NASCAR Pole Position 2015 April/May

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PG.27 DRIVER PROFILES PG.52 WOMEN & RACING

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EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS JEFF GORDON

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DANICA PATRICK A PIVOTAL SEASON

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CONTENTS

NASCAR POLE POSITION RACE FAN GUIDE AN OFFICIALLY LICENSED PUBLICATION OF NASCAR

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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: KYLE LARSON

2014 NSCS Rookie of the Year

TERMS OF RACING

Understanding the terminology of racing

PUBLISHER: CRAIG BARONCELLI VICE PRESIDENT, SALES: DAVID WATSON VICE PRESIDENT, EXECUTIVE ACCOUNTS: DAYNE MAASDORP VICE PRESIDENT, MOTORSPORTS: CHRIS VITA

SALES NATIONAL ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: DAVID POWERS, JOE RODGERS, NATHAN WALKER, ARNOUT KOK, MIKE PEARSON

PRODUCTION

12 SPOTLIGHT: THE LIGHT SHIFT

14 SPOTLIGHT: CASEY MEARS

16 TAILGATING

Presented by SYLVANIA

Man on the move, presented by GEICO

Titans of the tailgate, presented

by Honda Generators

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JEFF GORDON

NASCAR won’t be the same once Gordon steps out of the No. 24

50 GEAR

The latest products from our advertising partners

60 NASCAR SERIES SCHEDULES

2015 NSCS, NXS and NCWTS schedules

NASCAR DEFINED

DANICA PATRICK

18 TRACK TASTY

Bubba burger®: The official burger of Auto Club Speedway

27

2015 is a pivotal year for Patrick, presented

by Samsung

NASCAR Sprint Cup driver profiles, presented by GEICO

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NASCAR FUEL: CAREERS

A.E. ENGINE SPECIFIES THAT POST-PRESS CHANGES MAY OCCUR TO ANY INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THIS PUBLICATION AND TAKES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR GOODS OR SERVICES ADVERTISED. NASCAR® IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR STOCK CAR AUTO RACING, INC. MAIL ORDER: TO RECEIVE A 2015 SUBSCRIPTION TO NASCAR POLE POSITION MAGAZINE, SEND A CHECK OR MONEY ORDER FOR $25.00 TO: NASCAR POLE POSITION, C/O A.E. ENGINE, 11880 28TH ST. N, SUITE 101, ST. PETERSBURG, FL 33716. PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR RETURN MAILING ADDRESS AND AN EMAIL ADDRESS. ONLINE ORDER: SUBSCRIPTIONS CAN BE ORDERED ONLINE AT POLEPOSITIONMAG. COM/BUY. DISTRIBUTION: IF YOU ARE A BUSINESS OR AN ORGANIZATION INTERESTED IN DISTRIBUTING COPIES OF NASCAR POLE POSITION MAGAZINE, PLEASE CONTACT CRAIG BARONCELLI AT (727) 2091750 OR CB@AE-ENGINE.COM. SALES INQUIRIES: IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ADVERTISING IN NASCAR POLE POSITION MAGAZINE OR WOULD LIKE TO BECOME A FIELD REPRESENTATIVE, PLEASE CONTACT DAVID WATSON AT (727) 209-0789, OR DKW@AE-ENGINE.COM. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.

DRIVER PROFILES

A look at the drivers behind the scenes at the track

WOMEN & RACING

ART DIRECTOR: JASON TEDESCHI • GRAPHIC DESIGNER: STACEY FOSTER • WEB DEVELOPER: NICOLE COOPER • COPY EDITOR: KEITH WALTZ • EDITOR: DAN GUTTENPLAN • WRITERS: JARED TURNER, KEITH WALTZ, BEN WHITE, AARON BURNS, JERRY BONKOWSKI, JOSEPH WOLKIN • PHOTOGRAPHY: CIA STOCK PHOTOGRAPHY, NASCAR/GETTY IMAGES • SPECIAL THANKS TO: MICHAEL FORDE (NASCAR), KRISTI JOYAL (NASCAR), RACHEL SMITH

NASCAR FUEL: LIFESTYLE

56 NASCAR FUEL: TRIVIA

Kenzie Ruston: the new girl! Presented

by Samsung

Featuring jobs in communications

Tips from the pros to get you prepared

Test your NASCAR knowledge!

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NXS: RYAN REED

Victory at Daytona is a strong start to sophomore season

NCWTS: TYLER REDDICK

Hot start after a strong rookie season

HOME TRACKS: COLE CUSTER

Sun shining brightly for young Californian

SPOTLIGHT: COPD

The race to breathe easier POLEPOSITIONMAG.COM

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GREEN FLAG NEWS

Drive for Diversity Lineup Set

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ASCAR Drive for Diversity (D4D), the leading developmental platform for female and multicultural drivers and pit crew members, welcomed four talented program newcomers to its roster of six drivers striving to transition into the sport’s national series spotlight. The 2015 D4D roster includes Devon Amos, Jay Beasley, Collin Cabre, Natalie Decker, Kenzie Ruston and Dylan Smith.

Rev Racing, the program’s competition arm, has played a key role in the development of 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Rookie of the Year Kyle Larson and NASCAR XFINITY Series drivers Darrell Wallace Jr. and Daniel Suarez.

Rev Racing will field four teams in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and two in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series. The 2015 class is led by Beasley, a returning K&N Pro Series East driver, and Amos, who after an impressive 2014 performance in the Whelen All-American Series earned a spot in the K&N Pro Series East.

N

ickelodeon will serve as title sponsor of the May 9 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway.

The SpongeBob SquarePants 400 will be highlighted by a weekend of Bikini Bottom-themed activities and fun for the entire family.

By Dan Guttenplan

J T

exas Motor Speedway’s Speeding To Read educational program was named the Best Youth Marketing Initiative of 2014 by the industry during the annual NASCAR Marketing and Communications Summit.

The Speeding To Read program started in 2011 as a grassroots youth program to utilize motorsports, its drivers and race weekends to incentivize elementary school children to read. Since the program debuted, it has reached more than 12,000 students that have read more than 1.4 million books.

T

hree new tracks headline the NASCAR XFINITY Series Dash 4 Cash program as it returns for the seventh consecutive year, and first under new series sponsor XFINITY. Dover International Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway and Darlington Raceway will debut as part of the program, while Indianapolis Motor Speedway will return this season.

Designed to highlight the unique competition among championship-eligible NASCAR XFINITY Series drivers, the program could potentially result in $1 million being awarded to one driver.

Charlotte Motor Speedway will host the Dash 4 Cash qualifier, which will determine the four eligible drivers that will then compete for one of four $100,000 payouts.

Following Charlotte, the four Dash 4 Cash events are Dover (May 30), Indianapolis (July 25), Bristol (Aug. 21) and Darlington (Sept. 5).

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NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

eff Gordon’s representatives say they remain committed to development of the $400 million Canadian Motor Speedway in Fort Erie, Ontario. Pending approvals from the Ontario Ministry of Transportation and Province of Ontario, officials expect to file this spring for the necessary permits to resume construction of the massive racing complex. Officials hope the facility, whose centerpiece is a Gordon-designed signature speedway, can host its first race in 2017.

T

he Jimmie Johnson Foundation has launched the 2015 Blue Bunny Helmet of Hope campaign, which will award $125,000 to five nonprofits in April. Johnson, along with Mike Wells, president and CEO of Wells Enterprises, maker of Blue Bunny Ice Cream, revealed that nonprofit organizations supporting K-12 public education will be eligible to compete for five $25,000 grants.

The Blue Bunny Helmet of Hope program allows fans and consumers across the country to nominate their favorite education-focused charities, including Parent/Teacher Associations, to receive a $25,000 grant, a Blue Bunny ice cream party and special recognition on Johnson’s racing helmet.

C

arl Edwards and Joe Gibbs Racing added Comcast to their sponsorship lineup for four events, including the April 19 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Bristol. Comcast also served as the primary sponsor of Edwards’ No. 19 Toyota Camry in Las Vegas and has committed to events Sept. 27 at New Hampshire and Nov. 1 at Martinsville.

D

ale Earnhardt Jr. and The Dale Jr. Foundation launched a new initiative at the start of the NASCAR season: Driven to Give Gloves.

An extension of the organization’s Driven to Give program, the foundation plans to auction off a pair of Earnhardt’s race-worn gloves once a month during the 10-month NASCAR Sprint Cup season.

Earnhardt’s iconic blackand-white skeleton gloves were given a colorful makeover for the initiative and feature a different color each month related

to the specific cause. During Daytona Speedweeks, Earnhardt sported red gloves to raise awareness and financial support for Congenital Heart Defects.

At the end of each month, Earnhardt will autograph the gloves before handing them over to the foundation’s auction store on eBay. All of the proceeds will go toward the specific cause.

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GREEN FLAG BET YOU DIDN’T KNOW!

74

TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY

E Predecessor to NASCAR Hall Nearly a decade ago, NASCAR Chairman Brian France laid the foundation for what would become the NASCAR Hall of Fame, which opened in 2010 in uptown Charlotte, N.C. But how many motorsports fans know that France’s grandfather and NASCAR founder “Big” Bill France founded what is one of the best motorsports halls of fame and museums in the country? Being inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame, founded by the late France in 1982, has become one of the most prestigious honors any race car driver can ever receive. Situated just outside Alabama’s Talladega Superspeedway, the IMHoF honors drivers, crew chiefs, team owners and others who’ve made significant contributions to motorsports around the world.

CARL EDWARDS WEARS MANY HATS

T

he path to stardom for Carl Edwards, in his first season with Joe Gibbs Racing after more than a decade with Roush Fenway Racing, wasn’t easy. Edwards studied engineering at the University of Missouri, in his hometown of Columbia, for three semesters before deciding to pursue racing on a full-time basis. Edwards, however, still had to pay the bills in the meantime, so he worked for nearly two years as a part-time substitute teacher in Columbia-area schools, as well as served as a reserve sheriff’s deputy in Boone County, which includes and surrounds Columbia. A certified pilot, Edwards is one of the few NASCAR drivers who owns his own plane and flies himself from race to race.

verything is supposedly bigger in Texas, and Texas Motor Speedway sure proves that axiom true. TMS covers 1,500 acres, with parking for more than 80,000 vehicles, as well as 6,751 camping spots that can accommodate up to 40,000 campers. Inside the track, there are 1,656 women’s and 843 men’s restroom positions and 35 elevators. TMS has enough permanent lighting to illuminate 11 NFL stadiums, and four Cowboys Stadiums could be placed inside the infield. Enough hot dogs are sold in the course of a year to circle the 1.5-mile track six times, a distance of nine miles. If you like hamburgers, TMS sells enough to stack up to the equivalent of a 74-story building. Lastly, the track sells the equivalent of 34,000 gallons of Coca-Cola, Dasani water, coffee and hot chocolate.

A WINLESS 2015 CHAMP?

I

t may still be early, but what if one or more drivers again qualifies for – and then goes through – this year’s Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup without earning even one win?

Three drivers did that in last season’s Chase: Ryan Newman, Matt Kenseth and Greg Biffle. Newman advanced to the four-driver championship round of the Chase, finishing a close second to champion Kevin Harvick.

Had Newman won the 2014 title without once reaching Victory Lane, he would have been the first champion in NASCAR premier series history to go winless in the same season.

Only four drivers have ever won the championship with a single win in a season: Bill Rexford (1950), NASCAR Hall of Famer Ned Jarrett (1961), the late Benny Parsons (1973) and Matt Kenseth (2003).

HOME SWEET HOME

E

ven though he now spends a great deal of time in the Charlotte, N.C., area, threetime NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart has a magnificent log home that overlooks a lake in the rolling hills near his hometown of Columbus, Ind. But prior to moving into his new home, one of the houses Stewart owned had a full-fledged race track inside it.

Stewart would regularly host races with a number of close friends in the spacious basement of the house. Admittedly, the “cars” were go-karts, but things would still get rather competitive at the unofficially named “Smoke Speedway.” Winners sometimes would even get trophies.

What is the key to being able to race inside?

“Good ventilation,” Stewart once said.

by jerry bonkowski 08

NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

GREEN FLAG DRIVER Q&A

FAST FACTS DAY OR NIGHT ■ I’ve always enjoyed nighttime but I’ve been starting to wake up earlier, so now it’s starting to turn into daytime. But my girlfriend just got me an Xbox, so I might be getting into the nighttime a little bit more.

FAVORITE TV SHOW ■ We’ve been watching a lot of HGTV lately … and the Food Network quite a bit.

FAVORITE FOOD ■ I can always go for some good Italian food, and also Mexican food.

Q&A

FAVORITE ACTOR

WITH NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES DRIVER KYLE LARSON

O

n the heels of a season when he was named the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’ rookie of the year, Kyle Larson reveals the best advice he’s ever been given and much more in an exclusive interview with NASCAR Pole Position.

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

I don’t know. A little bit of both would be great, but I couldn’t imagine being Brad Keselowski; so I don’t know. I’d like to be liked, but if that means I’m not going to win championships and races all the time, then I don’t know. If you could be liked

and still win races … if you could be Jimmie Johnson, that’d be great. He’s liked and he’s very successful.

How do you deal with disappointment?

I normally try to forget about it as quick as I can, and I usually do a pretty good job with that. There’s only been a few times where I’ve been so disappointed in myself it was kind of hard to get over. That would have been racing sprint cars in Pennsylvania.

That’s some of the toughest stuff I’ve ever gone through, just because I sucked. And then this past year at Watkins Glen I was really hard on myself throughout practice and pretty much the

whole weekend until the race. I finished fourth, which blew my mind.

What person from sports history do you admire most and why?

Well, Jeff Gordon’s really old [laughs]. No, I don’t know. I wish I could have raced with guys like A.J. Foyt and Parnelli Jones and the Unsers and guys like that.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?

Well, my parents always taught me to have fun with whatever I was doing, and if you weren’t having fun in the activity that you were doing, there’s really no point in doing it.

Also, some good advice that I think is great for life is always have a

■ Denzel Washington

FAVORITE MUSIC positive attitude. David Robinson Jr. (sprint car driver) gave me that advice a long time ago. He actually made me watch this movie called, “The Secret,” which is all about teaching you about how a positive attitude can change the way things happen.

■ Country and classic rock

BEST CHILDHOOD MEMORY ■ Looking forward to going to the race track each week with my family, and cruising up the road to Red Bluff Recycling and knowing when we got within 20 miles or so of the track my dad was going to turn on some Led Zeppelin.

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.

Adhesion: The “stick” between two touching objects. Adhesion implies a static condition, while traction implies a dynamic (moving) condition.

Air Filter: Paper, gauze or synthetic fiber element used to prevent dirt particles from entering the engine. It is located under the hood in the air box.

Axles: Rotating shafts connecting the differential gears to the rear wheels.

Bite: (1.) “Round of bite” describes the turning or adjusting of a car’s jacking screws found at each wheel.

“Weight jacking” distributes the car’s weight at each wheel.

(2.) Adhesion of a tire to the racing surface.

Bodywork: The fabricated sheet metal that encloses the chassis.

Bore: Pistons travel up and down within each cylinder, or bore, in the engine block.

Chute: A short straightaway on a race track. The straightaways connecting Turns 1 and 2 and Turns 3 and 4 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway are known as the “short chutes.”

Downforce: A combination of aerodynamic and centrifugal forces. The more downforce, the more traction a car has. But more downforce also means more drag, which can rob a race car of speed.

Flywheel: A heavy metal rotating wheel that is part of a race car’s engine. Located on the front of the crankshaft, the flywheel keeps elements such as the crankshaft turning smoothly.

NASCAR WHELEN ALL-AMERICAN SERIES: The first step in the NASCAR ladder system. It’s a network of nearly 60 of NASCARsanctioned short-tracks held on dirt and asphalt tracks around North America.

By Dan Guttenplan

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POLEPOSITIONMAG.COM

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SPOTLIGHT ‘THE LIGHT SHIFT’

PRESENTED BY

‘The Light Shift’

G

lenn Shano has one of the hardest jobs in NASCAR. While he may not be the guy who wheels a 3,450-pound stock car, he’s wheeling something much heavier – and doing it for much longer. And his job is no less important.

That’s because without Shano and others who transport the cars to and from the tracks each weekend, there would be no race. And without a reliable set of headlights on their big rigs, Shano and his fellow drivers wouldn’t be able to see the road well enough to feel safe – since their journeys almost always commence once the sun goes down.

While such hours might be known to most folks as “the night shift,” Shano, his race car hauling cohorts and the good folks at SYLVANIA Automotive Lighting who provide them headlights, have another name for it – “The Light Shift™.”

“Your cargo is precious with every truck, but we take a lot of pride in our vehicles, and definitely seeing

good at night is a big part of the job,” Shano said. “We travel an awful lot at night; that’s just a lot of times how it’s set up, so we’re not going through a lot of rush-hour traffic through cities and stuff like that. So nighttime is our time. We do travel a lot at night and a lot of times it’s foggy or rainy or whatever, and it’s just really essential to have a good set of headlights.”

Where do good headlights rank on a hauler driver’s checklist of road essentials?

“It’s got to be way up there,” Shano said. “It’s got to be up near the top. Every now and then we’ll be running near some freight haulers and you’ll see a guy that has really poor headlights and, you feel for the guy. There’s so much wildlife at night, and just stuff that you’ve got to see. These trucks are right at 80,000 pounds and they don’t stop on a dime, so you’ve got to be able to see what’s coming up, and prepare for that. I’d say good lighting’s got to be right up there in the top 10 as far as a checklist.”

ONLY SYLVANIA HEADLIGHTS

I

n 10 years as a hauler driver, Glenn Shano has transported race cars for Michael Waltrip, Brian Vickers, Clint Bowyer, Mark Martin and Martin Truex Jr., among others.

As true veterans of the profession go, he certainly is one.

So when SYLVANIA Automotive Lighting approached him last year about being featured in a “Light Shift” video promoting the New Hampshire-based com-

12

NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

pany’s hauler headlights, the 56-year-old native of Toronto, Canada, was happy to assist.

He’s been using SYLVANIA headlights for several years – and gets a new set courtesy of the company every fall at New Hampshire Motor Speedway during the SYLVANIA 300, where SYLVANIA Automotive Lighting hands out headlights to the various teams to help promote its annual Hauler Headlights for Safer Nights

Initiative. This is part of the sponsorship activities of that weekend’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event.

“It’s just a headlight that shines a little brighter and gives you a little more viewing down the road,” Shano said of the SYLVANIA brand. “That pretty much sums it up. The better the headlight, the better off you are, I think. Safety is always a big part of what we do. I

guess we’ve had a pretty good track record for a good many years; all these haulers have made it back and forth without any incident. I think it’s good lighting and smart, experienced drivers.”

“The amount of time hauler drivers spend on the road is fascinating, and our work this year with the haulers goes beyond the parade,” said Brian Noble, marketing manager for SYLVANIA

Automotive Lighting. “Our involvement with hauler drivers for the past five years naturally led to the use of a hauler video profile as the introduction of our ‘Light Shift’ campaign. Glenn’s story is a prime example of how visibility and safety go hand-in-hand. We’re proud to have worked with him to tell his story and highlight the role quality light plays in his daily routine.”

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SPOTLIGHT CASEY MEARS ‘IMPORTANT AND NECESSARY’

C

■ Even in the middle of a major move, Casey Mears had time to squeeze in a top-five finish at the Sprint Unlimited and a sixth-place finish during Speedweeks in February.

PRESENTED BY

Man on the Move

A

s a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver, Casey Mears spends much of his time with his family living out of a motorhome at the track.

But even though Mears is gone a lot, he still wants a nice house to call home.

After spending more than a year living in an apartment while awaiting the completion of renovations on a new home, the Mears family recently moved into a new abode in the Charlotte, N.C., area.

The house – which Mears calls “an extensive remodel” – is actually only about a mile from the family’s former residence –

where they lived before their temporary apartment.

“The main reason for us to sell and kind of relocate and do something different was, one, we got in a neighborhood that we wanted to be a part of,” said Mears, who has a wife and two young children. “It’s like a really safe neighborhood and we have several people that we know who live in the area, which is helpful because their kids are the same age as ours, so it makes it kind of fun.

“And then the other thing is that we had a house that was a two-story house that the master was on the

ground floor and all the other rooms were upstairs, and with our kids being young, it was important to us to get the master downstairs with a couple bedrooms downstairs, as well, so the kids were a little bit closer.”

The logistics involved with four people living in an apartment made the family anticipate moving even more.

“We were definitely eager to get into a home again just because we have a small dog, we have kids,” Mears said.

“Apartment living is not terrible, but when it comes to walking a dog late night and having a backyard versus not

having a backyard for the kids to run around in, and shuffling your groceries up and down stairs and through elevators versus just walking through the garage and putting them in the kitchen, with having a family, the apartment living isn’t quite as friendly to you as having a house.”

asey Mears is no stranger to moves. Since going NASCAR Sprint Cup Series racing in 2003, the native of Bakersfield, Calif., has had at least five addresses. If there’s one thing he’s learned, it’s to invest in good homeowner’s insurance.

Appropriately, Mears’ primary sponsor, GEICO, offers a range of homeowner’s insurance options. Standard policies include broad coverage for damage to the home and permanent structures on the property, along with protection for damage to personal property, and limited coverage for items such as stolen jewelry.

“It’s always important and necessary,” Mears said of homeowner’s insurance.

“You never know what life’s going to throw at you, so being covered and having something that’s going to take care of you in those times that are most unexpected is always important.”

Mears doesn’t expect to relocate again in the near future.

“Anytime that you get to remodel something or build something, you get the opportunity to kind of do things how you want, so we’re definitely excited,” he said. “It’s a house we plan on being in for a lot of years and raising our family in. … We couldn’t wait to get that move out of the way and have a place to enjoy in between races.”

By Jared Turner 14

NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

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his vehicles with GEICO and you can, too.

Contact us today for a free rate quote for your car, truck, motorcycle or RV. Not only could you save hundreds, but you’ll have peace of mind knowing your vehicles are protected by a company you can trust--just like Casey Mears does.

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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.

Dave Thorne is a Kyle Larson and Brad Keselowski fan from Ontario, Canada. He’s been a NASCAR fan for longer than Kyle Larson has been alive.

Dave Thorne, 54, doesn’t have a NASCAR Sprint Cup track in his home country, but he still travels to races every year. Thorne’s son, Mike, races crate sprint cars at Ohsweken Speedway and after Ohsweken’s season ends the Thornes head south for Talladega. Thorne usually gets a group of diehard Canadian fans together to fire up the grill at Talladega, Charlotte and Martinsville in October. While a scheduling change this year may limit their stops to two races, look for Thorne’s Canadian flag and delicious burgers at a tailgate this fall.

Frankie Pickler, an Albemarle, N.C., native, cheers for Kyle Busch, Kyle Larson and Erik Jones whether he’s watching the race at the track or at home.

If you’re around 24-year-old Frankie Pickler at a NASCAR tailgate, chances are you’ll have a pretty good time. Pickler’s been to Atlanta, Daytona, Martinsville, Darlington and Talladega, but he goes all out for tailgates at Charlotte, his home track. His favorite Sprint Cup drivers seem to have success when they’re racing, and Pickler’s tailgates can be described as successful from the time he helps set them up. His group gets up at 8 a.m. to put steaks and other food on the grill and kick off their NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race tailgate.

Randy Fritch calls Oak Arbor, Ohio, his hometown and Tony Stewart his favorite driver. His family gets together to cheer on Stewart every race, every weekend.

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a more dedicated Tony Stewart fan than 25-yearold Randy Fritch. Fritch says he’s loved racing for 24 years – he can’t remember his first year – and he goes to as many races as possible. His grandfather got him into the sport.

He started out as a Dale Earnhardt fan and then moved to Tony Stewart. He hasn’t looked back since. Fritch’s ideal tailgate is simple: Just get some burgers, some bratwursts and some ice-cold beverages. Fritch plans to do all three at Michigan this August.

Jonathan Hall, a Belmont, N.C., native, grew up an ardent Mark Martin supporter. He calls meeting Martin at a fan event one of his favorite moments.

Since Mark Martin retired, 23-year-old Jonathan Hall has been all about Kyle Busch. And when Busch isn’t on track at Charlotte, Hall’s buddies have the grill going, the cooler full and a game of ladder toss ready to go. For the races at Charlotte, Hall gets tailgates started in a parking lot near the Sam Bass Gallery. He’s had good luck in seeing his new favorite driver – who he chose because “he can make something out of nothing, and he has the passion to win” – do just that at Charlotte.

Brent Davenport, of Valdese, N.C., has been a Dale Earnhardt Jr. fan for a decade and counting.

He’s seen Earnhardt race at Bristol, Charlotte and Martinsville.

Brent Davenport, 30, knows his way around the three race tracks closest to him.

Whenever he gets the chance, Davenport especially makes a point to set up shop at Charlotte for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. But no matter which track he’s visiting, Davenport gets decked out in his No. 88 gear and gets the weekend started right, cheering on his favorite driver with his wife, Sable, who roots for Carl Edwards. Davenport plans to attend the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race again this May, and he hopes it’ll pay off with an Earnhardt victory.

By Aaron Burns 16

NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

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TRACK TASTY

BUBBA burger : Building Brand Awareness ®

PRESENTED BY

A couple weeks before BUBBA burger’s first NASCAR weekend as the Official Burger of Auto Club Speedway in Southern California, the Jacksonville, Florida-based company’s vice president of marketing, Andy Stenson, sat down with NASCAR Pole Position to discuss the type of fan that BUBBA burger wants to reach, its goals for NASCAR sponsorships and more.

What does BUBBA burger desire from its NASCAR sponsorships?

Over the years BUBBA burger’s become part of the NASCAR fabric. When you go to the track, you see it in tailgating, you see it at track, you see it on the track, and with BUBBA burger integrating itself into the culture of NASCAR and the whole aspect of the whole weekend with cooking out and enjoying family and friends and having a great time, that’s been a great brand experience for us on the East Coast. Now, we’re on the West Coast and we’re building brand awareness with Auto

Club Speedway being in the Los Angeles market – a very large market that has a lot of potential for BUBBA burger. What we want to do is introduce the quality and the convenience of BUBBA burger and get people to start cooking it at tailgates there at Auto Club Speedway. The crutch of it is brand awareness and to get people to actually try the burgers.

Is there a particular type of fan that you’re targeting?

In NASCAR it’s a diverse group. BUBBA burger fits really any economic or social genre. It really fits anyone, so anyone that’s

at the track, if they’re a NASCAR fan or a corporate guest – you’ve got the traditional NASCAR fan who went out and bought their tickets and they’ve gone [to races] forever, and then you’ve got the corporate guests who many times it could be the only time they’ve ever been to the track as a guest of a corporation. We don’t have a specific fan profile in NASCAR. It’s really anyone that enjoys cooking out or enjoys a good burger and the simplicity of it. Why go make it on your own when you can have a good, quality burger right out of your own freezer and you

can make it when you want it?

Is the goal on a race weekend for fans to try a BUBBA burger at concessions and then go buy more for tailgating?

For that weekend, yes, and then the overall goal is that they have that experience of liking them, so that the next time they go to the grocery store the following week, they’re in the store, and we call it the ‘shadow effect.’

You have the event weekend where most grocery stores nearby will have a very high volume spike around the NASCAR event, but then it’s after that, it’s the following week

and the weekend after that when they’re like, ‘You know, that was a great burger. I’m going to go out and buy me another box or two.’

Are there any tracks that BUBBA burger really focuses on as places to sell?

Daytona’s our home track – that’s what we would call it – so that’s always important, but, really Richmond would stand out as a very solid, successful track for us. That track helped us tremendously years ago [when BUBBA burger was the entitlement sponsor of the NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Richmond] and we continue to have a great relationship with Richmond, so that’s a great track for us.

Really, any of the tracks – Charlotte’s a lot of fun – and at Auto Club Speedway we’re excited about the growth there.

We have high expectations for what’s going to happen there.

By Jared Turner 18

NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

“Victory Never Tasted So Good!”

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JEFF GORDON

There Will Never Be Another Jeff Gordon

NASCAR will simply never be the same once Jeff Gordon steps out of the No. 24 Chevrolet at the end of the 2015 season.

This is one of the hardest stories I’ve ever had to write in more than three decades of covering motorsports for USA Today, ESPN, Yahoo and NBC. After all, how can you write or say something about Jeff Gordon that hasn’t already been written or said hundreds, thousands or – given his multitude of loyal fans – even millions of times over the last 23 years? It’s impossible. You can’t.

Sure, I can say Gordon has had an outstanding career. But that’s so simplistic and obvious. I could also say he’s one of the greatest race car drivers I’ve ever seen. But again, that doesn’t do adequate justice to the depth and scope of Gordon’s incomparable career. Honestly, describing Gordon is like

replacing him: you can try, but you can’t.

Sure, Chase Elliott will take over for Gordon in 2016, but even as talented as that young man is and all the things he’ll likely achieve in his career, one thing is for certain: Sorry, Chase, but you’re not and never will be the next Jeff Gordon. The man who has driven the No. 24 for the last 23 seasons will always be in a class by himself. You may succeed him, but you’ll never replace him – ever.

When I first tweeted in January that Gordon was calling it quits, I remarked about how old I suddenly felt. Even though Gordon is now 43, to me he’s always remained in his 20s, in the glory days of his career when he won three of his four NASCAR

By Jerry Bonkowski 20

NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

premier series championships (and the fourth came just three months after he turned 30).

His youthful looks and attitude indirectly helped me stay – or at least feel – young and able to somewhat live vicariously through him and his success. It turns out I wasn’t the only one to feel that way.

I received numerous Twitter responses and emails to my feeling older comment. Virtually everyone, to the person, suddenly also felt older now knowing Gordon would soon be retiring – or “stepping away” as he diplomatically put it.

We were all united in the realization that Gordon was essentially our last connection to old-school NASCAR, the last remaining active driver to have

raced against Richard Petty, not to mention being half of one of the sport’s greatest rivalries of all time with the late Dale Earnhardt.

I say without equivocation that Gordon could have easily continued racing for at least another five years – and at a high level of excellence.

But after 23 seasons, four championships, over 90 race wins – including three Daytona 500s and a record five Brickyard 400 wins – what does Gordon have left to achieve that he hasn’t already done?

Sure, 100 wins would be nice. Going out on top with a fifth championship would be the cherry on the cake of his career.

But Gordon doesn’t really need any of that. He’s compiled one of the greatest careers ever seen in NASCAR. And his legacy and what he has meant to the sport will stand tall and proud long after he and his fans have left this world.

Gordon will be 44 when he finally calls it quits following this year’s season-ending race in November

at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Then it will be on to the next chapter of his storied life.

He has more than enough to keep him busy, including various business interests and endorsements, as well as remaining in his role as co-owner with Rick Hendrick of Jimmie Johnson’s team.

It’s also a no-brainer to have him on either FOX or NBC as a NASCAR analyst. He may even do some occasional racing just for fun in other series, from perhaps the Rolex 24 At Daytona, all the way down to where he came from in sprint cars.

He might even do more acting (personally, I’d love to see him reprise his role as “Ricky Funk” on “Saturday Night Live”).

Most importantly, Gordon will get to spend a great deal more time devoted to wife Ingrid and their two children, Ella and Leo, as well as to his extensive humanitarian and charity work, particularly his Jeff Gordon Foundation.

Different people will remember Gordon in different ways, but likely with one uniting theme: a humble guy, an inspiring role model for his fans and fellow drivers, and most importantly, someone who left the sport a far better place than when he came into it.

When asked how he’d like to be remembered, Gordon demurred slightly before saying, “You want to be respected as a competitor and the way you went about it, how much passion you had for it and just how good you were at what you did.

That’s what I would want, first and foremost.”

But for everything that’s ever been written or said about Gordon, perhaps Rick Hendrick put it best: “It’s going to be surely awkward and strange when I walk in the garage area and I don’t see Jeff sitting in the 24 car.”

ELLIOTT READY TO SUCCEED GORDON IN 2016

C

hase Elliott became both the youngest champion and Rookie of the Year in NASCAR history, capturing the 2014 NASCAR XFINITY Series championship at the age of 18. But that’s nothing compared to what is ahead of Elliott.

In 2016, just a few months after turning 20, the son of NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott will succeed future Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon as driver of the legendary No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet in NASCAR’s marquee Sprint Cup Series.

“I cannot think of a better driver out there to get behind the wheel of that No. 24 car and make all those 24 fans proud of who’s taking over the reins,” Gordon said after team owner Rick Hendrick revealed in late January that Elliott would be his successor.

Ergo, the son of one of the best drivers in NASCAR history will replace one of

the greatest drivers the sport has ever seen.

“The 24 car is one of the most iconic cars and numbers in the sport and it will be a true honor to drive that car,” said Elliott, who will compete in five NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races this season in preparation for next year. “I’ll be the biggest Jeff Gordon fan at the race track every weekend throughout this season.

“I want to see him go out with absolutely the best season he’s ever had and I’m looking forward to watching it.”

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NASCAR DEFINED 3

1

1 DEUCES. Kevin Harvick scored his second consecutive win in four races on the Sprint Cup Series circuit. (CIA Stock Photo) 2 THANKS, MAN! Ryan Newman takes a selfie with a fan. (CIA Stock Photo)

2

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NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

5

3

LOCKED ON TARGET. A fan captures a photo of Kyle Larson. (CIA Stock Photo)

4 LIKE A KID IN A CANDY STORE. Joey Logano enjoys his time with the Harley J. Earl Trophy. (CIA Stock Photo)

5

THE MCCLURE FAMILY. Why isn’t this a reality show yet? XFINITY Series driver Eric McClure and his wife, Miranda, with their five daughters. (CIA Stock Photo)

6

6 THE HELMET. A glimpse at Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s race helmet. (CIA Stock Photo) 7 TRIBUTE SIGN. A speed limit sign at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in honor of Jeff Gordon. (NASCAR Pole Position) 4

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DANICA PATRICK

Danica Patrick Doesn’t Want Mediocrity

Unsatisfied 2015 has all the makings of a pivotal year for Danica Patrick.

After combining for only four top-10 finishes – and no top fives – in her first two seasons as a full-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver, Patrick still harbors ambitions of being the consistent frontrunner she hoped to quickly become upon joining NASCAR’s top division as a rookie in 2013.

While the 2014 season was in many ways a step forward for the driver of the No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet, it wasn’t the giant leap she and her fans wanted.

Now in a contract year with SHR and her longtime primary sponsor, GoDaddy, the former IndyCar star

finds herself at a crossroads. Despite being one of NASCAR’s most marketable and popular drivers, Patrick sees a future with Stewart-Haas – and NASCAR – that is not totally certain.

This much is certain: Patrick doesn’t want to call it quits on NASCAR; nor does her team want her to give up on her.

While 2015 probably has bigger implications for Patrick’s future than either of her two previous full seasons in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, the native of Roscoe, Ill., doesn’t buy into that school of thought.

“I feel like every year is a pivotal year,” said Patrick,

By Jared Turner 24

NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

33. “When I first got into IndyCar, I thought I really needed to do a good job so I could stick around, and every year is a pivotal year, and I did enough to feel like, ‘Gosh, good, I feel like I made enough of a splash that it’s good for my sponsors, and I ran well.’ So it can happen in year one, year two, year three, year four. I feel like every year is an important year and I care the same every year to do well.”

For his part, team co-owner Gene Haas expects Patrick to be in her familiar No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing car in 2016.

“We’d love to see Danica come back,” Haas said.

“She’s a big draw. We want to see Danica succeed as

Patrick scored three top-10 finishes – including a career-best sixth-place finish – in 2014, but her 28thplace finish in the standings was actually one spot below where she ranked as a rookie the year before.

Also disappointing was the fact that Patrick never seriously challenged for a win and was unable to earn a place among the expanded 16-driver Chase for the Sprint Cup. So what’s the primary objective for Patrick and her No. 10 team in 2015?

“I’ve always said all along that it’s about progress and it still is,” Patrick said. “As long as you keep progressing, you’re going to get to the top as a matter

IS NEW CREW CHIEF DANIEL KNOST RIGHT FOR DANICA?

W

much as anybody does. I think NASCAR wants to see her succeed, so there’s an awful lot of vested interest in having her succeed in this man’s sport and we’re very fortunate to have someone like Danica here. I think she just brings a lot of attention to not only NASCAR, but SHR and the whole racing venue.”

While Patrick has easily been one of the sport’s most popular and recognizable drivers from the moment she first climbed into a NASCAR XFINITY Series car back in 2010, her broad appeal doesn’t change the fact she has yet to reach many of the goals she set out to achieve when she made her highly publicized move from IndyCar. After kicking off her Sprint Cup Series rookie season in sensational fashion by winning the pole for the 2013 Daytona 500, Patrick recorded only one top-10 finish in 36 starts.

Following her lone top 10 – an eighth-place finish in the Daytona 500 – she never finished better than 12th. She came home inside the top 20 just nine times all season.

of time would go. There have been improvements in the areas I wanted them and now it’s about making those improvements much more consistent.”

More specifically, Patrick hopes to do a better job capitalizing on opportunities to finish in the top 10 and top 15.

“It’s very difficult to just put a number on it and say, ‘I want to finish here,’” she said. “But I mean, from last year I feel like we were pretty comfortable like a top-15 car a lot of the time. While we didn’t finish there a lot of the time, we had that kind of speed and a lot of times we were running there or were on pace to get there. So hopefully we can run there more consistently.”

Maybe that will be enough to secure her seat in the familiar No. 10 GoDaddy car in 2016.

“The most important thing for me is that my sponsor is happy … and then on the other side that my team feels my desire and knows how determined I am and sees improvement and wants me to be a part of their team,” Patrick said.

hile much is familiar for Danica Patrick in 2015, not everything is the same. The biggest change is at the crew chief position on the No. 10 team, where former Stewart-Haas Racing engineer Daniel Knost has replaced veteran pit boss Tony Gibson.

The organization actually assigned Knost to Patrick’s team with three races left in 2014, in a swap of crew chiefs for Patrick and SHR teammate Kurt Busch.

Knost guided Busch to a victory at Martinsville Speedway and a berth in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup before joining Patrick at Texas Motor Speedway last fall.

“I think putting Daniel with her is a good change because he’s very, very technical and he’s the kind of guy that will sit there and explain exactly what the car’s doing, and if we do this, this is the result you’re going to get,” team co-owner Gene Haas said. “It’s really a different way of (approaching) racing than, say, a Tony Gibson, and a little different perspective gives you different results.”

Patrick shares her owner’s sentiment about the skills Knost brings to the table.

“I think Daniel will definitely bring a different point of view,” she said. “He’s much more of an engineer ... but I think you have to get them to use the resources, too.

Smart guys tend to believe in what they’ve learned.”

POLEPOSITIONMAG.COM

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PRESENTED BY

Driver Profiles

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES Every NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver is different, bringing his or her own unique set of qualities to the table. But what one aspect of each driver makes him or her most appealing to fans? by jared turner POLEPOSITIONMAG.COM

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DRIVER PROFILES

PR ES EN TED BY

88 NUMBER

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Voted NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver for the past 12 years, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is the sport’s most adored racer – and it’s not close.

From bumper stickers to merchandise sales to the cheers coming from the stands, it’s obvious to anyone who’s paying attention that the third-generation driver is in a league of his own when it comes to fan interest.

It obviously doesn’t hurt that he’s the son of the late Dale Earnhardt, a seventime NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion who was one of the sport’s most polarizing yet beloved figures.

But aside from the acclaim and notoriety that come from being the son of a legend, Earnhardt Jr. has carved out his unique style that has made him even more adored by the masses. Earnhardt Jr. has never been one to make enemies or get into confrontations on or off the track.

“I was a Senior fan, so as Junior started racing, I started following him, also,” said Victor Fernandes, of Mebane, North Carolina. “So when Senior passed away, I just continued with Junior. I like his

attitude, his whole personality. He doesn’t put it all on himself, either. He puts it on his team and how they did as a team effort, not just, ‘I went out there, and I blew everybody out of the field.’”

Gale Fernandes shares the same rooting interest as her husband.

“He’s a clean racer, he’s fun to watch, he’s got a good attitude and he gets along with all the other drivers without a lot of controversy,” she said of Earnhardt Jr. “It’s nice to see a driver who – not that he doesn’t get upset with things that happen – but he doesn’t take it to a different level.

He keeps a level head and he’s an allaround good guy.”

So how important is Earnhardt Jr.’s success to the couple’s happiness on Sunday afternoons?

“We like to see him in the winner’s circle,” Victor Fernandes said with a laugh, his wife nodding in agreement. “It makes the week go by better.”

INFO OWNER RICK HENDRICK TEAM HENDRICK MOTORSPORTSG SPONSORS NATIONWIDE, DIET MOUNTAIN DEW/ AMP ENERGY, KELLEY BLUE BOOK MANUFACTURER CHEVROLET CREW CHIEF GREG IVES 28

NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

DRIVER PROFILES

24 NUMBER

INFO OWNER RICK HENDRICK TEAM HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS SPONSORS DRIVE TO END HUNGER, 3M, AXALTA, PEPSI, PANASONIC MANUFACTURER CHEVROLET CREW CHIEF ALAN GUSTAFSON

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NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

PR ES EN TED BY

Jeff Gordon Despite winning four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships and 92 races – as of press time – en route to establishing himself long ago as a legend of the sport, Jeff Gordon has done a remarkable job of remaining humble and true to himself.

Oh, without a doubt, the 43-year-old native of Vallejo, California, isn’t lacking confidence. Justifiably, he’s probably one of the most confident drivers on the track each week. But that confidence has never morphed into arrogance. The Hendrick Motorsports driver runs up front and wins races without feeling the need to gloat about it or remind people of his accomplishments. That’s the way he’s been since bursting onto the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series scene as a rookie in 1993, and that’s the way he will undoubtedly finish out his career in this his final season at Hendrick Motorsports.

Gordon’s humble way of going about his business is one trait that makes him a favorite among so many fans, one of whom is Tony Ferreire, a 47-year-old longtime Gordon supporter from Concord, North Carolina.

“I think it’s just the way he handles himself,” Ferreire said, when asked why Gordon is his favorite driver. “I think he’s got a lot of respect on and off the track, and I’m just a person that’s always been more of a, ‘Just do the job and don’t brag about it,’ and the numbers speak for themselves. He’s just been an all-around good person and a fantastic driver.

“I’ve been a fan of NASCAR since I was a kid, I guess, and right around the time he started coming in, the popularity came up. I was originally from Florida and got to see some races early on and kind of got hooked from the watching the Daytona 500 and stuff like that, but I just like the way he handles himself.

“I’ve always admired that about any athlete, really. I don’t like the people that talk about it. I like the people that just do it, and you know they’re good. There’s no reason to brag about it; you don’t need to. People know you’re good, and that’s the way you should be.”

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Jimmie Johnson Unpopular with some fans for his overwhelming success in a relatively short period of time, Jimmie Johnson actually offers little not to love.

After entering the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with relatively little fanfare in 2002, Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus quickly proved to be a formidable threat by winning three times and finishing fifth in points in Johnson’s rookie season. Thirteen years and six championships later, Johnson and Knaus are still together and Johnson is in hot pursuit of a seventh championship that would time him with Richard Petty and the late Dale Earnhardt for the most all time in NASCAR’s top series.

If there’s one criticism commonly lobbed at Johnson – other than the fact that he wins “too much” – it’s that he has a “vanilla” personality. Yet, Johnson’s mildmannered approach to his duties is one of the reasons he’s never been involved in a major altercation or full-fledged fight during his time in NASCAR’s top series.

If starting a fight or having a reputation for knocking competitors out of the way is what’s required for more fans to love

Johnson, the El Cajon, California, native will pass. He’s very comfortable in his own skin – even if it means sometimes he’s accused of being dull.

“I’m just going to be me,” said Johnson, 39.

“I’ve worried about different aspects along the way through my career, and I started off not having success and was liked by everyone through my younger years. Found my way into some success – and especially the outside world at this high level is far different – and found that I wasn’t liked as much as I was used to, and it started to wear on me for a little bit, but then two things happened.

One, I realized that in pro sports, you’re going to cheer for your person or your team and then boo the rest. The other thing is, if I don’t have a chance to get to know someone, why do I care what their opinion is of me? And that’s where most of my weight lies. If I have a chance to get to know someone and they don’t like me; that would bother me far more than a fan being a fan.”

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DRIVER PROFILES

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INFO OWNER TONY STEWART, GENE HAAS TEAM STEWART-HAAS RACING SPONSORS BUDWEISER, JIMMY JOHN’S, OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE, DITECH MORTGAGE MANUFACTURER CHEVROLET CREW CHIEF RODNEY CHILDERS

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NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

PR ES EN TED BY

Kevin Harvick When Kevin Harvick took over the ride formerly driven by the late Dale Earnhardt, many fans of “The Intimidator” quickly took a shine to the young driver.

In addition to running competitively and contending for victories right out of the gate, Harvick displayed a level of grace and poise that few others could have under such difficult circumstances.

But after 13 seasons as a Sprint Cup Series driver for Richard Childress Racing, Harvick decided a change of scenery was in order and joined the Stewart-Haas Racing organization co-owned by his good friend Tony Stewart.

The move proved to be a shrewd one. In his first year at SHR, Harvick won five races en route to capturing the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series title in the first year of the winner-take-all championship format.

But long before Harvick hoisted the champion’s trophy, he had a fan in Fort Mill, North Carolina, resident Chris Robusto.

“I think he works real well with his team, he’s got a good head on his shoulders, he’s good for my kids to be a supporter of him, and I like how he conducts himself on track and off track,” Robusto said. “He seems to have a good attitude and is real personable when you get the chance to talk to him. He also wants to win and that’s a good desire to have when you’re out there going door to door day after day.”

Robusto jumped on the Harvick train when the driver replaced Earnhardt at RCR and had no problem maintaining his allegiance when the driver nicknamed “Happy” moved to Stewart-Haas Racing in 2014.

“I’ve been a big supporter of his ever since he stepped into Earnhardt’s car, and kind of became a quick fan of his, and I’ve followed him all the way through his career, so I think he’s done a good job,” Robusto said. “He had the biggest shoes to fill in the sport, and I think he did a good job, and he’s gotten hooked up now with Stewart-Haas, and I think he’s doing a great job handling the job responsibilities he’s gotten.”

14 NUMBER

Tony Stewart Brash, passionate but as compassionate and generous as any driver you’ll ever find, Tony Stewart has long been a favorite among NASCAR Sprint Cup Series fans.

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

Stewart, whose nickname is “Smoke,” brought a lengthy list of accomplishments to the table when he entered NASCAR’s top series with Joe Gibbs Racing in 1999. The Columbus, Indiana, native’s credentials at the time already included the 1997 IndyCar championship, the 1995 USAC Triple Crown championship and the 1994 USAC National Midget Series title.

Not surprisingly, it didn’t take Stewart long upon joining the NASCAR ranks to prove he had the talent for a successful career in stock cars, too. Stewart won three races in his first Sprint Cup Series season and needed only four seasons to capture his first title. He returned to NASCAR’s “Promised Land” in 2005, and did so again in 2011 – with his own team.

Stewart, who left Joe Gibbs Racing to become co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing in 2009, became the first owner/driver champion of NASCAR’s top series since the late Alan Kulwicki in 1992.

Through all the success, Stewart has thrown a few temper tantrums and managed to upset a few competitors and even members of the media along the way. His concern and care for the welfare of the less fortunate, through his role in numerous charities, has allowed fans to see a side of Stewart that is far different.

Stewart has also won over a lot of fans through his work as the track owner and promoter of Eldora Speedway, a half-mile clay oval that hosts an annual NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race and has previously hosted the Prelude to the Dream dirt late model race that has raised money for numerous charities, including Victory Junction Gang Camp, Fisher House Foundation and Feed the Children.

One of Stewart’s lesser-known philanthropic efforts is his work with the Catch-A-Dream Foundation, with which he partners to bring terminally ill children to his Indiana ranch every year for fishing and hunting experiences. Although Stewart might not always be the most popular driver among his peers, fans revere him for his driving talent, altruism and love of the sport – none of which can be questioned.

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DRIVER PROFILES

5

NUMBER

INFO OWNER RICK HENDRICK TEAM HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS SPONSORS FARMERS INSURANCE, GREAT CLIPS, TIME WARNER CABLE, PEPSI, LIFTMASTER MANUFACTURER CHEVROLET CREW CHIEF KEITH RODDEN

36

NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

PR ES EN TED BY

Kasey Kahne Blue-eyed, soft-spoken and single, Kasey Kahne won the hearts of women fans long ago. But in addition to his popularity among NASCAR’s growing female population, Kahne carries the added bonus of being one of the sport’s streakiest drivers.

That is, he can go weeks – sometimes even months on end – and not win a race or seriously contend for a win, only to seemingly come out of nowhere and blow away the field. And often when Kahne does dominate a race, it happens just in the nick of time.

Case in point: Last August’s race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, where Kahne drove to victory in the penultimate race of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series regular season to lock up a berth in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Kahne has this unique penchant for rising to the occasion and making something happen when he’s in a now-or-never type of situation.

Another one of the attractions to Kahne is that he flies well under the radar compared with his three Hendrick Motorsports teammates – Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon – who command three of NASCAR’s most robust fan bases.

Kahne, for the most part, doesn’t feel the need to compete with his teammates’ popularity and seems to have carved out his own unique place within the Hendrick organization.

Also impressive is that over the course of his relatively short career, Kahne has gone to Victory Lane with multiple organizations.

Among them: Evernham Motorsports, Richard Petty Motorsports, Red Bull Racing and, most recently, Hendrick, where he finished a career-best fourth in points as a first-year Hendrick driver in 2012.

“It’s extremely gratifying to work with a driver like Kasey,” said team owner Rick Hendrick. “I think the world of him both as a driver with championship-level talent and an overall terrific young man.

Our whole organization has a great deal of respect for how hard he works, the professionalism he displays with our partners and the way he carries himself every day. We’re committed to winning races and competing for titles with him for many years to come.”

DRIVER PROFILES

19 NUMBER

INFO OWNER JOE GIBBS TEAM JOE GIBBS RACING SPONSORS ARRIS, STANLEY, SUBWAY, SPORT CLIPS MANUFACTURER TOYOTA CREW CHIEF DARIAN GRUBB

38

NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

PR ES EN TED BY

Carl Edwards Few drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series have a personality more complex than Carl Edwards.

Soft-spoken, extremely articulate and carrying a wide smile that lights up a room, Edwards does a good job of making his opinions heard without upsetting too many people in the process.

There have been a few occasions over the years, however, when the normally mild-mannered driver has proven to be unusually testy. One such occasion occurred in 2011 at Atlanta Motor Speedway when Edwards deliberately wrecked then-rookie Brad Keselowski in retaliation for an earlier incident. Although it was not Edwards’ intention to harm Keselowski, the wreck sent Keselowski’s car flying airborne and hood-first into a retaining wall before flipping back onto its wheels.

Another time when Edwards briefly lost his composure came in 2007 after a race at Martinsville Speedway when Edwards feigned a punch at then-Roush Fenway Racing teammate Matt Kenseth, with whom he had disagreed about something that happened during the race.

But aside from a few isolated incidents, Edwards has been the consummate professional and gentleman both on and off the track. He’s especially loved for his trademark celebratory backflip that he performs after parking his car near the start-finish line immediately after every victory.

One of the buffest drivers in the sport, Edwards is also widely admired for his physical fitness and has even served on President Barack Obama’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition.

Edwards has also proven to be a gracious loser, having twice finished runner-up in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings but never hoisted the champion’s trophy. His most bitter disappointment came in 2011 when he finished the final race tied in points with Tony Stewart but lost the title on a tiebreaker to Stewart, who had more victories over the course of the season.

“I drove to the edge and beyond, and that is all I had,” said Edwards, who in finishing second to Stewart in the season finale came one position on the track shy of the title. “Truly, we’ve never run any better than this.”

47 NUMBER

A.J. Allmendinger Suspended by NASCAR in 2012 for a substance-abuse violation, A.J. Allmendinger refused to be defined by a bad situation.

INFO OWNER 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 losing his ride at Team Penske, in addition to his suspension, Allmendinger had reason to believe his future in the sport was in serious jeopardy. But upon completion of NASCAR’s Road to Recovery program and seeing his suspension lifted, the Los Gatos, California, native returned to race again later that same year – albeit with a different, lower-budget team.

Allmendinger competed on a part-time basis in 2013 and by 2014 had landed a full-time Sprint Cup Series ride with JTG Daugherty Racing. Even better days were forthcoming.

Driving the No. 47 JTG Daugherty

Racing Chevrolet, Allmendinger netted his first career Sprint Cup Series win in August at Watkins Glen International, securing his first Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup berth in the process. He went on to finish a career-best 13th in the standings, just missing out on an opportunity to advance into the second round of the Chase.

“I think it just shows nobody’s perfect; we all make mistakes, some bigger than others,” Allmendinger said. “Obviously, there’s certain degrees of doing something wrong and it being illegal or something like that or hurting somebody else, stuff like that, where I feel it’s way

beyond what happened to me, but I just look at it as, as long as you learn from your mistakes, it’s not all for nothing. I’ve said this a million times, and I’ll say it ’till the day I die: What I went through wasn’t fun, but honestly I’m glad I went through it, because it made me look at things in a different way and made me clear up things in my life that maybe I wouldn’t have if it hadn’t happened and things like that, so as long as you learn from a mistake, it’s not all bad. And then if you work hard, you can go back out there and still achieve the things you want to achieve, so hopefully people will look at it like that.”

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DRIVER PROFILES

10 NUMBER

INFO OWNER TONY STEWART, GENE HAAS TEAM STEWART-HAAS RACING SPONSORS GODADDY.COM, ASPEN DENTAL, TAXACT MANUFACTURER CHEVROLET CREW CHIEF DANIEL KNOST

40

NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

PR ES EN TED BY

Danica Patrick As the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’ only female driver, Danica Patrick is adored by untold numbers of fans both male and female – usually for different reasons.

Ladies old and young admire her because she’s a woman holding her own and competing well in a sport made up primarily of male drivers. Men like her because she’s attractive. But the widespread affinity for Patrick is a result of her just being herself – outgoing, determined and fan-friendly.

Patrick kicked off her first full NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season in style with a history-making pole run for the 2013 Daytona 500. Then, just a week after becoming the first woman to earn the pole for The Great American Race, she finished eighth – a careerbest result for a woman in NASCAR’s biggest event.

Patrick’s appeal, though, goes beyond just her gender. A former IndyCar Series star, she began dabbling in NASCAR in 2010 but waited three years to go full-time Sprint Cup Series racing. But even before moving to NASCAR’s top series with her longtime sponsor, GoDaddy, Patrick was already a household name from her success in IndyCar, where he performed extraordinarily well in multiple Indianapolis 500s and picked up a win in Japan in 2008.

Sponsors flock to her because she appeals to non-traditional race fans. Fans gravitate to her because she’s very authentic and, although not one to pick a fight, has proven willing to stand up for herself and get in someone’s face when she deemed it justified.

Patrick is extremely popular and very active on social media, where she boasts more than 1.16 million Twitter followers. She’s also proven to be a natural for commercials, having appeared in multiple GoDaddy ads on Super Bowl Sunday.

As an attractive female and the only full-time female in NASCAR’s top series, Patrick competes under a microscope that most drivers don’t, however. Yet she seems to take it all in stride and has made it clear that she wants to be a lot more than a pretty face in a race car. She wants to be a true ambassador for the sport.

“I know that NASCAR is always looking for new fans, and hopefully I can help bring some in,” she said.

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MANUFACTURER’S COUPON EXPIRES 12/31/15 DO NOT DUPLICATE

DRIVER PROFILES

13

NUMBER

INFO OWNER BOB GERMAIN TEAM GERMAIN RACING SPONSORS GEICO MANUFACTURER CHEVROLET CREW CHIEF ROBERT “BOOTIE” BARKER

42

NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

PR ES EN TED BY

Casey Mears Competing for the single-car Germain Racing team, Casey Mears is your quintessential underdog.

Oh, sure, his Germain Racing team has an affiliation with Richard Childress Racing, but don’t be fooled: Germain is not RCR – or Hendrick Motorsports or Joe Gibbs Racing or Stewart-Haas Racing, for that matter. So when Mears goes out and finds success – as he did with an impressive sixth-place finish in this year’s Daytona 500 – people take notice. Combine Mears’ underdog status with the fact he has always strived to remain humble – despite being from one of racing’s most famous families – and there’s little for fans not to love.

“I’ve always worked on being approachable,” he said. “That was one thing that my dad and my uncle both tried to instill in my brother and my cousin and I as we were going up through racing: There’s a talent there that allows you to do what you do and do it well, but at the same time we’re very privileged to be able to race for a living. On my family’s side we’ve always really tried to stay humble and understand that and recognize how important the fans that support us are.

“So being approachable, alongside us being a small team and a small group and small organization that’s pushing hard to succeed, it gives people something to pull for and it makes it fun.”

While some drivers, if they’re truly honest, may not particularly enjoy interacting with the fans, Mears is quite the opposite.

“Anytime when we’re at the race track and we have a spare moment and there’s fans around, we like to make our way over and sign autographs and take care of those guys, because at the end of the day if we show up at the race track and there’s nobody in the grandstands, it’s not near as fun as if you do it in front of a bunch of people,” the Bakersfield, California, native said. “The fans and the crowd is what makes what we do exciting from the driver perspective – obviously the race is fun, our job wouldn’t change – but it’s way more gratifying to be successful and get out your car and see a full grandstand crowd cheering you on. It makes our sport, really.”

20 NUMBER

INFO OWNER JOE GIBBS TEAM JOE GIBBS RACING SPONSORS DOLLAR GENERAL, DEWALT MANUFACTURER TOYOTA CREW CHIEF JASON RATCLIFF

Matt Kenseth Known for his quiet consistency, Matt Kenseth isn’t prone to go out and stack up a bundle of race wins in a hurry.

Likewise, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver has a personality that is quiet and low-key compared to most in the business. Make no mistake about it, however: Kenseth wants to win. In other words, overlook him at your own risk. Kenseth – and this is why even fans who don’t cheer for him respect him – has a rare ability for taking care of his equipment and just hanging around in or near the top 10 all day, only to seemingly come out of nowhere and challenge for wins when it counts.

2

NUMBER

INFO OWNER ROGER PENSKE TEAM TEAM PENSKE SPONSORS MILLER LITE, ALLIANCE TRUCK PARTS, WURTH MANUFACTURER FORD CREW CHIEF PAUL WOLFE

Brad Keselowski Bold, aggressive and unwilling to back down to anyone, Brad Keselowski hasn’t made many friends over the past couple years. Using a hard-nosed approach that has drawn comparisons to the late Dale Earnhardt, the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion admittedly races with a chip on his shoulder, and he’s proven on multiple occasions that he doesn’t mind knocking someone out of the way to advance his position. Much as was true for “The Intimidator,” fans seem to either love Keselowski or revile him – and there’s not much middle ground. Either way, Keselowski draws a reaction.

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DRIVER PROFILES

PR ES EN TED BY

11

NUMBER

INFO OWNER JOE GIBBS TEAM JOE GIBBS RACING SPONSORS FEDEX, SPORT CLIPS MANUFACTURER TOYOTA CREW CHIEF DAVE ROGERS

Denny Hamlin Deny Hamlin has twice been in serious contention to win the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series title entering the season’s final race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, only to come up short in a heartbreaking defeat. The first time it happened was 2010, when he arrived at Homestead ahead of Jimmie Johnson but finished second in the standings. The most recent disappointment came last year, when Hamlin led late at Homestead before bad pit strategy ultimately resulted in him finishing behind fellow title contenders Kevin Harvick and Ryan Newman.

22 NUMBER

INFO OWNER ROGER PENSKE TEAM PENSKE RACING SPONSOR SHELL/PENNZOIL, AAA, AUTOTRADER.COM MANUFACTURER FORD CREW CHIEF TODD GORDON

44

NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

Joey Logano No driver in NASCAR smiles as wide or as often as Joey Logano. According to wife Brittany, the 2015 Daytona 500 winner smiles almost all the time. “He does that sometimes when we fight, too, and it drives me insane.

He’s like, ‘I’m really sorry,’ and I’m like, ‘Oh, my God, it drives me crazy.’ But I do love it,” she said. What makes Logano smile so much? “I don’t know,” Brittany said. “I guess the way he was raised. And I think all the pressure on him with racing and stuff, I think that’s the only way he can deal with that pressure, you know? Just getting his mind off of it.”

15 NUMBER

INFO OWNER MICHAEL WALTRIP, ROB KAUFFMAN TEAM MICHAEL WALTRIP RACING SPONSORS 5-HOUR ENERGY, PEAK, AAA MIDATLANTIC MANUFACTURER TOYOTA CREW CHIEF BRIAN PATTIE

Clint Bowyer If NASCAR ever handed out an award for funniest driver, Clint Bowyer would surely win it. Never one to shy away from telling a good joke or sharing a comical story, the Emporia, Kansas, native is a natural in front of the camera. While he is certainly passionate about winning – and has demonstrated that passion on more than one occasion – Bowyer possesses a laid-back, sort of self-deprecating style rarely seen in today’s sponsor-sensitive age when most drivers are leery of straying too far away from the proverbial script.

42 NUMBER

INFO OWNER CHIP GANASSI, FELIX SABATES TEAM CHIP GANASSI RACING SPONSORS TARGET MANUFACTURER CHEVROLET CREW CHIEF CHRIS HEROY

Kyle Larson Not since perhaps Tony Stewart in 1999 has a rookie been more impressive than Kyle Larson in 2014. Driving for Chip Ganassi Racing, Larson captured Rookie of the Year honors in convincing fashion over fellow tyro Austin Dillon. Larson drew praise from veterans such as Jeff Gordon for his ability to compete at such a high level so quickly. Of course, it doesn’t hurt Larson that he’s eager to drive practically any kind of race car at virtually anytime. In fact, Larson would race pretty much every night of the week if he could.

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DRIVER PROFILES

PR ES EN TED BY

16 NUMBER

INFO OWNER JACK ROUSH, FENWAY SPORTS GROUP TEAM ROUSH FENWAY RACING SPONSORS ORTHO, CHEEZ-IT MANUFACTURER FORD CREW CHIEF MATT PUCCIA

Greg BIffle In an age when drivers, crew chiefs and sponsors are arguably more prone than ever to jump ship, Greg Biffle has stayed with Roush Fenway Racing – the organization where he won championships in both the NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series early in his career and has competed full time in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series since 2003. Despite witnessing teammates Mark Martin, Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth decide to leave Roush for opportunities with rival teams, Biffle has stayed put.

31

NUMBER

INFO OWNER RICHARD CHILDRESS TEAM RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING SPONSORS CATERPILLAR, QUICKEN LOANS, WIX FILTERS MANUFACTURER CHEVROLET CREW CHIEF LUKE LAMBERT

46

NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

Ryan Newman Widely regarded as one of NASCAR’s smartest drivers, Ryan Newman has certainly earned the reputation. One of the few drivers in NASCAR’s top division with a degree from a four-year college, Newman graduated from Purdue University in 2001 with a degree in Vehicle Structure Engineering. Since joining the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series full-time in 2002, Newman has won 17 races and 51 poles as of press time.

35 NUMBER

INFO OWNER BOB JENKINS TEAM FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS SPONSORS SPEED STICK, RINNAI TANKLESS WATER HEATERS MANUFACTURER FORD CREW CHIEF RANDY COX

Cole Whitt Unlike some young drivers who start their NASCAR Sprint Cup Series careers in average equipment, 23-yearold Cole Whitt has done it the hard way. After spending his rookie year of 2014 with Swan Racing and BK Racing, Whitt joined Front Row Motorsports for the 2015 season.

Paired with another low-budget team, the Alpine, California, native struggled out of the gate with finishes of 22nd and 37th, respectively, in the season’s first two races. Whitt certainly has talent, having finished seventh in the 2012 NASCAR XFINITY Series standings.

3

NUMBER

INFO OWNER RICHARD CHILDRESS TEAM RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING SPONSORS DOW CHEMICAL, CHEERIOS, BASS PRO SHOPS, AMERICAN ETHANOL MANUFACTURER CHEVROLET CREW CHIEF GIL MARTIN

Austin Dillon To be just 24 years old, Austin Dillon has an appreciation for NASCAR history like few others. The oldest grandson of six-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion team owner Richard Childress, Dillon was literally raised within the walls of Richard Childress Racing where he learned countless lessons from his grandfather, the man he affectionately calls “Pop Pop.” After winning championships in both the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and NASCAR XFINITY Series, Dillon moved up to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in 2014.

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DRIVER PROFILES

NUMBER

6

PR ES EN TED BY

INFO OWNER JACK ROUSH TEAM ROUSH FENWAY RACING SPONSORS ADVOCARE MANUFACTURER FORD CREW CHIEF BOB OSBORNE

aric almirola

1

NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

TEAM RICHARD PETTY MOTORSPORTS

MANUFACTURER FORD CREW CHIEF TRENT OWENS

INFO OWNER CHIP GANASSI, FELIX SABATES TEAM CHIP GANASSI RACING

CREW CHIEF MATT MCCALL

48

OWNER RICHARD PETTY, ANDY MURSTEIN

SPONSORS SMITHFIELD FOODS, FRESH FROM FLORIDA, STP

MANUFACTURER CHEVROLET

PAUL MENARD IS ONE OF the most underrated drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series as, year after year, he consistently manages to piece together solid results.

Menard’s greatest asset – and one that fans can appreciate – is humility. The son of billionaire Menards hardware chain founder John Menard, Paul was brought up in great wealth, but he doesn’t conduct himself like a rich kid.

INFO

43

SPONSORS MCDONALD’S, CESSNA

paul menard

NO EVENT IN RECENT MEMORY has come as a bigger shock than Trevor Bayne’s victory in the 2011 Daytona 500. Making just his second career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start and driving for a Wood Brothers Racing organization that hadn’t gone to Victory Lane since 2001, Bayne executed one of the biggest Cinderella stories in NASCAR history just a day after his 20th birthday. He became the darling of the sports world.

NUMBER

BORN IN TAMPA, FLORIDA, and of Cuban heritage, Aric Almirola climbed the ranks of the sport through NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program to land a fulltime NASCAR Sprint Cup Series ride with Richard Petty Motorsports in 2012, following multiple career setbacks. All of Almirola’s hard work and patience finally paid off last summer at Daytona International Speedway.

NUMBER

trevor bayne

NUMBER

27

jamie mcmurray THROUGHOUT HIS NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career, Jamie McMurray has always struggled to be a consistent frontrunner. But when McMurray does run up front and go to Victory Lane, he does it up big. Of his seven career pointspaying wins entering the 2015 season, two came in the sport’s two biggest races, respectively – the Daytona 500 and the Brickyard 400.

INFO OWNER RICHARD CHILDRESS TEAM RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING SPONSORS MENARD’S MANUFACTURER CHEVROLET CREW CHIEF JUSTIN ALEXANDER

NUMBER

18

INFO OWNER JOE GIBBS TEAM JOE GIBBS RACING SPONSORS M&M’S, INTERSTATE BATTERIES MANUFACTURER TOYOTA CREW CHIEF ADAM STEVENS

ricky stenhouse jr.

78

OWNER JACK ROUSH, FENWAY SPORTS GROUP TEAM ROUSH FENWAY RACING SPONSORS FASTENAL, ZEST, ECOPOWER MANUFACTURER FORD CREW CHIEF NICK SANDLER

INFO OWNER BARNEY VISSER TEAM FURNITURE ROW RACING SPONSOR FURNITURE ROW

CREW CHIEF TODD BERRIER

BRIAN VICKERS HAS ENDURED health setbacks of an extremely serious nature over the past few years but, despite being sidelined multiple times, has always managed to come back and race again. His most recent scare came in December when the 31-year-old driver required corrective surgery after his body rejected an artificial patch that had been inserted to fix a hole in his heart discovered in 2010.

INFO

17

MANUFACTURER CHEVROLET

brian vickers

THE SON OF A RACER, DAVID Ragan has racing in his blood.

He possesses a Southern charm rarely seen in NASCAR these days.

One of the most courteous drivers on the NASCAR tour, Ragan is well-known for praising the sponsors and teams for whom he’s driven. Ragan is now driving the potent No. 18 Toyota as Kyle Busch recovers from leg injuries.

NUMBER

IMAGINE WHAT IT MUST BE LIKE being Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Despite achieving success on the track comparable to girlfriend Danica Patrick, Stenhouse is rarely mentioned outside the sport of NASCAR, and even tends to keep a fairly low profile among followers of the sport. His girlfriend, meanwhile, is one of NASCAR’s most popular and recognizable drivers. He’d rather wear cowboy hats and listen to country.

NUMBER

david ragan

NUMBER

55

martin truex jr.

IT’S HARD NOT TO FEEL FOR MARTIN Truex Jr. A victim of the so-called “Spingate” affair at Richmond International Raceway in September 2013, Truex lost his primary sponsor and, ultimately, his ride at Michael Waltrip Racing because of a series of events not of his own making. Truex joined Furniture Row Racing for 2014 but endured a challenging season both on and off the track. In addition to struggling performance-wise, Truex carried the burden of longtime girlfriend Sherry Pollex’s battle with ovarian cancer.

INFO OWNER MICHAEL WALTRIP, ROB KAUFFMAN TEAM MICHAEL WALTRIP RACING SPONSORS AARON’S MANUFACTURER TOYOTA CREW CHIEF BILLY SCOTT

POLEPOSITIONMAG.COM

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NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

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POLEPOSITIONMAG.COM

51

WOMEN & RACING

Fan Favorite Danica Patrick has created a legion of new fans since her arrival on the NASCAR scene.

PRESENTED BY

52

NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

NASCAR FUEL CAREERS

Nick Terry

CHAPLAIN, MOTOR RACING OUTREACH The hours leading up to a race are a busy time in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series garage as teams make last-minute preparations to their cars and drivers try to set aside a few fleeting moments for reflection and family time before the command to fire the engines.

One of the busiest people at the track on race morning, however, isn’t a driver or crew member. It’s a minister.

As a chaplain for Motor Racing Outreach, Nick Terry is one of several people whose job on Sunday is to walk up and down the starting grid and offer to pray with drivers, team members and others looking to make a divine connection before the green flag waves in just a few short minutes.

Terry, who spent 10 years as jackman for Richard Childress Racing before joining MRO – a nonprofit organization founded in 1988 to serve the spiritual needs of the NASCAR community – is hardly

an ordinary preacher.

“Toward the later part of my over-the-wall career, I felt that God was leading me to fulltime ministry, but at that point I had no idea it would be with MRO,” said Terry, a 35-yearold married father of three. “I had pictured myself working in the church environment, but that’s not what God had planned for me. MRO was in a transition period between chaplains and I was looking to begin my ministry career, so naturally it was good transition. I knew the people, the culture and the challenges, and God has given me a lot of favor with the NASCAR community.”

Terry, who holds a Bachelor of Arts in Religion from Liberty University and is an ordained minister through his home church in Thomasville, N.C., cherishes the opportunity to share a quiet moment with drivers and their families before the engines come to life and all attention turns to the business at hand – being the first driver and team to cross the finish line at the end of a loud, grueling race.

“The most gratifying part of my job with MRO is helping people,” said Terry, whose chaplain duties also include standing up and delivering a brief inspirational message during MRO’s weekly

pre-race chapel service held at a predetermined location in the garage. “I love people and I love to be a part of the positive changes in their lives.

The reason I do this job is to help lead people one step closer to God, and when I am able to do that, it’s better than any race I’ve ever been a part of winning, including the Daytona 500.”

While Terry’s changeover from jackman to man of the cloth isn’t exactly a common career move, he has no regrets. He does have a tip for those interested in pursuing a NASCAR career, be it with MRO or elsewhere.

“The advice I would give to anyone looking for an opportunity with MRO or a career in NASCAR in general would be this: Work hard and don’t ever give up,” said Terry, who joined MRO in January 2012. “You never know what God is capable of doing in your life if you’re willing to work hard. The Bible is clear that we honor God when we work hard, so work hard and leave the results up to Him.”

ROB D’AMICO ‘RACEDAY’ HOST, FOX SPORTS RADIO

A

longtime motorsports enthusiast, Rob D’Amico quickly realized it wasn’t in the cards for him to be a racer himself. But three radio shows after starting his fi rst show at a local station, the Florida native was able to land a gig that is perhaps just as exciting as racing.

D’Amico is the host of “RaceDay” on FOX Sports Radio, a two-hour, caller-driven program airing nationally in more than 250 markets every Sunday morning.

From 6 to 8 a.m., D’Amico interviews some of the most compelling and well-known personalities in motorsports to get his listeners ready for that day’s races – be them NASCAR, Formula One or another genre of motorsports.

When it comes to being successful as host of a nationally syndicated radio show, D’Amico believes in fi rst and foremost keeping it simple.

“Know what you’re talking about and be yourself,” he said.

“Have fun. If you’re having fun, then your audience is having fun, too. Surround yourself with great people, be positive and remember in the world of radio never burn bridges.”

Persistence – more than anything else – is what D’Amico sees as the key to landing a career opportunity like his own.

“Never give up,” he said.

“Knock on doors, make calls, send emails, network yourself and always try to fi nd the right person that can make the right decisions.”

By Jared Turner 54

NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

LIFESTYLE NASCAR FUEL

DOWNTIME WITH DANICA PATRICK

A

s one of NASCAR’s most popular drivers, Danica Patrick is in high demand. But like most folks, she does try to carve out time for the things she enjoys.

“I don’t have that much time for fun now,” she said. “Cooking is about all, and I don’t have to actually go anywhere necessarily for that – other than the grocery store. But I actually think I’m more creative when I don’t have anything fresh in the house – I have to make it up as I go along. That tends to be more interesting as far as an outcome goes for what we have for dinner. I love traveling, but that takes time.

I love going to new places, seeing new things and seeing new cultures, trying new food. I like doing that. I also like spending time with my family. My sister has a daughter now … and I was lucky enough to be at her first birthday party. So I like spending time with my family, too. They’re fun, they’re funny and we have a good time, and they’re family at the end of the day.

They’re nothing you can trade out for others, and you can’t get back the time that has passed.”

M

artin Truex Jr. works out on a pretty regular basis. Make no mistake about it, though: He doesn’t do it because he fi nds it enjoyable.

“I absolutely still hate it,” he said. “I’ve never been a gym rat – by any means. I don’t enjoy working out at all, and I’ve been doing it just to try to keep up with things.”

What does Truex’s workout regimen entail?

“I’ve got a little gym in my house,” he said.

“I just go down there. I’ve got a friend that’s a chiropractor. He’s like a professional exerciser. He knows how to work out, so I make him kick the crap out of me two or three days a week for 30 or 40 minutes, and that’s about it. Your heart gets pumping and you’re about to die before you’re done.”

Truex doesn’t believe regular workouts are critical to performance on race day.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been really out of shape to get out of the car and be like, ‘Man, I need to work out. I’m toast,’” he said.

“I typically get out of the car and run to the motorhome, and I’ve seen guys that work out sweating to death sitting on the ground.”

MENTAL PREP WITH RYAN BLANEY Do you have a ritual that helps you prepare for races?

TRAINING WITH MARTIN TRUEX JR.

I know some guys eat a certain food or do something a certain way. I’ve never really been like that. I’m just kind of focused on what to do, whether it’s talking to my crew chief or just personally focusing on how I think the race is going to play out.

FUELING UP WITH BRETT MOFFITT

Breakfast: LUNCH:

DINNER:

SNACK:

“I’m actually probably the pickiest eater you’ll ever meet. I actually eat a lot of the same foods as everybody.

For breakfast I normally do some type of egg and cheese on a bagel, and I drink coffee. I need energy.”

“I eat a lot of grilled chicken, asparagus, rice, stuff like that. When I decided I need to be a little bit healthier, it was just a lot of grilled chicken. That was my go-to food and still kind of is.”

“I love chips and salsa. I always have a bag of Tostitos in my pantry. I’m not really a candy guy. I used to be. A lot of Skittles back in the day.

I remember my mom would buy me a fi ve-pound bag for Christmas.”

“I really like pizza, chicken strips, burgers, stuff like that. I like Mexican food a lot, too, so whether it’s tacos or burritos, I am always down with that. Growing up I was a big soda drinker, but lately I’ve tried to just go with water.”

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

Who holds the all-time, one-lap NASCAR speed record of 212.809 mph – set during qualifying at Talladega Superspeedway?

A. Dale Earnhardt B. Davey Allison C. Phil Parsons D. Bill Elliott

2

The NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race was moved from its Charlotte location for one year. Which track hosted the 1986 All-Star Race?

A. Daytona B. Atlanta C. Indianapolis D. Dover

3

Who is the oldest driver to win a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race?

A. Morgan Shepherd B. Mark Martin C. Harry Gant D. Joe Nemechek

4 56

NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

In 2009, Joey Logano became the youngest winner in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series history when he visited Victory Lane at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Whose record did he break?

A. Kyle Busch B. “Fireball” Roberts C. Richard Petty D. Jeff Gordon

6

Who holds the record for most wins in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway?

A. Buddy Baker B. David Pearson C. Bobby Allison D. Darrell Waltrip

7

In 2011, how many miles was the Memorial Day weekend race at Charlotte – making it the longest in NASCAR history?

A. 650 B. 700 C. 610 D. 603

8 10

Who was the first driver to attempt “double duty” by competing in the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day?

A. Tony Stewart B. John Andretti C. Robby Gordon D. Kurt Busch

Who holds the record for most consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victories (4) at Talladega Superspeedway?

A. Jeff Gordon B. Dale Earnhardt Jr. C. Dale Earnhardt D. Sterling Marlin

Which driver set an unofficial closed-course speed record for a NASCAR stock car by turning a lap at 216.329 mph during a radio test?

A. Rusty Wallace B. Bill Elliott C. Buddy Baker D. Benny Parsons ANSWERS // 1. D.; 2. B.; 3. C.; 4. A.; 5. D.; 6. D.; 7. D.; 8. B.; 9. A.; 10. B

5

Jeff Gordon is on track to break the record for most consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts later this year. Who currently holds the record?

A. Richard Petty B. Terry Labonte C. Dave Marcis D. Ricky Rudd

POLEPOSITIONMAG.COM

57

NASCAR SERIES ROSTERS 2015 NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES ROSTER No.

Driver

Team

Sponsor/Make

Crew Chief

Driver’s Hometown

2 3 4 5 6 7 9 10 11 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 22 23 24 26 27 30 31 32 34 35 38 40 41 42 43 46 47 48 51 55 62 78 88 98

Brad Keselowski Austin Dillon Kevin Harvick Kasey Kahne Trevor Bayne Alex Bowman Sam Hornish Jr. Danica Patrick Denny Hamlin Casey Mears Tony Stewart Clint Bowyer Greg Biffl e Ricky Stenhouse Jr. David Ragan Carl Edwards Matt Kenseth Joey Logano J.J. Yeley Jeff Gordon Jeb Burton Paul Menard Ron Hornaday Jr. Ryan Newman Bobby Labonte Brett Moffi tt Cole Whitt David Gilliland Landon Cassill Kurt Busch Kyle Larson Aric Almirola Michael Annett A.J. Allmendinger Jimmie Johnson Justin Allgaier Brian Vickers Brian Scott Martin Truex Jr. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Josh Wise

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 Team Penske BK Racing Hendrick Motorsports BK Racing Richard Childress Racing The Motorsports Group Richard Childress Racing Frank Stoddard Front Row Motorsports Front Row Motorsports Front Row Motorsports Joe Falk Stewart Haas Racing Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates Richard Petty Motorsports HScott Motorsports JTG Daugherty Racing Hendrick Motorsports HScott Motorsports Michael Waltrip Racing Premium Motorsports Furniture Row Racing Hendrick Motorsports Phil Parsons Racing

Miller Lite/Ford Dow Chemical/Chevy Budweiser/Chevy Farmers Insurance/Chevy AdvoCare/Ford Pilot Flying J/Chevy Twisted Tea/Ford GoDaddy.com/Chevy FedEx/Toyota GEICO/Chevy Bass Pro Shops/Chevy 5-HOUR Energy/Toyota Ortho/Ford Fastenal/Ford M&Ms/Toyota Arris/Toyota Dollar General/Toyota Shell-Pennzoil/Ford Maxim Fantasy Sports/Toyota Drive to End Hunger/Chevy Dr. Pepper/Toyota Menard’s/Chevy Smokey Mountain Chew Inc./Chevy Caterpillar/Chevy C&J Energy Services/Ford CSX Transportation/Ford Speed Stick/Ford Love’s Travel Stops/Ford Snap FitnessChevy Haas Automation/Chevy Target/Chevy Smithfi eld Foods/Ford Pilot Flying J/Chevy Bush’s Baked Beans/Chevy Lowe’s Home Improvement/Chevy Brandt/Chevy Aaron’s Dream Machine/Toyota Shore Lodge/Chevy Furniture Row/Chevy Nationwide Insurance/Chevy Phoenix Construction/Chevy

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 Todd Gordon Joe Williams Alan Gustafson Patrick Donahue Justin Alexander Pat Tryson Luke Lambert Frank Stoddard/Clint Cram Derrick Finley Randy Cox Donnie Wingo Mark Hillman Tony Gibson Chris Heroy Trent Owens Jay Guy Brian Burns Chad Knaus Steve Addington Billy Scott Slugger Labbe Cole Pearn Greg Ives Gene Nead

Rochester Hills, Mich.

Welcome, N.C. Bakersfi eld, Calif.

Enumclaw, Wash.

Knoxville, Tenn.

Tucson, Ariz.

Defl ance, Ohio Roscoe, Ill. Chesterfi eld, Va. Bakersfi eld, Calif.

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

Olive Branch, Miss.

Unadilla, Ga. Columbia, Mo. Cambridge, Wis. Middletown, Conn.

Phoenix, Ariz.

Vallejo, Calif.

Halifax, Va. Eau Claire, Wis. Palmdale, Calif.

South Bend, Ind. Corpus Christi, Texas Grimes, Iowa Alpine, Calif.

Riverside, Calif.

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

Tampa, Fla. Des Moines, Iowa Los Gatos, Calif.

El Cajon, Calif.

Riverton, Ill. Thomasville, N.C. Boise, Idaho Mayetta, N.J. Kannapolis, N.C. 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

0 01 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 14 16 17 18 19 20 22 24 25 28 33 39 42 43 44 51 52 54 55 60 62 88 90

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

Bixby, Okla.

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

Chilhowie, Va. Watkinsville, Ga. Phoenix, Ariz.

Atlanta, Ga. Tucker, Ga. Elk Grove, Calif.

New Castle, Ind. Houston, Texas Spartanburg, S.C. Cedar Rapids, Iowa Byron, Mich.

Mooresville, N.C. Prosper, Texas Las Vegas, Nev. Louisville, Ky. Napierville, Quebec

JD Motorsports 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 Penske Racing JGL Racing Athenian Motorsports JGL Racing Richard Childress Racing RSS Racing HScott Motorsports Richard Petty Motorsports TriStar Motorsports Jeremy Clements Racing Jimmy Means Racing Joe Gibbs Racing VIVA Auto Group Roush Fenway Racing Richard Childress Racing JR Motorsports King Autosport

Chevy Chevy Ford Chevy Chevy Chevy Ford Chevy Toyota Chevy Toyota Ford Toyota Toyota Toyota Toyota Ford Toyota Chevy Toyota Chevy Chevy Chevy Ford Toyota Chevy Chevy Toyota Chevy Ford Chevy Chevy Chevrolet

Todd Myers Dave Fuge Phil Gould Mike Hillman Jr. Danny Stockman Jr. Gary Cogswell Chad Norris Jason Burdett Bruce Cook Ernie Cope Eddie Pardue Seth Barbour Adrian Berryhill Eric Phillips Paul Clapprood Mike Wheeler Greg Erwin Steve Lane Mike Ford Steve Plattenberger Nick Harrison Kevin Starland Mike Shiplett Frank Kerr Greg Conner Tony Clements Tim Brown Chris Gayle Mark Seltzer Scott Graves Shane Wilson Dave Elenz Marc Gosselin

Harrison Rhodes Landon Cassill Elliott Sadler Brian Scott Ty Dillon Ross Chastain Darrell Wallace Jr. Regan Smith Blake Koch Chase Elliott Cale Conley Ryan Reed Tanner Berryhill Daniel Suarez Mike Bliss Matt Kenseth Brad Keselowski Eric McClure John Wes Townley J.J. Yeley Brandon Jones Ryan Sieg Kyle Larson Dakoda Armstrong David Starr Jeremy Clements Joey Gase Erik Jones Jeffrey Earnhardt Chris Buescher Brendan Gaughan Ben Rhodes Martin Roy

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2015 NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES ROSTER No. Driver

Hometown

Team

Make

Crew Chief

02 05 07 1 4 6 8 10 11 13 15 17 19 23 29 31 33 50 51 54 88 94 98 99

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

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

Providence, N.C. Corning, Calif.

Las Vegas, Nev. Rochester Hills, Mich.

Melbourne, Fla. Atlanta, Ga. Greensboro, N.C. Monterey, Mexico Baltimore, Md. Tulare, Calif.

Janesville, Wis. Necedah, Wis. Stuart, Fla.

Young’s Motorsports Athenian Motorsports SS Green Light Racing MAKE Motorsports Kyle Busch Motorsports Norm Benning Racing NEMCO Motorsports Jennifer Jo Cobb Racing Red Horse Racing ThorSport Racing Billy Boat Motorsports Red Horse Racing Brad Keselowski GMS Racing Brad Keselowski Racing NTS Motorsports GMS Racing MAKE Motorsports Kyle Busch Motorsports Kyle Busch Motorsports ThorSport Racing Premium Motorsports ThorSport Racing T3R2

Chevy Chevy Chevy Chevy Toyota Chevy Chevy Chevy/RAM/Ford Toyota Toyota Chevy Toyota Ford Chevy Ford Chevy Chevrolet Chevy Toyota Toyota Toyota Chevy Toyota Chevy

Bryan Berry Michael Shelton Jason Miller Barry Owen Rudy Fugle Brian Poff Gere Kennon Steve Kuykendall Scott Zipadelli Jeff Hensley Dennis Connor Marcus Richmond Doug Randolph Jeff Stankiewicz Chad Kendrick Chris Rice Shane Huffman Randy Dean II Jerry Baxter Shannon Rursch Carl Joiner John Monsam Doug George Cal Boprey

Tyler Young John Wes Townley Ray Black Jr. Donnie Neuenberger Erik Jones Norm Benning John Hunter Nemechek Jennifer Jo Cobb Ben Kennedy Cameron Hayley Mason Mingus Timothy Peters Tyler Reddick Spencer Gallagher Brad Keselowski James Buescher Brandon Jones Cody Ware Daniel Suarez Justin Boston Matt Crafton Travis Kvapil Johnny Sauter Bryan Silas

NASCAR® is a registered trademark of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc.

polepositionmag.com @NPPmag POLEPOSITIONMAG.COM

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NASCAR SERIES SCHEDULES 2015 NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES Feb. 22 March 1 March 8 March 15 March 22 March 29 April 11 April 19 April 25 May 3 May 9 May 16 May 24 May 31 June 7 June 14 June 28 July 5 July 11 July 19 July 26 Aug. 2 Aug. 9 Aug. 16 Aug. 22 Sept. 6 Sept. 12 Sept. 20 Sept. 27 Oct. 4 Oct. 10 Oct. 18 Oct. 25 Nov. 1 Nov. 8 Nov. 15 Nov. 22

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60

NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

2015 NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES Feb. 20 Feb. 28 March 28 May 8 May 15 May 29 June 5 June 13 June 19 July 9 July 22 Aug. 1 Aug. 15 Aug. 19 Aug. 30 Sept. 18 Sept. 26 Oct. 3 Oct. 24 Oct. 31 Nov. 6 Nov. 13 Nov. 20

Daytona International Speedway Atlanta Motor Speedway Martinsville Speedway Kansas Speedway Charlotte Motor Speedway Dover International Speedway Texas Motor Speedway Gateway Motorsports Park Iowa Speedway Kentucky Speedway Eldora Speedway Pocono Raceway Michigan International Speedway Bristol Motor Speedway Canadian Tire Motorsport Park Chicagoland Speedway New Hampshire Motor Speedway Las Vegas Motor Speedway Talladega Superspeedway Martinsville Speedway Texas Motor Speedway Phoenix International Raceway 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

No Sophomore Slump Ryan Reed sat in a chair during the Charlotte Motor Speedway Media Tour in late January and watched reporters talk to his teammates. He sat by himself for several minutes. That won’t happen next year.

Reed earned plenty of attention when he won his first NASCAR XFINITY Series race during the Feb. 21 season opener at Daytona International Speedway.

The 21-year-old Bakersfield, Calif., native – previously known for his bravery in racing with Type 1 diabetes – became known as the kid who bravely passed Brad Keselowski on the final lap for the victory.

Reed didn’t plan out the move days in advance. He just made it look that way.

With a push from Roush Fenway Racing teammate Chris

Buescher, Reed’s No. 16 Lilly/American Diabetes Association Ford swept under Keselowski’s Ford entering the third turn.

He drove away and pulled into Victory Lane minutes later.

Few could be a more deserving winner than Reed.

He thought he would never drive a race car again when he was diagnosed with diabetes four years ago.

But now he’s on the minds of millions of race fans, so it’s fair to say 2015 has started quite well for Reed. It’s a far cry from last year, when Reed admittedly struggled as a rookie

in NASCAR’s No. 2 national series.

“Between the confidence of knowing what to expect, there’s just so much [of a difference between 2015 and 2014],” Reed said. “I didn’t know what to expect going into my first full-time season. There were so many tracks I’d never been to.”

He began this season with some new crew members and a new outlook.

“If you go into a weekend and you don’t have the weekend you want, it’s easy to carry that frustration into the next race,” Reed said.

“I’ve learned after last

year to just put those kinds of things behind me, stay positive and move on.”

Reed certainly had no frustration when he entered the Atlanta weekend on top of the series standings.

He believes the biggest challenge as he tries to progress from young newcomer to title contender lies within building communication with his crew. Reed’s in-car feedback has gotten better with experience.

Riding the momentum of a season-opening victory means there’s hope his Roush Fenway Racing team can continue to improve on

what was a tough 2014 campaign. Buescher scored the team’s lone victory at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in August, but the team’s drivers felt like the season was more of an aberration than a sneak peek of things to come.

When Reed crossed the finish line first at Daytona with Buescher right behind him, their optimism was rewarded.

“Roush Fenway as a whole is a different organization this year,” Reed said. “We have a different sound than last year. We have a different mindset, and I think that’s really going to carry over.”

By Aaron Burns POLEPOSITIONMAG.COM

61

NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES

Off to a Hot Start Tyler Reddick had a solid rookie season in NASCAR’s Camping World Truck Series in 2014, winning two poles, scoring three top-five finishes and placing 12th in the series standings. He’s ready to do a lot more this season.

Reddick made all the right moves in his second career start at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 20, leading a race-high 46 laps and holding off Erik Jones to score his first Truck Series victory.

It wasn’t much of a shock to team owner Brad Keselowski, who picked Reddick to drive for him prior to last season. He recognized Reddick’s talent as a dirt-track racer and figured the 19-year-old native of Corning, California, could win races in NASCAR. “We believed in Tyler the whole time,” said Keselowski, the

2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion.

“But to go along with that, patience is kind of earned by a driver by having a strong work ethic, meticulous and well-put-together mental attitude. Tyler’s had that all along.

“I can’t say there were ever any doubts in my mind that we would get to here. But there was a question as to how long it would take.”

Brad Keselowski Racing made tremendous strides as a race team in 2014.

Reddick’s victory at the beginning of the new season validated the team’s work

during the offseason.

The challenge for the affable Californian is to maintain that hot start.

Is he capable of doing great things all season? Reddick believes so. It took him a

year to find a comfort zone, considering he drove on many tracks with little or no prior experience.

“I think everyone knew going in that with only seven pavement races ever under my belt, there were going to be some things we had to work on [last year],” Reddick said.

“They quickly showed right away at Daytona.

Through the first part of the year, we had a lot of things come up. I felt like once we

got through half of my [rookie] year, there were a lot of things we improved upon. In the second half of the year, there were a lot of things that we were able to take out of the equation to make us have a better race team and have better results.”

Keselowski thinks Reddick has what it takes to compete for the title with the likes of Jones and two-time defending champion Matt Crafton.

“We’re really serious about this championship effort,” Keselowski said. “Tyler finished out the 2014 season with a record that was strong enough to make a legitimate run for the championship. We knew it. We had this conversation. We defined even another level from that to really feel good about this year.

“We felt like we’re doing that. But to prove it right out of the gate at Daytona, that’s really proving it.”

By Aaron Burns 62

NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

NASCAR HOME TRACKS

Batter Up! The Southern California sunset is shining brightly on Cole Custer, one of the select few members of the NASCAR Next program.

The 17-year-old recently signed to run 10 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races for JR Motorsports. In addition to competing in the Truck Series, Custer will run a handful of events in the ARCA Racing Series and the K&N Pro Series East and West divisions.

But without the help of Gene Haas, co-owner of StewartHaas Racing and owner of the Haas F1 Team, Custer wouldn’t have enjoyed the high level of success he has tallied in his young career. Last season, with Haas’ help, Custer raced in the NASCAR Camping World Truck

Series for Haas Racing Developments and became the series’ youngest winner with a victory at New Hampshire.

“Without Gene Haas, I wouldn’t be where I am at right now,” Custer said. “He has been a great supporter for my career and I owe a lot to him for what he does. I would love to keep working with Gene. He’s helped me so much and I feel like there is a lot that I owe him. It’s really important to stay in touch with Gene and keep this going.”

During the offseason, Custer was forced to find a new ride after Turner Scott

Motorsports closed its doors due to a dispute between its owners. In nine races with Turner in 2014, Custer earned six top-10 finishes and had an average finish of eighth.

“We had some trucks and we were looking for people to start a team with,” Custer said. “JR Motorsports was one of the groups that we approached and they said they really want to do it. We started from there and tried to put it together. It’s just like any other race team that you’re creating.”

Dale Earnhardt Jr., one of the owners of JR Motorsports, believes in the son of Joe Custer, executive

vice president for Stewart-Haas Racing, and decided to go truck racing this season. The pairing is expected to continue for some time, but until Custer turns 18, NASCAR rules prohibit him from racing on the series’

bigger tracks.

Along with switching teams, Custer’s education has also undergone an adjustment.

After going to school in California, he made the move to North Carolina.

According to Custer, he wanted to be closer to the team and now has the chance to learn more without the stress of traveling across the country after races.

However, switching states has led him to enroll in an online school. Set to graduate in just over a year, Custer has not decided whether he will go to college. Racing is his primary focus for now and it will stay that way until he figures out a backup plan.

By Joseph Wolkin POLEPOSITIONMAG.COM

63

SPOTLIGHT COPD

A Healthy Outlook: Pushing Through a COPD Diagnosis Phil Huston, 62, felt a sense of relief when he received a diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) from his doctor in 2008 – months after he had undergone emergency surgery to treat lung cancer.

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While the Stage 2 COPD diagnosis certainly wasn’t great news, it did help explain why Huston, a nonsmoker, was coughing and struggling to breathe in the wake of the surgery.

“Luckily, I was diagnosed early,” Huston said. “It’s a progressive disease, so if I didn’t do anything, it would have gotten

worse. Discovering it early gave me a chance to live my life. I take medication, carry three inhalers, watch my diet, and most importantly, I get to do what I love – exercise.”

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.

A resident of St. Paul, Minnesota, Huston is proof that when COPD is diagnosed early, those affected by the disease can live active, healthy lives. A month after receiving his diagnosis, Huston ran a 5K for the Breath of Hope Lung Foundation.

A few weeks later, he returned to his true passion – climbing – and attempted his 12th ascent of Mount Ranier.

“I actually ramped up my exercise,” Huston said. “I pushed my limits of breathing to see how far my lungs would work with me.

Every time I ramped it up, I realized I could break through another barrier of breathing.”

In addition to climbing, Huston continues to kayak, cycle and ski.

He has ascended to 11,000 feet, although he plans to return to the summit of Mount Ranier in the next year.

“I used to go up to 20,000 feet, but I haven’t done that yet,” Huston said. “I’m trying to get back. The next ascent of Mount Ranier will be my 13th ascent.

It’s a great goal to work toward.”

STROKES OF FATE

p

hil Huston’s inspiring ability to live a healthy life with COPD isn’t the only way in which he’s a survivor. In 2003, he was climbing the Canadian Rockies to build endurance to climb Mount McKinley when he became anemic.

Further testing determined he had what doctors believed was Stage 4 stomach cancer.

“I had 29 stomach tumors, and was given six months to live,” Huston said. “For a week, I thought I was going to die. They did exploratory surgery and didn’t find any cancer in the tumors.”

While that was great news for Huston, he did have to cancel the trip to Mount McKinley. It proved to be a fateful decision, as everyone from the group with which he would have traveled died in a plane crash en route to Mount McKinley.

The discovery of Huston’s lung cancer in 2008 came about by chance when he broke several ribs during a trail run. X-rays determined that Huston had a cancerous tumor on his lung, which would have never been discovered had he not injured himself.

“I had no symptoms,” Huston said. “It’s another lucky episode. If I hadn’t fallen, it could have been fatal.”

By dan guttenplan 64

NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015