NASCAR Pole Position 2015 Feb/March

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NASCAR POLE POSITION MAGAZINE

green flag: news & nOTes

News from around the world of NASCAR

BeT yOu dIdn’T knOw!

Dig deep into the archives of NASCAR locations and drivers

Q&a: a.J. allMendInger

First-time Chase contender

TerMs Of raCIng

Understanding the terminology of racing

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sPOTlIgHT: Jeff gOrdOn

sPOTlIgHT: Casey Mears

Plans to end fulltime driver status

20 kevIn HarvICk

Emotional move makes Harvick a champion

52 wOMen & raCIng

16 TaIlgaTIng

18 TraCk TasTy

Offseason is the time to kick back

Titans of the tailgate, presented

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THe 20: wHaT TO waTCH fOr In 2015

drIver PrOfIles

What to expect in the coming season

The latest products from our advertising partners

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nasCar fuel: lIfesTyle

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2015 NSCS, NXS and NCWTS rosters

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green flag news

NASCAR Explains Pit Road Technology

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ASCAR officials will no longer stand guard on pit road to monitor rules infractions. A new, technologically-driven system that incorporates the use of 45 cameras will feed video of every stop made by every team to a central location, where eight officials will log pertinent information and report any violations. Sound like instant replay in the NFL? Each of the cameras will display two specific pit stalls. Once a car is on pit road, the individual cameras will record its progress as it moves through each area. The use of tracking software identifies and verifies each car. That same system software tracking its movement will indicate any infractions. Infractions fall into three groups – vehicle, equipment and personnel/crew. When the software picks up an infraction, it will be displayed on the monitor where an official will quickly view the stop and either confirm the issue or clear it if it can be determined no infraction took place.

D

uring this year’s NASCAR coverage, FOX Sports plans to program highlights, commentary, photographs and behind-the-scenes information on its NASCAR Facebook pages.

By Dan Guttenplan

T

he 58-member NASCAR Hall of Fame voting panel will select the Class of 2016 on May 20 in Charlotte. The eight new members of the NHOF voting panel are Ron Bennett, Holland (N.Y.) Motorsports Complex; Jeff Burton, NBC Sports Network; Steve Byrnes, FOX Sports; Brent Dewar, NASCAR; Eli Gold, Motor Racing Network; Kevin Harvick, reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup champion; Marty Smith, ESPN; and Jim Utter, The Charlotte Observer.

NASCAR and NASCAR Team Properties jointly announced a 10-year agreement with Fanatics to conduct its fan merchandise operations at every NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.

The new partnership — which has been met with support from teams and tracks across the industry — includes sweeping plans to transform the sale of memorabilia from an allotment of walk-up trailers to a walk-in assortment of tents in a courtyard-style mall layout.

W

illiam Levy, star of movies and television, has teamed with Emmy Award-winning NASCAR Productions to produce a non-scripted reality series about Hispanic race car drivers.

“I’m truly thrilled about partnering with NASCAR and I can’t wait to show my fans worldwide this creative endeavor,” the Cuban-born actor said.

The show will follow drivers as they attempt to make it in NASCAR while transitioning to life in America, and it will be pitched to networks in February. Levy, who will join Vince Vaughn on the big screen in “Term Life” later this year, attended the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

T L

FR Chassis has announced the formation of the LFR Driver Development Group, a company that will provide professional and experienced coaching with state-of-the-art race cars for developing drivers in all late model and modified divisions nationwide. The company’s goal is to provide top-level racing experience and equipment to drivers looking to progress through the motorsports ranks.

Racing veterans Rob Fuller, Tony Eury Jr., Jeff Fultz and Ryan Stone will lead the group. Fuller, owner of LFR Chassis, was born into a racing family, but made a name for himself in NASCAR by winning at the top levels as a driver, engineer and pit crew member for teams including Penske Racing and Dale Earnhardt Inc.

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NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

he NASCAR Camping World Truck Series picked up a race for the 2015 season with the addition of Atlanta Motor Speedway to the schedule. The Truck Series’ return to Atlanta brings the 2015 slate up to 23 races. Both the Truck Series and XFINITY Series races at Atlanta will be run on Saturday, Feb. 28.

I

t’s a season of new beginnings for Danica Patrick. Daniel Knost will serve as Patrick’s permanent crew chief after filling the role on an interim basis at the end of 2014.

Patrick will also have a new co-primary sponsor for the Sprint Unlimited on Valentine’s Day at Daytona International Speedway and a new primary sponsor for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway on March 29.

TaxACT, a tax preparation solutions company, will partner with StewartHaas Racing on Patrick’s

No. 10 Chevrolet. The company will share the car with GoDaddy during the season-opening race on Feb. 14 at the World Center of Racing. It will also appear on the C-Post for the 57th running of the Daytona 500 on Feb. 22. For the spring race weekend at Martinsville, TaxACT will be the car’s sole primary sponsor.

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rockford speedway

R

Where NASCAR Got Its Start The predecessor to Charlotte Motor Speedway was the three-quarter-mile dirt track known simply as Charlotte Speedway, part of the Charlotte Fairgrounds. It was also where NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series – originally known as the Strictly Stock category – was officially born. Located close to downtown Charlotte, the track held the first official NASCAR Strictly Stock race on June 19, 1949. A sellout crowd of 23,000 watched Jim Roper win the race (after Glenn Dunaway was disqualified due to altered rear springs) and its $2,000 first prize, while NASCAR Hall of Famer Lee Petty became the first driver to crash in a Strictly Stock race, wrecking on lap 107. The division was renamed Grand National the following year.

NASCAR’s FIRST FAN? The father of our country, George Washington, once ate lunch and then took a nap at a house that was part of a plantation that sat on what is today Charlotte Motor Speedway. In fact, that same house survived for nearly 200 years, including during the Civil War, and housed the speedway’s offices in its early days after the track was built in 1959.

ockford, Ill., has long roots in NASCAR and stock car racing. Some of the best Late Model racing in the Midwest can be found at cozy Rockford Speedway. The quarter-mile, high-banked asphalt oval was built in 1947, two years before NASCAR held its first race, and is celebrating its 68th birthday this year. Located 90 miles northwest of Chicago, Rockford is also home to a number of NASCAR celebrities, including: ■■ Sprint Cup Series Director John Darby. Before he began working in NASCAR, Darby used to play the drums in a variety of rock bands, including jamming with what would become rock superstars Cheap Trick, whose members also were born and raised in Rockford. “I had a lot more hair back then, too,” Darby quipped.

■■ Six-time Sprint Cup champion crew chief Chad Knaus began his career as a crew chief at the age of 13 for his father, John, a noted Midwest Late Model racer.

■■ Danica Patrick grew up in nearby Roscoe, Ill., a suburb of Rockford, where she was a cheerleader at Hononegah High School in nearby Rockton.

pocono power

P

ocono Raceway is not only in the horsepower business, it’s also in the real power business.

Since 2010, the 2.5-mile triangular track has developed the largest solar farm in NASCAR and one

of the largest in the world.

It provides not only all the power the track needs, but also for 1,000 other homes and businesses that surround the facility in and around the Pocono Mountains.

day of reckoning

B

efore he won six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships in eight seasons, Jimmie Johnson had a life-changing moment in his former career as an off-road racer.

While leading the 1994 Baja 1000, Johnson and his truck disappeared after a missed turn sent them into a deep and heavily brush-covered gulley that was in the middle of nowhere and out of radio range. With searchers scouring a 50-plus-mile radius for Johnson and his totaled race truck, he would not be found until the next morning.

While waiting to be rescued, Johnson not only lamented his fate and future, but it was while sitting on a boulder that he came to a very philosophical decision: He would begin racing stock cars with a dream of someday reaching NASCAR.

by jerry bonkowski 08

NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

green flag drIver Q&a

fasT faCTs favOrITe MOvIe: ■ Oh, “Dumb and Dumber,” for sure. I have not seen the second one. I need to go do that. I’ve been too busy, but that’s the ultimate.

favOrITe MusICIan:

wITH nasCar sPrInT CuP Q&a serIes drIver a.J. allMendInger

f

resh off a year in which he captured his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory and made the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup for the first time, A.J. Allmendinger reveals the person from history he most admires and more in an exclusive interview with NASCAR Pole Position.

What runs through your mind when someone wrecks you?

Just pure anger. You kind of get that red mist in your eyes and you want to go retaliate right away.

Would you rather be liked by your peers or be successful?

I’d rather be successful, but as an alternative to that I’d rather be respected.

I’ve always said you don’t have to necessarily be liked by your opponents, although in NASCAR it helps a little bit because they can dictate where you finish, and that was something right away as a rookie I learned.

You’ve got to play the game a little bit. I’d rather be successful, but I’d rather have people respect me.

That’s the biggest deal.

They don’t have to like you but I feel like if they respect you, you’re doing it the right way.

What person from world history do you

■ I listen to all different genres of music, so I don’t have a favorite. But honestly, at the [NASCAR Sprint Cup Awards] banquet last year, to listen to Aloe Blacc live – just pure singing on a stage – it was pretty amazing. I wouldn’t say he’s my favorite singer, because not all of his music really excites me, but to listen to him in person and see how talented he is, that was pretty amazing.

admire most and why?

A guy like Ayrton Senna I just admire because even growing up I was an open-wheel guy, and when I was young I was able to watch him and how good he was on TV. And then when the movie “Senna” came out, just to kind of see inside his life and what he meant to a whole country, what he gave people hope-wise and gave in return for his success, that’s the stuff I admire.

If you could change one thing about the U.S., what would it be?

We tend to fight so much now. There are just so many bad things that happen. It’s easier said than done, but I feel like we see so

much more bad than good. Honestly, I tend to not even watch the news hardly at all just because everything you turn on is somebody fighting. We’re fighting with another country; somebody’s doing bad to somebody else. So for me, it would be for us to find a way to get along with the rest of everybody.

favOrITe HOlIday: ■ I would have to say Thanksgiving. I enjoy just getting around with family and friends and whoever is together that year and just watching football, relaxing and having a good time.

fasTesT yOu’ve drIven a sTreeT Car: ■ There was one point in time on the open road I got up to like 130 or 140 (mph).

by jared turner 10

nasCar POle POsITIOn 2015

TerMs Of raCIng green flag

nasCar: Coming to Terms

H

ard-core NASCAR fans often use words or phrases that can be confusing to new or casual fans. Consider the following a study guide that will help you better understand the racing verbiage.

Blend Line: Line painted on the race track near the apron and extending from the pit road exit into the first turn. When leaving the pit area, a driver must stay below it before “blending” into traffic.

Drive Shaft: A steel tube that connects the transmission of a NASCAR race car to the rear-end housing.

Dyno: Shortened term for dynamometer, a machine used to

measure an engine’s torque and horsepower. Engine builders also use dynos to break in new or rebuilt engines.

Gasket: A thin material – made of paper, metal, silicone or other synthetic materials – used as a seal between two machined metal surfaces such as cylinder heads and the engine block.

Intake Manifold: A housing that directs the air-fuel mixture through

the port openings in the cylinder heads.

Intermediate Track: Term describing a race track one mile or more, but less than two miles, in length.

A track of less than one mile is known as a short track, while those two miles or longer are superspeedways.

Loading: Weight at a given tire position on a NASCAR race car due to aerodynamics, vehicle weight and lateral

G-forces in a turn.

Marbles: Excess rubber that accumulates above the upper groove on the race track. Marbles are also known as “the loose stuff.”

WINDOW NET: A woven mesh that hangs across the driver’s side window to prevent the driver’s head and limbs from being exposed during an accident.

By Dan Guttenplan

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11

green flag sPOTlIgHT

gordon Plans to ease Off the gas One of NASCAR’s biggest stars, Jeff Gordon, announced in late January that the 2015 season will be his last as a full-time driver.

The four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion enters this season with 92 career Sprint Cup wins – ranking third all time. He has spent his entire 23-year career in the No. 24 car with Hendrick Motorsports.

NASCAR personalities took to Twitter to thank and congratulate Gordon on his great career.

@EricMclure: It’s not often that you get to watch, experience and appreciate greatness as it happens. @JeffGordonWeb gave that privilege to my generation. @Kenny_Wallace: The celebrations for @JeffGordonWeb will be OVER THE TOP in the 2015 #NASCAR season and well deserved, I always wanted to be Jeff Gordon. @Team_Penske: Thanks for all you’ve done for the sport @JeffGordonWeb. We look forward to battling you for the title this season. @DaleJr: Hard to imagine this is @JeffGordonWeb last full season. Tons of respect for him and what he’s accomplished thus far. A total professional. @JeffBurton: @JeffGordonWeb will no doubt be remembered as one of the best ever in our sport. He still has a year to accomplish more. @KyleBusch: @JeffGordonWeb was my childhood hero. Really going to cherish racing against him in his final season. #JGFinalLap @AJDinger: I feel so lucky to say I have raced against my idol and favorite driver

growing up @JeffGordonWeb... ready for one more year against you. @SteveLetarte: Racing without @JeffGordonWeb in the field will seem odd for sure. Enjoy the last full time year buddy. You deserve it! Thx u for everything @Bobby_Labonte: don’t tweet much, but will say I have always been a #JeffGordon fan & proud 2 know such a gr8 ambassador to the sport of #NASCAR #Team24 @odsteve: Pretty simple to describe @JeffGordonWeb #champion #rolemodel #class #transcendent @EddieDHondt: A blessing & privilege it’s been to work w role model & of the greatest race car drivers of all time, @JeffGordonWeb @mikejoy500: Like Ned Jarrett, Jeff Gordon plans to step away at top of his game. Great guy, fantastic career; approaching the end of an era #NASCAR. @RayEvernham: Congrats bud @JeffGordonWeb, looking forward to seeing you kick butt one more time.

Looking forward to 2015

by dan guttenplan 12

nasCar POle POsITIOn 2015

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NO PLACE LIKE HOME

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presented by

NASCAR’s Short Offseason Casey Mears’ Time To Kick Back

F

or at least 37 weekends out of the year, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers are at a race track making a living by turning left – and occasionally right – all while trying to beat their fellow competitors.

But during the roughly three-month period that makes up NASCAR’s short offseason, it’s time to relax with family, have fun with their kids and, yes, even travel a bit.

Such is the case for Casey Mears, driver of the No. 13 GEICO Chevrolet for Germain Racing.

A husband to Trisha and father to two

children under the age of 7, Mears has learned to savor the rare downtime that late November, much of December and January afford.

“In my younger years in the sport, I always felt guilty when I got this time off,” said Mears, 36. “I just felt like I needed to be racing or doing something. I still get the itch fairly soon. We get two or three weeks off and I’m ready to get back in the race car again, but I’ve also learned over the years that you need to value this time and take it while you can and get a good opportunity to kind of recharge the

batteries.”

In the time between the 2014 and 2015 seasons, Mears planned to take his family to the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in Wyoming, and also get away for a few days with Trisha to celebrate their anniversary.

The Mears family spent much of the previous offseason vacationing in the Phoenix area where they rented a home.

“We don’t go crazy,” Mears said. “We don’t just take off and travel a bunch again. We plan two or three trips and space them out to where we can really enjoy time at home, as well. One of the last

things you want to do after the season is over is hop on another airplane, but it is nice to be able to get away and go to some places that you wouldn’t typically get to go to. I think over the years I’ve learned how to balance that out a little better.”

or Casey Mears, one of the biggest perks of the offseason is spending numerous weekends at home in Charlotte, N.C. It’s a dramatic change from the season – when the family lives out of a motorhome parked in the infield of a race track. In the winter months, the Mears bunch tries to spend part of their weekends attending fun events in the local community.

“It’s really nice,” Mears said. “You don’t think about it a whole lot during the year when you’re so tied up with what you’re doing, but once things settle down and you actually do get a weekend at home, it’s a lot of fun.

There are things to do on the weekends that you can’t do during the week. There are special events, concerts, just things that typically happen on weekends that we usually don’t get to take advantage of.”

Sponsor commitments are at a minimum in the month of December, in particular, but Mears enjoys those.

“We went to the GEICO office in the Virginia Beach area and participated in their annual Thanksgiving Celebration and it was great to catch up with associates before the holidays,” he said of this past offseason.

By Jared Turner 14

NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

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green flag tailgating presented by

Titans of the Tailgate NASCAR’s most loyal race fans know how to have fun when they’re at the track.

Tyler is a native of Syracuse, N.Y., and a Dale Earnhardt Jr. fan.

He represents part of Junior Nation at Watkins Glen, Pocono, Dover and Richmond.

NASCAR has always been a family affair for 26-year-old race fan James Tyler. He first became interested in the sport, which he believes still carries the “American Dream” style that initially made it popular, when as a kid his family always had season tickets to Pocono Raceway. Racing – and a passion for cheering on Dale Earnhardt and Dale Earnhardt Jr. – brought Tyler and his family closer together. Taking a page from his late father’s book, Tyler now carries on his parents’ tailgating tradition with his own wife and two children.

Carroll travels to races from his home in Morganton, N.C. Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s victory at Martinsville Speedway in October 2014 is his favorite racing memory.

Corey Carroll, 27, is a true road warrior when it comes to attending NASCAR races.

He’s been to three Coca-Cola 600s, two Bojangles’ Southern 500s and he’s made countless other trips to Martinsville, Talladega, Richmond and Bristol. His best tailgates are at his home track, Charlotte Motor Speedway, where Carroll spends his time talking trash with other race fans, laughing with friends and enjoying some good food and cold beverages in his Dale Earnhardt Jr. attire. Put it all together and Carroll can safely call every tailgate a success.

Clay stays true to his West Coast roots. The Tucson, Ariz., native cheers for a West Coast driver, Kurt Busch, and frequents NASCAR’s western tracks.

Aaron Clay, 29, doesn’t want to settle for just attending a couple of NASCAR races every season. His ultimate dream is to buy an RV or a camper and attend all 36 Sprint Cup events. It’s a lofty goal, but Clay is a dedicated fan. He once drove more than 13 hours to California to see a K&N Pro Series short-track race. If the stars of NASCAR are anywhere near Clay, it’s a safe bet to assume he’ll be enjoying the tailgates he hopes will soon become a weekly tradition.

Rubin calls the Boston, Mass., area his home, but he’s just as comfortable at a NASCAR Sprint Cup race as he is at a hockey game.

Dan Rubin, 29, tailgates with Americans and Canadians when he makes the trek to New Hampshire Motor Speedway. New Hampshire, Rubin says, is NASCAR’s gateway to eastern Canada, so why not include the Canucks when his tailgates begin at 5:30 a.m. with cups of “special” coffee? Rubin is a true-blue Dale Earnhardt Jr. fan who grew up watching races on ESPN before the Sprint Cup Series first visited New Hampshire in 1993. Since then, he’s helped turn the Northeast on to the NASCAR scene, one “wicked” tailgate at a time.

Coble is probably the most devoted Kasey Kahne fan to come out of Hildebran, N.C. She’s been following NASCAR, and Kahne, since the 2004 season.

Race weekends aren’t just a chance for 27-year-old Whitney Coble to watch Kasey Kahne on the race track. She also makes a pilgrimage to souvenir trailers and sponsor tents with her boyfriend, or she’ll have group hangout sessions with her roommates from college before taking in the scene from the grandstands. She attends nearly every race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, but has also visited Daytona and Talladega. Coble hopes to make it to races at Martinsville, Richmond and Bristol in the future, and maybe even tailgate with Kahne.

By Aaron Burns 16

NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

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In 2010 and 2011, BUBBA burger® joined forces with Daytona International Speedway, Richmond International Raceway, Talladega Superspeedway, Darlington Raceway and Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Through those relationships, BUBBA burger® gained some of its most prominent exposure as title sponsor of the spring NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Richmond for two consecutive years.

As recently as 2013, BUBBA burger® ventured north of the border in NASCAR to sponsor a driver that competed in the Camping World Truck Series race and was a sponsor of the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park that served BUBBA burger® during event weekends.

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was forged with Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, to fulfill this need of introducing the brand to more consumers.

Beginning last August and continuing for at least three years, BUBBA burger® was named the “official burger” of the two-mile Southern California track.

What does that mean? Fans attending March’s Auto Club 400 race weekend at Auto Club Speedway can purchase the United States’ No. 1 branded frozen burger at various points around the

track. It will be the first time ACS has hosted a NASCAR event since forging its partnership with BUBBA burger®, although BUBBA had a large presence when the track hosted IndyCar’s 2014 season finale last fall.

“NASCAR fans tend to be very brand loyal, and getting our brand in front of them at the track is very important,” said Andy Stenson, VP of Marketing for BUBBA burger®. “We’re very excited to be back at a track. Having that track visibility and being back in

NASCAR is always a good complement for us, and we’re looking forward to it.”

First-time BUBBA burger consumers will find the taste of our burgers to be great.

“We look at ourselves as the highest quality burger available because of our dedication to quality in using only the best ingredients,” Stenson said. “We are focused on pure quality, our burgers are all natural, no trimmings, seasonings or sodium added ever. That’s what makes it taste so great.

People are always surprised.”

hile the centerpiece of BUBBA burger’s partnership with Auto Club Speedway for now is the brand’s juicy Original, all-natural burger, this is only the beginning.

BUBBA currently produces nine burger varieties and Stenson hopes that eventually, jalapeno, turkey and the new BUBBA veggie burgers will also be sold at ACS. “We look at ourselves as the best burger around, the best burger for cooking at the track or at any tailgate party” he said.

It doesn’t stop with just concession stands, though.

“With the sale of the burgers at the track and all the branding at the track – we have multiple billboards, multiple different points of visibility there at the track – we sell quite a few burgers there,” Stenson said. “And then the final thing for us is it always revolves back to retail, and we hope to finalize having our burgers sold within their trackside store for all of the fans camping in and around the track. They have a trackside store in the infield and that really is what culminates to bring it together is the retail.

Selling burgers at retail is what we do, and that’s what we want to continue to focus on. It’s a great way to reach a lot of different people with all the different events they have there at Auto Club Speedway.”

By Jared Turner 18

nasCar POle POsITIOn 2015

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emotional Move Makes Harvick a Champion Kevin Harvick is an old-school traditionalist.

To him, routine and status quo are as comfortable as an old shoe. What he doesn’t like is change.

To deviate from a comfort level and deal with the uncertainty and consequences that potentially come with change are not among Harvick’s favorite things in the world.

That’s why it took him not weeks nor months, but years to ultimately make what was arguably the most difficult decision of his career: to leave Richard Childress Racing after 13 seasons and move to Stewart-Haas Racing in 2014.

At least twice during his 13-year tenure with RCR, Harvick considered moving to another team, but his loyalty to team owner Richard Childress eventually trumped any desire to leave. But by the middle of the 2013 season, Harvick was finally convinced by one of his best friends, Tony Stewart, that a new start at SHR would be the best thing for Harvick and his NASCAR career.

Boy, was it ever. In his first season with SHR, Harvick finally accomplished what he wasn’t able to at RCR: win his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship in perhaps the most dramatic finish and flourish ever seen in NASCAR history.

By doing so, he took his place among an illustrious list of the sport’s champions, including NASCAR Hall of Famers Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, Ned and Dale Jarrett, David Pearson, Darrell Waltrip and Cale Yarborough – as well as likely future Hall members such as Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Stewart.

“It’s an incredible feeling of accomplishment,” Harvick said. “I dreamed about being a race car driver and winning [the NASCAR Sprint Cup] championship. Being able to fulfill your lifelong dream, the reality is that’s something that a lot of people can’t really say they’ve ever done.”

Harvick is also quick to acknowledge that 2014 would not have played out the way it did had he not embraced that it truly was a time for change.

“I have to admit, I was scared to death,” Harvick said. “I tried to play it cool, but it was a pivotal moment in my career. I was venturing outside my comfort zone and I had to make it work.

“Tony [Stewart] is one of my best friends. He promised me if I came to Stewart-Haas Racing, we would win a championship. He was a man of his word.”

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nasCar POle POsITIOn 2015

Harvick’s crew chief, Rodney Childers, also had to make his own leap of faith, leaving a secure job at Michael Waltrip Racing to be part of essentially a start-up team at SHR. “It was a big decision,” Childers said. “It was hard.

But once that decision was done, it was done. I never thought for one second that it wasn’t going to work.

From the time [Harvick] and I looked at each other and said we’re going to do this, it was over.”

Those who doubted Harvick and Childers would accomplish much in their first season together only served to be another motivating force.

“The worst thing you can ever do is tell somebody they’re not going to go win a championship somewhere, because they’ll do it,” Childers said prophetically.

If Harvick had known what he would accomplish in 2014, one has to wonder what he may have achieved in his career if he had parted ways with RCR after the 2007 or 2010 seasons, when he previously considered leaving. But loyalty, perseverance and the belief that he would ultimately give RCR its first NASCAR Sprint Cup crown since 1994 kept Harvick in place.

Eventually, though, Harvick decided that to have a chance at the elusive NASCAR Sprint Cup title, he would have to leave RCR. “I just wasn’t excited about going to work,” Harvick said of his final years at RCR. “I needed to be excited about going to work and this just gave me an opportunity to race with one of my good friends [Tony Stewart]. “[My wife] DeLana and I looked at things and said, ‘What’s going to make us happy?’” Harvick continued. “Because in the end if you’re not happy, nothing is going to work like it should.”

And now? He really is living up to his nickname of “Happy Harvick.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever been happier in my whole life than I have been, from a personal standpoint, from a professional standpoint,” Harvick said. “You see all the things that you have around you, and you’re lucky.

Stewart: Harvick Embraced Change

C

an Kevin Harvick become only the fourth driver in the last 20 years to win back-to-back titles?

Jimmie Johnson won five in a row from 2006-2010, Jeff Gordon won in 1996 and 1997 and Dale Earnhardt did so in 1993 and 1994.

The man most responsible for getting Harvick to overcome his fear of change and lured him away to StewartHaas Racing thinks so.

“I think it’s just a good example that change isn’t always a bad thing, you know, and especially in this sport; it’s just a performance-based industry,” Tony Stewart said.

“There’s crew guys moving all the time, there’s drivers making changes, crew chiefs making changes, but it boils down to people and it boils down to putting the right packages together.

“You know, it’s gratifying for me. I had two of my really good friends [Harvick and former teammate Ryan Newman] run first and second in the points [in 2014]. How they got there and who they got there with doesn’t matter, it’s the fact that they just got there.”

And if fate plays out in 2015 as it did in 2014, they may both get there once again.

“I love showing up to work. I love coming to the race track and love what I do. It’s been a long, long time since I can honestly tell you that I love the experience of everything that’s been around me and it just makes it fun.”

There’s no question leaving RCR was emotionally difficult. Childress gave Harvick the biggest break of his career, choosing the Bakersfield, Calif., native to replace Dale Earnhardt after his tragic death in the 2001 Daytona 500.

When Harvick announced he would leave RCR at the end of the 2013 season, it was not an easy break-up at first. But as he accepted the NASCAR Sprint Cup trophy at the 2014 awards banquet, Harvick displayed great class by publicly thanking Childress for all the owner had done for his career.

“I owe a lot to Richard Childress,” Harvick said.

“He believed in a punk kid from California enough to give me a ride. And then he had the faith to bring me to [the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series] during an incredibly emotional time for him, RCR and our sport. We did a lot together and I’m not up here [as a champion] without you, Richard. Thank you.”

Yes, change may be difficult, but in the end – as in Harvick’s case – it proved to be the right thing.

Sometimes, the grass truly is greener on the other side of the hill.

POLEPOSITIONMAG.COM

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the 20 what to watch for in 2015

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the

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what to watch for in 2015 Welcome to the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season! As with any new year, it’s hard to know exactly what to expect from the drivers, teams and other stakeholders who comprise this country’s most fan-friendly sport. However, here are 20 storylines almost certain to generate big buzz.

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Harvick Eyes Two in a Row. Coming off a championship season that saw him win five races and lead far more laps than anyone else, Kevin Harvick has his sights set on claiming his second NASCAR Sprint Cup Series title in as many years with Stewart-Haas Racing. Will it happen?

It will definitely be tough, but most of last season’s key players – including crew chief Rodney Childers – are back on the No. 4 team and aiming to make the man nicknamed “Happy” a two-time champ.

Junior’s New Crew Chief. After four mostly successful seasons with crew chief Steve Letarte atop the No. 88 pit box, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has a new crew chief in Greg Ives. While the former Hendrick Motorsports engineer brings impressive credentials – among them, guiding Chase Elliott to a history-making NASCAR XFINITY Series championship in 2014 – it is likely Ives and Earnhardt will need time to gel. Just how long is anyone’s guess, but the pairing certainly has potential.

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Jeff Gordon’s Last Ride. In 2014, Jeff Gordon enjoyed arguably his best season since 2001 – the year of his fourth and most recent championship.

But time is running out on the Hendrick Motorsports driver’s longstanding bid for a fifth title, as Gordon announced in January that 2015 would be his last full season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The good news: At age 43, the California native still has the skill set to reach the Promised Land one more time.

Chase Elliott’s Next Move. A year after becoming the youngest champion of a major NASCAR series, Chase Elliott will try to make it two consecutive championships in his second and presumably final season in the NASCAR XFINITY Series. But the bigger question – which will likely be answered late in the year – is where the second-generation driver will land for 2016. He’s under contract with Hendrick Motorsports, but the organization has no room in its NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable – for now.

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Jimmie Johnson’s Quest for Seven. The 2014 season was a disappointment for Jimmie Johnson, despite the six-time champion going to Victory Lane four times. Johnson finished a career-worst 11th in the standings and was unable to advance beyond the Contender Round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. But with heralded crew chief Chad Knaus back at the helm of the No. 48 team for another season, Johnson seemingly has all the tools necessary to challenge for a record-tying seventh championship.

Tony Stewart’s Return to Victory Lane. The last two years have tested Tony Stewart both personally and professionally due to two separate incidents while driving a winged sprint car. But with his focus back on his day job as co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing and driver of the No. 14 SHR Chevrolet, the three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion looks to run the full schedule for the first time since 2012 – and return

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to Victory Lane a season after going winless for the first time in his career.

Kyle Larson’s Second Time Around. As a rookie in 2014, Kyle Larson exceeded all expectations by running near the front on a semi-regular basis and finishing second three times. This year, no one will be surprised if the Chip Ganassi Racing driver not only picks up his first win, but also makes serious noise in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. The last driver to claim NASCAR’s premier championship a season after being the sport’s top rookie was Dale Earnhardt in 1980.

The New-Look Joe Gibbs Racing. Thanks to a major offseason crew chief shakeup and the addition of Carl Edwards and a fourth team to its lineup, Joe Gibbs Racing will be the focus of much attention this season. The organization aims to improve following a so-so 2014 that saw its three drivers make the Chase but combine for only two wins.

Edwards’ presence should elevate JGR as a whole, but will the company return to its

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the 20 what to watch for in 2015 2013 form when it won 12 races?

Roush Fenway Racing’s Struggles. In 2014, Roush Fenway Racing won only two races, struggled to find consistent speed and saw its flagship driver – Carl Edwards – announce plans to leave at season’s end. Will this year be better? It’s certainly possible, but don’t count on it. Two of the three drivers in RFR’s new lineup – Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Trevor Bayne – have only one victory between them. The other driver, Greg Biffle, is coming off his worst season in three years.

Third Season Danica’s Charm?.Danica Patrick’s second full season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series was an improvement on 2013, although Patrick finished 28th in the standings – one spot worse than in her rookie year. But Patrick netted three top-10 finishes – compared to only one in 2013 – and scored a career-best sixthplace finish. A late-season crew-chief change on her No. 10 GoDaddy Chevrolet adds an extra layer of intrigue to how she

will fare this year.

Rule Changes. The 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season will feature an array of novelties. Among the biggest: a ban on private testing, a reduction in horsepower and a shorter rear spoiler on all cars. Any driver or team found in violation of the testing ban will earn a P6 penalty, the most severe.

NASCAR will also move to automated pit road officiating and allow for the possibility of drivers qualifying and racing on rain tires at road courses.

The Return of “Bad Brad.”

Brad Keselowski ticked off fellow drivers with surprising frequency last year.

Among those who expressed ire at the Team Penske driver: Jeff Gordon, Denny Hamlin, Matt Kenseth, Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch. The 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champ mostly brushed off the criticisms, however, and expressed no plans to significantly alter his aggressive style of driving. It will be fascinating to see if 2015 brings a calmer or even rowdier version of

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the driver nicknamed “Bad Brad.”

Continuation of Bridesmaid Curse. Ryan Newman came out of nowhere to finish 2014 in spectacular fashion, making the Championship 4 and finishing second in the final standings with a second-place finish to Kevin Harvick in the season finale. It was a tremendous way to close out the year for the Richard Childress Racing driver, who made the Chase without a win and never went to Victory Lane throughout the 36-race campaign. If recent history of championship runners-up is any indication, however, Newman will slip considerably this season.

A Tradition Restored. For the first time since 2003, Darlington Raceway will host the Southern 500 on Labor Day weekend. In a nod to tradition, the move returns the grandfather of all NASCAR races to its longtime date on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule following an 11-year absence. Prior to 2004, NASCAR had competed at Darlington on Labor Day weekend for 54 consecutive

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NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

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years. With Darlington’s return to Labor Day weekend, Atlanta Motor Speedway will host the season’s second race.

New Driver-Crew Chief Pairings. While fans will recognize most of the faces atop pit boxes this season, it could take time to remember which crew chiefs go with which drivers.

Among those with new crew chiefs are Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Greg Ives), Carl Edwards (Darian Grubb, pictured), Denny Hamlin (Dave Rogers), Kyle Busch (Adam Stevens), Kasey Kahne (Keith Rodden), Jamie McMurray (Matt McCall) and Martin Truex Jr. (Cole Pearn). Kurt Busch’s crew chief, Tony Gibson, was paired with Busch in late 2014.

Penske’s 1-2 Punch. The 2014 season was one of the best in Team Penske’s history as drivers Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski combined for 11 victories. Logano and Keselowski were the only teammates to finish in the top five in the standings, with Logano fourth and Keselowski fifth. Unlike Keselowski, Logano made it to the Championship 4 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, where late issues on pit road doomed his title hopes.

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The Penske drivers are on everyone’s short list of title favorites.

New Series Name, Sponsor.

Now known as the NASCAR XFINITY Series, the NASCAR Nationwide Series is no more. Nationwide hasn’t skipped town altogether, however. You’ll find the well-known insurance brand as the primary sponsor on Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet in select races. Meanwhile, this could be the year NASCAR names a replacement for Sprint, which announced late last year that 2016 would be its final season as entitlement sponsor of NASCAR’s No. 1 division.

Schedule Adjustments.

Darlington Raceway and Atlanta Motor Speedway aren’t the only tracks to have a new race weekend in 2015.

Likewise, Bristol Motor Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway and Kansas Speedway have seen the dates for one of their race weekends changed. Meanwhile, Daytona International Speedway’s annual July race moves from Saturday night to Sunday night for one year only and Texas Motor Speedway’s spring race moves

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from Sunday afternoon in 2014 back to Saturday night this year.

Post-Race Tussles. The final weeks of the 2014 season featured two major post-race fights: one between Matt Kenseth and Brad Keselowski at Charlotte Motor Speedway and another between Keselowski and Jeff Gordon at Texas Motor Speedway. In both cases, members of the drivers’ respective teams also got in on the scuffle. With the elimination-style Chase format set for its second year, expect tempers to once again rise – and fights to potentially result – during the season’s stretch run.

More Gamblers. With the win-and-you’re-almost-in Chase format set for year two, drivers and teams will undoubtedly continue to take more risks and make daring strategy gambles in an attempt to win a race and secure a coveted berth in the Chase that is all but guaranteed to come with a trip to Victory Lane. By the time the 26-race regular season ends, the 16-driver Chase field will likely consist of at least two or three surprises – just as it did last year.

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Driver Profiles

nASCAr SPrinT CuP SEriES After a wild and thrilling conclusion to the 2014 season that ended in victory for veteran driver Kevin Harvick, what could be in store for 2015? by jared turner PoLEPOSITIONMAG.COM

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. Following his muchcelebrated four-win season in 2014, the sky would seem to be the limit for Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 2015.

If NAscAR’s 13-time most popular driver wins his long-awaited first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship, however, it will be with a first-year crew chief – Greg Ives.

Last year’s NASCAR XFINITY Series championship-winning pit boss for driver Chase Elliott at JR Motorsports – the organization Earnhardt Jr. owns in partnership with his sister, Kelley Earnhardt Miller, and Rick Hendrick – Ives returns to Hendrick Motorports where he was a lead engineer on the No. 48 team for each of Jimmie Johnson’s first five championships.

While the hope at Hendrick Motorsports is that Ives and Earnhardt Jr. can pick up right where crew chief Steve Letarte and Earnhardt Jr. left off last season, the driver of the No. 88 Chevrolet is cautious.

“I think me and Greg could get off to a great start. I think we could get off to a mediocre start. You never know when you

get to working together,” said Earnhardt Jr., who won five races over his four seasons with Letarte. “We’ve got to be open to Greg’s ideas and some new ideas and fresh ideas also, so all that stuff’s got to sort of counterbalance. That’s a bit of a work in progress.”

But with time, Earnhardt Jr. believes he and Ives can accomplish great things together and possibly go deeper into the Chase than in 2014, when he failed to get beyond the Contender Round.

“You’ve got to get to the race track and go through a month or two of sort of feeling each other out and figuring things out,” he said of working with Ives. “I think that eventually, surely, I think we’ll do great. I think he’s got a great future as a crew chief. I think [lead engineer] Kevin Meendering does, too.

It takes a little work, so we won’t panic if we don’t hit it off right off the bat, but I expect us to do really well once we figure it out.”

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nASCAr PoLE PoSiTion 2015

DriVEr ProfiLES

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Pr eS eN Ted by

Jeff Gordon Jeff Gordon came so close to making the Championship Round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup last season that he could taste it.

How close was the four-time champion to being among the four title finalists at Homestead-Miami Speedway? When Gordon took the checkered flag in second place in the previous weekend’s penultimate race of 2014 at Phoenix International Raceway, the Hendrick Motorsports driver was in position to make the Championship 4. But when Ryan Newman pushed rookie Kyle Larson out of the way for 11th position seconds later, it was just enough to give Newman the last spot among the Championship 4 in the winner-take-all season finale.

Meanwhile, Gordon and team were left to wonder what might have been. Gordon, after all, entered NASCAR’s 10-race playoff as one of two or three drivers widely considered a favorite to take the title. Gordon certainly deserved to carry the mantle of a favorite, after winning three times in the regular season and notching a victory at Dover International Speedway in the opening Chase round.

But the veteran driver’s shot at his fifth championship and first since 2001 was crippled severely the week before Phoenix when the series raced at Texas Motor Speedway. Gordon was going three-wide for the lead with teammate Jimmie Johnson and Brad Keselowski in the closing laps when a collision with Keselowski caused a tire to go down on the No. 24 Chevrolet, leaving Gordon with a 29th-place finish and a tall hill to climb the following weekend. In the end, the hole Gordon dug at Texas was too much to overcome – thanks to Newman’s bold last-lap move on Larson at Phoenix.

“We did everything right, in my opinion,” Gordon said of his 2014 season. “We did everything that we could control. We ran smart races. We were aggressive when we needed to be. We had great race cars. When we needed to qualify up front, we qualified up front. We gave it everything. I’m proud of that. We certainly did everything we could. We didn’t score enough points.”

If Gordon can avoid another late-season hiccup this year, 2015 could finally be the year the legendary driver captures that elusive fifth title.

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Pr eS eN Ted by

Jimmie Johnson The Jimmie Johnson of 2014 rarely resembled the Jimmie Johnson who had won six championships in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

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Atypically inconsistent and rarely dominant, the Hendrick Motorsports driver made the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup on the strength of three regular-season wins, but for the first time in a while, didn’t enter NASCAR’s 10-race playoff as the prohibitive favorite to come out on top. As it turned out, the prognosticators’ predictions were correct. After advancing out of the first round of the Chase, Johnson stumbled in the second three-race round and faced a virtual must-win situation at Talladega Superspeedway on Oct. 19. Although Johnson led much of the race, he faded at the end and wasn’t able to transfer into the next round. Consecutive subpar finishes at Kansas Speedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway in the two races leading up to Talladega proved to be too much to overcome in just one race.

“You are not going to win every championship battle you enter,” Johnson said. “We would like to. I’ve raced for 30-something years and I’ve really only won six big championships, so the numbers show that you don’t win a lot of championships. We will be back [in 2015].”

For Johnson, “we” includes six-time championship-winning crew chief Chad Knaus, with whom Johnson didn’t always see eye-to-eye late in the season and occasionally made that known through some testy exchanges over the No. 48 team’s in-car radio. But going forward, Johnson insists there are no hard feelings between the two friends.

“We’re like family and we fight like family,” Johnson said. “We can call each other out on that stuff and you only hear a piece of it on the radio. There is plenty more that goes on behind closed doors and in meetings.”

After missing the Eliminator Round, Johnson picked up his fourth and final win of the season at Texas Motor Speedway, but finished a career-worst 11th in the standings. While a four-win season would be a major accomplishment for many drivers and teams, it’s not so for Johnson and Knaus, who will be motivated to find the speed in 2015 that the No. 48 car too often lacked last season.

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Pr eS eN Ted by

Kevin Harvick Kevin Harvick needed 14 seasons in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series to finally capture an elusive first championship.

but when he did it, he did it big – by going to Victory Lane in the first winner-take-all championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Now, with one championship trophy in his collection, the driver nicknamed “Happy” wants to make it two in a row.

The good news is such a feat is attainable, given the level of dominance Harvick displayed throughout much of 2014. The bad news is two championships in a row are unlikely based solely on the simple law of averages. Either way, Harvick has no reason to expect anything less than another spectacular season at StewartHaas Racing, where he and crew chief Rodney Childers will try to make it two championships in as many seasons working together.

From a personality standpoint, there’s no one else Harvick would rather have atop his No. 4 pit box in his quest for back-toback than Childers, who carries a much different demeanor but shares a similar drive and passion for greatness.

“I think the best thing about Rodney and myself is we’re kind of a little bit opposite,” Harvick said. “I’m pretty high strung and he’s pretty low key, so it’s been a really good balance of people. He’s put people around him that believe in what he does, and in turn, it’s become everybody believes in what we do. And when you can keep inserting ‘we,’ you can do a lot more things. … You can buy all the fancy stuff and you can do all the great things, but if you don’t have the right people, you’re dead in the water. He’s come in and been committed to the program, and his wife has been a supporter, my wife has been a supporter, and all the guys on this team’s wives have been supporters for the time it has taken to build this team and the dedication to things that it takes to be successful.”

If Harvick and Childers can once again – come Chase time – avoid the pit-road miscues that likely kept Harvick from winning several races before last year’s Chase began, a second title could be there for the taking.

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Tony Stewart The past two seasons, Tony Stewart just hasn’t been Tony Stewart. Oh, the threetime NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion and co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing has raced and raced well on occasion

info OWNER tony steWaRt, Gene Haas TEAM steWaRt-Haas RacinG spONsORs bass pRo sHops, Mobil 1, RusH tRuck centeRs, coDe 3 associates MANufAcTuRER cHevRolet cREW cHIEf cHaD JoHnston

He even picked up a convincing victory in the June 2013 race at Dover International Speedway, a one-mile, high-banked concrete oval that is historically one of his best tracks.

But two unrelated incidents in sprint cars – one in August 2013, the other in August 2014 – have caused Stewart to miss a combined 18 races over the past two seasons. But with all that seemingly in the rearview mirror, Stewart is excited about the future of Stewart-Haas Racing, and that includes the future of his No. 14 team. Despite not personally winning a race in 2014, Stewart saw the organization he co-owns go to Victory Lane six times – five with Kevin Harvick and once with Kurt Busch. Harvick, of course, went on to win the championship in his first season as a Stewart-Haas Racing driver, capturing the title in dramatic fashion in the season’s final race.

The key for Stewart to have a successful 2015 will be feeding off of the success that Harvick and the No. 4 bunch enjoyed last season when they were the sport’s dominant team throughout the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup and much of the regular season.

“The thing that was remarkable for these guys is the fact that they had speed every week, everywhere we’ve been, and that’s something that’s extremely hard to do in this series with so many different disciplines,” Stewart said. “Their stat of leading over 1,000 laps in the Chase, that’s something that’s no easy feat in itself. For our organization and for (co-owner) Gene Haas and for Chevrolet and all of our partners, Budweiser and Outback and Jimmy John’s and everybody that’s on Danica (Patrick) and Kurt’s cars and my cars, it really is a team effort and this is a team sport. It takes everybody, everybody that’s at Stewart-Haas, whether they’re in the fab shop or finish fab or assembly or the machine shop. They are so important and so vital in making all this so smooth every week and having great partners like Hendrick Motorsports and the engine department and chassis shop.”

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Joey Logano One of the most pleasant surprises of the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season was Joey Logano who, in his second year as driver of the No. 22 Team Penske Ford, rang up a career-high five victories – more than in his previous five seasons in NASCAR’s top series combined.

When it came time to settle the championship in the inaugural winner-take-all title race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the often-smiling driver nicknamed “Sliced Bread” was one of the four drivers in contention for the grand prize. But with a 16th-place finish, Logano finished last among the four finalists in the race and in the final championship standings. Losing track position because of multiple issues on pit road – including a dropped jack and a loose lug nut – in the final laps was the primary reason he fell short.

“Obviously, when you’re pushing hard to try to make 11-second pit stops or better, mistakes happen,” Logano said. “We can’t have that happen, obviously. We can’t afford to have a mistake like that.

But … I’m not going to say it was pressure [of a championship] or whatever it was. We’re all trying really hard. We’re all trying to go as fast as we can. It’s like everyone running the wall out there going as fast as you can. Sometimes you make a mistake.”

After making the Chase for the first time and picking up a lone win in his first year at Team Penske, Logano took it up another notch in 2014 as one of the season’s fastest drivers. And the reward was a spot in the Championship 4.

“It was an awesome season for this whole 22 bunch,” Logano said. “We were out there, [had] a lot of top fives, a lot of wins.

Coming into [Homestead], we knew what we had to do; we just didn’t execute from every angle, it seems like. Unfortunately, a great season like that makes the overall finish fourth because of one mistake, but that’s what the rules are. We understand that.

“This team did a great job of consistently being fast. In the previous years, that would have been perfect.”

To win his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship this season, however, perfection on pit road will be required.

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brad Keselowski As eventful seasons go, they don’t get much more so than the one Brad Keselowski experienced in 2014.

The Team penske driver and 2012 NAscAR sprint cup Series champion scored a career-high six wins and was a formidable threat for his second title in three years until major problems in the October race at Martinsville Speedway proved too much to overcome in the greater championship scheme.

Keselowski rebounded from a 31st-place finish at Martinsville by finishing third at Texas Motor Speedway and fourth at Phoenix International Raceway, but it wasn’t enough to make up the ground he lost and land a berth among the Championship 4 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Still, it was a stellar season for the driver who lived up to his nickname of “Bad Brad” by angering several of his toughest competitors – most notably Hendrick Motorsports’ Jeff Gordon and Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Matt Kenseth and Denny Hamlin.

In the end, Keselowski finished fifth in the standings a season after failing to make the Chase.

“It was a heck of a season, not just for me but all of Team Penske, the 2 Cup car, 22 Cup car and 22 Nationwide Series team,” he said. “It is a year we will look back on with a lot of pride.

I am kind of wishing it wasn’t over. We still have some work to do to continue to work and get better. We just, all season long, (crew chief) Rodney Childers and his 4 car (driven by 2014 champion Kevin Harvick) just did an excellent job having speed and certainly capitalized at the end. We had great speed, which is something I am proud of, but were just always a little tick behind. I think in the end, they leveraged that very well. We have to go back and work a little bit harder and find a little more speed and try to keep up with that. All in all, it was an incredible season for us and something we are really proud of.”

To land among the four championship finalists in the 2015 season, Keselowski will need to avoid the kind of disaster that occurred at Martinsville Speedway last fall. But fast cars, grit and determination shouldn’t be a problem.

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info OWNER Joe Gibbs TEAM Joe Gibbs RacinG spONsORs M&M’s, inteRstate batteRies MANufAcTuRER toyota cREW cHIEf aDaM stevens

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Kyle busch Kyle Busch began the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season with legitimate aspirations of winning multiple races and his first championship in NASCAR’s top division. Neither happened.

In a year when Joe Gibbs Racing as a whole performed below preseason expectations, Busch found Victory Lane only once – in the March race at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif. – and fell just short of reaching the eight-driver Eliminator Round of the Chase for the Sprint Cup when the Las Vegas native was taken out in a crash not of his own making at Talladega Speedway on Oct. 19.

The driver nicknamed “Rowdy” ended up 10th in the standings – six positions worse than his fourth-place finish from the prior season.

“It just wasn’t our year,” Busch said.

In December, Joe Gibbs Racing reacted to not only Busch’s 2014 struggles – but those of the entire company – by shuffling crew chiefs. Busch, who had spent the last several years with Dave Rogers atop his pit box, is now paired with Adam Stevens, a former crew chief for Joe Gibbs Racing in the NASCAR XFINITY Series where he has spent the past four seasons working mostly with Busch and been a part of 31 wins, 73 top-five and 95 top-10 finishes in 124 starts for JGR drivers.

Team officials expect the move to benefit Busch, who already knows his new crew chief quite well.

“Adam has clearly proven that he is ready to move into the Cup Series and we feel that his familiarity with Kyle provides the opportunity for us to make that move now,” JGR president J.D. Gibbs said on the day the company announced its roster of 2015 crew chiefs.

With Stevens at the helm, Busch aims to have a season more like the one he enjoyed in 2013 – when he recorded four wins and posted a career-best points finish. To do this, Busch will likely need to avoid the inconsistency that resulted in him finishing outside the top 30 last year in nine races, including four in a row.

If Busch can stay out of trouble and keep all the parts working on his car more often that not, he has a real chance to race for a championship in November.

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A.J. Allmendinger A year ago, A.J. Allmendinger was set to embark on his first season with a new team, and outsiders’ expectations were understandably modest. info OWNERs bRaD DauGHeRty, taD GescHickteR TEAM JtG DauGHeRty RacinG spONsORs busH’s bakeD beans, cloRox, kinGsfoRD cHaRcoal MANufAcTuRER cHevRolet cREW cHIEf bRian buRns

©2015 Bush Brothers & Company. 2015 JTG Daugherty Racing™, AJ Allmendinger name and / or likeness and race team, race car and car number used by authority of JTG Racing, Inc. CHEVROLET AND ALL ASSOCIATED MARKS, EMBLEMS AND DESIGNS ARE THE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS OF CHEVROLET MOTOR CORPORATION AND USED WITH PERMISSION.

After all, the driver hadn’t raced a full season since 2011 and was joining a JTG Daugherty Racing organization that had never been to a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Victory Lane. But, in what ultimately stood as one of the year’s biggest surprises, Allmendinger earned entry into the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup by scoring his first career Sprint Cup Series win in the August road-course race at Watkins Glen International. Allmendinger went on to finish 13th in the standings after being eliminated from championship contention in the opening, three-race round of NASCAR’s 10-race playoff.

With last season’s Chase qualification

still fresh in everyone’s memory, the team is appropriately aiming higher in 2015.

“Acceptable for us is to win two races and finish inside of the top 15,” said co-owner Brad Daugherty. “You look at the multi-car teams you’re racing, it’s so difficult to finish inside that top 10. The Hendrick and JGRs and people like that, those teams should eat up a lot of those spaces, but for us to be inside that top 15 and to win a couple races, I think we should win outside of a road course. I think we’re capable. So if we do that, I’ll be really, really tickled.”

Allmendinger, who posted just five top10 finishes last season, will need more

consistent speed from his No. 47 car to go deeper in this year’s Chase.

“If you look at our average finishes, we were a 20th place, 22nd-place race team,” Allmendinger said. “So that’s where we’ve got to get better. Of course we want to go out there and win, and if you win you’re going to be in the Chase again and have a great shot to finish top 15 in points, but I want to be a top 15 team every weekend. A consistent top 15 – make a 15th place finish our norm, make a top 10 a good day, and once you start getting in the top 10, you’re going to have a shot to win races, so that’s what we have to do.”

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info OWNER tony steWaRt, Gene Haas TEAM steWaRt-Haas RacinG spONsORs GoDaDDy.coM, aspen Dental, taxact MANufAcTuRER cHevRolet cREW cHIEf Daniel knost

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Danica Patrick Beyond a shadow of a doubt, Danica Patrick made notable improvements in 2014 from her rookie NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season.

If she progresses from 2014 to 2015 at the same rate she did from 2013 to 2014, this could well be the year that the native of Roscoe, Ill., has waited for since joining NASCAR’s top division following two part-time and one full-time seasons in what is now known as the NASCAR XFINITY Series.

How Patrick fares this season will largely depend, however, on new crew chief Daniel Knost, who Stewart-Haas Racing officials assigned as Patrick’s “interim” crew chief late last season in what amounted to little more than a trial run. Although Patrick finished no better than 27th in three races with Knost atop the No. 10 team’s green GoDaddy pit box, team officials walked away convinced the former SHR engineer was the one to guide her effort in the next season – and formalized that decision in early January.

It was under veteran crew chief Tony Gibson, however, that Patrick netted her three top-10 finishes last year – compared to only one in 2013 – and made substantive performance gains in qualifying and overall speed on race day. So Patrick seemed a little surprised – although not disagreeable – when the team decided late last year to make Gibson the crew chief for SHR teammate Kurt Busch while moving Knost from Busch’s team over to Patrick’s.

“I think that things had started to definitely take a nice turn in a better direction the last part of the year,” Patrick said. “I was open-minded to anything. Ultimately, at the end of the day, these decisions are not made by me. I feel like things had been going in a nice direction, but again there is a bigger scale of things going on than just me. So the rearranging took place, but I’m very open-minded and I’m not scared of change. I definitely am one that believes that you can’t know if something can be better unless you try it. I’m ready for the challenge and the change and the possibility of it being better than what it is.”

Maybe better enough to win a race – perhaps at a restrictorplate track – and make the Chase.

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info OWNER bob GeRMain TEAM GeRMain RacinG spONsORs Geico MANufAcTuRER cHevRolet cREW cHIEf RobeRt “bootie” baRkeR

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Casey Mears Since joining Germain Racing late in the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, it’s been a steady, upward progression for Bakersfield, Calif., native Casey Mears.

Mears, who is the son of Indy-car and off-road veteran Roger Mears and the nephew of four-time Indy 500 winner Rick Mears, didn’t score a top-five finish in three-plus years as driver of the organization’s No. 13 car. Over that same stretch, Mears logged only one top-10 finish – ninth in the July 2013 race at Daytona International Speedway. But in 2014, Mears scored more top-10 finishes than in all of his previous time combined at Germain Racing, finishing in the top 10 on three occasions – including once again in July at Daytona, where he finished an impressive fourth in the rain-delayed, rain-shortened event.

Not surprisingly, Mears went on to achieve better average starting and finishing positions than in his three previous full seasons with the Mooresville, N.C.-based company, which fields only one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team.

“It was a strong season and we’ve made a lot of progress on these intermediate tracks, which is a good sign as we get ready for the 2015 season,” Mears said. “I want to thank GEICO, KMC Wheels, Castrol, Caymus and all of our partners for their support this year.

And, I can’t thank our owner Bob Germain enough for the investment he’s made in the team. … I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished, so far. Each year we get better, so we’re looking forward to getting to Daytona in February and getting the 2015 season started.”

What’s the outlook for Mears and the No. 13 GEICO team in 2015? If Mears and the team, led by veteran crew chief Robert “Bootie” Barker, continue on their upward trajectory, a win and a berth in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup seem possible, despite remaining a single-car team.

“I’m really proud of all the folks on this Germain Racing team,” Mears said. “The GEICO Chevy has been strong and it’s due to their hard work and commitment to our program. Also, Richard Childress Racing [which has a technical alliance with Germain] has been a great partner and we’re excited about ending [2014] on a strong note and getting to work with those guys on 2015.”

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20 info OWNER Joe Gibbs TEAM Joe Gibbs Racing sponsors Dollar General, DeWalt manufacturer Toyota CREW CHIEF Jason Ratcliff

Matt Kenseth The only one of four Joe Gibbs Racing drivers not with a new crew chief for the 2015 season, 2003 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Matt Kenseth hopes to return to Victory Lane this season after going surprisingly winless in his second year with the organization. A season before that – and paired with the same crew chief, Jason Ratcliff – Kenseth notched a career-high seven victories en route to a second-place points finish behind Jimmie Johnson. Which Kenseth shows up this year – the one from 2014 or 2013 – will determine his legitimacy as a contender for his second title in NASCAR’s top series.

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19 info OWNER Joe Gibbs TEAM Joe Gibbs Racing sponsors Arris, Stanley, Subway, Sport Clips manufacturer Toyota CREW CHIEF Darian Grubb

Carl Edwards It’s a whole new world in 2015 for Carl Edwards, who made the bold decision last year to leave Roush Fenway Racing for Joe Gibbs Racing. For the first time in his career, Edwards is driving a Toyota – not a Ford – and working with a champion crew chief in Darian Grubb. Edwards and Grubb could click virtually overnight and be in the thick of the hunt for a championship. Or Edwards could need a season to adapt to Grubb and the JGR way.

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info OWNER Joe Gibbs TEAM Joe Gibbs Racing sponsors FedEx, Sport Clips manufacturer Toyota CREW CHIEF Dave Rogers

Denny Hamlin One of four finalists in contention for the championship in last season’s winner-take-all finale, Denny Hamlin finished the season on a high note by remaining in the hunt for his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series title literally until the final laps at Homestead-Miami Speedway. For this season, team owner Joe Gibbs paired Hamlin with Dave Rogers – the crew chief for teammate Kyle Busch the past five seasons. Former Hamlin crew chief Darian Grubb joins new teammate Carl Edwards. If Hamlin and Rogers gel as expected, Hamlin could make another title run – only this time, he should win more than one race.

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OWNER Rick Hendrick TEAM Hendrick Motorsports sponsors Farmers Insurance, Great Clips, Time Warner Cable, Pepsi, LiftMaster manufacturer Chevrolet CREW CHIEF Keith Rodden

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Kasey Kahne Reunited with former Hendrick Motorsports engineer and 2014 Jamie McMurray crew chief Keith Rodden, Kasey Kahne has the potential to achieve greatness. But of the new driver-crew chief pairings for 2015, the Kahne-Rodden one might require the most adjustment. That’s because Kahne has worked with the same crew chief, Kenny Francis, in all but one of his 11 seasons. Hendrick Motorsports signed Kahne to a new contract during the offseason. His biggest hurdle to a championship might simply be getting on the same page with Rodden quickly enough and often enough to mount a charge.

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OWNER Michael Waltrip, rob Kauffman TEAM Michael Waltrip Racing sponsors 5-hour Energy, Peak, AAA MidAtlantic manufacturer Toyota CREW CHIEF Brian Pattie

Clint Bowyer Shut out of Victory Lane for the second consecutive year after netting a career-high three wins on the way to a runner-up points finish in 2012, Clint Bowyer was unequivocally one of the biggest disappointments of 2014. Bowyer’s problems, however, seemed to be tied to all of Michael Waltrip Racing being down than any particular issues with the driver or his team. With teammate Brian Vickers set to sit out an underdetermined number of races for medical reasons, it’ll be up to Bowyer to carry the MWR banner. With a little luck, he should make the Chase for the third time in four years with MWR.

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41 info OWNER Gene Haas, Tony Stewart TEAM Stewart-Haas Racing sponsors Haas Automation manufacturer Chevrolet CREW CHIEF Tony Gibson

Kurt Busch Kurt Busch’s first season at Stewart-Haas Racing was one strange trip. The 2004 champion locked up a berth in the Chase early on, thanks to a win at Martinsville Speedway in only his sixth start with the organization. Busch never won again, however, and was eliminated in the first of four Chase rounds. He finished 12th in points – disappointing enough for SHR to swap crew chiefs on Busch and teammate Danica Patrick with three races left in the season. The move seemed to pay immediate dividends for Busch, who closed out on a strong note. If Busch can build on that positive momentum this year, he could go deeper into the Chase.

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Greg biffle Greg Biffle made the Chase in 2014, but the season was in many ways a letdown. With his Roush Fenway Racing team not up to its usual front-running standards, Biffle failed to win for the first time in three years. One of three winless drivers to grab a Chase berth, Biffle was eliminated in the opening playoff round and finished 14th – only his second finish outside the top 10 in seven years. With Carl Edwards’ departure, Biffle becomes the senior member of RFR’s driver roster. He’ll need more speed to make a championship run in 2015.

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OWNER RicHaRD cHilDRess TEAM RicHaRD cHilDRess RacinG spONsORs cateRpillaR, Quicken loans, Wix filteRs MANufAcTuRER cHevRolet cREW cHIEf luke laMbeRt

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ryan newman One of three drivers who made the chase despite going winless in last year’s regular season, Ryan Newman began the Sprint Cup Series’ new 16-driver playoff seeded 16th among 16 drivers. But using the same model of consistency that propelled him into the Chase, Newman survived three intense Chase rounds to become one of four championship finalists in the winner-take-all season finale. finale. He finished second to Kevin Harvick.

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info OWNER Chip Ganassi, Felix Sabates TEAM Chip Ganassi Racing sponsors Target manufacturer Chevrolet CREW CHIEF Chris Heroy

austin dillon

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NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

TEAM Richard Childress Racing sponsors Dow Chemical, Cheerios, Bass Pro Shops, American Ethanol

CREW CHIEF Gil Martin

info OWNER Richard Petty, Andy Murstein TEAM Richard Petty Motorsports

CREW CHIEF Trent Owens

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OWNER Richard Childress

manufacturer Chevrolet

manufacturer Ford

Before Brian Vickers thinks about making the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup for the second time or winning a race for the first time since 2013, he must first make a full recovery from surgery in December to repair a hole in his heart.

Vickers’ recovery is expected to leave him sidelined for the first two races at the start of the season. Once he returns, he will be eligible to race for a Chase berth despite missing those races.

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sponsors Smithfield Foods, Fresh from Florida, STP

brian vickers

Kyle Larson earned the attention of the entire NASCAR world in 2014 with an extraordinary rookie Sprint Cup Series season highlighted by 17 top-10 finishes, including three runnerup results. The only thing missing, of course, was a win. But with a year of experience under his belt, Larson enters 2015 expected to get to Victory Lane and land a spot in the Chase. If that happens, anything is possible based on how well he performed during last year’s Chase races – despite not being a title contender.

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Largely overshadowed by the surprisingly quick success of fellow rookie Kyle Larson, Austin Dillon was solid last season.

The good news is that, in both the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and NASCAR XFINITY Series, Dillon made a quantum leap. Although this season’s improvements might not be quite as substantial (Dillon won the championship in his second season in both of his former series), it won’t surprise anyone if he wins a restrictorplate race and makes the Chase.

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kyle larson

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aric almirola Despite an accident-plagued 2014 in which he also regularly lacked speed at 1.5- and two-mile tracks in his No. 43 Ford, Aric Almirola beat all odds with a Chase-qualifying and historically significant first career victory in the rain-shortened July race at Daytona International Speedway. To get back to NASCAR’s 16-driver playoff a second straight year, however, Almirola will likely need to do more than be at the right place at the right time like he was last summer.

info OWNER Michael Waltrip, Rob Kauffman TEAM Michael Waltrip Racing sponsors Aaron’s manufacturer Toyota CREW CHIEF Billy Scott

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info OWNER Chip Ganassi, Felix Sabates TEAM Chip Ganassi Racing sponsors McDonald’s, Cessna manufacturer Chevrolet CREW CHIEF Matt McCall

paul menard

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OWNER Richard Childress TEAM Richard Childress Racing sponsors Menard’s manufacturer Chevrolet CREW CHIEF Justin Alexander

info OWNER Bob Jenkins TEAM Front Row Motorsports sponsors Taco Bell

CREW CHIEF tbd

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. endured a challenging sophomore season in NASCAR’s top series, finishing 27th in the standings after being 19th as a rookie in 2013. The good news for the two-time NASCAR XFINITY Series champion is that he recorded more top-10s (five) in 2014 than the previous year (three). Stenhouse’s best chance to secure a win and a berth in the Chase may be Bristol Motor Speedway, where he posted a career-best second-place finish last spring and came home sixth in the August night race.

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manufacturer Chevrolet

ricky stenhouse jr.

One of the strongest drivers to miss the Chase in 2014, Jamie McMurray embarks on a new season with first-year crew chief Matt McCall at the helm. So what must McMurray do to make the Chase? Simply put: Be fast enough to challenge for wins more often. McMurray went to Victory Lane in 2014 but it was in the exhibition NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Anything less than a points win and berth in the Chase would be disappointing.

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The 2014 season was a mixed bag of results for Paul Menard.

His five top-five finishes and 13 top-10 results were both career highs, but the Wisconsin native’s 21st-place finish in the standings was his worst in four seasons at Richard Childress Racing. A late-season crew chief change in preparation for 2015 bodes well for Menard, however, as he ended the year with a fourth-place finish at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

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jamie mcmurray

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david ragan David Ragan is always a threat to win at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’ two restrictor-plate tracks. Ragan, whose two career wins in NASCAR’s top division have come at Daytona International Speedway (July 2011) and Talladega Superspeedway (May 2013), figures to be a factor at both tracks again this year.

A victory in any of the first three plate races would all but guarantee his first appearance in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

info OWNER Jack Roush, Fenway Sports Group TEAM Roush Fenway Racing sponsors Fastenal, Zest, EcoPower manufacturer Ford CREW CHIEF Nick Sandler POLEPOSITIONMAG.COM

49

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women & RacinG

meet the new Girl

PResenteD BY

k&n PRo seRies DRiVeR kenZie Ruston

h

ello, Danica Patrick. There’s a new gal in town: a 22-year-old NASCAR K&N Pro Series East driver named Kenzie Ruston.

Entering the homestretch of her second K&N Pro Series East season, Ruston posted a career-best finish of second place on Aug. 1, 2014, at Iowa Speedway. It was the best result by a female driver in NASCAR K&N Pro Series history.

Now, Ruston, who competes for the team owned by NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver Ben Kennedy, is focused on the next step in her progression: Becoming a regular in Victory Lane.

“Winning races is what it’s all about,” she said. “That’s why we get in the car every weekend. When you’re winning races, your name gets out there, and that’s what you’ve got to do.”

While Ruston has excelled in her relatively short time in the K&N series – she notched 12 top-10 finishes in her first career 26 starts – the native of El Reno, Okla., acknowledges that she still has room to grow and develop as a driver.

“I feel like my first year last year, my rookie year, I struggled at some of the bigger places, and I feel like this year I’ve kind of got my hand on a couple of the big tracks,” said Ruston, whose talents first became widely noticed in 2011 with a pair of top-10 finishes in four ARCA Racing Series outings.

Much like Danica Patrick, Ruston has grown accustomed to the extra attention – and scrutiny – that comes with being a female driver in NASCAR. “Being a female definitely has its ups and downs, for sure,” she said. “When I was first starting out when I was 14 and I was racing other 12- to 14-year-old boys, I felt like it was a lot harder then.”

maDame alexanDeR Doll comPanY to Join foRces with nascaR anD Danica PatRick

I

fans in action ■ IT’S DANICA! A fan captures a selfie with Danica Patrick during the 2014 season.

(CIA Stock Photo) ■ POSING WITH DYLAN. A fan poses with XFINITY Series driver Dylan Kwasniewski prior to a race last season at Talladega Superspeedway. (CIA Stock Photo)

52

nascaR Pole Position 2015

n December 2014, Madame Alexander Doll Company announced a partnership with NASCAR Team Properties to design and develop new NASCAR play doll collections including dolls featuring superstar Danica Patrick, driver of the No. 10 GoDaddy Chevrolet SS for Stewart-Haas Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

“Designing NASCARthemed dolls for girls to play with is a fun and engaging way for young girls to become even more fascinated with a sport that empowers a new generation of women and that is one of the largest spectator sports in America,” said Gale Jarvis, President, Madame Alexander Doll Company. “Partnering with Danica Patrick is exciting for us. She is one of the most successful and well-known women in the history of racing and well-known female superstars today.”

The first in a series of new collections will be introduced for fall 2015. The product will be distributed through Madame Alexander’s extensive distribution channels across all retailer tiers and e-commerce merchants, including MadameAlexander.com.

nascar fuel careers

Brad Gillie

Chris Helein

Pit Reporter, Performance Racing Network

V.P. of Communications, Joe Gibbs Racing

The silky smooth voice of Brad Gillie is one NASCAR fans have grown accustomed to hearing through their radios or computers.

As a pit reporter for Performance Racing Network, Gillie is tasked with interviewing drivers before and after they do battle.

It is also Gillie’s job to talk with crew chiefs during the race about various strategies that are playing out.

In addition to his role at PRN, where he’s worked since 2006 and also been a play-by-play announcer, Gillie hosts or co-hosts multiple shows on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio where he began working in early 2013.

Before turning his focus exclusively to PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio in April 2014, Gillie produced and hosted a weekly motorsports show out of Texas Motor Speedway. The syndicated show, known as “Texas Motor Speedway’s Total Access,” quickly grew to around 65 affiliates

and continues today in Gillie’s absence.

The bottom line: Gillie is a seasoned veteran of his chosen industry. But the 43-year-old Fort Worth, Texas, resident and New Jersey native understands talent can only take one so far.

“The key to being good in radio is being prepared,” said Gillie, who landed his first on-air gig at the student-run radio station of Sam Houston State University where he majored in radio/ TV/film and attended from 1989-1992. “If the first time you think about what you’re going to do on the air is when you first turn on the microphone, then you’re in trouble. Like

most hosts I work with, I spend a good amount of time researching topics and keeping current on news.

“As far as being entertaining enough for people to listen, being prepared goes a long way. … I also try to think about what is going to be interesting to the audience and what will make them react. You can’t just sit there and talk. You have to engage. To be a good host, I also feel that you have to be yourself. … Also, on the radio, you are talking to the listener as an individual, not a group.”

Gillie considers his “big break” an internship he nabbed with a Dallas radio station during his final year in

college. That opportunity led to a full-time job with the company. The rest, as they say, is history.

“Practice and persistence go a long way,” Gillie said. “For practice, take any opportunity to get in front of a microphone.

It doesn’t matter if it’s doing PA at a local race track or high school football game, to getting a job at a small radio station. A person will gain valuable experience spending time on a microphone. After that, look for people with experience who will give you an honest critique of your work.

You have to have thick skin when it comes to accepting criticism, but it’s important.

“For persistence, get yourself in front of people who are in the industry. Get to know them and let them know what your goals are. Some people will blow you off, and some will be willing to help.

Your first job will likely not be the one you really want, but if you get your foot in the door you can work your way up the ladder.”

A

s Joe Gibbs Racing’s vice president of communications since August 2008, Chris Helein knows a thing or two about overseeing public relations for a major NASCAR team.

But before reuniting with his old boss, JGR founder and owner Joe Gibbs, he was already a PR pro.

Helein worked as V.P. of public relations for the Washington Redskins during Gibbs’ second tenure as the NFL team’s head coach.

Prior to that, Helein was head of communications for ComCast SportsNet. Helein attributes much of his professional success to nuggets of wisdom received along the way.

“I’ve been blessed to have had the opportunity to be around some tremendous leaders and incredibly successful people,” said Helein. “ … I was also blessed early in my career with great mentors like Charlie Dayton, who continues to handle PR for the Carolina Panthers, and Rick Vaughn, now with the Tampa Bay Rays. They taught me the importance of things like building relationships, having patience, staying calm regardless of the situation and making sure you build a strong team around you.”

Now, Helein is able to pass his insights along to others.

“I often joke that PR ends up being the department that gets handed tasks that no one else wanted to do even if it doesn’t fit the PR job description,” he said.

“Be willing to do them.

People will notice.”

By Jared Turner 54

NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

lifestYle nascaR fuel

Downtime WITH DALE EARNHARDT JR.

w

hen Dale Earnhardt Jr. has a rare Sunday afternoon off, he’s usually not hard to find. Just follow the aroma emanating from his yard.

It’s there that NASCAR’s most popular driver can often be found barbequing, surrounded by his inner circle of friends and family members during an all-day affair that involves tinkering with that day’s chosen concoction – sometimes ribs, sometimes brisket, really just whatever strikes the group’s fancy.

Earnhardt Jr., who refers to himself on Twitter as an “aspiring competition BBQ Pitmaster,” likens the barbequing experience to one of his favorite pastimes.

“It’s real similar to preparing an old Late Model for a race,” said Earnhardt Jr., who cut his teeth running Late Models at short tracks in the Southeast. “It’s a lot of maintenance and you are always kind of tinkering and playing and tweaking on the setup. You take it to the track and tweak on it a little bit here, tweak on it a little bit there, you don’t get too far out of your comfort zone. It’s real similar to that and you get your buddies around and, just like in the Late Model days, everybody is a volunteer.”

K

asey Kahne is anything but apathetic when it comes to fitness.

“I try to work out as much as I can, but early in the season I seem to work out a good bit more than the last half of the season or the middle part of the year when it’s the hottest outside,” he said. “After a long Sunday race on a 95-degree day, I’m pretty dehydrated, so I would say I back it down a little bit in the mid-part of the summer. Other than that, I’ll work out five or six times a week.”

Kahne enjoys combining cardiovascular exercises with strength training.

“I maybe run one mile, do 50 push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, squats or something like that,” he said. “And then run another mile and do three to four sets of that.”

The effort is not in vain.

“I’ve always felt better in the car when I’m in shape,” Kahne said. “I feel like I’m better out of the car when I’m in shape and working out, and when the race is over I don’t feel like I was kind of wearing down late in the race at certain tracks where there’s a little more wear and tear on your body.”

mental PReP WITH PAUL MENARD Do you have a ritual that helps you prepare for races?

tRaininG WITH KASEY KAHNE

After the drivers’ meeting, I just go back to the motorhome and make sure I’m hydrated and nourished, and go to the bathroom and get out the door. I usually have a pretty big breakfast and then before the race it’s usually a protein shake with some fruit.

fuelinG uP WITH A.J. ALLMENDINGER

Breakfast: LUNCH:

DINNER:

SNACK:

“I’ll start my day out usually with some oatmeal or some toast with some peanut butter on it and a cup of coffee. That’s pretty much every morning for me. I love pancakes, if I allowed myself to eat them.”

“Usually, it has some sort of chicken or something like that. Maybe some fish, if I wanted to change it up.

Chicken and rice or a stir fry or something like that is on a daily basis what I’ll eat.”

“My one weakness is tortilla chips. I try to stay as healthy as possible when it comes to them. I try to get the blue corn tortilla chips, which are a little bit better for you, but chips and hummus is a big snack of mine.”

“It’s usually some sort of salad and maybe some soup; or I’ll do a wrap or maybe something like that. My lunch is pretty basic – the same thing everyday. It’s a turkey sandwich, turkey wrap or something like that.”

By Jared Turner PolePOSITIONmaG.COM

55

nascar fuel TRIVIA

How Well Do You Know NASCAR? Score 10 points for each correct answer. Add up your points and see how you rank!

1

0-20 Rookie 30-40 Spectator 50-60 Fan 70-80 Race Chaser 90-100 Super Fan

Which driver won his only official NASCAR race in the Daytona 500?

A. Mario Andretti B. Tiny Lund C. Pete Hamilton D. Derrike Cope

2

Which driver is said to have invented drafting at Daytona International Speedway in 1960?

A. Lee Petty B. Fireball Roberts C. Marvin Panch D. Junior Johnson

3

What is the only father-son combination to finish 1-2 in the Daytona 500?

A. Dale Earnhardt and Dale Jr. B. Bobby and Davey Allison C. Ned and Dale Jarrett D. Lee and Richard Petty

4 56

NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

Who was the first woman to compete in the Daytona 500?

A. Sara Christian B. Shawna Robinson C. Janet Guthrie D. Danica Patrick

6

What color stripe across the rear bumper of a race car signifies a rookie NASCAR racer?

A. Yellow B. Red C. Black D. Green

7

Which driver has been the runner-up for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship more than any other?

A. Rusty Wallace B. Mark Martin C. Richard Petty D. Bobby Allison

8 10

Which is the oldest track on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series circuit?

A. Talladega Superspeedway B. Indianapolis Motor Speedway C. Darlington Raceway D. Martinsville Speedway

How many wins did Kevin Harvick post in the final six races last season on his way to the Sprint Cup Series championship?

A. 3 B. 1 C. 4 D. 2

Which consistent driver finished in the top 10 115 times in only 242 starts over a 22-year career?

A. Marcos Ambrose B. Donnie Allison C. David Pearson D. Cale Yarborough ANSWERS // 1. A.; 2. D.; 3. B.; 4. C.; 5. D.; 6. A.; 7. C.; 8. B.; 9. B.; 10. A

5

Which Daytona 500 winner led the fewest laps?

A. Trevor Bayne B. Ward Burton C. Ernie Irvan D. Jamie McMurray

POLEPOSITIONMAG.COM

57

nascaR seRies RosteRs 2015 nascaR sPRint cuP seRies RosteR No.

Driver

Team

Sponsor/Make

Crew Chief

Driver’s Hometown

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 9 10 11 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 26 27 31 32 33 34 36 38 40 41 42 43 44 47 48 51 55 66 78 88 95 98

Jamie McMurray Brad Keselowski Austin Dillon Kevin Harvick Kasey Kahne Trevor Bayne Michael Annett Sam Hornish Jr. Danica Patrick Denny Hamlin Casey Mears Tony Stewart Clint Bowyer Greg Biffle Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Kyle Busch Carl Edwards Matt Kenseth Ryan Blaney Joey Logano Alex Bowman Jeff Gordon Cole Whitt Paul Menard Ryan Newman Bobby Labonte Brian Scott David Ragan Reed Sorenson David Gilliland Landon Cassill Kurt Busch Kyle Larson Aric Almirola Timmy Hill A.J. Allmendinger Jimmie Johnson Justin Allgaier Brian Vickers Brett Moffitt Martin Truex Jr. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Michael McDowell Josh Wise

Chip Ganassi Racing Team Penske Richard Childress Racing Stewart-Haas Racing Hendrick Motorsports Roush Fenway Racing Tommy Baldwin Racing Richard Petty Motorsports Stewart-Haas Racing Joe Gibbs Racing Germain Racing Stewart-Haas Racing Michael Waltrip Racing Roush Fenway Racing Roush Fenway Racing Joe Gibbs Racing Joe Gibbs Racing Joe Gibbs Racing Woods Brothers Racing Team Penske BK Racing Hendrick Motorsports BK Racing Richard Childress Racing Richard Childress Racing Go FAS Racing Richard Childress Racing Front Row Motorsports Tommy Baldwin Racing Front Row Motorsports Circle Sport Stewart-Haas Racing Chip Ganassi Racing Richard Petty Motorsports Team Xtreme Racing JTG Daugherty Racing Hendrick Motorsports HScott Motorsports Michael Waltrip Racing Premium Motorsports Furniture Row Racing Hendrick Motorsports Leavine Family Racing Phil Parsons Racing

McDonald’s/Chevrolet Miller Lite/Ford Dow Chemical/Chevrolet Budweiser/Chevrolet Farmers Insurance/Chevrolet AdvoCare/Ford Pilot-Flying J/Chevrolet Twisted Tea/Ford GoDaddy/Chevrolet FedEx/Toyota GEICO/Chevrolet Bass Pro Shops/Chevrolet 5-HOUR Energy/Toyota Ortho/Ford Fastenal/Ford M&Ms/Toyota Arris/Toyota Dollar General/Toyota Motorcraft/Ford Shell-Pennzoil/Ford Dr. Pepper/Toyota Drive to End Hunger/Chevrolet TBA/Toyota Menards/Chevrolet Caterpillar/Chevrolet C&J Energy Services/Ford Shore Lodge/Chevrolet CSX Transportation/Ford Golden Corral/Chevrolet Love’s Travel Stops/Ford TBA/Chevrolet Haas Automation/Chevrolet Target/Chevrolet Smithfield Foods/Ford Phoenix Warehouse/Chevrolet Bush’s Baked Beans/Chevrolet Lowe’s/Chevrolet BRANDT Agricultural/Chevrolet Aaron’s Dream Machine/Toyota TBA/Toyota Furniture Row/Chevrolet Nationwide Insurance/Chevrolet TBA/Ford TBA /Chevrolet

Matt McCall Paul Wolfe Gil Martin Rodney Childers Keith Rodden Bob Osborne Kevin Manion Drew Blickensderfer Daniel Knost Dave Rogers “Bootie” Barker Chad Johnston Brian Pattie Matt Puccia Nick Sandler Adam Stevens Darian Grubb Jason Ratcliff Jeremy Bullins Todd Gordon Dave Winston Alan Gustafson Randy Cox Justin Alexander Luke Lambert Frank Stoddard Nick Harrison TBA TBA Donnie Wingo Mark Hillman Tony Gibson Chris Heroy Trent Owens Peter Sospenzo Brian Burns Chad Knaus Steve Addington Billy Scott Scott Eggleston Cole Pearn Greg Ives Wally Rogers Gene Nead

Joplin, Mo. Rochester Hills, Mich.

Welcome, N.C. Bakersfield, Calif.

Enumclaw, Wash.

Knoxville, Tenn.

Des Moines, Iowa Defiance, Ohio Roscoe, Ill. Chesterfield, Va. Bakersfield, Calif.

Columbus, Ind. Emporia, Kan. Vancouver, Wash.

Olive Branch, Miss.

Las Vegas, Nev. Columbia, Mo. Cambridge, Wis. High Point, N.C. Middletown, Conn.

Tucson, Ariz.

Vallejo, Calif.

Alpine, Calif.

Eau Claire, Wis. South Bend, Ind. Corpus Christi, Texas Boise, Idaho Unadilla, Ga. Peachtree City, Ga. Riverside, Calif.

Cedar Rapids, Iowa Las Vegas, Nev. Elk Grove, Calif.

Tampa, Fla. Port Tobacco, Md. Los Gatos, Calif.

El Cajon, Calif.

Riverton, Ill. Thomasville, N.C. Grimes, Iowa Mayetta, N.J. Kannapolis, N.C. Glendale, Ariz.

Riverside, Calif.

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nascaR Pole Position 2015

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2015 NASCAR xfinity Series roster No. Driver

Hometown

Team

Make

Crew Chief

01 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 14 16 17 18 19 20 22 23 24 25 28 31 33 39 42 43 51 52 54 55 60 62 70 74 87 88

99

Cedar Rapids, Iowa Emporia, Va. Boise, Idaho Welcome, N.C. Mooresville, N.C. Mobile, Ala. Cato, N.Y. West Palm Beach, Fla. Dawsonville, Ga. Vienna, W. Va. Bakersfield, Calif.

Bixby, Okla.

Monterrey, Mexico Milwaukie, Ore. Cambridge, Wis. Rochester Hills, Mich.

McKinney, Texas Chilhowie, Va. Watkinsville, Ga. St. Louis, Mo. Las Vegas, Nev. Atlanta, Ga. Tucker, Ga. Elk Grove, Calif.

New Castle, Ind. Spartanburg, S.C. Cedar Rapids, Iowa Las Vegas, Nev. El Paso, Texas Prosper, Texas Las Vegas, Nev. Spanaway, Wash.

Jefferson County, Ala. Lakeland, Fla. Louisville, Ky. Kannapolis, N.C. Bakersfield, Calif.

Plano, Texas

JD Motorsports Roush Fenway Racing Richard Childress Racing Richard Childress Racing JD Motorsports Roush Fenway Racing JR Motorsports TriStar Motorsports JR Motorsports TriStar Motorsports Roush Fenway Racing Vision Racing Joe Gibbs Racing TriStar Motorsports Joe Gibbs Racing Team Penske R3 Motorsports JGL Racing Athenian Motorsports JGL Racing Turner Scott Motorsports Richard Childress Racing RSS Racing HScott Motorsports Richard Petty Motorsports Jeremy Clements Racing Jimmy Means Racing Joe Gibbs Racing VIVA Motorsports Roush Fenway Racing Richard Childress Racing Derrike Cope Racing Mike Harmon Racing NEMCO/Robinson Racing JR Motorsports

Chevrolet Ford Chevrolet Chevrolet Chevrolet Ford Chevrolet Toyota Chevrolet Toyota Ford Toyota Toyota Toyota Toyota Ford Chevrolet Toyota Chevrolet Ford Chevrolet Chevrolet Chevrolet Chevrolet Ford Chevrolet Chevrolet Toyota Chevrolet Ford Chevrolet Chevrolet Dodge Toyota Chevrolet

Johnny Davis Phil Gould Mike Hillman Jr. Danny Stockman Jr. TBA Chad Norris Jason Burdett Bruce Cook Ernie Cope Eddie Pardue Seth Barbour Benny Gordon Eric Phillips Paul Clapprood Mike Wheeler TBA TBA Jay Guy Mike Ford TBA Shannon Rursch Nick Harrison Kevin Starland Mike Shiplett Frank Kerr Ricky Pearson Tim Brown Chris Gayle Bill Henderson Scott Graves Shane Wilson Fred Wanke Harry McMullins Steve Gray Dave Elenz

RAB Racing

Toyota

Chris Rice

Landon Cassill Elliott Sadler Brian Scott Ty Dillon Jeffrey Earnhardt Darrell Wallace Jr. Regan Smith Blake Koch Chase Elliott Cale Conley Ryan Reed Tanner Berryhill Daniel Suarez Mike Bliss Matt Kenseth Brad Keselowski Robert Richardson Jr. Eric McClure John Wes Townley Mike Wallace Dylan Kwasniewski Brandon Jones Ryan Sieg Kyle Larson Dakoda Armstrong Jeremy Clements Joey Gase Kyle Busch Jamie Dick Chris Buescher Brendan Gaughan Derrike Cope Mike Harmon Joe Nemechek Ben Rhodes Dale Earnhardt Jr. Kevin Harvick James Buescher

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2015 NASCAR camping world TRUCK Series roster No. Driver

Hometown

Team

Make

Crew Chief

00 02 05 07 4 6 8

10 11 13 15 17 19 20 21 29 35 49 50 51

54 63 88 98 99

Ladera Ranch, Calif.

Midland, Texas Watkinsville, Ga. Palm Coast, Fla. Byron, Mich.

Level Green, Pa. Mooresville, N.C. Lakeland, Fla. Kansas City, Kan. Daytona Beach, Fla. Halifax, Va. Brentwood, Tenn.

Providence, N.C. Corning, Calif.

Colonial Heights, Va. Miami Springs, Fla. Rochester Hills, Mich.

Kanagawa, Japan Brisbane, Australia Reno, Nev. Las Vegas, Nev. Monterrey, Mexico Fairfax, Va. Baltimore, Md. La Grange, Mo. Tulare, Calif.

Necedah, Wis. Stuart, Fla.

JR Motorsports Youngs Motorsports Athenean Motorsports SS Greenlight Racing Kyle Busch Motorsports Norm Benning Racing NEMCO Motorsports

Chevrolet Chevrolet Chevrolet Chevrolet Toyota Chevrolet Chevrolet

Joe Shear Bryan Berry Michael Shelton Jason Miller Rudy Fugle Kevin Dargie Jerry Babb

Jennifer Jo Cobb Racing Red Horse Racing ThorSport Racing Billy Boat Motorsports Red Horse Racing Brad Keselowski Racing NTS Motorsports GMS Racing Brad Keselowski Racing Kevin Cywinski Racing Roo Motorsports Beaver Motorsports Kyle Busch Motorsports

TBA Toyota Toyota Chevrolet Toyota Ford Chevrolet Chevrolet Ford Toyota TBA Chevrolet Toyota

Steve Kuykendall Scott Zipadelli TBA Dennis Connor Marcus Richmond Doug Randolph Chris Rice Jeff Stankiewicz Chad Kendrick Mark Rette TBA Randy Dean II Jerry Baxter

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59

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60

NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

2015 NASCAR camping world truck Series NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Schedule Feb. 20 Daytona International Speedway Feb. 28 Atlanta Motor Speedway March 28 Martinsville Speedway May 8 Kansas Speedway May 15 Charlotte Motor Speedway May 29 Dover International Speedway June 5 Texas Motor Speedway June 13 Gateway Motorsports Park June 19 Iowa Speedway July 9 Kentucky Speedway July 22 Eldora Speedway Aug. 1 Pocono Raceway Aug. 15 Michigan International Speedway Aug. 19 Bristol Motor Speedway Aug. 30 Canadian Tire Motorsport Park Sept. 18 Chicagoland Speedway Sept. 26 New Hampshire Motor Speedway Oct. 3 Las Vegas Motor Speedway Oct. 24 Talladega Superspeedway Oct. 31 Martinsville Speedway Nov. 6 Texas Motor Speedway Nov. 13 Phoenix International Raceway Nov. 20 Homestead-Miami Speedway

2015 NASCAR xfinity Series Feb. 21 Feb. 28 March 7 March 14 March 21 April 10 April 18 April 24 May 2 May 17 May 23 May 30 June 13 June 20 July 4 July 10 July 18 July 25 Aug. 1 Aug. 8 Aug. 15 Aug. 21 Aug. 29 Sept. 5 Sept. 11 Sept. 19 Sept. 26 Oct. 3 Oct. 9 Oct. 17 Nov. 7 Nov. 14 Nov. 21

Daytona International Speedway Atlanta Motor Speedway Las Vegas Motor Speedway Phoenix International Speedway Auto Club Speedway Texas Motor Speedway Bristol Motor Speedway Richmond International Raceway Talladega Superspeedway Iowa Speedway Charlotte Motor Speedway Dover International Speedway Michigan International Speedway Chicagoland Speedway Daytona International Speedway Kentucky Speedway New Hampshire Motor Speedway Indianapolis Motor Speedway Iowa Speedway Watkins Glen International Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course Bristol Motor Speedway Road America Darlington Raceway Richmond International Raceway Chicagoland Speedway Kentucky Speedway Dover International Speedway Charlotte Motor Speedway Kansas Speedway Texas Motor Speedway Phoenix International Raceway Homestead-Miami Speedway

nascar xfinity series

Eyes on the Prize Regan Smith learned a valuable lesson last year: Consistency isn’t always enough. Smith nearly won the 2014 NASCAR XFINITY Series championship, but ended up behind teammate Chase Elliott. This year, he won’t settle for second.

JR Motorsports is by all accounts a pretty welcoming place. Team co-owner Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s smiling face – painted on the outside of the building – greets fans as they approach the sprawling venue a half-hour north of Charlotte.

There aren’t any hard feelings once you walk in the race shop, either – though it would be understandable if an intra-team rivalry existed.

JRM had the ultimate first-world problem in 2014. Its two full-time XFINITY Series drivers were the main competitors for the title.

No one could blame

Smith if the 31-year-old veteran didn’t want to share information with Elliott, his rookie teammate, as they fought for the crown at NASCAR’s secondhighest level. But there wasn’t any collusion.

There weren’t any collisions, either.

“I don’t know how much differently you can drive each other [when racing for a championship],” Smith said. “I try to race everybody with respect and in the smartest way possible.

I’ve prided myself throughout my career of not taking cheap shots or doing anything too stupid.”

If Smith and Elliott are once again the primary combatants for the series championship, expect Smith to put a premium on winning – but not at his teammate’s expense.

There’s reason for Smith to be optimistic about the 2015 campaign, anyway. It’s his third full season at JRM and he improved upon his 2013 results in 2014, scoring seven more top-10 finishes and moving from third to second in points.

He’ll have a new crew chief tasked with the job of getting Smith to the top step of the podium. Jason Burdett, who was Earnhardt

Jr.’s car chief in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, now calls the shots for Smith’s No. 7 TaxSlayer Chevrolet Camaro.

Burdett inherits a team capable of winning at any track.

Three of Smith’s four wins at JRM have

come at the series’ biggest, fastest tracks at Talladega, Michigan and Daytona, but there were opportunities to win on every type of circuit. Sound strategy and a little luck will go a long way in making it happen this season.

After all, nothing would make a race shop look better than two championship trophies.

Smith just wants to make sure one of them has his name on it.

“The main thing is, you know that person [across the shop] has got the same opportunities and the same stuff underneath them as you’ve got,” Smith said. “You’ve got to do equally as good of a job as they’re doing so you can outrun them.”

If he does, another XFINITY Series championship trophy will be headed to the JRM shop in Mooresville, N.C. – but to Smith’s side of the building.

By Aaron Burns POLEPOSITIONMAG.COM

61

nascar camping world truck series

Time to Shine Erik Jones spent the 2014 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season either running up front or watching races from the sidelines. This year, Jones has a full-time ride and is on everyone’s short list of title hopefuls.

Jones has become a poster child of sorts – remember, he’s only 18 – for young NASCAR Camping World Truck Series drivers who are proven winners in good equipment.

The Byron, Mich., native enters the new season having made just 17 CWTS starts. He’s won an incredible four times despite being the same age as a high school senior. Being with one of the series’ fastest teams in Kyle Busch Motorsports doesn’t hurt matters, but Jones still has to take care of business on the track.

It hasn’t been much

of an uphill battle so far.

Jones closed out the 2014 season with a bang. He didn’t finish worse than seventh in his final seven starts, two of which were wins – at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Phoenix International Raceway.

Jones leaned on then-teammate Darrell Wallace Jr. for advice on how to handle tracks where he’d never raced.

While Jones said the two have contrasting driving styles, the lessons he learned from Wallace and team owner Busch went a long way toward his development as

arguably the series’ hottest prospect.

One race in particular turned things around last year for Jones. After finishes of 18th (at Martinsville), 11th (Texas) and 23rd (Gateway) to start his season, Jones headed to Iowa Speedway last July looking for a solid result.

He got much more than that. Jones qualified second, led a race-high 131 laps and held off Ryan Blaney to score his second career victory.

“To finally get everything to work out and gel together how it should at Iowa was

a great feeling,” Jones said. “Getting things moving and getting that whole line of communication open with everybody was key.”

Jones won’t have to share a ride with

anyone this year, so the stakes are higher.

He’ll pilot the No. 4 KBM Toyota Tundra in an effort to bring the Mooresville, N.C.-based team its first driver’s championship. He won’t be the team’s youthful upstart anymore, either.

Up-and-comers Matt Tifft, Justin Boston and Daniel Suarez are also slated to make starts in KBM equipment. It’ll be up to Jones and the rest of the team to get the new drivers up to speed.

Jones is up for the challenge. His ultimate goal is to win the title.

Getting the first win of the season out of the way, which proved to be a challenge last year, figures to be a bit easier this time around.

“They always say, the first (win) in (every) series is hard to get out of the way,” Jones said, “But honestly, it’s the first one every year.”

By Aaron Burns 62

NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

nascar home tracks

Next Man Up While building his résumé and honing his skills in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour since 2007, Ryan Preece has steadily become one of the top young drivers working through the ranks.

Preece, 24, won the 2013 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship driving for Eric Sanderson and became a member of the NASCAR Next program. But with plenty of talent and endless possibilities, he has slowly moved up to the NASCAR XFINITY Series as team owner Tommy Baldwin has taken an interest in the Connecticut-native’s career.

Last year, Baldwin gave Preece the opportunity to run multiple races in NASCAR’s secondtier series, including the season finale at

Homestead-Miami Speedway. Although it was Preece’s first race on a 1.5-mile superspeedway, he was able to take a rather underfunded car and work into the top 20 until he had an engine go sour late in the race.

“It [was] more of an approval deal in case we come up with money or if we do get a sponsor to run quite a few races or a full season; it is kind of just to be ready,” Preece said prior to the Homestead race. “There is nothing in place right now, but it is just to be ready in case that opportunity

does arise so you don’t waste the year trying to get approved to run a full season. Tommy [Baldwin] wants me to be prepared in case something happens, and to further myself to get those opportunities. He has definitely helped me a lot with this deal.”

During the Turkey Derby at New Jersey’s Wall Stadium in November, however, Preece confirmed he will be racing at Daytona in the XFINITY Series opener with Tommy Baldwin Racing after receiving approval from NASCAR. His schedule for this season is not

finalized, yet he knows he will surely run more than the mere three events in which he has competed over the past two years.

In addition to making the jump to the XFINITY

Series, the charismatic 24-year-old racer is set to return to the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. Moreover, after competing with Sanderson, he will be moving to the TS Haulers No. 6 modified team this season.

“It all comes down to if you have money, and right now I’m just trying to find somebody; either investors or some sort of a partnership to get an opportunity down south,” Preece explained about what it takes to move up. “I want to bring short-track racing to the big three because right now, you have a handful of guys that are grassroots racers and the rest haven’t really been to the bullrings like we have.”

By Joseph Wolkin POLEPOSITIONMAG.COM

63

spotlight: copd

The Race to Breathe Easier

From Diagnosis to Ironman

W

presented by

P

lenty of moments during the NASCAR season take our collective breath away, but we often take for granted the ability to breathe easy during the less exciting moments of the day.

Those struggling with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have the utmost appreciation for those moments.

COPD is a lifethreatening lung disease, the fourth leading cause of death globally, and affects more than 300 million individuals worldwide.

Within the United States, COPD ranks as the third-leading cause of death, with more than 24 million Americans affected

and approximately half that number remaining undiagnosed.

However, a simple, painless breathing test, called spirometry, can determine whether or not a person has COPD. Since 2010, NASCAR has partnered with the COPD Foundation through DRIVE4COPD, the official health initiative of the sport. During that time, nearly 3 million NASCAR fans have been screened for COPD. In an effort to create a community for those struggling with COPD, the COPD Foundation has launched COPD360social (www.

COPD360social.org).

This social network provides those affected by COPD the

opportunity to meet others who have been diagnosed, family members of those affected, as well as healthcare providers.

COPD360social is an invaluable resource for those looking to find answers, access quality educational materials, participate in research, become an advocate or connect with new friends. Individuals can choose what they want to gain from the community – from sharing ideas and inspiration, to participating in research or learning how to lobby on Capitol Hill.

COPD360social allows users to create a personal profile, get to know others with

COPD, ask questions, start a discussion, comment on a blog, access educational materials, learn about local COPD events, find a local pulmonary rehab program, find a breathing support group, make a difference through research, have a voice in policies and laws and be inspired.

COPD360social provides unique, cutting-edge technology that was not previously available to the online COPD community. Features include user profiles and activity feeds, direct messaging and crowd-sourcing of ideas. One of the more popular features for users is the search tool “find people like me.”

hen Russell Winwood, a native of Brisbane, Australia, suffered a stroke on Christmas Day in 2002, he realized he needed to change his lifestyle. He quit smoking cigarettes, cut back on drinking alcohol and started eating better. Soon, he felt the way a 36-year-old should feel, and began training for triathlons and ultramarathons.

In 2011, Winwood was often short of breath and fatigued during training.

He visited his doctor and was diagnosed with COPD. His lungs were operating between 22 to 30 percent of their predicted capacity.

While Winwood was discouraged, he was not defeated. Six months after his diagnosis, he completed his first Ironman.

Winwood recently joined COPD360social in hopes of inspiring other athletes who have been diagnosed.

“Already I’ve found so many people with so much information; it’s been great,” Winwood said. “I joined because in Australia we don’t have anything like this yet.”

For Winwood, COPD360social provides an important avenue to raise awareness.

“Being an advocate of the benefits of exercise, I’d love to see more articles and discussions on this topic,” Winwood said. “Apart from taking your medication, second to a positive state of mind, exercise is the most beneficial thing you can do to improve your quality of life.”

By dan guttenplan 64

NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

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