NASCAR Pole Position | October-November 2021

CHECK OUT MY

COLLECTION POLEPOSITIONMAG.COM

@NPPMAG

Gone But Not Forgotten

MARTIN TRUEX JR.

Tracks that Helped Put NASCAR on the Map

Ready for a Playoff Run

NASCAR LEGEND BILL ELLIOTT

Q&As

BLAST FROM THE PAST THE 1972 SEASON

RICKY

CRAVEN SHELDON

MY FAVORITES ROSS CHASTAIN

CREED DRIVERS POSTERIZED

BUSCH // LARSON // WALLACE // & MORE

Harrison Burton Rising star grew up in the sport P. 52

Backstory How window nets came to be

®

P.22

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OCTO NOVEBERMBE R

30

CONTE NT

NOT FORGOTTEN YOU H S I W WE IEST

PP A H E H T YS A D I L O OF H

CELEBRATE THE SEASON NASCAR STYLE P.36

DRIVER SPOTLIGHT: MARTIN TRUEX JR. P.44

08 Green Flag

22 Backstory: Window Nets

10 My Favorites: Ross Chastain 12 NASCAR Home Tracks: Alaska Raceway Park 14 Meet Jeb Burton’s Black Lab Teal 16 NASCAR Radio 18 Q & A with Ricky Craven

CHECK OUT MY COLLECTION! P.64

24 Bill Elliott Profile 26 1972 Season Recap 42 NASCAR Builds: Forney Gift Guide

48 Cup Series Driver Posters 52 Driver Q & A: Harrison Burton

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? P.68

54 Xfinity Series Driver Posters 58 Driver Q & A: Sheldon Creed 60 Camping World Truck Series Driver Posters 70 Cool Stuff for Race Fans 72 Jeb Burton Craves Success

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NASCAR INTRODUCES REFUEL VIRTUAL RESTAURANT Virtual Dining Concepts, in partnership with NASCAR and DoorDash, has announced the formation of NASCAR Refuel.

Fans, spectators and foodies alike can get the feeling of the race track all year round, whether watching their favorite teams compete on race day, or celebrating any occasion, while enjoying some of the most iconic NASCAR concession-stand favorites.

Handpicked from 12 NASCAR-owned race tracks around the country, NASCAR Refuel’s delivery-only menu features “Refuel Combos” and individual items including classics such as the Daytona Firecracker Dog, Talla-Mento Dogwich, Darlington Pimento Cheese Sandwich, Refuel Burger and more.

Watch for exciting new menu specials, highlighting regional classics inspired by NASCAR race tracks, starting at the kick-off of the 2022

season with special items being added on an ongoing basis. The full menu can be viewed at www.nascarrefuel.com/menu/.

NASCAR Refuel is currently available for delivery in select cities across the country, with additional locations added on a weekly basis.

Fans and consumers can place their orders on DoorDash and also via the NASCAR Refuel app, available for download from the Apple Store or Google Play and directly from the website.

WENDELL SCOTT HONORED IN LATE AUGUST, NASCAR celebrated the legacy of NASCAR Hall of Fame driver Wendell Scott and presented the Scott family a trophy commemorating the driver’s historic 1963 race victory at Speedway Park in Jacksonville, Florida.

A native of Danville, Virginia., Scott was the first African American driver to win a race

NASCAR NEWS & NOTES

KURT BUSCH TO JOIN 23XI RACING

JOSH BERRY LANDS FULL-TIME GIG

in NASCAR’s top series.

NEW RACING-RELATED CURRICULUM

23XI RACING ANNOUNCED

AFTER RUNNING A PARTIAL

NASCAR AND THE NATIONAL

that 2017 Daytona 500 winner

schedule with the team this

Science Teaching Association have

Kurt Busch has signed with

season, JR Motorsports has

launched a science and STEM learning

the organization to pilot the

hired Josh Berry to drive full

curriculum for K-8 science teachers

No. 45 Monster Energy Toyota

time in NASCAR Xfinity

across the United States.

Camry beginning with the 2022

Series competition beginning

NASCAR Cup Series season.

in 2022.

Busch joins 23XI Racing for

“This moment is something

The racing-themed science lessons NSTA.org.

we’ve been working toward

Cup Series following a three-

for a long time,” said Dale

and NSTA is designed to arm educators

year stint with Chip Ganassi

Earnhardt Jr., JRM team owner.

with fun and engaging content and

Racing. The 2004 Cup Series

“Josh took full advantage of

activities for teaching science and

champion comes to 23XI Racing

the opportunity he had this

STEM. The program involves unique

with 33 Cup Series victories and

year in the No. 8 car. He went

science lesson plans including lessons

326 top-10 finishes throughout

out, raced hard, and earned

on aerodynamics, friction and motion,

his career.

every bit of this.”

light, sound and more.

POLE POSITION 2021

– 23XI RAC I NG CO - OWN E R, DE N NY HAM LI N

will be available free to educators on

his 23rd season in the NASCAR

08

“When we started this team, our vision was to grow to a multicar organization. To be able to expand in just our second year is a huge step for us.”

The collaboration between NASCAR

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MY FAVORITES

MY FAVORITES WITH

Ross Chastain Floridian Ross Chastain is an eighth-generation watermelon farmer who worked in the fields alongside his family until he found success behind the steering wheel of a race car.

The driver of the No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet in the NASCAR Cup Series is quite the fun guy off the track, and the 28-year-old racer recently provided this behind-the-scenes look into his easy-going personality.

BY JOSEPH WOLKIN

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FOOD? (BESIDES WATERMELON)

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PIECE OF RACING MEMORABILIA?

WHAT IS YOUR GO-TO DRINK? LOTS OF WATER. Whether I’m on the

IF YOU WEREN’T A RACE CAR DRIVER, WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING?

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MOVIE? I’M NOT A BIG MOVIE guy. I can watch

IF I HAD TO PICK

ALL OF MY

farm or the track, I

FARMING WITH MY

almost anything; it just

something to eat all

trophies. Each one

always try to make

family back in Florida.

depends on what kind

the time, it would be a

from my first to last

sure I’m hydrated.

southwestern omelet

tells a story.

of mood I’m in.

with salsa and bacon.

Fortunately, there’s a sausage burrito at McDonald’s with chiles and onion that I can grab on the road when I’m not at home.

BONUS QUESTIONS

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE RESTAURANT?

McDonald’s. It’s pretty hard to pass up those fries.

10

POLE POSITION 2021

WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE ACTOR? Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE VACATION SPOT? I enjoy the North Carolina mountains.

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

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Alaska Raceway Park Alaska Raceway Park, a one-third-mile asphalt oval in Palmer, Alaska, has been hosting NASCAR-sanctioned auto racing since 2016.

“We are the only NASCAR track in Alaska and we have people who travel from all over the state to come down here to race and to spectate,” said Michelle Lackey Maynor, the track’s general manager. “Everybody has such a good time and they all play a unique role in the facility, whether they are fans, racers or employees. The family aspect of what we are doing – the community we are growing – is the most rewarding thing for me.”

Opened in 1964, Alaska Raceway Park originally featured only a quarter-mile drag strip. The facility was purchased by Earl and Karen Lackey in 1997, and they eventually carved the oval track from land adjacent to the NHRA-sanctioned drag strip.

The oval track’s schedule features 10 points races between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

PICTURESQUE SETTING

LOTS OF DAYLIGHT

FAMILY AFFAIR

ALASKA RACEWAY PARK IS LOCATED IN THE

ALASKA’S LONG SUMMER DAYS CREATE A

EARL AND KAREN LACKEY MOVED THEIR

shadow of Pioneer Peak, a 6,398-foot mountain

unique situation for Alaska Raceway Park.

family to Alaska during the early 1980s.

that provides one of the most unique backdrops in motorsports.

“Across the country we have a lot of people

“We don’t have to have lights,” Maynor

“My older brother, Jimmy, started drag racing

noted. “I walked over to the race track last

at the track around 1986 and we’ve grown

night (8/2) and I think sunset was about

up at the track,” said Maynor. “When we lived

who follow us on social media just because it is

10:30. Heat races start at 6 and we aim to

in Wisconsin back in the day, my dad used to

such a picturesque race track,” Maynor said. “You

be finished around 9. The very last race of

race at Road America, so he’s been involved in

drive into turn three and your headed straight for

the season, depending on cloud cover, we

motorsports his whole life. It’s something he

Pioneer Peak, and it’s a view no other track – that

sometimes have to shut down early because

passed down to us and now we are passing it on

I’m aware of – has.”

it gets a little bit dark.”

to our kids.”

12

POLE POSITION 2021

WORDS: KEITH WALTZ PHOTOGRAPHY: ALASKA RACEWAY PARK

ERIK JONES LAUNCHES FOUNDATION

KESELOWSKI GIVES BACK TO LOCAL HEROES

NASCAR Cup Series driver Erik Jones has established his own

The Checkered Flag Foundation continued its mission to honor

charitable foundation – the Erik Jones Foundation.

The goal of the Erik Jones Foundation is three-fold: ignite children’s passion for reading; encourage early cancer detection and care; and promote animal welfare. All hold special meaning for Jones.

The 25-year-old racer is an avid reader and has been since childhood. Cancer detection and care have been a priority for Jones since his father, Dave, succumbed to the disease in 2016. And animal welfare is paramount, as Jones has grown up with pets, and his German shepherd, Oscar, is regularly by his side.

“The experiences I’ve had growing up shaped what my Foundation is about,” Jones said. “I really enjoy reading, but with all the technology kids have available to them today, the joy of just sitting down with a good book is getting lost. I want to change that.

“Obviously, losing my dad to cancer was hard – and it still is – but it’s made me so mindful of how important early detection is, because the sooner you diagnose it, the more options you have for treatment.

“And I do love animals, and all the pets I’ve had meant a lot to me. I want to do what I can to ensure they’re enjoying healthy and happy lives, too.”

and assist heroes and their families, this time, giving back to local heroes in the Michigan military community through various initiatives during a race weekend visit to NASCAR driver and Checkered Flag Foundation founder Brad Keselowski’s home state.

The programs focused on supporting servicemen and servicewomen in their transition to civilian life and were activated through the Foundation’s longstanding partnerships with Black Paw Canine and the Fisher House Foundation.

The weekend featured a special Hero’s Homecoming presentation at Michigan International Speedway where Keselowski and the Foundation awarded their fourth service canine to a deserving veteran through their Service Dog Fund. Keselowski joined Black Paw Canine owner and lead trainer Ben Brockway in presenting service canine and Aussiedoodle Krew to Marine Corps Veteran and Michigan Army National Guard Chaplain Nate Cropsey.

“I’m humbled that we have a chance to help heroes and their families through our Checkered Flag Foundation,” said Keselowski. “It’s even more special when we have a chance to support heroes in mine and Paige’s local communities, and of course for me, that includes my home state of Michigan.”

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NASCAR PETS

PRESENTED BY

Meet Jeb Burton’s Black Lab Teal

BY JARED TURNER

A

self-described dog lover for

most of his life, NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Jeb Burton is now the owner of a 50-pound black Labrador retriever named Teal who will soon be 2 years old.

Burton and his wife, Brandi, bought the canine in their hometown of Halifax, Virginia, with the intention of training her to help them hunt duck.

“She’s wide open, that’s for sure,” Jeb Burton said. “She still needs some more work to be a really, really good duck dog. But I think she’s going to be all right. She’s really just a pet right now.”

Teal – named after the teal duck species – is the third Lab that Burton remembers being in his family.

“I had a black Lab when I was 8 years old, and I got a yellow Lab when I was about 14,” said Burton, the 29-year-old son of retired NASCAR Cup Series driver and 2002 Daytona 500 winner Ward Burton. “I’ve had a Lab in my life ever since I was young.”

Although still young in dog years, Teal is fully developed. It’s just going to take some more time to get her fully prepared for duck hunting, and Burton is perfectly fine with that.

“She needs to calm down a little bit, and she’ll be what she needs to be,” he said. “She’s just a puppy, so she’s all underfoot.”

SAD NEWS

BOB JENKINS PASSES AWAY AT 73 Veteran radio and television motorsports broadcaster Bob Jenkins died Aug. 9 at age 73 after a valiant fight with cancer.

Jenkins was one of the first on-air employees of ESPN when it launched in 1979. For more than 20 years, he was the lead voice of NASCAR races for ESPN and occasionally ABC, including the first seven Brickyard 400s at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

His pairing with former stock car drivers Ned Jarrett and Benny Parsons became one of the most popular trios in motorsports broadcasting history.

PHOTOGRAPHY: NASCAR

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NASCAR POLE POSITION I 2021 SEASON PREVIEW

SPOTLIGHT: DAVE ‘THE GODFATHER’ MOODY

Host of SiriusXM Speedway

Things to Watch in 2021 A LEGEND IS BORN

Chase Elliott

10

INTRIGUING PEOPLE IN NASCAR

NEW-LOOK NASCAR

2021 PREVIEW

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Q&A

Chase Elliott Austin Cindric Zane Smith

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NASCAR HOME TRACKS

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GRAGSON // BLANEY // GIBBS // + MORE

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N A S C A R P O L E P O S I T I O N I A P R I L - M AY 2 0 2 1

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HARNESSING THE POWER OF SOCIAL MEDIA

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COOL TROPHIES

CHRISTOPHER BELL, JOE GIBBS RACING

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of the NASCAR media who has done more and seen more in the sport than Dave “The Godfather” Moody. Every weekday afternoon, Moody holds court on his popular show, SiriusXM Speedway, where he keeps fans across the country entertained and in-the-know about everything happening with their favorite drivers and teams.

Moody has hosted SiriusXM Speedway since 2003, but his motorsports broadcasting career dates back to 1978 when, at age 17, he began working as the public-address announcer at one of the country’s most popular short tracks, Thunder Road International Speedbowl in rural Vermont.

Since that time, he has announced at nearly 100 speedways across North America. He debuted on the Motor Racing Network in 1988 and today serves as lead

turn announcer for the network’s race broadcasts. Along the way he has won numerous National Motorsports Press Association and Associated Press awards for his work in both print and radio.

Moody has made SiriusXM Speedway can’t-miss radio for fans, competitors and industry insiders alike.

His unvarnished commentary and interviews with key personalities deliver unparalleled insight into the sport, and his “SiriusXM Speedway Legends” interviews – a series of conversations with pioneers from the early days of motorsports – are a comprehensive look back at NASCAR history.

Tune in to SiriusXM Speedway every weekday from 3 to 7 p.m. (ET) on the SiriusXM NASCAR Radio channel.

Subscribers can listen in their cars, and on their phones and connected devices at home with the SXM App.

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FOR THE RECORD

Q&A F

WITH RICKY CRAVEN FORMER DRIVER AT PEACE WITH HIS ENTIRE CAREER

rom 1991 through 2004, Ricky Craven made his mark on

the NASCAR Cup Series, recording two victories and claiming six poles in 278 series starts.

Through two decades of NASCAR competition, the native of Bangor, Maine, was a popular figure in the sport, especially among race fans in New England.

Craven recently sat down with NASCAR Pole Position and looked back at a rewarding career that provided a great deal of personal satisfaction.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE AUTO RACING AS A PROFESSION? My dad, Alan Craven, was a racer. My earliest memories of him racing were in the early 1970s, sitting in the grandstands with my mom and my sister at Unity Raceway in Unity, Maine.

I remember specifically how one night he won the heat race, the semi-feature race and the feature and they called it the Triple Crown.

He had an orange 1963 Fairlane in the Sportsman division, which would be the Late Model Sportsman class today. I have vivid memories of that night and can replay it in my head even to this day.

CERTAINLY, YOUR DAD WAS YOUR RACING HERO, BUT WHO WAS YOUR HERO IN THE NASCAR CUP SERIES AS YOU WERE GROWING UP? I had two favorite athletes growing up. They were Richard

18

POLE POSITION 2021

®

PRESENTED BY

BY BEN WHITE

Petty and Carlton Fisk, the catcher for the Boston Red Sox. I wasn’t much of a baseball player so let’s just say I was decent at driving race cars.

DID YOU ALWAYS HAVE YOUR EYE ON THE CUP SERIES OR DID THAT OPPORTUNITY JUST DEVELOP? No, being a part of the Cup Series was a very unrealistic dream from the very beginning and that was influenced by Richard Petty, I have to say. I worshiped Richard Petty as a boy. I wanted to be like him. I wanted to be like my dad, but my enthusiasm about motorsports and driving in particular grew because of Richard Petty and the STP car.

I tell people that one of the advantages in my life was that I knew exactly what I wanted to do. It wasn’t important that it wasn’t realistic. It was important that I had an objective, and I really didn’t know any better. Another advantage was PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

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FOR THE RECORD I never felt like I couldn’t do it. There’s no other explanation other than it was something I wanted desperately and never lost sight of it.

IS IT DISAPPOINTING THAT YOU NEVER DROVE FOR RICHARD PETTY? When I got to the Cup Series, I wasn’t able to digest the progress and the good fortune that I had because I was so consumed by it. My third year in the Cup Series I was racing for Rick Hendrick. Post-driving career, I say, yeah, it would have been cool to have driven for my hero because I think so much of him and his family.

What substitutes for that is that I spent quality time with Richard and Kyle Petty and got to know them. I feel like I did drive with them. In 1991, I did get to compete against Richard at North Carolina Motor Speedway in Rockingham, North Carolina.

WHAT WAS THE MOST ENJOYABLE PART OF YOUR CUP SERIES CAREER? There was one time in my life where time stood still. That was between Turn 4 and the start-finish line at Martinsville, Virginia, on Oct. 15, 2001, just before winning my first Cup Series race there.

At the age of 16 in my second start at Unity Raceway, I won that race. Bobby Allison was a guest there that night in 1982 and he gave me his Gatorade hat. That helped set me on the path to that win at

20

POLE POSITION 2021

PRESENTED BY

®

Martinsville. I wanted to be Bobby Allison, Richard Petty or whomever in the Cup Series someday. I wanted to be there with them. Also winning the Cup Series rookie of the year in 1995 with (team owner) Larry Hedrick. That offered validation to say that maybe I was good enough to be in the Cup Series.

After getting hurt at Texas Motor Speedway in 1997, I was devasted and miserable by not having won a Cup Series race. Fortunately, Cal Wells gave me the opportunity to drive the No. 32 Tide car and we won at Martinsville that day. I don’t want to think about what life would have been like had I not won a Cup Series race because it was just so important to me.

YOU ALSO WON AT DARLINGTON RACEWAY IN MARCH 2003 IN WHAT WAS ONE OF THE MOST DRAMATIC FINISHES IN THE TRACK’S 71-YEAR HISTORY. WHAT DOES THAT WIN MEAN TO YOU? What the Darlington win means to me is that I won a race that people remember. For years I raced against guys with tremendous talent, such as Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt, Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick and Tony Stewart. Although I won only two Cup Series races, at least I gave them something to remember me by. Because the very best drivers won at Darlington, it became a driver’s track that is “Too Tough to Tame” as the slogan says. I’m humbled to say my name doesn’t belong with theirs but I’m one of those that has won a race there.

WHAT MAKES YOU SMILE THE MOST LOOKING BACK ON YOUR CAREER? My life has been consumed with motorsports and NASCAR specifically. I would not have wanted the regret of not winning a Cup Series race and I was able to win two. So what gives me joy is being at peace with my entire career and that’s not just 25 years behind the wheel, but also 15 years in the media.

I believe you learn as you go. There are some things in life that you simply can’t learn without time and age. I’m 55 now and one of the greatest aspects of my life is all the people I’ve interacted with or have been associated with. That includes your adversaries because they bring out the best in you.

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

BACKSTORY

PRESENTED BY

WINDOW NETS

PETTY’S TUMBLE RESULTED IN NEW SAFETY DEVICE

BY BEN WHITE

Above: Marv Acton of Porterville, California, came east to drive for fellow Porterville native Dick Brooks during the 1971 NASCAR Cup Series season. Driving a Plymouth, Acton finished 19th in the 1971 Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway.

Right: Buddy Baker drove 18 NASCAR Cup Series events for Petty Enterprises during the 1971 season and finished in the top 10 in 16 of those races. At Daytona International Speedway, Baker was second in the 1971 Daytona 500 and third in the Firecracker 400.

22

POLE POSITION 2021

T

hroughout NASCAR’s 73-year history, the safety of fans

and competitors has been the sanctioning body’s top priority.

One safety innovation that is mandatory in today’s race cars was introduced following a memorable crash suffered by seventime Cup Series champion Richard Petty on May 9, 1970.

As Petty came off of Turn 4 at the tricky, one-groove Darlington Raceway, his No. 43 Petty Enterprises Plymouth broke loose, sending him hard into the concrete wall that separates the track from pit road. Upon impact, Petty’s car tumbled violently, sending him partially through the driver’s side window opening.

As pit crew members up and down pit road rushed to his aid, there was great uncertainty about his condition. After being carefully removed from the car, Petty was transported to the track’s infield care center and on to McLeod Medical Center in nearby Florence, South Carolina.

Petty suffered a dislocated shoulder, a concussion and cuts and bruises as a result of the crash.

“I don’t remember anything about the wreck. I missed the whole deal when I was knocked out,” Petty said later, according to Greg Fielden’s “40 Years of Stock Car Racing” book series.

“I’ve always said that when I stop racing, it probably will be when I get hurt too badly where I just can’t race anymore. This wreck didn’t hurt me that badly.”

NASCAR officials immediately went to work designing a way to keep drivers inside their cars during rollover crashes. An idea surfaced to create netting that would cover the driver’s side window opening.

The safety device was originally a square netting, with a rod at the top that buckled at the bottom with a seat-belt latch. Throughout the 1970s, the netting became wider but remained square at the center of the window opening.

The nets were first used at Dover International Speedway on Sept. 20, 1970.

“After Petty’s accident at Darlington, NASCAR felt they had to do something to keep drivers from coming out of the cars in a rollover situation,” said NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Allison. “The wreck Petty had that day caused his arms and upper body to come out and almost got him under the car. So we needed something to keep us inside the car in case that happened.

Screen nets have worked incredibly well and have improved quite a bit over the years. They are far better today that what we had in those days.”

PHOTOGRAPHY:NASCAR ARCHIVES & RESEARCH CENTER

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LEGEND PROFILE

NASCAR Legend: Bill Elliott

Bill Elliott began his driving career on the north Georgia dirt tracks near his home in Dawsonville. He won 44 Cup Series races from 1976 to 2012, logging 320 top-10 finishes and 55 pole positions.

BY BEN WHITE

Born Oct. 8, 1955, Elliott began driving makeshift race cars in his father’s junkyard against the likes of his brothers, Ernie and Dan. Of the three siblings, Bill emerged with the most desire and talent to drive cars on a local level.

Success on short tracks in the Southeast led to an eight-race NASCAR Cup Series effort in 1976 aboard a Ford owned by his father, George. Over the next seven seasons, the fledgling family team entered 71 races, recording eight top-five finishes, nine top-10 results and earning one pole.

At the start of the 1983 season, the Elliott family sold its team to Michigan businessman Harry Melling and collected their first Cup Series victory in the season finale at California’s Riverside International Raceway. Three wins in 1984 set the stage for a phenomenal 1985 season that featured 11 victories, including the 1985 Daytona 500 as well as the Winston Million bonus paid by R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. for winning three of the four premier races on the schedule.

Elliott collected 18 additional victories as well as the 1988 Cup Series championship before leaving Melling Racing in 1991 to join Junior Johnson and Associates.

After seven victories and a second-place finish in points through 1995, Elliott started his own team but did not break into the win column.

Elliott eventually joined forces with former crew chief and upstart team owner Ray Evernham. Together, they won three times, including the 2001 Brickyard 400. Elliott retired from the Cup Series in 2012.

I FEEL THE EXPERIENCE THAT I GAINED WORKING ON THE RACE CARS HELPED ME IMMENSELY AND REALLY MADE ME UNDERSTAND THEM A LOT MORE. –BILL ELLIOTT

BEST SEASON DURING THE 1985 SEASON, ELLIOTT ENTERED 28 Cup Series races and won 11 times, with superspeedway victories coming at Daytona, Talladega, Dover, Atlanta (2), Darlington (2), Pocono (2) and Michigan (2). Elliott logged 16 top-five finishes and 18 top-10 results with an average start of 4.9 and average finish of 8.7.

RECORD SETTER IN QUALIFYING FOR THE 1985 DAYTONA 500, Elliott posted a record pole speed of 205.114 mph. Then, on May 5, 1985, he turned another record lap of 209.398 mph at Talladega Superspeedway. Finally, on May 3, 1987, Elliott ran 212.809 mph at Talladega, a record that may never be broken.

DEDICATED BELOVED

FOCUSED

INNOVATIVE DETERMINED KNOWN FOR THROUGHOUT HIS NASCAR CAREER, ELLIOTT enjoyed a tremendous fan following. Even though he hasn’t driven in NASCAR competition for nine years, he was part of this summer’s six-race Camping World SRX Series. He occasionally works as a spotter for his son, defending Cup Series champion Chase Elliott.

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POLE POSITION 2021

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

SEASON RECAP

BLAST

FROM THE

PAST

BY BEN WHITE

BOBBY ALLISON, driving the No. 12 Chevrolet fielded

by Howard Racing,

Richard Petty and Bobby Allison emerged as the top championship contenders during the 1972 NASCAR Cup Series season, collecting a combined 18 victories throughout the 31-race premier series schedule.

collected 10 victories

After running a Dodge

it was the best season

fielded by his own team and making a handful of starts in a Ford owned by the powerhouse Holman Moody operation during the previous season, Allison joined forces with team owner Richard Howard, whose No. 12 Howard Racing Chevrolet was prepared by former driver Junior Johnson.

during the 1972 season with seven coming on superspeedways and three on short tracks. The Miami native amassed 25 top-five finishes, 27 top-10 results and 12 pole positions in 31 starts. Even though he finished second in points, of Allison’s 25-year NASCAR Cup Series career. His average start was 4.0 and his average finish was 5.3.

BEST RACE ON OCT. 1, 1972, AT North Wilkesboro Speedway, Bobby Allison and Richard Petty engaged in a fender-crushing battle that left their cars smoking inside and out

It was a relatively new

during the final seven

team that debuted in

laps. In the end, Petty

1971 with driver Charlie

went to Victory Lane,

Glotzbach entering 14 Cup

but several of Allison’s

Series races and winning once at Bristol Motor Speedway. Allison

fans stood outside

was a proven winner with 29 career victories and brought much-

the winner’s circle and

needed sponsorship from Coca-Cola.

boldly expressed their

Going into the 1972 season, Petty had already accumulated

displeasure of the

140 Cup Series victories and three championships with family-

outcome. It was Petty’s

owned Petty Enterprises of Level Cross, North Carolina. After his

eighth and final win of the

1967 season in which he won 27 races in 48 starts, including 10

season. With two races

consecutively, Petty was dubbed “The King,” a moniker that still

remaining, he claimed the

stands today.

1972 championship.

Allison and Petty dominated the headlines during 1972 for their on-track performances as well as their intense rivalry. Allison’s 10

26

BEST DRIVER

TOP CARS

victories to Petty’s eight came on short tracks and superspeed-

BOBBY ALLISON’S

ways around the country.

No.12 Richard Howard-

When Petty would gain ground in points, Allison was there to

owned Chevrolet won 10

counter his advances. When Allison would gain ground, Petty would

NASCAR Cup Series races

win and erase any advantage.

in 1972.

When the season ended on Nov. 12 at Texas World Speedway,

Richard Petty drove his

Petty was 128 points ahead to collect his fourth series championship.

No. 43 Petty Enterprises

Even though their season was considered magical by most

Dodge to victory eight

standards, Allison left Howard’s operation and once again fielded

times during the 1972

his own car in 1973, citing communication issues.

season.

POLE POSITION 2021

SEASON RECAP DATE

LOCATION

January 23 Riverside International Raceway February 20 Daytona International Speedway February 27 Richmond Raceway March 5 Ontario Motor Speedway March 12 Rockingham Speedway March 26 Atlanta Motor Speedway April 9 Bristol Motor Speedway April 16 Darlington Raceway April 23 North Wilkesboro Speedway April 30 Martinsville Speedway May 7 Talladega Superspeedway May 28 Charlotte Motor Speedway June 4 Dover International Speedway June 11 Michigan International Speedway June 18 Riverside International Raceway June 25 Texas World Speedway July 4 Daytona International Speedway July 9 Bristol Motor Speedway July 16 Trenton Speedway July 23 Atlanta Motor Speedway August 6 Talladega Superspeedway August 20 Michigan International Speedway August 26 Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville September 4 Darlington Raceway September 10 Richmond Raceway September 17 Dover International Speedway September 24 Martinsville Speedway October 1 North Wilkesboro Speedway October 8 Charlotte Motor Speedway October 22 Rockingham Speedway November 12 Texas World Speedway

WINNER

Richard Petty A.J. Foyt Richard Petty A.J. Foyt Bobby Isaac Bobby Allison Bobby Allison David Pearson Richard Petty Richard Petty David Pearson Buddy Baker Bobby Allison David Pearson Ray Elder Richard Petty David Pearson Bobby Allison Bobby Allison Bobby Allison James Hylton David Pearson Bobby Allison Bobby Allison Richard Petty David Pearson Richard Petty Richard Petty Bobby Allison Bobby Allison Buddy Baker

PRESIDENT

Richard Nixon NO. 1 SONG

“The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” by Roberta Flock N O . 1 AT T H E B O X O F F I C E

The Godfather

1972

GALLON OF GAS

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PHOTOGRAPHY:NASCAR ARCHIVES & RESEARCH CENTER

T O N T U B N E N E T GO T O

NASCAR HISTORY

G R FO

S K C A TR M A P E H T E F H T O E R ON M O S ASC A G N I E R PUT N B M E PE D M E R EL H T TH A

30

POLE POSITION 2021

ITH

BY KE

Z WALT

Columbia Speedway

L

ocated just minutes from the South Carolina

state capitol, Columbia Speedway was one of NASCAR’s most popular venues during the formative years of professional stock car racing.

The half-mile dirt track in Cayce, South Carolina, opened in 1948 and hosted the first of its 43 NASCAR Cup Series events on June 16, 1951.

That 200-lap race was dominated by Frank Mundy, who gave Studebaker its first victory in NASCAR’s premier series. In front of 7,750 fans, Mundy started from the pole and led the first 144 laps. He momentarily lost the point to Jim Paschal, but Mundy retook command on lap 178 and never looked back.

Bill Blair finished second with Marshal Teague third in the 34-car field.

The track was a regular stop for Bill France’s band

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

of traveling racers throughout the 1950s and 1960s.

But as NASCAR slowly transitioned to larger paved race tracks, Columbia was left behind even though the racing surface was converted to asphalt prior to the 1971 season.

Richard Petty won the final NASCAR Cup Series race at Columbia Speedway on Aug. 27, 1971. Driving his familiar No. 43 Plymouth, Petty passed Tiny Lund with 13 laps remaining in the 200-lap race and he beat Lund to the checkered flag by 10-car lengths.

Petty tops the list of NASCAR Cup Series winners at Columbia Speedway with seven victories. David Pearson recorded five wins while Buck Baker and Bobby Isaac were four-time winners.

The track was shut down in 1975 and the facility sat idle for more than 30 years before being repurposed into an events and entertainment venue.

POLE POSITION MAG.COM

31

NASCAR HISTORY

Asheville-Weaverville Speedway

F

ueled by the popularity of stock

car racing in the mountains of western North Carolina, race fans flocked to the NASCAR Cup Series races at Asheville-Weaverville Speedway for nearly two decades.

Opened in 1950, the half-mile dirt oval hosted its first major NASCAR race in 1951, and the action switched to asphalt when the racing surface was paved between the track’s pair of races in 1957.

Driving a 1951 Oldsmobile 88, Fonty Flock led all 200 laps in winning the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series race at Asheville-Weaverville Speedway on July 29, 1951. Gober Sosebee finished second and Herb Thomas was third.

A reported crowd of 8,500 braved threatening weather conditions to watch the race at what organizers billed as the “world’s first drive-in speedway.”

Despite a loyal and passionate fan base, circumstances, including

NASCAR’s growth and opposition from a group of local residents, eventually brought an end to racing at AshevilleWeaverville Speedway.

Short-track wizard Bobby Isaac won the facility’s 34th and final NASCAR Cup Series race on Aug. 24, 1969.

Driving a 1969 Dodge, Isaac rallied from five laps down after running out of gas and beat David Pearson to the checkered flag by four laps to win the 12th annual Western North Carolina 500. Dick Brooks finished third with Elmo Langley and James Hylton rounding out the top-five finishers.

Rex White tops the list of NASCAR Cup Series winners at AshevilleWeaverville Speedway with five victories. Lee Petty and Richard Petty both notched four victories at the track.

Today, the former Asheville-Weaverville Speedway property is the site of North Buncombe High School.

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

Bridgehampton Race Circuit

L

ocated on the eastern end of New

York’s Long Island, Bridgehampton Race Circuit hosted four NASCAR Cup Series events between 1958 and 1966.

Sports car racing on the roads of Long Island dates back to 1915. However, the dangers of racing on public roads became an issue in the early 1950s and a local group of sports car enthusiasts came together to build a permanent road racing circuit on 550 acres near the hamlet of Bridgehampton.

Bridgehampton Race Circuit, a 2.85mile, 13-turn track, opened in 1957 and NASCAR’s premier series made its first visit on Aug. 2, 1958.

Jack Smith, driving a 1957 Chevrolet, started from the pole and led all 35 laps en route to winning the 100-mile event. Interestingly, Smith reported he ran the entire distance with his Chevy in high gear.

He averaged 82.001 mph and beat second-place finisher Cotton Owens to the checkered flag by 12 seconds. Jim

Reed ended up third in the 17-car field.

The NASCAR tour did not return to Bridgehampton until 1963 when Richard Petty went to Victory Lane, and rising star Billy Wade topped the 1964 event as part of a four-race winning streak.

The NASCAR Cup Series’ final appearance at Bridgehampton Race Circuit came on July 10, 1966, with David Pearson claiming the victory in Cotton Owens’ Dodge. Pearson led all but six of the 52 laps and held off persistent rookie James Hylton to record his first career road course triumph.

Hylton settled for the runner-up pay with Marvin Panch third among the 28car field.

C Racing continued at Bridgehampton for many years, but the owners never had M the resources to upgrade and maintain Y the facility’s infrastructure. All racing-CM related activities at the track ended in MY 1998 and a golf course was built on the CY property.

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NASCAR HISTORY

Lakewood Speedway

O

riginally known as the “Indianapolis of the

South,” Georgia’s Lakewood Speedway hosted its first automobile competition, a match race between Barney Oldfield and Ralph DePalma, in the latter part of 1917.

The treacherous one-mile dirt track was located in the Lakewood area south of Atlanta and was unique in that it was constructed around a lake on the Lakewood Fairgrounds. The track was a hotbed for open-wheel racing for many years before becoming a regular stop on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule during the 1950s.

A reported crowd of 26,000 saw Tim Flock win the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series race at Lakewood Speedway on Nov. 11, 1951. Driving Ted Chester’s 1951 Hudson Hornet, Flock took the lead from his brother, Bob Flock, on lap 14 and led the remainder of the 100-lap race. Bob Flock finished second with Jack Smith third.

The NASCAR Cup Series made a total of 11 visits to the Lakewood track.

The finale on June 14, 1959, featured a strange twist as 21-year-old Richard Petty appeared to have won his first major race. However, the runner-up finisher protested and asked that the score cards be checked. The runner-up was Petty’s father and teammate, Lee. Eventually, Lee Petty was declared the winner over his son with Buck Baker settling for third-place money.

Baker and Herb Thomas top the NASCAR win list at Lakewood Speedway with two victories each.

The opening of Atlanta Motor Speedway in 1960 resulted in Lakewood losing its NASCAR dates. The track continued to operate for several years, but fell into disrepair during the 1970s and it closed on Sept. 3, 1979.

Occoneechee Speedway

B

uilt by NASCAR founder Bill France in 1947, Occoneechee Speedway in

Hillsborough, North Carolina, served as a cornerstone of the fledgling sanctioning body for nearly 20 years.

The 0.9-mile dirt track hosted its first NASCAR Cup Series race during the tour’s inaugural season in 1949, and the sport’s stars last traded paint at the legendary facility in 1968.

An estimated 17,500 fans were in attendance on Aug. 7, 1949, when Bob Flock drove his 1948 Oldsmobile to victory in race No. 3 of the Cup Series’ debut season. Flock averaged 76.8 mph in beating Goober Sosebee and Glenn Dunnaway to the checkered flag.

Occoneechee Speedway hosted 32 NASCAR Cup Series races before increasing opposition to Sunday racing at the track forced it to close. A new paved superspeedway in Talladega, Alabama, eventually took its place on the NASCAR schedule.

Richard Petty was seven laps ahead of James Hylton after 150 miles of racing during the final major NASCAR race at Occoneechee Speedway on Sept. 15, 1978.

Petty led 155 of the 167 laps and spent much of the event battling David Pearson before a blown engine relegated Pearson to 12th in the final rundown.

Buck Baker, Lee Petty and Richard Petty were to the top NASCAR Cup Series race winners at Occoneechee Speedway with three wins each. Eight drivers visited Victory Lane twice at the track.

Today, the track site is on the National Register of Historic Places and it’s maintained by a non-profit organization, The Historic Speedway Group. The site is heavily forested, but the grandstands and much of the track are still visible.

34

POLE POSITION 2021

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

Piedmont Interstate Fairgrounds

S

partanburg, South Carolina, was a

hub of NASCAR stock car racing during the sport’s formative years, and the half-mile dirt track at the Piedmont Interstate Fairgrounds became a regular stop for the nomadic series Built in the early 1900s for horse racing, the track’s first stock car race was organized in 1939 by noted promoter Joe Littlejohn. Located only 2.5 miles from downtown Spartanburg, the fairgrounds hosted its first NASCAR Cup Series race on July 4, 1953.

Driving a 1953 Dodge Coronet, Lee Petty led all 200 laps to claim the $1,000 top prize. Buck Baker was second with Herb Thomas third.

Defending series champion Tim Flock was badly injured in a freak accident prior to the race. Flock and another driver were napping in the infield grass following an overnight drive from upstate New York when a passenger car backed over them.

The NASCAR Cup Series ran 22 races at the Piedmont Interstate Fairgrounds with Elmo Langley winning the finale on June 4, 1966.

Wheeling a 1964 Ford, Langley took the lead with 40 laps remaining and the 36-year-old racer went on to score the first major victory of his career. Neil Castes finished second, four laps behind the winner, with Doug Cooper third.

Ned Jarrett was the track’s top winner with six NASCAR Cup Series victories while Lee and Richard Petty each topped three races. Hometown hero Cotton Owens claimed two victories, but David Pearson never visited Victory Lane at the track that hooked him on racing.

After NASCAR moved on, the track continued to host auto racing in conjunction with the fair but that tradition eventually ended. The oval was revived for a charity event in 2002 and that was the last activity of note.

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NASCAR HOLIDAYS

U O Y H S I W E W

T S E I P P A H E H S T Y A D I L O H OF N O S A E S E H T E T E A L R Y B T E S L R E A C C S NA 36

POLE POSITION 2021

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

Favorite Holiday Memories With Christmas around the corner, we asked a handful of NASCAR Cup Series drivers to share their favorite holiday memories. BY JERRY BONKOWSKI TYLER REDDICK

KYLE LARSON

There was a point in

I

time, a stretch of five or six years, where we’d be in California, living right across the road from my grandparents. We’d have 15 or 20 family members all come spend Christmas together. Coming from all over California, we’d come and hang out at my grandparents’ house and just have a real great time together.

My grandparents and aunt lived really close together, but the rest of the family was spread out across Cali, Idaho, Nevada and all over the place, so it was always great to be able to do that.

Christmas in New Zealand, when the sun’s out and it’s hot (it’s summer there then). Each time I’ve gone, I’ve run five or six races (sprint or midget cars) and we usually have a cookout at the home of the guy I race for down there. He’s got kids similar ages to my kids. When I raced for Chip Ganassi, my teammate was IndyCar driver Scott Dixon, who’s from New Zealand. He visited me at a race there a few Christmases ago. I mean, he’s famous down there. His picture is plastered all through the airport. That was pretty cool.

love

spending

RYAN BL AN E Y GROWING UP IN North Carolina and in a racing family, going back to spend time with family in Ohio and Iowa as a kid was always a major treat for me (and still is). Because everyone was always on the go, that was the one time of year you could look forward to seeing cousins and other relatives you hadn’t seen all year. Just having

MARTIN TRUEX JR.

everybody in the same

CHRISTMAS IS MY FAVORITE HOLIDAY. WHEN I WAS EITHER 6 OR 7, I GOT

was awesome. I still

a motorcycle. I had wanted one for a long time, so that was a big day for me. It

look forward to those

was a motorcycle, a little Fat Cat 80 with big rough, wide tires on it. I was already

moments today where

riding four-wheelers before that, but they weren’t mine, so I had to wait until I

we can all get together

got my own. I had that one for a long time, probably until I was a teenager. You

and enjoy Christmas and

know, I’d break it, go fix it, rebuild it, modify it, make it go faster, all that stuff.

a little time off.

place for a few days

TH E B U S C H B ROTH E R S KURT: My favorite holiday memory

has to be the year when I got a go-kart for Christmas. When that go-kart showed up, it was a different world for me after that. I was 7 years old and Kyle was about 6 months old.

We took a picture and I still remember it as if it was yesterday. In fact, I still have that picture. And I also remember Kyle was a “peeker” a few times on Christmas morning, where he’d sneak downstairs to peek into what gifts he and I were getting.

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

KYLE: I think my favorite holiday memory,

and probably the funniest one as well, is the year when I found where the (Christmas) presents were stashed. I woke up real early on Christmas Day while everyone else was sleeping and I was pretty excited in what kind of gifts I was going to receive from my parents.

I was probably 8 or 9 years old at the time, something like that. I just opened the wrapping paper a little bit, kind of looked in and saw what it was – and then I put the wrapping back. No one ever knew.

POLE POSITION MAG.COM

37

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Favorite Offseason Destinations Although on the road nearly 40 weeks a year, NASCAR drivers still love to travel during the offseason. Here’s where some like to go or hope to go someday.

BY JERRY BONKOWSKI

RYAN BLANEY

WILLIAM BYRON

Ireland is a place I re-

I like snowboarding. I

ally enjoy going in the offseason or when I can take a vacation. There’s so much history there, old buildings, really cool architecture, stonework, pubs. It’s a full cultural experience and getting to see a slightly different way of life.

went out to Utah last year, which was probably one of my more fun trips. I might try to go racing this offseason. I also love golf, so I try to do those three things in the offseason and enjoy them.

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I really enjoy getting

I’d probably like to go

back to Michigan for the holidays. I grew up there, and my mom still lives in the same house we grew up in.

It always feels good to get back there for a few weeks.

to the mountains in Utah and Colorado, something like that. I love mountains and in the winter there’s a lot of snow there, so that’s where I’d like to go. I wish I was a skier or hiker.

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KYLE LARSON I love New Zealand to both visit and race there. The days I’m not racing, I vacation. We go hiking, take a ferry across the island, go wine tasting, a lot of my friends are there and I like to take my family there. It’s definitely my favorite spot, for sure.

Start Your

Engines!

KYLE BUSCH We’ve gone to different places but usually the Bahamas or Mexico are a real good place for us.

We’ve found some enjoyable places where we like to hang out and go have fun each time you go there, and just enjoy being able to relax.

CHRISTOPHER BELL

Normally, at a dirt track

somewhere. In years past, I’ve gone to New Zealand and Australia and raced there in their summertime.

That’s always been fun. But I’ve never really been on a vacation, though. (When asked doesn’t he owe himself a real vacation, he quipped) Don’t tell my wife that!

MARTIN TRUEX JR. I have a winter house that I like to go to and do a lot of fishing and hunting. I love the outdoors. Where is it? It’s top-secret. It’s in the South, I’ll tell you that, way South. I love the outdoors.

ARIC ALMIROLA

RGY ENE INK DR

+

RGY ENE INK DR

I travel so much during the season that being home for a week or two is nice to kind of decompress. But after that, I’m ready to hit the road and go do something. I get antsy. I enjoy the beach or snow skiing like in Colorado or Utah.

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

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NASCAR BUILDS

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POLE POSITION 2021

PHOTOGRAPHY: FORNEY INDUSTRIES

BY RACHEL BIGUM, MARKETING GENERALIST

DRIVER SPOTLIGHT

TRUEX JR. WANTS A SECOND CHAMPIONSHIP

41-YEAR-OLD RACER REACHES A GOOD POINT IN HIS CAREER

BY JARED TURNER

O

ne of the most prolific performers

in the NASCAR Cup Series for the last several years, Martin Truex Jr. has reached a place in his career that many drivers never do. It’s a place where he no longer sweats or fumes over temporary setbacks.

The things Truex has accomplished, coupled with the opportunity to compete for Joe Gibbs Racing – one of the sport’s elite organizations – have made him as chill as it’s humanly possible for someone who drives 200 mph to be.

“I’m at the point in my career where I want to be having fun,” Truex said in an exclusive interview with NASCAR Pole Position. “I want to enjoy going to the race track every weekend. I don’t want to do it just to have a job. I could find something else to do if I felt that way. Right now, I still love racing. I’m still committed and still winning.

“That’s what matters, and as long as that keeps happening and I keep having fun, I’ll keep rolling.”

Of the 30 Cup Series wins on Truex’s résumé at press time, all but two had come since the beginning of 2015.

That was his second season at the now-extinct Furniture Row Racing organization, but his first season alongside crew chief Cole Pearn – with whom he went on to win 24 races and the 2017 NASCAR Cup Series championship. Over an incredible three-year stretch from 2017-2019, Truex not only captured the title but also rang up 19 victories and finished second in the standings in the two years following his championship run.

When Furniture Row disbanded at the end of 2018, it was no surprise

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POLE POSITION 2021

that Joe Gibbs Racing came calling.

It also wasn’t surprising that Truex, who is now in this third season with JGR, picked up right where he left off at Furniture Row. “I think it’s kind of neat to be at the point of your career where I am,” the Mayetta, New Jersey, native said.

“You know, you’re not always looking over your shoulder wondering if your job is secure, what are you going to do next year, and worrying about those things. Back in the day when I was struggling, it was a constant concern like, ‘Man, this isn’t going well. What’s going to happen next? What am I going to do?’ I was always stressed out. You live week to week on the edge of being miserable.”

Truex, who began his Cup Series career at Dale Earnhardt Inc. and later joined Michael Waltrip Racing, went to Victory Lane just once with each organization and endured a painful 218-race drought between his first two wins. But even before leaving MWR for Furniture Row and becoming a consistent frontrunner, Truex had flipped a page in his own mind.

“Really since 2013, I have been having so much fun,” he said. “And now with the success I’ve been fortunate enough to have, I’m in the spot where things don’t bother me anymore. I focus on the car, I focus on winning, but I know if I have a bad week, I can turn it up next week. It’s not going to end anything.

It’s a lot more of a fun place to be in as a race car driver. So, hopefully, that sticks around, and if it does, I’ll stick around.”

Of course, Truex is keenly aware that none of his success would be possible without partners such as Auto-Owners PHOTOGRAPHY: AUTO-OWNERS INSURANCE

Martin Truex Jr. may only turn left, but he still wants to get his insurance right. simple human sense

®

© 2021 Joe Gibbs Racing, Inc. Toyota trademarks used with permission.

auto-owners.com

DRIVER SPOTLIGHT

Insurance – a primary sponsor on his race cars going all the way back to 2016.

“They’ve been incredible – a lot of fun at the race track,” Truex said of the mutual insurance company that provides life, home, car and business insurance in more than half of all U.S. states. “They’re a really exciting sponsor. I’m excited about the program and Auto-Owners Insurance being on the race car. They do lots of things around racing partner events and are huge supporters of the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation as well. They’re really just the best we could ever ask for in a partner. I love their passion and dedication to what they do, and they in turn feel the same way about our racing program and my foundation, so it’s been a great partnership.”

Truex has enjoyed a similarly fruitful partnership with second-year crew chief James Small, who replaced Pearn atop Truex’s No. 19 pit box when Pearn decided to walk away from the sport at the end of the 2019 season. Truex – who celebrated four victories with Small by the midway point of the 2021 season – has been particularly

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POLE POSITION 2021

impressed by how the former JGR engineer has adapted to the change NASCAR made in early 2020 to eliminate practices and qualifying on all but a select few race weekends. NASCAR made this procedural adjustment to limit drivers’ and teams’ at-track time in an effort to curb the potential spread of COVID-19.

“Right from the get-go, I feel like James and I had the communication part of it, the understanding-each-other-part, because we worked together before (when Small was an engineer),” Truex said. “I think the biggest thing is that he was really thrown into that crew chief role in a really tough time. We started off in 2020 and were really strong right out of the gate, and then we had COVID. I will say that all of his work since then has been on … how we show up and have the car right without practice. That’s been a huge challenge.

“A lot of the way we used to do things changed, and that was really all on him.

So a lot of pressure, a lot on his shoulders to figure out, and I feel like our biggest progress has been in that department, and that’s been all on him. He’s doing a great job with it.”

With Small as a crew chief, three-time Super Bowl-winning NFL coach Joe Gibbs as a team owner and Auto-Owners Insurance as a primary sponsor, Truex – who turned 41 years old on June 29 – hopes to achieve at least one more major goal before hanging up his driving helmet.

“I definitely would love to win another championship,” he said. “Finishing second in the standings two years in a row was pretty tough to swallow.

Hopefully, we can get back to that Championship 4 and have another crack at it.

It’s really tough to get to that Championship 4 and even have a shot at it. And to be the best out of that four is really challenging. Hopefully, we can do that again.

That’s really at the top of the list … and just continuing to have fun.”

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

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DRIVER Q & A

Q&A WITH

HARRISON BURTON RISING XFINITY SERIES STAR GREW UP IN THE SPORT

BY JOSEPH WOLKIN

Harrison Burton is a racer’s racer. He eats, breathes and sleeps racing. The young man won four races during his rookie NASCAR Xfinity Series season with Joe Gibbs Racing a year ago, impressing everyone around him. It was enough to earn a second year with JGR, even making his Cup Series debut with Gaunt Brothers Racing at Talladega Superspeedway. Now, he’s ready to tackle the NASCAR Cup Series next year with Wood Brothers Racing.

WHAT IS THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIS YEAR AND YOUR ROOKIE SEASON IN THE NASCAR XFINITY SERIES? The way I attack the sport is different. The way I prepare for things, the way I treat every race is different and I’ve evolved in that way. I’m a better race car driver because of it. My driver coach Blake Koch is always working on us, trying to make us better. When you put those things together and apply yourself to it, you’re going to get results. I feel like I’ve prepared better this year than I have in my whole career. Seeing the results is awesome.

WHAT’S YOUR DAY-TO-DAY LIFE LIKE AS YOU TRAIN FOR RACES? It’s fun. When you have something to work for every day and you have a passion, it’s hard to beat that. I wake

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POLE POSITION 2021

up every morning and think of how I can be the best race car driver that I can be. I go to the gym, watch race film, study data and analytics, and work with a lot of amazing people. I’m having a lot of amazing opportunities because of this work.

The day-to-day, at times, can get to be a routine. I do the same things every day and work on the same things. But when the results show the work you put in for the weekend, which is the most fun part, it makes the event more fun and makes you a better driver. That always keeps me motivated.

HOW IMPORTANT IS IT FOR YOU TO KEEP THINGS FUN? It’s important. Even if it doesn’t work out and I have to find another job, I have to find something I like to do. For me, it’s easy because I like racing. It was an easy decision for me to make. I’ve PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

wanted to be a race car driver since I was 5 years old. Whenever kids say their crazy dream job, I was lucky enough to get it.

Having fun is the easy part for me. Whether I’m working out or watching film, I enjoy it. I like finding ways to be better than the people I compete against. If you lose the fun of it, you’re not going to put in the effort and you’re not going to get the results. You’re going to flame out of the sport pretty quickly.

HOW ARE YOU GOING TO PREPARE FOR THE MOVE TO THE CUP SERIES? WILL YOUR DAD HELP YOU WITH THE ADJUSTMENT? What’s awesome for me is I’ve been around it my whole life. I grew up around my dad always working and racing. I saw how hard it was for him, especially toward the end of his career with how hard he worked and how badly he wanted it. The results were there, but they weren’t championships. For me, watching my dad work as hard as he did and be as good as he was, but not win a championship kind of made it clear how tough this sport is.

It’s going to take everything you got to be the best you can be, and the people around you are going to have to give everything they’ve got. I have the best support system like my dad did, and most of them are the same people. I think I’m prepared for it because of how I grew up and I’ve been around it my whole life.

WHAT IS YOUR KEY TO SUCCESS THUS FAR? WHAT DO YOU DO DIFFERENTLY COMPARED TO OTHER RACERS YOUR AGE? I don’t know. Racing is really tough because there’s no blueprint. There’s no, “If you do this and this, work on this, then you’ll be a winner.” It’s a lot different than basketball, where you can work on three-point shots and free throws. You can’t drive a race car every day and work on every little thing.

Choosing what to focus on and how to focus on that thing is really tough. The thing that separates me is my work ethic and the people who are around me that point me in the right direction. I’m fully committed to the sport and I want to be the greatest that I can possibly be. I have people around me who have seen people and know what it takes. They point me toward that direction, and then I go at it with a full head of steam.

That’s been a good formula so far.

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

YOU’VE HAD SEVERAL MAJOR NAMES AS YOUR TEAM OWNERS. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO KNOW THESE LEGENDS BELIEVE IN YOU? It’s awesome because I can learn from them all. I’ve worked with Kyle (Busch), who’s obviously fantastic. Coach (Joe Gibbs) never drove, but he’s a great leader and a guy who can teach you how to lead.

He’s led teams to Super Bowls and NASCAR championships. That’s not a coincidence.

Going to the Wood Brothers, I’m not sure what the main lesson I’ll take away from them is yet. Looking on the outside, I think they’re great people who do things the right way. I think all of those people together make me a better driver and a better person. I’m able to take things from each place where I’ve been and the great people from these places to be better from it. I’m really thankful for the exposure I’ve had to amazing people like that. Even out of racing, it made me a better person and it’s a privilege to be around those people.

WHO’S GIVEN YOU THE BEST ADVICE THROUGHOUT YOUR CAREER? I think my dad is a top candidate for that one. My dad has taught me the ways of success and the work that needs to be put in. I’ve learned a lot from my mom, too, because she was the one willing to sacrifice for my dad.

She was willing to be on the other side of the country with my sister or myself while my dad was on the other side. My sister and I didn’t make it easy on them. The Cup Series schedule itself is busy. My sister was riding horses and I was driving race cars. They were split in the middle between us, trying to figure out how to make it work. Watching them sacrifice time with each other for us has made me understand how important it is to make the most of time.

ARE YOU READY TO WATCH YOUR MOM GET NERVOUS DURING YOUR CUP SERIES RACES? Hopefully, I’m not watching it (laughs). I like to watch it after races, though. I never understood that. I’m always like, “Hey, I’m going to be OK. I got this.” I don’t know if she doesn’t trust me yet, but she’s definitely nervous. That’s OK because that’s who she is and she doesn’t hide it. It’s going to be funny, that’s for sure. I enjoy looking at Twitter afterward and seeing her jump up and down. It’s fun.

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DRIVER Q & A

Q&A WITH

SHELDON CREED

DEFENDING TRUCK SERIES CHAMP HAS LOFTY GOALS

BY JOSEPH WOLKIN

Sheldon Creed is one of NASCAR’s bright young faces. The 2020 Camping World Truck Series champion is known for his laid-back personality, walking around the garage area calm, cool and collected. On the race track, though, the GMS Racing driver is as intimidating as it gets. The Californian methodically drives his way through the field just like one of his mentors, Jimmie Johnson. Now, as Creed looks to make a name for himself and advance through the NASCAR ranks, he believes he is capable of becoming a champion at a higher level. Here’s how he plans on accomplishing his goals.

WHAT’S IT BEEN LIKE FOR YOU THIS YEAR AS THE DEFENDING NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES CHAMPION? I feel like last year at this time we were in a little bit better of a position. Our trucks were more consistent and more competitive. This year, we’ve shown speed and we got a win, but I feel like we were in a better spot. I think we can be a threat through the playoffs. We’re capable of winning more races this year, and that’s our goal. That’s what we plan to do.

WHAT HAVE YOU DONE DIFFERENTLY THIS SEASON? I feel we’re pretty similar to last year. I want to be calmer in the truck when it’s not doing what I want.

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I take what it gives me. Over the last couple of years, we’ve had fast trucks and got good finishes. We’ve struggled more this year than we have in the past. I’ve tried to get better with that and take a truck that’s not doing what I want and still get a good finish out of it. When we get those good trucks, it becomes easier to win.

HOW DO YOU USE YOUR PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE TO TURN THIS TEAM AROUND? I try to relay information, what it’s doing and when it’s doing it. We need to figure out why. We’re going to places with setups where we dominated last year and we’re running 15th this PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

year. GMS running five trucks makes it tough to get things changed, just like anywhere that runs multiple cars or trucks to get everyone on the same page.

It took some time, and now we’re headed in the right direction. We’re trying to get our teammates on the same page.

WHAT’S YOUR TRAINING LIKE AS YOU PREPARE TO EVENTUALLY RUN LONGER RACES? Our group works out with Josh Wise.

He has us doing road biking, mountain biking and running. We’re in the gym on most days. It might not always be fun, but it’s fun when we do it as a group. It’s a lot of work. But if you want to be good, that’s what it takes.

WHAT’S IT LIKE TO WORK WITH JOSH WISE? Josh is awesome. I love the guy. He’s super fun, motivating and keeps it real.

He makes things a lot of fun. He’s taught me so much about racing and life in general. Everyone would agree that he’s the key component to our success.

WHAT MAKES YOU STAND OUT AMONG THE PACK RIGHT NOW? I can win, and that’s important. I feel like my background is so diverse. Off the track, I’m sellable. I get along with people and I can relate to a lot of people. I feel like I’m a normal person away from the track unlike others who may think they’re somebody they may not be. I’m a normal kid who happens to be good at driving race cars.

WHAT’S IT LIKE TO RACE SO MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF VEHICLES? I enjoy it. It’s fun to go back and forth between vehicles. In Stadium Super Trucks, I have a lot of seat time. They’re a ton of fun for me. They’re not easy to drive because they have a lot of horsepower and not a lot of grip. I love jumping, especially growing up riding dirt bikes. I ran micro sprints at Millbridge Speedway. Then, obviously NASCAR. It’s fun to switch it up and not be in the same thing every day.

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO TO SUCCEED? Win. That’s the biggest thing and all anyone cares about. We need to get partners to do business with. It’s the only thing that will keep myself racing and others racing.

WHO HAS GIVEN YOU THE BEST ADVICE IN TERMS OF RACING? Man, I feel like I’ve had so much from so many different people. Jimmie Johnson has been there and has given me advice at so many different tracks. Lorin Ranier told me smart people win races. It seems so simple, but I’ve always thought about that. You have to be smart and methodical to win races.

HOW DO YOU BECOME BETTER AT MAKING IN-RACE DECISIONS? In the trucks, we don’t have a lot of data. In Xfinity and Cup, they have SMT data to see gas, brakes and steering traces. It’s a cool tool to look at when I can. You can follow along with what different drivers are doing. You can see what their driving styles are like and make it work for you. The simulator and iRacing are fun tools to use. There’s something to learn with everything.

icondirect.com PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

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POLE POSITION 2021

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NASCAR COLLECTIBLES

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BY VAN COX R FAN MORIE THESE NASCAY AND ARE BUILDING ME INTO A HOBB

JASON ST. PIERRE

‘Collect Things You Like’

E

ver wonder how NASCAR collectibles stack

up against memorabilia from the other major sports? Believe it or not, there are still those who mistakenly believe motorsports collectibles lag behind traditional stick-and-ball souvenirs and artifacts in terms of demand and availability.

Longtime collector Jason St. Pierre is quick to dispel that notion.

A resident of Leesburg, Florida, St. Pierre is a seasonal employee at Daytona International Speedway, currently serving as head usher for the Rolex 24 Lounge. St. Pierre is living proof that the NASCAR arena affords its loyal followers countless opportunities to show their devotion to their chosen sport via collecting. And if you shop smart like he does, you can amass an impressive collection without breaking the bank.

“Most sports memorabilia collectors scoff at us NASCAR guys,” said St. Pierre, “but our collections are as nice or often times nicer than theirs because our niche is a bit more affordable. I’ve been collecting for more than 20 years, and I have a massive NASCAR collection, wall to wall in my entire apartment. The key is to just collect things you like.”

St. Pierre has a little of everything in his inventory,

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but the focus of his collection is 1:64 die-cast cars, autographed and race-used memorabilia trading cards, and race-used sheet metal.

More than 100 replica cars make up St. Pierre’s 1:64 die-cast collection. A broad variety of drivers are represented, though he admittedly favors those who have driven for the Wood Brothers.

St. Pierre’s massive trading card collection numbers around 50,000 – including 800-900 race-used memorabilia and autograph inserts.

As we all know, collecting often spawns more collecting. Such has been the case with St. Pierre as his affinity for race-used memorabilia cards has morphed into a desire to acquire even larger pieces of sheet metal. Consequently, the walls of his apartment now boast all the colors of the rainbow. He found a reliable source for sheet metal in the Charlotte, North Carolina, area and has been a loyal customer ever since.

St. Pierre says there is one piece of sheet metal that looks even better on his wall.

“I’m a big Jeremy Clements fan,” he said “He’s from Spartanburg, South Carolina, and that’s where I’m from originally. Plus, his car was sponsored by The Racing Warehouse in this particular race.

That’s where I buy a lot of my sheet metal. I have a real connection to this piece, so it’s my favorite of all my sheet metal.”

In addition to his other gems, St. Pierre owns a couple of standalone pieces that have earned a special place among his memorabilia. One is a rare cardboard poster commemorating Tony Stewart’s double duty in the 2001 Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600.

“That was a historic day,” said the hardcore collector. “Tony finished sixth at Indianapolis and third at Charlotte – and he completed every lap in each race. The following year, Tony was at a car show in Greenville, South Carolina, and autographed it.”

Now, in that time-honored tradition of saving the best for last … Jason St. Pierre owns an item that has been on every serious collector’s Holy Grail list for more than 20 years: a 1998 Press Pass 50 Greatest Drivers of All Time signed lithograph /250.

“Press Pass had them all autographed by the living drivers the night before the ’98 Daytona 500,” said St. Pierre. “The top and bottom rows were images of drivers who were already deceased, but the drivers in the middle row were alive at the time and signed in pencil. Bill France Jr. signed at the bottom. That is absolutely my No. 1 prized piece!”

TREAVOR & ADDISON CHAVIS

Making Memories

T

here is a lot more to collecting NASCAR memorabilia than

simply acquiring items of interest and putting them on display. It’s a chance for race fans and their families to build memories. Such is the case with 31-year-old Treavor Chavis and his 11-year-old son, Addison.

In just a few short years, this pair has laid the foundation for a race-used sheet metal collection that will provide a lifetime of fond recollections for each of them.

“There’s a lot more to it than just getting pieces and hanging them on the wall,” said the elder Chavis. “Every piece has a story behind it and memories connected to it. And as we’ve gotten more involved in it, the sentimental value of each piece has become more important to us.”

Much like his young son, Treavor Chavis was introduced to NASCAR at an early age. Growing up in Red Springs, North Carolina, he attended his first race at Rockingham when he was only 12 years old. One race was all it took, and he was hooked.

“I went to three races for three straight years,” Chavis noted. “As I got older, my interest in NASCAR grew. And then Addison came along, and a couple of years ago we started going to races together – which makes it a lot more fun. He enjoys attending the races in person more so than watching them on TV. We go to Darlington pretty often, especially for the throwback weekend. I went to Charlotte for the 600 this year, and we’re going back for the fall race.”

So, how did this passion for motorsports morph into an enthusiasm for collecting race-used memorabilia? It all began with a tire.

“We were at Darlington back in 2017, and I got a tire that came off Jimmie Johnson’s car,” Chavis explained.

“To me that was something extra special. To own a piece off a car that was actually used in the race. That’s how I got started.”

Chavis quickly learned there is a healthy market for race-used artifacts and began making contacts within the hobby that would allow him to grow his collection.

“I met a man whose son had previously worked for Joe Gibbs Racing,” he said. “I was able to pick up quite a few pieces from him off JGR cars that had been driven by Joey Logano and Matt Kenseth, plus a tire off Denny Hamlin’s car.”

As the Chavis family’s network of fellow collectors and vendors continued to expand, their inventory grew exponentially.

A sampling of their most coveted artifacts includes: 2020 Tyler Reddick No. 8 autographed tire; 2018 Daniel Hemric No. 8 nose piece; 2021 Kris Wright Darlington NCWTS rear quarter panel; two Jimmie Johnson deck lids from two retired cars that were repurposed as show cars; and 2020 Jimmie Johnson No. 48 Ally rear quarter panel and tire.

“It isn’t a huge collection right now, but it’s growing all the time,” said Chavis. “I’m a big Hendrick Motorsports fan, so I guess those pieces are especially important to me.”

Indeed they are, but there are a couple of other pieces that hold immeasurable significance to both father and son. Addison and Treavor attended the Darlington Throwback Weekend in the spring.

After Sheldon Creed was victorious in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event, he immediately presented the checkered flag to young Addison, who was seated near the foot of the flag stand. Since that memorable moment, Chavis has acquired the rear bumper/tailgate from that victorious truck, and now has it on display along with the flag.

“It was pretty incredible the way everything came together,” Chavis acknowledged. “Sheldon Creed was running a Jason Leffler throwback paint scheme for that race, and I was a big fan of Jason’s before he passed away. Then for Sheldon to give that flag to my son, and me to be able to get that rear bumper. That created the kind of memories that hopefully Addison will be able to share with his own kids some day.”

Chavis is quick to point out that the positive interaction he and Addison have shared with other race fans has truly enhanced the NASCAR experience for them.

“It has been great,” he said with a smile. “We’ve met quite a few people, and they have all been so nice. My son is at that age where he is basically shy. But everyone we meet interacts with him in a positive way. One man saw him online and actually sent him some trading cards. Addison was blown away that somebody would do something so nice without expecting anything in return. I told him that’s just the way NASCAR fans are. It’s like a big family where everybody looks out for one another. With all the crazy stuff going on in the world today, I think it’s great that we’ve found a place among the NASCAR community.”

POLE POSITION MAG.COM

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NASCAR COLLECTIBLES DAVID SHERRILL

Postcards From the Edge

H

ero cards – also known as handouts or sim-

ply postcards – are arguably the oldest and most enduring form of NASCAR memorabilia.

Virtually every fan of stock car racing has owned at least one at some point, and the handout has been the first step in launching other collections. Indeed, vast assemblages of die-cast cars, trading cards and what-have-you began with the acquisition of a hero card. That is all it took to spark the interest.

“Collecting is addictive, and especially collecting postcards because it is so affordable,” said David Sherrill, a 68-year-old enthusiast who has been on a quest for that next elusive handout for more than 50 years. “I like to compare it to collecting coins or stamps.

You can get the new stuff cheap because it is new. In many cases you can get them for little or nothing. Then, over time, you can add the older cards by trading for them or buying them as you find them. And you can decide how much or how little you want to spend.”

While a few versions of Indy car postcards had been around for decades, the first NASCARthemed handout surfaced in the early-to-mid-1950s. Fonty Flock, Tim Flock, and Frank Mundy were among the first subjects featured on a handful of issues. Seizing on the burgeoning popularity of the sport, Racing Pictorial Magazine began producing postcards of some of NASCAR’s top drivers in 1962.

The venerable publication would be the primary source for handouts over the next dozen years.

They were true postcards, with a designated area for correspondence and postage. More drivers were added to the lineup each year.

As NASCAR grew, so did the recognition of handouts as an effective and inexpensive marketing tool. Consequently, the production of hero cards now covers all three NASCAR national series, as well as a good portion of support divisions and other series. These days, the number of different handouts published for the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series totals well into the hundreds per year.

“It sure is different than when I first started

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POLE POSITION 2021

collecting,” recalled Sherrill. “Back then, it was only Cup drivers, and there were less than 10 a year. Now, there is a new card coming out about every day. It’s hard to keep up sometimes. I don’t even try to keep track of the total number of postcards in my collection anymore. It’s in the tens of thousands though.”

A native of the foothills of North Carolina, Sherrill saw his first three NASCAR Cup Series races in 1962. He attended events at the old Concord Speedway, Darlington Raceway and North Wilkesboro Speedway.

“My dad was a mechanic, and he went to a lot of races,” he said. “But daddy wouldn’t take me with him until I was 12 years old. I got my first three postcards at North Wilkesboro. They were Fireball Roberts, who was my favorite, Joe Weatherly and Fred Lorenzen. I still have all three of them.”

Of course, handouts have changed dramatically over the years. The traditional three-by-five and five-by-seven postcards have given way to eight-by-10 (sometimes larger) issues. The posed car and driver images have been replaced by hero cards that boast the latest and most creative graphic imagery.

Sherrill considers himself an old-school NASCAR fan.

Consequently, he favors the traditional look of the 1960s-’70s postcards. But he readily admits his most treasured finds are from later years, but are coveted because of their extreme rarity.

First of his “Big Three” as he calls them, is his 1981 Stan Barrett No. 22 Skoal Bandit Pontiac.

“That was the original Burt Reynolds and Hal Needham Skoal Bandit before the team added the No. 33 for Harry Gant,” he explained. “Stan Barrett only ran about 10 races that year. I don’t know why that postcard was always so hard to find but it was. I actually bought a whole collection from a guy back in the 1990s just to get that one card. The rest of his collection didn’t have anything of much value. But I really wanted that card, so I bought him out.”

No. 2 on Sherrill’s Hit Parade is the rarest of all Dale Earnhardt handouts. It is a 1981 card promoting Wrangler Aviation. It depicts Earnhardt’s No. 2 Wrangler Pontiac being loaded onto a Wrangler Aviation cargo jet.

“I stopped in at a racing collectibles store that used to be across the road from Charlotte Motor Speedway,” Sherrill remembered. “It was in 1989-’90, I think. The guy there had two left. I had never seen them before, so I bought both of them for 50 bucks apiece. Of course, I kept one. People kept telling me how rare they were, so a couple of months later I put the second one on eBay just to see what it would bring. I sold it for $375. I guess that was a pretty good return on investment.”

While it ranks third on his list of all-time favorites, arguably the rarest and most unique handout in the Sherrill collection features not a driver, but a country music star. In 1976, singer/songwriter Del Reeves sponsored the car driven by Neil Castles in a handful of races. An eight-by-10 hero card with an image of the Grand Ole Opry performer sitting on the fender of Castles’ familiar No. 06 race car at Charlotte Motor Speedway is arguably one of the scarcest handouts ever produced.

“I found that thing at a flea market in Tennessee,” said Sherrill. “And it wasn’t with racing stuff. A guy had a scrapbook filled with pictures of country music entertainers, and that was among them. I’ve not seen another one. That just shows how you never know when something will turn up. So you have to keep your eyes open. Sometimes, it’s all about the chase.”

JUDY BURKE

Truck Series Super Fan

I

t has been nearly three decades since the NASCAR Camping

World Truck Series made its debut. After a few exhibition races, the green flag officially waved for the series’ inaugural season in February 1995 at Phoenix Raceway.

Back then, there were those who predicted truck racing would fizzle out after a few seasons. Of course, they were wrong. Not only has the NCWTS survived, it has flourished.

It is where newcomers cut their teeth on the way up the NASCAR ladder. It’s the place where veterans looking for a more relaxed venue can enjoy racing that’s more about cubic inches and less about cubic dollars. Of NASCAR’s top three touring series, it is arguably the one that consistently has the healthiest car counts. Oh, and along the way, it has built a devoted fan following all its own.

“I think it’s the best racing,” said Judy Burke, a fan – and collector – from Ansonia, Connecticut. “The competition on the race track is very intense. And I guess because there is less pressure on them, the drivers and crews are a lot more fan-friendly. I’ve met a lot of them, and they are great. Of course, I follow the Cup Series too, but the trucks are my favorite. It’s been a totally enjoyable experience for me.”

Burke has been a race fan since the 1970s, but her interest in the sport shifted into overdrive with the emergence of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

“Growing up, I was a Richard Petty fan, and also Benny Parsons,” she recalled.

“Then in about 1994-’95, I started pulling for Kenny Schrader, who was running quite a few truck races at the time. I became more and more of a truck fan.

Eventually, I became a big Jack Sprague fan, and he’s probably still my all-time favorite.”

Burke’s comprehensive knowledge of the series is clearly evident as she recounts with pinpoint accuracy specific incidents from individual races over the years. She has a number of favorites among the current crop of truck racers, including Jennifer Jo Cobb, Timothy Peters and Matt Crafton. Ryan Newman, Bubba Wallace, Martin Truex Jr. and Matt DiBenedetto rate among her picks in the NASCAR Cup Series.

As we’ve often said before, being a fan automatically makes you a collector. It just goes with the territory, and Burke is no exception.

In fact, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more diverse assemblage of memorabilia than the one she has amassed. Die-cast cars, figurines, autographed photos and handouts, pennants, books and DVDs. You name it, chances are, she has it.

Burke’s most cherished NASCAR artifact is a piece of sheet metal from the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series entry that Sprague

drove for Kevin Harvick Inc. in 2008.

“They took one of their trucks that had been crashed, cut it up into small sections, and sold those pieces,” she explained. “I got the piece from the right-side headlight area. It’s autographed by Kevin and Jack. A few years later, I got it signed by Rick Carelli, who was competition director at KHI back then. They were all great about making sure I got the piece I wanted and the signatures. So that makes it special to me.”

The vibrant Burke designed one – actually two – items that are our personal favorites here at NASCAR Pole Position. She came up with the idea of creating two handcrafted quilts and having them autographed by a multitude of NASCAR personalities.

Both quilts are punctuated by images of the six flags used by NASCAR on race day. Every block on the quilt is filled with autographs. In fact, each quilt is adorned with 250 to 300 signatures. How is that for a humongous undertaking? Imagine trying to get that many autographs. Only someone with Burke’s tenacious drive could pull it off.

“I had a lot of help,” said Burke. “We got the blocks signed before we put the quilt together. So anytime something was going on where I thought I could get some signatures, I tried to be there.

I’d try to take a friend or two with me to autograph sessions so we could get in different lines. That way we could make the most of our time.”

A broad cross-section of the NASCAR family signed Burke’s quilt: Tony Stewart, Wendy Venturini, Mike Helton, Krista Voda, Bobby Allison, Michael Waltrip, Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch, and the list goes on and on.

“Everybody was great about signing it,” she acknowledged. “After we got all the autographs, my sister sewed the blocks together to complete the quilt.”

Burke is one of those unique NASCAR fans who always strives to give something back to the sport she loves. She often works in and around the track in various capacities, including volunteering with Speedway Children’s Charities. So it should come as no surprise that she found a very special home for each of her quilts. One is on display at Victory Junction Gang Camp in North Carolina, while the other hangs in the USO Sports Room at the U.S. Naval facility in Bethesda, Maryland.

“I wanted them to be where they can be seen by as many people as possible,” she said. “That’s the reason I came up with the idea in the first place. I wanted to create something that other fans would enjoy.”

POLE POSITION MAG.COM

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WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

One of the most enjoyable and rewarding parts of my work over the last several years has been writing “Where Are They Now?” stories that catch fans up with what some of their favorite former drivers are up to these days. This year, I’ve done a number of what I like to call “WATN?s” for NASCAR. com. Here’s excerpts from three of my favorite pieces and links to read the full original story.

BY JERRY BONKOWSKI MARCOS AMBROSE When he left NASCAR after nearly a decade and returned to his native Australia, Marcos Ambrose went from behind the wheel to behind the front desk as he owns and operates the very successful Thunder Lakes Lodge resort on the island of Tasmania.

“I got out of racing, it was just time for me to stop, really,” Ambrose said. “Raising a family was really important to me and being a good dad and a good husband.”

But after walking away, Ambrose is back in racing to an extent, shepherding the blossoming careers of daughters Tabitha (15) and Adelaide (13).

“Tabitha and Adelaide getting into racing has reinvigorated me in the sport,” Ambrose said. VISIT NASCAR.COM TO READ THE FULL STORY ON MARCOS AMBROSE.

D A R R E L L W A LT R I P NASCAR Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip retired as Fox Sports’ lead NASCAR analyst following the 2019 season. But in a way, he’s still broadcasting and telling it like it is.

Only instead of talking into a microphone, these days he talks back to the TV set in his Tennessee home.

“I do it all the time,” Waltrip said with a laugh. “I’m constantly saying, ‘Tell ’em this, tell ’em that.’ Why? I’m a race fan at heart and if there’s a flat tire or a wreck, I’ll say, ‘Why do you want to sugarcoat it? Tell it like it is.’”

Now 74, Waltrip remains as popular as ever – but admits he’s also developed somewhat of an identity crisis: “A lot of people don’t know I ever drove.”

That’s right, one of the greatest drivers in NASCAR history is known by many of today’s especially younger fans more for how he wielded a microphone than how he wheeled a race car.

“It’s amazing to me the number of people that think all I’ve ever done is TV, and I’m only famous for saying ‘Boogity, Boogity, Boogity, Let’s Go Racin’ Boys,’” Waltrip said.

VISIT NASCAR.COM TO READ THE FULL STORY ON “OLD D.W.”

MARK MARTIN For a man who was one of the most competitive racers NASCAR has ever seen, it’s hard to picture the way Hall of Famer Mark Martin is today.

“I’m retired,” the 62-year-old Martin said emphatically. “I mean, I know less about what’s going on than the average fan. I love racing with all my heart. It’s just something that I’m not interested in doing (anymore).

“40 years of competing at the highest level, and digging as hard as I could possibly dig with every ounce of focus I had, I’m done with that. I’m not interested in competing in anything. I don’t even like to play cards or games or anything that requires competing.” VISIT NASCAR.COM TO READ THE FULL STORY ON MARK MARTIN.

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THANKS TO NASCAR.COM FOR PERMISSION TO EXCERPT AND LINK TO THE ORIGINAL STORIES

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71

DRIVER SPOTLIGHT

BURTON CRAVES ADDITIONAL SUCCESS

BY JARED TURNER

By all measures, NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Jeb Burton is enjoying the best season of his NASCAR career. Yet, the son of 2002 Daytona 500 winner Ward Burton – despite having what he calls “a dream opportunity” – is far from satisfied.

On top of earning Xfinity Series career victory No. 1 at Talladega Speedway in late April, Burton had spent the entire season situated no worse than seventh in the standings as of late August. Both are pretty notable accomplishments for a guy who prior to this year had never entered more than 14 of the 33 annual Xfinity Series races. But Burton’s highly competitive nature has him still craving further success.

“I wanted to have some more wins by now, and more top-fives, but it could have been a lot worse, too,” he said of his season. “We could have not won a race, and we could have crashed a lot. We’re kind of middle of the road right now. I definitely want more, though.”

In fact, Burton won’t be totally OK with anything less than getting back to Victory Lane and having an opportunity to compete for the championship in the season finale at Phoenix Raceway.

“I really want to win four or five times and make it to Phoenix,” Burton said. “That’s my goal. That was my goal going into this year, to kind of light it up and do that.”

While these might seem like rather lofty expectations coming from a driver running the entire Xfinity Series schedule for the first time, the second-generation wheelman from Halifax, Virginia, doesn’t see it this way.

With solid backing from the likes of longtime Burton family sponsor State Water Heaters (which remains a primary sponsor in 2021), Burton made at least one Xfinity Series start in seven of the last eight seasons

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POLE POSITION 2021

before joining Kaulig Racing this year.

While Burton never went to Victory Lane as a part-time Xfinity Series driver, he performed competitively enough to gain the personal confidence that he can be a champion of the sport’s No. 2 series.

“I ran the last two years for JR Motorsports, and I ran inside the top 10 almost every race, and I wasn’t racing much,” Burton said. “So, I knew if I was racing more, I was gonna be better.”

While Burton has been solid in his first full-time Xfinity Series role, he’s actually fallen short of his personal goals.

“I’ve kind of underperformed, to be honest, of what I was hoping to do,” the 29-year-old said. “We’ve still got time to get it together, but I feel like I’ve made a lot of mistakes and haven’t done the best job. I’m just trying to clean some of that stuff up, so I can get the results that I need.”

That may seem like a rather harsh selfassessment in light of his success this season, but Burton can’t help but set the bar high. After all, he still harbors aspirations of competing for a top team at the Cup Series level – where he’s made 33 starts but none with a team anywhere close to being capable of going to Victory Lane. He’s also challenged on a consistent basis by his father – a five-time Cup Series race winner who retired from the sport in 2007. The two discuss racing every day.

“Every time I see him, we’re talking about something,” Jeb Burton said. “Sometimes the conversations are not very fun.

He’s going to critique everything I do, because he wants me to be the best. So, that’s just kind of the way it is.”

And kind of like Jeb Burton’s own take on his 2021 season.

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

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