NASCAR Pole Position 2020 October/November Edition

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Safety First The evolution

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HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE P.22

42

NASCAR STARS AND THEIR PETS P.30

BECOMING HAILIE DEEGAN P.48

10 Green Flag: NASCAR News

26 Home Work Shop Gift Guide

52 ARCA Driver Profiles

11 Truck Series Rookie Zane Smith

28 Join the iRacing community

60 Cool Stuff for Race Fans

12 Austin Cindric’s Hot Streak

34 Decker’s Rollercoaster Ride

64 NASCAR Rewind

14 Terry Labonte Dishes on Career

36 NASCAR and the Outdoors

66 Reflecting on Ned Jarrett

16 Pandemic Mental Health Tips

40 The Power of K-Seal

68 The Life of Ryan Blaney

18 Honda’s Drive for Diversity

44 Become a Volunteer Firefighter

69 Langley Speedway

20 Champion Owner Buck Baker

46 Tailgating trips

70 Jeff Gordon’s Evolution

25 Mobile gaming app Wizits

50 Thad Moffitt on the Rise

71 JJ’s Legendary Victories

NASCAR POLE POSITION AN OFFICIALLY LICENSED PUBLICATION OF NASCAR // ADDRESS: 11880 28TH ST. N, SUITE 101 • ST. PETERSBURG, FL 33716 • PHONE: (727) 209-0792 • FAX: (727) 209-1776 // WEB: POLEPOSITIONMAG.COM, AE-ENGINE.COM // PUBLISHER: CRAIG BARONCELLI // SALES VICE PRESIDENT, SALES: DAVID WATSON • NATIONAL ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: JOHN ENGLE, JUSTIN HAND, MARK MORALES, DENNIS FASONE // PRODUCTION GRAPHIC DESIGNER: JOE RABUCK • WEB DEVELOPER: NICOLE COOPER • COPY EDITOR: KEITH WALTZ • EDITOR: DAN GUTTENPLAN • WRITERS: JARED TURNER, KEITH WALTZ, BEN WHITE, JOSEPH WOLKIN, MATTEO MARCHESCHI • OFFICE MANAGER: DENNIS FASONE • SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATORS: AIDAN ANDERSEN, ETHAN ANDERSEN • PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES, NASCAR/GETTY IMAGES • SPECIAL THANKS TO: MICHAEL FORDE (NASCAR), GREG CARTY (NASCAR) // A.E. ENGINE SPECIFIES THAT POST-PRESS CHANGES MAY OCCUR TO ANY INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THIS PUBLICATION AND TAKES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR GOODS OR SERVICES ADVERTISED. NASCAR® IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR STOCK CAR AUTO RACING, INC. MAIL ORDER: TO RECEIVE A SUBSCRIPTION TO NASCAR POLE POSITION MAGAZINE, SEND A CHECK OR MONEY ORDER FOR $29.95 TO: NASCAR POLE POSITION, C/O A.E. ENGINE, 11880 28TH ST. N, SUITE 101, ST. PETERSBURG, FL 33716. PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR RETURN MAILING ADDRESS AND AN EMAIL ADDRESS. ONLINE ORDER: SUBSCRIPTIONS CAN BE ORDERED ONLINE AT POLEPOSITIONMAG.COM/BUY. DISTRIBUTION: IF YOU ARE A BUSINESS OR AN ORGANIZATION INTERESTED IN DISTRIBUTING COPIES OF NASCAR POLE POSITION MAGAZINE, PLEASE CONTACT CRAIG BARONCELLI AT (727) 209-1750 OR CB@ AE-ENGINE.COM. SALES INQUIRIES: IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ADVERTISING IN NASCAR POLE POSITION MAGAZINE OR WOULD LIKE TO BECOME A FIELD REPRESENTATIVE, PLEASE CONTACT DAVID WATSON AT (727) 209-0789, OR DKW@AE-ENGINE.COM. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.

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POLE POSITION 2020

PRESENTED BY

GREEN FLAG

THE JGR SWITCH JOE GIBBS RACING WILL REPLACE ERIK Jones with Christopher Bell in the driver’s seat of the No. 20 Toyota Camry next season. Here’s how the drivers compare:

Oura Health Partners with NASCAR

BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

NASCAR has formed a multi-year partnership with Oura Health, the technology company behind the smart ring that provides users with biometrics and analysis into their sleep and overall health to improve performance and monitor for potential illness.

Through the partnership, Oura becomes an Official Health Technology Partner of NASCAR. Oura provides an accurate and efficient solution to advance NASCAR’s approach to health and wellness. As part of the agreement, NASCAR Cup Series drivers

and key operational employees across the sanctioning body will be provided with an Oura Ring, which delivers personalized readiness, activity and sleep insights to provide a holistic picture of a person’s health.

By monitoring changes in an individual’s temperature, heart rate, heart rate variability and respiratory rate, Oura Rings can also potentially detect abnormal fluctuations in asymptomatic carriers as well as previously healthy individuals who are experiencing the onset of a disease.

ERIK JONES

24 136

25 CUP STARTS

2

29

1 TOP 5 FINISHES

57

5 TOP 10 FINISHES

BUBBA WALLACE

ACRONIS, A GLOBAL

NASCAR AND BETMGM, A

leader in cyber protection,

market-leading sports betting

with delivery service

has joined Hendrick

and iGaming platform, have

DoorDash through which

Motorsports in a multi-

formed a multi-year sports-

the company will be a

year marketing and

betting partnership. As an

primary sponsor of the

technology relationship

Authorized Gaming Operator

No. 43 Richard Petty

that runs through June

of NASCAR, BetMGM will

Motorsports Chevrolet.

2023.

collaborate with NASCAR to

This season, Acronis will

create and promote engaging

partnership as a multi-year

be featured as a three-

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deal and said DoorDash will

race primary sponsor

including introducing in-race

serve as the team’s primary

of the No. 88 Chevrolet

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across the United States.

Cup Series races this season.

Bowman. As the Official

Through the agreement, Bet-

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Wallace. This season alone,

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offerings on BetMGM’s mobile

he has also partnered with

major associate sponsor

app, BetMGM.com, BetMGM’s

Columbia Sportswear, Beats

of the team’s four-car

social media channels and in

by Dr. Dre and Cash App.

NASCAR Cup Series stable.

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POLE POSITION 2020

20.3

NASCAR BETTING

announced a partnership

Wallace termed the

10

HENDRICK’S NEW BACKER

0

CUP SERIES WINS

AVERAGE FINISH

TEAM SPONSORSHIP NEWS

BUBBA’S BREAKOUT

25

AGE

16.1 WHEELING AND DEALING

CHRISTOPHER BELL

“I’M JUST A WALKING AMBASSADOR RIGHT NOW, BUT I LOVE IT”

–BUBBA WALLACE

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

DRIVER SPOTLIGHT

Zane Smith

Sensational Truck Series Rookie Finds Victory Lane

BY ROB TIONGSON

D

uring the first 13 races of his rookie season in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series, 21-year-old Zane Smith visited Victory Lane at Michigan and Dover. A hard-working, competitive, gritty driver, Smith has fought tenaciously to earn an opportunity in NASCAR’s national series.

Following his second Truck Series win, Smith spoke with NASCAR Pole Position by phone about his journey and his future.

WHEN YOU RECALL YOUR TIME IN BMX, GO-KARTS, LEGEND CARS AND LATE MODELS, HOW HAVE THOSE EXPERIENCES HELPED MOLD YOU INTO THE COMPETITIVE, DRIVEN RACER YOU ARE TODAY? When I was in go-karts, I didn’t really think a whole lot about NASCAR at first. I was kinda into IndyCar. A lot of my friends that I grew up with racing go-karts are now racing Indy cars. I knew from go-karts on, I knew my family wasn’t going to be able to fund me or back me, so I’ve had a group of investors since I was, believe it or not, probably 12 years old.

After racing Legends Cars and Late Models, we went ARCA racing. That was kinda where I got my first taste of NASCAR in a sense. It was definitely different and a lot of fun. We weren’t even supposed to go for a full year, but we were somehow able to piece it together. And we ended up second in the championship, won four races, and got rookie of the year.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE TAKEAWAYS FROM LAST SEASON IN THE NASCAR XFINITY SERIES THAT YOU’VE CARRIED OVER INTO THIS YEAR WITH GMS RACING? What I learned in Xfinity was the communication part on the team – how to get your car where you need it, especially for these style of races with the stage racing and racing with those at the top.

At Dover, I got a good taste of racing with Christopher Bell, Tyler Reddick, Cole Custer and Justin Allgaier. At Dover and Richmond, it was just the first time I realized how hard you really need to race, and how precious track position is – those are the biggest things. Track position, how important it is in the Truck Series, is just magnified.

WELCOME TO NASCAR WHEN ZANE SMITH SCORED HIS FIRST

YOU’VE GOT AN EXPERIENCED LEADER ATOP THE PIT BOX IN KEVIN “BONO” MANION, A CREW CHIEF WHO WON TWO XFINITY SERIES TITLES WITH MARTIN TRUEX JR. WHAT’S IT LIKE TO WORK WITH HIM AND HOW HAS HE MADE YOU A BETTER RACER? Bono has been a lot of fun to work with this year. Our personalities are very similar. When you click with your crew chief, usually, it makes for a lot easier day. I think the same goes for my spotter.

I feel like all three of us have the same mindset, same attitude on things. It’s been a lot of fun working with Bono.

I hope I get to work with him for years to come. He’s a really smart dude. I like how his strategy is to always win the race. I know a lot of crew chiefs just try to maximize points. My outlook on that is to do that when you need to, but try to win the damn race.

LET’S SAY A NEW FAN IS TUNING INTO A TRUCK SERIES RACE AND THEY’VE SPOTTED YOU ON THE TRACK. GIVE THEM THREE SELLING POINTS THAT’LL MAKE THEM TURN INTO YOUR NEWEST FAN. If you’re from the West Coast, that’s a given. You gotta pull for the West Coast guy. If you like dogs, I’m a huge dog lover. So, if there’s any other dog lovers out there, I’m the guy to pull for. It’s always fun to come home and bring the trophy back to my two dogs. They’re always super excited. Those are probably my biggest two, and I want to win more than anyone out there. I don’t shoot for top-five finishes or top-10s. I go to win.

and industrial refrigeration.

“Honestly, it’s super cool to bring new sponsors

In a year defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, Smith hopes to celebrate in proper fashion with his new

NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series victory

like that into NASCAR,” Smith said. “Hopefully, we

at Michigan this summer, it was significant in that

can get them on board for a few more races, and,

the 21-year-old racer from Huntington Beach,

hopefully, they’re our lucky scheme. I love that truck

Victory Lane,” Smith observed. “But I’m sure we

California, was welcoming a new sponsor, Bay

and to park it in Victory Lane for my first Truck Series

can work something out in the future, and we can

Mountain Air, a company that specializes in HVAC

win was just awesome.”

actually have a Victory Lane celebration together.”

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

sponsor.

“We wish they were there to get the full feel of

POLE POSITION MAG.COM

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KENTUCKY JULY 9

TEXAS JULY 18

KENTUCKY JULY 10

ROAD AMERICA AUGUST 8

Hot Streak 5X WINNER

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POLE POSITION 2020

DAYTONA AUGUST 15

AUSTIN CINDRIC NO. 22 FORD / TEAM PENSKE / XFINITY SERIES

FOR THE RECORD 2 016 N A S C A R H A L L O F FA M E R

Cool and Collected: Terry Labonte

D

uring a NASCAR Cup Series career that stretched from 1978 to 2014, Terry Labonte established himself as one of the sport’s greatest drivers, scoring 22 series victories and claiming a pair of Cup Series championships. Here’s a glimpse at the incredible journey of the driver known as the “Iceman” because of his cool and calm demeanor.

BY BEN WHITE

HOW DID YOU MEET BILLY HAGAN, YOUR FIRST NASCAR CUP SERIES TEAM OWNER? That came through a track promoter in Houston, Texas, in the late 1970s. My dad owned the team and Billy was our sponsor.

We didn’t go to the race one weekend because my engine had come apart the week before. We were leading the points, so the promoter called and said he had someone he wanted to introduce us to. The next week Billy started sponsoring our car.

HAGAN DECIDED YOUR FIRST NASCAR CUP SERIES START WOULD BE AT DARLINGTON RACEWAY IN THE 1978 SOUTHERN 500.

HOW DID YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT? I had moved to North Carolina from Texas in 1978 with $1,500 in my pocket and a pickup truck. That was it. I had been to Darlington on the Cup team Billy had with Skip Manning as his driver. I was a crew member. Billy and Skip were having some issues, and Billy called me on a Monday night and asked if I’d like to race at Darlington that weekend. I said, ‘Well.

I’d rather go to Martinsville or North Wilkesboro.’ He said, ‘We’ll go there, too, but it will be Darlington first.’ I said, ‘OK.’ That’s how it all started.

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POLE POSITION 2020

YOU FINISHED FOURTH IN THAT RACE, WHICH WAS AMAZING CONSIDERING HOW TOUGH DARLINGTON RACEWAY IS FOR SO MANY DRIVERS. WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER ABOUT YOUR FIRST CUP SERIES START? (Laughter) I kept watching the scoreboard and I just remember thinking, ‘How many more laps are left in this race?’ I wasn’t used to racing 500 miles. More like 200. I never thought to look at my car number in fourth. I was looking at the laps.

TWO YEARS LATER, YOU WON THE SOUTHERN 500. CAN YOU TELL US THAT STORY? In the 1980 race, we were running in the top-five and a couple of guys ahead of us hit some oil and got into the wall. David Pearson had been leading and bounced off the wall and was coming to the startfinish line to take the yellow flag. I knew I had to beat him to the line. The timing was perfect as far as when I caught him. I beat him by a foot or two.”

THERE’S A FUNNY SIDE NOTE THAT GOES ALONG WITH THAT WIN, RIGHT? Oh yeah. After we won, I picked up the crew on pit road to take them to Victory Lane. They looked around and saw a guy

they didn’t know riding on the car. He was a fan who hitched a ride to celebrate with us. I stayed in touch with him as the years went on.

WHAT WAS IT ABOUT YOU AND DARLINGTON RACEWAY THAT CLICKED SO WELL? I have no idea. I always seemed to run pretty good there. As it turned out, I won my last race there at the 2003 Southern 500. It’s odd to win your first race and your last race at the same track.

YOU WON THE 1984 CUP SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP WITH HAGAN. WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER ABOUT THAT SEASON? We got off to a really good start.

We didn’t feel the championship pressure everyone talks about. When it got down to two or three races to go in the season, I figured, “Well, the best we had ever done in points was third and the worst we we’re going to do is second.” That was the kind of attitude I had. Plus, we had Dale Inman as our crew chief and he won his eighthcareer championship with us. I’m not sure if he was the best at any one thing, but he was good at everything. He was one of the few people in our sport who would hire people better than he is at something. He knew that’s how you get the best team.

THEN, IN 1996, YOU CLAIMED YOUR SECOND TITLE AND YOUR BROTHER, BOBBY, WON THE SEASON FINALE AT ATLANTA. HOW SPECIAL WAS THAT DAY? It was really exciting to see Bobby win the race and for us to win the championship. One funny thing about that day was from Gary Dehart, my crew chief. Gary radioed me and said, ‘Hey, don’t worry about saving fuel because you haven’t been doing a very good job of it all day anyway.’ We finished third and won the championship.

It was an awesome day for sure.

LOOKING BACK ON YOUR CAREER, INCLUDING YOUR INDUCTION INTO THE NASCAR HALL OF FAME, HOW REWARDING HAS IT ALL BEEN? It took 12 years to get the second championship. The first championship in 1984 meant everything to me, but I appreciated the second one even more because I realized just how tough it was to win it.

People have asked me if I would do anything different and I say, “No, I wouldn’t change a thing.” I can honestly say I had a great career.

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

HEALTH AND SAFETY MOTORSPORTS SAFETY GROUP DOC:

Don’t Isolate Yourself During Pandemic Motorsports Safety Group is a collaboration of innovators who are determined to improve the safety of racing. Like most medical professionals, the doctors with MSG are focused on the mental health effects of the coronavirus pandemic. BY BEN WHITE

DR. CORMIER JOINS BRAIN ARMOR SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD BRAIN ARMOR® BRAND of neuro-nutrition supplements recently appointed Dr. Jason Cormier to its scientific

Acknowledged as one of the country’s leading neurosurgeons, Dr. Jason Cormier has helped MSG provide a comprehensive, grassroots marketing campaign focused on preventative health-care education and wellness training. Cormier’s work with MSG ties together his love for racing and his professional expertise.

This month, Cormier addresses the mental health impact of the pandemic.

WHAT CAN PEOPLE BE DOING IF THEY’RE FEELING OVERWHELMED

BY THE WEIGHT OF THIS PANDEMIC? One of the biggest things is reaching out to friends and neighbors, recognizing they’re not the only ones going through this period of pandemic and crisis. A lot of people are afraid, but I encourage them to come out of their homes and participate in general activities.

With kids going back to school, they’re doing a good job of screening and implementing safe policies.

Sooner or later, the pandemic will fade, so it’s important to monitor the health of those around you until it does.

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POLE POSITION 2020

HOW CAN PEOPLE PREVENT THEMSELVES FROM FALLING INTO BAD HABITS DURING THE PANDEMIC? When people are alone and idle, that’s the haven for bad things to happen. Depression festers. I recommend socializing while maintaining distance and recognizing the dangers out there. People say, “Oh man, 2020 has been canceled,” and in some ways, that’s true. The world has changed for good. Identifying the new normal won’t come in silence. It will come in discussing it in support groups or with neighbors, friends and family.

ARE THERE ACTIVE THINGS PEOPLE CAN DO TO OFFSET NEGATIVE FEELINGS? I think that dietary health is very important when we think about depression. Keep your body and mind busy. A number of race car drivers participate in diets like the Mediterranean diet. Adding aerobic exercises and mental stimulation helps. That’s what athletes do when they get started in a sport. That’s what keeps them hungry.

Establish new internal goals. Things will normalize again, but don’t remain alone in silence. Get enough sleep. That’s six to eight hours a day to make sure you’re getting your brain enough rest. Pay attention to your mental fitness. Make sure you’re getting enough omega-3 fatty acids. They provide many health benefits including reducing the risk of heart disease and improving cognitive health and awareness. It reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Women have fewer early-term births. It supports muscle recovery after exercise and eye conditioning. For drivers, there’s a lutein component that helps with macular degenerations and other eye conditions.

HOW WILL A PERSON KNOW IF HE OR SHE IS STARTING TO EXPERIENCE SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION? Ask family members or friends if there’s something different about you. Things like that can give further insight if you’re suffering from subclinical depression. It can fester if you don’t get a hold of it.

advisory board.

Brain Armor products are clinically proven dietary supplements formulated with omega-3, healthy fats and vital nutrients, designed to support structural brain health and performance.

Brain Armor products are vegetarian, made in the USA and are a regular part of many professional and elite amateur athlete and team conditioning programs.

“Omega-3 fatty acids, particularly DHA and EPA, have well-known benefits to several organ systems within the human body,” Cormier said. “I am excited about the quality of the refined DHA and EPA found within the Brain Armor formulations.

The ratios in particular are backed by extensive peer-reviewed studies and as we, as a scientific and health minded community, continue to learn more about the supportive health benefits that include but are not limited to: heart function, brain function, antiinflammatory effects and muscle recovery.

“As a neurosurgeon and expert in both complex spinal and brain surgery, the integration of Brain Armor’s Omega 3 fatty acid formulation was a no-brainer.”

DRIVE 4 DIVERSITY

PRESENTED BY

Honda Generators Supports D4D Effort

BY JARED TURNER

B

eginning in 2012, Honda Generators joined forces with the NASCAR Drive for Diversity as an “in-kind” sponsor providing the burgeoning driver-development program with its products both at the race track and at the headquarters of Rev Racing, the D4D’s competition arm that each year fields cars for multiple drivers who are ethnically diverse or female.

Four years after the relationship began between Honda Generators and the Drive for Diversity, Honda Generators expanded its role with the diversity initiative by adding a monetary component to its already existing product sponsorship of the D4D. Then, in 2017, Honda Generators upped the ante again by increasing its funding and sponsoring a portion of the Drive for Diversity’s annual combine – a multiday event where talented, young, up-andcoming minority and female athletes are selected from a group of invitees who are each evaluated based on driving ability, physical fitness and marketing/ media skills.

Starting in 2018, Honda Generators took on an even bigger role with the Drive for Diversity by again increasing its sponsorship funding and becoming the combine’s presenting sponsor. This continued in 2019, and the relationship remains alive and well this year, in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic putting a strain on many other sponsor relationships in NASCAR.

•• Isabella Robusto

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POLE POSITION 2020

•• Last fall’s NASCAR Drive for Diversity Combine featured a collection of up-and-coming drivers.

From left to right: Loris Hezemans, Isabella Robusto, Brooke Storer, Ryan Vargas, Lavar Scott, Perry Patino, Nicholas Sanchez, Rajah Caruth, Chase Cabre and Gracie Trotter.

“Honda and Rev Racing have grown their partnership over the last decade with the Drive for Diversity Combine, and we couldn’t be happier,” said Alex Torre, the head of marketing for Honda Power Equipment. “We are very passionate about racing and strive to find platforms that allow young people of every walk of life to climb, strive and win. Respect for the individual is one of our core values at Honda, and we believe that the world is a better place with more diversity, more inclusion and more racing.”

Originating in 2010, the NASCAR Drive for Diversity empowers women and minorities to pursue career opportunities in NASCAR both in the driver’s seat and on pit crews as well as off the track through the NASCAR Diversity Internship Program. Alumni of the D4D program include the likes of NASCAR Cup Series drivers Bubba Wallace and Daniel Suarez.

The half-dozen drivers in this year’s D4D class were selected from a group of invitees who participated in what was a two-day combine held in October 2019 at Daytona International Speedway and New Smyrna Speedway where representatives from NASCAR and Rev Racing gathered to evaluate the talent and determine the 2020 team. To be invited to the combine, drivers are advised to submit a digital application via Rev Racing’s website, highlighting

their racing experience, references and historical success.

All six members of the 2020 D4D class are driving for Rev Racing in various NASCAR developmental series, including the ARCA Menards Series East, the ARCA Menards Showdown Series and NASCAR Late Models. Among the group of six is Late Model driver Perry Patino, who has carried primary sponsorship from Honda Generators on his Rev Racing car throughout the season.

The relationship between the NASCAR Drive for Diversity and Honda Generators, which began simply enough eight years ago, only seems to grow stronger and more involved with time.

“Honda Generators has been a longstanding partner of Rev Racing since 2012,” said Rev Racing owner Max Siegel, who was hired by NASCAR in 2009 to manage its Drive for Diversity program after previously serving as the first African American president of a major NASCAR team.

“We are extremely proud of this relationship, as they have not only remained committed to our program initiatives but continued to expand their support over the last eight years. Our visions align in offering opportunities to diverse and female drivers and remain committed to making continued impact on the sport together.”

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

OWNER SPOTLIGHT

TWO-TIME CHAMPION Buck Baker: One of NASCAR’s Early Stars

Elzie Wylie “Buck” Baker, a city bus driver in Charlotte, North Carolina, was 30 years old when NASCAR sanctioned its inaugural NASCAR Cup Series race at the three-quartermile Charlotte Speedway dirt track on June 19, 1949. Baker finished 11th in the 150-mile race that afternoon, driving a 1948 Kaiser entered by Penny Mullis.

BY BEN WHITE

E

ven though he didn’t become a full-time NASCAR competitor until 1953, Baker earned the NASCAR Speedway Division championship in 1952. It was the only year NASCAR tried its hand at sanctioning Indianapolis-style open-wheel racing.

Focusing on stock cars, Baker developed into one of the sport’s early stars and became the first driver to win consecutive NASCAR premier series championships when he claimed the title in 1956 and 1957.

Ironically, Baker also finished second in points to Tim Flock in 1955 and to Lee Petty in 1958 to cap off an incredible four-year span. He never finished lower than fifth in the premier series point standings through 1960.

Baker’s 1956 championship came while driving for team owner Carl Kiekhaefer who was credited with fielding one of the sports’ first high-budget teams with sponsorship from Mercury Marine, his well-known business that manufactured boat engines.

Baker’s 1957 NASCAR title came while driving his own car, a Chevrolet fielded out of his Charlotte shop.

Baker also won races in NASCAR’s Modified and Grand American series, but his legend was made in the Cup Series where his career victory total of 46 ranks tied for 14th all time. All told,

he fielded cars for a long list of legendary NASCAR drivers, spanning more than 788 races. Of those, Baker drove his own car in 468 events.

Baker’s final Cup Series start came at age 57 on Oct. 10, 1976, in the fall 500-mile event at Charlotte Motor Speedway, where he finished 24th in a Chevrolet owned by H.C. Porter.

The final race of his career was in a special Winston Legends event for retired drivers at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 1991 when he was 72 years old.

Prior to his passing in 2002, Baker founded and operated a series of high-performance driving schools at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Darlington Raceway and Rockingham Speedway. Prior to making his first NASCAR debut, open-wheel sensation Jeff Gordon got his first taste of stock car racing at one of Baker’s schools.

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POLE POSITION 2020

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

NASCAR DEFINED

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

Holiday Favorite Finds C O O L G I F T S F O R S E R I O U S R AC E FA N S SWANN ENFORCER The Swann Enforcer™ 4K DVR Security System has crime-fighting features that run laps around other CCTV security kits.

This fully loaded system features True Detect™ heat- and motion-based sensors that trigger red and blue police-style flashing lights, bright spotlights and loud sirens to drive away intruders.

Receive push notifications and watch live or playback video on your mobile device from anywhere in the world via the Swann Security app. You can also view any of the footage in detailed 4K resolution on a smart TV, and even go hands-free via the Google Assistant and Chromecast, Google Home Hub or via Alexa devices.

About Recording: There’s free local recording onto a massive 2TB hard drive, which will save for at least 180 days before overwriting older footage – all with no subscription fees ever!

Crime has a new enemy, and security has a new name – meet the Enforcer™. It’s Security Made Smarter™, from Swann. Learn more at www.swann.com

NASCAR HEAT 5

NASCAR Heat 5 is the ultimate NASCAR video-game experience, with 34 authentic tracks across the country in single-player, twoplayer split screen and online multiplayer for up to 40 racers. Along with cover star Chase Elliott, NASCAR Heat 5 Includes all of the official teams, cars and drivers from the NASCAR Cup Series, as well as the NASCAR Xfinity Series, NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series and Xtreme Dirt Series.

Available now on the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, the Xbox One family of devices – including the Xbox One X – and on PC via Steam, NASCAR Heat 5 features several gameplay additions and enhancements. Boasting the deepest Career Mode in the franchise’s history, with improved statistics and more customization choices than ever before, the game also adds online challenges and a new Testing Mode, letting players perfect their setup for each track.

HUNTER’S RESERVE’S PREMIUM WILD GAME MEATS Hunter’s Reserve’s Premium Wild Game Meats are the low carb, high protein snack that’s always ready when you are. Lead the pack, combat hanger and defeat your cravings with our hickory smoked summer sausages, meat sticks and jerky bites. Each of our small batch meat snacks use humanely raised animals and a unique seasoning blend that enhances the flavor of each meat. All of Hunter’s Reserve’s meats are gluten free, nitrite free and filler free.

Hunter’s Reserve’s new Straight Shooter Gift Box is a WILD winner on race day. Complete with Venison, Elk and Wild Boar summer sausages, 2 cheese bars and mustard packed in an air-tight ammo can. This combo contains everything you need to take you to the finish line.

Looking for a great holiday gift this year? Check out www.HuntersReserve.com for this and many more adventurous options. Use code “NASCAR20” for 15% off your first order!

Also available in Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s stores this holiday season!

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JIMMIE JOHNSON’S ALLY THROWBACK DIE-CAST

Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson is

definitely among the greatest NASCAR racers of all time, but when it comes to throwback paint schemes, this one may truly be the greatest.

At this year’s Southern 500, his last Darlington race as a full-time driver, Johnson chose to honor the other heroes with whom he shares seven-time honors – “The King” Richard Petty and the legendary Dale Earnhardt.

Johnson’s No. 48 Ally paint scheme for the Southern 500 captured his respect for these icons of the sport with a livery reminiscent of their most memorable paint schemes – resulting in a Lionel Racing die-cast that true collectors can’t afford to miss.

This striking replica is available in 1:24 scale in both hood-open and ELITE versions. A 1:64-scale model is also available.

Order it now at LionelRacing.com or your favorite die-cast retailer.

NOAH GRAGSON’S LIONEL RACING DIE-CAST JR Motorsports driver Noah Gragson will be “Driven by Die-cast” Oct. 10 when he takes on the twists and turns of the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL as Lionel Racing comes aboard as his primary sponsor.

This fall, this company celebrates its 10th anniversary since it was named The Official Die-Cast of NASCAR. NASCAR fans and collectors can find their favorite Lionel Racing die-cast cars and trucks for sale at-track, in hobby and collectible shops, through the Racing Collectables Club of America, and in Walmart, Target and other retailers nationwide.

Gragson’s official Lionel Racing die-cast can currently be found as a 1:24-scale hood-open model and in 1:64 scale. It features a die-cast body, rolling Goodyear tires, authentic decal package and more. Autographed versions are also available.

CHASE ELLIOTT’S TRUCK SERIES WIN DIE-CAST

In his first appearance in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series

since 2017, Chase Elliott drove away with the checkered flag and banked a $100,000 bonus for beating Kyle Busch at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Wheeling the No. 24 iRacing Chevrolet Silverado for GMS Racing, Elliott held off the reigning Cup Series champ to clinch his third career Truck Series victory.

Elliott’s thrilling return made his iRacing Charlotte Win truck one of the most popular Lionel Racing die-casts of the season. Because it’s a “Raced Win” die-cast, it’s detailed with scuffs, dirt and all the damage seen on the truck in Victory Lane.

Each 1:24-scale model also comes with a collector card detailed with race stats and a full-size NASCAR Winner sticker. It’s also being made in 1:64 scale.

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HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

MODARRI NASCAR PRO MIX & MATCH BUILDING SYSTEMS Create buildable tracks and cars with Modarri NASCAR Pro Mix & Match Building Systems. It is STEM; it is FUN; and the cars are FAST! Create several race track configurations from 13 pieces of easy-to-build, highly durable EVA foam. Then get racing with the NASCAR-inspired S2 Muscle car.

Simply loosen the screws with the hex tool provided and swap in the extra R1 Roadster hood and fender parts for quick, easy and on-the-go customization.

Modarri Pro’s real steering and suspension mechanics put you in the driver’s seat for tight turns and awesome maneuverability.

The Modular Building System uses retained screws that won’t fall out. Every car is made with die-cast metal and durable plastic parts that are interchangeable across every Modarri Pro car for countless design possibilities. Decals included.

Modarri NASCAR Pro will have you ZOOMING to the finish line. Available at local toy stores and www.thoughtfulltoys.com. Ages 6+

OFFICIAL

G N I D A R R NASCA TARDS! C

Collect your favorite driver, speedway, look for autographs, memorabilia and start your collection with the officially licensed trading cards of NASCAR! Available at Walmart, Target, local hobby shops and www.paniniamerica.net 帕尼尼 © 2019 Panini America, Inc. Printed in the USA. NASCAR® is a registered trademark of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC. All information is accurate at the time of posting – content is subject to change. Card images are solely for the purpose of design display. Actual images used on cards to be determined.

Wizits Brings the NASCAR Experience to Mobile Gamers

BY ROB TIONGSON

F

or fans desiring the experience and thrills of a NASCAR race with the excitement of a Las Vegas slot machine, the Wizits team has the perfect answer.

Wizits, a mobile gaming app company based in Tel Aviv, Israel, has integrated NASCAR racing with Win Vegas, its popular slot machine app.

Starting with the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway in late August, race fans and gaming enthusiasts can pursue their dreams of becoming a NASCAR champion from the comfort of their home.

Yair Panet, the co-founder and chief risk officer of Wizits, wanted to expand upon the thrills of NASCAR with the fast-paced experiences of a slot machine.

“We love slot machines and that’s the focus of Win Vegas,” Panet said. “We saw that one of the most popular features in slot machines is races. These races were being done in a way that does not necessarily show a proper race. And players are looking for that competitive element, even when they are playing a casual, social slot machine.

“When we saw that there are a lot of the same people that like NASCAR who also like slot machines, we realized that this kind of integration was working very well. When we put the focus on the race and combine it with all the excitement of a NASCAR race, we really believe that could be a very good fit.”

Gamers will get to compete in a unique, 12-week experience that’ll make them feel like their stock car heroes with Win Vegas. In fact, the app will follow along with the final 10 races of the NASCAR Cup Series season.

“The NASCAR races will be split into four stages,” Panet said. “Each stage will present new types of races and the races will change. They will present NASCAR races such as the first one at Daytona. The idea is that NASCAR is a living and moving thing and we want to bring those experiences of an actual season. The race will be a real race, but the actual stages will be on a biweekly schedule.”

The thrill and passion of competition will be prevalent with the Win Vegas app. In fact, the app will feature four NASCAR-branded slot machines, a NASCAR Upgrade Shop to

PHOTOGRAPHY: WIZITS

enhance their virtual stock car, and the NASCAR Car Race, the main gameplay feature.

With these features, Panet illustrates how the Win Vegas app will recreate the magic and joy that NASCAR presents to fans and gamers alike.

“For us, for me personally, the most exciting part is the NASCAR Car Race and that’s really the heart of NASCAR and the experience that you really want to bring,” he observes. “Now, the NASCAR Upgrade Shop is important because as a team owner, you want to make sure that you are optimizing your potential. But the race is really the experience that’s most important. We have a race that is exciting and brings the NASCAR feel into players.”

Ultimately, Panet and the Wizits team look forward to fans and gamers experiencing the rush of NASCAR racing with the Win Vegas app.

“Our apps are worldwide and a lot of players outside of the U.S. will get better acquainted with NASCAR,” Panet said.

“There’s a great opportunity there. For us, it’s exciting to partner with such a huge and amazing brand. I cannot say how humbled we are to be working on this. It’s a great opportunity for both sides. For us, we have a diverse set of apps, so we have a lot of different players around the world who like different games. In that sense, that is great.”

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NASCAR BUILDS

Ramp Up Your Home Workshop This Holiday Season

Forney Industries – America’s longest-running, family-owned tool, welding equipment and accessory product company – has partnered with Jordan Anderson Racing to deliver great gift ideas for the handyman in your family. Let’s get building.

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WELDING AND METALWORKING

GET IN THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT WITH FORNEY

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Share your designs with us using the tag #forneyeasyweld or #forneyind. For the products

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– RACHEL BIGUM PHOTOGRAPHY: FORNEY INDUSTRIES

ESPORTS

GETTING IN ON THE IRACING COMMUNITY

When you think of iRacing, usually the words immersive, simulator and driver development usually spring to mind. While it’s true that NASCAR drivers such as Noah Gragson, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and William Byron use iRacing to hone their driving skills, it’s also one of the best communities in the online racing world. Available on Windows, it’s by far the most community-driven racing you’ll experience. BY MATTEO MARCHESCHI GETTING STARTED While a steering wheel and pedals are recommended, anything from a keyboard to an Xbox or PlayStation 4 controller can be used. Virtual reality systems such as the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive are also compatible but are by no means necessary for a high-quality gaming experience. A decent gaming rig is all you’ll need to run it, and you’ll want a great pair of headphones to hear all the screeching and revving from the simulator.

Once you jump into the software for the first time, you’ll find the iRacing member’s website, which will show you all the races that iRacing is running at the moment. As of publishing, there are four types of races: Road, Oval, Dirt Road and Dirt Oval. Each of these disciplines has at least one official rookie series to compete in right away, and some have unofficial series, which one can race in without impact on safety rating or iRating.

Safety rating, which measures how many incidents you are involved in, along with iRating, which measures your driving skill based on how well you finish against your competitors, are measurements calculated and used by iRacing in order to place you with similarly-skilled drivers. That way you’re always in a competitive race, no matter if you’re just starting out, or if you’re a veteran.

You will want to hop into an official race right away. You’ll quickly be surrounded by other players new to iRacing, since you’re in a rookie series.

You’ll have the opportunity to move up through the ranks with them, and with the built-in radio system, you’ll be making friends in no time.

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PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

JOINING THE SCENE Not only will you move up the ranks with your friends, but you’ll also be racing alongside other NASCAR fans worldwide. It’s this feeling of community that keeps players coming back.

Many join leagues, which aren’t official iRacing races, but are seasons organized by certain players. There are many of these, and they certainly fit all tastes, no matter what car or type of track you like. Some of the more notable NASCAR leagues include the National Online Racing Championship (NORC) and the

Championship Online Racing Teams (CORT). There are hundreds more to choose from, and there are always more leagues starting up.

Hosted sessions are a laid-back alternative to official sessions or leagues.

These are iRacing sessions that one person hosts and other people join in. They can be just practice, which allows drivers to run laps at their leisure without the pressure of a race, or they can be a practice, qualifying and

a race, where drivers can compete with their friends to see who’s fastest. The host also has the option to password protect a session, if they want to control who enters their session.

While iRacing is commonly thought of as a driver-development tool used by the professionals, it’s also built up a fantastic community of fans and race car drivers alike.

NASCAR PETS

Brecks: A ‘Super-Cool’ Companion NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series driver Jordan Anderson spent a chunk of his teenage years living around a rescue dog, Toby, that wandered into his parents’ yard in 2009.

These days, Anderson and his girlfriend are the proud owners of another canine – a roughly 65-pound Goldendoodle named Brecks – that belonged to Anderson’s girlfriend when the two started dating more than a year ago.

Now, Anderson is helping raise Brecks and loving every minute of it.

“He’s such a great dog,” Anderson said. “He can come up here to the shop, and if I’m working late, I’ve got a couch in my office. He’ll lay on the couch with me, or if we’re working out in the shop, he’ll wander around and disappear, and you’ll try and find him and he’s laying up underneath one of the trucks just taking a nap.

“He’s a good little shop dog, and we’ve got a little bit of land

PRESENTED BY

Z LP3 ENZYME SYSTEM

where I live and have it all fenced in, and he just goes and runs around for about an hour, and then he’ll sleep for the other 23 hours of the day. He’s a pretty lazy dog, but he’s super-cool.”

And spoiled, too.

“He’s got it made,” Anderson said of Brecks. “He’s got his bed beside my bed back home, and he’s just such a good dog.”

This much is certain: Brecks doesn’t like being away from his owners, especially after being with them pretty much 24/7 during the first couple months of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I definitely think he got attached to us being home every single day during quarantine,” Anderson said.

“Even if you’re gone for 30 minutes – you go outside and cut the grass and you come back inside to say hey to him – he acts like you’ve been gone for a week. He gets so excited he actually rolls over on his back and jumps all around when you come home. He definitely keeps a smile on your face and is just

BY JARED TURNER such a happy dog.”

The Paw Patrol Without a doubt, NASCAR drivers have soft spots in their hearts, particularly for their canine friends that love them in victory or defeat. These racers definitely enjoy life at home and on the road with their adorable dogs.

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1) Every race car driver needs a lovely, best friend and that’s quite prevalent with NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series racer Isabella Robusto and her dog, Winston.

2) When Zane Smith recently won the second leg of the Triple Truck Challenge at Dover, his loyal friend, Roxy, got her piece of the prize money and his Monster Mile trophy.

3) Bubba Wallace shared some wonderful news via Twitter on July 31, when he and girlfriend Amanda welcomed Asher, their new puppy, into their home.

4) While Justin Haley might’ve enjoyed his NASCAR Xfinity Series win at Talladega, he’s always a victor when he’s around his fluffy best friend named Ace. 5) Although Clint Bowyer delights fans with his witty commercials and perspective, he’s also a loving human friend to Trip, his trusted and reliable helper around his farm.

6) If there’s ever an appropriate time for the term shop dog, it’s applicable with Jesse Little and Brodie, his Australian Shepherd, as they enjoy some time at the JD Motorsports race shop.

7) Earlier this year, 2017 NASCAR Cup Series champion Martin Truex, Jr. welcomed Charlee, his new yellow Labrador Retriever into his home. It’s quite evident Charlee enjoys Toyota.

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NASCAR PETS

NASCAR Fans & their Pets

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We know NASCAR drivers love their pets, but now it is time to showcase some great NASCAR fans and their beloved best friends as well. Special kudos to Sara and Luna for snapping the “dog bias,” to Michael and Sampson for “Best in Show” and T.J. Downing and Linus for matching glares!

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DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL NASCAR-THEMED PET PHOTO YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE? WE WANT TO SEE IT. FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @NPPMAG AND SHARE AWAY.

1) Daniel and Ellen Turner and Bandit - Trussville, AL 2) Danny LeBlanc with Sami - Marianna, FL 3) James Tyler with Maverick and Par - Cicero, NY 4) Michael Pakkala with Sampson - Howell, MI 5) Sarah Scott and Luna - Kernersville, NC 6) Shaun Donithan with Ellie - Charlotte, NC 7) T.J. with Linus - Columbia, SC 8) NASCAR Pole Position’s Shogun – Tampa, FL

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7

DRIVER SPOTLIGHT

Natalie Decker’s Roller-Coaster Season

BY BEN WHITE

I

t’s not every day that a racer can combine one of their off-track passions with their love for the sport – but NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series driver Natalie Decker does exactly that.

The 23-year-old Wisconsin native is working with numerous sponsors this season, and one of them is perfect for not only her, but also for her dog, Cash. Decker joined forces with Pet King Brands this year, and Cash is loving every minute of it.

Cash is quite the catch, too, with his own Instagram account: @Cash_Monkeyy.

On the track, Decker is focused on improving her performance. She started the year with a top-five finish in the Gander Truck Series opener at Daytona International Speedway. Now, the Niece Motorsports driver is focused on ending the season on a high note.

YOU’VE HAD QUITE THE ROLLER-COASTER RIDE THIS SEASON, BOTH ON AND OFF THE RACE TRACK. WHAT HAS THE YEAR BEEN LIKE FOR YOU? The first thing that comes to mind is COVID-19. It messed with the schedule and meeting with fans, loved ones and sponsors at the races. To me, that’s the biggest struggle. Racing is all about family, fans and having a good time, and we just haven’t had that. It makes me really sad.

I’ve also had a bunch of visits to the hospital. I had to miss my race at Pocono, which made me so sad because I love that track.

It’s been a crazy year.

WHAT HAPPENED THAT SENT YOU TO THE HOSPITAL? I got my gallbladder removed in December, right before Christmas. It runs in the family, and every single person on my mom’s side had their gallbladder taken out before they were 25 or so. I was still having major issues and the pain never went away. One day, I woke up early, went to the gym and worked out with my trainer. I felt fine, but when I started getting ready for the day, I was in so much pain that it was making me throw up and I couldn’t move.

My boyfriend said he was going to take me to the emergency room. We called my surgeon and he told me to come in right away. What happened was my bile duct was clogged with previous stones that I had and they were still in there. It wasn’t working right and my liver was all messed up. I had to stay in the hospital for a week.

WHAT’S IT BEEN LIKE TO BE BACK IN THE NO. 44 TRUCK AFTER THAT EXPERIENCE? I’m just glad it was only a week long and I only had to miss one race. I’m glad I’m

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back. I love working with my team, and they’re so fun. We’ve had some really good runs, but I just wish my family could be there and my sponsors. Every time we go to the track, we have a great time.

HOW EXCITING IS IT TO WORK WITH PET KING BRANDS? Last year, we got our dog Cash from the Concord Humane Society. Pet King Brands reached out to us once we got our dog, and they wanted to partner with us. It’s been an amazing partnership. They make products for your dog, like shampoo, conditioner, ear cleaners, oral care and they’re so fun to work with.

They fit so well and Cash loves their products so much. What’s really cool is that our dog back home in Wisconsin, his name was Bear – a black lab – he loved swimming in the water. Before we even had this partnership, we had to put ear cleaners in his ears because he was always in the lake and we didn’t want him to get an infection. So we used Zymox, which is really cool that we used it back then, and now we have this great partnership.

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

NASCAR OUTDOORS

NASCAR Drivers and NASCAR and the outdoors go hand in hand, from fans camping and tailgating at races to drivers spending their free time fishing, hunting and appreciating all that nature has to offer. Conservationism is a priority for so many involved in the sport.

BY JARED TURNER

CLINT BOWYER Growing up in the small town of Emporia, Kansas, Clint Bowyer learned the art of fishing and hunting at an early age. Those hobbies have continued into adulthood as Bowyer, who now lives in North Carolina, still loves spending time outdoors – particularly back home in Emporia where he often returns to deer hunt.

So noted is Bowyer’s passion for wildlife that he was the featured celebrity guest hunter and hunting guide for the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation’s muzzleloader Bull Elk Hunt in October 2017. Bowyer joined one lucky winner and a guest for the all-expenses paid, seven-day trip to the 32,000-acre Montosa Ranch in New Mexico.

GRANT ENFINGER NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series driver Grant Enfinger is an avid fisherman. He usually keeps a fishing pole inside his team hauler and tends to be creative in finding a fishing hole within reasonably close proximity to most of the tracks where the trucks compete.

Enfinger’s primary sponsor, Champion Power Equipment, also sponsors a professional angler, Shane Lineberger, so Enfinger and Lineberger get together and go fishing on Lake Norman near Charlotte, North Carolina, as often as their schedules allow.

In addition, Enfinger likes to kayak fish and plans his family vacations around fishing.

For example, Enfinger and his wife, Michelle, usually stay in the Florida Keys after the race at Homestead-Miami Speedway so Grant can get some fishing done before heading home.

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the Great Outdoors RYAN NEWMAN If NASCAR had a poster boy for outdoors and wildlife interests, it would undoubtedly be Ryan Newman. The veteran driver’s deer hunting, angling and conservationist exploits are carried out at least partly through his foundation and Rescue Ranch, a nonprofit animal welfare organization that Newman co-founded in 2012 and that is based on an 87-acre property in Statesville, North Carolina.

“People ask a lot of times how I work out and stay in shape, and my answer is always that I work out by being outside in the outdoors,” Newman said. “From getting stuff done on the tractor to feeding animals around the property, that is what keeps me busy during the week. Hunting and fishing is also a passion of mine. Whether it be hunting wild game across the country or fishing with my daughters on the land, I’m at my happiest when I’m outdoors.”

MARTIN TRUEX JR. Martin Truex Jr. enjoys all kinds of fishing and goes on fishing trips in several states each year while traveling to and from tracks on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule.

The states where Truex fishes include North Carolina, Florida, Michigan and California.

On typical race weekends, Truex will get away from the track at some point and head to a body of water with good friend and fellow driver Ryan Newman.

“It’s been a great escape from the week in and week out pressures of racing,” Truex said.

“We have found some excellent fishing spots, and please don’t ask where, because I am not going to tell anyone.”

In the fall, Truex spends time hunting in various places with different friends, including Bass Pro Shops founder and CEO Johnny Morris.

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NASCAR OUTDOORS

Record’s Rack’s Perfect Ambassador

BY JARED TURNER NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series driver Spencer Boyd might be the perfect ambassador for Cargill’s Record Rack® premium game feed brand, which specializes in wildlife products engineered to attract and nourish deer for overall health and antler development.

After all, you will be hard-pressed to find many, if any, folks who enjoy deer hunting and the outdoors more than Boyd.

Growing up in a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri, Boyd remembers going whitetail deer hunting for the first time at age 5 with his grandfather. Years later, as Boyd became passionate about pursuing a career in racing, he also hunted often with his father.

“That was something my dad and I could do that was a little more lowstress,” Boyd said. “As I’ve gotten older, it’s become something that he and I

have done to decompress, relive great memories and talk about life and what we have going on.”

These days, Boyd does most of his hunting in North Carolina where he now resides, but he also makes at least one trip back to Missouri each year to spend some time in the woods. Just last year, Boyd harvested his most prized deer yet – a 180-inch, 10-point buck – while hunting on a friend’s ranch in west Texas.

“I’m out there to harvest an animal,” said Boyd, who has been a hunter now for two decades. “We eat the meat and all that fun stuff, but it’s about the thrill of the chase – going out there and figuring

out where the deer are moving, what time they’re going to be around where you’re going to be, and water and food plots.

There’s a lot of work that goes into it.”

The work is well worth it for Boyd, one of many NASCAR drivers who relish time spent in the great outdoors and the fact that many of their peers do the same.

“We don’t all come from the same region of the country, but we have very similar backgrounds,” Boyd said. “It’s a lot of just good ole boys – guys that come from good families that have been around a while. The way we grew up, fast cars, hunting, fishing, family have a lot to do with the outdoors and the appreciation for what we have out here on earth and what we’re able to take away from it.

“When you’re in the hustle and bustle of racing all the time, it’s nice to go out there in nature and just be away from everyone and not have your phone have service, and just be able to disconnect and be one with nature and chase an animal around.”

HELLCAT — BEST MICRO 9MM EVER? MIKE HUMPHRIES—EDITOR, THEARMORYLIFE.COM

Full disclosure, here. I normally carry fullsize guns for CCW. I prefer the increased capacity, enhanced shootability and superior adaptability of bigger guns. So, I simply accepted added weight, bulk and discomfort as the price of doing business.

But now it seems there’s a pistol that might just offer the best of both worlds — full-size capabilities and CCW-ready dimensions.

That pistol is the brand new 9mm Hellcat from Springfield Armory. The +P rated pistol weighs 17.9 oz. empty, has a short 3″ barrel and is a mere 1″ wide. Yet it packs an impressive 11-round capacity within its patented magazine — and bumps it up to 13+1 with the included extended magazine.

In addition to its impressive capacity, the Hellcat — in its OSP guise — is capable of accepting micro red dot optics. It features a removable cover plate and the ability to mount optics directly to the slide, situating

the optic low enough to allow co-witnessing with the pistol’s excellent “U-Dot” tritium/ luminescent sights.

For testing, I fitted out the Hellcat OSP with a Shield red dot and ran a range of defensive and range loads through the pistol. It ran without a hitch, and also allowed me to easily hit 6″ steel plates at 25 yards. Recoil was manageable, and the pistol was clearly a shooter.

Did the new Hellcat make me reconsider my long-held opinion that I only want to carry full-size pistols? In a word, yes. With its capacity, ability to accept a red dot optic and all-around pleasant shooting characteristics, the Hellcat offers the best of both worlds. TO SEE MY FULL REVIEW, VISIT WWW.THEARMORYLIFE.COM.

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT

K-SEAL: THE NO. 1 MULTI-PURPOSE COOLANT LEAK REPAIR

BY JARED TURNER

A

widely used and immensely popular permanent coolant leak repair product that has been around for two decades, K-Seal is sold in countries all over the world.

However, its international reach being the great thing that it is, K-Seal is still made in America – specifically, in Medford, New Jersey. And Patrick O’Brien, the company’s owner and co-founder, doesn’t want that fact to be lost on anyone.

“It is very important to us that K-Seal was developed and is manufactured in the USA,” O’Brien said.

“The U.S. is the home of the automobile, and this is where the technology and innovation comes from that helped us create K-Seal. Plus, K-Seal requires some complex manufacturing techniques that we could only find here in the U.S.” When K-Seal first went on the market, coolant leak sealer products and head gasket/block repairs available in other places tended to use an old schoolchemistry that in many cases wasn’t antifreeze compatible. The K-Seal formula was engineered to be an effective and safe coolant leak repair but also easy to use as it mixes with all types of antifreeze and coolant. This made it an instant hit with motorists throughout the globe, so it’s not surprising that K-Seal is now the No. 1 multi-purpose coolant leak repair product in the U.S. “We may have sold millions of bottles around the world, but K-Seal is still owned and run by the same two friends who first met at college back in the ’80s,” O’Brien said. “We pride ourselves on offering a great product, at great value, backed up with personal customer service.”

Available in three varieties – K-Seal MultiPurpose One Step Coolant Leak Repair, K-Seal HD and K-Seal Ultimate – K-Seal uses a unique blend of ceramic microfibers that are specifically engineered

K-SEAL IS SAFE AND EASY TO USE GOOD LUCK FINDING A BRAND MORE

•• K-Seal sponsored Jordan Anderson Racing at Daytona in February. K-Seal CEO Patrick O’Brien and son, Declan, are pictured pre-race with Gander RV & Outdoors Truck series driver Jordan Anderson. to seek out any leak, fix it fast and make a permanent repair.

“Like Colonel Sanders (the well-known founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken), we can’t tell you all the secrets of our formula, but we know you’ll love it,” O’Brien said.

K-Seal’s original formula, the Multi-Purpose One Step Coolant Leak Repair, is often called “The Miracle in the Little Blue Bottle” by professional technicians.

Designed to address leaks in all hard parts of a vehicle’s cooling system (metal or hard plastic), it’s an ideal product to keep in your trunk in the event of an emergency. K-Seal HD is designed to fix coolant leaks in bigger, heavy-duty vehicles such as the largest trucks, tractors and agricultural vehicles. Meanwhile, K-Seal Ultimate formula is specifically engineered to permanently fix coolant leaks in head gaskets and blocks on all water-cooled engines.

“With a 100 percent money back guarantee, you can’t lose,” O’Brien said. “Plus, all K-Seal products have been university tested to comply with the tough ASTM standards for coolant leak repair products.”

Most other products that claim to function similarly to K-Seal use an outdated sodium silicate technology that isn’t always friendly with coolants or water. If the wrong concentration of that chemical is in the same place, it tends to coagulate – gumming up parts of the cooling system, which causes problems. K-Seal and its ceramic technology don’t allow for this.

“The worst K-Seal can do is simply not work,” O’Brien said. “However, we have an extremely high success rate.”

and joy quickly and safely.”

O’Brien enjoyed an up-close and personal

memorable last-lap battle with Grant Enfinger.

“We had an amazing time at Daytona where

perfect for the NASCAR enthusiast than K-Seal.

view of the NASCAR action back in February

we were supporting Jordan,” O’Brien said.

“If there’s ever been a product that NASCAR

at Daytona International Speedway where he

“Jordan is a great guy with huge talent, and he

fans should love, it’s K-Seal,” O’Brien said. “The

attended the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors

made the K-Seal team feel completely at home

great thing about K-Seal is that it is so easy to use

Truck Series race in support of driver Jordan

with his team and family. And what a fantastic

but, importantly, it’s completely safe. We know

Anderson.

race. Jordan played it so cool and produced an

NASCAR fans love their cars, and it is important to us that they can trust K-Seal to fix their pride

40

POLE POSITION 2020

Anderson, who carries K-Seal as a sponsor on his family-run trucks, finished second after a

awesome finish, only just missing out on the win by the smallest margin.”

L A E S K H WIT

T S A F T I FIX

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ded to d A ilicate S e B m n u i a d C 99 s s / So a l g w Tank d i o u fl r q i e l v T O 99 NO to the d e d d A e NO 99 Can B NG

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UM H ALUMIN

AVAILABLE AT:

NO

USA

kseal.com | info@kseal.com | 888.254.0150

* WARNING/Caution: Take care before opening the cooling system when engine hot as it may be under pressure and could cause injury. Always consult a qualified mechanic before proceeding. If in doubt wait until engine cools or add via overflow tank.

FIRE PREVENTION

SAFETY FIRST

The Evolution of Fire Safety in Motorsports

The most successful drivers in racing are blessed with supreme skill, focus and confidence. Beneath the bravado, however, lies one concern: the fear of fire.

BY AARON BURNS Mark Martin knew he could wheel a race car better than most any driver, as his résumé attests. He won 40 NASCAR Cup Series races and five International Race of Champions titles in a career that spanned four decades. Few drivers shared Martin’s dexterity behind the wheel, but Martin spent years feeling unsure of himself when it came to operating the fire extinguisher system in his race car.

“It was a very scary thought,” recalled Martin, a 2017 inductee into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. “I tried not to think about it much. I don’t believe I ever had a fire in a car, but if I had, I don’t believe I’d have remembered to pull the pin. I might have, but I worried about that because you’d be in a panicked situation.”

Fire has permeated in the back of drivers’ minds for as long as racing has existed. It’s the primary reason why, even into the 1960s, NASCAR cars and open-wheel, formula-style cars weren’t equipped with seat belts. A driver figured he stood a better chance of surviving a crash if he were thrown from the car as

42

POLE POSITION 2020

NASCAR on FOX analyst Larry McReynolds, pictured after winning the Daytona 500 as crew chief for Davey Allison in 1992, has witnessed numerous advancements in fire safety. (ISC Images & Archives)

opposed to being trapped in the cockpit if it caught fire. Primitive solutions – like adding seat belts, mandating driver fire suits and downsizing fuel tanks – helped assuage concerns to an extent, but further investment into fire safety was needed to make a significant impact and save countless lives.

Larry McReynolds, an accomplished crew chief-turned NASCAR on FOX analyst, remembers the 1980s as an era of excess in many respects, but not when it came to fire safety.

“I think back to when I worked on the crew with David Pearson in 1983 and 1984.

When he got dressed before getting in his car, he’d put on regular underwear and socks, a driver’s uniform and a pair of soft loafers like you’d buy in a store,” McReynolds recalled. “That was his driving apparel – no fireproof shoes, socks, certainly no fireproof underwear. That was pretty common back then.”

Since Pearson retired in 1989, numerous enhancements have been implemented to better protect drivers and crew members in the event of a fire. Full-faced helmets and fire-resistant suits, shirts, socks and shoes are required for every NASCAR driver. Pit crew members must wear helmets and fire suits as well, fostering a safer atmosphere for every weekend warrior.

“The sport in all aspects of safety has grown in leaps and bounds, especially over the last couple of decades,” said McReynolds, who won the Daytona 500 with Davey Allison in 1992 and with Dale Earnhardt in 1998. “I always feared wrecks and crashes my driver was involved in, but the thing I always feared the most was a fire. The

ABOVE: Fire safety grew

by leaps and bounds throughout Mark Martin’s career. (Tom Pennington/ Getty Images for NASCAR) LEFT: Alex Bowman’s

Chevrolet erupted in flames in a 2015 NASCAR Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, but Bowman was unhurt upon exiting the car. (Nick Laham/Getty Images photo)

fire extinguishers I see today and the things I see that are mandated within the cars, they have not one but two extinguishers in race cars now. One is designated for the driver to engage from the cockpit and the other, one of the neatest things, is the secondary fire extinguisher that goes in every race car.

“It has a hose and nozzle that goes back to the trunk area and it doesn’t have to be driver-activated. It has a heat sensor that can be activated when there’s heat from a fire. It’s almost like a home system that goes off with an alarm. It’s definitely made a difference. Even though the modern fuel cell in a race car is very fireproof – a Kevlar bladder inside a steel container – there’s still concern that if there’s a hard-enough impact with the rear of the car into the wall, it could start a fire. That’s why NASCAR has worked so hard to make the cars safer.”

One of NASCAR’s least-noticed changes in recent years has been of major benefit to pit crew members: the positioning of exhaust pipes.

“The biggest cause of a fire now is when fuel gets spilled during a pit stop and a hot lug nut or something like that ignites it,” McReynolds said. “We used to have, as crew chiefs, the option of running the exhaust pipes out of the left or right side of a car. We would often dump the exhaust pipes out of

the left side of the car to shift weight, which meant you’d have hot exhaust coming straight at a tire changer during a pit stop – and very close to where the fuel man is fueling the car. It was a recipe for fire. Now, it’s mandated that the exhaust goes out the right side of the car. That is so important.”

Additional track safety workers at each stop on the circuit, coupled with more fire extinguishers and the best trained personnel, have turned NASCAR into a safety innovator within the racing industry.

Martin considers the late Bill Simpson, the founder of Simpson Performance Products and a fire safety pioneer within the sport, as being another game-changer for drivers and over-the-wall crew members.

“Bill’s goal in life was to make racing safer. That was his passion,” Martin said. “As (protective equipment) progressed with Nomex (now an industrystandard fire-proof material) and it got better with layers and even fireproof underwear over the years, I credit him a lot with that. Of course, the cars are safer now, too. The fuel cells do a much better job and the safety equipment is definitely better.”

It’s almost best if fire safety isn’t a frequent topic of discussion among race fans, because it means that each measure is doing its job: protecting drivers and pit crew members.

“That’s a credit to how proactive NASCAR has been with fire safety,” McReynolds said. “They could’ve been reactive, but, thank God, they’ve been pretty proactive about it. They’re always trying to make it safer.”

Fire Prevention and Safety Tips Around the Home

NVFC Chair Steve Hirsch offers these fire prevention and safety tips for in and around your home: •• The No. 1 cause of home fires and injuries is cooking fires. NEVER leave frying, grilling, boiling or broiling food unattended. Check on simmering, baking and roasting foods regularly.

•• If you have a small grease fire while cooking, either put the lid back on and turn off the stove or use baking soda or a fire extinguisher on it. NEVER pick up the pan or use regular water.

•• Teach your kids that fire is not something to mess with, and supervise them around active flames and cooking.

•• Make sure you have smoke alarms properly installed on every level of your home and outside each separate sleeping area. Test monthly to ensure they are working.

•• Sleep with your bedroom door closed. If a fire occurs, this will slow the spread and create a livable space until firefighters arrive.

•• Be prepared before a fire occurs. Create and practice a home fire escape plan with all members of your family.

•• If you are in a burning structure, get low to the ground and crawl out. Once you are out, stay out.

•• If you live in an area susceptible to wildfires, maintain a five-foot defensible zone around your house using hard surfaces, noncombustible mulch products/ rock and low-growing, herbaceous plants. Limit the amount of flammable vegetation within 100 feet of your house.

Make sure your lawn is well-irrigated, and remove dead vegetation and tree branches continuously.

•• As we prepare for winter, remember to practice heating safety. Have your fireplace cleaned and inspected annually, keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from fireplaces and space heaters, and make sure your fire is out and your space heater is off before going to bed.

POLE POSITION MAG.COM

43

FIRE PREVENTION

Give Back to the Community BECOME A VOLUNTEER FIRE SERVICE MEMBER

One little known fact about fire prevention is that the majority of firefighters in the United States are volunteers – and there is currently a need for more. BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

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POLE POSITION 2020

THOSE INTERESTED IN becoming a firefighter, can visit www.

The National Volunteer Fire Council is the leading nonprofit membership association representing the interests of the volunteer fire, EMS and rescue services. Organized in 1976, the NVFC serves as the voice of the volunteer fire and emergency services in the national arena and provides invaluable resources, programs, education and advocacy for first responders across the nation.

The NVFC supports the volunteer fire and emergency services by providing resources, training, programs, advocacy and support for responders and departments.

Research from the NVFC shows that there is a lack of awareness in communities about volunteer fire services, so one of the council’s goals is to raise awareness.

Here are some important stats to consider: •• Volunteers comprise 67 percent of firefighters in the United States.

•• Of the total estimated 1.115 million firefighters in the country, 745,000 are volunteer.

•• Of the total 29,705 fire departments in the country, 19,112 are all volunteer; 5,206 are mostly volunteer; 2,368 are mostly career; and 3,009 are all career.

•• The time donated by volunteer firefighters saves localities across the country an estimated $46.9 billion per year.

•• 41 percent of people don’t know if their local fire department utilizes volunteers.

•• 79 percent don’t know if their local fire department needs more volunteers.

•• 28 percent of people have an interest in volunteering in the fire service.

•• 44 percent of millennials have an interest in volunteering in the fire service.

MAKE ME A FIREFIGHTER CAMPAIGN

MakeMeAFirefighter.org for more information.

If you’re ready to serve your community in ways that few can, you have just about everything you need to get started.

Your local department may have some other requirements, such as a high school degree, a physical and a background check. When you sign up to be a volunteer firefighter or emergency responder,

“There are many reasons why people volunteer with their local fire department,” said NVFC Chief of Communications Kimberly Quiros. “Being there for your neighbors in need is a rewarding and impactful way to give back to the community. You also learn new skills that can enhance your personal and professional life. In addition, there is a strong sense of camaraderie in the fire service – you become part of a team that is more like a family.”

Many local volunteer fire departments are struggling to meet staffing needs.

The number of volunteer firefighters in the U.S. reached a low in 2017. At the same time, call volume has tripled in the last 30 years, due in large part to the increase in emergency medical calls.

Major factors contributing to recruitment challenges include increased time demands, more rigorous training requirements and the proliferation of two-income families whose members do not have time to volunteer. Fire departments today are also expected to provide a wide range of services and multi-hazard response, creating further challenges for resource-constrained departments.

“A lot of people are unaware that more volunteers are needed and they can step up and serve,” Quiros said. “We’re trying to raise awareness that people can join their local departments and get trained to become firefighters, EMTs or support personnel.”

you’ll receive all the training you need.

“People don’t realize that ‘firefighter’ is a misnomer,” said Kimberly Quiros of the NVFC. “The fire department responds to all types of emergencies, including car crashes, medical emergencies and natural disasters. It’s a way to give back to your neighbors on their worst days. In hurricane season, you’ll see firefighters helping people evacuate. Anyone can help their local fire department, whether it’s by becoming a volunteer firefighter or emergency medical provider, or by volunteering in a support role such as fire prevention education, fundraising, administration or other non-emergency function.”

Where Did Our Freedoms Go?

JUST LIKE THAT, OUR FREEDOMS SEEM TO HAVE VANISHED

BY ROBERT M. REILLEY

It was just months ago, you may remember that time. Americans were eating in restaurants, going to church, heading out to see a movie, attending weddings, running businesses and making money. Dare I say, some of us were hanging out at the race track.

We used to call this “life” – those everyday choices, made by people everywhere across this country, doing what the founders of this country called “in the pursuit of happiness.” Certainly, you know what has happened since.

Our freedoms seem to have disappeared right before our eyes. No explaining necessary. No permission needed. No vote. How could this possibly happen without serious debate and involvement among the citizens of our country?

Well before these many long “pandemic months,” 11 years ago, a team of Houston, Texasbased attorneys watched freedom disappear right before the eyes of the self-defender. Folks

that rightfully and lawfully defended themselves against criminals intent on harming them, their family and loved ones, only to see their freedom disappear in seconds.

These attorneys saw first-hand the injustice against law-abiding gunowners who were forced to legally defend themselves and found they were at a significant disadvantage within the justice system. They watched these people face unwarranted hardships, financial ruin and loss of freedom in trying to defend themselves in what they felt was a rigged justice system.

Ultimately, they said, “enough is enough” and created what is known today as U.S. LawShield® and its Legal Defense for Self-Defense Program.

“Our company’s mission is ‘Preserving Freedom For Good’ and when our members lawfully defend themselves, we stand ready to defend them, without limits, retainers, hourly fees or caps – simply put, we will do whatever it takes to defend our member,” said P.J. Hermosa, CEO of U.S. LawShield.

“We are a mission-driven organization focused on protecting the freedom of our members and protecting the ‘good guys’ – those law-abiding men and women of the USA standing strong among us,” added Hermosa.

The company aptly calls its unique and groundbreaking process of protecting and defending its 540,000 members, FreedomRestoredTM. When the company’s program was launched, it “broke the mold” on pricing and availability for legal services and continues today with coverage starting at just $10.95 per month.

U.S. LawShield is the trusted leader on the subject of self-defense and the law. Members rely and count on the company for its unique attorney-answered hotline known as AttorneyResponse365TM to respond in the case of an emergency 24/7/365. That means members will talk directly to an attorney when it is most needed and immediately establish attorney-client privileged communication at the outset of a case. In addition, members get complimentary non-emergency access to an attorney for any questions on self-defense and the law. Learn more at uslawshield.com.

TAILGATING

Tailgating with Larry Thompson

A

retired international 747 airline captain, Larry Thompson does everything he

can to stay active in retirement. One of Thompson’s most cherished activities is tailgating at Talladega Superspeedway, which he’s done just about every NASCAR race weekend at the 2.66-mile Alabama track since the spring of 2013.

Thompson’s introduction to tailgating came simply enough.

“I owed a flying friend a favor, so he said, ‘Let’s take your motorhome to Talladega,’” Thompson recalled. “While I knew of this, I wasn’t a fan, but then I said, ‘Wait, there’s a cute girl who races!’ So, I called and asked for the best motorhome spot but had to sit down when they told me the price.”

The “cute girl” to which Thompson was referring is former NASCAR Cup Series driver Danica Patrick. Now that Patrick and Dale Earnhardt Jr. have both hung up their driving helmets, Thompson tends to lean toward Joey Logano when it comes to having a driver allegiance.

“Joey Logano and Earnhardt Jr. seem like class acts,” Thompson said.

Regardless of who’s racing, Thompson likes to gather with friends at Talladega every spring and fall for a fun tailgating experience with people at a similar place in life.

“I have flying pals and other friends come from around the country for this four-day event,” Thompson said. “We have had as many as 12 guys ‘camping’ with us. As we are older, the peace and quiet in the secured area is good; however, there is Talladega Boulevard in the center of the track where it gets crazy. It’s a combination of Bourbon Street and Las Vegas. I am unable to confirm or deny any activities we may or may not have been part of.”

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Q&A with Larry

the packets and pour about half of 1 bottle of beer into

WITH WHOM DO YOU

■■ 1-2 bottles of dark Amber beer

TAILGATE?

■■ Take Bone Suckin’ Seasoning &

■■ Re-close the foil packets and,

Rub and add Dry Ghost Pepper

if necessary, add an additional

WHO ARE YOUR FAVORITE DRIVERS? Joey Logano, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and

CINDY SMITH’S GRILLED RIBS: ■■ 3 racks of pork ribs

Some of my friends are the “Soddy Daisy Boys” (Pat,

into the seasoning.

■■ Make double layer of heavy-

each packet.

layer of foil.

■■ Set your grill to 250 degrees,

Danica Patrick

Charles and Phillip), Jim, Dave,

WHAT’S YOUR AGE AND RESIDENCE?

Al, Ray and others. It’s always

duty aluminum foil and place 1

place ribs on grill for about

a nice reunion.

rack of ribs onto foil.

9 hours. Rotate ribs about

71; Canton, Georgia YOUR OCCUPATION?

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE

Retired commercial airline pilot

TAILGATING FOODS?

over ribs (both sides).

We are a steak-and-

■■ Close up into foil packets

WHEN AND WHERE WAS YOUR FIRST TAILGATE? Talladega Superspeedway, May 2013

■■ Sprinkle seasoning liberally

halfway through the 9 hours of cooking.

■■ Uncover when finished and eat

potatoes group. Nothing

■■ Marinate overnight.

with a spoon; the bones will

fancy.

■■ In the morning, carefully open

fall out.

MUST-HAVE PRODUCT WITH JIMMIE JOHNSON ABOUT TO CALL IT QUITS FROM FULL-TIME RACING AT THE END OF THE NASCAR CUP Series season, there has never been a better time to honor the seven-time Cup Series champion while tailgating at the track. For only $224.99, fans can purchase a spiffy-looking Jimmie Johnson canopy tent at NASCAR.com’s online memorabilia store. The tent provides approximately 81 square feet of coverage and can be easily set up by two people.

“Show off your undeniable NASCAR fandom with this Jimmie Johnson 9’ x 9’ Logo Economy Canopy,” the official product description at NASCAR.com reads. “This canopy is easy for two people to set up and it collapses down to just 4’ for easy storage and transporting. This canopy is perfect for providing you and your friends with coverage at the next tailgate or backyard party, and its crisp graphics will let everyone know you’re a dedicated Jimmie Johnson fan.”

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DRIVER SPOTLIGHT

Hailie Deegan 19-Year-Old Sensation

BY JARED TURNER

H

er more than 738,000 followers on

Instagram far exceed the number of followers had by Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick.

Her audience on the popular social networking website is more robust than that of Chase Elliott, Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski – combined.

Yet unlike all of those drivers, Hailie Deegan has never turned a lap in a NASCAR Cup Series car. In fact, she’s never participated in a NASCAR national series race.

But somehow, at the tender age of 19 and with nary a lap’s worth of experience or exposure at NASCAR’s top level, she’s amassed an Instagram following second only to that of 15-time Cup Series most popular driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. in terms of big-name drivers past and present.

In all fairness, it helps that Deegan’s father, Brian, is arguably the most decorated freestyle motocross rider in X Games history. It also doesn’t hurt that Hailie has a well-known primary sponsor in Monster Energy and has found quick success in stock cars, winning a total three races over the past two seasons in the ARCA Menard Series West, a regional touring division that serves as a training ground for potential up-and-comers.

Perhaps more important than all of that, however, is the fact that Deegan – now a full-time driver in the ARCA Menards Series – is willing to do what many drivers these days simply aren’t: be 100 percent herself and not care all that much about what people think.

“I’m pretty outgoing,” Deegan said with a laugh. “I’d say I have an outgoing and aggressive personality.”

Interestingly, Deegan attributes this personality more to her background in racing pre-NASCAR than her DNA or the home

48

POLE POSITION 2020

MY LIFE IS PRETTY MUCH RACING,

ALL RACING.

–HAILIE DEEGAN

environment in which she grew up.

Prior to jumping in a stock car for the first time in 2017, she won a championship in the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series and two more off-road titles while following a path similar to that of her dad, who competed as an off-road truck racer in addition to his adventures in motocross.

“My natural instinct when it comes to racing is to be aggressive,” Deegan said. “The racing world I grew up in was off-road. But in stock-car racing, obviously, you can’t be as aggressive. People will be like, ‘She’s too aggressive, she’s too aggressive.’ I’m like, ‘I’m not trying to be too aggressive. I’m just trying to figure out what to do with the stock-car world.’

“It’s going to take a lot of time to try to figure out the balance of being patient and aggressive. But coming from off-road racing, that’s just how the racing is.”

In addition to not holding back on the track since joining the stock-car ranks, Deegan has also been prone to often speak her mind. While such candor may not appeal to everyone, she believes it’s expanded her ever-growing fan base and made her more attractive to certain sponsors.

“It’s hard enough to find sponsors as it is, but people who want to work with you because of your personality and you being you is even harder to find,” Deegan said. “So, that’s something I’ve tried to focus on is finding people that want to work with me for me – not for someone who they want me to be.”

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

with Hailie Deegan HOW PROUD ARE YOU OF YOUR INSTAGRAM FOLLOWING? It isn’t like a proud thing. The reason I’ve grown my social media is to attract sponsors and companies so I can go racing, and that’s why I get a lot of the sponsors that I get. They have to feel like they’re getting something in return. Putting a sticker on the side of the car for $100,000 to go race isn’t always enough for them to get behind. So, I have more tools that I can use to get the sponsors what they want.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR DAD’S INFLUENCE ON YOUR CAREER? My dad’s definitely involved in my racing and my racing career. We practice together, we do a lot together. He comes over to the shop. There’s a lot still that my dad’s involved in just because of his knowledge of racing and everything like that. He’s been through a lot in the racing world with different types of motorsports, so he understands it, he gets it, he knows how it works. So that’s why he’s so involved.

HOW DOES IT FEEL TO HEAR IT SAID THAT YOU COULD BE NASCAR’S NEXT FEMALE SUPERSTAR? People have a lot of expectations, but I’m just taking this time to learn and develop. I know I’m going to have my ups and downs.

I’m still learning the stock-car world. It’s still new to me. I’m only in my third year of pavement racing. So, I’m still having to learn a lot of stuff, and I make mistakes, and I kind of just leave the bad and take the good.

HAVE YOU TALKED WITH DANICA PATRICK? No. She was on her way out of the NASCAR world just as I was entering.

WHAT CAN YOU LEARN FROM HER CAREER? She had to do something right, especially to be one of the only girls that’s ever been at that high of a level. She did a lot right, but I just never really paid attention to NASCAR a whole lot growing up, because I was so focused on my off-road racing and that’s the scene I was in. So, I didn’t watch her career very closely.

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

HOW DO YOU STAY GROUNDED? I still have a long way to go in the stock-car world. I still have years and years of development. There’s obviously a lot of highs and lows that happen in the stock-car world and it’s so competitive. There’s just so many different factors that come into it, that you can’t get ahead of yourself.

IT’S BEEN SAID THAT TODAY’S DRIVERS LACK THE PERSONALITY OF DRIVERS FROM YESTERYEAR. DO YOU THINK YOU CAN IMPROVE THAT? Yeah. Some of the drivers, you talk to them and it’s like talking to a brick wall. Not many of them have personality, and I think a lot of the personality has kind of filtered out in the NASCAR world and a lot of these manufacturers and sponsors want a driver who says all the right ad-type things and is pretty much just like a robot.

WHAT’S BEEN THE BIGGEST LEARNING CURVE IN NASCAR? How reliant you are on equipment.

It wasn’t like that in off-road racing.

Stock-car racing you just rely on your setup. The car plays such a big role in it. In off-road racing, you can have a kind of dumpy, not-very-good truck and you can make it run OK. In offroad racing, your talent level dictated pretty much how you finished. Coming to stock-car racing, it’s not like that anymore.

HOW DO YOU AVOID DISTRACTIONS? I just pretty much do my own thing.

At the end of the day, my goal in life is to race in the Cup Series. Pretty much everything I do is to get to that goal. I don’t really venture off the path very far. My life is pretty much racing, all racing.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU? It’s hard to say, just because I race on sponsorship and how much sponsorship funding I get year-to-year. We’ll see as soon as the 2021 season comes up, but if I had my dream scenario of the perfect development process for me to make it to the Cup Series, it would be two years of trucks and two years of Xfinity and then eventually going to Cup. But, obviously, not everything works as planned.

POLE POSITION MAG.COM

49

PRESENTED BY

DRIVER PROFILE

Racing’s Royal Family Richard Petty’s Grandson Making His Mark There’s a “Petty” coming to an ARCA Menards Series track near you; he just has a different last name.

This racer’s name is Thad Moffitt and he’s the 20-year-old son of Richard Petty’s youngest daughter, Rebecca, who is married to Brian Moffitt, the CEO of Richard Petty Motorsports and a longtime associate of the Petty family’s racing efforts.

Nearing the end of an impressive first season of full-time ARCA competition, Thad Moffitt clearly shares the same competitive genes that made his grandfather the NASCAR Cup Series’ all-time wins leader and his late great-grandfather, Lee Petty, likewise one of the sport’s all-time best drivers.

Twelve races into his first full ARCA campaign, Moffitt ranked fifth in the standings on the strength of seven top-10 finishes, highlighted by pair of top-five results that included a fifth-place finish at Daytona International Speedway – a track synonymous with Petty family greatness.

Yet, like any racer from the Petty family lineage would be, Moffitt is hungry for more.

“We’ve had some good runs, some really good runs,” said Moffitt, who is competing as a Richard Petty Motorsports development driver under the umbrella of DGR-Crosley – a race team owned

by NASCAR veteran David Gilliland and Crosley Brands CEO Bo LeMastus. “We’ve also had a lot of bad luck. So, I’ve been a little bit disappointed so far – not in our performance overall, just things always seem to happen when they shouldn’t happen.”

A few setbacks won’t dampen Moffitt’s enthusiasm for carrying

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“We were so excited when they came on board this year,” Moffitt said. “I think that it’s an

50

POLE POSITION 2020

BY JARED TURNER

on the Petty family legacy or trying to carve his own unique path, which he expects to include more time in ARCA and up to seven NASCAR Xfinity Series races next season.

“Everywhere I go, I’m introduced as ‘Richard Petty’s grandson,’” Moffitt said. “I still like to carry the Petty blue colors and the swooshes and the orange and blue on my driver’s suit, shoes, helmet and everything so people can kind of put two and two together. But at the same time, I like for them to know me as a person and my identity in racing. So, hopefully, I end up being successful enough that they’ll start remembering me as Thad Moffitt.”

Many conversations Moffitt has shared with his maternal grandfather, whom he calls “grandpa,” have shaped the man he is and will become.

“He’s always taught me, ‘Treat everybody the same. Treat everybody like you want to be treated,’” Moffitt said. “Even though he’s The King and he’s won 200 races, if you’re Joe Blow the janitor man, he’s still going to talk to you just like you’re Lebron James.”

Moffitt remembers being 8 years old when he decided he wanted to follow the Petty family tradition and race for a living. He’s never looked back.

“Once I got started driving stock cars, even go-kart racing, it was like every weekend,” said Moffitt, who owns three Late Model victories and won a championship in the Southeast Limited Late Model Series. “It’s kind of that bug I caught. Now, when I don’t get to race, it’s not as fun watching it on TV or sitting on the couch as when we get to drive.”

awesome product, especially now, and it’s very beneficial for us as millennials in the future. They have reusable bottles, which is a really big deal because you don’t have to buy the bottles over and over, you reuse it and just drop one of the dissolvable pacs in, add water, and you’re ready to clean! With CleanPacs, you’re not only saving money, but you’re saving the environment.”

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sponsor for Moffitt this season but was the primary sponsor on his No. 46 Ford for the Sept. 26 ARCA Menards Series race at Memphis International Speedway.

“I really love the performance and its easy to use their product,” Moffitt said of CleanPacs. “I really like the idea, and I really like what they’re doing, and they’re all great people. I love having them on board.”

PHOTOGRAPHY: CLEANPACS

THAD MOFFITT DRIVER OF THE CLEANPACS No. 46 FORD FUSION

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A former development driver for Richard Childress Rac-

ing, Michael Self started his motorsports career in roadcourse racing with an eye on open-wheel competition.

Self made seven NASCAR Xfinity Series starts in 2015, scoring a best finish of 11th on the Road America road course in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. From 2009-2017, the Park City, Utah, native made a total of 71 starts in the ARCA Menards Series West and notched eight wins along the way.

Beginning in 2019, Self went full-time racing in the ARCA Menards Series and picked up an impressive four victories en route to a runner-up finish in the series standings. As of press time, Self had posted two ARCA triumphs over 12 starts this season and was the series points leader due mostly to his nine top-five finishes.

Self started the season with a bang by capturing the ARCA opener at Daytona International Speedway. It was his second victory in the season-opening ARCA event at the fabled 2.5-mile superspeedway, after also winning at Daytona in 2018.

“This is like nothing else,” Self said after edging 18-yearold Hailie Deegan by .125 seconds in February at DIS. “The second time is just as sweet as the first time was.”

Self’s good fortune at The World Center of Racing continued in August when he prevailed in the inaugural ARCA race on the Daytona International Speedway road course.

“Anytime you win at Daytona, it is really special,” Self said. “To do it twice in one year is really cool.”

ON THE ROAD AGAIN WHEN MICHAEL SELF isn’t racing in ARCA, he often serves as a roadcourse driver coach for young drivers, including NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Justin Haley. That experience – and Self’s own road-course racing experience – paid off when ARCA made its debut on the Daytona International Speedway road course in August.

“I come from a roadracing background and spend a lot of my weekends outside the car coaching guys in the Trans-Am Series,” Self said. “So, to be able to back that up with the on-track performance myself is obviously really important to me.”

PHOTOGRAPHY: ARCA

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2017, Bret Holmes harbored hopes that 2018 would be even better. Instead, just the opposite happened.

After withdrawing from two of the season’s first 16 races and delivering results far more inconsistent than they wanted, Holmes and his family-run team opted to sit out the last four races of the season to begin preparations for 2019.

The decision paid off. Holmes drove the full 2019 season and managed to secure 18 top-10 finishes – including eight top-five results – in 20 starts on the way to a third-place points finish. That success has continued this year, with Holmes recording an average finish of 5.1 over the season’s first 12 races and notching his first career ARCA victory in dominant fashion when the series competed at Kansas Speedway in late July.

“We’ve been working so hard for this,” said Holmes, who had led 42 laps in his career and just 17 before this season.

“I’ve been working my whole life for this. My team did this for me. It’s been a long tough road.”

As of press time, Holmes was second in the standings and firmly in the mix for the series championship.

Holmes, the 2016 Pro Late Model champion at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida, has benefited tremendously this season and last season from the guidance and wisdom of a different crew chief, former NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Shane Huffman, who joined the team after a successful run in 2018 with MDM Motorsports.

MAN OF MANY HATS A 23-YEAR-OLD native of Munford, Alabama, Bret Holmes might be one of the busiest people in the racing industry – at least in 2020.

Along with being in his fourth season as an ARCA Menards Series driver regular, Holmes is a student at Auburn University where he is majoring in building science.

In between studying and racing, Holmes works full time with his family’s excavating business that helps fund the family-owned race team for which he competes.

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After making his ARCA Menards Series debut in 2019 with

two successful cameo appearances for team owner David Gilliland, Drew Dollar landed a full-time ARCA ride for the 2020 season when Venturini Motorsports tabbed him over the winter to drive the organization’s No. 15 Toyota and compete under the guidance of veteran crew chief Shannon Rursch.

“Drew is an incredibly talented young racer, and I believe pairing him with Shannon and our No. 15 Toyota Camry team will create a true force to be reckoned with each and every week,” team owner Billy Venturini said prior to the season.

Venturini’s forecast has proven astute, as Dollar ranked third in the standings after 12 races on the strength of eight top-10 results and four top-five finishes – including a win at Talladega Superspeedway on June 20.

Dollar maneuvered his Venturini Motorsports Toyota from third to first in the running order when frontrunners Riley Herbst and Michael Self tangled going into Turn 3 on the race’s penultimate lap. With Herbst having to let off the gas to avoid wrecking and Self experiencing what one might call a half-spin, the door was left open for Dollar, who shot to the lead and never looked back.

“I was giving Self a good push and was content to push him to the checkered flag,” Dollar said. “I saw him town down a little and the 18 (Herbst) touched. No one is giving an inch because we all want to win late in the race. Luckily, they didn’t come up into me and finish wrecking.”

PHOTOGRAPHY: ARCA

FAST OUT OF THE GATE A 19-YEAR-OLD Atlanta native, Drew Dollar didn’t take a super-serious interest in racing until age 15, when he had the chance to test a Legend Car. It’s fair to say he’s been a quick learner.

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After winning his championship, Dollar graduated to a mixed schedule consisting of ARCA Menards Series East, ARCA Menards Series and Cars Late Model Stock Tour races.

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Buoyed by two victories at Bristol Motor Speedway, a win at Iowa Speedway and a win at Dover International Speedway, Mayer enjoyed a nearly picture-perfect first full season at the ARCA East level as he posted 11 top-five finishes in 12 starts and registered an average finish of 3.2 in his GMS Racing Chevrolet.

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In capturing his first career ARCA Menards Series victory at Toledo, Mayer led the last 97 laps and crossed the finish line 1.607 seconds ahead of second-place Ty Gibbs.

In 15 previous ARCA Menards Series starts, Mayer hadn’t made it to Victory Lane despite recording three runner-up finishes along the way. So, when he finally pulled into Victory Lane at Toledo for the first time, it was sweet relief for the 17-year-old from Franklin, Wisconsin.

“I’ve been waiting over a year for this,” he said.

Along with a full slate of racing in NASCAR’s regional divisions this season, Mayer is making cameo appearances in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series for the second year in a row.

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to start from the pole in each of his first four career series starts, Chandler Smith has been turning heads and making waves since he finished fifth in the prestigious Snowball Derby Late Model race as a 14-year-old back in December 2016.

This year, and for the second year in a row, Smith is sharing time between ARCA and the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series, racing in ARCA for Venturini Motorsports and competing in trucks for the powerhouse Kyle Busch Motorsports organization.

Even though Smith won’t win the drivers’ championship in either series, he is playing a vital role in how both of his teams fare in their quest for their respective owner championships.

Since making his ARCA debut with a nine-race slate in 2018, Smith has been consistently fast in his Venturini Motorsports Toyota. As of press time, the Talking Rock, Georgia, native owned nine victories in 27 career ARCA starts – a pretty good ratio by even the loftiest of standards. Two of those victories had come this season — in just seven starts for Venturini Motorsports.

“Chandler is an incredibly talented young driver who we have enjoyed having as part of our program since he first came to the ARCA Series,” said Smith’s team owner and crew chief, Billy Venturini.

Along with making numerous ARCA and truck appearances this year, Smith made a CARS Super Late Model Tour start in June at Hickory Motor Speedway for truck team owner, Kyle Busch. He finished second.

MOVING ON UP STARTING THE current ARCA Menards Series season as a 17-year-old, Chandler Smith was only eligible, per the ARCA rulebook, to compete on tracks less than one-mile in length and road courses.

This is the main reason why Smith isn’t running the full ARCA schedule this season and had entered only seven of the first 12 races. But since celebrating his 18th birthday on June 26, Smith has been eligible to compete at tracks of all sizes.

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The grandson of NASCAR Hall of Fame team owner Joe

Gibbs and son of former NASCAR driver turned team executive Coy Gibbs, Ty Gibbs has been a force to be reckoned with since bursting onto the NASCAR touring series scene in 2019.

A Joe Gibbs Racing development driver, Gibbs – who recently turned 18 years old – made a combined 18 starts last year among the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East and ARCA Menards Series West, earning a total of four victories that included at least one in each of the three divisions.

Gibbs’ first ARCA Menards Series triumph came in June 2019 at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois, where the teenager executed a last-lap pass on race leader Sam Mayer to prevail in just his sixth series start and do so at the tender age of 16.

“I had a pretty big gap (on Mayer) coming to the white flag, and I gained on him in Turns 1 and 2,” said Gibbs, who led 32 of 120 laps in his Toyota. “He overdrove it into Turns 3 and 4 and gave me that shot, and we’re at a short track so you might as well take it. It’s for the win and that’s pretty big. We had a motor issue, and we fought back and won. It just shows how hard my guys work. I come to the track every week with the same determination and mentality to win the race. Every single weekend we run as hard as we can.”

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man this season, competing in the majority of ARCA Menards Series races and the full ARCA Menards Series East schedule. As of press time, the youngster had posted four wins in 11 starts this year between the two divisions. Calling the shots for Gibbs in both series is former NASCAR Xfinity Series driver turned ARCA crew chief Mark McFarland.

“Mark has been a great to help to me as a driving coach and as a crew chief working on my cars,” Gibbs said. “He knows what he’s doing and always sets our Camrys up right.”

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NASCAR REWIND SEASON REWIND

2011: Stewart Pulls Off a Miracle Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards proved to be the top championship contenders of the 2011 NASCAR Cup Series season as they combined to win six of the 36 races.

BY BEN WHITE

Driving the No. 14 Chevrolet for Stewart-Haas Racing, Stewart earned his third NASCAR Cup Series title in 2011, becoming the first driver-owner to secure the championship since Alan Kulwicki in 1992. The stellar performance came in Stewart’s third year as a NASCAR team owner alongside business partner Gene Haas.

Steadily, Stewart continued to build his team by hiring many of the people who helped him find success in NASCAR circles after moving to stock car racing from the world of open-wheel Indy car racing.

Stewart entered NASCAR Cup Series competition with Joe Gibbs Racing in 1999, winning three races that season. While with JGR, he captured Cup Series championships in 2002 and 2005 before deciding to form Stewart-Haas Racing in 2009. In 2011, the Hoosier racer won five of the 10 playoff races, including the final event at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Ending the season tied in points with Edwards, driver of the No. 99 Roush Fenway Racing Ford, the title went to Stewart by virtue of logging more victories during the season.

Edwards enjoyed a consistent campaign that included a victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Edwards ended up with 26 top-10 finishes and four poles during the 36-race season. Seven finishes of 20th or worse hampered the Columbia, Missouri, native, but he was still able to challenge Stewart week to week down the stretch.

Their 2011 battle is still the only championship in NASCAR’s storied history to be decided by a tiebreaker.

64

2011 SEASON RECAP DATE CIRCUIT February 20 Daytona International Speedway February 27 Phoenix Raceway March 6 Las Vegas Motor Speedway March 20 Bristol Motor Speedway March 27 Auto Club Speedway April 3 Martinsville Speedway April 9 Texas Motor Speedway April 17 Talladega Superspeedway April 30 Richmond Raceway May 7 Darlington Raceway May 15 Dover International Speedway May 29 Charlotte Motor Speedway June 5 Kansas Speedway June 12 Pocono Raceway June 19 Michigan International Speedway June 26 Sonoma Raceway July 2 Daytona International Speedway July 9 Kentucky Speedway July 17 New Hampshire Motor Speedway July 31 Indianapolis Motor Speedway August 7 Pocono Raceway August 15 Watkins Glen International August 21 Michigan International Speedway August 27 Bristol Motor Speedway September 6 Atlanta Motor Speedway September 10 Richmond Raceway September 19 Chicagoland Speedway September 25 New Hampshire Motor Speedway October 2 Dover International Speedway October 9 Kansas Speedway October 15 Charlotte Motor Speedway October 23 Talladega Superspeedway October 30 Martinsville Speedway November 6 Texas Motor Speedway November 13 Phoenix Raceway November 20 Homestead-Miami Speedway

WINNER Trevor Bayne Jeff Gordon Carl Edwards Kyle Busch Kevin Harvick Kevin Harvick Matt Kenseth Jimmie Johnson Kyle Busch Regan Smith Matt Kenseth Kevin Harvick Brad Keselowski Jeff Gordon Denny Hamlin Kurt Busch David Ragan Kyle Busch Ryan Newman Paul Menard Brad Keselowski Marcos Ambrose Kyle Busch Brad Keselowski Jeff Gordon Kevin Harvick Tony Stewart Tony Stewart Kurt Busch Jimmie Johnson Matt Kenseth Clint Bowyer Tony Stewart Tony Stewart Kasey Kahne Tony Stewart

PRESIDENT

Barack Obama NO. 1 SONG

“Rolling in the Deep” by Adele N O . 1 AT T H E B O X O F F I C E

Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows Part 2 P O P C U LT U R E

2011

Britain’s Prince William married Kate Middleton GALLON OF GAS

$3.52

BEST DRIVER

BEST RACE

TOP CARS

DRIVING THE NO. 14 STEWART-HAAS RACING

NASCAR FANS ENJOYED A CINDERELLA-STYLE

■■ TONY STEWART’S NO. 14

Chevrolet, Tony Stewart logged five victories during the

victory when Trevor Bayne, driving the No. 21 Wood

Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet

final 10 races and secured his third NASCAR Cup Series

Brothers Racing Ford, held off Carl Edwards, David

recorded five NASCAR Cup Series

championship as the resident of Columbus, Indiana, proved

Gilliland and Bobby Labonte to win the season-opening

victories and claimed the 2011

he could still get the job done when needed. In miraculous

Daytona 500. NASCAR’s longest-tenured team

fashion, Stewart overcame all obstacles to secure the title

celebrated its 98th victory after the 20-year-old rookie

by dominating the NASCAR playoffs. With near perfect

led the final six laps of the 200-lap race. The Knoxville,

Roush Fenway Racing Ford scored

cars and engines at his disposal, Stewart clicked off

Tennessee, native held off a trio of strong cars behind

a single victory during the 2011

victories when they mattered most.

him in only his second NASCAR Cup Series start.

NASCAR Cup Series season.

POLE POSITION 2020

series championship.

■■ CARL EDWARDS’ NO. 99

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF NASCAR

NASCAR LEGEND

Ned Jarrett Was Admired and Respected

Ned Jarrett entered his first NASCAR Cup Series race on April 29, 1953, at North Carolina’s Hickory Motor Speedway. Driving a Ford for team owner Mellie Bernard, Jarrett finished 11th in the 200-lap race.

BY BEN WHITE

B

orn Oct. 12, 1932, in Newton, North Carolina, among four children,

Jarrett began driving the family car to church while sitting on his father’s lap at age 9. By his 16th birthday, he had visited several North Carolina dirt tracks where moonshine runners showcased their smooth driving skills.

In May 1952, Jarrett drove a Ford in his first stock car race at Hickory Motor Speedway. He finished 10th in a Sportsman event while racing under an assumed name. Jarrett drove in more races using an undetectable alias until his father found out, and eventually agreed to allow his son to race.

Jarrett won a NASCAR Sportsman championship in 1956 and, three years later, turned his full-time attention to the NASCAR Cup Series.

He paid $2,000, much more than he had in his bank account, for a Ford that Junior Johnson had driven. In miraculous fashion, Jarrett won the only two races he entered that year and was able to cover the check he had written.

In 1961, he was victorious only once but logged 23 top-five results in 46 races. In doing so, he claimed his first NASCAR Cup Series title over defending champion Rex White.

Jarrett rose to superstardom in 1965 when he earned 13 wins and claimed a second-career premier series championship.

He retired from driving in 1966 with 50-career victories and turned to real estate investing while also working as a radio and television broadcaster. Jarrett was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2011.

“I actually felt physically fit to continue on in 1966. Still, I was missing out on a lot of great things that my children had going on in their lives.” – N E D J A R R E T T

BEST SEASON DURING THE 1964 NASCAR SEASON, Jarrett logged 15 victories, 40 top-five finishes and 45 top-10 results in 59 starts. His average start of 5.7 and average finish of 7.2 were high on the list among full-time competitors that year.

RECORD SETTER JARRETT WILL BE REMEMBERED FOR winning the 1965 Southern 500 at South Carolina’s Darlington Raceway by a record 14 laps over second-place Buck

long run as a TV and radio broadcaster, Jarrett was known as “Gentleman

Baker. Racing on a very hot Labor Day

Ned” for his calm demeanor during any circumstance. Even on the track, fellow

On five different occasions, he collected

his engine in the turns to make sure his Ford’s engine didn’t overheat.

POLE POSITION 2020

THROUGHOUT HIS 13-YEAR CAREER as a NASCAR driver and his decades-

afternoon, Jarrett routinely turned off

back-to-back victories on various tracks.

66

KNOWN FOR

drivers held great respect for him as a clean but aggressive racer.

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

GROWIN’ UP NASCAR

Ryan Blaney

1

2

3

4

5

6

BY ROB TIONGSON

AS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR RACERS IN THE NASCAR Cup Series, Ryan Blaney backs up his stardom with his winning ways in the No. 12 Team Penske Ford.

Blaney, who is a third-generation racer, immersed himself in the motorsports world with his father, Dave, a NASCAR Cup Series veteran. Today, Blaney has grown up to become one of the top NASCAR drivers.

1.) At only 3 years old, Ryan Blaney enjoyed the thrills of Victory Lane with his family when his father, Dave, won the 1997 Knoxville Nationals, one of the crown-jewel races of sprint car racing.

2.) Just six years later, Blaney seemed to have his focus elsewhere during a chilly pre-race at Pocono Raceway.

3.) In his second year of competing in the Pro All Stars Series Late Model series, Blaney was victorious at the action-packed Hickory Motor Speedway.

4.) One of Blaney’s breakthrough moments was an emotional ARCA Menards Series West victory at Phoenix Raceway, a win that led to momentous opportunities in the top three NASCAR divisions.

5.) Prior to his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at Richmond Raceway, Blaney takes in some advice from his father, who was driving for Tommy Baldwin Racing’s No. 36 ride in the Cup Series. At age 18, Blaney placed a respectable seventh.

6.) There’s nothing like valuable knowledge transfer from father and son, such as this moment with Dave and Ryan prior to a Truck Series race at Martinsville in 2014. Perhaps that conversation helped because Blaney finished second in the Truck Series standings.

7.) Following a partial schedule for a couple of seasons, Ryan Blaney ran his first full-time Cup Series season in the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford.

8.) After staring into space in 2003, Ryan Blaney was quite thrilled to be at Pocono as he won his first Cup Series race in exciting fashion over Kevin Harvick.

9.) Making the move to the No. 12 Team Penske Ford in 2018, Blaney celebrates a dramatic victory in the first Cup Series race on the Charlotte ROVAL. 10.) “Last Lap:” Blaney celebrates his fourth Cup Series win and his second straight triumph at Talladega Superspeedway. Blaney, who led the most laps in this year’s GEICO 500, willed his way to a photo-finish victory over Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and a spinning Aric Almirola.

68

POLE POSITION 2020

7 8

9 10

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

NASCAR HOME TRACKS

LANGLEY SPEEDWAY Located in the shadows of Langley Air Force Base in Hampton, Virginia, Larry King Law’s Langley Speedway has been a showplace for short-track stock car racing since 1950.

“Langley Speedway has been around for 70 years and been part of the NASCAR landscape for a number of decades,” said Vaughan Crittenden, who serves as promoter and general manager of the .397-mile paved track owned by former racer and local businessman Bill Mullis. “The only

division of NASCAR that’s never raced at Langley Speedway is the Truck Series.

“We live in a great area where we have a huge military presence,” Crittenden added. “Our primary goal is to provide family-friendly entertainment at an affordable price. We are definitely one of the most cost-effective entertainment options in a very competitive market.”

Part of the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series, the track hosts racing on Saturday nights with special events scheduled throughout the season.

BY KEITH WALTZ

CUP SERIES RACES

ELEVEN DIVISIONS

THE NASCAR CUP SERIES VISITED

RACING UNDER THE NASCAR BANNER,

THE HAMPTON HEAT 200, A 200-LAP

Langley Speedway nine times between 1964

Langley Speedway’s weekly program

Late Model event that pays $10,000 to the

and 1970.

consists of 11 divisions, ranging from Late

winner, is Langley Speedway’s marquee

Models and Modifieds to Bandoleros and

event each summer.

“We’ve had drivers like Richard Petty, David Pearson, Bobby Isaac, Ned Jarrett and Bobby Allison all win here in the Cup Series,” Crittenden noted.

Winged Champ Karts.

“We mix them up. Normally, we’ll average

TRIPLE CROWN

“That race is part of the Virginia Triple Crown with the other two races being

five to six divisions on a race night,”

South Boston Speedway’s 200-lapper and

Crittenden explained. “We do rotate the

Martinsville Speedway’s big Late Model race

while the track was dirt and Pearson claimed

divisions around enough that every division

in September,” Crittenden said.

three consecutive victories after the racing

will have raced with every other division at

surface was paved in 1968.

some point during the season.

Jarrett and Petty each won twice at Langley

Langley also hosted 14 NASCAR Xfinity Series events between 1982 and 1988.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF LANGLEY SPEEDWAY

Complete schedule information is available by visiting langley-speedway.com.

Last year, Lee Pulliam, a four-time NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series national champion, banked $7,000 for being the top performer in the three races.

POLE POSITION MAG.COM

69

BROADCASTING

Gordon Enjoying Second Chapter of NASCAR Career

Jeff Gordon hung up his helmet in 2016, but he’s currently enjoying the second chapter of his racing career as a NASCAR analyst for FOX Sports.

BY ROB TIONGSON

F

ollowing a 30-year NASCAR driving

career, Gordon now entertains fans as an insightful analyst for FOX Sports’ NASCAR telecasts and the network’s “Race Hub” program.

Much like his years on the track, Gordon prepares for each FOX telecast and on-air appearance with the same vigor as he approached his driving career.

“The most natural thing for me was driving a race car, getting behind the wheel, and competing,” Gordon said. “But the preparation was what you had to work so hard at, especially in the last four or five years as teams had more access to data, gathering more information on our car and our performance, as well as other competitors out there.

“That really got ramped up in the way you met with the team and engineers, and that’s very much what it’s like working for FOX and doing TV. You’re working with your producer, director and the team behind the scenes, and the other commentators and pit reporters, all that. It’s just one big team.”

Gordon, a perfectionist behind the wheel, entered his latest profession with the same mindset. He is working to become a well-respected analyst, separating his ownership role at Hendrick Motorsports with his job of providing fans with a new level of expertise and enthusiasm.

For the past five years, Gordon’s worked

70

POLE POSITION 2020

with a team with a proven track record, including lead play-by-play announcer Mike Joy and Daytona 500-winning crew chief Larry McReynolds.

All things considered, Gordon and his FOX NASCAR comrades typically must think and respond as quickly as drivers making their way around Bristol Motor Speedway.

“You’re constantly trying to follow what the latest stories are, how the flow of the race is going to go, what to expect, and what to be prepared for,” Gordon observed.

“Once they drop the green, it’s no different than a race.”

One of the biggest tests for Gordon and the FOX team came following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic when on-track racing was halted for nearly two months. Fortunately, Gordon and his teammates found themselves back at work in mid-March with the advent of the eNASCAR Pro Invitational Series races.

“I think we were just excited to get back to racing,” Gordon recalled. “We had a bit of a test run at it through iRacing, which was something I didn’t expect. And that’s the theme of how life has been, at least for me. I’m sure a lot of people would say the same thing. Through all of this, it’s just the unknowns of things getting thrown at you that you weren’t prepared for.”

Going from the booths of various NASCAR

tracks to the Steve Byrnes Studio in Charlotte, North Carolina, home to “NASCAR Race Hub,” Gordon and his team worked ardently to make the telecasts as smooth as possible for race fans.

“We’re very lucky that we have a studio here in Charlotte,” Gordon said. “It was close to home for me, and that studio really helped us connect to the track.”

After perfecting their Pro Invitational Series telecasts, Gordon pointed out some factors that catalyzed their remote telecasts from the studio.

“I think the first race or two, we couldn’t talk to the drivers,” he illustrated. “We had to do it through a remote at the track. So, you may have seen the pit reporter doing that, but we got that sorted out right away and were able to talk to the drivers.”

Through it all, Gordon is embracing his second career in NASCAR with the same approach during his driving days – by simply being himself.

“That’s my goal,” he said. “I want to be me and do what feels comfortable to me, and hope that the people, the viewers at home, can appreciate the way I see things or the way I call things.”

Gordon praised his former broadcasting partner who helped him go from the new kid in town in 2016 to the lead as sole driver analyst for FOX NASCAR’s telecasts.

“I learned so much from Darrell Waltrip in working with him,” Gordon said. “We became great friends. He taught me a lot and really helped me get into this role of being comfortable and confident, and understanding how to cover a lot of these stories.”

While Gordon’s competitiveness still shines brightly as an analyst, the four-time Cup Series champion and NASCAR Hall of Famer is content with life after his storied driving career.

“I just don’t know if I see myself getting back behind the wheel of a car,” he said.

“I’m enjoying what I’m doing, enjoying TV, enjoying my role at Hendrick Motorsports and being a part of the competition in that way. And I’m enjoying my family life while I’m trying to balance all that out.”

PHOTO COURTESY FOX SPORTS

Jimmie Johnson’s Legendary Victories

Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson has 83 career race wins to his credit. Here are two instance when he sealed the deal in a pressure situation.

BY JARED TURNER

THE STAR OF STARS

J

immie Johnson has 83 career points-paying wins in NAS-

CAR’s premier series. Not included among them but still of great significance are Johnson’s four victories in the NASCAR All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

The first of Johnson’s All-Star triumphs came in 2003, just his second full season at the Cup level. The Hendrick Motorsports driver prevailed in the All-Star Race for the second time in 2006.

Later, following a five-year All-Star drought, Johnson returned to Victory Lane in the prestigious exhibition race, which now pays $1 million to win. Johnson took home his fourth and most recent All-Star Race trophy in 2013 to become only the second back-toback winner of the event and the first since the late Davey Allison in 1991 and 1992.

Perhaps even more noteworthy, however, was the fact that Johnson became the all-time wins leader in All-Star Races, breaking the tie he previously held with Jeff Gordon and the late Dale Earnhardt.

Asked after his record-breaking fourth All-Star win about how he believed he measured up to Earnhardt and Gordon, Johnson downplayed the comparisons.

“That’s a tough question, honestly,” the now seven-time champion driver said after leading the final 10 laps on the way to his 2013 All-Star victory. “Truthfully, I don’t think it’s a question that I’m to answer. I still have a lot of years left in my career, and that’s something that the public, the mass, that’s what other people come up with. I don’t think it’s right for me to sit here and say, ‘Hey, I’m this guy, I’m the guy,’ or anything in between.

“Very proud of what I’ve accomplished, but I still feel like there’s a lot left I can do in this sport, and I’ll work hard to do that. When I’m old and sit in a rocking chair, hopefully, people think highly of what I’ve done and give me a tip of the hat.”

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

A MONSTER WIN AT DOVER

J

ohnson has won a record 11 NASCAR Cup Series races at

Dover International Speedway, but none were harder earned than his victory in the AAA 400 on Sept. 29, 2013.

Despite having the fastest car in the field throughout much of the afternoon, Johnson found himself in a vulnerable position on the final restart with 26 laps to go. That was because the driver lining up in the second position for the restart – Johnson’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate, Dale Earnhardt Jr. – had four fresh tires compared to Johnson’s two fresh tires.

Typically, at Dover, a driver with four fresh tires would have a huge advantage over a driver with just two new Goodyear Eagles.

Such was not the case on this Sunday afternoon, however.

Johnson used a big restart to quickly put some distance between himself and Earnhardt’s No. 88 car and never relinquished the lead over the final laps as he went on to take the checkered flag .446 seconds ahead of his teammate.

“The pressure was on,” Johnson said of the final restart with Earnhardt. “I ran my guts out to stay ahead of him. Any switch I could flip in the car that was a fan that might help the car turn, my brake bias, everything and anything I could twist, turn, pull, push, I did, then just drove the sh** out of that thing. … That opening 10, 12 laps were a pressure-packed situation.”

Johnson’s greatest reward for getting up on the wheel in the final laps was breaking a tie with NASCAR legends Richard Petty and Bobby Allison for most wins all-time at the Monster Mile.

Coming into the weekend, the three former champs had seven victories apiece at the high-banked concrete oval.

“It’s really cool,” Johnson said. “I’m not sure I’ve ever done what Richard Petty hasn’t. To get this eighth win here is very, very special. Truthfully, it was the first thought that went through my mind when I crossed the finish line.”

POLE POSITION MAG.COM

71

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POLE POSITION 2020

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