NASCAR Pole Position | April-May 2021

DRIVER SPOTLIGHT

MICHAEL MCDOWELL POLEPOSITIONMAG.COM

@NPPMAG

NASCAR’s Influencers

10 Drivers Shaping NASCAR’s Next Generation

HARNESSING THE POWER OF SOCIAL MEDIA

THE FUTURES

COOL TROPHIES

CHRISTOPHER BELL, JOE GIBBS RACING

OF NASCAR WHY I RACE

KYLE LARSON FOR THE RECORD

TONY

STEWART

HUMBLE & HUNGRY Sitting down with Matt DiBenedetto P. 60

NASCAR LEGEND Lee Petty did it all in his career P. 64

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POLE POSITION MAG.COM

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POLE POSITION 2021

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POLE POSITION 2021

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CONTE AP NT MARYIL-

NASCAR’S BIGGEST

Influencers on Social Media

Q&A WITH TONY STEWART P.16

COOL TROPHIES OF NASCAR P.20

10 NASCAR News and Notes 14 Rockford Speedway 22 Fireball Roberts’ Journal

24 Forney’s Package for Jordan Anderson

26 Michael McDowell’s

Unlikely Road

30

CLINT BOWYER’S TRANSITION P.42

29 Ryan Blaney’s Dog 44 Kyle Larson’s Inspiration 46 Tyler Reddick’s Favorites

60 Matt DiBenedetto’s

Fan Appeal 64 Reflecting on Lee Petty

FUTURE STARS OF NASCAR P.48 66 A Look Back at

the 1982 Season 68 A Lifetime in

NASCAR Highlights

70 Cool Stuff for Race Fans 72 Speedway Sudoku

NASCAR POLE POSITION AN OFFICIALLY LICENSED PUBLICATION OF NASCAR // ADDRESS: 23110 STATE ROAD 54, SUITE 293, LUTZ, FL 33549 • PHONE: (727) 209-0792 • WEB: POLEPOSITIONMAG.COM, AE-ENGINE.COM // PUBLISHER: CRAIG BARONCELLI // SALES VICE PRESIDENT: DAVID WATSON • VICE PRESIDENT, MOTORSPORTS: CHRIS VITA • SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: JUSTIN HAND, MARK MORALES // PRODUCTION: SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER: JOE RABUCK • DIRECTOR, DIGITAL MEDIA: NICOLE COOPER • DIRECTOR, DIGITAL CONTENT: JOSH MULL • EDITOR: KEITH WALTZ • CONTRIBUTORS: JARED TURNER, AARON BURNS, ROB TIONGSON, KEITH WALTZ, BEN WHITE, JOSEPH WOLKIN, DAN GUTTENPLAN • SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATORS: AARON BURNS, AIDAN ANDERSEN, ETHAN ANDERSEN • PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES, NASCAR HALL OF FAME, HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS, REV RACING, YOUNGS MOTORSPORTS, KYLE ADAMS/MISFIT PRODUCTIONS, FREEPIKS.COM • SPECIAL THANKS TO: GREG CARTY (NASCAR) // A.E. ENGINE SPECIFIES THAT POST-PRESS CHANGES MAY OCCUR TO ANY INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THIS PUBLICATION AND TAKES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR GOODS OR SERVICES ADVERTISED. NASCAR® IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR STOCK CAR AUTO RACING, INC. MAIL ORDER: TO RECEIVE A SUBSCRIPTION TO NASCAR POLE POSITION MAGAZINE, SEND A CHECK OR MONEY ORDER FOR $29.95 TO: NASCAR POLE POSITION, C/O A.E. ENGINE, 23110 STATE ROAD 54, SUITE 293, LUTZ, FL 33549. PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR RETURN MAILING ADDRESS AND AN EMAIL ADDRESS. ONLINE ORDER: SUBSCRIPTIONS CAN BE ORDERED ONLINE AT POLEPOSITIONMAG.COM/BUY. DISTRIBUTION: IF YOU ARE A BUSINESS OR AN ORGANIZATION INTERESTED IN DISTRIBUTING COPIES OF NASCAR POLE POSITION MAGAZINE, PLEASE CONTACT CRAIG BARONCELLI AT (727) 209-1750 OR CB@AE-ENGINE.COM. SALES INQUIRIES: IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ADVERTISING IN NASCAR POLE POSITION MAGAZINE OR WOULD LIKE TO BECOME A FIELD REPRESENTATIVE, PLEASE CONTACT DAVID WATSON AT (727) 209-0789, OR DKW@AE-ENGINE.COM. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.

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POLE POSITION 2021

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GREEN FLAG

Toni Breidinger Plans Historic Debut

BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

DEALS ON WHEELS

DENNY HAMLIN BELIEVES “A LACK OF numbers” among Toyota teams competing in the NASCAR Cup Series is making it challenging for JGR drivers this season.

HERE’S THE BREAKDOWN OF CUP SERIES REPRESENTATION AMONG FULL-TIME DRIVERS:

YOTA TO

RD FO

Toni Breidinger is expected to become the first Arab American female driver to participate in a NASCAR national series event when she makes her NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut later this season.

IS DENNY RIGHT?

VROLET CHE

After signing with Young’s Motorsports,

The 21-year-old racer is scheduled compete in select ARCA Menards Series events and Truck Series races. She finished 18th in her debut with the Young’s Motorsports team during February’s ARCA race at Daytona International Speedway.

“I’m honored and excited to be the first, but I don’t want to be the last,” Breidinger said. “I hope I can pave the way for future female Arab drivers as well.”

Breidinger, a 19-time winner in USAC open-wheel competition, has made four starts in the ARCA Menards Series.

Her best finish of 10th came in her 2018 series debut at Wisconsin’s Madison International Speedway.

Chevrolet

Ford

Toyota

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13

5

SPONSORSHIP NEWS JGR INKS OFFERPAD

WHISKEY FOR EARNHARDT

OFFERPAD HAS JOINED

SWANN SECURITIES IS

JD MOTORSPORTS WITH

the roster of sponsors

making its first venture into

Gary Keller announced

at Joe Gibbs Racing. The

NASCAR through a full-year

that Redneck Riviera

company will serve as

brand ambassadorship with

Whiskey will serve as an

the primary sponsor on

Jordan Anderson. Swann

associate sponsor on Jeffrey

Denny Hamlin’s No. 11

served as the primary

Earnhardt’s No. 0 Chevrolet

Toyota Camry in two

sponsor on Anderson’s

for the entire NASCAR Xfinity

NASCAR Cup Series races

No. 3 Chevrolet during the

Series season.

and on the No. 20 Toyota

NASCAR Camping World

Supra driven by Harrison

Truck Series season opener

to JDM full time with

Burton in four NASCAR

at Daytona, and will back his

primary sponsorship from

Xfinity Series races this

NASCAR Xfinity Series car

ForeverLawn after running

season.

at Darlington Raceway on

the majority of the series’

Sept. 4.

2020 schedule. This new

A leader in the iBuyer industry, Offerpad has

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SWANN SIGNS

Swann is also partnering

Earnhardt returns

partnership with John Rich

provided easy home

with NASCAR Xfinity

and Redneck Riviera Whiskey

selling solutions and

Series rookie Ryan Vargas,

will showcase the brand’s

custom real estate

appearing on his No. 6 JD

line of premium spirits

services to homeowners

Motorsports Chevrolet in

prominently on the C-post of

since 2015.

multiple races

Earnhardt’s Camaro.

POLE POSITION 2021

“AFTER LAST YEAR, I’D SAY THAT I’M NOT OVERLY SHOCKED.”

– C H RI STOPH E R BE LL ON H I S FI RST NASC AR CU P S E RI ES WI N

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES, YOUNGS MOTORSPORTS

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NASCAR and Rev Racing Announce 2021 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Class

Class of Eight Diverse Drivers Includes Program Veterans and New Participants Set to Compete in ARCA Menards Series, NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series and U.S. Legends Cars

BY NASCAR

HEAD OF THE CLASS NICK SANCHEZ The 19-year-old driver finished third in the 2020 ARCA Menards Series East point standings.

RAJAH CARUTH The 18-year-old driver returns to Rev Racing and will compete in the ARCA Members of the 2021 NASCAR Drive 4 Diversity class include, from left, Regina Sirvent, Lavar Scott, Isabella Robusto and Rajah Caruth.

Menards Series East.

ISABELLA ROBUSTO Robusto won the NASCAR Drive for Diversity

I

n February, eight talented young drivers from

various backgrounds were selected to the newest class of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Program.

The 2021 roster for the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Program includes returning veterans, a rising iRacer, two FB y BOHN Mikel’s Trucks drivers and the 2020 World Series Dirt Nationals champion.

Nick Sanchez, Rajah Caruth, Isabella Robusto, Lavar Scott and Regina Sirvent are Rev Racing veterans returning to the program in 2021. This season will mark the first year of NASCAR Drive for Diversity participation for drivers Justin Campbell, Andres Perez de Lara and Jaiden Reyna.

Sanchez will race full time in the ARCA Menards Series after a successful rookie season in the ARCA Menards Series East. Caruth, a prominent iRacer who made his transition to the race track in 2019, is advancing to compete in the ARCA Menards Series East while also continuing to race in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series in 2021.

Scott and Sirvent are advancing to join Caruth in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series after racing Legend Cars in the 2020 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Youth Driver Development Program for Rev Racing. Robusto will also compete in the Late Model division. Newcomers Campbell, Perez de Lara and Reyna will race U.S. Legend Cars.

“We are thrilled to welcome these accomplished drivers to our successful development program,”

12

POLE POSITION 2021

Young Racer Award for the second time last year.

LAVAR SCOTT Scott secured two podium finishes at the 1/5 Mile Trophy Dash at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

REGINA SIRVENT The State of Mexico, Mexico native competed in the FB y BOHN Mikel’s Truck Mexico Series.

JUSTIN CAMPBELL The 15-year-old earned a top-10 finish in the standings at the 2020 Thursday Thunder Series at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

ANDRES PEREZ DE LARA The Mexico City, Mexico, native competed in Formula 4 and won four races.

JAIDEN REYNA The 14-year-old from Cornelius, North Carolina, competed at the 2020 Charlotte Summer Shootout in the Young Lions Division.

said Jusan Hamilton, NASCAR Director, Racing Operations and Event Management. “We’re enthusiastic about their future and look forward to working with each driver as they advance their racing careers.”

Traditionally, drivers are selected after participating in a two-day NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Combine sponsored

by Honda Generators that includes on-track assessments. The 2020 combine was canceled due to the impact of COVID-19, so candidates were evaluated based on applications, references, historical success and previous on-track performance by a panel comprised of NASCAR industry members. To apply, interested drivers submitted a racing resume and video highlights to NASCAR and Rev Racing.

The NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Program was created in 2004 to develop and train ethnically diverse and female drivers both on and off the track. NASCAR Cup Series drivers Bubba Wallace, Daniel Suárez and Kyle Larson are alumni of this program, which is operated by Rev Racing in Concord, North Carolina.

“We could not be more pleased with the 2021 class selection,” said Max Siegel, Rev Racing owner. “Each year the competition in the sport continues to rise and so does the talent of our applicant pool. We feel very confident in our ability to be competitive and look forward to a successful season.”

Wallace debuted in the NASCAR Cup Series full time in 2018 and finished second in the Daytona 500 that season. He also has six wins in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, where he became the first African American driver since Hall of Famer Wendell Scott to win a NASCAR race. This season, Wallace is driving for the 23XI Racing team owned

by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin.

Suárez won the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship in 2016 and became the first Mexican-born driver to win a NASCAR national series championship. This season Suárez is driving for Trackhouse Racing, a team co-owned by music icon Pitbull. Kyle Larson is a six-time NASCAR Cup Series race winner and has qualified for the NASCAR Playoffs four times. At the start of the season, Larson joined Hendrick Motorsports, driving the No. 5 Chevrolet.

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES, REV RACING

WORLD OF NASCAR HYPERICE BRINGS RECOVERY TECHNOLOGY TO NASCAR

NASCAR EXPANDS BROADCAST REACH NASCAR HAS EXPANDED ITS BROADCAST REACH TO NEARLY 200

HYPERICE, THE INDUSTRY LEADER IN RECOVERY

countries and territories with the help of its broadcast agency partner IMG.

technology and pioneer of percussion, vibration, dynamic air

With NASCAR content available in more than 25 languages, this expansion

compression and thermal technology, announced an agreement

represents a high-water mark for the sport and is expected to reach more

through which it will be the Official Recovery Technology Partner of

than 500 million people to start the year.

Kaulig Racing.

Live NASCAR races will be broadcast in some of the world’s largest

The announcement follows an unprecedented run of professional

countries. This international expansion comes from NASCAR and IMG’s

sports league, teams and elite athlete alignments in 2020, and

partnerships with the biggest broadcasters in the world, including China’s

demonstrates Hyperice’s commitment to optimizing performance through its suite of technologies while engaging the NASCAR fan base at

Tencent, Discovery in India, Sweden’s Viasat, TSN in Canada and ESPN

its premier events.

in Latin America. The broadcast coverage also reaches the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy and Spain.

KHI CREATES YOUTH SPORTS DIVISION

NBC SPORTS TO TELEVISE GRASSROOTS RACING

ALREADY WELL-VERSED IN ATHLETE AND TALENT REPRESENTATION

NASCAR, ARCA AND NBC SPORTS ARE OFFERING

across the sports and entertainment industries, KHI Management has expanded

broadcast coverage of several grassroots races this season,

its scope of services to include youth sports.

including events in the ARCA Menards Series East and West,

Founded by championship-winning NASCAR driver Kevin Harvick, KHI has proven

NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and the World Series of Asphalt

to be a class-leading agency with an array of services from career management to

Stock Car Racing.

brand development. It represents some of the biggest names in NASCAR, UFC, PGA,

All races from the ARCA Menards Series East and West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour will air live on TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold. NBCSN will air tape-delayed coverage of every race from the three series – except those that are combined ARCA Menards Series events – for a total of 27 race broadcasts.

motocross and music, giving KHI an eclectic set of best practices that benefits its client roster exceptionally well.

That expertise is now being applied to the next generation of athletes, with KHI announcing its representation of three future stars – 13-year-old Nicholas Jackson, 12-year-old Brent Crews and 8-year-old Keelan Harvick, son of KHI’s founder.

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NASCAR HOME TRACKS

Rockford Speedway

BY KEITH WALTZ

Opened in 1948, Rockford Speedway in Loves Park, Illinois, has been a leader in innovative motorsports entertainment since Hugh Deery became the track’s sole owner in 1966.

“We always try to put on the best show, and that goes all the way back to my father’s day,” said second-generation promoter David Deery. “His idea was that this is a race track, but it’s really a stage.

It’s an entertainment facility, so we have to entertain the crowd.

“Back in the day, dad had chickens racing, Jell-O jumps and

COZY CONFINES

grocery-cart races. He did a lot of things to interact with the fans, get them involved in the event.”

Hugh Deery passed away 37 years ago, but his family has continued the tradition of providing unique novelty events alongside an action-packed slate of Saturday night NASCAR stock car racing on the high-banked, quarter-mile asphalt oval.

Rockford Speedway’s schedule runs from April through October.

BIG FINALE

FAMILY AFFAIR

AT A QUARTER-MILE IN LENGTH AND

EACH YEAR SINCE 1966, ROCKFORD

JODY DEERY MOVED INTO THE ROLE OF

with 22 degrees of banking in the turns,

Speedway has ended its season with the

president and CEO of Rockford Speedway

Rockford Speedway provides fans with an up-close view of the tight racing.

“Rockford is very unique in its banking and the speed that it carries,” David Deery explained about the track. “The racing is all

National Short-Track Championships, highlighted by a 200-lap race for the NASCAR late models.

“For many years that was the only major event in this part of the country,” said David Deery.

The list of winners includes Mark Martin,

after her husband, Hugh, suffered a fatal heart attack in July 1984.

With assistance from the couple’s eight children, Jody Deery continued to oversee the race track’s operation until last fall when she

right there in front of you, and there’s not a

Dick Trickle, Joe Shear, Junior Hanley and Steve

stepped away from her day-to-day duties at

bad seat in the house.”

Carlson.

the age of 95.

Originally built for midget racing, late

Today, the three-day program showcases 12 to

A pioneer among female auto-racing

models have long headlined the Rockford

14 divisions and attracts between 150 and 200

promoters, Deery was recognized as the

program.

race cars.

national Promoter of the Year in 1994.

14

POLE POSITION 2021

PHOTOGRAPHY: KYLE ADAMS/MISFIT PRODUCTIONS

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FOR THE RECORD

Q&A

WITH T

TONY STEWART 3-TIME NASCAR CHAMP LOOKS BACK AT HIS CAREER

BY JOSEPH WOLKIN

®

he name Tony Stewart resonates across many forms of auto racing

from sprint cars and Indy cars to NASCAR’s premier Cup Series.

The Columbus, Indiana, native made an indelible mark on motorsports as one of the greatest drivers to ever turn a steering wheel.

After retiring from NASCAR racing in 2016, Stewart’s attention turned to team ownership, but he will slide back into a sprint car as often as his schedule allows simply for the joy of it.

Our interesting visit with the three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion offers insight into his accomplishments as well as his deep passion for the sport.

WHAT IS YOUR EARLIEST MEMORY OF AUTO RACING? That would probably be my father taking me to qualifications at Indianapolis for the 500. I can’t even remember what year it was. It’s been a long time ago, but that’s my first memory.

WHO ARE YOUR MOTORSPORTS HEROES AND WHY? I would say Dale Earnhardt in NASCAR, Rick Mears in Indy cars and Steve Kinser and Doug Wolfgang in the World of Outlaws. They all got 110 percent out of their cars every week.

WHO HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST INFLUENCE WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR RACING CAREER? Probably a combination of my father, Nelson Stewart, and former Indy car driver Mark Dismore. They were the people who really pushed me and guided me in the right direction when I was younger.

They showed me what to look for and what to watch out for, and they also made sure I didn’t get myself in trouble when I was moving from one series to another.

WHEN DID YOU FIRST START FOLLOWING A.J. FOYT’S CAREER AND HOW DID YOU EVENTUALLY MEET HIM AND FORM A FRIENDSHIP? Honestly, and it is still something that sticks in my mind, it was the Indy 500 where he got out of the car, started whacking on it with a hammer and then climbed back in. I thought, “Man after I hit it that hard with a hammer, I wouldn’t have climbed in it and drove it.” It was hard not to notice that. There wasn’t another driver out there in that era, and definitely not a driver in this era of Indy car racing, that would do what he did and has done what he has done in his career. I think ever since then, that was just one of those moments when I was young that really stood out.

HOW HAS YOUR CLOSE FRIENDSHIP WITH FOYT GROWN? When I drove for him in 1994 and some in 1996 and 1997 in the Silver Crown car, we got to be such close friends. You kind of start looking back. Obviously, he reminds you of how many races he has won when you talk to him, so you didn’t have to look it up. You look at races when he went and ran Indy and then went to Milwaukee as the only driver in the top 16 or 18 that wasn’t in a rear-engine car. He was sitting on the pole in a roadster style car. It’s those things that you look back at and that’s what makes you gain more respect for him.

You know he’s kind of done it on his own the whole time. He’s done it his way and has made it successful. It is just like that as time goes on you realize this guy thinks a lot like the way you think; it has always made us get along well.

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POLE POSITION 2021

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

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FOR THE RECORD

HAVE YOU HAD A DEFINING MOMENT IN YOUR CAREER? IF SO, WHAT WAS IT? There have been a lot of small moments, I guess, where I felt like I had accomplished what I set out to do in a certain series and felt like I was ready to move on. It’s no different than the corporate ladder, really. I think the moment when I felt that I was a true, professional race car driver was in 1995 when I won all three USAC national championships. Once I did that, I felt that my decision to try and become a professional race car driver – to make a living – was justified. I had only been driving professionally for two years up to that point, so at that particular moment in my life, my decision to become a professional was justified.

TALK ABOUT WINNING THE BRICKYARD 400 TWICE AT INDIANAPOLIS AND WHAT THAT MEANT TO YOU? The first Brickyard 400 win in 2005 was a little bit bittersweet to be perfectly honest. All I wanted to do all my life was win the Indianapolis 500, but having the opportunity to pull into Victory Lane there was an experience of a lifetime. You’re happy to have

18

POLE POSITION 2021

PRESENTED BY

®

that moment but at the same time I was sad that I didn’t do it in an Indy car like I wanted to do while growing up.

I actually got to enjoy it more in 2007 because it wasn’t the first time anymore and it wasn’t a matter of, “Will we ever accomplish our goal of winning at Indianapolis?” We had the win. That was done.

YOU’VE WON NUMEROUS RACES AND CHAMPIONSHIPS IN SPRINT CARS, INDY CARS AND NASCAR’S CUP SERIES AS A DRIVER AS WELL AS RACES AND CHAMPIONSHIPS AS A TEAM OWNER. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO YOU? It’s very humbling. You know, obviously, 10 years ago we were a two‑car team at (Stewart-Haas Racing). We didn’t know where we would end up 10 years later. At that point, we knew what we wanted to do and what our goal was, but still with that and the technology is so great and changes so fast in our sport, you can never predict where everything is going to end up. You have to do the work. You have to have the right people in place, and the rest of it has to work itself out.

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

Solving Your Self-Defense Nightmare possible arrest, an expensive defense, and prison time.

Buying a gun or weapon is only step one. Step two is training yourself to use it. Step three? The law. You need an attorney, licensed in your state, who knows gun law; that’s where we come in.

Even though you shot to stop your attacker, law enforcement arrives on the scene ready to investigate the guy with the gun. They will be the first of many tasked with dissecting your split-second decision. Did you shoot too soon? Did you shoot too late? Did you shoot too many times? Did you overreact entirely?

The Problem Self-defense with any weapon can be the start of a legal nightmare. However, there are some critical steps you can take to help minimize the legal fallout.

Defensive incidents do not always involve pulling the trigger. Simply brandishing a weapon as a warning to stop a threat can cause legal jeopardy.

Suppose the defensive actor does not call 911; why would they? They stopped an actual crime from occurring… but an onlooker witnessed this action and calls the police. Now the defender faces

Police officers understand this situation well. They are frequently forced to react in defense incidents. What they also understand is how to respond immediately following a critical incident.

Most police agencies allow time for an officer involved in a shooting to gather their thoughts, review video footage, and compare notes. In most instances, they are not required to make a statement for 72 hours (or more in many jurisdictions).

Finally, in most cases they have an attorney on their side right away.

Unfortunately, civilians aren’t generally given the same leeway as law enforcement officers, and will be asked

for an immediate statement. With your adrenaline pumping, on the worst day of your life, having an attorney by your side for that first police statement can be the difference between sleeping in your own bed that night or laying your head down on the concrete slab of a jail cell.

The Solution Why shouldn’t an everyday, law-abiding gun owner have access to similar protections as law enforcement officers?

Self-defense incidents don’t always happen during normal business hours!

Every day, law-abiding gun owners need immediate access to an attorney—day or night, even at 3 a.m. on Christmas morning.

You also need access to legal education, taught in plain English, produced by experienced legal minds who know your state’s gun laws and are well versed in self-defense cases.

Finally, to ensure true peace of mind, the law-abiding gun owner needs to know that their attorney is on their side until the very end of the legal process.

Today’s world demands a new kind of protection for the law-abiding gun owner—protection that extends beyond the simple act of self-defense.

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NASCAR TROPHIES

COOL TROPHIES

NASCAR drivers live for cool trophies. Their goal is quite simple: To fill their homes and race shops with these beautiful prizes, showing their life’s dedication to auto racing is worthwhile.

•• Grand Home Furnishings, a sponsor at Martinsville Speedway since 1994, is responsible for providing the grandfather clocks the track presents to its NASCAR race winners.

JOSEPH WOLKIN

Even if a NASCAR driver or team doesn’t win at Martinsville Speedway, they still want the trophy. As a result, Grand Home Furnishings often receives requests for replicas of the famed grandfather clocks that are awarded to those who conquer the half-mile track.

There is something special about the many traditions at historic Martinsville, whether it be hot dogs or the grandfather clock trophy, but most people don’t know the fascinating story of how one of those traditions was nearly lost to time.

Grand Home Furnishings, which sponsored the late John Andretti when he first entered NASCAR racing, became a Martinsville Speedway sponsor in the 1990s.

Besides working with Andretti, Jeff Burton and Wood Brothers Racing, Grand Home Furnishings was active with the speedway.

“We started doing things with Martinsville in 1994 with bulk tickets and advertising,” said Steve Davis, Grand Home Furnishings’ former vice president of marketing. “In the mid-2000s, we got a call from Martinsville asking if we could help with their clock situation.”

The company stepped in and took control.

Martinsville needed help securing the Ridgeway Clocks after the local company was purchased by Howard Miller. The marketing director at Martinsville asked if Grand Home Furnishings could secure the clocks for the races, and it helped Martinsville continue the incredible tradition.

“There were quite a few NASCAR teams that wanted clocks even if they didn’t win them,” said Davis, who retired in 2017. “Perhaps, a driver won a clock in a race and he wanted to have another one for his second home, or for the team owner, crew chief and so on.”

Grand Home Furnishings’ store in Roanoke, Virginia, became the go-to place for grandfather clocks, and it still is to this day.

The tradition of presenting a Martinsville race winner with a grandfather clock will continue for years to come thanks to the relationship between Grand Home Furnishings and Martinsville Speedway.

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POLE POSITION 2021

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

OF NASCAR HARDWARE FOR HEROES

Some trophies are small and some are large. Some are even sea creatures (we see you, New Hampshire). But this group of hardware is the baddest and raddest in all of sports. NASCAR tracks take pride in the trophies they create, and rightfully so. But which is your favorite?

TICK TOCK THE FIRST grandfather clock awarded to a NASCAR winner at Martinsville Speedway was a seven-foot-tall version built by Ridgeway Clocks. Fred Lorenzen picked up the win in April 1964 and became the first driver who had to figure out how to get this beautiful clock home. The unique tradition continues

HARLEY J. EARL TROPHY

CHARLOTTE ROVAL TROPHY

The winner of the Daytona 500 receives

When the Charlotte Motor Speedway

this astonishing hardware. It’s named after the famed General Motors designer and executive who introduced the idea for the Corvette and became a NASCAR commissioner. The Firebird I is the centerpiece of this artwork. The replica trophy given to the winner weighs 54 pounds and, fortunately, no Daytona 500 winner has dropped it.

ROVAL was added to the NASCAR schedule, no one knew what to expect about the on-track action. The trophy was another plot twist. The three-foottall trophy, designed by Stephen Gould, is made of acrylic and metal. This hardware is wild, featuring a replica of the serpentine track, as well as the Charlotte crown to top it off.

M I LES TH E MON STE R TROPHY

POCONO RACEWAY’S EAGLE TROPHY

SONOMA RACEWAY’S WINE TROPHY

to this day for any driver who wins at Martinsville in one of NASCAR’s top three divisions.

Seriously, though, good luck getting it home.

TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY’S COWBOY BOOT TROPHY

IMAGINE TAKING HOME A

AH, THE BALD EAGLE. THIS

CALIFORNIA’S WINE

HOWDY, Y’ALL.

mini concrete monster. Miles

iconic bird is classic America,

Country is breathtaking.

Everything that Texas

the Monster seems cut from

and Pocono Raceway is

It’s relaxing and simply

Motor Speedway does

the same angular genetic

as powerful as it gets. The

beautiful, especially in the

is second to none. That

branch as The Thing and The

trophy fits well with Pocono’s

Sonoma Valley, where

includes the shotguns

Hulk. Yeah, it’s pretty crazy, but

strength as a unique track,

Sonoma Raceway is located.

in Victory Lane, as well

Miles is awesome. He’s been

just like the Eagle itself. The

This road course’s trophy

as the 1.5-mile track’s

around since 2000, and his red

trophy is intimidating, and

pays homage to Wine

trophy. It’s a slick looking

eyes are just as intimidating as

you need to be strong on the

Country, boasting a bottle of

cowboy boot, but you

the concrete oval itself.

track to take it home.

wine with a fresh glass, too.

can’t put a foot in it.

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES, MARCUS SMITH’S TWITTER, MIKE FINNEGAN

POLE POSITION MAG.COM

21

NASCAR BACK STORY

PRESENTED BY

NASCAR ARTIFACTS

FIREBALL ROBERTS’ JOURNAL

BY BEN WHITE

G

lenn

“Fireball”

Roberts

was one of NASCAR’s most iconic drivers throughout the 1950s and early ’60s.

The native of Palatka, Florida, began his NASCAR career on Feb. 5, 1950, at the famed Beach and Road Course in Daytona Beach, Florida. That was nine years before the 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway hosted the inaugural Daytona 500.

Roberts was a very popular driver in NASCAR’s premier series when he crashed on lap seven of the World 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 25, 1964.

Ned Jarrett and Junior Johnson were also involved in the accident as Roberts was severely burned after his car hit the inside backstretch wall and caught fire.

Roberts remained in critical condition at a Charlotte hospital until his death on July 2, 1964.

Throughout his 13½ -year NASCAR career, Roberts kept a journal of every dollar he made as a race car driver. The gray accounting ledger features his own carefully crafted handwriting, logging his

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POLE POSITION 2021

personal list of starts and finishes in every short-track and superspeedway event he entered.

Roberts’ penciled notations spanned 206 NASCAR races with winnings of $316,278 gained through 33 victories, 93 top-five finishes, 122 top-10 results and 32 pole positions.

The only notation in the book left without a final entry came on May 24, the day of Roberts’ terrible crash at Charlotte that sent him directly to the hospital with little hope of survival.

The book detailing locations of races and prize money awarded has been in the Roberts family since his death. In recent years, it had been displayed at the NASCAR Hall of Fame but the very rare heirloom has been returned to its owner and placed in a secure location for safekeeping.

Ken Martin, director of historical content for NASCAR Productions, has contributed to many of the documentaries produced about Roberts’ career.

“Fireball Roberts conducted himself with class, especially with his finances and the way he handled himself in everyday life,” Martin said. “He always dressed well, spoke well and represented himself and the sport as a true professional. Even his driver’s uniforms were sharp, and tailor made with the sleeves and legs tight around his ankles and wrists and featured gold zippers.

“Sadly, having those features contributed in part to the difficulty Ned Jarrett had while getting Fireball’s uniform off when he was on fire after the crash in May 1964. He will always be remembered as one of NASCAR’s greatest competitors.”

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

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MADE IN THE

USA

JORDAN ANDERSON + FORNEY INDUSTRIES

Forney Care Package Preps JAR for Xfinity Series One of NASCAR’s most engaging upand-comers has formed a partnership with one of America’s longestoperating family-owned tool, welding equipment and accessory product companies, Forney Industries.

BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

J

ordan Anderson, who competes full time in

the NASCAR Xfinity Series driving the No. 31 Chevrolet Camaro for Jordan Anderson Racing, partnered last year with Forney Industries, which assists the race team with its tool, welding equipment and accessory product needs.

The partnership continues a trend in which Anderson serves as an authentic representative for his sponsors. At the start of this season, Forney sent Anderson a care package that included a torch kit, soldering gun, battery charger, jumper cables, a surface cleaner for a pressure washer and a new Forney 220 Multi-Process (MP) machine.

The Forney 220 MP is capable of three welding processes – MIG, DC TIG and Stick welding. Anderson’s team will have the versatility to DC TIG weld in a pinch, or MIG weld, which is commonly used in race car fabrication. This machine can be powered by an engine-driven generator, 120V (110-120V) or 240V (208240) and placed in the pit area for quick structural repairs during a race. The Forney 220 MP machine is extremely reliable and of industrial quality, yet lightweight and intuitive for users of all levels.

“This last supply of stuff is really awesome,” Anderson said. “The torch will help us heat up things at the track. We’ll keep the battery jumper cables on the hauler for the semi. The two Forney 220 MP welders are really nice. We’ll keep one at the shop and one on the hauler in case we need it at the race track.”

“The best thing they do for us is give us consistency for the guys at the shop and the haulers,” Anderson continued. “Teams always have to prepare for a worst-case scenario. Forney has done a great job in getting us prepared in the shop and on the race track.”

Forney CEO Steve Anderson says the partnership with Jordan Anderson Racing has provided his company with increased brand recognition in the NASCAR community.

“Plus, (Jordan) is a family man, and we’re a familyowned business,” Steve Anderson said. “Our beliefs align, and we treat customers like family. I’m a big fan of the Automotive Aftermarket and believe our

24

POLE POSITION 2021

THE PACKAGE FROM FORNEY connection with Anderson will help us achieve our marketing goals.”

Just as Jordan Anderson has had an exciting year with his leap to the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Forney has made a mark on the tool industry by rolling out the next generation of welders. Anderson believes Forney’s values and ambitious mission makes the company a natural partner.

“The most important value is prioritizing relationships and taking care of people,” he said. “It’s a long-standing, family-run company that echoes the same focus of our race team.

Our team is in the process of growing. Being aligned with a growing company is a natural fit. It’s been great to learn about the products and use the welders in the shop. They’re reliable, and we love the way they work. The colors are a perfect fit. They provide everything and anything we can use for our race team.”

Forney products can be used to tackle jobs of all shapes and sizes – from the ones in NASCAR race team shops to do-it-yourself home projects.

“We supply the industrial markets and are capable of industrial quality welding, but we also have reliable and easy-to-use products for beginners and DIYers alike at an affordable price point,” Steve Anderson explained. “We also back all our machines up with a warranty and our Expert-Tech team is available by phone or email to help troubleshoot any issues, if they arise. You can even Facetime a technician and they’ll help walk you through the machine.

The support we offer the Forney community is unmatched, and we pride ourselves on putting our customers first.”

PHOTOGRAPHY: JORDAN ANDERSON

Item No. Qty. Description.

1753 1 Tote-A-Torch Medium-Duty Kit 61530 1 200-Watt Soldering Gun 52755 1 Battery Charger, 6V 2A/10A, 12V 2A/10A/40A/200A Start 52878 1 Battery Jumper Cables, #2 x 25’ 52765 1 Jump Start with Air Compressor, 18 Ah, 12-Volt, 900 Amp 52750 1 Battery Charger, 6V 2A/10A/20A, 12V 2A/10A/20A/100A Start 54820 1 Multi-Purpose Crimper and Cutter 57301 1 Pocket-sized 5 function volt ohmmeter. Compact with wide open dial and clear markings. Includes battery and complete instructions.

70717 4 Multi-Purpose Magnet Holder, Medium 70715 2 Multi-Purpose Magnet Holder, Large 61545 3 Self-Igniting Trigger Torch 85362 2 Argon/Co2 Cylinder, 20 Cubic Ft, Empty 75171 1 Surface Cleaner 16” Outflow Surface x 1/4” Plug 75444 2 Polyurethane Flex Hose, 3/8” x 50’ 410 2 220 MP

forneyind.com

SPOTLIGHT

McDowell’s Unlikely Road to Winning the Daytona 500

BY JARED TURNER

•• Michael McDowell struck the jackpot at Daytona, winning the Daytona 500. It was his first win in 358 races.

M

ore than a decade ago when he was serving as the motor coach driver for Trevor Bayne, Michael McDowell didn’t fit the profile of someone who most people expected to ever end up in a NASCAR Cup Series Victory

Lane.

Struggling to get his own racing career off the ground, McDowell bounced around from underfunded, back-marker team to underfunded, back-marker team and even had to compete as a start-and-park driver for several agonizing seasons.

Even once McDowell finally entered into a modestly better situation, driving full time for the single-car Leavine Family Racing organization, pretty much no one harbored any grand illusions of McDowell winning a NASCAR Cup Series race. And that even included his wife, Jami.

“She was just like, ‘Man, I don’t think it’s in the cards,’” McDowell said.

Then came Feb. 14, 2021. A day that changed everything. A that day McDowell will remember forever. Making his 358th start in NASCAR’s top division, McDowell finally won a race – and it just so happened to be the biggest race of all, the Daytona 500.

Turns out McDowell had believed for many years that he would eventually prevail at NASCAR’s highest level, even if no one else shared his line of thinking.

“Just for whatever reason, I’m always like, ‘It’s going to happen. I just know it is,’” McDowell said after his victory in the 63rd annual Daytona 500. “I don’t know why I’ve had that feeling. But I also feel like if I don’t come to the race track thinking like that, then why am I coming to the race track?”

McDowell has endured plenty of dark days as a driver, though. After all, it took him 10 years in the NASCAR Cup Series just to be able to run a full season.

“I wouldn’t say like there were super lows where I was eating Top Ramen noodles and scraping to stay alive, but when you show up to the race track and you know that you’re just in the way, taking up space, it’s hard to do that year after year and week after week,” McDowell said. “So, you’ve got to have a bigger purpose than that. For me, it was knowing that I would get an opportunity eventually.”

McDowell’s best opportunity to date came in 2018 when team owner Bob Jenkins handed him the keys to the No. 34 Front Row Motorsports car. Despite being hardly a powerhouse compared with the sport’s top teams, Front Row has offered McDowell more stability than his previous assignments. Even though Front Row can’t compete on a consistent basis with the likes of Hendrick

26

POLE POSITION 2021

PRESENTED BY Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, Stewart-Haas Racing and Team Penske, McDowell has a proven, veteran crew chief in Drew Blickensderfer and a team with solid primary sponsorship from Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores.

“It’s been a tough road for me,” McDowell said. “I’ve had to spend a lot of years grinding it out, but I finally have felt like these last four years have been more competitive and produced greater opportunities with Front Row and Bob Jenkins.

“Daytona has been so good to us that we’ve been in the top 10, we’ve been in the top five, we’ve been close. The last lap, there’s been times where I’ve made the wrong choice, wrong lane and pushed the wrong guy, and it’s just so hard to get in position and to do it.”

McDowell was justifiably optimistic heading into this year’s Daytona 500. In 19 previous pointspaying starts at Daytona International Speedway, he had recorded six top-10 finishes – including a pair of top-five results, the most recent of which was a fifth-place finish in the 2019 running of The Great American Race.

Although McDowell may not have been on hardly anyone’s shortlist of favorites to win this year’s Daytona 500, the 36-year-old Glendale, Arizona, native felt upbeat when race morning arrived.

“I know it’s going to sound crazy, but I always think I’m going to win this race,” McDowell later said.

McDowell’s positive attitude carries over to life in general and is largely influenced by his Christian faith, which has been a source of strength for him for a long time, including during his leanest and most frustrating years in NASCAR. “God just has a plan for each of us, and I just never felt like it was time for me to stop and it was time for me to quit,” said McDowell, who made his NASCAR Cup Series debut in 2008 with now-defunct Michael Waltrip Racing. “I just always felt like there’s a win

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

on the horizon, and you’ve just got to keep grinding it out.”

Like the biblical account of Moses parting the Red Sea, Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski collided and spun in opposite directions while running 1-2 entering Turn 3 on the final lap of February’s Daytona 500. That left just enough of an opening for McDowell – who had been running third behind the two Team Penske teammates – to come through the wreckage unscathed.

“The hole happened on its own,” McDowell said. “I can’t even tell you what happened. Brad and I pulled down with a run and, next thing you know, Brad was turning right, Joey was turning left and I went right through the middle of it.”

McDowell then managed to stay just ahead of second-place Chase Elliott when NASCAR turned on the caution lights, freezing the field and effectively ending the race. The only lap McDowell led all day was the final one.

Almost as quick as McDowell went from third to first were the congratulations that poured in after the race from his fellow competitors.

“He’s a great guy, a great person, a good leader in life and has helped me a lot in my life, so it’s very cool to see him win the Daytona 500,” Logano said.

Don’t think for a moment that McDowell’s Daytona 500 victory – surprising as it might have been to many – was a fluke, however. Along with being a consistent contender at Daytona over the last several years, McDowell has also demonstrated a consistent resolve to up his game.

Blickensderfer, who’s been McDowell’s crew chief the past two-and-a-half years, has witnessed McDowell’s work ethic on many occasions, including at times during the week when McDowell has left his wife and four children to go jump in a racing simulator for a couple of hours in preparation for an upcoming event.

“He’s a guy that is willing to do whatever it takes,” Blickensderfer said. “He

goes and drops everything and does that, because he knows that’s what he needs to do to be a better race car driver. To have that drive and that work ethic, that’s a good role model for not only myself and the rest of the guys on the team but also the young guys we bring in at Front Row. … They can see how hard this guy, who’s a veteran, works at his craft. That’s the thing about Michael that really stands out to me.”

McDowell’s 357 winless starts were the secondmost in NASCAR Cup Series history by a driver before his first victory. Only McDowell’s former team owner, Michael Waltrip, had gone winless more times before finally breaking through, which he also did in the Daytona 500.

So, what’s McDowell’s biggest takeaway from his bumpy and unlikely road to becoming a Daytona 500 winner?

“Don’t give up,” he said. “I think that’s what it’s all about is just not giving up, and to just keep fighting hard. I think that that’s not just the moral of my NASCAR journey, but that’s the moral of everyday life.

“That’s the moral of our race team, and we just keep fighting hard. You just never know what’s possible.”

POLE POSITION MAG.COM

27

MICHAEL MCDOWELL Q & A

IT’S SINKING IN:

Michael McDowell Relives Daytona 500 Win

BY JOSEPH WOLKIN

Michael McDowell is one of the kindest people in the NASCAR industry. He’s welcoming, fun to be around and, most of all, he cares about others. Finally, one of the most genuine racers in the sport is a NASCAR Cup Series race winner.

M

cDowell took the checkered flag in

the Daytona 500 for Front Row Motorsports, earning his first NASCAR Cup Series triumph in his 358th start.

Now, the driver of the No. 34 Ford Mustang is in the playoffs for the first time.

And he believes that with Front Row’s hard work, he can perform well throughout the season.

NASCAR Pole Position sat down with McDowell on Thursday morning following the victory to get his thoughts on his remarkable performance.

WHAT WAS GOING THROUGH YOUR MIND ON THE BACKSTRETCH COMING TO THE CHECKERED FLAG? Coming to the white flag, I felt like I was in a really good position. We were in third behind our Ford teammates. We were lined up, and I felt like I was in a good spot, knowing Brad Keselowski would, obviously, try to make a pass for the lead.

I knew Joey Logano would challenge and put on a block. I felt like it would create an opportunity, and it didn’t work out exactly like I thought. Brad got a good run coming down the back straightaway, and

28

POLE POSITION 2021

then they made contact. They spun, and I went right through the middle.

It was a wild finish to an amazing race.

To win my first race, do it at Daytona and to be the Daytona 500 champion is unbelievable.

WERE YOU WORRIED NASCAR WOULD NAME CHASE ELLIOTT THE WINNER? Yeah, absolutely. I felt like I was ahead of him the whole time. I really did feel like we were ahead. Then, you start having those doubts, like, “Oh man, what if we didn’t win?”

It was a long 60 or 90 seconds waiting for NASCAR to give us the official word of who won. When they finally did, it was a lot of relief. I was overwhelmed with excitement and joy. It’s so special and hard to describe.

IS IT SURREAL TO KNOW YOU’RE A DAYTONA 500 WINNER? It is amazing. There are elements of it that have sunk in. I know it’s legitimate and real, but the overall magnitude hasn’t sunk in. It’s a whirlwind media tour, and it’s a bit of a distraction from taking it all in. It’s been really fun and enjoyable to

relive the moment. I’m experiencing it over and over again.

WHAT’S BEEN THE CRAZIEST PART OF YOUR WEEK?

There have been a lot of crazy parts to it, but the most meaningful part has been the response from the NASCAR community, competitors and all of the people who I’ve worked with over the years. People are legitimately excited and happy for me. It means a lot, and I’ve had incredible texts and phone calls from legends in our sport.

It’s been really special.

WHAT DIFFERENTIATES FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS FROM OTHER TEAMS FOR WHICH YOU HAVE DRIVEN?

There are a lot of things that have happened over the last three years that have put us in this situation. Front Row has a great family atmosphere. We’re a small team – there’s no doubt about it. We can make adjustments, changes and move things around. We’ve been able to put great people in great positions to improve our team.

Drew Blickensderfer is a big part of that.

He’s done a great job of leading this (No.) 34 crew. Our relationship is very unique.

Drew and I both are very intense. We want it and also can fight, disagree and push each other. When we make a mistake, we can admit it to each other and no one is getting offended. We keep grinding. He believes in me, and I believe in him.

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

NASCAR PETS

Say Hello to Sturgill Blaney

BY JARED TURNER

PRESENTED BY

Z LP3 ENZYME SYSTEM

Anyone who’s ever been around NASCAR Cup Series driver Ryan Blaney knows he’s a rather easy-going, mild-mannered guy. Pretty fitting, then, that Blaney’s dog – a Shepherd/Lab mix named Sturgill – happens to have a similar disposition.

“He’s fun-loving and gets along great with any dog or person that he meets,” Blaney said. “He also has a very calm personality like his owner.”

Blaney has had a lifelong affinity for dogs. His family owned two – first a yellow Lab and then a Havanese/Shih Tzu – during his years growing up in High Point, North Carolina.

Blaney, 27, has been out on his own for a while now but just over two years ago decided it was time to adopt a dog – and that’s when he found Sturgill at Saving Grace animal shelter in North Carolina.

“He was my first dog, really,” Blaney said. “I was looking around for a bit and just saw him and knew he was just like me.”

Although Sturgill is still relatively young, he’s already changed a lot from the day Blaney picked him up.

“One of the things I most enjoy is watching him grow,” Blaney said. “I got him when he was 2 months old, and he’s gone from 10 pounds to 70 pounds. And his personality develops in time, too, so that’s fun to watch.”

NASCAR’S INFLUENCERS

NASCAR’s

Influencers

HARNESSING THE POWER OF SOCIAL MEDIA

BY JARED TURNER

Who and what is a “NASCAR influencer?” While the definition of such a person is perhaps generally understood, why not ask a person who falls in this category?

“I think it’s someone who impacts the conversation in our broader ecosystem, whether it’s a specific niche or a wider topic,” said Chris Littmann, director of social media strategy for NASCAR. “I appreciate even being considered among a group that shapes the narrative of how current and future fans think about NASCAR on social media.”

Littmann is one of 14 NASCAR influencers featured on the upcoming pages, which include – among others – drivers from all three major NASCAR series, traditional journalists, a YouTube prodigy in NASCAR Pole Position’s very own Eric Estepp and even a satirist in the form of the Twitter and NASCAR.com sensation known to the racing world as @nascarcasm.

While each one of these people have different talents and strengths, it’s their commonly held traits that make them what almost anyone would consider a “NASCAR influencer.” Those traits include a penchant for working hard, thinking outside the box and harnessing the power

30

POLE POSITION 2021

of social media to its maximum capabilities. In short, all these folks move the proverbial needle when it comes to attracting and keeping an audience.

Each of these 14 folks knows the sport of NASCAR inside and out (obviously, the drivers do, since it’s their livelihood) and have a story to tell that resonates with fans and other followers. How do we know this? Well, the number of followers and subscribers they have on their various social media channels backs up the claim in a big way.

While there are certainly others involved with NASCAR who command impressive followings on social media, none do a better job than these 14 people of delivering the kind of messaging that keeps audiences engaged, loyal and longing for more of the same.

Buckle your proverbial seat belt and get to know Chris Littmann, Alex Weaver, @nascarcasm, Adam Stern, Jeff Gluck, Eric Estepp and Bob Pockrass. Then, learn more about the social media musings of drivers Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, Chase Elliott, Justin Allgaier, Noah Gragson, Hailie Deegan and Jordan Anderson.

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

CONGRATS! TO JORDAN ANDERSON ON A THRILLING 2ND PLACE FINISH AT DAYTONA

“I AM JUST A KID FROM SOUTH CAROLINA

WHO WANTED TO GO RACING…” -JORDAN ANDERSON

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NASCAR INFLUENCERS

NASCAR, DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY

Chris Littmann

A

s director of social media strategy for NASCAR, Chris Littmann plays a pivotal role

in shaping the overall direction of NASCAR’s Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and TikTok accounts.

Among those five platforms, NASCAR boasts more than 11.2 million followers of its official page – although some undoubtedly follow more than one of NASCAR’s social accounts.

“Each platform has a unique personality,” said Littmann, who has been formally involved in the NASCAR Digital space for more than five years “Twitter is the pulse of the industry. Facebook is the home of our longtime fans. We reach our highest concentration of new fans on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.”

Of the people out there who could be considered NASCAR influencers, Littmann might actually be the most influential, because NASCAR’s reach on social media far, far exceeds that of any one individual content creator. While Littmann acknowledges the vastness of NASCAR’s social media landscape, he demurs at the notion that he’s personally been the engine driving the proverbial train.

“In the grand scheme of things, I think my role is actually very small,” Littmann said.

“I’ve been blessed to work on some big, key initiatives with the platforms, but ultimately the team I’ve had the privilege of managing since 2016 has made a much bigger imprint on our channels in that time. I’ve been lucky enough to launch a platform – TikTok – which isn’t something that comes along every season. That was a special experience.”

Under Littmann’s guidance over the past few years, NASCAR has tried to innovate and lead the way when it comes to creating waves on social media.

“We have always been leaned in with all of the social platforms,” Littmann said. “We pride ourselves on being as nimble as possible and seizing at every opportunity for a new platform feature. We’ve taken a more progressive approach on our channels in the last 18 months, in particular with more humorous content, but even before that, I think we

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POLE POSITION 2021

upped our game in terms of video and photography quality.

“NASCAR’s social accounts serve an audience with a wide range of affinity, so we have to cater to the longtime fan and the new one alike.”

Since COVID-19 came to U.S. shores more than a year ago, NASCAR’s social media teams have gone to great lengths in their efforts to keep fans excited about the sport at a time when in-person attendance at races is severely limited.

“With fewer fans at the track, social media has been critical to connecting with fans,” Littmann said. “We’re always trying to find new ways to do that as we continue to deal with the pandemic. Whether that’s increased engagement on social channels, new types of content or something else, we’re always trying to do more to fill that void.”

One of the challenges for Littmann is trying to nurture and maintain his own social media brand along with the NASCAR brand for which he is largely responsible. Littmann has more than 5,600 followers of his personal Twitter page – where he’s quite active – so he seems to have struck a good balance.

“I’d like to think I have,” he said. “I pride myself on being on top of what’s happening in social both in and outside of the NASCAR sphere. We can learn as much from looking outward as we can observing our own ecosystem.”

To this end, Littmann devotes some time to seeing what others post and share on social media.

“If it’s inside NASCAR, I pay attention to stories resonating with other content creators,” he said. “In accounts outside of NASCAR, it’s just general inspiration – what resonated that might be applicable to our audience and spark some inspiration for a way to build up a new idea?”

So, what’s been the driving factor in the sustained growth of NASCAR’s social media properties?

“I don’t think it’s any one thing,” Littmann said. “When you serve such a diverse fan base – some new, some longtime fans – it can’t be just one thing.

I actually think the diversity in content we provide, be it humor or high-end video/ photography around big moments, is the key to our success.”

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NASCAR INFLUENCERS

Alex Weaver NASCAR.COM, HOST AND REPORTER

I

n her fourth season with NASCAR and her third as a host and reporter for NASCAR.

com, Alex Weaver is still relatively new to the industry.

In fact, it was just five years ago that she graduated from Clemson University with a degree in Communication and Media Studies. Since then, her rise to NASCAR influencer status has been both swift and notable.

“The funny thing is, I don’t really consider myself an ‘influencer,’” she said. “I just am really passionate about telling the stories and accomplishments of the sports’ athletes. I believe our fans like hearing them and keeping up with the content posted on NASCAR’s sites and social media channels. I am just a small part of a huge team that gets to tell those stories and the storylines of the season.”

Weaver’s main job with that team is being featured in videos about topics related to the sport. Sometimes, she might be featured discussing NASCAR with a colleague; other times, she might be interviewing a driver or track president. Weaver shares most of her NASCAR.com videos on Twitter and uses Instagram to share photos from her professional experiences.

Between the two social media platforms, she has more than 30,000 followers – pretty impressive for someone who is hardly a veteran of the NASCAR media corps.

“I post more frequently on Instagram than I used to, maybe because I am just busier these days and have more to post, but usually I aim for at least once or twice a week,” she said. “I also make sure to share NASCAR related things – projects we are working on, interviews with drivers, show promotions, etc., but also things that relate to my life outside

of the sport. Sorry for all of the cat content recently.”

Weaver has broadened her influence and appeal by interacting with fans on social media as much as possible.

“Answering questions and responding just come natural to me, simply because that is what I would want others to do for me if I reach out or ask a question,” she said. “I consider myself pretty outgoing, so I am always flattered and excited when someone reaches out on social media.”

Weaver is extremely at ease on camera, due in large part to her college days at Clemson where she worked as a student administrative recruiting assistant with the university’s football program.

“The longtime sports fan knew that she wanted to work in sports from that moment on,” Weaver said. “I had some terrific people/mentors at Clemson who helped pave the way and decided to put me on camera to talk football. The rest is history. Breaking into NASCAR, I don’t think there has been one moment that has put me in the position I am in – just years of hard work and studying the sport and the athletes in it.”

Successful as she’s been, Weaver doesn’t have a strategy, per se, that has led to her success.

“I think the best advice, as corny as it sounds, is to just be yourself,” she said. “I think social media is the best thing and worst thing, depending on the day. The compare game is never fun, especially when you are a creature of always wanting to be better and reach further milestones in your career, like myself. You are at the right place in your journey and to be your authentic self will get you much further and help you stand out more than trying to copy and keep up with someone else.

“Also, treat people with kindness; this needs to be taught more when it comes to social media.”

W E A V E R ’ S FA S T FA C T S

1

Alex Weaver has more than 23,500 followers on Instagram, where she says she

“can be a little more free, creative and work with different outlets.”

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POLE POSITION 2021

2

Weaver has more than 8,300 followers on Twitter, where she rarely tweets recreational

photos or personal information. “It’s usually all sports and work,” she says

3

How does Weaver compare Instagram and Twitter? “In my opinion,

Twitter is news and Instagram is art,” she says.

4

Weaver’s Twitter handle is @Al_Weave. Her Instagram handle is al_weave. She’s

on Facebook but doesn’t use the platform for work-related purposes.

@nascarcasm Like satire? Maybe even a little cynicism – in good taste? Meet @nascarcasm, an emerging social media sensation whose goal as a NASCAR humorist is quite simply to make you laugh. Or, at the very least, smile.

First, a little background on how this whole concept came to be.

“It’s actually a very … uninteresting story,” said @nascarcasm, whose real name is known only to the privileged few. “Maybe 10 years ago, my wife and I were sitting at home on a Sunday watching a Pocono race, and I’m making snide comments about this driver and that driver. I knew Twitter was becoming a thing, so I decided, ‘Why not share these insufferable comments with the world?’”

And so it began. These days, the @nascarcasm Twitter account claims more than 184,000 followers – among them NASCAR drivers, team owners, crew chiefs, media members, track owners and, of course, fans.

Not surprising for a guy who gets paid to be witty, @nascarcasm takes his

SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL, MOTORSPORTS REPORTER

Adam Stern While many people scour Twitter looking for the latest GIFs, emojis, videos and other ways to be entertained, Adam Stern’s role as motorsports and esports reporter for the Charlotte, North Carolina-based Sports Business Journal is a much more straightforward one by traditional journalistic standards.

His job, quite simply, is to break news and report news pertaining to the business side of NASCAR. Stern is not really interested in entertaining you but, rather, informing you – quickly and accurately. And he’s succeeded at doing just that, as evidenced at least in part by his growing Twitter following of 31,300-plus and his rise to NASCAR influencer status over his more than six years with SBJ. “NASCAR fans are rabid consumers of sports business news, and, obviously, particularly motorsports business news,” Stern said. “NASCAR is going through a lot of change right now, which lends itself to interesting new developments and news,

notoriety in the digital space with a proverbial grain of salt.

“If I had a business card, I don’t know what I’d put on it – ‘professional troll?’’’ he said. “I don’t consider myself a comedian, because stand-up comedy is an art unto itself, and comedians actually make you laugh. I’m just a guy on Twitter who puts stuff out there that people are kind enough to put up with.”

Not all of @nascarcasm’s musings come in 280 characters.

He’s also a freelance writer for NASCAR.com, where he contributes a weekly satirical post consisting of fake texts that he imagines being shared among drivers. The goal is never to offend but to entertain.

“There were a few quips early on that raised the ire of some folks, but I was never one of those people who took pride in that,” he said. “To me, it was a screw-up and something I didn’t want to do again.

I’m a fragile little porcelain mouse.”

so a lot of this stuff writes itself.”

Stern believes the biggest key to securing and expanding his social media base hasn’t been anything particularly creative or outside-the-box.

“Just being active and finding unique angles and new things going on,” he said. “Sometimes it can be behind-the-scenes details about something that has already occurred or just finding out new information about private developments that haven’t become public yet and reporting those.”

To any NASCAR journalists aspiring to expand their sphere of influence on social media, Stern has some advice.

“I really just try to do my job and let the chips fall where they may,” he said. “It’s a blessing and honor to work for Sports Business Journal, and that’s my primary focus. It’s important to find a little niche within the sport or some unique angles and carve those out.”

POLE POSITION MAG.COM

35

NASCAR INFLUENCERS

Eric Estepp OUT OF THE GROOVE

B

efore the pandemic of 2020, Eric Estepp was a college student with a nine-year-

old YouTube channel that was growing but remained a work-in-progress.

Today, that same channel—dubbed Out of the Groove and featuring the biggest and most controversial news stories in NASCAR—boasts more than 145,000 subscribers.

So what exactly happened that made Out of the Groove catch fire and become the No. 1 NASCAR News and Talk Show on YouTube?

“As tumultuous as 2020 was, it did present unique opportunities for content creators,” Estepp said. “I’ve always been working remote and in the virtual space, so my business was largely unchanged. Meanwhile, the rest of the world was pushed into the virtual world out of necessity. I hosted several iRacing events with dozens of real-world NASCAR stars competing in them. As Zoom took over, it became easier for me to find drivers to come on the show as guests.

“Most importantly, though, with more people at home and online in 2020, more fans took to YouTube for content. Naturally, more viewers stumbled in my direction, which helped with the dramatic growth of my channel throughout the year.”

While COVID-19’s impact on the way people communicated and carried out their daily business certainly didn’t hurt Estepp’s efforts to grow his audience, Out of the Groove had actually already taken some positive steps before the pandemic struck.

“A huge moment for the show was when I got to interview Aric Almirola at the start of the 2019 season,” Estepp said. “I was still just a college kid who filmed videos in my apartment

whenever my roommates weren’t home, so getting a NASCAR Cup Series driver to talk to me gave the show a huge shot of legitimacy. I feel like that episode was key to opening up a lot of other opportunities in the following months.

“Up to that point, the first few years of Out of the Groove really felt like a grind.

But after that first driver interview, the show began to establish a true identity.”

With fresh episodes now produced five times weekly, Estepp’s audience known as “the Groovy Gang” tunes in daily not only to stay up to speed with the sport but also to be a part of the spirited and fun online conversation.

“Since 2019, I’ve had many active NASCAR stars appear in videos, I’ve gotten to film videos at the track with some of them, and my subscriber count has steadily been climbing,” Estepp said.

“The most difficult part of those first couple of years was establishing my legitimacy. I didn’t expect the top people in the sport to pay me any attention at first. I had no formal training, no company to vouch for me, and only modest viewership. It was a grind those first several years, but things have really taken off recently.”

Estepp has been a NASCAR fan for more than 15 years and still considers himself a fan of the sport today.

“I had very few people I could talk NASCAR with when I was growing up,” he said. “I was the first person in my family to start watching, and my dad was the only other person I knew who kept up with the sport in any way. When I moved out and started college, I no longer had anyone in my day-to-day life who knew the first thing about stock-car racing.

“That is what inspired me to start Out of the Groove. I wanted to reach other NASCAR fans and find others who were as passionate about racing as I was.”

E S T E P P ’ S FA S T FA C T S

1

Beginning in 2021, Estepp teamed with A.E. Engine to scale the Out of the Groove

brand into new content spaces,

2

The Out of the Groove Weekly Viewer’s Guide is a digitallydelivered, subscription-based

magazine featuring opinion and

3

Through the expanded partnership between Estepp and A.E. Engine, they’ve

joined fellow YouTube creators and

4

Watch the latest episode of Out of the Groove @ericestepp on YouTube. Catch the latest

episodes on the Out of the Groove

including podcasts and a Weekly

commentary from Estepp and other

NASCAR historians to create the Out

Podcast Network here: https://

Viewer’s Guide.

established NASCAR content creators.

of the Groove Podcast Network.

polepositionmag.com/out-of-thegroove-podcast-network/

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POLE POSITION 2021

NASCAR INFLUENCERS THE ATHLETIC

Jeff Gluck Recognized for having one of Sports Illustrated’s top 100 Twitter accounts in sports for five consecutive years, longtime NASCAR writer Jeff Gluck takes little credit for his rapid rise to NASCAR influencer status.

In fact, Gluck – whose 220,000 Twitter followers lead the pack among writers who exclusively cover NASCAR – doesn’t consider himself a NASCAR influencer at all.

“I really think a lot of it was luck and timing,” said Gluck, who writes for The Athletic. “I just happened to join at the right time.”

Modest as Gluck might be, he’s hardly slept his way to the top of his respective profession – which has included stops with such notable media outlets as NASCAR Scene, SB Nation and USA Today.

Along with possessing a pure writing talent that is a rare find, Gluck is a master of producing engaging tweets.

FOX SPORTS

Bob Pockrass Widely known as one of the hardest-working people in NASCAR, Bob Pockrass has been covering the sport for more than three decades and was considered a NASCAR “influencer” long before the days of social media.

With the arrival of Twitter, Pockrass not surprisingly wasted little time embracing the medium. Since sending his first tweet in March 2009 as a writer for the onceauthoritative weekly newspaper NASCAR Scene, Pockrass has amassed a Twitter following of more than 177,800 – gaining, on average, almost 15,000 new followers each year.

“I was able to use the app to inform people quickly of what was going on in the NASCAR world, especially when it comes to weather, scheduling updates and much of the minutiae of the sport,” he said. “Being one of the first, as well as trying to respond to questions as often as possible, has

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POLE POSITION 2021

“It’s always been about conversation,” he said. “Twitter shouldn’t be a one-way medium where you’re standing atop a virtual pedestal and preaching to the masses. It needs to be something where you listen in return and let people know they’ve been heard.”

Well before COVID-19 began limiting fan access, Gluck began hosting what he called “tweetups” at the track.

Eventually, these gatherings came to include dozens of folks eager to talk about the sport.

“On Twitter, you often see the same names pop up in the replies over and over again – or at least that’s how it was in the early days,” Gluck said. “I just thought it would be nice to say hi in person. … The first tweetup I did – Atlanta in 2009 – had three people. After that, they slowly started to grow.”

helped. Having worked for major sports organizations such as ESPN and FOX Sports certainly doesn’t hurt.”

Pockrass, whose official title is “FOX NASCAR insider,” never aspired to build such a robust following in the early days of social media.

“There wasn’t a strategy beyond doing my job as a journalist,” said Pockrass, who also boasts more than 15,500 Instagram followers. “I enjoy trying to deliver information to people and used the app to provide either the info I thought fans would want or info that fans told me they wanted.”

As digital media strategies have evolved, Pockrass has adjusted with the times.

“The big thing that has changed is increasing the amount of video I can provide, and certainly working for FOX Sports, which has NASCAR (licensing) rights, helps,” he said.

The Top Drivers INFLUENCERS AT THE TRACK

NASCAR’s two biggest influencers on social media – hands-down – are two recently retired drivers who happen to be former teammates. Those drivers are Jimmie Johnson (2.6 million) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2.4 million) who collectively claim an astounding 5 million followers on Twitter – the social media platform on which NASCAR drivers are generally most active. So, who are the top influencers among active drivers?

THE DEFENDING CHAMP SO WHERE DOES CHASE ELLIOTT,

KYLE BUSCH

KEVIN HARVICK

Arguably NASCAR’s most polarizing

The only active NASCAR driver topping more

driver, the two-time Cup Series champion rarely refrains from speaking his mind – and that carries over to Twitter, where his candor has helped land him a robust following of more than 920,000. Busch uses his sizeable social media pulpit to do more than rant, however, as many of his tweets focus on his philanthropic efforts and the adventures of his young son, Brexton.

than 1 million Twitter followers is Harvick, the 2014 Cup Series champion. Harvick was right at 983,000 followers in late May 2019, so he’s added more than 17,000 in two years – impressive considering that as a full-time Cup Series driver since 2001, he was already a pretty established figure.

Winning nine races in 2020 undoubtedly didn’t hurt his sphere of influence.

JUSTIN ALLGAIER

NOAH GRAGSON

NASCAR’s most popular driver from the past three seasons, stack up among the sport’s most prolific influencers on social media? In short: Not too shabby.

While Elliott still lags behind Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch on Twitter, he’s eclipsed both of their followings on Instagram – despite having not been a Cup Series driver for nearly as long. Elliott’s combined Twitter and Instagram following exceeds 1.265 million – on pace with Busch and not all that far behind Harvick.

HAILIE DEEGAN

JORDAN ANDERSON

WITH MORE THAN 132,000

WITH A COMBINED FOLLOWING

PRETTY, BRASH AND, YES,

TO BE AN INDEPENDENT TEAM

Twitter followers and 45,000 more

of more than 125,000 on Twitter

talented, the 19-year-old NASCAR

owner/driver, Anderson has made

on Instagram, Allgaier is by far the

and Instagram, Gragson has

Camping World Truck Series newcomer

some impressive waves on Twitter

Xfinity Series’ premier influencer

considerable influence for a guy

boasts 120,000-plus Twitter followers

and Instagram where his combined

among active drivers. Reigning

who entered 2021 with only two

and well north of 935,000 Instagram

following was 66,000 and counting

series champion Austin Cindric,

wins in 69 Xfinity Series starts.

followers. The latter number

as of early February. One of the

by comparison, had a Twitter

Known for his outspokenness and

surpasses any active Cup Series driver

most down-to-earth NASCAR

following of just over 20,000 as of

humor, Gragson doesn’t hold back

and even Earnhardt Jr. – NASCAR’s

drivers you’ll ever meet, Anderson

early February.

much on social media.

retired 15-time most popular driver.

would be a boon to any sponsor.

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

POLE POSITION MAG.COM

39

CHARACTERS OF NASCAR

Dale Jarrett

BY ROB TIONGSON

D

ale Jarrett’s breakthrough moment occurred during the 1991 NASCAR

Cup Series season when the second-generation racer was wheeling the famed No. 21 Ford for Wood Brothers Racing.

Following six seasons of struggles and setbacks, the Hickory, North Carolina, native scored an emotional maiden victory at Michigan International Speedway on Aug. 18, 1991.

Moreover, Jarrett’s victory was quite special as his father, Ned Jarrett, a twotime NASCAR Cup Series champion, was in the booth calling the race for ESPN. “So many people forget that he was calling that race,” Jarrett observed. “The thrill of doing that with my dad there, those are things that we can’t repay our parents in a lot of ways for all the stuff that they’ve done for us. But this was something that I felt like he could be proud that I had followed in his footsteps.”

On that afternoon in 1991, Jarrett and his team had an ace up their sleeve with their Ford Thunderbird. Notably, it would connect the superspeedway specialist with a future partner.

“We worked extremely hard on the cars, making them handle better, making them drive better,” Jarrett recalled. “We knew Robert Yates designed a new cylinder head for Ford, and they were using that, and we were down on horsepower quite a bit. Most of the rest of the Fords were too. There were a couple that were starting to get sets of these cylinder heads. We were a little bit down the line, even though the Wood Brothers have always been Ford Motor Co. “But that day in Michigan in August 1991 was the first time that we had those cylinder heads. I knew it was going to allow me to compete at a higher level on a more regular basis. As things would have it, those cylinder heads designed

and built by Robert Yates, I was battling his driver at the time, Davey Allison, for the win. I ran well all day, and Eddie Wood made a call on our last pit stop and said, ‘Let’s take a chance and just put gas in and leave these tires on and get track position right up front.’”

Leading the restart with 10 to go, Jarrett had his hands full with Allison’s powerful No. 28 Ford.

While Allison snookered his way into the lead on the penultimate lap, Jarrett recalled his racewinning move.

“Somehow, some way, we were able to do just enough,” he said. “I think we won by like eight inches. The last two laps, Davey and I ran side by side. For it to come down to that car whose owner had built these cylinder heads, and to win against Davey, someone I grew up around the sport with and admired as a driver and a person, it couldn’t have been a more fitting ending and way to get my first win in the Cup Series.”

While Jarrett won 31 more races in his 24-year Cup Series career, he recalled his crowning achievement that took place just eight years after his Michigan victory.

“My proudest moment was winning the championship in 1999,” he stated. “I couple that with the fact that I feel like I made a difference in the sport. From a competitor’s standpoint, you want to make a difference, and I feel like I did that. There were things that I did that enhanced the popularity of the sport.

It gave people Sundays and Saturday nights, gave them a reason to turn on their TV.”

•• Second-generation driver Dale Jarrett won 32 races in a 24-year NASCAR career.

D A L E ’ S FA S T T H O U G H T S

Dale’s Fast Thoughts

40

POLE POSITION 2021

1

Dale Jarrett’s hero was “at my house every single day as I grew up,

and that was my dad (Ned).

And that never changed.”

2

In terms of friendships, Jarrett notes two of his closest friends during his

early NASCAR years were Kyle Petty and Michael Waltrip.”

3

Regarding the famed mustache, Jarrett grew it in high school and

didn’t shave it off until the year 2000.

4

One of Jarrett’s favorite pieces of advice came from his father who said, “Treat

others the way that you want to be treated.”

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

CLINT BOWYER Q & A

Q&A WITH CLINT BOWYER AS HE TRANSITIONS FROM DRIVING TO BROADCASTING

BY JARED TURNER

N

ASCAR Cup Series veteran Clint Bowyer is on a new career path, having traded his

helmet and gloves for a microphone as an analyst in the broadcast booth for FOX NASCAR. Bowyer, who is anchoring FOX’s on-air coverage of the season’s first half with veteran broadcasters Mike Joy and Jeff Gordon, sat down with NASCAR Pole Position to discuss why he’s excited about his new role, the challenges that come with it, and what he believes he can bring to the FOX NASCAR team.

WHY DID YOU FEEL IT WAS TIME FOR A CAREER CHANGE AND DO YOU FEEL AS CONFIDENT IN THAT DECISION NOW AS YOU DID WHEN YOU ANNOUNCED YOUR PLANS LAST FALL? I don’t know. It’s a great question, and it’s actually probably the right timing now to ask the question again. Obviously, it was an easier decision then – at the end of the season, everybody’s wore out and tired and kind of ready for something new, anyway. … To be honest with you, I was busier this year than I’ve ever been in my life leading into a race season.

I hate to say this, but being a race car driver was a pretty good gig – especially with the COVID stuff last year. You would show up on Sundays and let ’er rip for a day. The broadcast side of it, let me tell you something: There’s way more planning and stuff involved. … As a competitor, you’re always looking for a challenge, and this is a steep learning curve. This isn’t something that you can take lightly and roll in and think, “Well, just because I’ve done a couple of good interviews over the years, I’m going to be good at this.”

That’s not the case. It’s going to take work and a lot of patience and trial and error, and I think we can have a lot of fun with it as well.

WHAT’S BEEN THE MOST EYE-OPENING MOMENT OF YOUR NEW GIG SO FAR? Well, when you see the preparation, the depths that an organization like FOX goes to, and the confidence that they’ve instilled in me, that’s what kind of opened my eyes. When I was watching the NFL conference championship games and looked over and there was the commercial that Jeff (Gordon) and I did together promoting the Daytona 500, that’s a big deal. That was a big presence for our sport, which I’m proud of, but also for me and my new endeavor and job. That was huge.

You’ve got to work hard at this. This doesn’t all come naturally; I can promise you that.

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POLE POSITION 2021

HOW DID YOUR CAMEO APPEARANCES IN THE FOX BOOTH FOR TRUCKS AND THE XFINITY SERIES PREPARE YOU FOR THIS? I definitely think that was all in preparation, but at the time, I didn’t know it. But that was all tryouts. I don’t think they planned it that way, and I don’t think I would have ever dreamed in a million years that that was going to be my future.

I didn’t know what that next thing was going to be, but I honestly didn’t think it would be TV. That being said, it was definitely great tryouts for me; it got my feet wet a little bit and really kind of got me comfortable.

This is a different thing. It’s not for everybody. Getting in those booths and being up there, it’s lights, camera, action; you’ve got to be “on” and you’ve got to know what you’re talking about. … Fans aren’t dumb; they can sort through the B.S. quickly and put you on the spot very rapidly, and you’ve got to be able to know what you’re talking about and still have fun. That’s what I want to bring to it.”

JEFF GORDON AND DARRELL WALTRIP WERE FROM DIFFERENT GENERATIONS OF DRIVERS, BUT YOU AND JEFF ARE FROM THE SAME GENERATION. HOW DOES THAT HELP THE CAMARADERIE? Oh, no, we’re from two different generations. Don’t even start that (laughing). You can’t put him down in my generation! He was one of my heroes.

If he’s a childhood hero, that’s a different generation, right? … No, Jeff and I really enjoyed one another over the years. People don’t realize that, because of our run-ins a couple of times on the race track, but off the track – at year-end points celebrations or banquets – we would always kind of find each other.

Over the years, nine times out of 10 by the end of the night, you would look over and Jeff’s the one you’re hanging with.

It’s kind of funny how it all happened and now here you are looking over your shoulder in the broadcast booth and one of the guys you enjoyed the most is the guy you will be calling these races with.

HOW DOES THE EDGIER AND MORE BUTTON-DOWNED STYLE OF FOX SPORTS SUIT YOUR PERSONALITY? I think you’ve got to find that line, you know? It’s like in the old hot rod; you’re only as fast as you allow yourself to be, PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

•• This year, Clint Bowyer made a muchanticipated move from driving a Cup Series car to manning the FOX Sports broadcast booth.

and you’ve got to find that edge and that line. To be successful in show business, you’ve got to be right on that edge. If you watch talk show guys, any place that’s successful in that line of work rides that line, and they know where it is and they don’t step over it.

It’s going to take me a little time to find that line. I don’t want to be a complete goofball, but I want this to be fun. Our sport is fun. There are a lot of fun characters within the sport, and sometimes that gets left behind.

WHAT DO YOU FEEL YOU CAN BRING TO A RACE BROADCAST THAT NO ONE ELSE CAN? It kind of goes back to that line I was talking about. … Sometimes you know the guys on the track are buddies with those guys in the broadcast booth, and the guys in the booth won’t call them out. I feel like that’s one thing that I have to do to be a good broadcaster. Hey, I’m a race car driver, I know when a guy makes a mistake and didn’t take a chance, maybe, or took too big of a chance.

I think I have a unique perspective where I can talk about some of that stuff.

But I also think there’s a lot of things that go on during a race that the casual fan doesn’t know, and I don’t know why, but I’ve always been able to see things that other people sometimes don’t see. So, hopefully, I’ll be able to contribute in those ways.

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

HOW DO THE NERVES OF GETTING BEHIND A MICROPHONE AND SPEAKING TO THOUSANDS COMPARE WITH THE NERVES OF DRIVING 200 MPH? Way different, way different. But, you know, it is, but it isn’t. You get in that car and make a mistake, it’s your ass on the line. But make no mistake about it: You get in that booth and make a mistake, and it’s still your ass on the line. You’re going to be hearing from your boss one way or another.

I guess that’s where the similarities are, but the difference is the pressure. When you’re on the race track, you get so many opportunities to make up for a mistake. If you make a mistake on the air, people are

going to remember that. That’s the thing about fans and just society anymore; people don’t forget, and they get hung up on that one mistake. So, the pressure’s definitely on.

WHAT’S THE STORY YOU’RE LOOKING MOST FORWARD TO DISCUSSING IN THE BOOTH THIS YEAR? There’s a crazy number of stories. First and foremost, something that needed to happen for the better part of my career is going to new race tracks. When this sport really took off in the ’90s, look at the new race tracks, the new eyeballs that were watching races for the first time in their area at their race track. That’s happening again – finally.

We’re going to the Bristol dirt track, which is something no one’s ever seen.

We’re going to COTA; that’s something that’s huge. As we go back to Nashville, these are huge, huge, huge. Starting the season off with the Busch Clash at the Daytona road course … just the willingness of NASCAR to be able to think outside the box and go for it is something that’s pretty uncharacteristic for them, since I’ve been in the sport.

I’m looking forward to these opportunities and looking forward to calling them in the booth, for sure.

WHAT’S YOUR SECRET TO KEEPING YOUR NERVES CALM BEFORE AND DURING A BROADCAST? Man, I don’t know. I think that’s what’s good about it. I can’t stay calm; you know what I mean? If it’s an intense situation, you can bet your butt I’m going to be wound up in that booth just like I would be in that race car. I think that’s hopefully where the magic is.”

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WHY I RACE

Why I Race: Kyle Larson As one of the most versatile drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series, Kyle Larson provides his take on racing, including his preference for running the high line.

BY ROB TIONGSON Larson: I just want to be able to win races. If I’m not winning, I want to at least contend for wins each week. I’m with a great organization with a lot of success, fresh off a championship with Chase Elliott. I don’t think there’s any reason why I shouldn’t be able to go out there and contend right away.

Maybe there’ll be a few growing pains in the beginning, having not been in a Cup car for so long, and a new team, a new crew chief (Cliff Daniels) that I’ve never worked with before. I’m sure it’ll have its difficult moments, but I’ve got confidence in myself and the team that we’ll be able to go out there and win lots of races and, hopefully, contend for a championship come the end of the season.

I’ve always been strong on the intermediate tracks, and I feel like I should still be able to be strong there. What I’m excited about is that I feel like Hendrick Motorsports is really good at the types of venues that I would historically say I struggled at when I was at Ganassi, which have been the road courses and short tracks. So, I think if I can continue to have that speed on the intermediates, and then take their equipment and setups and stuff and be really strong at the short tracks and road courses, I think we’ll be extremely good.

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POLE POSITION 2021

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It’d be really, really cool to get a championship with that car and number. There’s so much history with that number with Rick Hendrick. I think it would be special to a lot of us and a lot of people that probably worked on the No. 5 car back in the day at Hendrick. I hope we can do it. I think that we will have a good shot, hopefully this year, and we just gotta make sure we continue to get better each week and execute each week.

Hopefully, we can just keep putting ourselves in position.

I’m just more comfortable up there (in the high line), and there’s more grip up against the wall, with the way the aerodynamics work and things like that. For me, the sensation is, it’s not that running the bottom or anything’s scary, but I have a better feel for the car when I’m putting the right side of it six inches off the wall because it adds downforce and all that.

And I think too with my experience racing the sprint cars, it’s really similar to kind of running a cushion, so I’ve got a lot of experience doing that. But it’s fun. I don’t run the top because I like it; that’s just typically where my car goes the fastest. If my car was faster around the bottom, I would be at the bottom at Homestead. But for me and what my car has been like in the past, I can usually make the most speed up top, so that’s why I go up there. There’s definitely a lot of risk with running up there, but it’s fun at the same time.

I always have confidence when I go to Homestead, so that would still probably be the track that I have the most confidence at. I feel like I just know a lot about that race track, and I just have a sense for kind of how you need to drive around there. I think Homestead would be that track that I’ll be confident going to. That doesn’t mean that we’re going to be fast.

Ultimately, your car’s still gotta be really good.

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MY FAVORITE

MY FAVORITE WITH

Tyler Reddick

Tyler Reddick is known for being an aggressive race car driver on the track.

But outside of his NASCAR Cup Series machine, he’s much different. The California native is ready to share parts of his daily life – some that might surprise you and others that might not. Let’s get to know this 25-yearold driver for Richard Childress Racing.

-BY JOSEPH WOLKIN

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MOVIE?

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BAND?

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FOOD?

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE VACATION DESTINATION?

WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE ACTOR? THAT’S A TOUGH

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PIECE OF RACING MEMORABILIA?

I’M GOING TO BE A

THIS MIGHT BE

IT’S A TIE FOR

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controversial in

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MY FAVORITE

The Wrath of Khan.

some eyes, but it’s

sushi or Mexican

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Van Dyke. I also

food. I can’t give

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Star Trek, so I can’t

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my BurgerFi

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to 25 band shirts

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go with Sir Patrick

championship car.

of Slipknot. I love

Those are the two

honestly can’t go

Stewart. I’m kidding

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aggressive music. It

tied at the top.

on a vacation. My

myself.

Motorsports signed

kept me motivated

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and pushed me hard

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and motivated

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Brenda, signed

every single day.

building signed the

it, too, and that makes it even more special. That hood means a lot to me.

46

POLE POSITION 2021

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THE FUTURES

THE FUTURES 10 DRIVERS WHO FANS WILL HEAR FROM ON A REGULAR BASIS

T

hey’re the talk of the town if you reside in NASCAR Country. As America’s most-watched form of motor-

sports ushers in a new era of young stars, a collection of hot-shoes with unlimited potential are rising up NASCAR’s ladder.

These are The Futures: Ten drivers who fans will hear from on a regular basis throughout this season.

Some, like Christopher Bell, Tyler Reddick and Cole Custer, are second-year NASCAR Cup Series drivers with plenty of promise. Others are recent ARCA Menards Series or Camping World Truck Series call-ups who haven’t yet reached the sport’s summit.

With apologies to William Byron, The Futures list captures drivers with one or fewer years of accrued Cup Series experience, so some of the sport’s popular 20-somethings didn’t make the cut.

From “Dirt Princess” to the son of “The Mayor,” however, there are plenty of personalities in this assortment of pedal-mashing prodigies.

-BY AARON BURNS

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POLE POSITION 2021

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES, RHEEM

CHRISTOPHER

BELL OWNER JOE GIBBS

TEAM JOE GIBBS RACING

MANUFACTURER T OYO TA

CREW CHIEF ADAM STEVENS

C

20

hristopher Bell is the real deal.

From sprint cars and midgets to asphalt late models, trucks and stock cars, there’s nothing the 26-year-old wheelman can’t drive.

Bell debuted in the NASCAR Cup Series last season with Leavine Family Racing, piloting the team’s No. 95 Toyota Camry to a 20th-place finish in points on the strength of seven top-10 finishes. It marked the 10-yearold team’s best result in the standings, but the results didn’t match Bell’s aspirations.

“For the most part, we weren’t as competitive as we wanted to be,” Bell said. “We had some days, like at Texas (in October, where Bell finished third), where we were really competitive and we had a shot at winning the race, but those days were few and far between.”

He won’t have to worry about infrequent successes anymore.

Bell excels when he’s given competitive equipment— and this year, he’s driving Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 20 car, a machine previously piloted by Cup Series champions Tony Stewart and Joey Logano.

Bell earned the job on merit and quickly proved to be worthy of the appointment by going to Victory Lane in the season’s second race, held on the Daytona International Speedway road course. Driving his Rheem-sponsored Toyota, Bell sped past Logano for the lead with two laps remaining and pulled away to a 2.12-second win on the challenging 3.61-mile course.

A longtime member of Toyota Racing’s driver development program, Bell’s sterling résumé includes a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship in 2017 and 16 NASCAR Xfinity Series wins in only 74 starts.

There are plenty of reasons to believe Bell will add to the No. 20 car’s legacy in short order. For one, the PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

PLEASE PASS THE CHILI IN 2019, Christopher Bell secured his third victory in the prestigious Chili Bowl Nationals, a prominent indoor midget car race in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Bell did it in style, too – winning the race in three consecutive years. Only Kevin Swindell – who won four straight from 2010-’13 – topped Bell’s magical run from 2017-’19.

It’s a big deal in the racing world.

“For me, the Chili Bowl is bigger than the Daytona 500,” Kyle Larson said in 2018.

Norman, Oklahoma, native will spend his second season at NASCAR’s highest level with a two-time Cup Series champion calling the shots from pit road.

Adam Stevens claimed Cup Series titles with Kyle Busch in 2015 and ’19 before Gibbs shuffled Stevens and most of the No. 18 car’s engineers to Bell’s No. 20 operation.

“Ever since (Joe Gibbs Racing) said I was essentially getting the No. 18 guys for 2021, I’ve been very thankful to get such a proven group,” Bell said. “It’s in my hands now. The whole team has proven themselves to be a championship-caliber team.

“I’ve been focusing hard in just being around the new No. 20 group and I’ve spent a lot of time with Adam, just trying to build that relationship with him. It’s been good so far. I feel like we have a ways to go, but once you’re in the thick of racing, it becomes much easier. The offseason has just been us hanging out and being around each other. Hopefully, we can start off on the same page when we get to racing. I was sad to leave Jason (Ratcliff, Bell’s former crew chief), but I’m thrilled for the opportunity to get put in a winning situation and get to prove myself.”

A jump from a mid-pack team to one of NASCAR’s elite operations won’t be much of an adjustment for Bell. He raced for JGR on a full-time basis in the Xfinity Series from 2018-’19, so he’s not going to get lost on the way to work.

Stevens, however, might be in for a culture change.

“Adam’s entire Cup Series career has been with Kyle (Busch) and just from the outside looking in, Adam seems like a fiery person – which you have to be to work with Kyle Busch,” Bell said. “I told Adam, ‘I can promise you; I’m going to be a change of pace from Kyle.

You’re not going to hear me voicing my opinion in the car the way Kyle does.’

“Kyle’s more of a leader at this point than I am. I’m not going to be as outspoken as he is in the car. I’m more of a soft-spoken guy in general.”

Bell lets his driving do the talking. This year, it will speak volumes about his skill.

“It’s a high-pressure environment,” Bell said of his new workplace. “If you look at 2020 as a whole, it was definitely a down year for JGR compared to 2019, which was a really good year. I don’t expect 2021 to be like 2020. I think Joe Gibbs Racing is a powerhouse team and they’re focused on getting back to where they were in 2019.

“Ultimately, if we just keep putting ourselves in position, we’re fast enough, we have a good enough pit crew and we don’t make mistakes, that’s all you can ask for, whether we win one time or we win eight times.”

Given Bell’s present situation, it’s only a matter of time before he’s regularly atop the scoring pylon.

“Expectations are high,” Bell said. “We need to win.”

Look for it to happen early and often.

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THE FUTURES

COLE CUSTER OWNERS TONY STEWART & GENE HAAS

TEAM S T E W A R T- H A A S R A C I N G

CREW CHIEF MIKE SHIPLETT

MANUFACTURER FORD

C

41

ole Custer is the NASCAR Cup Series’ reigning

rookie of the year. He’s already got one Cup Series victory under his belt, he’s driving for one of NASCAR’s most accomplished teams and he’s got as bright a future as anyone in the sport.

Think of 2021 as Custer’s first stand – expectations will be higher with Custer having a year of Cup Series experience, but there’s plenty of reason to believe the results will top last year’s effort of one win and seven top-10 finishes.

“Not having practice, not having testing and not having qualifying definitely meant it wasn’t easier to be a rookie (last season),” Custer said. “From our standpoint, to have a race win and to make the playoffs, I think we can call that a success. Did we want to run better a lot of the time? Yeah, for sure, but we made huge strides in making more consistent runs. I think it’s just a matter of taking it to the next level and consistently making it to the next group of cars.”

Armed with tremendous equipment and more confidence than ever, Custer has the potential to deliver multiple wins this season. It doesn’t hurt that the second-year Custer and rookie teammate Chase Briscoe have Kevin Harvick – who won nine races last year – in the same shop.

“For me to get to learn more, I think it’s going to be huge,” Custer said. “Having more time and another year to run through all the races will definitely help out.”

GIVE NO QUARTER COLE CUSTER’S NO stranger to the “young gun” label.

The 23-year-old cut his teeth racing quarter midgets, where he enjoyed considerable success after starting out when he was just 4 years old. In 2011, Custer won the USAC National Focus Young Guns Championship.

A year later, he moved to late model racing and by the end of 2014 – as a 16-year-old – he’d already won his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race.

Talk about a fast learner.

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HAILIE DEEGAN

The daughter of freestyle motocross legend Brian Deegan,

SUMMER RUBBIN’ NICKNAMED “DIRT Princess,” there was reason to believe Hailie Deegan had the goods to succeed on dirt for as long as she wanted.

Once Deegan tried Legend Car racing at Charlotte Motor Speedway’s Summer Shootout in June of 2016, however, asphalt became the

OWNER DAVID GILLIL AND

TEAM DAVID GILLIL AND RACING

CREW CHIEF MIKE HILLMAN JR.

MANUFACTURER FORD

new target.

1

“I learned a lot racing in the Summer Shootout, just as far as car control and how to race beside people,” Deegan said. “It’s definitely different than racing on dirt.”

icondirect.com

Hailie Deegan began her racing career on dirt – but it’s her skill on pavement that makes the 19-year-old one of NASCAR’s can’tmiss prospects.

The Temecula, California, native spent last year competing full time in the ARCA Menards Series, where she posted four top-five finishes and 17 top-10 results en route to a third-place finish in points. Deegan also debuted in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series last October at Kansas Speedway, finishing 16th in a No. 17 Ford owned by David Gilliland.

Deegan reprises her role in Gilliland’s truck on a full-time basis this season.

Her skill behind the wheel – developed after years of Trophy Truck races on dirt – gives Deegan a great chance to add to DGR’s victory tally before the year is over.

The team enters this season with one win, a 2019 triumph at Kentucky Speedway with Tyler Ankrum at the controls.

With another young star in his stable, Gilliland is sure to help amplify Deegan’s potential.

“I’ve enjoyed watching Hailie progress in the ARCA Menards Series and prepare for the next step in her racing career, moving up to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series,” Gilliland said last fall. “I’m happy DGR can be part of her learning process as she transitions to the next level of competition.”

Deegan’s dynamic personality won her a legion of fans before she’d even left high school.

If she can compete for wins at NASCAR’s third-highest level, it’ll boost her popularity to new heights.

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THE FUTURES

CHASE BRISCOE OWNERS TONY STEWART & GENE HAAS

TEAM S T E W A R T- H A A S R A C I N G

CREW CHIEF JOHNNY KLAUSMEIER

MANUFACTURER FORD

C

14

hase Briscoe’s nine NASCAR Xfinity Series victories

last year weren’t enough to claim the series title, but the Indiana native’s consolation prize was stellar nonetheless.

Briscoe fills the void left by Clint Bowyer in Stewart-Haas Racing’s No. 14 Ford entry in the NASCAR Cup Series. It’s the realization of a dream for Briscoe, who, like Stewart, comes from a sprint car racing background.

At 13, Briscoe became the youngest driver to ever win a 410 sprint car race, topping NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon by a year.

While Briscoe is by no means the youngest Cup Series newcomer, he’s still only 26 years old and preparing to reach the zenith of NASCAR competition with a championshipwinning team.

It’s a far cry from where Briscoe was in 2014, when he moved to North Carolina in hopes of securing any opportunity in the sport.

“When I moved to North Carolina, the first shop I volunteered at was Brian and Bob Keselowski’s,” Briscoe said late last year. “I still talk to Brad (Keselowski, Briscoe’s 2017 team owner in the Truck Series), especially if I’m going to a race track where I might feel like I’d struggle. I don’t talk to him as much as (Kevin) Harvick or someone in my organization, but I’ll reach out to him. He told me last year that the Xfinity Series was wide open and for me to go and take it.”

Briscoe no longer needs to be told to take a series by storm.

Now, he’s got experience in it.

CHASING HISTORY WHILE NO DRIVER in NASCAR’s modern era won in their debut Cup Series race, Jamie McMurray in 2002 and Trevor Bayne in 2011 triumphed in their second starts.

Chase Briscoe’s first Cup Series start was the Daytona 500.

Stewart-Haas Racing won 10 races last year, so Briscoe has a great car at his disposal to help him acclimate to the Cup Series.

Whether it’s at Daytona or another track, he’ll take full advantage of it.

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SHELDON CREED OWNER MAURY GALLAGHER

TEAM GMS RACING

CREW CHIEF J E F F S TA N K I E W I C Z

MANUFACTURER CHEVROLET

O

2

ne of Chevrolet’s top development drivers, Sheldon

Creed offers GMS Racing a phenomenal mixture of natural skill and versatility.

The man known as “The Showstopper” put on a dazzling display of dominance in last year’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series playoffs, winning two of the season’s final three races and roaring to his first series championship in his second year of full-time competition.

Championships are not a new concept to Creed. The Californian claimed the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series’ Pro Lite Unlimited crown in 2014 and the Stadium Super Trucks titles in 2015 and ’16. A move to stock cars brought – what else? – the ARCA Menards Series championship in 2018. Oh, and he’s a two-time X Games gold medalist.

Suffice it to say, Creed has more than justified Chevrolet’s investment in a driver who won’t even turn 24 until Sept. 30. He’s back in the Camping World Truck Series this year, seeking to become the first driver since Matt Crafton in 2014 to claim back-to-back series titles.

Creed’s growth as a driver has coincided with improvement from those who work with him.

“GMS Racing has so many tools and resources and I feel like Chevy’s (Truck Series program) is always getting better,” Creed said. “I can only go as fast as I can with the truck that I have, and our trucks have been incredibly fast.

“What you’re driving matters a lot in how you run.”

Talent doesn’t hurt, though – and Creed has plenty to offer.

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

YOUNG SHELDON FOR A COLLEGEaged driver, Sheldon Creed has already competed in and won races across many divisions on dirt and asphalt.

Upon claiming his first Camping World Truck Series crown, he likened his experiences to being a student.

“It’s like we’re in college right now and you’re in class every day (at the track),” Creed said.

“I’m racing against my teammates for rides and they’re all incredibly talented.

You’re racing everybody for that next chance in Cup.”

THE FUTURES

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8

native of Corning, California, Tyler Reddick’s path to

the NASCAR Cup Series was forged on dirt – the same surface which brought champions like Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart to the sport’s highest level.

Reddick moved to pavement after becoming the youngest pole winner for Eldora Speedway’s World 100 dirt late model race, the youngest winning driver in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series and the youngest driver to qualify for a World of Outlaws Late Model Series feature.

The second-year Cup Series pilot has more than enough talent to enjoy a long career on asphalt, as his back-to-back NASCAR Xfinity Series championships attest. The 2018 and ’19 champion jumped to the Cup Series last year with Richard Childress Racing, the same team that turned Xfinity Series champion Kevin Harvick into a week-in, week-out Cup Series contender in the early 2000s.

Reddick didn’t quite post Harvick-like numbers, but a nearwin at Texas Motor Speedway coupled with a stage win and three top-five finishes showed his potential. Another season with Childress should go a long way in determining how stage 1 of Reddick’s Cup Series career will unfold.

“I’m proud of the effort everyone on the No. 8 team put in for my rookie season,” Reddick said. “We had highs and lows, like any race team, but ultimately put together a strong year and laid some good groundwork to build on.”

Reddick’s challenge this year is to improve his best finish by one spot – and watch his stock rise even higher.

BEAU MY! TYLER REDDICK won more than the NASCAR Xfinity Series championship when he crossed the finish line at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Nov. 16, 2019.

The spoils of victory included naming the son Reddick and his girlfriend, Alexa De Leon, were having.

De Leon wanted his name to be “Ryker,” but Reddick was set on “Beau.”

The two agreed that if Reddick won the title, “Beau” was the name – so, naturally, Reddick yelled out “Baby Beau!” once the championship was his.

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Starts neutralizing acid in seconds

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oah Gragson was Mr. Consistency for the entirety of last

year’s NASCAR Xfinity Series season.

Gragson scored victories in the season opener at Daytona International Speedway and in the spring race at Bristol Motor Speedway, but the JR Motorsports driver’s penchant for top-five finishes – 17 in 33 starts last year – prove how he’s tough to beat on any type of track.

Finishing fifth or better in half the races this year, though, won’t cut it for the 22-year-old Las Vegas native. He’s itching to return to Victory Lane and deliver JR Motorsports another championship.

Gragson’s focus in February, however, also revolved around a long-awaited NASCAR Cup Series debut in the Daytona 500.

Gragson agreed in mid-January to replace fellow Las Vegas native Brendan Gaughan in Beard Motorsports’ No. 62 Chevrolet for the NASCAR Cup Series’ season-opening crown jewel event.

“As a young racer from Las Vegas, I had always dreamt of racing in the Daytona 500,” Gragson said in January. “I’m very appreciative of the faith the Beard family and Brendan have in me, and equally appreciative to JR Motorsports for allowing me to pull double duty and compete for them in the Xfinity Series and also Beard Motorsports while we’re down in Daytona.”

Gragson’s colorful disposition has already earned the thirdyear JRM driver an army of fans. All he has to do now is to win more races to solidify his championship aspirations – and turn a one-off Cup Series debut into a full-time job for 2022.

VEGAS VACATION BEARD Motorsports loves its Las Vegas drivers.

Brendan Gaughan piloted Beard’s No. 62 from 2018’20 before he relinquished the seat to Gragson.

“Noah is in a great position,” Gaughan said. “He’s in his third year with a strong team in JR Motorsports and he’ll get to sample what the Cup Series is about. … It’s an opportunity to learn, but it’s also supposed to be fun. He’ll be able to do both with Beard

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20

arrison Burton has all the tools to be a NASCAR Cup

Series superstar in the near future.

He’s got the right pedigree – father, Jeff, and uncle, Ward, won 26 Cup Series races – and he’s with the right team: Joe Gibbs Racing, winners of five Cup Series championships.

Burton’s no slouch behind the wheel, either. The secondgeneration driver bagged four wins over the course of last year’s NASCAR Xfinity Series season, rising to the occasion with two victories in the playoffs on his way to rookie-of-theyear honors.

While an eighth-place finish in points didn’t accurately portray the gains that Burton made as a driver, it’s overwhelmingly likely that the 20-year-old from Huntersville, North Carolina, will finish much better this season.

Gibbs’ Xfinity Series cars are arguably the most desired in the series, because they come equipped with the necessary resources to regularly visit Victory Lane.

With a year under his belt, there’s some pressure on Burton to maximize his potential this year.

If his recent exploits are any indication, Burton will be a Championship 4 contender and a solid pick to claim the series title – something his father and uncle never accomplished in their impressive careers.

Burton also gets to enjoy the benefits of staying with the same team.

“Harrison’s never really had two or three years to sit back and spend two or three years doing something,” Jeff Burton said last season. “I think it’s made him appreciate opportunities and it’s put him in situations where he’s had to learn.”

ARCA BREAKS HARRISON BURTON was only 11 years old when he captured his first pole in a late model car at North Carolina’s Ace Speedway. A year later, he had two late model wins under his belt and, by 15, Burton broke into the ARCA Menards Series East.

Proving the spotlight was never too bright, Burton won the series championship in 2017 – besting Todd Gilliland by a scant eight points thanks to a win in the season finale.

POLEPOSITIONMAG.COM/BUY PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

AUSTIN CINDRIC

SEAT TIME AUSTIN CINDRIC isn’t joking when he says he’s driven a lot of race cars.

Legend Cars, U.S. F2000 open-wheel cars, Global Rallycross Championship cars and IMSA sports cars are a sampling of the machinery Cindric has mastered since his racing career began.

Cindric can already

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MANUFACTURER FORD

in the Rolex 24 At Daytona and the Bathurst 12-Hour endurance race in Australia.

So, forgive him if the Daytona 500 makes him feel like he’s taking a half-day at work.

Austin Cindric figures to have an eventful 2021 season.

Winning races and championships tend to shorten a driver’s off days, but the 22-year-old Columbus, Ohio, native doesn’t mind one bit.

Cindric romped to the NASCAR Xfinity Series championship last season aboard Team Penske’s No. 22 Ford, which pulled into Victory Lane on six occasions, including five in a six-race span.

Cindric’s reward is another season in NASCAR’s secondhighest series and a limited slate of races with Penske’s NASCAR Cup Series team.

Poised to join Wood Brothers Racing’s Cup Series team in 2022, Cindric’s year in waiting should include plenty of Xfinity Series trophies and a crash course – hopefully, not literally – in Cup Series competition.

For his part, Cindric can’t seem to believe his good fortune.

The accomplished road racer has burst on NASCAR’s scene in recent years, ascending to the Xfinity Series title and showcasing an innate ability to match aggression with patience.

“I’ve driven a lot of cars at a lot of different race tracks. I’ve been exposed to a lot and it’s taught me a lot,” Cindric said. “I feel like that perspective has helped me look at things clearly and I usually don’t make the same mistakes twice because of that.

“With this not being a data-driven sport, I think that puts a lot of (pressure) on me and what I can do to help the team develop our cars. I feel like I’ve learned the right things to have a good foundation for that.”

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t’s not easy to drive a race car at speed against competi-

tors who will stop at nothing to win. Sam Mayer simply makes it look easy.

The son of road racing expert Scott Mayer, Sam Mayer – at the ripe, old age of 17 – has a résumé few can match and many can envy.

Mayer won his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race last year in only his seventh start. He claimed the 2019 and ’20 ARCA Menards Series East championships.

At 14, Mayer won the Young Lions division of Charlotte Motor Speedway’s Summer Shootout in 2017, his first year in a Legend Car – oh, and a month later, Mayer won a Midwest Truck Series race at Wisconsin’s Dells Raceway Park in his series debut.

Get used to hearing “Sam Mayer wins,” because it’s going to become a regular occurrence very soon in NASCAR’s top two series.

He’s won in everything he’s tried and it’s unwise to assume the streak won’t continue now that Mayer is driving the No. 8 JR Motorsports Chevrolet for Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

Josh Berry, who’ll drive the No. 8 for the first half of the year before Mayer takes the reins in the second half, has also coached Mayer as a driver and watched him grow.

The teacher and the pupil get to work alongside one another this year.

“He’s young, but he’s already accomplished a lot,” Berry said. “I know he’s itching to get in the Xfinity Series and show off his talent.”

PREPPED AND READY SAM MAYER WAS made for the moment.

Before a 2019 ARCA Menards Series East race at Bristol Motor Speedway, Mayer walked through the infield with a handful of hero cards and Sharpies as fans approached him for autographs.

“You’ve got to be prepared,” Mayer told an acquaintance as he switched from black to silver Sharpie.

Mayer had everything under control.

He signed every autograph, won the pole, led all 150 laps and won the race.

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SPOTLIGHT

MATT DIBENEDETTO

Almost Everyone Loves a Good Underdog

BY JARED TURNER

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POLE POSITION 2021

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

N

No matter the sport, almost everyone loves a good underdog. NASCAR, of course, is no exception, and there’s at least one fairly well-known driver who fits the underdog description to a tee.

That driver is Matt DiBenedetto, whose struggles to win NASCAR Cup Series races could easily be compared to now-retired Cup Series driver Mark Martin’s struggles to win a championship.

Despite finishing runner-up in the series standings a record five times over his 30-year career as a full-time, or mostly full-time, driver in NASCAR’s premier series, Martin – who retired in 2013 – was never able to accomplish what is every driver’s ultimate goal.

Entering this season, DiBenedetto had 22 top10 finishes, including three runner-up results, in NASCAR’s premier division. But, after 212 starts, he was still in pursuit of his first trip to Victory Lane – a place that Martin actually visited 40 times.

Given how much success Martin, a 2017 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee, enjoyed over the course of his career despite not claiming the sport’s ultimate prize, it’s no surprise that DiBenedetto is unbothered by the comparison.

“I’ve looked up to Mark my whole life because I really liked his driving style, and I would call him patiently aggressive, and that’s kind of what I’ve been called before,” DiBenedetto said in an exclusive interview with NASCAR Pole Position Magazine a few weeks before the 2021 season. “I try to drive smart and calculated but aggressive at the same time. It’s painful to come so close to winning, but also, I know that when you continue to come that close, the stars will align – especially the better that we keep getting as a team.

“When you keep putting yourself in contention to win, it will work out in our favor.”

Last season, DiBenedetto landed what was his first consistently competitive Cup Series ride when he took over the iconic No. 21 Ford of Wood Brothers Racing, which holds a close technical alliance with the powerhouse Team Penske organization.

With such a wonderful opportunity at hand, DiBenedetto seized the moment by scoring a career-high 11 top-10 finishes that included a pair of runner-up results at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and a third-place finish at Kentucky Speedway.

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

DiBenedetto was also in the mix for the win on the final lap of the fall race at Talladega Superspeedway, crossing the finish line in secondplace but later being scored with a 21st-place finish for what in NASCAR’s judgment was forcing another car below the yellow out-of-bounds line.

Nevertheless, DiBenedetto reached the playoffs for the first time and finished a career-best 13th in the standings. Therefore, it’s not surprising that he’s ratcheted up his own personal expectations considerably for 2021.

“We were a new group working together last year, and on top of that, with the COVID situation, we had no practice, no qualifying, none of that, so we had to really learn each other in the race,” he said. “Then you saw that last third of the season, we were really on fire and consistently up front and contending for wins and a lot of top 10s and all that. It was strength that I knew we had, but it just took us a little bit to figure each other out and really start maximizing our races, and it clicked.”

DiBenedetto, who grew up in Grass Valley, California, wasn’t born into a racing family like many of today’s Cup Series stars. Nor were DiBenedetto’s parents financially affluent enough to essentially buy him a competitive NASCAR ride like some drivers today. So, it took toiling away for five years in the Cup Series with lower-level teams for DiBenedetto to be able to prove himself enough to join the Wood Brothers in 2020. As a result, fans can relate to DiBenedetto not just because of the heartache he’s endured with all the near-victories, but also because of his journey to even get to this point. And now that he’s arrived, he couldn’t be any more gracious or thankful – another endearing quality.

“My parents raised me to appreciate everything I have but also to work extremely hard – even if it failed – because we were realistic, too, knowing what we were up against and that we didn’t have the money and the funding and the sponsors and stuff behind me,” he said. “We knew it was going to be nearly like the odds of winning the lottery, but I was taught and raised that you put every single ounce of effort that’s in my body into it, and then if it fails and it’s out of your control, I can kind of live with that. I think that’s been why I’ve been fortunate to get to where I am.”

POLE POSITION MAG.COM

61

SPOTLIGHT

Q&A with Matty D.

BY JARED TURNER

In the following exclusive Q&A, Matt DiBenedetto talks about how he fell in love with racing, why he’s unconcerned about being a lame duck driver, why he tends to get so emotional after good finishes and much more.

DO YOU FEEL LIKE A FAN-FAVORITE AND, IF SO, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’VE DONE THAT’S MADE FANS CONNECT WITH YOU SO WELL? It always humbles me just seeing how much support I have personally, and especially teaming up with the Wood Brothers and combining those forces together is pretty dang incredible, but, yeah, that’s always meant so much to me and my family just how much support we’ve gotten. I think it’s maybe because I’ve always been a real open book and shared my journey all along the way very openly, and I think people have kind of gotten a feel for how appreciative I am of what I do because of the struggles I’ve endured through the journey.

I feel like I’ve had to go about it a blue-collar, hardworking kind of way, and I’ve just always tried to be myself and be real and share my story all along the way and be a real open book with the fans.

WHY ARE YOU MORE OPEN WITH YOUR FEELINGS, EMOTIONS AND GRATITUDE THAN YOUR COMPETITORS AFTER A GOOD FINISH? I owe 100 percent of that to my journey of getting here. It’s really humbled me a lot. I always laugh and say the only way I could explain how crazy my journey has been to get here, how lucky I’ve been, and how humbled I’ve been, and how many bad times there were and how many times I thought my career was over, for people to get a grasp on that, I’d have to write a book on it one day. No kidding, I literally would, because it’s been such a crazy journey, but that has shaped me and made me the person I am. You never really take anything for granted.

WHAT IS IT ABOUT NASCAR THAT YOU LOVE SO MUCH? I’m an all-in kind of guy. I don’t do many things in life, because whatever I do, I have to be just 110 percent all in, and I really don’t have a lot of passions in life other than racing. I enjoy other things like lifting weights, studying exercise science and things like that. Recreationally, I like to play golf or things like that, but as far as having a real die-hard passion, it is everything only car-related. I’m always modifying my street cars, and I enjoy making stuff loud. My passion always revolves

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POLE POSITION 2021

around cars and racing, and it’s programmed in my brain to where I don’t have any other passions. That’s why I’ve been so relentless in trying to make this journey work.

WHEN DID YOU KNOW YOU WANTED TO MAKE A CAREER OF RACING? Oh man, I think when I was like 7 years old in first or second grade when we were filling out something for a project. It was like, “When I grow up, I want to be …” and I put race car driver. I think, really, my entire life I’ve had that programmed in my brain, and my parents realized that that was my thing and what I felt like I was meant to do and I had no other passion.

WHO OR WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO RACE? My parents were flipping through the channels and passed by NASCAR, and I made them go back to it. This is when I was 5 years old. My parents had never watched NASCAR a day in their lives, and my dad was like, and I quote him, “What the hell do you want to watch that for?” And then it became my thing and I watched it every single Sunday, and then obviously, when my parents realized, “Oh, this is his thing, he loves it.”

Then it became an interest for all of us and my parents got into it as well, and it became our Sunday routine. I road four wheelers and dirt bikes, and I was wide open on those at 5 and 6 years old. It just so happened that a friend on my Little League baseball team raced at our local dirt track in California and was like, “Come check it out.” We went out there and checked it out, and my parents were like, “Is this what you want to do?” I obviously said “yes,” and the rest is history.

YOU’RE USED TO PRESSURE SITUATIONS AND SHORT-TERM AGREEMENTS, SO ANY CONCERN THAT IT’S ALREADY BEEN DETERMINED YOU WON’T BE BACK IN THE NO. 21 CAR IN 2022?

It’s funny, because I really haven’t thought of it much at all. I think because my career has groomed me so much for situations like this, it being a one-year deal doesn’t really bother me. You always have to perform at your best. It doesn’t matter if you have what’s called a five-year deal; there’s always options and ways out for teams if you start not taking your job serious or not performing at the best of your ability. This is a performance-based sport, and now having this equipment and team under me, it just makes me excited, because I think we’re going to go out there and kick some butt and continue to build upon what we ended with last year. So basically, what I’m getting at is, I have the opportunity for performance to do all of the speaking for me, and the rest will take care of itself.

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

LEGEND PROFILE

NASCAR Legend: Lee Petty

Lee Petty drove his own Oldsmobiles and Plymouths to NASCAR championships in 1954, 1958 and 1959 and recorded 54 victories throughout a 16-year career.

His accomplishments include 332 top-10 finishes and 18 pole positions.

BY BEN WHITE

Born March 14, 1914, in Randleman, North Carolina, Petty spent time working in local mills around Randolph County to support his wife and two sons.

However, he longed to drive race cars and eventually became the first NASCAR racer to make a living as a stock car driver.

His winnings of $7,695 in 1950 would be equivalent to more than $83,000 today. Still, there were cars and equipment to buy as well as travel expenses for himself and his crew.

Petty’s biggest victory came in the inaugural Daytona 500 in February 1959 after a three-day review of the finish. Johnny Beauchamp was initially crowned the race winner, but NASCAR officials later determined Petty had crossed the finish line first. He received his trophy and check in his living room days after the race had ended.

Petty was severely injured at Daytona in 1961, leaving him hospitalized for two months. After his recovery, he ran sporadically on short tracks before his retirement from driving in 1964.

From there, Petty turned his attention to building Petty Enterprises. The team eventually earned 11 championships and 268 NASCAR Cup Series victories.

Lee Petty passed away in 2000 at age 86 due to an abdominal aneurysm.

I FIGURE YOU GET OUT OF LIFE WHAT YOU PUT INTO IT.

–LEE PETTY

BEST SEASON DURING THE 1959 NASCAR CUP SERIES SEASON, Lee Petty won 11 of the 42 races he entered. Of those wins, 10 came on short tracks with one lone superspeedway win coming in the prestigious Daytona 500. Petty amassed 27 top-five results while failing to finish only eight races that year.

RECORD SETTER ASIDE FROM HIS ABILITY TO WIN ON ALL TYPES OF track configurations, Petty enjoyed a reputation for getting the most performance out of his race cars.

His career average start of ninth and average finish of seventh made him one of the most consistent NASCAR drivers during the 1950s.

DETERMINED FOCUSED

INNOVATIVE

STRONG DEDICATED KNOWN FOR ASIDE FROM A SUCCESSFUL CAREER AS A THREEtime NASCAR champion, Petty was able to build a powerhouse organization utilizing the talents of iconic drivers and mechanics that led to 11 championships and 268 victories. Son Richard Petty logged 198 of his 200 victories under Lee Petty’s steady guidance and direction.

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POLE POSITION 2021

PHOTOGRAPHY: NASCAR HALL OF FAME

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SEASON REWIND

BLAST

FROM THE

PAST

BY BEN WHITE BEST DRIVER

February 21

Richmond Raceway

Dave Marcis

Bristol Motor Speedway

Darrell Waltrip

Atlanta Motor Speedway

Darrell Waltrip

notched 12 victories

March 28

Rockingham Speedway

Cale Yarborough

April 4

Darlington Raceway

Dale Earnhardt

April 18

North Wilkesboro Speedway Darrell Waltrip

April 25

Martinsville Speedway

Harry Gant

May 2

Talladega Superspeedway

Darrell Waltrip

May 8

Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville Darrell Waltrip

May 16

Dover International Speedway Bobby Allison

May 30

Charlotte Motor speedway

Neil Bonnett

June 6

Pocono Raceway

Bobby Allison

June 13

Riverside International Raceway Tim Richmond

average finish of

June 20

Michigan International Speedway Cale Yarborough

9.8 was hampered

July 4

Daytona International Speedway Bobby Allison

by eight DNFs in 30

July 10

Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville Darrell Waltrip

starts.

July 25

Pocono Raceway

Bobby Allison

August 1

Talladega Superspeedway

Darrell Waltrip

August 22

Michigan International Speedway Bobby Allison

August 28

Bristol Motor Speedway

Darrell Waltrip

September 6

Darlington Raceway

Cale Yarborough

September 12

Richmond Raceway

Bobby Allison

September 19

Dover International Speedway Darrell Waltrip

October 3

North Wilkesboro Speedway Darrell Waltrip

October 10

Charlotte Motor Speedway

Harry Gant

He claimed his second series championship and it was his second year of winning 12 races. Waltrip led 3,028 of 9,455 laps completed. His

BEST RACE ON MAY 30, 1982, Neil Bonnett, driving the Wood Brothers Racing Ford, led 67 of 400 laps to win the World 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

October 17

Martinsville Speedway

Darrell Waltrip

wheeled the No. 21

October 31

Rockingham Speedway

Darrell Waltrip

Thunderbird around

November 7

Atlanta Motor Speedway

Bobby Allison

Bill Elliott with 13 laps

November 21

Riverside International Raceway Tim Richmond

The Alabama native

remaining to collect the 11th of his 18 Cup Series victories.

TOP CARS

PRESIDENT

Ronald Reagan

DRIVING THE NO. 11 Mt. Dew Buick fielded

N O . 1 AT T H E B O X O F F I C E

by Junior Johnson

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial

and Associates, Darrell Waltrip visited Victory Lane 12 times during the 1982 season. Bobby Allison, wheeling the No. 88 DiGard Racing Buick, won eight of the 30 NASCAR Cup Series races that season, including the prestigious Daytona 500.

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POLE POSITION 2021

WINNER

March 21

on superspeedways.

the top contenders for the 1982 NASCAR Cup Series championship, collecting a combined 20 victories during the 30-race schedule.

Waltrip was in the second year of a three-year contract with former driver and team owner Junior Johnson. It was undoubtedly the best ride of his career as Waltrip claimed the 1981 championship with Johnson and carried strong momentum into the 1982 season.

Under the direction of crew chief Jeff Hammond, Junior Johnson and Associates was at the top of its game as Waltrip won 12 races and claimed seven poles.

Ironically, Allison had seen Waltrip defeat him for 1981 championship and wanted desperately to change the outcome.

With Gary Nelson calling the shots from his pit box, Allison and the DiGard Racing team managed to log eight victories.

When Waltrip faltered, Allison prevailed and the same held true when Allison fell to the wayside. However, Waltrip won four of the final seven races and beat Allison by 72 points to captured his second consecutive series title.

LOCATION

Daytona International Speedway Bobby Allison

March 14

short tracks and six

Darrell Waltrip and Bobby Allison were

DATE

February 14

DARRELL WALTRIP with six coming on

•• Bobby Allison at Daytona

1982 SEASON RECAP

NO. 1 SONG

“Physical” by Olivia Newton John P O P C U LT U R E

1982

Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” album is released GALLON OF GAS

$1.22

PHOTOGRAPHY: NASCAR HALL OF FAME

Darrell

WALTRIP

Bobby

ALLISON

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NASCAR HISTORY

A LIFETIME IN NASCAR “A Lifetime in NASCAR” recalls memorable moments from NASCAR’s incredible history. Hosted by NASCAR historians Ben White and Aaron Burns, here are some snippets from a recent episode of the podcast:

BY AARON BURNS BURNS: One of the coolest there in the pits, just me and Jimthings about NASCAR’s Media mie and Jimmie’s manager. I was Tour happened in 2018. I was like, “What would it take for you to standing out in this expansive try one of those things?” Jimmie area for drivers where they relax says, “If it was a road course, yeah, – Ben, you were at that Media I’d try it.”

Tour weren’t you?

I’m thinking, in what world is WHITE: I was, yeah.

Jimmie Johnson going to race an BURNS: In this area, if you Indy car? He might talk about it, so remember those “This is I was like, “Yeah, man,” but he’s not SportsCenter” commercials going to do it. But now, in 2021, Jimwhere somebody’s wearing their mie Johnson is an IndyCar Series uniform and they’re just doing driver for Chip Ganassi Racing. stuff in an office atmosphere, Ben, if you’d have placed that well, I lived that. I was in the bet with me, you would have colbathroom, washing my hands lected big bucks.

WHITE: I’m with you on that, beand there’s Chase Elliott in his cause I didn’t see that one coming.

NAPA fire suit, washing his A lot of times, I can, but I did not hands beside me. It’s not terribly see that train coming down the uncommon if you were at Media •• Jimmie Johnson’s interest in open-wheel racing became more evident as tracks. I just didn’t think that was Tour and you had that access. his NASCAR career reached its end. going to happen. It was kind of a But I walk out and Jimmie bucket list thing for Jimmie. He Johnson and (Formula One and I have talked about that. He’s told me before, “I always thought I was going to champion) Fernando Alonso, (IMSA champion) Scott go Indy car racing,” and the same (was true) for Jeff Gordon. Jeff Gordon was a big Pruett and (Formula One driver) Lando Norris are all Rick Mears fan growing up. talking. It was this meeting of the minds that was BURNS: Really? just incredible to watch. When Johnson and Alonso WHITE: Jeff lived in Pittsboro, Indiana. Everybody in the Midwest – in Indiana were talking, they were talking about trading cars. especially – is all about going to the Indianapolis 500. As fate would have it, Jeff None of us knew this at the time, but Fernando ended up going to NASCAR, and of course, the rest is history. It was kind of the Alonso used to play NASCAR video games and he’d same with Jimmie. He was into off-road racing and stock cars weren’t on his always drive Jimmie Johnson’s car.

WHITE: Really? Wow. radar, but Chevrolet put Jimmie in a stock car and the rest is history there, too. I BURNS: This meeting was what set off in late 2018, admire the fact that he can go and say, “These are the things I want to do in my life Jimmie Johnson and some of the Hendrick guys before I say ‘I’m done,’” and he’s still young enough to try his IndyCar hand. Hey, take the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet to the Bahrain Interkudos to him for doing that. It’s interesting. I just did not see him doing it. national Circuit. Fernando Alonso climbs behind the Speaking of Media Tour, it was so cool to be in the same room with all those wheel of the Lowe’s Chevrolet and Jimmie Johnson guys, just kicking back, having a soft drink and talking about things. It was like, gets behind the wheel of a papaya McLaren Formula 450 wins sitting there. You pinch yourself a little bit.

BURNS: For all the Media Tours I’d done, the most incredible moment for One car. I always thought it was so cool that Jimmie me was Scott Pruett talking to Fernando Alonso, talking to Jimmie Johnson. had this passion for running an open-wheel car, but That’s like LeBron James talking to Derek Jeter, talking to Tom Brady. That just everyone thought, OK, he’d crossed that off his list. doesn’t happen.

So, about a year and a half ago, during qualifying for the second ROVAL race, Jimmie is standing there Part of the Out of the Groove Podcast Network, “A Lifetime in NASCAR” watching Josef Newgarden test his Indy car. They is available on platforms including Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube. did a little exhibition with an Indy car running the ROVAL at Charlotte Motor Speedway. I was standing

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POLE POSITION 2021

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

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choice for oil filters. FRAM offers the latest in filtration technology and delivers a

about the ZYMOX

variety of innovative oil filters engineered to meet the needs of your vehicle.

family of products visit

Extra Guard® offers the perfect balance of dirt-trapping efficiency and dirt-holding capacity, with up to 10,000-mile protection. Tough Guard® provides protection for up to 15,000 miles, ideal for drivers who endure harsh driving conditions. Ultra Synthetic® delivers ultimate protection and proven engine performance for up to 20,000 miles.

Explore the benefits of all of the FRAM oil filters at fram.com

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POLE POSITION 2021

zymox.com.

REDNECK RIVIERA REDNECK RIVIERA™ CELEBRATES THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO MAKE AMERICA THE GREATEST NATION IN THE WORLD. It’s based not only on a work ethic that’s second to none, but also a passion for making the most of every moment. With Redneck Riviera, we’re honoring this unique American mindset by celebrating those folks who play every bit as hard as they work.

So, celebrate your contribution to this great land with us by enjoying many of the fine “American Made” products found behind the Redneck Riviera Star.

Whether it be the All-American Redneck Riviera Whiskey, sourced in the heartland using only the

Because grease is great for bearings – not for

finest ingredients and bottled in American glass,

your meat snacks.

or the best-tasting “1776” BBQ sauce using the

You work hard. You need a snack that works as hard

freshest tomatoes grown by America’s farmers,

as you do. Something with substance. Not a rice cake,

you can always count on these products being

quinoa chia seed granola bar or cardboard protein

exceptional quality.

snack. No, you need honest-to-goodness, home-

Proudly supporting our military and first responders, Redneck Riviera and its partners tithe a portion of all profits to the Folds Of Honor (FoldsOfHonor.org), an organization that

grown, red-blooded protein. You need Wenzel’s Farm.

Great-tasting snack sticks made with quality cuts of

provides college grants to those children who have lost a mom or dad in combat. We can think

protein-packed meat, hand-crafted in small batches

of no higher honor than helping those families who have a loved one who made the ultimate

to deliver truly sustainable energy. With 13 flavors of

sacrifice. To date, Redneck Riviera Brands has granted scholarships to more than 100 children.

For more information, please visit us at RedneckRiviera.com or come see us at John Rich’s

snack sticks, and three varieties of mouth-watering

Redneck Riviera in Nashville, Tennessee!

to power you through race day.

Redneck Riviera™ is the highly successful lifestyle brand founded by John Rich, the multi-

beef jerky, you are sure to find the snack that is perfect Wenzel’s Farm. Real Meat for Real Life. Save 20% on your order with promo code FUEL at wenzelsfarm.com

platinum singer/songwriter, TV host and half of the super duo, Big & Rich.

ARMOR SHIELD IX

JOE’S ORIGINAL ALL-PURPOSE HAND CLEANER

MEET ARMOR

Cleaner has been manufactured and distributed in the heartland of America.

SHIELD IX by

Aside from its powerful cleaning ability to remove

AvalonKing, the No. 1

the toughest grease and grime off your hands,

ceramic coating on the

it’s a true water-less hand cleaner that contains

planet.

lanolin and petroleum jelly for that extra help in

THE HIGHEST-RATED DIY CERAMIC COATING ON THE PLANET

ARMOR SHIELD IX

FOR MORE THAN 65 YEARS, JOE’S ORIGINAL ALL-PURPOSE HAND

the battle against the effects of water. Water

not only gives your car

can be very drying, especially for those who

a professional shine

wash their hands multiple times a day. If you can

and the world’s highest scratch-resistance rating, but its super-easy

remove water from that equation, you will begin

DIY application comes with everything you need right out of the box.

to see improvements in your skin. It’s also very

ARMOR SHIELD IX rejects UV rays, surface scratches, road grime,

convenient for those who do not have access to

mud, pollen, acid rain, your father’s insults, bird droppings and any

water. There are no harsh chemicals and it can be

other crud. ARMOR SHIELD IX is also guaranteed to work on all vinyl

used multiple times per day. Apply cleaner to dry

wraps, paint protection films, clear bras, carbon fiber and powder-

skin and simply wipe off with a towel. Give your

coated surfaces.

hands a wake-up call with Joe’s Hand Cleaner.

avalonking.com

joeshandcleaner.com

POLE POSITION MAG.COM

71

SPEEDWAY SUDOKU Each row, column and group of nine must contain each number (1-9). Find the solution at polepositionmag.com/2021-sudoku-answers/

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POLE POSITION 2021

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

AMERICAN MADE AMERICAN PROMISE SEE EVERYTHING HI-POINT FIREARMS HAS TO OFFER AT HI-POINTFIREARMS.COM

WE ARE DAYTONA 500

CHAMPIONS! CONGRATULATIONS MICHAEL MCDOWELL & THE ENTIRE #34 FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS TEAM!

www.loves.com