re shouting at people sometimes, but only Will Power is the only one really insulting people, so I don’t really know what else is going on. We’re just all kind of having a great time. But it’s just one of those things where, yes, is it a business? Absolutely. Like we’re still — we are still wearing our sponsors, we’re still — we can’t necessarily go out there and go super crazy. But yeah, you are going to get more emotional drivers or let’s say emotionally reactive drivers on the internet when you don’t — like certainly Alex Rossi and Colton Herta in my discord, you can’t see their faces. They don’t know they’re on camera or being recorded or whatever, so it’s harder to kind of police yourself in that sense. But you know, I think in the end, if you don’t understand that, again, this is — we are trying to entertain people, like this isn’t something that — I don’t think anyone is going to get a job in a real race car after the iRacing INDYCAR Challenge, and I don’t think for sure anyone is going to lose their job because of what they do on the iRacing INDYCAR Challenge, so you’ve just got to remember that, hey, like — even me, I’m guilty — like I said literally yesterday in the practice race, I’m trying to have a great time, I’m having fun. I got so angry that I got wrecked on the last lap. I was curious. I left the discord, I haven’t talked to Colton Herta in 24 hours, I’ve been so mad at him, and honestly, I don’t know why. Like I shouldn’t be angry. But it was fun because you’re racing for the lead and we are competitors. We want to win this stuff. You’ve got to just compartmentalize a few different emotions when the camera is rolling, and then yeah, hopefully come out the other side still with your job and all your sponsors. Q. What does this do for maybe your brand if you think about that like compared to maybe running the Chili Bowl?CONOR DALY: Well, the Chili Bowl, I think that’s, again, diversifying your portfolio. You’re going to do something different, something out of your comfort zone. Simulator racing is out of my comfort zone, as well. But here we are. And I don’t really mind. I think I’m happy enough with what I can do in an INDYCAR and what we have the potential opportunity to do this year with Ed Carpenter Racing and Carlin this year to where I can go and do that and enjoy it and also might it go well? No. Might it go like — might it go great at some point? Yeah, that would be awesome. But yeah, just trying to learn different things and just trying to do as much as I can because you’re only young — I’m going to still call myself young, but you’re only young once, so I’m going to try and live it up a little bit. Q. Dale, I’m just kind of curious, INDYCAR is kind of its own little community, and NASCAR is kind of also its own little community. How much curiosity is there amongst the NASCAR drivers, what’s going on in INDYCAR and vice versa? Obviously we’ve seen Jimmie try the iRacing a little bit, you’re going to be a part of this. There’s got to be some I would think.DALE EARNHARDT JR.: Oh, yeah, absolutely. There’s a ton. I think if you’re a race car driver, you certainly — you’re watching other forms of motorsport and you’re obviously curious as to how those cars drive and what they feel like and what the drivers are dealing with, are the cars comfortable, uncomfortable, how are they reacting to air and so forth. I’m certain that all of the NASCAR drivers would really love to get that opportunity to understand everything there is about driving the INDYCAR, and I’m sure that the INDYCAR guys feel the same way about driving a stock car. You see that curiosity — I’m going to tell you right now, doing the double is not easy. People talk about doing the double and how cool that is. It is cool, but it is really, really hard because you’re committing yourself to the entire month at INDYCAR and then you’ve got the — you’ve got all the month of racing on the weekend in stock car and you’re back and forth to meetings and trying to switch between profiles of how you approach the INDYCAR versus you driving the Cup car, and the fact that guys still do it with as much challenge as there is logistically and just trying to run well, the fact that guys are still trying to do that shows you that the curiosity is certainly there and people are trying to make it reality. Q. For you, there’s no other way for you to be a part of anything INDYCAR when it comes to being in the cockpit than the circumstances we all are dealing with right now, so in a weird kind of way, it’s kind of cool — maybe that’s not the right word —DALE EARNHARDT JR.: No, it is. It’s cool. I love it. I might have been crazy enough to take up an offer to run INDYCAR in my 20s or maybe my early 30s, but I didn’t have the guts for it. As I got toward my 40s I certainly don’t have the balls for it today, but when I was — when I heard that there might be an opportunity for me to get out there on a simulator — I mean, I’m comfortable in the sim. I’ve spent a lot of time racing online, so I feel like I can hold my own with most of the customer base on there, and these are real-world guys. It’s just such an honor, I guess, to be out there and on the track with them. I never would interact with them any other way, you know. I probably hardly know any of them, so it’s really cool to be able to be out there and just having fun. This is all really a lot of fun. There are some implications, and there are some business components to it, but for me it’s a great opportunity to showcase Nationwide as a partner of mine that they’ve been a partner for a really long time, but it is also an opportunity to kind of wade in this pool and have some fun with these guys. Q. Dale, once racing returns to normal, do you think sim racing will kind of be a way for retired drivers such as yourself to keep racing competitively and then maybe even current drivers to keep racing during the off-season?DALE EARNHARDT JR.: You know, I don’t know what will happen once everybody goes back to racing in real life. Drivers are going to be so busy with that job that they’re not going to have a lot of time to devote to any kind of a schedule on sim racing. Sim racing is, for everyone, for the most part, sim racing is just a way to go in there and blow off some steam and have some fun at any time you want. When it starts to become something that’s a bit scheduled, it loses a little bit of that sort of fun in the instance of just jumping in there and having fun and jumping on the surface and going at it. But you know, so I think when these guys go back to their real jobs, they’re going to be so focused on that. A lot of them are going to park the simulator, probably never use it again, but some of them are avid users of the service and will continue just to have some fun on there and enjoy it the way they always did. I don’t know that we’ll ever see — and we might, I could be wrong. I’d love to be wrong, but I don’t know that we’ll ever see an official series with real-world racers that continues. That’s managed by the organization bodies like INDYCAR or NASCAR. Q. Sage, you obviously have a ton of experience on the sim; what makes iRacing better than other games such as rFactor 2, Assetto Corsa, stuff like that?SAGE KARAM: I guess I just never really drove them all that much. I’ve been on iRacing since 2007, so like when it was in beta mode. So I’ve been a part of it for a long time. It’s just kind of always been the one I feel like when you go talk about major sim programs, like it’s always the top one people talk about. I have all the other ones, but I’ve probably done like 10 laps on rFactor 2 and five laps on Assetto Corsa or whatever — I don’t even know what it’s called. So yeah, I don’t know. I’ve just been a part of iRacing for a while, and it’s cool to see the progression of it, just from even just a few years back when you’d have world championship races that iRacing had put together and everybody would be running those, and now like the amount of money that’s coming into sim racing, you look at the NASCAR world championship series presented by Coca-Cola, it’s a $300,000 prize pool, which is like pretty incredible for sim racers, and Porsche just put together a $250,000 or $200,000 prize pool for their championship, so the money is starting to get pretty huge in sim racing, and people are starting to make a living more so than honestly a lot of real race car drivers are getting paid. It’s pretty insane, the top guys. Conor is — I agree with Conor that no one is ever going to lose their drive by their performances on here. That’s 100 percent true. But I don’t agree with the fact that I think it can help you get in a ride because it can only help you running well and running up front, and I’ve already gotten calls from sponsors that have been past sponsors of mine, new sponsors that are wanting to get on board with this and are already talking to the team about what’s after this and how do we get on the real car and stuff because they’ve seen how exciting this is. So it can only happen. But like Conor said, it’s not going to hurt you. It’s just for a fun thing. But it’s been really cool to see how the racing world has embraced it, and like I said, it’s really cool to see how it’s growing. That’s why I’m so into it because I’m not a full time race car driver right now, I’m part time in the real thing, so it keeps me busy, and it’s something fun to — it’s something fun, but I also take it serious just because now it is starting to become — you can kind of make a living off of it now. I’m trying to get to that level, and it’s been a challenge, but it’s been fun. THE MODERATOR: All right, that’s going to conclude our video conference today. Thanks to Sage, Conor and Dale for joining us, and good luck in tomorrow’s Chevrolet 275. Please make sure that join us on NBCSN at 2:30 p.m. eastern. Thanks, everybody, and have a great rest of your Friday.

DELAWARE, Ohio (April 10) — Adjustments to the NHRA drag racing schedule yielded a big present for Super Comp dragster pilot Paige Coughlin, who earned the right to represent Division 3 at the next JEGS Allstars event, scheduled July 9-11 at Route 66 Dragway near Chicago. Coughlin, the daughter of three-time Pro Mod champion Troy Coughlin and granddaughter of Hall of Fame member Jeg Coughlin Sr., turned in an impressive streak of late-round finishes last season to earn the most points in her class in the North Central Division. With the Covid-19 pandemic erasing any early-season chances for anyone to make gains on her comfortable 21-point lead, Paige secured her place. “It’s an amazing opportunity for me to represent Division 3 at this year’s JEGS Allstars,” Paige said. “Having our family business as the title sponsor of the event and knowing the history my dad, uncles and brother have had in the past makes it really special for me to be involved. I’m going to do everything I can to help our division win the event. “I had a very consistent racecar last year and we were able to go deep at just about every race. It’s a real credit to my crew chief Justin Beaver, as well as Tony Collier, Greg Cody and everyone else from Team JEGS, who helped put this car together every weekend.” Paige will certainly be in elite company at the JEGS Allstars event, which takes place during the annual Route 66 NHRA Nationals. To be invited, participants must lead the points in one of 10 different Sportsman categories in each of the NHRA’s seven geographic regions. In all, close to 100 racers will be involved. She will compete for a portion of the $124,000 purse both as an individual racer and as part of the Division 3 squad. If she wins the Super Comp trophy in the JEGS Allstar race, Paige would pocket $4,500. A runner-up result would be worth $2,000. If her team outscores all the others, she’d share part of a $20,000 prize. If she wins both the JEGS Allstars race and the Route 66 NHRA Nationals, she’d be awarded a double-up bonus from JEGS High Performance. “You know you’re racing the absolute best of the best so every round will be intense,” Paige said. “I’m really excited. It’s just so cool to be involved, especially this early in my racing career. The support and love I get from my family made it happen, for sure. “I just can’t wait to go racing again. I go and look at my poor racecar sitting in the shop and it just doesn’t feel right. It’s like ‘Why aren’t we out there winning rounds,’ and I’m like, ‘Yeah, I know.’ It’s going to feel so good to get back in the seat when all this is over. We were running so well before and I had such a blast last season. We’re more ready than we’ve ever been to start up again.” After learning the ropes in the Junior Dragster class, Paige started racing Super Comp in 2017 when she was still in high school. Now a sophomore at Miami University of Ohio, Paige schedules her races around a busy college schedule as she studies public relations and communications.

DELAWARE, Ohio (April 9) — When Jeg Coughlin Jr. clinched his fourth Pro Stock championship with a victory in the fall of 2008 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, his most memorable reward was a thrilling flight with the United States Air Force Thunderbirds Air Demonstration Squadron. “That was maybe the wildest thing I’ve ever done,” said Coughlin, who took the flight just two days after locking up the Pro Stock title. “Certainly, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and something most people can only dream of, but I must admit it was more than a little intimidating.  “When you see a fighter jet zoom by overhead, which happens every few minutes at the Vegas track with Nellis Air Force Base just across the way, it always makes you wonder what it would be like to be in the plane itself. It’s like, ‘Man I’d do anything to take that ride.’ But when the situation actually presents itself, it’s a different story.” Coughlin’s special day was orchestrated by Lt. Col. Brian “Bear” Lihani (USAF, Ret.), a longtime drag racing friend who for more than 20 years handled Air Defense Operations at NORAD.  “Our buddy Bear presented us with the opportunity earlier in the year and my initial reaction was, ‘Heck yeah, I’ll do that.'” Coughlin said. “About two months later I received a host of paperwork where you are basically signing your life away. That’s when reality sets in that this isn’t going to be without risk. It’s not the same as an amusement park ride where 99.999% of the people get off without any issues. “I put a lot of thought into it at that point. I mean, you know you’ll be flying with one of the best pilots in the world on a perfectly maintained airplane, but at the same time it’s a tad more risky than say a ride at Universal Studios. Ultimately, I couldn’t pass it up and I signed all the releases.” With the stress of the championship occupying most of his thoughts, Coughlin didn’t spend much time worrying about the ‘what-if’s’ until the Vegas race was over and the championship was in hand. “We celebrated a little bit Sunday night but knowing my flight was early Tuesday morning I had to quickly shift into the recommended preflight ritual they had suggested,” Coughlin said. “They want you to eat the right things, sufficiently hydrate and get a good night’s rest, as best as that can happen when you know you’re going for a ride with the Thunderbirds. “We needed to be at Nellis at 0600 Tuesday morning and I can tell you the nerves hit me pretty hard when we pulled in the gates. There was no backing out at that point.” Like other celebrities and select dignitaries who have flown with the world-renowned squadron, Coughlin had lots of preflight meetings and briefings to prepare him for the experience ahead. Jeg Coughlin and Major Tony “Split” Mulhare of the USAF Thunderbirds “The first stop was with an Air Force doctor who checked me out physically and had me sign my life away a few more times,” Coughlin said. “I then met with the incredible pilot I was paired with, Major Tony ‘Split’ Mulhare, who took me through the flight plan and what we were going to attempt. As you might expect, he was a great guy, very professional and confident. He eased my concerns. “You are then outfitted with a flight suit/G-suit and you practice the breathing techniques you need when the jet is pulling Gs. That gets you worried again. I didn’t want to be the guy that passed out or got sick but you just don’t know how you’ll handle it. There’s no way to prepare for those kind of G-forces.” After a last-minute bathroom break and some more fluid intake, it was time to roll and the full military precision of the entire Thunderbirds flight crew was soon on full display. “Everything they do is perfect,” Coughlin said. “Every movement is choreographed to the inch and you feel really special walking out to the taxiway with all those professionals doing their jobs so precisely. Of course, Tony just had this little stick ladder to climb into the cockpit and I had this big ol’ ladder but we were quickly strapped in and given a thumbs-up to go. “The first thing I noticed as I was getting situated was how small the jet seemed. I mean, you could barely see the wingtips. You’re used to being in commercial planes where there’s lots of space but those fighter jets are built differently, for sure.” In a flash, the plane was revved up and Major Mulhare pointed it to the runway. “You get that final thumbs-up from the ground crew and you’re off,” Coughlin said. “Brandon Bernstein had flown with the Thunderbirds and he told me the pilot was likely to go straight up as soon as we were airborne. He said remember to look over my shoulder and watch the city of Las Vegas shrinking to the size where it could fit into a glass. He was right. It happened very quickly. “We reached 10,000 feet in just a few seconds then leveled off and headed to the training grounds out in the desert. We did a full series of acrobatic maneuvers, smooth rollovers, eight-point rollovers, backflips, you name it. Then we got down on the deck, just a few feet off the ground, and buzzed this staged old pickup truck they had placed out there at 400-plus mph, blowing up dust the whole way. “At one point we did the big G-pull where you just know they’re trying to get you to pass out or lose your lunch but the pressurized G-suit and the breathing exercises I’d learned kept me alert and conscious. We maxed out at 9.3 Gs. It was quite a deal.” Burning up fuel, the duo were soon headed back to Nellis. “On the way in ‘Split’ took me right over The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway upside down and made note of our championship, congratulating the team,” Coughlin said. “It was a very cool moment. In hindsight, I probably got myself too worked up ahead of time and didn’t enjoy everything as much as I could have. Even so, it was a very special day, something I’ll never forget. “When we landed we taxied right into a hanger and they had set up our JEGS.com racecar right next to the lead Thunderbird jet and I think that might have been the most patriotic moment of my lifetime. It was incredible. The whole thing was incredible.”

NASCAR CUP SERIESTEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPTAPRIL 9, 2020 
JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1 1LE spoke with media via teleconference and discussed the pause in the actual racing series, SIM racing in both NASCAR Cup and IndyCar, what his life has been like recently, home schooling, and more. Full Transcript: THE INDUSTRY HAD A REALLY FUN DAY YESTERDAY (4/8 JIMMIE JOHNSON DAY) OF REFLECTING ON YOUR CAREER IN SOME OF OUR FAVORITE MOMENTS. DID YOU HAVE ANY THAT REALLY BROUGHT BACK SOME GREAT MEMORIES?“There were so many amazing memories that came about yesterday, it would be impossible to pick just one. The range from drivers that I’ve built friendships and relationships with, use Tony Stewart as an example there, my teammates and the influence I’ve had on guys like William Byron and Alex Bowman and Chase Elliott, Aric Almirola when we were on baby watch and the doors that opened for him. The crew guys, the bicycle rides that we do on Saturdays, and really across the gamut, even moments I’ve had at tracks, it really was special for me and my family yesterday to click through on various social media platforms and see these experiences and memories and what people had to say, it was a special day.”
YOU HAVE A LOT OF IDLE TIME DURING THIS UNPLANNED BREAK. YOU ARE PRACTICING A LOT OF SIM RACING. HAVE YOU GIVEN ANY THOUGHT TO NEXT YEAR AND MAYBE DOING MORE NASCAR RACING OR POSTPONING YOUR RETIREMENT FROM CUP RACING BECAUSE YOU’VE HAD ALL THIS EXTRA TIME OFF?“I really don’t have any answer just yet because I don’t know what’s going to happen in the coming months and if we’ll be able to run the full season or not. I feel like I set out to make 2020 my last full time year, but I’ve always left the door open for other racing and NASCAR and abroad for the future and I feel like I’m still pretty much on that path. I am hopeful that we get our full year in and we can get that going here in a month or so or whatever the latest projected number possibly could be and I that can run the season in its entirety. I really don’t have an answer. It’s up in the air just as so much is in the world right now.”
IN THE MEANTIME, HOW ARE YOU LIKING HOME SCHOOLING, NASCAR SIM RACING AND INDYCAR SIM RACING?‘I thought I would have much more free time being at home with the world changing as it has, but at least the first couple of weeks where things tightened up and locked-down, have been so busy with work in the various businesses I’m involved with and the impact that this has had on all; and home schooling was thrown in the mix. Chandra has her gallery and the demands and workload that comes with that is another thing for us to focus on, especially for her to focus on, but more stress in the house and less free time around to help with home schooling. So, home schooling rocked our world but we’re a few weeks in now and have a much better flow going on and understand it all. It’s been a nice week this week, honestly. We’ve been able to balance things pretty well.”
WHEN RACING RESUMES, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE WEEK NIGHT RACING OR EVEN MAYBE MULTIPLE RACING AT ONE PARTICULAR TRACK JUST TO GET THE RACES OUT THERE? WHEN IT GETS BACK, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE?“I really haven’t. I can only imagine the balancing act that NASCAR, TV, and these tracks will need to do. Every weekend that goes by just complicates that situation more and more. I feel like many of our contracts and much of the structure that exists revolves around 36 races. And I would assume that’s the highest priority is to have those 36 points-paying events. How that happens for me, I’m totally fluid. I’m totally open. I know we’re in unchartered territory here and I’ll do my part and whatever I can to certainly support whatever decisions are made to try to get in all 36 races.”
ARE YOU STILL INTO 48 NUMEROLOGY ON YOUR CLOCK? HAVE YOU EVER HAD A TIME LIKE THIS IN YOUR CAREER WHERE YOU’VE HAD THIS MUCH TIME TO THINK? HAVE YOU EVER HAD THAT?“Off-season would be similar in length. I guess we’re not quite through what that length of time would be. But, to have it be a beautiful Spring day and the opportunity to be in the yard with my kids and go on walks or bike rides like we’ve done to stay active; that is totally new and different. In my adult life, I don’t recall having Spring days on end at home with nothing to do (laughs) in a sense. It’s been plenty crazy. But it is different on that front. But, the length of time hasn’t exceeded what an off-season would be yet.”
WE SAW BUBBA WALLACE LOSE HIS SPONSOR THE OTHER DAY AND WHAT HAPPENED DURING THE IRACE. WE SAW FORD NOT ALLOW ITS DRIVERS TO DO A RACE BECAUSE IRACING’S ARCA CARS ARE ALL CHEVROLET BODIES. HOW MUCH OF THIS IS BUSINESS AND HOW MUCH BUSINESS WORK DO YOU AND YOUR TEAM NEED TO GET DONE BEFORE YOU CAN EVEN DO THESE THINGS?“I think the first race that was done in Atlanta was much less about the business. And then when the TV component came in, it switched to business, absolutely. There’s maybe not pressure from the sponsors, and it’s hard to say what every situation is like, but I can tell you what I feel in my own head is how do I show value for our partners and how to show value for our team and our company and everybody involved in this tricky time. So, I just feel like there is a pressure we’re all feeling if it’s self-inflicted or if its coming from the outside in, but we’re trying to figure out how to create value and how to deliver for our partners. It’s the environment and everybody handles it a bit differently.”
IS IT DIFFICULT FOR YOU IF YOU’RE AT YOUR HOME LIKE OH MY GOSH, THERE’S THIS OR THAT IN THE BACKGROUND THAT COULD CONFLICT. HOW MUCH OF THAT IS GOING THROUGH YOUR HEAD AT A TIME WHEN IT’S SUPPOSED TO BE SOMETHING FUN?“From my entry point to it was the first race that was on television and I knew then and there that I had to treat it, just instinctively, that I had to treat it a certain way and I have. So, in my head, it’s been pretty straightforward, especially since it’s been on television, how things would go. And, ironically I find that I’m trying to find ways to make sure that I’m on the broadcast. I’m not fast enough in iRacing yet to run up front for the TV time (laughs), so trying to be an in-race reporter or a part of spectacular crashes seems to be the only way I find myself on television right now (laughs).
ON THE NASCAR HALL OF FAME LIST THAT CAME OUT EARLIER THIS WEEK AND IN PARTICULAR THE THREE NOMINEES THAT WERE ON THE MODERN ERA SIDE, DALE JR., CARL EDWARDS, AND JEFF BURTON. YOU COMPETED AGAINST ALL OF THEM. HOW DO YOU RATE THEIR CHANCES FOR INDUCTION, ESPECIALLY WITH THE NEW PROCESS THAT HAS NARROWED THE FIELD DOWN?“Honestly, I need a little schooling on the new process. I haven’t paid that close of attention to it. Are those the only three names on the New Era side?”
THOSE ARE THE THREE ADDED TO A LIST OF 10 MODERN ERA CANDIDATES. VOTERS PICK TWO FROM THAT LIST OF 10.“Okay, I see. I don’t know who the other seven are so it’s tough to rank them, but my experiences with them have been very intense. They’re all amazing drivers, and certainly have contributed tremendously to the sport. Without knowing those other seven, I’m out to lunch. Sorry.”
YOU STARTED WITH HERZOG MOTORSPORTS AS YOUR FIRST NASCAR TEAM IN THE BUSCH SERIES CAR. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANT TO YOUR CAREER AND THE IMPACT IT HAD ON GETTING YOU WHERE YOU ARE TODAY? AND, YOU WON THREE TIMES AT KANSAS. KNOW THAT’S THEIR BACKYARD, WHAT DID THE HERZOGS AND THAT EXPERIENCE MEAN TO YOU?“Yeah, for sure. I, without a doubt, would not be a NASCAR driver if I didn’t meet the Herzogs and we didn’t form our friendship and relationship and move forward. I was able to help bring Chevrolet to the mix. They were looking for somewhere to put me, and I knew that they ran an amazing off-road program, and their racing in the desert series, and also a series in the Midwest, and they lacked manufacturer support. So, I felt like if I could bring that to the table, I could get us together. In our early conversations, that certainly was the goal and objective, but we quickly realized and understood that Bill Herzog, the father, and his two sons, Randy and Stan, that all three had desires of going stock car racing and wanted to end up in NASCAR some day. So, once we all that that common vision, we were able to lay out a plan of attack, and how we could hopefully get to the NASCAR Cup Series. We ran a few years of off-road together and they helped me transition into stock car racing in the ASA Series, and then they purchased the Busch Grand National team that I drove. And we were moving down the pathway and I had offers and discussions with other teams to potentially leave. When the Hendrick opportunity came along, I approached them and shared with them this opportunity. And like the great men they were, because sadly, Stan and Bill are no longer, but all three of them were very excited for me and insisted that I take this chance of a lifetime with Hendrick Motorsports. So, we got close. We made it to the Busch Series and almost made it to the Cup Series like that original vision it was that we shared.”
YOU’VE WON EVERYWHERE, BUT TO WIN AT KANSAS THREE TIMES IN THEIR BACKYARD, DID THAT HAVE A LITTLE EXTRA MEANING?“Oh, for sure. Without a doubt I spent a lot of time in St. Joseph over the years; mainly in the winter and I couldn’t believe how hard the wind would blow and how cold it could be. Went to a few Chiefs games with them. It being in that area, every time I go there, I just recall being a teenage kid, landing at KCI and freezing my tail off and trying to find my way to St. Joe to have meetings or visit with them. I definitely have that sense that the Kansas area equals Herzog for me. Even racing out at the track, I’ve always had that sense of being nearby and being a par of all that.”
YOU ARE DOING BOTH THE NASCAR AND INDYCAR IRACING. CAN YOU COMPARE THEM? IS IT GOING TO BE COOL TO HAVE DALE EARNHARDT JR AT THE SATURDAY RACE IN MICHIGAN?“I think he’s going to have a blast doing it. His experience in iRacing I think will help him enter at a higher level than I have so far (laughs). But, the thing I’ve really struggled with on the IndyCar-side, is I’m learning new tracks and a new car. For the NASCAR-side, it’s much more familiar and it’s just learning the game component of it all. There are different challenges that come with it. And on the IndyCar-side, especially running the Barber track, that’s where I had planned to test, and the reason I purchased my IndyCar SIM in the first place, was to learn that trace for the test session I had coming up on April 6^th. I feel like in some ways that If I’m able to find an opportunity in the IndyCar world in the future, I’m getting some reps on track so that’s a little rewarding and makes me feel good about the time that I’m putting in. I’m learning these drivers. It’s hard to say that our driving characteristics in SIM will cross over to the real world, but there is some kind of foundation or groundwork being laid on that side if a door does open there for me some day. And then on the NASCAR-side, the ovals are much easier to drive on the SIM. It is interesting to see the personalities kind of emerge there that are similar to the real world. And I’m not sure if you guys can hear the in-race stuff that’s going on, but it’s pretty comical. I’m learning more about my competitors there (laughs) and how they deal with emotions from time to time.”
THERE ARE THREE RACES LEFT AFTER SATURDAY’S INDYCAR IRACE AND TWO OF THEM ARE YET TO BE CHOSEN IN TERMS OF THE TRACKS. SOME DRIVERS HAVE SUGGESTED IN INDYCAR THAT TALLADEGA SHOULD BE AMONG THEM. ARE THERE ANY OVALS YOU MIGHT HAVE MORE OF AN EDGE THAN THE INDYCAR GUYS? ANY OTHER TRACKS YOU’D LIKE TO SEE?“I feel like Michigan is going to be the Talladega IndyCar race honestly. I’ve run it a few times in groups and first of all, it’s just crazy to go that fast around Michigan, even though it is in the SIM world, knowing our points and how much brake and stuff we need to use in a stock car. It’s just a different animal in IndyCar. But, I’ve not really spent much time driving other tracks. Yesterday, I was driving a little bit on the Richmond track in the NASCAR set-up and I’m like I want to drive the IndyCar on here. I still have some exploring to do. I feel like Talladega would be too big in some respects. I don’t have any kind of experience doing it. And I know I’ve been interesting in the IndyCar-side to learn new tracks. That’s a big part of what’s going on in my head for the future is new experiences. So, I’m definitely more personally more interested in new things.”
WHEN YOU FIRST SIGNED-UP FOR IRACING IT WAS KIND OF AN 11^th HOUR DEAL AND YOU STRUGGLED. HOW MUCH HAVE YOU JUMPED INTO IT SINCE THEN WITH YOUR COMPETITIVENESS?“Yeah, I jumped in head-first honestly. The part has been more eye-opening for me has been how to run and operate the SIM rig and all the third-party apps that tie into it relate and the data that exists there and trying to understand how to calibrate things and make things work correctly and how to even talk in game war to one of these third party apps where you can have a spotter and a crew chief helping you made good decisions. Playing the game is certainly challenging on it’s own, but I had no idea the rest of it that went into it. And that’s really what rocked my world in week one, and even into week two. It was literally five or six days a week, four to five hours a day, just trying to figure it all out and get it set-up.”
THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A SEND-OFF YEAR, BUT NOW YOU ARE KIND OF SEQUESTERED, IN A SENSE. WHAT HAS BEEN THE ADJUSTMENT IN THINKING ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT’S GOING ON WITH NOT ONLY RACING BUT WITH THE WORLD IN GENERAL?“For me in my final year in a Cup car, I feel more for the fans that wanted to see me at their track and experience that and have it. I know where I am and I’m very content and fulfilled with the career I’ve had. Sure, I want to be on track. Sure, I want to go to these places a final time. I feel more for the fans that aren’t having that opportunity right now that I long for myself to experience it and to be there, if that makes any sense. And that’s only a small piece in the grand scheme of things when you look at all the individuals that are affected by the Coronavirus and the families that have been affected, and the economy, and businesses and business owners. This is way bigger than me and way bigger than what was going to be my final time at these tracks. So, that stuff hasn’t really even crossed my mind, honestly, is why I bring it up. There have been so many other issues at-hand to think about and be concerned with, that I haven’t thought much at all about it being my final year and what I might be missing for myself. It’s been more about others and more about the fans and what I see on my social thread, I see people that have been lifelong fans that are sad they don’t get to see me run. So, it’s been about others far more than it’s been about what affect this has had on me, personally.”
CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH BLAISE ALEXANDER AND THIS BEING YOUR LAST TRIP TO POCONO RACEWAY, ASSUMING WE GO THERE?“When I look back on the friendship we had, it wasn’t for a really long length of time. Actually I met him when I was living in Milwaukee running my ASA team. He tried to pick-up my girlfriend at the bar. And that’s how we met the first time, which was an interesting way to meet. And, I respected his courage and we started a friendship that grew and lasted for a handful of years before we tragically lost him. But, his love of life and how charismatic he was and his dedication to the sport and his family and the connection he had with his parents and his siblings, he taught me a lot in a very short period of time and we became really good friends. Whenever I’m in Pennsylvania, I always think of him. He loved the state that he grew up in and loved that area. I think about him often, for sure.”
DO YOU HAVE ANY RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS FAMILY AND IF WE RACE AT POCONO, HOW EMOTIONAL WILL THAT BE FOR YOU?“At this stage, there’s just a lot of pride. The emotional side, shortly after we lost Blaise, those emotions are different from where they are today and time helps shift things in your mind. I’ve been able to shift that to just all the funny stories and memories. And I do stay in touch with his family. I hear from his dad occasionally and is brother often and his sister I hear from. When we do check-in, it’s always a funny story. I still have a lot of pain, especially for his family, but the conversation is always shifted to funny stories and reliving those.”
HAVE THERE BEEN ANY DISCUSSIONS WITH HENDRICK AND HOW TO MAINTAIN THE EDGE THAT YOU GUYS HAVE HAD OVER THE BREAK? IS THERE ANY CONCERN THAT THIS EDGE YOU’VE HAD MAY BE LOST BECAUSE OF THE HIATUS?“There’s really very little we can do. We can work on our computers, but Hendrick has been shut down for a while now. There has been an agreement reach where teams aren’t sending employees into work and not only from the NASCAR point, but obviously what the governor has said on the amount of people that can gather at a given place. There are many reasons why none of the teams are working and moving forward in groups and physically working on cars. The world of SIM, and it’s hard to regulate that, I know that a lot of these are ways we advance our cars and physically taking vehicles to the wind tunnel and shaker rigs and 7-Post rigs, that’s also been banned. So there has been a big effort made to kind of freeze the sport. I know our team, much like many other teams, is spending a lot of time on the phone trying to strategize on where to work or what to look at, but we physically can’t go anywhere or do anything right now. So, I feel we really are in a freeze of sorts right now.”
HAVE YOU SEEN A DIFFERENT ALEX BOWMAN THIS SEASON THAN OTHER YEARS? IS HE DOING STUFF DIFFERENTLY ON THE TRACK OR AWAY FROM IT THAT HAS BOOSTED HIS PERFORMANCE THIS YEAR?“He’s really dug in deep and has asked himself all the tough questions about how he can get better. It’s been really amazing to see him grow and learn. I would say the thing that’s talked about most is the confidence that’s come with all of that. Running good on-track brings the bulk of it in being able to win has fueled that more than anything. But off the track, the work he puts in helps feed that and really shows the dedication that he’s putting into being the best that he can. So, I’ve been really impressed. I’ve watched him evolve quite a bit over the years; especially since his responsibilities were just running the SIM for us, to now having a full-time seat in the car. He’s done a lot of growing and maturing and he’s done an amazing job.”
HOW MUCH TIME HAVE YOU SPENT ON THE SIM RIGS DURING THE POSTPONEMENTS TO GET UP TO SPEED?“I’ve been probably averaging about five hours per day for seven days a week for probably two and a half weeks. This week has been much less since we’re not doing the Cup race on Sunday. I’ve been able to enjoy a little bit more downtime. And I was finding those hours were taking place late at night after we’d get the kids to bed, I would jump on the rig. And then a lot of these coaches that are available to help me fast track my way in, have day jobs and spend most of the evenings and the night doing their SIM work. I felt like I didn’t sleep for two weeks, honestly, and working around the clock and a lot of the time at night on the SIM rig.”
REGARDING THE SCHEDULE, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT GETTING IN ALL 36 CUP RACES EVEN IF THAT MEANS HAVING TO DO WEEKLY DOUBLEHEADERS OR MULTIPLE WEDNESDAY NIGHT RACES GOING FORWARD?“I don’t have a problem with it on my end. As a driver, you just want to take your helmet and go. Racing is the most fun we can have. But, I’m just one point of view on that. I quickly think about the crew members that have to get the cars ready and physically move everything around the country as we need to. I know there’s a lot more that goes into it.”
YOU RAN FOR THE HEROGS FULL-SEASON IN THE BUSCH SERIES IN 2001, BUT 9-11 HAPPENED TOO. WHILE THESE ARE VERY DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES, ARE THERE ANY THINGS THAT ARE SIMILAR AS TO WHAT THINGS WERE LIKE IN THE RACING COMMUNITY AT THAT TIME?“I feel like the Busch cars were already off that next weekend and it was more of an impact on the Cup guys and more of a shift in having that race postponed. Then they came back and raced at New Hampshire after the season was over. So yeah, it is different. But, I feel like there was so much more fear than what I’ve personally experienced. And now I feel like we’ve been able to create a safe place for us at home and just with social distancing and we’ve created a safe environment. I just remember how unsafe I felt and how scared I was, generally, back in 2001 in September and the month that followed.”
REGARDING IRACING, HOW DOES IT FEEL TO PROVIDE A SENSE OF NORMALCY TO THE AMERICAN SPORTS FAN RIGHT NOW, IF ONLY FOR A SHORT WHILE? WHAT WOULD BE YOUR MESSAGE TO THE NASCAR FAN BASE RIGHT NOW?“Oh, it feels great. And it’s nice to also have a purpose. I’ve spent my whole life worried about going racing each and it’s just every time I have an off-season, a week or two in I get stir-crazy because my habits have changed and I haven’t experienced life in the sense without getting ready for a race weekend. It brought a little bit of structure for me; more than I anticipated honestly, because I was just so far behind in the SIM experience. But to see the viewership numbers and understand how much fun the fans are having watching it, it has motivated me and has me highly interested to keep it going. As we look around and see other sports try to figure out how to virtually offer something for their fans, we were one of the first if not the first, to do it and do it well and break all kinds of records in the process. So, hats off to everybody to pull it though and our partners on the television-side to allow this to happen.”
WHAT WOULD BE YOUR MESSAGE TO THE FANS AT THIS POINT?“We’re all in this together. Let’s do our part. I think the sooner we can control the curve and push things down, the sooner we can find out whatever our new norm is.”
WHEN WE GO BACK TO RACING, IT’S LIKELY WE’RE RUNNING WITHOUT FANS. WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT’S GOING TO BE LIKE?“It’s not the ideal situation by any means. I know our sport amongst every other sport out there, is going to be faced with that decision, and if they choose to compete with fans in the stands or not. For me, it’s a real simple answer. There are millions that watch on television, and I don’t want to deprive the greater sum because we can’t have the fans in the stands. And I get it. I want fans in the stands. They deserve to be there. We want them there. There’s an energy that comes with it. But we are in uncharted territory and we’re going to have to do things a little different than what we’re used to. And if we can get back to the track months before because fans aren’t in the stands, and provide our sport to millions and get people back to work and some normalcy going on in our country and our industry, I’m definitely for that.”
THEY TALKED ABOUT THE SCHEDULE BEING VERY COMPACT, BUT AS A DRIVER IF YOU START RACING SUNDAY, WEDNESDAY, SUNDAY FOR A WHILE, HOW DOES THAT UPSET THE ROUTINE AS A DRIVER? WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO PREPARE FOR SUCH A HECTIC SCHEDULE?“Good question. I, personally, haven’t been through a schedule like that. I think Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell and some of these guys that have grown-up racing dirt are more accustomed to multiple venues in a weekend and tracks and all that kind of thing. For me, I’ve lived through the testing era, where we had unlimited testing and spent a lot of time during the week at different tracks and moving around. They are long weeks. But, I personally enjoyed the physical challenge that went with it. The mental side was a little different because you could only focus where you were at that time. So in some respects, it didn’t give you all week to overthink and over prepare for what you were going to do. It almost simplified things where hey, I’m at X-track now and that’s where my focus needs to be. Dig into my notes and my routine and do the best I can, and move on. So, in some ways it simplifies the mental aspect. Physically will be far more difficult. And then whatever a driver experiences, crew chiefs, crew members, the traveling-side, and even the media, it’s going to be way harder for everybody. The drivers would probably have it the best or the easiest, if you will, work-wise, and the rest of the industry is really going to have to sort out how to manage that physical and mental endurance that’s going to be required.”