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CONTENTS

08 GREEN FLAG: NEWS & NOTES

10 BET YOU DIDN’T KNOW!

12 TEAM SPOTLIGHT

14 Q&A: CASEY MEARS

15 TERMS OF RACING

News from around the world of NASCAR

Dig deep into the archives of NASCAR locations and drivers

Casey Mears re-ups with Germain Racing and GEICO

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver

Understanding the terminology of racing

SPOTLIGHT: SYLVANIA

Still made in America

44 NASCAR BRAND LOYALTY

No other sport has this level of brand loyalty

TRACK TASTY

Prime time for tailgating presented by Bubba burger®

48 NASCAR CAR DESIGNS

The coolest car designs in NASCAR history

TAILGATING

Titans of the tailgate, presented by Honda Generators

50 BUYING & SELLING SPONSORSHIPS

The how-tos of NASCAR sponsorship

HOW THE CHASE WORKS

The method for crowning a champion

52 CHANGING FACE OF NASCAR SPONSORSHIPS

New marketing partners

DRIVER PROFILES

NASCAR Sprint Cup driver profiles, presented by GEICO

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

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

PRODUCTION

54 GEAR

56 WOMEN & RACING

58 NASCAR FUEL: CAREERS

59 NASCAR FUEL: LIFESTYLE

The latest products from our advertising partners

Natalie Decker of Rev Racing, presented by Samsung

Featuring jobs in communications

Tips from the pros to get you prepared

NASCAR SERIES ROSTERS

2015 NSCS, NXS and NCWTS rosters

SPOTLIGHT: COPD

The race to breathe easier

NASCAR HOME TRACKS

Dalton Sargeant is not a typical high schooler

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 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.

THANK YOU, JEFF!

A salute to the NASCAR great as he retires from full-time racing POLEPOSITIONMAG.COM

GREEN FLAG NEWS

Nature’s Bakery to Sponsor Danica Patrick

ASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Danica Patrick, who was instrumental in elevating the visibility of the GoDaddy brand, will have the opportunity to do the same with another relatively new company – and she’ll have years to do so. Patrick has signed a multi-year extension with Stewart-Haas Racing, which in turn revealed a new sponsorship deal with Nature’s Bakery, whose paint scheme will adorn Patrick’s No. 10 Chevrolet as the primary sponsor for 28 races per year, starting next year. With the exception of GoDaddy, all the existing partners in Patrick’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series program are returning to fill out the remaining races in her inventory. Though SHR officials didn’t reveal the specifics of the contract, team co-owner Tony Stewart indicated Patrick and Nature’s Bakery would be part of the organization for years to come. “As far as the term of the contract, we never disclose that at SHR, with either our partners or our drivers,” Stewart said.

ichael Waltrip Racing and Clint Bowyer have mutually agreed to part ways at the end of the season. MWR officials also announced they do not plan to field a full-time entry in 2016. The team, which has participated in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series since 2007, currently owns the Toyotas driven by Bowyer (No. 15) and David Ragan (No. 55).

By Dan Guttenplan

ogo Inc., a leading global aero communications service provider, has entered into a multi-faceted partnership with NASCAR champion Brad Keselowski. The company, which offers a complete suite of solutions including in-flight Internet, entertainment, text messaging and a host of other communications related services to the commercial and business aviation markets, is widely credited with many of the industry’s most influential achievements.

fter successfully hosting another series of events during the Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola, Daytona International Speedway officials turned their focus on the final stretch of construction related to the DAYTONA Rising project. To date, over 40,000 new seats have been installed near the west end of the speedway along with 14,000 seats in the east end. In addition, new concessions, restrooms, vertical transportation options and several new “neighborhood” areas are in place. Upcoming construction activities include: Completion of escalator installations; initial installation of a solar array structure; ongoing installation of trackside suite tower glass; and continued development of hospitality areas/suites. DAYTONA Rising is a $400 million reimagining of Daytona International Speedway. Five expanded and redesigned entrances, or “injectors,” will lead fans to a series of escalators and elevators.

NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

he NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will once again compete on the dirt at Eldora Speedway next season. In 2016, however, the Eldora event may not be the only dirt race on the schedule. Following the July race at the Rossburg, Ohio, track, NASCAR surveyed Truck Series teams as to whether they would be amenable to adding a second dirt-track race to the schedule. The response was overwhelmingly positive.

T J

oe Gibbs, owner of Joe Gibbs Racing, recently shed light on Erik Jones’ career arc, saying that a full NASCAR XFINITY Series schedule and some NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events are planned for 2016. Gibbs said that advancing the 19-year-old through the NASCAR development ladder is a top priority at Joe Gibbs Racing. Jones already has one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start to his credit, making an impressive drive at Kansas Speedway in May in place of the injured Kyle Busch. He also logged a hefty relief stint the month before, substituting for an ailing Denny Hamlin at Bristol Motor Speedway.

eam Penske has extended its partnership with Freightliner Trucks, the largest division of Daimler Trucks North America. A Team Penske partner for over 10 years, Freightliner officials announced a five-year extension that will continue to see the team utilize Freightliner Trucks and equipment for all of its NASCAR and IndyCar racing programs. While Team Penske transporter drivers will remain behind the wheel of Freightliner trucks for all their transportation needs, Freightliner will continue to

maximize Team Penske assets for its marketing programs. Freightliner regularly hosts customers, vendors and distributors at races throughout the year, highlighting the experience with appearances by Team Penske drivers. Freightliner also participates in several other racing initiatives, including the NASCAR Hauler Challenge Game app and the NASCAR Run Smart Hauler Challenge, a timed skills obstacle course challenge for transporter drivers in the Sprint Cup and XFINITY Series.

ASCAR has teamed with Eugenio Derbez, one of Mexico’s most-recognizable stars, to collaborate on an original, full-length comedy movie. Long heralded as one of Mexico’s most popular actors, Derbez broke through on a global level with the 2013 hit film, “Instructions Not Included.”

VIDEOGAMES GREEN FLAG

NASCAR ’15 Victory Edition

rom the publishers of NASCAR ’15, now there’s NASCAR ’15 Victory Edition. And if video-gaming enthusiasts liked the former, they will surely appreciate the latter. An in-season update to the NASCAR ’15 game released in May by Dusenberry Martin Racing, NASCAR ’15 Victory Edition features more than 80 paint schemes and numerous updates. “As we all know, NASCAR fans are the

most brand-loyal and on-top-of-it consumers in sports,” said Matt Dusenberry, director of NASCAR industry relations at Dusenberry Martin Racing (DMi, Inc. is an indirectly held subsidiary of HC2 Holdings, Inc.), which is NASCAR’s exclusive interactive entertainment and video game licensee. “When NASCAR makes changes to the rules or the look of the car or even the tracks, it’s important that we replicate real-world NASCAR in our virtual

world. So attention to detail is key and we’re constant with refining the changes that NASCAR makes.” Appropriately, Dusenberry Martin Racing will release all of the Sprint Cup Series’ 2016 paint schemes for free as a downloadable add-on to NASCAR ’15 Victory Edition in early 2016. “It’s really taking the NASCAR gaming fan from right now through the middle of next year,” Dusenberry said. The game, which is available for PS3, Xbox 360 and PC, can be purchased this fall at mass-market retailers including Walmart,

Target, GameStop, and Toys “R” Us for a starting retail price of $19.99. “All of our marketing and focus is geared toward the NASCAR fan,” said Marina Woodruff, marketing director for Dusenberry Martin Racing. Joey Logano, the 2015 Daytona 500

champion, is featured on the cover of NASCAR ’15 Victory Edition. “I still can’t believe it,” said Logano about being chosen for the cover. “It was completely unexpected. Every young athlete dreams of being on the cover of their sports’ franchise video game.”

By jared turner

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GREEN FLAG BET YOU DIDN’T KNOW!

CIA STOCK PHOTO

51 N Eyes of Texas are Upon Junior Some of Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s greatest NASCAR moments have come at Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway. But neither track, nor any other track on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series circuit, can hold a candle to Texas Motor Speedway for Junior. For it’s at the high-speed, 1.5-mile track that on April 4, 1998, Earnhardt Jr. earned his first career NASCAR XFINITY Series victory. That particular triumph set Earnhardt on the path to 13 combined wins and consecutive championships in NASCAR’s junior league in 1998 and ’99. And it was also at TMS – nearly two years to the day of his first NASCAR XFINITY Series triumph – that Earnhardt Jr. earned his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win on April 2, 2000. Celebrating with his father, Dale Earnhardt, it was one of the most memorable and touching Victory Lane celebrations in NASCAR history. SEE YOU LATER, ALLIGATOR

ising from the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Andrew that leveled the city of Homestead, Fla., in 1992, Homestead-Miami Speedway was built and opened three years later. The southern-most track on the NASCAR circuit became an economic engine that helped to get the city back on its feet and ultimately become bigger and better than ever. Because it sits on the edge of a large swath of swampland, it’s also the only race track in NASCAR that has alligators as neighbors, which is quite appropriate for a state that boasts a university whose sports teams are nicknamed the Florida Gators. The real gators know to keep their distance from the track, though. Either that or they’re not NASCAR fans. “To my knowledge and to date there have been no incidents related to alligators and the track,” a Homestead police official told NASCAR Pole Position.

MEET SUPER FAN LARRY OGBURN

ovember’s Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event at Phoenix International Raceway will mark the 51st consecutive year Larry Ogburn has attended a race at the venerable one-mile oval. The Kingman, Ariz., resident was 12 years old when he and his family attended PIR’s opening in March 1964 – and he’s been going to races there ever since. As an added bonus, Ogburn celebrates his birthday – he turns 64 on Nov. 6 – at the track every year. The retired mechanic and firefighter hopes to reach 75 straight years and turn 89 at PIR in 2039. “Sure, I could very easily sit on the couch, watch TV … but no, I don’t. It’s just not the same as actually being there at the track, at PIR. That’s where I belong, where I want to be.”

SMART ALECK… ER, GUY

here’s no question that Kyle Busch is an outstanding driver. He’s also a student of the sport, constantly learning about NASCAR, both today as well as in the past. That’s not a surprise, though, as Busch is a pretty smart fellow. Not only was Busch a straight-A student who graduated from Las Vegas’ Durango High School with honors in 2002, even more impressively he did so in just three years rather than the traditional four. The reason: He wanted to begin his pro racing career as soon as possible. He signed at the age of 16 to race part time for Roush Racing, but when he became a full-time racer at age 18, he signed with Hendrick Motorsports. In the book, “Kyle Busch: Gifted and Giving Racing Star” by Ryan Basen, Busch said, “I’m an honor student. At no point did my desire to race interfere with my schoolwork.”

THINGS ARE BIGGER IN TEXAS

t 1.5-miles around, Texas Motor Speedway may not be the biggest race track in NASCAR, but it sure does things in a big way – and track officials like to brag, too: ■■ The track has the largest video screen in the world, “Big Hoss,” which measures a massive 218 feet by 94.6 feet. ■■ It was the first speedway to display race laps counting down and also counting up. ■■ The massive AT&T Stadium in nearby Arlington, Texas, home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, is downright

puny compared to TMS. In fact: four of the Cowboys’ stadiums could fit in the infield of TMS – with room to spare. ■■ The frontstretch grandstand was built from 2 million pounds of aluminum, enough to produce 61 million soda cans. ■■ Race fans can get mighty hungry. TMS sells roughly nine miles of hot dogs (six times around the track) annually. If you prefer burgers, one year’s worth stacked upward would be taller than a 74-story building.

by jerry bonkowski 10

NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

GREEN FLAG TEAM SPOTLIGHT

‘IT’S HUGE WHEN YOU GO TO SLEEP AT NIGHT’

CIA STOCK PHOTO

Together Again

MEARS RE-UPS WITH GERMAIN RACING AND GEICO

hen the time came for Casey Mears to negotiate a new, multi-year contract with Germain Racing and longtime primary sponsor GEICO starting with the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, all parties involved agreed that a continuation of their relationship would be in their best interests. It’s certainly easy to see why. Since teaming with Germain, GEICO and crew chief Robert “Bootie” Barker in the latter half of the 2010 season, Mears has made steady progress. “We’ve really grown in the last four or five years going from starting as a limited

schedule program to a full-time program,” said Mears. “Now becoming a program that can really go out and compete with some of the top guys has been exciting. Throughout this whole process we’ve got a great group of guys at the shop that really work well together, and ‘Bootie’ and I have worked together now for several years. We’ve got a lot of good things going for us. “I think the fact that we all helped build this program from the ground up really makes us understand how it ticks, makes us appreciate where we’re at now. We’re all driven to make sure it continues to grow

and looking forward to taking advantage of what we have available to us now.” Despite continuing to compete as the lone driver for Germain Racing, Mears believes he can accomplish even bigger things with the organization – where he’s been consistently faster this year than in previous seasons. “I’ve been with a lot of other teams and other programs, and one of the things I like about where I’m at now is these guys know what I’m capable of and I know what they’re capable of,” said Mears, who joined NASCAR’s top series in 2003. “That’s a huge part in being successful. I know they

have confidence in me, and when you have a group of guys that are working with you and not against you it really goes a long way. We’ve been together so long now we’ve really developed some good relationships on the program, and it makes me happy to be here, happy to be at Germain and really excited about carrying on with GEICO.”

oming to terms with Germain Racing and primary sponsor GEICO on a new multi-year deal did more than solidify Casey Mears’ short-term future. It also allowed the veteran driver to devote an even greater measure of focus and attention to the here and now and finishing the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season on a strong note. “It’s huge when you go to sleep at night,” Mears said. “Every year a contract year rolls around, there starts to be rumblings, the media starts picking up on it and it feels really good that we’ve somewhat dodged that bullet, because it can be a distraction.” After 22 of 36 races this season, Mears was 20th in the standings – a significant leap from his other years with Germain. With no contract negotiations to worry about in the final weeks of the season, Mears harbored hopes of moving up the ladder even further. “What I like now is that we can just focus on what makes us faster, what makes us better,” the Bakersfield, Calif., native said. “Really what we do is problemsolve all day long, and to be able to do that with a clear mind without any outside distractions is a huge help.”

by jared turner 12

NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

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GREEN FLAG Q&A

FAST FACTS FAVORITE HOLIDAY

■■ Christmas is always the most fun. … I love to decorate.

BUCKET-LIST ITEMS

■■ I’d like to spend more time in Europe, I’d like to take a pass in a Top Fuel dragster and jump out of a plane.

FAVORITE ACTOR

■■ I really like anything Morgan Freeman’s in. He’s awesome. Leonardo DiCaprio’s done some really cool movies lately.

FAVORITE SEASON

■■ The springtime. Nothing’s better than when you get those first mid-70-degree days.

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES DRIVER CASEY MEARS Q&A WITH

asey Mears talks about whether he’d rather be successful in racing or liked by his peers, reveals the one thing he would change about himself, and opens up about much more in an exclusive Q&A with NASCAR Pole Position. How has becoming a father changed you? It makes you realize what life is really for. I know toward the end of my single days you start questioning, ‘What’s life about? What’s substantial in your life?’ Racing’s always been a big thing in my life, but until I had kids and a family of my own, I didn’t realize what that answer was. Would you rather be liked by your peers or be successful?

That’s a really tough one. At the end of the day it’s a sport, right? I’ve always strived to be somebody not that people like, but I don’t want to be somebody that people don’t like. You can put it that way. I think if I was successful and people didn’t like me, I’d have a really hard time with that, but that’s a very difficult question. I think right now I’d choose to be successful and then figure out how to make it up later. But I think at the end of the day when this whole racing business is over, it’s your character and the type of person you are that gets you further down the road. If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be? On a day-to-day basis it would just be people judging people

GUILTY PLEASURE

less until they know them. It’s hard for me to do at times, and I think it’s important to give someone a shot before you pass judgment. What would you like to change about yourself? I think that I’m patient at times, but I’d love to be more patient with my family. There’s some times I’m on the road and busy nights and weeks and you come home from a long race and I can’t wait to see my kids and family, but sometimes I’m not quite ready to play. And I realize when I wake up the next morning that I passed up on an opportunity to spend time with them. So it’s probably just being more patient and taking advantage of those moments with my family when I can, and not wasting them.

■■ Oreos and milk, and they’ve got to be double-stuffed. I can go through a whole carton of those in about 30 minutes.

FAME OR MONEY

■■ I guess neither one. When you’re financially set, it can make things more comfortable but it can also make things more complicated. Fame’s great, but at the same time, I’ve seen people that are very famous that can’t sit down at a dinner table. I think both of those come with a high price tag.

by jared turner 14

NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

TERMS OF RACING GREEN FLAG

Understanding the Terminology

ASCAR competitors and hard-core fans often use words or phrases that can be confusing to casual fans. Consider the following a study guide as these definitions will help you better understand racing “lingo.”

Air Box: Housing for the air cleaner that connects the air intake at the base of the windshield to the throttle body element of the electronic fuel injection. Bear Grease: Slang term to describe any patching material used to fill cracks and holes or smooth bumps on a track’s surface. It can also be used as a sealer on the track. Blend Line: Line painted on the race

track near the apron and extending from the pit road exit into the first turn. When leaving the pit area, a driver must stay below it before “blending” into traffic. Chassis: The steel structure or frame of a NASCAR race car. Dyno: Shortened term for dynamometer, a machine used to measure an engine’s torque and horsepower. Engine builders also use dynos to break in new or rebuilt engines.

Esses: Slang term for a series of acute left- and right-hand turns on a road course; one turn immediately following another. Front Clip: Beginning at the firewall, the front-most section of a race car. It holds the engine and its associated electrical, lubricating and cooling apparatus; and the braking, steering and suspension mechanisms. Fuel Cell: A holding tank for a NASCAR race

car’s supply of gasoline. It consists of a metal box that contains a flexible, tear-resistant bladder and foam baffling. A product of aerospace technology, a fuel cell is designed to eliminate or minimize fuel spillage. Greenhouse: The upper area of the race car that extends from the base of the windshield to the base of the rear window. It includes the A-, B- and C-posts, the entire window area and the car’s roof. Hauler: The 18-wheel tractor-trailer rig that teams use to transport two race

cars, engines, tools and support equipment to and from the race tracks. Cars are stowed in the top section, while the bottom floor is used for storage and work space. Intermediate Track: Term describing a race track one mile or more, but less than two miles, in length. Lapped Traffic: Used to describe cars that have completed at least one full lap less than the race leader. Neutral: A term referring to how a race car is handling. It’s used when a car is neither loose nor pushing.

By Dan Guttenplan

Everything tastes better with Anderson’s Pure Maple Syrup

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©2015 JR Motorsports, LLC. The name, likeness and signature of Regan Smith, the No. 7 Chevrolet and other related trademarks and copyrights are used with permission of JR Motorsports, LLC and JRM Licensing, LLC.

SPOTLIGHT SYLVANIA

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A LIGHT IN THE DARK

SYLVANIA and New Hampshire Motor Speedway: A Natural Marriage Like a light bulb hanging from the ceiling of the home living room or kitchen, vehicle headlights almost always dim over time rather than going out all at once. While this phenomenon can be good for drivers on the highway, it can also jeopardize safety when motorists aren’t properly educated about the do’s and don’ts of switching to new headlights. The good news? SYLVANIA, the world leader in automotive lighting, is ready and eager to help. Brian Noble, the marketing manager for SYLVANIA, offers an important safety tip about changing out headlights. “If you only replace one of them when one burns out, the other one is now dim where one is brand new, so it gives you an uneven field of vision,” Noble said. “So on the road you have one side that’s bright and one side that’s dim. It’s basically making it so that one side you see further and one side you don’t, and your eyes are not going to be able to adjust as well down the road. So your eyes are bouncing around a little bit, you’re not seeing as well as you possibly could, because it’s not perfect. When you’re

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replacing pairs, you want to make sure that you put both brand new ones in so that everything’s as good and equal as it possibly can be.” Noble recommends replacing worn-out headlights with SYLVANIA’s ultra-popular, highly sophisticated SilverStar ULTRA headlight that offers the brightest downroad experience, with a whiter light for more clarity behind the wheel. “We make products that help you see further downroad and we make products that help you see further downroad with more clarity,” Noble said. “Seeing further downroad is obvious; anything that helps you see further downroad will give you more time to react and make a good decision; anytime you see further down road with more clarity, you’re actually getting something with better light, which means you can make an even better decision because it’s not just a shadow or shape; it’s actually a deer or a tree branch that you can see clearly what it is.”

f there’s any group of motorists in need of strong, reliable headlights, it’s the men and women responsible for transporting NASCAR Sprint Cup Series cars to and from the racetrack 38 weekends annually. It’s no wonder many hauler drivers rely on SYLVANIA, which outfits them with complimentary headlights twice a year. “If you call it a research project, these guys are literally telling us how much better it is,” said SYLVANIA spokesman Brian Noble. “We’ve had people say they think they see way more. We believe that they’re going to see a lot more, but at the end of it, they think they’re not getting into accidents because they can see so much better with these lights, which to me is a true testimonial.” Noble calls headlights a driver’s “first line of defense.” “If you can’t see it or can’t see it well, you can’t react well,” he said. “It’s nice to have really good tires and it’s nice to have really good brakes, but if you don’t react, it doesn’t matter if you have those, because you’re not stopping. It’s great you have all those other safety devices – headrests, and seat belts and airbags – but we don’t want you to use them. We want you to see it and make a good decision. So it’s important to us to make the best light bulb that we can possibly make.”

by jared turner 16

NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

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TRACK TASTY

Fall’s Prime Time for Tailgating

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THROW A FEW BUBBA BRATS ON THE GRILL With the arrival of fall each year comes the arrival of more widespread tailgating at sporting events of multiple genres. NASCAR races are no exception.

FOR THE HEALTHCONSCIOUS TAILGATER

As the sultry summertime temperatures gradually give way to more forgiving fall breezes in the final weeks of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, fans at the track react accordingly by firing up their grills in mass quantities. From New Hampshire to Texas to Homestead and just about every track in between, tailgating this time of year is simply a way of life. Just as the battle for the championship heats up over the 10-week Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, so do the grills of fans looking to pass the time at the track. And, of course, no tailgate is complete without BUBBA burger, the No. 1-branded frozen burger in the United States. “With the fall it’s just a great time to have your extended tailgating both in the infield and out in the parking areas,” said Andy Stenson, BUBBA burger’s vice president of marketing. “When there’s tailgating before, during and after a race, it just makes sense to have BUBBA on hand. And with our products like the Bratwurst and the sausage,

we have a really great Italian sausage that’s a mild Italian sausage, and it’s wildly popular. That’s one of the great fall products we love to see people eat.” BUBBA burger actually offers Bratwurst in three varieties: mild Italian sausage, hot Italian sausage and traditional. “As people discover the Bratwurst, they love them,” said Stenson, noting that the BUBBA Bratwurst is gluten-free and features a strong flavor that goes great on the grill. “They cook them in beer normally and then they’ll throw them on the grill and roll them over, so they’re very good.” Especially when cooked in the company of good friends at a race track in the fall. “A lot of fall races accommodate some great tailgating,” Stenson noted. “When you come to a race, obviously you get there hours early because you don’t want to miss anything, and you get there early and you tailgate, and with the cooler temperatures in the fall it really helps.”

long with the tasty BUBBA Bratwurst, there are a several BUBBA burger varieties that spice up any tailgate. In addition to the always popular BUBBA burger original and BUBBA turkey burger are two relatively new options both perfectly suited for the health-conscious tailgater. They are the BUBBA vegetable burger and the grass-fed BUBBA burger, the latter of which comes in a one-pound box containing four quarter-pound patties. “You buy you a couple boxes of those, you’ve got eight burgers on hand and you’re set to go,” Stenson said. It seems BUBBA burger and NASCAR tailgating just go hand-in-hand. “When you’re tailgating and you’re cooking a BUBBA burger, it creates an environment – with the smoke and the smell – of a family or friend gathering, and invoking that feeling is important for us,” Stenson said. “BUBBA burger wants everyone to have a great experience, and that memory of being at the track, smelling that BUBBA burger, having just a great, relaxed time with family and friends, we like that, and we love to hear the stories of people who say, ‘You know, I had my first BUBBA burger at the track. A friend of mine made it or the track was cooking it.’ “That’s great, and then they have that great memory association with NASCAR and BUBBA burger and quality.”

By jaRED TURNER 18

NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

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GREEN FLAG TAILGATING PRESENTED BY

Titans of the Tailgate CIA STOCK PHOTO

NASCAR’s most loyal race fans know how to have fun when they’re at the track. Burke, 19, is a veteran NASCAR fan from Rochester, N.Y. He’s been to 13 races at Watkins Glen International, his home track, with more in sight.

Elijah Burke’s favorite drivers have two things in common: They drive Chevrolets, and they’re great on dirt. Burke roots for Tony Stewart and Kyle Larson in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition. In addition to The Glen – at which one can occasionally find him in the background of television broadcasts – Burke has also visited Dover, Pocono, Martinsville and New Hampshire. He slept in a tent for five nights at The Glen, so there’s no doubting his fandom. Burke knows all about racing, tailgating and having fun at the race track.

Drosche, a 25-yearold from Waco, Texas, doesn’t hide who he’s cheering for whenever he goes to NASCAR races at his home track, Texas Motor Speedway.

Justin Drosche has been an avid NASCAR fan since 2000. He’s been to three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race tracks in addition to Texas – Daytona, Talladega and Bristol – and the ardent Dale Earnhardt Jr. fan wants to venture out of the southern U.S. to see some more racing action. Drosche lists Michigan and Auto Club as the two tracks he wants to visit most, and as for his tailgating habits at the tracks he’s already been to, he keeps it simple. Drosche grills out and kicks back with a few ice-cold beverages.

Richard, 26, says he knew about NASCAR before he could put together sentences. The Ocala, Fla., native wants to see a race at every Sprint Cup track.

Mike Richard Jr. has been a NASCAR supporter for as long as he can remember. The first driver Richard latched onto was Michael Waltrip, when he drove the No. 30 Pennzoil Pontiac in the early 1990s. He was so devoted that he made his parents use only Pennzoil oil in their cars. Now a Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Landon Cassill fan, Richard follows both when he goes to Daytona and Homestead, the two tracks closest to him. A big-time tailgate at Talladega is next on Richard’s to-do list.

Setzer, 67, has been a NASCAR fan for 50 years. The Drexel, N.C., native’s favorite moment was Dale Earnhardt winning the 1998 Daytona 500.

While Dale Earnhardt’s Daytona victory is Setzer’s favorite moment, his fanhood goes back to the days of Ralph Earnhardt. Setzer has experienced the dominant eras of Richard Petty, Darrell Waltrip, Dale Earnhardt and Jeff Gordon all the way to the new crop of racing stars. A proud Dale Earnhardt Jr. fan, Setzer has been to several Sprint Cup tracks. In addition to now-defunct North Wilkesboro and Rockingham, Setzer has seen races at Charlotte, Bristol and Atlanta. If there’s one track Setzer would like to visit that he hasn’t, it’s Darlington.

Thompson is a 57-yearold Valdese, N.C., native and a Kyle Busch fan. One of her favorite memories is seeing her son meet Busch at Bristol.

Debbie Thompson is without question a lifelong NASCAR fan. Before NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races were televised, Thompson grew up listening to them on the radio with her late father. In addition to Charlotte Motor Speedway, Thompson has been to tracks including Daytona, Kentucky, Martinsville and Bristol. This year, the Thompson family made a road trip to Darlington for the Southern 500’s long-awaited return to Labor Day weekend. There was no doubt Thompson would be in the stands when the green flag flew, because few fans share her passion for the sport.

By Aaron Burns 20

NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

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gen.honda.com Please read the owner’s manual before operating your Honda Power Equipment and never use in an enclosed or partially enclosed area where you could be exposed to odorless, poisonous carbon monoxide. Connection of a generator to house power requires a transfer device to avoid possible injury to power company personnel. Consult a qualified electrician. ©2015 American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

CHASE 101 HOW THE CHASE WORKS

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How the Chase Works When NASCAR Chairman Brian France introduced the original Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup format in 2004, it was met with a mix of reactions. There was natural curiosity on how a playoff format would work within a motorsports series. At the opposite end of the spectrum, there was criticism from fans that liked the way the old points system had crowned a champion for so many years. But France’s move proved to be genius. Not only was the inaugural Chase a success, it was copied in other motorsports series and even professional golf. In time, while the Chase format continued to grow in popularity, there were several tweaks, including expanding the field from 10 to 12 competitors. The most revolutionary change came a year ago when France introduced what some called “Chase 2.0,” a revised format that brought about the biggest changes NASCAR’s marquee event had ever seen. The field was expanded from 12 to 16 drivers. Then, borrowing a page from the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament’s Sweet 16, NASCAR

implemented a four-tier, elimination-style format for the final 10 races of the season. Never before had NASCAR seen such a format where drivers were eliminated in an organized playoff. Up to this point, the only way a driver would be eliminated from the championship was if he didn’t earn enough points to remain in contention as the season drew to a close. But with the new Chase format, there would be three distinct elimination rounds of three races each – the Challenger, Contender and Eliminator Rounds – leaving four drivers remaining to battle it out in one final race at Florida’s Homestead-Miami Speedway. More wins – or at the very least, more top-five and top 10 finishes – would ultimately crown a new champion. Much like when the original Chase format was introduced a decade earlier, drivers, fans and media were confused as to how the revamped Chase would work – let alone succeed. No one seemed to know what to expect. Several drivers thought the original Chase format was just fine. Others were initially against the change. But once again – and perhaps even more so than the original Chase format – the doubters and skeptics came to embrace the new and improved playoff structure as it proved to be an exciting and landmark hit when it played out last fall. Kevin Harvick, in his first season with StewartHaas Racing, emerged from the Chase fray to win his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship. And he did it in storybook fashion by winning the race in the championship-deciding Sprint Cup season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Ryan Newman gave Harvick a strong battle, but finished second. Had Harvick stumbled, Newman potentially would have won the championship without any wins in the 2014 season, but more so with uncanny consistency in the Chase. Denny Hamlin finished third and Joey Logano, who fell victim to a bad pit stop late in the final race, ended up fourth. The Chase proved to be a spectacular success, with the way Harvick won the championship a fitting exclamation mark. Will this year’s Chase, the second under the new format, prove to be as exciting – if not perhaps even more so than last season’s? Will one unexpected driver emerge from deep in the pack to write his own Cinderella-like story in the finale? Like with Harvick, will we see a first-time champion or will it be a driver who already has one or more championship trophies in his trophy case?

by jerry bonkowski 22

NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

While Chase drivers compete with those that did not make the playoffs (or were ultimately eliminated along the way), NASCAR does give recognition to those starting and remaining in the Chase field as each round goes by. Each car that makes the Chase has various yellow-colored designs that single it out from the rest of the pack, including the car’s roof, the windshield header, front splitter and fascia, as well as the Chase logo on the front quarter panels. While last year was a season of change, one key element this year is there will be no rules changes – not even a tweak. Given how successful last year’s Chase was, NASCAR officials chose to maintain status quo. The reason is simple: given how successful the revamped Chase was in its first season in 2014, particularly with how Harvick dramatically won in the closing laps of the season finale at Homestead, there was no reason to make any changes. In other words, if it isn’t broken, why fix it, right? Rather, NASCAR has hit upon a formula that picked up where the original Chase format left off and generated an updated playoff that over the coming years may again inspire other sports leagues and motorsports sanctioning bodies.

BREAKING DOWN THE CHASE

here are four unique rounds that make up the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. The key is for drivers to win – or come as close to doing so – in every race, earning a maximum number of points in order to potentially advance to the next round. Here’s how the four rounds break down: CHALLENGER ROUND: With the field set after the final Chase qualifying race at Richmond, and with the points reset (starting at 2,000), the entire 16-driver field begins competition with the Chase opener at Chicagoland, followed by New Hampshire and Dover. After Dover, the four drivers with the fewest points earned in the first three races are eliminated from advancing to the next round. CONTENDER ROUND: Now just a field of 12 and

with the points reset again (starting at 3,000), the second round features races at Charlotte, Kansas and Talladega. After Talladega, the field is once again pared, with the four drivers with the fewest points earned in this round eliminated from further advancement. ELIMINATOR ROUND: Arguably the most crucial round of the Chase, it starts with eight drivers and will ultimately end in four. The points are once again reset (starting at 4,000). Races are at Martinsville, Texas and Phoenix. Once the

bottom four drivers in points are eliminated after Phoenix, the final four drivers with the most points will vie for the championship. CHAMPIONSHIP 4 ROUND: This is what the Chase comes down to: a winner-take-all final round of four contenders in the season-ending race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Even though the points are reset at 5,000, points go out the window for this one: The driver who finishes the highest will be crowned the champion.

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Thanks, AJ!

It’s Been a Great Ride in 2015!

BUSH’S ® is a proud sponsor of AJ Allmendinger and the #47 team.

©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.

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DRIVER PROFILES

WHO TO WATCH

Contenders for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship by jared turner

PHOTOS BY CIA STOCK PHOTO POLEPOSITIONMAG.COM

DRIVER PROFILES

Dale Earnhardt Jr.

No.

TEAM

PR ES EN TED BY

NATIONwide, mountain dew, kelley blue book CHEVROLET

Hendrick Motorsports

PREVIOUS APPE AR ANCES IN THE CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP

seven BEST CHASE FINISH

FIFTH in 2004, 2006 & 2013 BEST POINTS FINISH IN THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES

THIRD IN 2003 C H A M P I O N S H I P C H A T T E R : Coming

off one of the best seasons of his career, Dale Earnhardt Jr. entered 2015 with some uncertainty based on the simple fact that he was paired with a new crew chief, Greg Ives, who lacked NASCAR Sprint Cup Series experience. Any concerns about a major drop-off in performance from last season were quickly eased, however, when Earnhardt started off the year with eight finishes of sixth or better in the first 12 races. With Ives calling the shots for the No. 88 team, the thirdgeneration driver won at Talladega Superspeedway for the first time since 2004, locking up a berth in the Chase. He later added a second victory, which came in the July Daytona race. Earnhardt and the team struggled over the summer to consistently show the speed they did in the first third of the season, however, raising some concerns about his championship hopes. Earnhardt made it through the opening round of last year’s Chase but stumbled in the Contender Round, ultimately finishing eighth in the standings in a year when he displayed the potential to come out much better.

DRIVER PROFILES

PR ES EN TED BY

Jeff Gordon

No. TEAM

AARP Drive to End Hunger, 3M, Axalta Chevrolet

hendrick motorsports

PREVIOUS APPEARANCES IN THE CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP

ten

BEST CHASE FINISH BEST POINTS FINISH IN THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES

second in 2007 Champion in 1995, 1997, 1998 & 2001

CHAMPIONSHIP CHAT TER:

If there’s any driver who’s a sentimental favorite to win the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series title, it’s Jeff Gordon. Competing in his last full season, Gordon will run his 797th and final race as driver of the iconic No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Would there be any more fitting end to Gordon’s legendary career than to snare his longawaited fifth NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship in his final start? Gordon will have even more motivation to become one of the four championship finalists for the winner-takeall finale after barely missing the Championship 4 a year ago. Gordon likely faces an uphill climb, however, considering the struggles he’s endured this year. Entering Race No. 23, the California native had not yet been to Victory Lane – a fact that can be mostly attributed to not being in contention to win often enough. Does Gordon, who won his most recent championship in 2001 and will be remembered as one of the greatest drivers in NASCAR history, have one more title run left him in before he hangs it up? Stay tuned.

POLE POSITION 2015 CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP

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DRIVER PROFILES

Jimmie Johnson

No. HARDWOOD

LAMINATE & TILE FLOOR CLEANER

TEAM

PR ES EN TED BY

Lowe’s/ KOBALT Tools Chevrolet

Hendrick Motorsports

PREVIOUS APPE AR ANCES IN THE CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP

eleven BEST CHASE FINISH

Champion in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 & 2013 BEST POINTS FINISH IN THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES

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No one has more championship experience than Jimmie Johnson, who leads all active drivers with six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series titles and is in pursuit of a record-tying seventh championship. Johnson, more than any of his fellow competitors, has mastered the 10-race Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup format, which has always played to his strengths due to the slate of tracks. When NASCAR went to Chase elimination rounds in 2014, however, it threw a bit of a wrench in Johnson’s well-played strategy. With the champion no longer crowned based on total points accumulated over the last 10 races but instead decided in a one-race winner-take-all season ﬁnale where four drivers are title-eligible, Johnson seemed to lose some of the seemingly built-in advantage he once had. This was on clear display when the Hendrick Motorsports driver failed to advance beyond the Contender Round and ﬁnished 12th in the standings – his worst-career result by a longshot. However, even with the elimination-style format, Johnson and his No. 48 team, led by veteran crew chief Chad Knaus, are really hard to bet against in crunch time.

AVAILABLE AT

DRIVER PROFILES

PR ES EN TED BY

Kevin Harvick

No. TEAM

budweiser/ jimmy john’s Chevrolet

STEWART-HAAS RACING

PREVIOUS APPE AR ANCES IN THE CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP

eight

BEST CHASE FINISH

champion in 2014 BEST POINTS FINISH IN THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES

Champion in 2014

C H A M P I O N S H I P C H A T T E R : Although history has proven it difficult to repeat as NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion, no champion besides Jimmie Johnson in recent memory has been better-positioned to go back-to-back than Kevin Harvick. Buoyed by early-season wins at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Phoenix International Raceway, the driver nicknamed “Happy” jumped out to an early points lead and proved to be easily the regular season’s most consistent driver as he amassed an amazing 19 top-10 finishes in the first 22 races. Much like 2014, Harvick had a lengthy drought in the regular season after two early wins, but he proved last year that this is no cause for concern in the Chase. With all the essential contributors, including crew chief Rodney Childers, back from last year’s title run in which he won three of the last six Chase races, Harvick has an excellent shot at once again being one of the four drivers still standing at Homestead-Miami Speedway – where he captured the 2014 title with an electrifying win over second-place Ryan Newman, one of the drivers he was battling for the championship.

Brad Keselowski

No. TEAM

Miller Lite, alliance truck parts, wurth Ford

TEAM PENSKE

PREVIOUS APPEARANCES IN THE CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP

three

BEST CHASE FINISH BEST POINTS FINISH IN THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES

CHAMPION IN 2012 CHAMPION IN 2012

CHAMPIONSHIP CHAT TER:

Brad Keselowski proved in last year’s Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup that he will lay it all on the line to win – even if it means rufﬂing the feathers of multiple competitors along the way. The Keselowski who came to blows with Matt Kenseth after the October race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, and walked away bloodied from a post-race scrap with Jeff Gordon a few weeks later at Texas Motor Speedway, is the same Keselowski who desperately wants to add a second NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship trophy to complement the one he captured in 2012. Keselowski locked up a Chase berth early this season by virtue of winning in March at Auto Club Speedway, and has been up and down ever since. No one’s driving style is better suited for an elimination-style Chase than Keselowski, who proved with his victory last fall at Talladega Superspeedway that he can rise to the occasion like few others in a must-win situation. If Keselowski becomes one of this year’s four championship ﬁnalists, look out – he’ll be tough to beat.

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DRIVER PROFILES

PR ES EN TED BY

Joey Logano

No. TEAM

Shell/Pennzoil, AAA insurance Ford

Team Penske

PREVIOUS APPEARANCES IN THE CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP

two

BEST CHASE FINISH BEST POINTS FINISH IN THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES

fourth IN 2014 fourth IN 2014

C H A M P I O N S H I P C H A T T E R : One of the four finalists in last year’s first-ever winner-take-all Championship Race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Joey Logano finished last among the four title contenders when his Todd Gordon-led pit crew imploded by making multiple costly mistakes in the race’s final laps. It was a valuable lesson learned for the whole No. 22 bunch, however, and one that every member of the team will no doubt have at the forefront of his mind if Logano is fortunate enough to be one of the four championship contenders entering this year’s final round. Based on the success he enjoyed in last year’s Chase prior to Homestead, and the fact that he has consistently had one of the fastest cars this season, Logano might actually be the favorite to come out on top this year. But even if another driver is the one ultimately spraying champagne at Homestead in November, this year’s Daytona 500 winner is likely to be one of the people in the hunt for the title all the way down to the final laps of the decisive final race in South Florida.

POLE POSITION 2015 CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP

Kyle Busch

No. TEAM

skittles, M&M’s crispy, interstate batteries toyota

joe gibbs racing

PREVIOUS APPEARANCES IN THE CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP

seven

BEST CHASE FINISH BEST POINTS FINISH IN THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES

fourth in 2013 fourth in 2013

C H A M P I O N S H I P C H A T T E R : When Kyle Busch was watching this year’s Daytona 500 from a hospital bed after suffering serious injuries in the previous day’s XFINITY Series race at Daytona International Speedway, no one – including Busch himself – would have given him a chance to win the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series title. Yet with the Chase for the Sprint Cup finally here, one can make a compelling case that no driver has a better chance of walking away with the championship hardware than the gritty driver of the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. After encountering some bad luck in his first few races back after returning at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May, Busch quickly became the hottest driver in the series as he rolled up an amazing four wins in five races from late June to late July. Still needing to climb into the top 30 in points to become Chase-eligible, Busch took care of business down the stretch run of the regular season. Now, he’s in arguably the best position he’s ever been in to capture his first title in NASCAR’s premier season.

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DRIVER PROFILES

PR ES EN TED BY

Carl Edwards

No. TEAM

arris, stanley tools, subway Ford

joe gibbs Racing PREVIOUS APPEARANCES IN THE CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP

eight

BEST CHASE FINISH BEST POINTS FINISH IN THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES

Second in 2008 & 2011 Second in 2008 & 2011

CHAMPIONSHIP CHAT TER:

It’s been a strange first year at Joe Gibbs Racing for Carl Edwards, who arrived with understandably high expectations after spending the first decade of his career in a Roush Fenway Racing Ford. After netting just one top-10 finish in the first 11 races with JGR, Edwards broke through in a big way on Memorial Day weekend when he captured the sport’s longest race – the Coca-Cola 600 – in dramatic fashion by stretching his last tank of fuel to the finish when many others couldn’t. Even after winning the 600 and thereby locking up a Chase berth, Edwards continued to struggle some, however, through the summer months when his Toyota consistently showed more speed than early in the season but often failed to produce the result it seemed capable of producing. Edwards is a two-time championship runner-up from his days at Roush when he finished second to Jimmie Johnson in 2008 and lost the championship to Tony Stewart on a tiebreaker in 2011. Of the drivers yet to win a title, no one is more deserving of one than “Cousin Carl.”

POLE POSITION 2015 CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP

Denny Hamlin

No. TEAM

fedex, sport clips toyota

joe gibbs racing

PREVIOUS APPEARANCES IN THE CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP

eight

BEST CHASE FINISH BEST POINTS FINISH IN THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES

second in 2010

C H A M P I O N S H I P C H A T T E R : Twice already in his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career, Denny Hamlin has gone into the final race of the season with a good chance to walk away with the championship. It hasn’t worked out either time. Competing under the old points system in 2010, Hamlin arrived for the series finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway ahead of Jimmie Johnson, but had a mediocre race and lost the championship to the Hendrick Motorsports driver in heartbreaking fashion. Last year, Hamlin was one of the four championship-eligible drivers in the winner-take-all finale and led late in the race before a call for no tires proved costly. He finished third among the four championship finalists, again falling short of NASCAR’s ultimate prize. Hamlin has been overall more consistent and faster, however, this year than in 2014 when he won just once all year. Three of the tracks in the Chase – Martinsville Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway and Homestead – are among his best. A two-time winner at Homestead, Hamlin would love to get back there with another shot at the crown. Perhaps the third time would be a charm.

POLEPOSITIONMAG.COM

DRIVER PROFILES

PR ES EN TED BY

Kurt Busch

No. TEAM

haas automation, state water heaters chevrolet

stewart-haas racing

PREVIOUS APPEARANCES IN THE CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP

eight

BEST CHASE FINISH BEST POINTS FINISH IN THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES

champion in 2004

CHAMPIONSHIP CHAT TER:

After missing the season’s first three races while serving a suspension, Kurt Busch returned to his seat at Phoenix International Raceway in Week No. 4. It’s safe to say he didn’t need much time to reacclimate. In his first two races back, the 2004 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion finished fifth and third, respectively, and also won a pole. Then, after three races of finishing outside the top 10, Busch put a whipping on the field at Richmond International Raceway where he led 291 of 400 laps en route to his first triumph in more than a year. Busch then went to Victory Lane for the second time in 2015 when he captured the rain-shortened event at Michigan International Speedway in June. What does all this mean for the possibility of this being his year to snare a second Sprint Cup championship? Not a whole lot, aside from the fact that it’s obvious Busch has jelled well with veteran Tony Gibson, his crew chief since late last season. Under the right set of circumstances, a title is within Busch’s grasp this year.

POLE POSITION 2015 CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP

Matt Kenseth

No. TEAM

dollar general, dewalt toyota

joe gibbs racing

PREVIOUS APPEARANCES IN THE CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP

ten

BEST CHASE FINISH BEST POINTS FINISH IN THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES

second in 2013

champion in 2003

C H A M P I O N S H I P C H A T T E R : Unlike most of his fellow drivers, Matt Kenseth has been on the favorable and not-so-favorable end of championship battles. In 2003, the last year before NASCAR introduced the Chase for the Sprint Cup, Kenseth won the championship in runaway fashion for Roush Fenway Racing despite winning just once all season. Ten years later, in his first season with Joe Gibbs Racing, Kenseth was once again in the thick of the hunt for a title – but came up short to Jimmie Johnson at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Kenseth and his Jason Ratcliff-led team made it to the Eliminator Eight last season despite being winless, but weren’t able to land a spot among the Championship 4. With two wins to his credit in the first 22 races of 2015, the veteran driver appears to be in much better shape than last year to make it to the Championship Round at Homestead – a track where he’s a past winner from his days at Roush Fenway Racing. One of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’ most unflappable drivers, Kenseth is wellsuited for the added pressures that an elimination-style Chase brings.

POLEPOSITIONMAG.COM

DRIVER PROFILES

PR ES EN TED BY

Martin Truex Jr.

No. TEAM

furniture row, Denver Mattress chevrolet

furniture row racing

PREVIOUS APPEARANCES IN THE CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP

two

BEST CHASE FINISH BEST POINTS FINISH IN THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES

eleventh in 2007 & 2011

CHAMPIONSHIP CHAT TER:

If you’re looking for the driver who gets the nod as the most pleasant surprise of the regular season, Martin Truex Jr. is the obvious choice. On the heels of a year when he finished a career-worst 24th in the standings, Truex came out swinging in 2015 and never really let his foot off the proverbial gas pedal. Already enjoying by far his best season as a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver, Truex went to Victory Lane for the first time in nearly two years with a dominant win in June at Pocono Raceway. Despite hitting a few bumps during the always grueling summer stretch, Truex continued to pile up top-10 finishes and earn the right to be considered a legitimate title contender. Although it might seem farfetched to think any driver with a single-car organization can actually win the championship in today’s ultra-competitive, resource-driven era of the sport, discounting Truex as a real threat is a mistake. He’s proven repeatedly this season that he and his team, led by first-year crew chief Cole Pearn, are the real deal.

POLE POSITION 2015 CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP

Jamie McMurray

No. TEAM

mcdonald’s, cessna chevrolet

chip ganassi racing with felix sabates

PREVIOUS APPE AR ANCES IN THE CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP

none

BEST CHASE FINISH

n/a

Clint Bowyer

No.

TEAM

5-hour energy, maxwell house, aaa insurance toyota

michael waltrip racing

PREVIOUS APPE AR ANCES IN THE CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP

five

BEST CHASE FINISH

second in 2012

BEST POINTS FINISH IN THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES

eleventh in 2004

second in 2012

CHAMPIONSHIP CHAT TER:

One of the best drivers to never previously make the Chase for the Sprint Cup, Jamie McMurray has been in position to qualify for NASCAR’s playoff almost the entire year, based on his strong position in the standings – one of the rewards for staying out of trouble and not putting himself in bad spots on the track. McMurray isn’t satisﬁed just being part of the 16-driver Chase Grid, however. He wants to win his ﬁrst championship. But to do that, McMurray will in all likelihood need to win at least one race – something he hasn’t done since 2013. “Everyone wants to make the Chase, but I think ultimately it’s not about just making it; it’s about competing in the Chase,” he said.

C H A M P I O N S H I P C H A T T E R : Since enjoying a career season in 2012 highlighted by three wins and a secondplace finish in the points, it’s been an uphill battle for Clint Bowyer. Winless in both 2013 and 2014, the affable Kansas native finished a career-worst 19th in the standings last season. Now with the future of MWR uncertain and Bowyer almost certainly headed for a new ride with another organization next season, he would undoubtedly like to finish out his run at MWR on a positive note. In order for that to happen, however, and for Bowyer to make a run at the championship, the driver and his Billy Scott-led team need to unearth a little bit of extra speed that has been missing most of the year.

POLEPOSITIONMAG.COM

DRIVER PROFILES

Ryan Newman

No. TEAM

PR ES EN TED BY

caterpillar, quicken loans chevrolet

richard childress racing

PREVIOUS APPE AR ANCES IN THE CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP

six

BEST CHASE FINISH

Paul Menard

No.

TEAM

menards chevrolet

richard childress racing

PREVIOUS APPE AR ANCES IN THE CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP

none BEST CHASE FINISH

second in 2014 BEST POINTS FINISH IN THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES

n/a BEST POINTS FINISH IN THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES

second in 2014 CHAMPIONSHIP

C H A T T E R : Ryan Newman didn’t have the most impressive of regular seasons in 2015 and often was a virtual non-factor. But as Newman proved last year, underestimating him in the Chase is risky. While Newman never went to Victory Lane in 2014, he advanced through three Chase rounds to be one of the four title contenders heading into the winner-take-all season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Considered the biggest underdog of the bunch, Newman nearly pulled off the unthinkable by finishing second at Homestead to fellow Chase finalist Kevin Harvick, and falling short of the championship by just one position on the race track. Will Newman be the Cinderella story of the Chase for the second consecutive year? Maybe not, but don’t bet against it.

POLE POSITION 2015 CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP

sixteenth in 2012 CHAMPIONSHIP CHAT TER:

One of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’ most unheralded and least-flamboyant drivers, ultra-quiet Paul Menard has a knack for occasionally sneaking up on the competition when it is least expected. Consider: With four races left in the 2015 regular season, Menard had just four top-10 finishes, including only two top fives – both less than every single driver ahead of him in the standings. Yet there the Richard Childress Racing driver sat, 11th in the standings, and in a fairly safe position to make the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup despite not having made a trip to Victory Lane all year. So is Menard a legitimate title contender? No, he’s a longshot, but he is in the first tier of longshots.

PROUD TRANSPORTATION PROVIDER FOR BUBBA Burgers

NASCAR SPONSORSHIPS

NASCAR Fan Loyalty Extends Beyond Drivers No other sport has the kind of brand loyalty found in NASCAR, and that extends to companies that sponsor fans’ favorite drivers.

CIA STOCK PHOTO

When a fan chooses a driver to support, companies that sponsor that driver typically see a significant consumer uptick in consumption of their products or services. “NASCAR fan loyalty is unmatched in all of sports,” said Brian Moyer, managing director, market and media research for NASCAR. “Our fans understand the role of sponsors and that it’s the sponsors that keep their favorite drivers competing on the race track.” If Danica Patrick or Joey Logano quench their thirsts on TV with a cold Coca-Cola, it will make their fans want a cold Coke, too. “There’s no other sport where there’s a stronger connection between what fans do at the track and at the store,” Brian Young, VP of global operations for 3M, which has been a NASCAR sponsor for more than 25 years, recently told FoxBusiness.com. Research confirms that loyalty: ■ A James Madison University study showed NASCAR fans are three times more likely to purchase products or services from

companies that are involved in NASCAR. In addition, more than half of the respondents said they felt they were contributing to the sport when they bought a NASCAR sponsor’s product. ■ A study by Turnkey Sports & Entertainment states that 76 percent of NASCAR fans are likely to consider the purchase of a brand because it’s a NASCAR sponsor, while 75 percent would recommend a NASCARsponsoring brand. That’s one of the main reasons nearly 25 percent of Fortune 500 companies are involved in NASCAR today as sponsors, licensees or media partners. A recent study by Ford showed that more than 40 percent of

new car buyers are race fans and nearly 85 percent of those are also NASCAR fans. But cars aren’t the only things that sell on Monday if their driver wins. Sponsors such as McDonald’s, Outback, Jimmy John’s, Subway and Burger King typically see sales increases after NASCAR races if the driver they sponsor wins. MillerCoors, which is a primary sponsor on Brad Keselowski’s Team Penske Ford, is heavily involved in fan engagement and interaction. To celebrate its 25th anniversary of being a Team Penske sponsor this year, MillerCoors conducted a fan vote to select the paint scheme on the car Keselowski drove in May’s NASCAR Sprint

All-Star Race. “The fans recognize the role sponsors play in making their favorite sport happen, and are eager to reward those connected to their driver,” said Adam Dettman, director of sports entertainment and licensing for MillerCoors. Another company that sees fan brand loyalty firsthand is western wear manufacturer Stetson, which has been a significant sponsor of Richard Childress Racing since 1994. “At Stetson we have to be very strategic with our partnerships,” company CEO Izumi Kajimoto said. “We have to be completely certain that both who we sponsor AND their audience are natural partners for the brand.”

By ben white 44

NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

NASCAR BRAND LOYALTY A FAMILY AFFAIR passion for NASCAR has become a significant family tradition, particularly when it comes to brand loyalty. If mom and dad follow certain drivers and buy products related to them, sons and daughters are likely to follow – even if they cheer for different drivers. And the brands respond in kind with loyalty back to the fans: ■■ “This isn’t about a piece of clothing, a fashion, a trend,” said Izumi Kajimoto, CEO of western wear manufacturer Stetson. “It is about passing down an interest, a passion, a livelihood, a lifestyle, from one era to another. We are grateful to have been part of that history for so long (over 20 years with Richard Childress Racing) and are working very hard to remain worthy and part of it.” ■■ “Racing has long been a family sport, and we often find NASCAR fans cheering for their father’s favorite driver and team,” said Adam Dettman, director of sports entertainment and licensing for MillerCoors. “Bonds form between generations while cheering for the same team [or driver].” ■■ “For fans, the sponsors are an important part of the relationship with their favorite driver,” said Brian Moyer, managing director, market research for NASCAR. “For example, when children become fans, the first thing they see is the M&M’s logo on Kyle Busch’s race car. That’s where brand loyalty begins.”

NASCAR SPONSORSHIPS

10 Sponsors That Helped Shape NASCAR STP Richard Petty earned seven Cup Series championships during a career that spanned from 1958 through 1992. In 1971, he began carrying the bright red colors of STP and built what is arguably the most recognized brand in NASCAR history. Petty took STP’s colors to Victory Lane after 60 of his 200-career wins. COCA-COLA In 1969, Coca-Cola joined driver Bobby Allison and team owner Mario Rossi, placing its soft drink brand on the quarter panels of Allison’s red-andgold Dodge. Allison continued with the famed soft drink producer through 1974 for team owners Richard Howard, HolmanMoody and on cars he fielded from Alabama. HOLLY FARMS NASCAR legend Junior Johnson won 50 races during his driving career, carrying Holly Farms on his car for many of those victories. Johnson retired from driving in 1966 and 10 years later won the first of three consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships with Holly Farms and driver Cale Yarborough. PUROLATOR Motorsports legend A.J. Foyt won the 1972 Daytona 500 with Wood Brothers Racing and Purolator, an automotive filter company. David Pearson joined the team that year and took the brand to Victory Lane following 44 of his 105-career wins. Pearson won 11 of 18 starts with Purolator’s colors in 1973. COORS Georgia native Bill Elliott drove a Ford Thunderbird painted in red, white and gold Coors colors and banked a $1 million bonus for winning the Daytona 500, Winston 500 at Talladega and Southern 500 at Darlington in 1985. Elliott also won NASCAR’s premier series championship in 1988 with the beer manufacturer and team owner Harry Melling.

BUDWEISER For 32 years, Anheuser Busch has featured its Budweiser brand as a NASCAR team sponsor of drivers such as Terry Labonte, Darrell Waltrip, Bill Elliott and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Reigning Sprint Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick currently carries Budweiser’s colors on the No. 4 Chevrolet fielded by Stewart-Haas Racing. GOODWRENCH Beginning in 1988, Dale Earnhardt carried the iconic black-and-silver Goodwrench colors to four of his seven-career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships with team owner Richard Childress. Earnhardt collected 45 of his 76-career victories with Chevrolet’s performance brand as his primary sponsor. DUPONT Since 1992, Jeff Gordon has been associated with DuPont Automotive Finishes. The rainbow colors have been used for much of his 24-year NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career that ends in November. All four of his championships in NASCAR’s premier series and 92 wins have come with Hendrick Motorsports. M&M’S In 1999, the M&M’s brand came to NASCAR with driver Ernie Irvan. M&M’s continued its sponsorship with Ken Schrader in 2000 and by 2003 had two wins with driver Elliott Sadler and Robert Yates Racing. In 2008, the brand, owned by Mars, joined Joe Gibbs Racing and driver Kyle Busch. LOWE’S When Jimmie Johnson graduated to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in 2001, Lowe’s officials took a chance on the off-road racing champion. Hendrick Motorsports has fielded the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet with great success, compiling 70 wins and five consecutive championships from 2006 through 2010 and in 2013.

By ben white 46

NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

photos courtesy nascar

Unique Sponsorships Still Part of NASCAR Sponsorships have been the lifeblood of NASCAR since it was formed in 1948. Many sponsors have had automotive ties, while other companies have used NASCAR as a unique tool for marketing their products and services.

During the late 1970s, First National City Traveler’s Checks served as primary sponsor of the Oldsmobile driven by Cale Yarborough, the Chevrolet of Benny Parsons and American Motors Matador wheeled by Bobby Allison.

From 1979 through 1987, Dale Earnhardt carried the blue-and-yellow colors of Wrangler Jeans for team owners Rod Osterlund, Bud Moore and Richard Childress. The company’s marketing program was largely built around the NASCAR star.

In February 2011, the AARP Foundation began sponsoring Jeff Gordon and Hendrick Motorsports through its Drive to End Hunger campaign. The nationwide program raises awareness and funds to address hunger issues among people 50 and older.

The Georgia-based Arris Group is a telecommunications equipment manufacturing company that provides high-speed data and video to cable operators. Carl Edwards will carry the company’s orange colors in 17 Cup Series races this season with Joe Gibbs Racing.

Michael McDowell, driver of the Levine Family Racing Ford, carries the colors of Thrivent Financial. The Minnesota-based financial services company originally catered to those of the Lutheran faith, but opened its membership to all Christians in 2014.

By ben white

photos courtesy nascar POLEPOSITIONMAG.COM

NASCAR CAR DESIGNS

The Seven Coolest Car Designs in NASCAR History 1952 Hudson Hornet: The Hudson Hornet competed in NASCAR from 1951 to 1954. A low center of gravity and uni-body construction made it handle well, translating to numerous wins. Marshall Teague smiles after winning on the beach at Daytona in 1952. 1956 Ford Convertible: NASCAR founder Bill France added a convertible division that ran from 1956 to 1962. Race fans loved seeing the drivers work inside the cars. Joe Weatherly is shown behind the wheel of a Ford owned by Pete DePaolo. 1969 Ford Torino: In 1969, Richard Petty drove a Ford for only one of his 32 years of NASCAR competition. The car featured a long nose and a sloping rear deck. Petty won 10 of 50 races that season. 1970 Plymouth Superbird: The Superbirds were allowed to race with 426-cubic-inch Hemi engines, bullet-shaped front ends and tall adjustable rear wings. Rule changes in 1971 made them non-competitive. Richard Brickhouse poses with his Bill Ellis-owned Plymouth at Daytona. 1974 AMC Matador: Bobby Allison drove an American Motors Matador in 1974. Even though underfunded, Allison won three Cup Series events in Roger Penske’s red, white and blue cars during the mid-1970s. Allison is shown racing in the 1974 Daytona 500. 1977 Chevrolet Laguna: Chevrolet’s Laguna featured a sloped front end and finned windows on the sides of the top. Cale Yarborough drove the sleek S-3 body style to two of his three Cup Series championships in 1977 and ’78. Car of Tomorrow: Introduced in March 2007, NASCAR’s Car of Tomorrow featured a high spoiler at its rear and a splitter at the bottom of the front end. Here, Jeff Gordon wheels the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet in 2010.

By ben white 48

NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

photos courtesy nascar

NASCAR SPONSORSHIPS

Buying and Selling

THE HOW-TOS OF NASCAR SPONSORSHIP

onvincing a sponsor to make an investment in a NASCAR team takes some work as there are many factors for both the aspiring seller and potential buyer to consider. Below, a representative from each side discusses the thought processes that go into forming a team/sponsor marriage.

HOW TO SELL JEFF OWEN PRESIDENT OF OWEN MARKETING What’s the best strategy for convincing a sponsor to invest? Depending on the sponsor, depending on their budget, depending on their strategy, that’s where you put your emphasis. If they want to do promotions to drive people to their site or to their store, you want to emphasize that. The first thing out of my mouth, after we talk about strategies and budgets, is: “I don’t want you as a one-year, come-in, spendyour-money-and-leave kind of client.” I want a long-term investment with you and a long-term relationship with whatever company I’m working with, so my role is to find them the best way to come into the sport, the best way to activate their sponsorship, the best way to get their return on their investment. If you can bring somebody in and they spend $15 million but they find that their business increases $30 million, then you’ve done your job. Do you highlight other sponsors’ returns to convince new sponsors to invest? If your strategy is exactly the same as that team or that sponsor and we get you into a similar space, then I would say the chances are you’re going to have a good opportunity to achieve the same result. It goes back to the old adage that you want to under-promise and over-deliver. If I tell them that I’m going to double their profits or double their business by bringing them into NASCAR, and at the time they’re making a million dollars and we only increased their sales by $500,000, that’s a great increase but it’s not achieving what you said. So it’s hard to promise specific things and say your product is going to perform the same as this other product, because unless it’s the exact same product and you’re looking at pretty much the exact same team, the results may differ. Are there any other rules of the road in dealing with potential sponsors? I would never promise them they’re going to win races. It’s not like a football game or a baseball game where it’s one team versus another team. It’s one versus 42 others and you never know who’s going to win the race. You don’t make promises you can’t keep.

WHY TO BUY PHIL SWIFT FOUNDER/OWNER OF FLEX SEAL & FLEX SHOT When did Flex Seal and Flex Shot get involved with NASCAR through its primary and associate sponsorships of JD Motorsports? We sponsored our first race with JD Motorsports at Daytona in February of 2013. Why did Flex Seal and Flex Shot get involved with NASCAR? NASCAR is such a great fit for Flex Seal and Flex Shot. A lot of NASCAR fans are do-it-yourselfers who can really benefit from our products. Through our involvement with NASCAR we’re able to reach a large segment of our core audience in a meaningful way, and at the same time we’re able to support one of America’s greatest sports. What made investing in NASCAR more attractive than some other ways you might invest? We promote our brand in a variety of ways: Traditional TV advertising, online advertising, social media, print and more. Additionally, we have a presence at several NASCAR events throughout the season where we educate consumers about our products, as well as distribute free sample products so NASCAR fans can see firsthand just how great our products are. What drives Flex Seal and Flex Shot to stay involved in the sport? One of the things offered by our NASCAR involvement that we don’t get from other marketing avenues is the ability to interact one-on-one with so many users and soon-to-be users of our products. At each race we attend, we’re able to touch thousands of NASCAR fans. We get the opportunity to educate consumers about our products and give many people the chance to try our products for the first time. We also have the pleasure of meeting so many of our satisfied customers who love to tell us stories about the success they have with our products and how our products have helped them save thousands of dollars on home repairs.”

By Jared Turner 50

NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

NASCAR SPONSORSHIPS

CIA STOCK PHOTO

The Changing Face of NASCAR Sponsorships When the Great Recession began in December 2007, the NASCAR world felt the impact in significant and unfortunate ways. In a sport where teams rely on multi-million dollar corporate sponsorships to put cars on the race track, the downturn in the U.S. economy meant far fewer sponsorship dollars to go around. As a result, some teams were forced to downsize while others disappeared altogether. But as the economy has rebounded over the past few years, sponsors – many of them newcomers to NASCAR – have decided to invest in the sport. Not surprisingly, the overall growth in sponsorship in relatively recent times has been significant. According to the results of an analysis released July 1, more than one-in-four Fortune 500 companies use NASCAR as part of their marketing mix – a number that has gone up for three consecutive years. The number of Fortune 500 companies invested in the sport increased 7 percent year-over-year as nearly one-in-two Fortune 100 companies now invest in NASCAR – also an increase over 2014. The roughly 130 companies involved in the sport today represent a 20 percent increase since 2008. On the heels of an Official Partnership with Microsoft – and several other technology brands entering

the sport this year and last – the number of Fortune 500 tech companies invested in NASCAR has soared by 66 percent since 2013. “We are gratified that NASCAR continues to be a place where best-in-class corporations choose to drive brand awareness, preference and purchase behavior. Our fans are fiercely loyal to our sport and the Fortune 500 brands that are an integral part of NASCAR,” said Brent Dewar, NASCAR’s chief operating officer. “We collaborate with partners across the industry each and every day to grow the sport and advance sponsors’ objectives.” Gone are the days when the logos of

soft drinks, fast food chains and tobacco companies were the primary adorners of hoods and body panels. There’s a new generation of sponsors now investing in both NASCAR and its teams. To see an example of this new breed of sponsor, one must look no further than DC Solar Solutions, a green energy company that specializes in mobile solar equipment, including generators, light towers, electric vehicle charging stations and telecommunications. DC Solar entered the sport this year as the primary sponsor on driver Brennan Poole’s HScott Motorsports Chevrolet that competes in the NASCAR XFINITY Series. The company initially committed to just 15 races, but upped its sponsorship program

to 17 races once the season began. Jeff Carpoff, the founder and CEO of DC Solar, envisions a greater level of NASCAR involvement in the company’s future. “We weren’t really looking for this exact opportunity but the opportunity was so perfect that we jumped on, and it was kind of one of those deals where we had already had our sights on penetrating NASCAR with our equipment, knowing that there is a huge demand for what we build. So we were already working down those roads and then the opportunity came with Brennan Poole and [owner] Harry Scott,” Carpoff said. “We worked with them for a few months and we were able to get the deal that we wanted and the deal that they wanted. It was a perfect marriage.”

By Jared Turner 52

NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

Carpoff expects more sponsors once considered unconventional to invest in the sport as more fresh faces come up through the ranks. “NASCAR is changing,” Carpoff said. “You have younger drivers coming in and these young drivers are thinking of efficient ways to get things done. It used to be that the drivers would do their bump-andrun and didn’t really care if they put you in the wall, where today’s drivers are more like, ‘We’re driving clean and we’re going to be friends in the pits and we’re going to maintain great relationships.’ I think it’s just that time right now. Everybody’s thinking about our environment and ways to make it better. “One thing led to another, and I think having a solar sponsorship, NASCAR’s really pinned down on us, we’re getting a lot of media, our car’s getting a lot of TV time, the media loves our driver and what he represents, and I think it’s going more in this direction. I think you’re going to see sponsors that aren’t your typical sponsors coming aboard.” While the team sponsorship market has gradually bounced back, an infusion of new official NASCAR partners has helped the sanctioning body recover from the economic downturn. The NASCAR Fuel for Business Council, which began in 2004, provides added incentive for sponsors to become Official Partners of NASCAR, by bringing together an exclusive group of more than 50 Official NASCAR Partners to buy and sell products and services. Quarterly meetings of the NFFB Council have facilitated more than 1,000 “speed meeting” sessions where Official NASCAR Partners meet and do business with one another, resulting in hundreds of millions of dollars in annual revenue and savings to its participating members. Although DC Solar is not an official NASCAR Partner, Carpoff thinks his company is already benefiting from relationships with other sponsors in the sport. “We wanted to put our name on a team that was going to be competitive, and we felt that sponsoring the car would open doors to meet with some of the other sponsorship folks,” he said. “We’re new to the sport and we’re building relationships and having conversations that are going very well, and we’re

hoping to get it to the next step.” Perhaps the quintessential example of today’s evolving sponsorship model is KHI Management, a full-service athlete representation and sportsmarketing agency founded in 2013 by NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick and his wife, DeLana. KHI Management’s clients include country music artist Jake Owen, UFC fighters Donald Cerrone, Miesha Tate and Rose Namajunas, PGA golfer Jason Gore and Harvick himself. The company also provides sponsors with opportunities to expose their brands across multiple sports and entertainment platforms via a singular agency relationship made possible by KHI Management. For example, Hunt Brothers Pizza, Budweiser, Bad Boy Buggies and Ollie’s Bargain Outlet have sponsored Harvick’s racing endeavors at Stewart-Haas Racing, along with Jake Owen and all three of KHI Management’s UFC fighter clients. “We look at our company the same as you would look at your investment portfolio,” Harvick said. “The more diverse you can be, the better you’ll be in the long haul.” Thanks to the cross-pollination among Harvick’s business and racing interests, KHI Management is another shining example of a success story in an economic climate that, although much more favorable than several years ago, continues to challenge CIA STOCK PHOTO many of the sport’s drivers and teams. “It shows the strength of the relationships we build with our sponsors,” Harvick said. “We treat every sponsor the same whether they are spending $5,000 or $5,000,000. Their return on investment has been good, but the relationships we have built over the years have been great.” Ultimately, Harvick doesn’t believe KHI Management has necessarily recreated the sponsorship wheel, as much as it has expanded upon principles put in place when KHI fielded its own racing teams a few years ago. “We built a model platform on how to conduct business with our current sponsors as well as potential new sponsors, and that continues to work today,” Harvick said.

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NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

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WOMEN & RACING

Rev Racing Star Stays Driven

PRESENTED BY

Natalie Decker wasn’t focused on becoming a racing superstar when she was 7 years old. She just wanted a go-kart – something her father, Chuck, was hesitant to give her. He relented when she was 9, though, and wound up playing a pivotal role in helping his daughter – now 17 – turn her passion into a dream, and that dream into a reality. Decker fell in love with racing. The speed, the competition and the challenges associated with it were all pluses to her. “I kept begging my dad for one and I’d ask him every day until he got me a purple asphalt go-kart,” Decker said. “He went with me to races every weekend and I slowly started to move up. He’s the reason I am where I am now.” Her goal is to become one of the few females to ever reach the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and the Eagle River, Wis., native has the drive to make it happen. It’s fitting, then, that Decker was chosen to become part of NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity campaign that is designed to give opportunities to deserving young racers angling for a shot at the sport’s upper levels. Decker, who splits her time between Eagle

FAMILY AFFAIR

River and Concord, N.C., has already benefited from the program. She drives for Rev Racing in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series and has recorded three Super Late Model victories this year at race tracks in her home state. Getting the chance to work with Rev Racing has been a blessing, Decker said. “It’s been a great opportunity, I’ve met so many people and I’m learning so much from it,” she noted. “I’ve learned a lot. Every weekend, it’s always something new. Getting to know that whole team and hanging out with them has been great. They’re all good

people and they’re easy to work with.” The move to Rev Racing marked the first time Decker stepped out of a family-owned race car, but the experience has been valuable for her development. Decker has set her sights on a NASCAR K&N Pro Series ride for next season. As of early August, there hadn’t been any discussions on moving Decker up from Super Late Models to K&N cars. But Rev Racing – which has Collin Cabre, Devon Amos, Jay Beasley and Kenzie Ruston in its K&N lineup – would be the team for which Decker would likely drive. She’s spent the

2015 campaign working on improving her racecraft. Decker ultimately wants to be a driver in the Sprint Cup Series and follow in the footsteps of contemporary female star Danica Patrick. It’s not easy for anyone to break into NASCAR’s highest level, but Decker is as dedicated to reaching Sprint Cup as she was to getting that long-awaited first go-kart. “I definitely want to go all the way to a Cup car,” Decker said. “I don’t really have a timeline for sure but that’s my main goal. My short-term goal is K&N but right now, I’m just enjoying what I’m doing, racing Late Models.”

he Decker racing clan’s future in NASCAR is on solid footing, and it’s not solely because of Natalie’s exploits. Her cousins, sisters Paige and Claire Decker, are also making hay in their quest to reach the highest echelons of stock car racing. Paige, 22, attempted her first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event at Virginia’s Martinsville Speedway in March.

Claire, 20, is working on forging a career in stock cars. All three family members hail from Eagle River, Wis., and all three were chosen in the 20-driver NASCAR Drive for Diversity combine. Natalie said the three compete when they’re at the track, but they’re never averse to sharing information. While multiple siblings have raced against one another before – like Michael and Darrell Waltrip and Rusty, Kenny and Mike Wallace – it would be a first for three female relatives to run a national touring series race. And it’s not out of the question.

By Aaron Burns 56

NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

NASCAR FUEL CAREERS

Jason Avery

COORDINATING PRODUCER, NASCAR ON FOX A coordinating producer for four NASCAR shows on FOX Sports 1, Jason Avery has a full plate of responsibilities and then some.

His journey to his current position is as interesting as his job. Avery started in TV in 1996 covering the Olympics at NBC News Channel in Charlotte, N.C. From there it was on to NASCAR Productions where he landed in 1998. In 2002, Avery joined the SPEED Channel – his “big break.” While at NASCAR Productions, Avery got to know Frank Wilson – now a senior vice president at FS1 – at Speedvision in Connecticut. When Speedvision was bought by FOX Sports and relocated to Charlotte, Avery contacted Wilson and Wilson hired him. “It was who I knew,

not what I knew,” said Avery, who has been in a coordinating producer role since 2011. One of the biggest challenges of Avery’s job is juggling everything. He has a heavy hand in all facets of studio production for “NASCAR Race Hub,” “NASCAR RaceDay,” “NASCAR Victory Lane” and “NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Setup,” and works closely with FS1’s NASCAR on-air talent. “The typical challenge is managing it all,” said Avery, an alumnus of Roanoke College in Salem, Va. “TV is not a 9 to 5 job, and it can consume you at times. It’s a lot of hard work and long

hours and can be hard to turn off sometimes.” Avery believes there’s no substitute for experience in his field. “It’s ‘seat time,’” he said, invoking some NASCAR jargon. “I was lucky enough to come up the ladder one rung at a time, literally. I started as a production assistant and then a videographer or ‘shooter’ at NASCAR events. Then I started feature producing and learning all the different aspects of live studio TV. After that I went back out on the road as a field producer and then a pit producer in a live truck for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

KRISTI KING

With that experience, I took the job as the producer of the new daily show ‘NASCAR Race Hub’ in 2009, and never looked back. I was lucky enough to get these opportunities, for sure, but having live remote, live studio and field production experience in the NASCAR garage; that has been the biggest key for me.” Avery, 42, has three nuggets of advice for those aspiring to follow a similar career path: Network with professionals in the field, pursue internships and make sure TV is your passion. “It will be tough to advance in this industry if you are only ‘half in,’” Avery said. “Early in my TV career there were days I was unsure if it was the career that I wanted to keep pursuing, until the day I decided I was going to ‘go for it’ and make a career of it. That was when things started moving forward for me, because I was ‘all in.’ Dedication to the craft is a must because there is so much to learn and many hours of hard work to get there.”

DIRECTOR OF COMPETITION COMMUNICATIONS, NASCAR

f anyone can attest to the importance of first impressions, it’s Kristi King. King, who manages NASCAR’s at-track Integrated Marketing Communications team, oversees the NASCAR XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series communications teams and is one of two primary competition contacts for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, grew up near North Carolina’s Rockingham Speedway in the heart of NASCAR country. Fresh out of college and interested in pursuing a career in NASCAR, King arranged a meeting with then-speedway general manager Chris Browning, who needed some help preparing for the track’s upcoming race weekend and offered her a temporary job for about six weeks. The week after the race, Browning hired King full time as a member of the PR staff. “People will always remember the experience they had working with you and how you treated them,” said King, a native of Ellerbe, N.C., and 1994 graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “Make sure it’s a positive memory.” King, who later worked at Talladega Superspeedway as senior director of communications, joined NASCAR in January 2011. “If you can find an internship doing what you enjoy, express interest to your supervisor or other colleagues,” she said. “Always strive to do your best, absorb new knowledge and, most importantly, be on time. Companies want to hire great interns because they already know what they are getting.”

By Jared Turner 58

NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

LIFESTYLE NASCAR FUEL

DOWNTIME WITH CHASE ELLIOTT Chase Elliott stays active when he’s not at the race track, as one might expect from a single 19-year-old driver. In fact, the reigning NASCAR XFINITY Series champion and son of 1988 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Bill Elliott is what some might call an action sports fanatic. When it comes to snowboarding, wakeboarding, dirt biking and mountain biking, Elliott rarely passes up an opportunity. “Outside of racing I’m big into summertime sports, I guess, first,” said Elliott, who is running a full-time NASCAR XFINITY Series schedule and part-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule this season. “I love being on the lake, riding dirt bikes, being outdoors. Anything that has to do with racing, I always try to take every chance I get to go and race anything other than the XFINITY and Cup stuff we’re doing this year. So I enjoy doing that.” Elliott, who will replace Jeff Gordon next season in the iconic No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, also doesn’t mind traveling far distances to pursue his passion for action sports. “I love the wintertime out west in Colorado,” said Elliott. “I do a lot of snowboarding. We try to have fun when we’re not here at the race track.”

MENTAL PREP WITH JEFF GORDON Do you have a ritual that helps you prepare for races?

We do all of our appearances before the drivers’ meeting, and then we have a team meeting 45 minutes before the drivers’ meeting. As soon as that is over, we go to the drivers’ meeting and then have some lunch afterwards and hang out in the motorhome.

TRAINING WITH KYLE BUSCH

o driver can attest to the importance of physical fitness more than Kyle Busch. Expected to miss half of the season after suffering severe leg and foot injuries at Daytona International Speedway in February, Busch returned much earlier than anyone believed possible – mid-May. After competing in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, Busch’s first points race upon returning was the longest race on the schedule – the Coca-Cola 600. Not only did Busch complete all 600 miles; he finished 11th. By mid-summer, Busch had won four races over a five-week stretch and showed no signs of any lingering effects from his injuries. None of this would’ve been possible if Busch hadn’t been one of NASCAR’s most fitness-conscious drivers – both before his injuries and while on the mend. “Every single day since I stood back up, started to walk, this or that, I’ve been doing therapy sometimes three, four, five, six hours a day,” Busch said when it was announced he would be returning to his No. 18 Toyota. “I would do two and a half hours in the morning. I’d eat lunch and I would do another two and a half hours after that. I’ve had continuous therapy treatments, massage treatments, all kinds of things that have sped the process along.”

FUELING UP WITH RYAN BLANEY

Breakfast lunch “I’m not a huge breakfast man. We’ll wake up and I usually have a Nutri-Grain bar – I really like those, they’re kind of oatmeal and grains and all that stuff. So I’ll have that or cereal – Special K or whatever – just trying to stay not too sugary with cereal.”

“My family usual travels with me wherever I go and if my mom is there, I’m a big chicken guy. So she’ll make a bunch of chicken for me, and a salad, and noodles and rice, trying to get carbs and trying to get my energy up a little bit.”

dinner

“We make enough chicken for lunch to where I can have leftovers, but then that whole time you’re just hydrating yourself with water, and that’s mainly what I do. I’ve really gotten big into Pedialyte – it’s for babies, I think, but it’s really great at hydrating.”

snack

“I try not to eat too bad; especially on race weekends. I eat a bunch of those NutriGrain bars. I’m a big CLIF Bar guy. I really like CLIF Bars. I have some power bars that I always eat – they’re like oatmeal and strawberries or something like that.”

By Jared Turner POLEPOSITIONMAG.COM

NASCAR SERIES ROSTERS 2015 NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES ROSTER No.

Driver

Team

Sponsor/Make

Crew Chief

Driver’s Hometown

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 9 10 11 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 22 23 24 26 27 31 32 34 35 38 40 41 42 43 46 47 48 51 55 62 78 88 98

Jamie McMurray 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 Bifﬂe Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Kyle Busch Carl Edwards Matt Kenseth Joey Logano Jeb Burton Jeff Gordon J.J. Yeley Paul Menard Ryan Newman Bobby Labonte Brett Moffitt Cole Whitt David Gilliland Landon Cassill Kurt Busch Kyle Larson Aric Almirola Michael Annett A.J. Allmendinger Jimmie Johnson Justin Allgaier David Ragan Timmy Hill Martin Truex Jr. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Reed Sorenson

Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates 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 Richard Childress Racing Frank Stoddard Front Row Motorsports Front Row Motorsports Front Row Motorsports Circle Sport Racing 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 Premium Motorsports

McDonald’s/Chevrolet Miller Lite/Ford Dow Chemical/Chevrolet Budweiser/Chevrolet Farmers Insurance/Chevrolet AdvoCare/Ford Accell Construction/Chevrolet Twisted Tea/Ford GoDaddy.com/Chevrolet FedEx/Toyota GEICO/Chevrolet Bass Pro Shops/Chevrolet 5-HOUR Energy/Toyota Ortho/Ford Fastenal/Ford M&Ms/Toyota Arris/Toyota Dollar General/Toyota Shell-Pennzoil/Ford Estes/Toyota Drive to End Hunger/Chevrolet Maxim/Toyota Menard’s/Chevrolet Caterpillar/Chevrolet C&J Energy Services/Ford CSX Transportation/Ford Speed Stick/Ford Love’s Travel Stops/Ford Snap FitnessChevrolet Haas Automation/Chevrolet Target/Chevrolet Smithfield Foods/Ford Pilot Flying J/Chevrolet Bush’s Baked Beans/Chevrolet Lowe’s Home Improvement/Chevrolet Brandt/Chevrolet Aaron’s Dream Machine/Toyota Chevrolet Furniture Row/Chevrolet Nationwide Insurance/Chevrolet Ford

Matt McCall Paul Wolfe Richard Labbe Rodney Childers Keith Rodden Bob Osborne Tommy Baldwin Jr. Kevin Manion Daniel Knost Dave Rogers Bootie Barker Chad Johnston Billy Scott Matt Puccia Nick Sandler Adam Stevens Darian Grubb Jason Ratcliff Todd Gordon Joe Williams Alan Gustafson Patrick Donahue Justin Alexander 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 Brian Pattie Wayne Carroll, Jr. Cole Pearn Greg Ives Zach McGowan

Joplin, Mo. Rochester Hills, Mich. Welcome, N.C. Bakersfield, Calif. Enumclaw, Wash. Knoxville, Tenn. Tucson, Ariz. Deﬂance, Ohio Roscoe, Ill. Chesterfield, Va. Bakersfield, Calif. Columbus, Ind. Emporia, Kan. Vancouver, Wash. Olive Branch, Miss. Las Vegas, Nev. Columbia, Mo. Cambridge, Wis. Middletown, Conn. Halifax, Va. Vallejo, Calif. Phoenix, Ariz. Eau Claire, Wis. 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. Unadilla, Ga. Port Tobacco, Md. Mayetta, N.J. Kannapolis, N.C. Peachtree City, Ga.

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THE WORLD’S

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. Monterrey, Mexico Milwaukie, Ore. Byron, Mich. 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 Las Vegas, Nev. 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

Chevrolet Chevrolet Ford Chevrolet Chevrolet Chevrolet Ford Chevrolet Toyota Chevrolet Toyota Ford Toyota Toyota Toyota Toyota Ford Toyota Chevrolet Toyota Chevrolet Chevrolet Chevrolet Ford Toyota Chevrolet Chevrolet Toyota Chevrolet Ford Chevrolet Chevrolet Chevrolet

Todd Myers Wayne Setterington Phil Gould Mike Hillman Jr. Nick Harrison Gary Cogswell Seth Barbour Jason Burdett Matt Lucas Ernie Cope Eddie Pardue Chad Norris Adrian Berryhill Eric Phillips Paul Clapprood Mike Wheeler Greg Erwin Rick Ren Mike Ford Steven Lane Danny Stockman Jr. 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 Erik Jones Brad Keselowski Eric McClure John Wes Townley J.J. Yeley Brandon Jones Ryan Sieg Kyle Larson Dakoda Armstrong David Starr Jeremy Clements Joey Gase Kyle Busch Jeffrey Earnhardt Chris Buescher Brendan Gaughan Ben Rhodes Martin Roy

2015 NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES ROSTER No. Driver

Hometown

Team

Make

02 05 07 1 4 6 8 10 11 13 14 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. Kannapolis, N.C. Brentwood, Tenn. Providence, N.C. Corning, Calif. Las Vegas, Nev. Rochester Hills, Mich. Melbourne, Fla. Atlanta, Ga. Greensboro, N.C. Monterrey, Mexico Las Vegas, Nev. 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 NTS Motorsports Billy Boat Motorsports Red Horse Racing Brad Keselowski Racing GMS Racing Brad Keselowski Racing NTS Motorsports GMS Racing MAKE Motorsports Kyle Busch Motorsports Kyle Busch Motorsports ThorSport Racing Premium Motorsports ThorSport Racing T3R2

Chevrolet Bryan Berry Chevrolet Michael Shelton Chevrolet Jason Miller Chevrolet Barry Owen Toyota Ryan Fugle Chevrolet Brian Poff Chevrolet Gere Kennon Chevrolet/RAM/Ford Steve Kuykendall Toyota Scott Zipadelli Toyota Jeff Hensley Chevrolet Ryan McKinney Chevrolet Brandon McSwain Toyota Marcus Richmond Ford Doug Randolph Chevrolet Jeff Stankiewicz Ford Chad Kendrick Chevrolet Chris Rice Chevrolet Shane Huffman Chevrolet Randy Dean II Toyota Jerry Baxter Toyota Shannon Rursch Toyota Carl Joiner Chevrolet John Monsam Toyota Doug George Chevrolet 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 Daniel Hemrick Mason Mingus Timothy Peters Tyler Reddick Spencer Gallagher Brad Keselowski James Buescher Brandon Jones Cody Ware Daniel Suarez Kyle Busch Matt Crafton Travis Kvapil Johnny Sauter Bryan Silas

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KITLOWSKI ADVOCATES FOR COPD, LUNG DISEASES

RUNNING ON AIR RAISES AWARENESS

Mary Kitlowski had plans to try out for her high school volleyball team the day after she received a diagnosis of Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia, a rare genetic lung disease similar to COPD.

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While the diagnosis came with the news that there is no cure for PCD and Kitlowski would be affected by the disease for the rest of her life, she refused to change her plans for the next day. “My mom said she didn’t want me playing until we knew more about what this was,” Kitlowski said. “I was furious. I’d been doing this my whole life. Why wouldn’t I be able to play? “It never occurred to me that this would ever get in the way. I’m hard-headed, so the best way to get me to do something is to tell

me I can’t do it.” Kitlowski played volleyball that season and later became an avid runner. That is, until 2001 when a debilitating lung infection brought her active lifestyle to a halt. In 2013, Kitlowski received a new lease on life when her doctor prescribed oxygen so she could return to running. While the stationary tanks of oxygen helped Kitlowski after she exercised, she felt the experience could have been improved with access to a portable oxygen container. “I need this for

running, and sending me off with a tank that’s plugged in at the house – it’s not going to stretch around the neighborhood,” Kitlowski said. “I was very persistent in finding a portable, battery-operated oxygen container. I feel like I don’t get as exhausted from it. My oxygen levels recover faster. Now, it’s not like I get home and can’t function for the rest of the day.” The portable oxygen allowed Kitlowski to build her endurance. In September 2014, she ran a 5K with a portable oxygen concentrator on her back. In May of

this year, she ran a half marathon along the Potomac River in her home state of Maryland. Last October, Kitlowski started the Running On Air campaign designed to educate others about lung diseases and inspire those who use oxygen to live full and vibrant lives. As part of her campaign, Kitlowski has become an advocate for COPD due in part to the experience of her motherin-law, who died in April after battling COPD and other health issues. “Her oxygen company was telling her they would only send 20 tanks a month,” Kitlowski said. “That’s like a regular doctor saying, ‘I know you need a 30-day supply of medicine, but it’s too expensive for us, so we’re going to give you medicine for 20 days.’ “She became homebound because she was scared of going out without enough oxygen,” Kitlowski said. “If you start doing less, your lung function is worse. That whole cycle contributed to a faster decline, and I know she’s not the only one.”

ary Kitlowski’s Running On Air campaign has helped raise awareness for various lung diseases, including COPD. COPD is a life-threatening lung disease, the fourthleading 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. Through the Running On Air website, RunningOnAir.org, and the Facebook page, Kitlowski has spread awareness about her cause. She also has a goal to run in all 50 states; she will have crossed eight off the list by the end of this year. Kitlowski was also recently a finalist in a cover competition for the magazine, “Runner’s World,” which has a monthly circulation of 105,000. The publication was looking for the “Most Awesome” runner to be on the cover of the December issue. While Kitlowski didn’t win, her exposure in the final 10 gave COPD and other lung diseases much-needed exposure. “I definitely feel a connection with anyone with lung distress,” Kitlowski said. “Thousands or patients are restricted but need to have good care and live active and productive lives. I’m not sure they’re always hearing about the inspirational stories and it’s my goal to spread that message.”

By dan guttenplan 62

NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

NASCAR HOME TRACKS

High-Speed High School Student Dalton Sargeant is certainly not a typical 17-year-old high school student. The Florida native has raced at tracks throughout the world and he lived in Europe for three years while driving open-wheel cars before finding a home in NASCAR.

One of the highly respected drivers for HScott Motorsports with Justin Marks in the K&N Pro Series East, Sargeant has adjusted rather well to stock car racing. In his first K&N East start, he finished second to Austin Hill at Florida’s New Smyrna Speedway and he won in his first K&N West race at California’s Kern County Raceway Park, leading 75 laps en route to the victory. “I’d say that one thing that I never would have expected is to be where I am today after last year being my first stock car start after moving back from Europe,” Sargeant said. “From where I was at

the beginning of last year to finishing second in the Snowball Derby, it has just been a pretty big leap for me.” Racing in Europe, Sargeant competed in the European KF3 Championship and even tested for teams in open-wheel Formula One-style cars. But

when he made the move to stock cars, Sargeant began racing in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series. It was there that he partnered with Richie Wauters, owner of Wauters Motorsports. The team finished second in the 2014 Snowball Derby – a premier Late Model race in Pensacola, Fla. – to John Hunter Nemechek. Sargeant’s success led to him having the opportunity to race Wauters Motorsports’ NASCAR Camping World Truck Series entry at Bristol Motor Speedway, with hopes of running more events. “We haven’t had too many races so far this year,” Sargeant said about driving for Wauters’ team. “We always run well and getting good seat time in the Super Late Models helps me out quite a bit in the K&N cars. Richie Wauters teaches me a lot, and it has really been a great learning experience. “It has been pretty difficult. There weren’t many driving techniques that I could take over from the open-wheel

cars and display them in the stock cars,” Sargeant added. “I had to relearn a lot of things and try some different things out.” With a busy lifestyle, Sargeant has to split his time between racing, his education and having a social life. The pressure of being in the racing business at a young age has given him experience of being a sponsor’s dream spokesperson, especially with how well-spoken he is. However, things get difficult at times and he wants to continue his education as the high school senior prepares for college applications. “It is tough,” Sargeant said. “I mainly focus on the racing when I am at the race track. When I’m not at the race track, I’ll work as hard as I can and get all of my schoolwork done so I don’t have to worry about it. You have to balance the two out. You can’t be worried about both at once. You have to worry about one over the other, and that really helps me.”

By Joseph Wolkin POLEPOSITIONMAG.COM

CIA STOCK PHOTO

THANK YOU, JEFF!

NASCAR POLE POSITION 2015

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