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17 STORIES TO WATCH IN 2017

wives & girlfriends i driver profiles i nascar history i pit pass nascar news i my first ride i tailgating i bet you didn’t know! i my race gig i nascar pets

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POLE POSITION 2017

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CONTENT

stories to watch in 2017

10. WIVES & GIRLFRIENDS

35. DRIVER PROFILES

PRESENTED BY

12. SPOTLIGHT: TY DILLON NASCAR POLE POSITION RACE FAN GUIDE AN OFFICIALLY LICENSED PUBLICATION OF NASCAR

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PRODUCTION 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, JOSEPH WOLKIN • OFFICE MANAGER: DENNIS FASONE • SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATORS: AUSTIN HERSH, NICK FASANO, VIKASH SINGH • PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES, NASCAR/GETTY IMAGES • SPECIAL THANKS TO: MICHAEL FORDE (NASCAR), SARAH OBERGFELL (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 2017 SUBSCRIPTION TO NASCAR POLE POSITION MAGAZINE, SEND A CHECK OR MONEY ORDER FOR $27.00 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) 209-1750 OR CB@AE-ENGINE.COM. SALES INQUIRIES: IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ADVERTISING IN NASCAR POLE POSITION MAGAZINE OR WOULD LIKE TO BECOME A FIELD REPRESENTATIVE, PLEASE CONTACT DAVID WATSON AT (727) 209-0789, OR DKW@AE-ENGINE.COM. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.

POLE POSITION 2017

28. SPOTLIGHT: WILLIAM BYRON

52 MY RACE GIG 08. GREEN FLAG 14. TAILGATING 16. SPOTLIGHT: SYLVANIA 18. BET YOU DIDN’T KNOW 19. SPOTLIGHT: MEET GUS 20. MY FIRST RIDE

50. PIT PASS 54. GAMETIME 56. NASCAR LEGENDS 58. RACE REWIND

60. GEAR 62. DRIVER SPOTLIGHT 63. 2017 SCHEDULES 64. NASCAR PETS

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GREEN FLAG Carl Edwards Hangs Up His Helmet

eigning NASCAR XFINITY Series champion Daniel Suarez has been named the driver of Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 19 Toyota. Suarez replaces Carl Edwards, who announced he was leaving the sport. ARRIS, Stanley and Subway will return as sponsors. Sports Clips is also listed on the car. Dave Rogers stays on as the crew chief.

arl Edwards, one of the biggest stars in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, announced just weeks prior to the season-opening Daytona 500 that he was stepping away from full-time driving. Edwards, 37, joined Joe Gibbs Racing prior to the 2015 season and amassed five wins, 16 top-five results and 33 top-10 finishes to go with nine pole awards in his two seasons with the organization. Over his 13-year career in NASCAR’s premier series, he totaled 28 wins, 124 top-five results and 220 top-10 finishes, along with 22 pole awards. His 28 career wins tie him for 23rd all-time in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. “This has been a very difficult decision for me, but I’m confident that it is the right one for several reasons,” said Edwards. “I greatly appreciate the support from Coach [Joe Gibbs] and everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing, especially my team and teammates, my sponsors and of course my fans.” DAN GUTTENPLAN

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TOYOTA TEAMS competing in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series this season will have a new look as the auto manufacturer has redesigned the Toyota Camry for the upcoming racing season to reflect the product that will arrive in dealer showrooms later this year. The 2018 production Camry is scheduled to go on sale in August. Continuing a tradition of running his own JR Motorsports Chevy each year, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is scheduled to make a pair of starts in the No.88 Chevy Camaro this season – at Bristol Motor Speedway in August and Richmond International Raceway in September. Longtime JRM driver Kasey Kahne is scheduled to drive the car in the season-opener at Daytona International Speedway and at Talladega Superspeedway in May. Scott Radel, director of engineering at JRM, has been tabbed as the crew chief for all four races.

IN AN EFFORT TO DEVELOP TALENT FOR ITS NASCAR program, Ford Performance is initiating a multi-tiered NASCAR driver development program. The first stage of that program is a formal relationship with Brad Keselowski Racing and its NASCAR Camping World Truck Series effort. Ford has signed 2016 ARCA Racing Series champion Chase Briscoe as one of the BKR drivers this season as part of the program. The BKR effort will develop talent for all Ford teams in NASCAR. Current teams will be consulted as part of the selection process, but drivers in the program will have contractual obligations to Ford. Drivers in the new Ford program will also serve as test drivers within the Ford product development program. 08

POLE POSITION 2017

“THE KING” RICHARD PETTY, HIS RACE TEAM, RICHARD PETTY MOTORSPORTS, AND his high-performance speed shop, Petty’s Garage, partnered to build a limited-edition Ford Mustang for the Paralyzed Veterans of America (pva.org). The car featured a custom Petty Blue, white and red design, Whipple supercharger, a custom interior from Katzkin, a stainless exhaust by Magnaflow, Forgeline wheels and Continental Tires. When the car was complete, RPM donated it to the Paralyzed Veterans. The finished, one-of-a-kind automobile raised $170,500 for the non-profit veterans service organization at the Mecum Auto Auction.

The NASCAR Whelen Euro Series has a new division for the 2017 season. In addition to the regular Elite 1 and Elite 2 classes, the new Elite Club division has been specifically designed to attract drivers wanting to discover this European NASCAR-sanctioned stock car championship.

JOE FALK OF CIRCLE Sport and Curtis Key of The Motorsports Group have combined their resources in order to participate in this season’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series events. Led by Circle Sport owner Falk, the team plans to field the No. 33 Chevrolet SS in the full 36-race schedule. The two men merged their operations in an effort to increase sponsorship opportunities and enhance their on-track performance. TMG owner Key has acquired a percentage of Circle Sport’s NASCAR

Charter as part of the deal. The Charter gives the No. 33 Chevrolet guaranteed entry into all series event this season. CS/TMG is based in the facility that had been the home of The Motorsports Group in Mooresville, North Carolina. During the offseason, the facility and equipment was upgraded, including the purchase of updated race cars.

Eighth NASCAR Hall of Fame Class Inducted The biggest names in the sport of NASCAR gathered in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Friday, Jan. 20, to honor the newest members of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. NASCAR ANNOUNCES NEW STAGE-BASED RACE STRUCTURE AND PLAYOFF POINTS SYSTEM

TEAM OWNERS INDUCTED INTO NASCAR HOF

hree team owners accounting for 19 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series titles headlined the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s Class of 2017. Raymond Parks, Richard Childress and Rick Hendrick, along with drivers Mark Martin and Benny Parsons, were formally inducted into the Hall of Fame. Parks, Childress, Hendrick and Parsons were among the nominees on all eight previous Hall of Fame ballots. Martin was nominated for the first time in 2016. Drivers, celebrities and legends of the sport took to the stage during the gala celebration that honored the eighth NASCAR Hall of Fame class. Prior to the ceremony, a special Induction dinner at the Charlotte Convention Center, which is connected to the NASCAR Hall of Fame, included a jacket presentation for the living inductees and an award presentation honoring Benny Phillips, the sixth recipient of the Squier-Hall Award for NASCAR Media Excellence. The Induction Ceremony, which took place in the Crown Ballroom of the Charlotte Convention Center, also recognized Martinsville Speedway founder H. Clay Earles, the third recipient of the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR. The next day, a special NASCAR Fan Appreciation Day took place at the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

ASCAR has a new race structure and playoff points system. There are two fundamental enhancements covering all three of NASCAR’s national series that should promote that goal. First, races will be divided into three stages each, with the number of laps in each stage determined in advance according to the race length and the venue. The top-10 drivers in each of the first two segments will score championship points—10 to the winner, nine to second place, eight for third, and so forth. The race winner (the driver who takes the checkered flag at the end of the final stage) gets 40 championship points, second place earns 35, with each succeeding position worth one point less. In addition—and this is the second major innovation for 2017—the winners of the first two stages earn one playoff point each, and those points are carried forward throughout the first three rounds of the 10-race playoff at the end of the season. The race winner receives five playoff points, which also carry forward until the season-ending Championship 4 race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, where points are reset to zero and the highest-finishing driver among the four who are eligible for the title claims the championship. No longer will NASCAR racing have a “Chase.” Henceforth, “playoff” will be the operative term for all three series. The number of drivers in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoff will remain at 16. Playoff fields in the NASCAR XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series will remain status quo at 12 and eight drivers, respectively. Winning a race is still a ticket to the next round of the playoff— guaranteed. But under the new system, the regular season also provides an opportunity to earn playoff points without winning stages or races. The championship leader after 26 races receives 15 playoff points. Second place gets 10 points, third place eight, with each successive position worth one point less through the top 10 positions. Like the points for stage and race wins, those earned for top-10 regular-season finishes carry forward through the Round of 8, which concludes at Phoenix. Overtime will still be in play at the end of races, but not at the end of stages. NASCAR has eliminated bonus points for leading laps and leading the most laps. –Reid Spencer

POLE POSITION MAG.COM

WIVES & GIRLFRIENDS

PRESENTED BY

■ 2016 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson and his wife, Chandra. ■ Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his wife, Amy. ■ NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France and his wife, Amy. ■ Joey Logano and his wife, Brittany. ■ Kyle Larson and his girlfriend, Katelyn Sweet. ■ Samantha Busch, wife of driver Kyle Busch. ■ Kurt Busch and his wife, Ashley.

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POLE POSITION 2017

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SPOTLIGHT CARRYING THE GEICO BANNER

PRESENTED BY

Best of Both Worlds

TY DILLON HAS A NEW TEAM

s the youngest grandson of legendary NASCAR team owner Richard Childress, Ty Dillon has literally grown up in the halls of Richard Childress Racing. But Dillon, who spent the past five years in a NASCAR XFINITY Series car or NASCAR Camping World Truck Series entry owned by his grandfather, has branched out from the family business this season by becoming the full-time driver of Germain Racing’s GEICO-sponsored Chevrolet in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. Don’t think for a second that Dillon is venturing far from home, however. The

25-year-old’s new team has a technical alliance with RCR – which provides Germain Racing with engines and technical support in the form of simulation and parts. So while Dillon might be competing for someone other than his grandfather, he’s really just aligned with another member of the same family. “I think it’s going to be a great situation for me,” Dillon said. “I get to have something that’s a little bit more my own and have my own identity with Germain Racing and kind of spread my wings out a little bit. Not saying that I wasn’t able to do it at RCR, but being at a different team,

people look at you a little bit different, and then also being able to work with all the same people that I’ve worked my whole career with at RCR and keeping that relationship strong, I think it’s the best of both worlds.” Unlike most NASCAR premier series rookies, who typically boast no more than a combined two or three years in the XFINITY Series and Camping World Truck Series, Dillon has significantly more experience upon which he can draw. “Every single one of those years I was competing for a championship, so you learn how to run for a championship and have that mentality

on where you need to be, and every race you’re thinking about the best situation to put yourself in to win a race or make the best out of each day,” said Dillon, who has also made select NASCAR Cup Series starts the past three seasons. “I think that definitely helps, having that experience.”

JARED TURNER 12

POLE POSITION 2017

s excited as Ty Dillon is about joining the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series full time, the Lewisville, North Carolina, native is equally amped about doing so with primary sponsorship from GEICO on his No. 13 Chevrolet. GEICO, a world-renowned insurance provider, has been a primary sponsor with Germain Racing since 2010. Dillon looks forward to carrying the banner for such a company that’s respected by so many people both inside and outside of the sport. “To be partnered with a company like GEICO is special because they’ve been so dedicated to the sport of NASCAR, and the company and the brand are so wellknown across the country that having GEICO at your back and as your sponsor, people are going to know you for just that because of that brand and loyalty that they give in everything they do. People trust that,” Dillon said. “They do so many cool things, too, with the military and their support of the military. I remember watching races in the past and just seeing all of GEICO’s support for the military through the activation they’re doing at the race track. “It’s also a company that’s been around for so long, and their growth still is inspiring and amazing.”

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TAILGATING PRESENTED BY

Track Reunion Celebration Auto Club Speedway, which hosted its first NASCAR weekend in 1997, is celebrating its 20th anniversary in style this year with a Track Reunion theme. Not surprisingly, tailgating will play a big role in the many fun-filled festivities. As fans relive two decades of racing at ACS with activities ranging from historic show cars on display to a Q&A session with racing legends, the epicenter of the action will be the two-mile Southern California track’s sprawling infield that is large enough to accommodate up to 1,800 RVs or motorhomes. ACS will morph into a mini city of sorts when the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series comes to town March 24-26. While Sunday’s Auto Club 400 might be the weekend’s marquee event, the tailgating scene before and after the race will significantly add to the fun. Southern California supermarket Vons will partner with the track to set up a 5,000-square-foot, on-site grocery store for fans to purchase camping and cooking necessities ranging from charcoal to food and groceries, as well as ice, beer, snacks and other campground favorites. The store serves as the unofficial social hub of the campground as fans

begin each day of their stay with coffee, donuts, breakfast burritos and the morning newspaper. Talk about a track ripe for tailgating and doing it up in the biggest way possible. “Our fans are the heart of the sport and this Reunion celebrates them and the past two decades of racing here at our superspeedway,” said Dave Allen, president of Auto Club Speedway. “We have fans who have attended every NASCAR race since 1997 and it is always great to see them whether it’s in the infield, grandstands or in the suites.” JARED TURNER

UNIQUE RECIPE

ecky Taylor has been attending races at Michigan International Speedway since the early 1980s. But thanks to a special recipe from her boyfriend, Jeff, going to races – and tailgating – has never been so enjoyable. “TRACKSIDE POTATOES” ■■ Chopped potatoes ■■ Fresh green peppers ■■ Fresh mushrooms ■■ Onions (but not too many) ■■ Put everything together with aluminum foil and add oil to the foil ■■ Butter ■■ Add Garlic Salt and Tony’s Creole over top of it all ■■ Wrap everything in tin foil and put on the grill to cook ■■ Add a meat “It’s the centerpiece of the food,” said Taylor, a 50-yearold resident of Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. “We might make it a couple times in the five or six days that we’re there, and a lot of times we’ll have leftovers in the morning for breakfast. But, it’s a main source of our meals when we eat.”

POLE POSITION 2017

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MUST-HAVE PRODUCT Jimmie Johnson is far and away the most successful active NASCAR driver. If any driver deserves adequate representation at a NASCAR tailgate, it’s the seven-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion. The Jimmie Johnson Blue Four Season Event Cooler Table is available at the NASCAR.com SuperStore for $259.99. Measuring approximately 20 inches by 20 inches by 20 inches, the cooler holds approximately 20 pounds of ice and approximately 30 12-ounce cans. This officially licensed cooler is equipped with a conveniently placed drain and features a doublewalled cooler design to keep drinks cold.

Q&A WITH TREY KEESEE

RESIDENCE: Currently resides in hometown of Hurt, Va., and Lynchburg, Va., where he’s a student at Liberty University. TRACKS AT WHICH YOU’VE TAILGATED: Charlotte (4 times), Martinsville (3) and Richmond (3). HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A NASCAR FAN? My entire life. My parents have told me I was 18 months old and would watch every race and stand up and point at the TV, saying, ‘My Mark,’ cheering for Mark Martin. FAVORITE DRIVER: Once Mark Martin retired, I became a fan of Austin Dillon. However, I try not to pick a favorite since I want to work in NASCAR when I graduate from college. FAVORITE TAILGATING FOOD: Chicken wings, hot dogs and sweet tea. WHO ATTENDS YOUR TAILGATES? Usually, it is just my family – my mom and dad and sometimes my cousins – but sometimes friends or people we meet at the track will join us. WHAT MAKES A GOOD TAILGATE? You have to have the people you love around you, along with good food and somewhere to set up cornhole. It’s hard to have a bad tailgate at the race track, though.

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SPOTLIGHT PRESENTED BY

KNOW WHEN TO REPLACE

Be Responsible for Your Own Headlights SYLVANIA Automotive (an OSRAM company), the world leader in automotive lighting, is on a mission to help people realize just how simple and non-time-consuming swapping out headlights can be. Here’s the real crux of the matter: You can be responsible for your own headlights — a fact that research suggests most drivers don’t know. “I was at soccer practice and there was one of the moms and I said, ‘Let me do this for you,’ and it took about two minutes to change both low beams and high beams on both sides,” said Brian Noble, OSRAM SYLVANIA’s marketing manager. “She just

stared at me like, ‘It was that easy?’ Yeah, it’s that easy. I showed her how to do it, and so now she can do it, too — real quick and easy. Not every vehicle is that way, but there are so many of them that are so easy to get in, push, pull it out, disconnect, reconnect and put it back in, and it’s that easy. “What SYLVANIA is trying to do is give people the idea that you can have control and that you can get in there and with a few steps go in and put a better light in and see better when driving at night, and make yourself feel better and more confident when driving at night.” Noble strongly

recommends utilizing the many online tutorials available on how to change a headlight in the driveway. Not only does replacing headlights at home save time; it’s cheaper, too. “It’s easy for anybody of all ages,” Noble said. “I’ve had my kids do it. I’ve had my parents do it. Anybody that wants to get it done can do it. Some cars

are more complicated than others, but for the most part it’s an easy fix. It’s something where if you wanted to spend the $50 to have a mechanic do it, that’s your choice… but there are videos out there that will give you the confidence to do it and let you know what steps you have to take and how to complete them.”

JARED TURNER 16

POLE POSITION 2017

IN ORDER FOR DRIVERS to successfully install new headlights, they must not only know how to do it – they must know when to do it. Headlights should be treated no differently than ceiling lights; they should be replaced before, not after, a blowout. “That filament will over time wear out so that less light is coming off of that filament, so when you’re driving down the road you’re not seeing as far or as much,” said Brian Noble, OSRAM SYLVANIA’s marketing manager. If one headlight has a longer lifespan than the other, it’s a good idea to go ahead and change out both since replacing just one creates an uneven field of vision for the driver. “It’s almost impossible for me to tell you to do it every year or every two years, because everybody’s driving habits are different,” Noble said. “If you drive 10,000 miles a year, you might do it every three years. If you drive 30,000 miles a year, you might do it every year and change them out ahead of time because you put a lot of wear and tear on them. “It’s one of those things that if you don’t remember the last time you’ve changed them, now might be a good time to think about it.”

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BET YOU DIDN’T KNOW

4.1 BEACH RACING

n estimated 35,000 fans were on hand Feb. 23, 1958, as NASCAR bid farewell to the place where it all began – the legendary 4.1-mile beach and road course in Daytona Beach, Fla. The beach course, which saw the cars go north on the sand for two miles and then travel two miles south on the pavement of Highway A1A, was the site of the first NASCARsanctioned race on Feb. 15, 1948. Ten years later, Paul Goldsmith beat Curtis Turner to the checkered flag by five car lengths as 31 of the 49 starters were running at the finish of the 39-lap race.In February 1959, NASCAR stock car racing moved from the beach to the high banks of Bill France’s new 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway.

Singing a Speedy Tune County music legend Marty Robbins was also an accomplished stock car racer who made 35 starts in NASCAR’s premier series between 1966 and 1982. On stage, Robbins was one of the early country music superstars with a string of hits that included “El Paso,” “A White Sport Coat” and “My Woman, My Woman, My Wife.” When he wasn’t singing to a sold-out crowd on a Saturday night, Robbins was entertaining race fans at Fairgrounds Speedway in Nashville, where he often went door to door with future NASCAR stars Darrell Waltrip and Bobby Allison. His best NASCAR finish was a fourth at Michigan in 1974. Robbins died of a heart attack in 1982, the same year he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. DIRT TO PAVEMENT 1955 WAS A MILESTONE YEAR FOR VIRGINIA’S MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY. THE TRACK, which opened in 1947 and hosted its first NASCAR-sanctioned race a year later, started the season as a half-mile dirt oval and the racing surface was paved during the summer. Tim Flock, driving the No. 300 Chrysler owned by businessman Carl Kiekhaefer, banked $1,000 for winning the NASCAR premier series race at Martinsville Speedway on May 15, 1955. It was the final series event on the track’s dirt surface. When the nomadic circuit returned on Oct. 16, 1955, Alfred “Speedy” Thompson, wheeling the No. 30 Kiekhaefer Chrysler, beat Bob Welborn and Jim Paschal to the checkered flag on the new asphalt racing surface. That 200-lap race featured seven lead changes among five drivers.

UNIQUE SPONSOR

arly in 1980, NASCAR’s Bill France Jr. approached Mike Curb, owner of Curb Records and the lieutenant governor of California, about supporting an up-and-coming driver named Dale Earnhardt. “He asked me if I was interested in being the car owner or having my record company on the car,” Curb recalled. “I said, ‘Bill, I can’t do it

because my record company is in a trust because I’m the acting governor of the largest state.’ He said, ‘Well, why don’t you put Mike Curb on the car?’ I said, ‘What good would that do?’ He said, ‘A lot of good; all politicians in the South put their name on a car when it’s election time.’” Earnhardt won his first championship that season with “Mike Curb” on the car.

SPRINT CAR OWNERS NASCAR drivers Kasey Kahne, Kyle Larson and Ricky Stenhouse Jr., along with former driver Tony Stewart, own teams that compete in the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series. Tony Stewart Racing’s No. 15 sprint car is driven by eight-time and defending series champion Donny Schatz. Kasey Kahne Racing fields the cars driven by 2013 series champion Daryn Pittman and former NASCAR XFINITY Series driver Brad Sweet. Shane Stewart wheels the No. 2 World of Outlaws sprint car owned by Larson and occasional NASCAR XFINITY Series competitor Justin Marks. Stenhouse is new to the group this season, co-owning the No. 17 sprint car driven by veteran Joey Saldana. Each of these four NASCAR drivers wheeled dirt-track sprint cars during the formative years of their racing careers.

KEITH WALTZ 18

POLE POSITION 2017

SPOTLIGHT PRESENTED BY

Meet Gus, Dale Jr.’s Irish Setter

hen Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s 10-year-old boxer, “Killer,” died of cancer in January 2015, NASCAR’s most popular driver turned to Twitter to express his profound sadness at the passing of his beloved companion. “It’s with a heavy heart that I must share the sad news of our dog Killer’s passing from cancer,” Earnhardt Jr. tweeted. “He was special.” A little less than two months later, Junior used Twitter to share some news of the more upbeat variety: He and future wife Amy had become the proud owners of a new canine – this one an Irish Setter they named Captain Augustus McCrae, or “Gus,” for short, in honor of Earnhardt Jr.’s favorite character in the 1989 TV mini-series, “Lonesome Dove.” Not surprisingly, Gus became an overnight Twitter sensation as his owner’s introductory tweet garnered more than 6,000 likes and more than 1,150 retweets. Appropriately, the

celebrity canine wasted little time making his presence felt, taking liberties inside the motorhome of Junior’s fellow driver and good friend, Martin Truex Jr., on his first weekend at the track. Despite Gus sometimes being “a handful” – as Junior described him during an interview at Kansas Speedway in May 2015 – the now 2-year-old dog has proven to be a wonderful companion for Junior and Amy, who wed on Dec. 31, 2016. The couple has continued to use Twitter to share stories about the life and times of Gus, who, according to tweets from Amy in March 2015, “Doesn’t dig fireworks … at all,” but, according to other tweets, does like boat rides, the beach and Junior’s sprawling treehouse. “You can’t take for granted that a dog is going to fall in love with you,” Earnhardt Jr. told the Orlando Sentinel last February. “You have to work on the relationship, just like you do with people. I’m learning with Gus. It’s great.”

MY FIRST RIDE Top NASCAR Drivers Reminisce Horsepower was at a premium for many of NASCAR’s stars when they first secured a driver’s license and got behind the wheel. These two racers were willing to share the details of their first rides.

JIMMIE JOHNSON 1986 FORD RANGER

CAR FACTS THERE WERE three engine types available in 1986 for the Ford Ranger. The first was an in-line, 4-cylinder 2.0-liter engine with a carburetor. The second was a 2.3-liter, turbo diesel, 4-cylinder engine. The third engine available was the powerful V-6, 2.9-liter engine, which replaced the earlier 2.8-liter powerplant.

Seven-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson found his first ride – a black 1986 Ford Ranger pickup truck – in 1991 as a teenager while spending weekends competing in off-road events near his El Cajon, Calif. home. Johnson, driver of the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, was certain a new pickup truck was soon to arrive after his 16th birthday. “I had started testing for Chevrolet at the time, and I parked that Ford right up front so they would ask whose it was,” Johnson said. “I didn’t have it long. I sold it pretty quickly after that. There wasn’t any real family history behind it. I just found it through a classified ad in the local newspaper. I paid $2,500 for it and loved it.” When describing first cars or trucks, many list big engines and low stances as their favorite aspects of a first ride. Johnson named a feature that people may not think of as a vehicle’s best asset. Then again, big tires and raised bodies come in handy on the sandy landscapes around San Diego. “One of the cool things I liked about it was the fact it was lifted a little bit,” Johnson said. “Where I grew up, we were always jumping around and sliding around in the dirt.”

MATT DIBENEDETTO 2006 FORD MUSTANG

CAR FACTS TWO ENGINES were available in the 2006 Food Mustang: a 210-horsepower V-6 and a 300-horsepower V-8 for the Mustang GT. A new Pony Package for 2006 gave V-6 models a GTinspired suspension with larger wheels and tires, antilock brakes, traction control and a custom grille with fog lamps.

Matt DiBenedetto needed a little help to get his first ride in 2007. The 16-year-old had just started a new part-time job and needed wheels to get to work. DiBenedetto’s parents surprised him by buying him a 2006 Ford Mustang. “It was a just a regular old car,” DiBenedetto said. “It was black with silver stripes, and my parents actually found it online. It looked cool partly because it was lowered. It had 19-inch wheels. It was actually a special package from Ford; only 250 were made.” After a long day of work, DiBenedetto was shocked to see it sitting in the family driveway. Getting that first car is what every teenager remembers for a lifetime. “My parents surprised me with it,” DiBenedetto said. “I had just started working at Texas Roadhouse and didn’t have a whole lot of money. It wasn’t a crazy expensive car, but a nice, close-to-new car. That was really neat. Because it was a 6-cylinder, the insurance payments weren’t as expensive.” DiBenedetto’s first ride is still running strong, thanks to a close friend of the family. “Actually, my very best friend owns it still,” DiBenedetto said. “He was our neighbor and I sold it to him. It’s his daily drive.”

BEN WHITE 20

POLE POSITION 2017

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stories to watch in 2017

What are the big stories to watch for during the new NASCAR season? From Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s return to Jimmie Johnson’s pursuit of a recordbreaking eighth title to the rollout of a new title sponsor for NASCAR’s top series, here are 17 things to keep a close eye on this year: JARED TURNER

come to the forefront to help fill the void left by the man whose signature victory backflip was one-of-a-kind. Who is the best candidate for carrying that mantle? None other than Mexico-born and reigning XFINITY Series champion Daniel Suarez, the man tapped by Joe Gibbs Racing to replace Edwards in the No. 19 Toyota. More Opportunities for the Kids to Shine. New rules limit the number of events a Monster

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Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver can enter in NASCAR’s lower series. Specifically, Cup Series drivers with more than five years of full-time experience are now eligible to compete in a maximum of 10 races in the NASCAR XFINITY Series and seven races in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Additionally, drivers with more than five years of full-time premier series experience are ineligible to compete in the final eight races in each series.

Carl Edwards Not Returning. Carl Edwards sent shockwaves through the NASCAR world in January with the unexpected revelation that he would not race in 2017. Edwards, one of the sport’s biggest and most beloved stars, was arguably the best active driver yet to win a championship in NASCAR’s top series and would have entered 2017 as a preseason title favorite. With Edwards abruptly walking away, NASCAR needs another talented driver with personality to quickly

What do the changes mean? More than anything, they offer a better opportunity for young XFINITY and Truck Series drivers to shine than they’ve had in many, many years.

With only Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Trevor Bayne – two drivers with a combined one premier series victory – in the fold, it’s hard to imagine Roush Fenway experiencing major improvement this season. Toyota Domination Continues. Toyota earned its first manufacturer’s championship in NASCAR’s top series by winning 16 of 36 races in 2016. Five Camry drivers went to Victory Lane, four of them from Joe Gibbs Racing where Denny Hamlin, Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch and Matt Kenseth combined for 12 trophies. Toyota’s other four came courtesy of Furniture Row Racing’s Martin Truex Jr. With all but Edwards among JGR drivers back this season and Furniture Row expanding to a two-car operation with the addition of rookie Erik Jones, there’s no reason to believe Toyota will be any less dominant.

A Possible Return by Dodge. Is Dodge – most recently part of NASCAR’s premier series from 2001-2012 – set to return? All signs point to it being a real possibility. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO Sergio Marchionne said in December that he’d “love to” bring Dodge back to NASCAR. NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France said recently that he would be open to the sport adding a manufacturer to complement Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota. This Dodge chatter could get really interesting, so stay tuned.

Gordon and Keselowski did the same just three weeks later? The 2015 Chase was equally controversial and confrontational, even if there were no fisticuffs involved. Last year’s playoffs featured no such madness, however, as drivers for the most part minded their manners down the final stretch run to Homestead. Don’t expect the pacifism to continue this year. There are simply too many elite drivers and teams vying for the same pot of gold for civility to reign in consecutive seasons. Kasey Kahne’s Uncertain Future at Hendrick. One of the biggest disappointments of 2016, a year when he failed to win a race or make the postseason, Kasey Kahne enters 2017 on the proverbial hot seat. Kahne is in the final year of his second three-year contract with Hendrick Motorsports, the organization he joined in 2012. With Hendrick looking to move young William Byron up from the NASCAR XFINITY Series in the relatively near future, Kahne is most likely to be the odd man out, barring dramatic improvements.

More Bad Days for Roush Fenway Racing. With the departure of Roush Fenway Racing’s senior driver, Greg Biffle, and the subsequent shutdown of his No. 16 team, the company will field only two cars – its smallest fleet in two decades. Roush Fenway hasn’t won a premier series race since 2014, when former RFR driver Carl Edwards went to Victory Lane on two occasions.

An Uptick in Enthusiasm. With Dale Earnhardt Jr. out indefinitely last season while recovering from concussion-like symptoms, NASCAR witnessed a modest decline in TV ratings and race attendance compared with 2015 when the sport’s most popular driver was healthy and racing each weekend. With Earnhardt Jr. returning to the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet beginning with the Daytona 500, attendance and TV viewership numbers from 2016 should be crushed in short order. A Rise in Aggression. Remember the 2014 Chase when Brad Keselowski and Matt Kenseth came to blows, and Jeff

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17 STORIES

More of the Same for Danica. In four full seasons in NASCAR’s premier series, Danica Patrick has six top10 finishes and no top-five results. This year, she’s with the same crew chief – Billy Scott – with whom she failed to notch a single top-10 finish in 2016. With Stewart-Haas Racing making the switch from Chevrolet to Ford and moving away from Hendrick Motorsports power, it could take the company as a whole some time to work out the bugs. How does all this bode for Patrick, who has yet to achieve anywhere near the level of ontrack success that many hoped she would in NASCAR? In short: Not particularly well. Then again, she could surprise. The Impact of the Extra-Low Downforce Package. NASCAR’s premier series debuts an even lower-downforce aerodynamic package this year, the continuation of a major reduction in downforce from 2015 to 2016. The new package, highlighted by a smaller spoiler, will be used in all events except the restrictor-plate races at Daytona and Talladega. The package was designed to strengthen the overall level of competition by increasing passing opportunities for

through as first-time winners, punching their tickets to this season’s playoffs. Erik Jones’ Transition. Expect Erik Jones to endure growing pains as a newcomer to NASCAR’s premier series, but the driver who became the youngest NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion in 2015 and reached the inaugural NASCAR XFINITY Series Championship 4 in 2016 should have an immediate impact. In addition to his tremendous talent, he’s with a Furniture Row Racing organization that over the past two seasons has been one of NASCAR’s best. And thanks to Martin Truex Jr., Jones has a veteran teammate who knows how to overcome major adversity. Old (and New) Faces in New Places. Clint Bowyer’s move to Stewart-Haas Racing to replace Tony Stewart tops the list of new driver/team combos for 2017. But it’s not the only one. Ty Dillon, grandson of legendary team owner Richard Childress, is joining NASCAR’s top series with Germain Racing – a Richard Childress Racing affiliate – after spending the past three seasons as a full-time NASCAR XFINITY Series driver. Dillon replaces Casey Mears. JTG Daugherty Racing has added a second team with the arrival of Chris Buescher, who spent his rookie Cup Series season

5 drivers, particularly near the front of the field. NASCAR witnessed significant gains in this area last season, and hopes to further build on them. Young Contenders. As a rookie last season, Chase Elliott turned a lot of heads and came within a whisker of Victory Lane. Elliott’s fellow rookie and second-generation driver, Ryan Blaney, also showed moments of strength, as did Austin Dillon, whose performance dramatically improved from his first two years in NASCAR’s premier series. Don’t be surprised if Elliott, Dillon, Blaney and rookie newcomer Erik Jones all break

POLE POSITION 2017

at Front Row Motorsports – which David Ragan has rejoined after spending last season at BK Racing. Also adding a second team is Furniture Row Racing, which welcomes rookie Erik Jones. A Big Splash from Monster Energy. It’s out with Sprint and in with Monster Energy. For only the third time in NASCAR history, the sport’s premier series has an all-new title sponsor as Monster Energy replaces the telecommunications giant that replaced the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. in 2004. Expect Monster Energy – a brand known for its bold, outside-the-box approach to sports marketing – to engage NASCAR fans in creative, innovative ways.

The New-Look Stewart-Haas Racing. Change has returned to Stewart-Haas Racing. Only this time, it’s not just in the form of new personnel. It’s a new manufacturer, too. Aligned with Chevrolet since its 2009 inception, the organization co-owned by three-time NASCAR premier series champion Tony Stewart and businessman Gene Haas is now fielding Fords for its four top series drivers, along with its new NASCAR XFINITY Series team and driver Cole Custer. Clint Bowyer, the only new face in SHR’s Cup Series lineup, takes over the No. 14 car formerly driven by Stewart – who will remain an integral part of the company’s day-to-day operations. How SHR fares in Year One with Ford is bound to be one of the biggest stories throughout the year. Jimmie Johnson’s Pursuit of No. 8. For Jimmie Johnson, the mission this season is simple: Make history by becoming the first eight-time champion of NASCAR’s premier series, breaking a tie with legends Richard Petty and the late Dale Earnhardt. For everyone else, the mission is to stop Johnson from doing it. Either way, Johnson’s pursuit of No. 8 will be one of the top stories of 2017. Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Health. 2016 was a year of extreme uncertainty for Junior Nation after Hendrick Motorsports announced in mid-July that Dale Earnhardt Jr. would have to miss time behind the wheel as a result of concussion-like symptoms.

Junior ultimately was forced to sit out the final 18 races, but received medical clearance to return in 2017 after participating in a closed test session at Darlington Raceway in December. That test, held at one of NASCAR’s most challenging and physically demanding tracks, provided the assurance to Earnhardt Jr. and well-known longtime physician Dr. Jerry Petty that he could race again without putting himself at any significant risk. “We did a personal evaluation before we got in the car to set a baseline, and Dr. Petty was evaluating me after each run to see if everything was good,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “A lot of the things that he was checking – visual and balance and so forth – actually strengthened

throughout the process. ... By the end of the day, we felt really confident that health-wise I was 100 percent and ready to get back in the car.” But even while Earnhardt Jr. is confident in his decision, there will inevitably be some lingering anxiety – especially among fans – about the health of NASCAR’s 14-time most popular driver. That’s partly because last year wasn’t the first time a concussion has forced Earnhardt Jr. to the sidelines. It happened in 2012, when he missed two races near the end of the season. Earnhardt Jr. had suffered two concussions six weeks apart – first at Kansas Speedway and later at Talladega Superspeedway. Earnhardt Jr. also suffered a concussion in 2002 at Auto Club Speedway in California. So, what’s the bottom line? Earnhardt Jr.’s history of concussions gives reason to believe he could be susceptible to another. However, the driver of the No. 88 Chevrolet insists he’s not putting himself in any more danger than any of his fellow competitors. “I have a personal responsibility to myself to be smart, make great decisions for myself,” he said. “My health is No. 1. Rick [Hendrick, team owner] and everybody in the shop all put my health first and we’ll always be responsible whatever situations we come across. I’m not going to take any unnecessary risks with my own health.” POLE POSITION MAG.COM

Rejoice, Junior Nation! NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver Returns

Dale Jr. fans, your favorite son is back in the saddle.

With the start of the new NASCAR season, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is behind the wheel of the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet for the first time since mid-July. NASCAR’s 14-time most popular driver sat out the final 18 races of 2016 while dealing with the lingering effects of a concussion suffered in June at Michigan International Speedway. Earnhardt Jr.’s absence during the second half of the season reverberated throughout the sport and may have impacted TV ratings, attendance and overall fan interest. Earnhardt Jr., who underwent rigorous rehab and medical testing before doctors announced in December that he could race again, considers himself fortunate. “Personally, just going through that process, you learn a lot,” said Earnhardt Jr., who remained in

close contact with his team during his time away. “You certainly realize the things that you might be taking for granted, and learn to appreciate a lot of different parts and aspects of your life a lot more. … When you get something kind of taken away from you, you certainly realize what it is worth. “We [drivers] gripe about our schedule and this and that and the other, but once you are not doing it and you are watching all your friends out there on the track and watching your crew work without you, it really puts things into perspective. It helps you kind of appreciate really what you’ve got.” Earnhardt Jr.’s first official race back in his familiar No. 88 was to be the sport’s biggest – the 59th annual Daytona 500 on Feb. 26. However, the thirdgeneration driver’s presence at the track is bound

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to generate a buzz at just about every stop on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series schedule. “I’m excited for the sport,” said four-time NASCAR premier series champion Jeff Gordon, who will spend the season’s first 16 races in the FOX NASCAR broadcast booth after subbing for Earnhardt Jr. last season in the No. 88. “I think the fans are going to be overwhelmed … or overwhelm him with their reception of having him back in the car.” Jimmy Makar, a former crew chief who is the senior vice president of racing operations at Joe Gibbs Racing, considers Earnhardt Jr.’s comeback a game-changer. “It’s going to be good for all of us,” Makar said. “It’s going to be good for the sport, for the fan base, for Junior and that all helps us as an industry.” Those who will be sharing a track with Earnhardt Jr. this season are equally thrilled to have the Hendrick Motorsports driver back in the fold on Sunday afternoons. “Do we need him? Hell, yes, we need him,” Clint Bowyer said. “We need him as a friend, as a fellow driver, as a human being in the sport. He’s such a big part of this sport whether he wants to be or not. Selfishly, as fans of Dale Jr., as we all are, we want him here and we need him here.” Even though Earnhardt Jr. visited the race track more than once while sidelined, his absence from competition was impossible for some to overlook. “I actually live in a house on his property near him,” driver Ryan Blaney said. “Just kind of the atmosphere and the vibe around the garage is different without Dale Earnhardt Jr. there.” Cole Pearn, crew chief for Martin Truex Jr., couldn’t agree more about Earnhardt Jr.’s impact. “He’s the lifeblood of this sport,” Pearn said. Earnhardt Jr.’s health concerns also cast a shadow over the Hendrick Motorsports campus in Concord, North Carolina, where his cars are built.

ENTIRELY COMFORTABLE

espite suffering more than one concussion over the course of nearly two decades in NASCAR’s top series, Dale Earnhardt Jr. insists he’s entirely comfortable getting back in a race car. His decision to race again wasn’t made without the 100 percent blessing of his doctors, who include some of the medical profession’s leading experts in the areas of concussions and head trauma. “I wouldn’t be coming back to the seat and wanting to drive and excited about driving cars if there was any risk, other than the typical risk that every driver faces on Sunday,” said Earnhardt Jr., who turns 43 years old in October. “I feel very confident in what I’ve seen in myself and my improvement, and I feel confident in what my doctors are telling me about my future and the risks that I’m taking, and my ability to be able to withstand the normal wear and tear of not only driving a race, but getting in that unfortunate accident from time to time. We all feel pretty confident that not only am I as healthy as I was before the symptoms came last year, but I’m actually stronger.” This much is even more certain: As a sport, from top to bottom, NASCAR is stronger with Earnhardt Jr. at the forefront. “It’s definitely not the same without him,” driver Denny Hamlin said.

“We are as big a fan of Dale’s as the rest of the NASCAR community,” said NASCAR Hall of Famer Rick Hendrick, Earnhardt Jr.’s team owner since 2008. “When you’ve got the most popular driver in the sport, you lose him and he is a big spark plug to this place. Having him out of the car kind of deflated the place.” Of course, no one was more bothered by the situation than Earnhardt himself. A two-time winner of the Daytona 500, winner of 26 NASCAR premier series races and a two-time NASCAR XFINITY Series champion, Earnhardt Jr. was determined to do whatever had to be done for him to come back this season. After months of uncertainty and some real anxiety about his future in racing, Earnhardt Jr. received the required medical clearance after participating in a closed test session at Darlington Raceway in December. “As soon as I got my feet on the ground in Darlington, I was in my [driver’s] suit and over there by the door wondering if the car was ready to go,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “I couldn’t wait to get in there and just go ahead and get out there and see what it felt like and see what I felt like. I was having a hard time sleeping the night before.”

POLE POSITION MAG.COM

SPOTLIGHT

PRESENTED BY

William Byron

HENDRICK FINDS ANOTHER SPECIAL TALENT

ASCAR Hall of Fame team owner Rick Hendrick has made many shrewd decisions over the years, not the least of which was convincing the likes of Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Tim Richmond to drive his race cars. Hendrick’s latest hire – 19-year-old William Byron – is one of the veteran owner’s youngest ever. And Hendrick believes Byron could also be one of his best. Impressed by the bright-eyed, affable Charlotte, North Carolina, native’s stunningly stellar performance as a rookie last season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Hendrick announced in August that he’d signed

Byron to a multi-year contract with Hendrick Motorsports. Like Chase Elliott, who replaced Gordon as driver of Hendrick Motorsports’ iconic No. 24 Chevrolet in 2016, Byron will first spend a year and perhaps two in the NASCAR XFINITY Series driving for Hendrick affiliate JR Motorsports. The goal is for Byron to gain valuable seat time in preparation for a likely move to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series with Hendrick Motorsports in 2018 or 2019. Hendrick, whose knack for identifying top talent might be his greatest strength at least in the professional realm, couldn’t

he any higher on Byron’s prospects. “For me, Jeff Gordon was special,” Hendrick said. “Jimmie Johnson was special. Chase Elliott was special. William I’ve known, I’ve watched and I’ve been amazed – and he’s special.” Byron is special enough to get Liberty University – the world’s largest Christian university – to come on board as his first sponsor and then move with him up through the ranks. Also special enough for Dale Earnhardt Jr. to put him in a JR Motorsports Late Model in 2014 and 2015. With Liberty University sponsorship in tow, Byron went full

time NASCAR K&N Pro Series East racing in 2015 and dazzled by winning a title on the strength of four victories in 14 starts. Byron’s quick success next caught the attention of Kyle Busch, who offered him a full-time Truck Series ride with Kyle

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Busch Motorsports in 2016. Competing in a national NASCAR series for the first time, Byron came up big by capturing a series-high seven victories on the way to a fifth-place finish in the standings. Byron, meanwhile, couldn’t be any more thrilled to be associated with an organization that has won 12 championships and more than 240 races in NASCAR’s most elite division. “Even before I started racing, it was a dream of mine to drive for Hendrick Motorsports,” Byron said. “I have so much respect for the way Mr. Hendrick supports his people and encourages everyone to work together. This is the biggest opportunity of my life, and I will do everything I can to make the most of it.”

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WATCH FRESHMAN

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2017 RACES WITH LIBERTY UNIVERSITY AS THE PRIMARY SPONSOR Check the full NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule at WilliamByron.com

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8/27 Road America 180 Fired Up By Johnsonville, Road America (Wisc.) (NBC) 9/8 Virginia529 College Savings 250, Richmond International Raceway (NBCSN) 9/16 Chicagoland 300, Chicagoland Speedway (NBCSN) 9/23 VisitMyrtleBeach.com 300, Kentucky Speedway (NBCSN) 10/6 Blue Cross/Blue Shield of North Carolina Drive for the Cure 300, Charlotte Motor Speedway (NBCSN) 11/4 O’Reilly Auto Parts 300, Texas Motor Speedway (NBCSN) 11/11 Ticket Galaxy 200, Phoenix International Raceway (NBC) 11/18 Ford Ecoboost 300, Homestead-Miami Speedway (NBCSN)

NASCAR DEFINED

PRESENTED BY

This edition of NASCAR Defined features excitement, intensity, camaraderie and fun in a behind-the-scenes look at life at the track. GETTY IMAGES ■ The No. 48 team celebrates after Jimmie Johnson clinched his seventh Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship – his first since 2013 – at Homestead-Miami. Johnson won just two regularseason events before earning three more wins in the final 10 races. ■ Johnson receives a victory ice bath after picking up his fifth win of the season and clinching the championship at Homestead-Miami. ■ Steve Phelps, Brian France, Mark Hall and Mitch Covington toast during a press conference as NASCAR and Monster Energy announce a new premier series title sponsor at Wynn Las Vegas. Monster Energy is only the third company to serve as the title sponsor in NASCAR premier series history, following R.J. Reynolds and Sprint/Nextel. ■ Mark Martin reaches out to his former car owner, Jack Roush, during Martin’s induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

POLE POSITION 2017

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NASCAR DEFINED ■■ Johnson led only three laps at Homestead-Miami, but they were the ones that mattered the most: the last three. ■■ After the newly crowned “Seven-Time” locked up career win No. 80, Tony Stewart joined him in Victory Lane. Johnson handed his championship helmet to the three-time champion. ■■ Four-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion and former Hendrick Motorsports driver Jeff Gordon listens to Jimmie Johnson’s radio along with owner Rick Hendrick during the Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami. ■■ Johnson in Victory Lane with his wife, Chandra, and their daughters, Genevieve and Lydia. ■■ Daniel Suarez became the first Latin American driver to claim a NASCAR national series championship with a win at Homestead-Miami.

POLE POSITION 2017

■■ Suarez and the No. 19 Arris Toyota pit crew celebrate their win at Homestead-Miami. ■■ Suarez signs autographs in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR XFINITY Series championship. ■■ Johnny Sauter, with his family in Victory Lane, captured the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship with a third-place finish at Homestead-Miami.

■■ Sauter, driver of the No. 21 Allegiant Travel Chevrolet, celebrates with a burnout after winning the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship. ■■ Stewart-Haas Racing drivers (from left to right): Danica Patrick, Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch, Clint C Bowyer and co-owner Tony Stewart. M

CMY

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NASCAR DEFINED ■■ Race fans at sunset during the Bojangles’ Southern 500 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series event at Darlington Raceway. ■■ Martin Truex Jr. and Joey Logano lead the field prior to the start of the Goody’s Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville. ■■ Jimmie Johnson, who earned the pole for the New Hampshire 301, shares some knowledge with NASCAR Cup Series rookie Chase Elliott.

POLE POSITION 2017

■■ Kyle Busch plays with son Brexton while wife Samantha watches, prior to the start of the FireKeepers Casino 400 in June at Michigan International Speedway. ■■ J.J. Yeley (No. 44), Brennan Poole (No. 48), Erik Jones (No. 20), Jeremy Clements (No. 51) and Daniel Suarez (No. 19) are involved in a skirmish during the Food City 300 at Bristol.

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series

Driver Profiles

With the arrival of the 2017 season for the newly named Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, it’s time to dust off the old crystal ball. Here’s what you can expect on the track this year from the sport’s top contenders. JARED TURNER

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DRIVER PROFILES

PRE S E N T E D B Y

Dale Earnhardt Jr. First, the slightly concerning news: After seven months out of a race car, Dale Earnhardt Jr. could enter the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season a bit on the rusty side. Now for the better news. No matter how Earnhardt Jr. performs on the track this season, the driver of the No. 88 Chevrolet and his droves of fans can rejoice in the simple fact that he’s healthy again. Sidelined last July with concussion-like symptoms, Earnhardt Jr. missed the second half of the season and underwent extensive physical rehab and medical testing to put himself in a position to return to competition. The final piece of the puzzle in Earnhardt Jr.’s recovery came in early December when he successfully completed a closed test session at Darlington Raceway, making numerous runs in his No. 88 Chevrolet. With Earnhardt Jr. given a clean bill of health, Hendrick Motorsports confirmed what everyone in the sport had hoped: That NASCAR’s 14-time most popular driver would race again, beginning with Speedweeks 2017 at Daytona International Speedway. “I’m cleared and I am healthy,” said Earnhardt Jr., a two-time Daytona 500 winner. “… Not patting myself on my own back, [but] this is from my doctor’s mouth. His comments are that I had to work really hard to

POLE POSITION 2017

get to be a human being again ... to be normal. Then I had to work even harder to get to the level to being able to drive race cars; to be a professional race car driver. The distance between just being myself and being a race car driver; that was going to be another handful of responsibilities and exercises and so forth. His advice was that if I wanted to continue to exercise and do these types of things, it would only continue to strengthen the system. I’m all for that.” This season will mark Earnhardt Jr.’s 10th with Hendrick Motorsports and 18th as a full-time driver in NASCAR’s premier series. The biggest goal still on the 42-year-old’s proverbial bucket list: Win a premier series championship before he retires. He’s come relatively close before, finishing in the top five on four occasions. After all he endured a year ago, it’s hard to imagine a better 2017 storyline than an Earnhardt Jr. championship.

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88 INFO

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DRIVER PROFILES

PRE S E N T E D B Y

Kyle Busch A year after winning his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series title in improbable fashion, Kyle Busch made it back to Homestead-Miami Speedway as a member of the Championship 4. However, unlike in 2015, the outcome didn’t play out in his favor. Busch’s quest for back-to-back titles came up short as the Joe Gibbs Racing driver finished third among the four championship hopefuls in the winnertake-all finale. Still, it was a terrific campaign for the driver nicknamed “Rowdy,” who won four races and never ranked lower than ninth in the standings. “You just keep going through what’s going on and make the most of your opportunities,” Busch said after the race at Homestead. “We did that. We did that all year long. We did the right things sometimes and [at Homestead] we felt like we were kind of behind the eight ball a few times, and then it looked like it would be ours to lose and somehow we just weren’t able to execute there and do a good enough job at the end.” At the still young age of 31, Busch likely has many more opportunities to ascend NASCAR’s proverbial mountain. And of all the drivers in NASCAR’s premier series, Busch might be the best at handling major adversity. His 2015 championship – it’s important not to forget – came after missing the first 11 points

POLE POSITION 2017

races of the season with a compound fracture of his lower right leg and a mid-foot fracture of his left foot suffered when his car slammed an unprotected concrete wall in the NASCAR XFINITY Series opener at Daytona International Speedway. After returning to competition in mid-May, Busch had to battle his way into the top 30 in points to become postseason-eligible. He went on to finish the season with five victories, the most important coming in the season finale at Homestead. With this year’s new rules limiting full-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers’ participation in the sport’s lower series, Busch will be forced to focus more of his efforts into winning a premier series championship. Considering the success he’s enjoyed on the Cup Series side despite devoting considerable time and resources into the XFINITY Series and Camping World Truck Series in recent years, 2017 might be his best campaign yet.

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Jimmie Johnson

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48 INFO OWNER RICK HENDRICK TEAM HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS SPONSORS LOWE’S, KOBALT MANUFACTURER CHEVROLET CREW CHIEF CHAD KNAUS

who boasts 80 career premier series wins, has an opportunity this year to not only surpass Petty and Earnhardt in titles but also leapfrog Cale Yarborough (83), Darrell Waltrip (84) and Bobby Allison (84) in race victories to become No. 4 on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series’ all-time wins list. If Johnson accomplishes any of the above, the least surprised person might be his longtime crew chief. “He is probably the most underrated champion in this sport, to be honest with you,” said Knaus. “He is a fantastic, fantastic individual, an amazing race car driver. … You know, and that’s the difference in the whole thing from my standpoint. We’ve got a great team. We’ve got a great owner. We’ve got a great everything and Hendrick Motorsports is fantastic, but the fact of the matter is the real spark in this whole thing is Jimmie.”

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DRIVER PROFILES

PRE S E N T E D B Y

Joey Logano Being a bridesmaid in competitive sports is never fun. Just ask Joey Logano. The Team Penske driver finished second to Hendrick Motorsports’ Jimmie Johnson in last season’s winner-take-all season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway where Johnson came on strong at the finish to claim a record-tying seventh championship in NASCAR’s top series. Logano, who punched his ticket into the Championship 4 race with a victory in the previous weekend’s Round of 8 elimination race at Phoenix International Raceway, was battling for the lead with fellow Championship 4 driver Carl Edwards on a late restart at Homestead when the two drivers tangled. While Edwards got the worst end of the deal, Logano also suffered a setback as a result of the incident, which occurred when he attempted to pass Edwards for the lead and Edwards went low to block. Although Edwards took responsibility for the collision – a fact not lost on Logano after the race – Logano has had the entire winter to think about the championship that might have been his if things had played out slightly differently. “It’s motivation,” said Logano, who joined NASCAR’s top series in 2009 at the age of 19. “I can promise you that, because it doesn’t feel too good. But it gives us motivation to come back harder and make sure that we have another shot at

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POLE POSITION 2017

this thing and do it again. … It’s second, so second always hurts the most.” Logano was pleased with the fact, however, that his Todd Gordon-led team performed well under the primetime lights of Homestead two years after all but completely imploding on pit road under the intense glare of the inaugural Championship 4 spectacle. “I’m proud of the effort,” said Logano. “Like I said, we did such a good job [last year]. That part I’m proud of. If you look at what we did a couple years ago and what we did [in 2016], it’s a complete 180, and I couldn’t be more proud of the race team for that reason.” Logano finished 2016 with three wins, including two in the season’s final five weeks. If you believe momentum can carry over from one season to the next, Logano should be riding higher into 2017 than just about anyone.

NUMBER

22 INFO

OWNER ROGER PENSKE TEAM TEAM PENSKE SPONSORS SHELL-PENNZOIL, AAA, AUTOTRADER MANUFACTURER FORD CREW CHIEF TODD GORDON

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DRIVER PROFILES

PRE S E N T E D B Y

Danica Patrick The 2016 season was one that Danica Patrick had legitimate reason to believe could be her breakout campaign. Perhaps the breakout season is still coming – just a year later than expected. Last season, Patrick’s fourth with the powerhouse Stewart-Haas Racing organization co-owned by three-time champion Tony Stewart and businessman Gene Haas, marked the beginning a new era for the only full-time female driver in NASCAR’s premier series. Patrick arrived with a new crew chief in Billy Scott and a new primary sponsor in Reno, Nevada-based Nature’s Bakery. But instead of seeing a significant uptick in performance, Patrick was unable to record a top-10 finish for the first time in four seasons in NASCAR’s top series. The more encouraging news? Patrick tied her career-best points finish of 24th from 2015 and led a career-high 30 laps. Her average finish of 22.0 a year ago was also a career-best. Maybe Patrick just needed a year to establish a strong rapport with Scott, and 2017 will be the season that some observers thought 2016 would be. Patrick, a former Indy car standout who became one of NASCAR’s most marketable and popular drivers virtually overnight, believes her best days could be ahead.

POLE POSITION 2017

“Well, I ain’t getting any younger and I don’t know how many times I can change my career, so as long as I have the confidence of Tony Stewart and Gene Haas and the people around me that are working with me, and the support of my sponsors … I’m not going to F-1 anytime soon,” Patrick said. This year, Stewart-Haas Racing makes the widely discussed switch from Chevrolet to Ford, a change that could provide a spark for Patrick. Regardless of what happened last year, she’s upbeat about her fifth season in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. “We had some tough races last year, but my guys have never given up,” she said. “I’m so proud of everyone on the No. 10 team for all of their hard work [in 2016]. They put in so much effort every single weekend. The tough days are character-building, and they’ve definitely made us stronger as a team, and I know we’ll carry that strength into [2017].”

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10 INFO OWNER TONY STEWART/GENE HAAS TEAM STEWART-HAAS RACING SPONSORS TAXACT, ASPEN DENTAL MANUFACTURER FORD CREW CHIEF BILLY SCOTT

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DRIVER PROFILES

PRE S E N T E D B Y

Ty Dillon After three full seasons in the NASCAR XFINITY Series, Ty Dillon is finally graduating to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. And he couldn’t be happier. Dillon, the youngest grandson of legendary team owner Richard Childress, replaces Casey Mears in Germain Racing’s No. 13 GEICO Chevrolet. Despite this being Dillon’s first full-time Cup Series ride, the 24-year-old Welcome, North Carolina, driver is no stranger to NASCAR’s top series. He’s made 18 premier starts over the past three years, his most high-profile outings coming at the beginning of 2016 when he subbed for injured Tony Stewart on three occasions. If anyone is ready to make the leap to the next level, it’s Dillon, who will share a track with older brother Austin – a fourth-year Cup Series driver for their grandfather’s organization, Richard Childress Racing. “I have been preparing for this next step in my career for several years,” said Dillon, who spent two years in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with RCR before joining the XFINITY Series with his grandfather’s organization in 2014. “With my experience in the Camping World Truck Series and XFINITY Series, I am ready to drive full time in the Cup Series. I want to thank [team owner] Bob Germain and the entire Germain Racing organization

POLE POSITION 2017

for giving me this opportunity. It will be an honor to represent a brand and sponsor like GEICO, which has played such a significant role in the sport for so many years.” Childress, a six-time champion team owner in NASCAR’s top series, is happy to see his grandson moving up – and staying close to home. Germain has enjoyed a multi-year technical alliance with RCR – a fellow Chevrolet organization – that continues this season. “Ty has done an exceptional job for us at RCR in every series he has raced in,” Childress said. “He has won races at each level and competed for championships every year. Ty is a passionate driver and has shown that he is ready for the highest level of stock car racing. I’m proud of him and I am confident he will succeed. I have a lot of respect for Bob Germain and the organization he has built, and I know he and Ty will be successful together.”

NUMBER

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

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DRIVER PROFILES

PRE S E N T E D B Y

A.J. Allmendinger Despite falling short of a second berth in the NASCAR postseason, A.J. Allmendinger enjoyed a 2016 season that featured some notable improvements on which to build for the future. Paired with rookie crew chief Randall Burnett, a former lead engineer for Chip Ganassi Racing, Allmendinger recorded nine top-10 finishes – six more than he posted in the previous season and four more than in 2014 when he made the playoffs by virtue of a win on the road course at Watkins Glen International. Allmendinger ended 2016 on a particularly positive note, finishing eighth in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway to come home inside the top 20 in the standings. No, it wasn’t the year that Allmendinger or the single-car JTG Daugherty Racing organization wanted, but it wasn’t a disappointment, either. “I think it was our best year to date, competitive-wise,” Allmendinger said. “It makes us excited for [2017].” With Burnett back atop Allmendinger’s pit box for a second season and JTG Daugherty expanding to become a two-car operation with the addition of second-year driver and 2015 NASCAR XFINITY Series champion Chris Buescher, the immediate future looks bright for Allmendinger and the No. 47 bunch. “We look at [2017] and our goal is to be

POLE POSITION 2017

competitive consistently,” Burnett said. “We want to take it a step further and … earn a spot in the Chase and pick off some wins along the way.” As usual, Allmendinger’s best chances to go to Victory Lane will be at the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series’ two road courses – Watkins Glen International in Upstate New York and Sonoma Raceway in Northern California. But there’s no reason Allmendinger – a former open-wheel driver in the Verizon IndyCar Series and the now-defunct Champ Car World Series – can’t compete for wins on road courses and ovals. “Looking back, I thought [2016] was our best season to date,” team coowner Tad Geschickter said. “I know we made the Chase before. We had some troubles in the summer that kept us from it last season. I feel like we have a clear direction on what we need to do to improve for this year. I’m just proud of our partners, proud of all the guys on the team and proud of AJ.”

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47 INFO

OWNER BRAD DAUGHERTY/ TAD GESCHICKTER TEAM JTG DAUGHERTY RACING SPONSORS KROGER, BUSH’S BAKED BEANS, SCOTT PRODUCTS MANUFACTURER CHEVROLET CREW CHIEF RANDALL BURNETT

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Brandon Jones

NUMBER

It’s a good time to be Brandon Jones. On the heels of an impressive rookie season in the NASCAR XFINITY Series, the 20-year-old from Atlanta, Georgia, signed an agreement last October to remain with Richard Childress Racing on a full-time basis in 2017. Jones will again campaign RCR’s No. 33 Chevrolet in NASCAR’s No. 2 division.Relatively unknown to much of the racing world prior to last year, Jones turned heads by qualifying for the inaugural XFINITY Series playoff and ultimately finishing a solid 10th in the standings. Along the way, he recorded a dozen top-10 finishes – but no top fives – in 33 starts. Perhaps the most impressive statistic for Jones was that he recorded nary a DNF – a phenomenal feat for a rookie who before 2016 had made just a handful of XFINITY Series starts. “Brandon has shown he has the talent behind the wheel to run up front and compete for championships in the XFINITY Series, and we are pleased he will continue to do so in an RCR Chevrolet,” said Jones’ boss, team owner and 2017 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee Richard Childress. “We are proud of everything he accomplished last season, including leading laps, making the inaugural XFINITY Series playoff and contending for the Rookie of the Year title. Brandon has also been an excellent spokesman for our sponsors and does an exceptional job representing our brand. We can’t wait to

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OWNER RICHARD CHILDRESS TEAM RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING SPONSORS RAIN-X, ADVANCE AUTO PARTS, ANDERSON’S MAPLE SYRUP MANUFACTURER CHEVROLET CREW CHIEF NICK HARRISON

see what Brandon can do in his second full XFINITY Series season.” Adding to Jones’ optimism is the fact that he’s paired with a new crew chief, garage area veteran Nick Harrison, who as crew chief for RCR’s Ty Dillon last year led Dillon to 17 top-10 finishes – including nine-top five results – and a fifth-place finish in the standings. “I am honored to return to Richard Childress Racing for the 2017 season,” Jones said. “RCR is such a storied NASCAR organization and it’s a great opportunity to be a part of the team. Racing full time in the XFINITY Series last season was a valuable learning experience. I believe we have what it takes to compete for the championship throughout the playoffs this season and make another run at the title in 2017.”

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Track Food Stuffed Gouda Veggie Burger: This veggie burger is unlike any fans may have experienced at other NASCAR tracks. Daytona International Speedway’s Stuffed Gouda Veggie Burger is one of the facility’s unique concession items. This large sandwich, produced by Americrown, is made from scratch in the track’s kitchen. The patty is handmade and features garbanzo and black beans, brown rice and is stuffed with Gouda cheese. It’s topped with lettuce, tomato and onions.

WITH NASCAR DRIVER AND BROADCASTER PARKER KLIGERMAN

NASCAR on NBC’s Parker Kligerman is quite the busy man. From his duties with NBC to racing part time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, the Connecticut native never has a dull moment.

Terminology Encumbered Finish: In the midst of the 2016 Chase, NASCAR implemented an advanced penalty for an encumbered finish. An encumbered finish is when a car fails the post-race Laser Inspection System by a large margin or when it is missing at least three lug nuts. If a winning car has an encumbered finish, the points and win guaranteeing a postseason spot do not count. However, the driver will still have a victory on the stat sheet, just with an asterisk next to it. If it happens in the postseason, a driver cannot advance to the next round via that victory.

What are your plans for 2017? I’ll probably be doing a similar amount of races. I’d say anywhere from eight to 10 in that [No.] 75 truck. We start at Daytona and we’ll do the mile-anda-halves. I’ll most likely do the road course at Mosport. I’ll also be full time with NBC, doing pit reporting a little more than I did this year, so that will be cool. Overall, it’s a pretty jam-packed schedule. I’m really looking forward to it.

What does the opportunity of racing part time in the Truck Series offer you? I think mostly it is fun. To me, running a 10-race schedule, my expectations are to go out there and try to win races. That’s what we’re trying to build with the 75 team. We’re trying to make that program bigger and better, that sort of thing. We want to bring on new partners. It’s the same goals you have no matter what. As a career, in a lot of ways, I’m just having fun.

JOSEPH WOLKIN 50

POLE POSITION 2017

What has it been like going from a driver to being at plenty of races and interviewing dozens of drivers each weekend? There was a transition period, like anything in life, and any endeavor. You suddenly have to pivot, making a completely different living in a completely different line of work. I definitely worked through it, but I’d say over the last year I’ve had a tremendous amount of fun.

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PLAYING FAVORITES

John Hunter Nemechek John Hunter Nemechek is not an average teenager. At 19, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver tries to be a normal teen while doing what he loves – racing.

FAVORITE DEVICE An iPhone for checking social media, taking photos and using my favorite app, CrowdJoy.

FAVORITE RESTAURANT Local restaurants: Fresh Chef Kitchen, Famous Toastery and Chipotle Mexican Grill.

FAVORITE FOOD Blackened grouper or blackened mahi-mahi. For a pre-race meal, it’s typically grilled chicken and a steamed vegetable.

JOSEPH WOLKIN

FAVORITE VACATION The Bahamas or any beach in the summer and Big Sky, Montana, in the winter.

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MY RACE GIG For the Love of the Sport In a world where sports highlights are reported almost as quickly as they occur, there are a select few that convey information with a natural ease and flair. Danielle Trotta is one of the best. The co-host of “NASCAR Race Hub” for FOX Sports has perfected her craft as a broadcast journalist by covering all forms of racing in the Charlotte, North Carolina, area, as well as ACC sports prior to joining FOX. In 2011, Trotta hosted “The ACC Blitz,” the ACC Network’s pregame and halftime show with coach Tommy Bowden. She spent five years with WBTV in Charlotte where she anchored six live sports shows each weekend. She has written football columns for Charlotte Weekly and contributed numerous segments on NASCAR and ACC football on ESPN Radio 730 AM in Charlotte. The mass communications graduate of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte grew up in Westchester, New York, about 80 miles from Watkins Glen International. She currently resides in Charlotte. Trotta loves the competition all three of NASCAR’s top divisions generate, but she has a real passion for all sports, both college and professional. “I’ve covered just about every sport at a local and regional level, but there are many big events I’d like to work at the national level,” Trotta said. “I grew up the daughter of a basketball coach and avid sports fan. My dad enrolled me in tons of sports, and we watched the pros every weekend on TV. I want to do it all. Dream big and don’t be afraid to ask your bosses for a shot. My motto is, ‘The worst they can say is no.’ FOX Sports is a vast umbrella offering lots of exciting opportunities that I’m capitalizing on.” BEN WHITE

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ACTION/REACTION ACTION: Last year, NASCAR introduced a charter system for Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series teams. Thirty-six teams were granted charters that guaranteed entry into all pointspaying races. Standards for obtaining a charter were based on participation during the past three seasons (from 2013 through July 2015). Four starters for each race are determined through standard qualifying procedures. REACTION: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series team owners long invested in the sport welcomed the new system, citing their approval of a sellable charter after many years of building their organizations. The system was well received with praise from competitors and fans alike. After only one season, some team’s charters were bought or leased prior to the 2017 season. Over time, questions concerning the inner workings of the program were addressed by NASCAR officials who designed the plan. It was the biggest change in NASCAR’s competitive structure since the premier Strictly Stock division was formed on Dec. 21, 1948.

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POLE POSITION 2017

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GAMETIME Frankly Speaking

SCAVENGER HUNT Find these six items on the pages of this edition of NASCAR Pole Position. Enter at polepositionmag.com to win! GEICO How many times throughout the magazine does the GEICO logo appear?

JUNIOR Where did this 42-year-old complete a closed test session in order to return to racing?

JIMMIE JOHNSON How much did Jimmie Johnson pay for his first car?

BRENNAN POOLE What is Brennan Poole’s average finish?

TY DILLON How many premier starts has Ty Dillon made in the past three years?

LEGENDARY What make of car did Bobby Isaac drive in 1971?

hich NASCAR personalities said the following? Find the answers on the NASCAR Pole Position magazine Facebook page!

“YOU WIN SOME, LOSE SOME, AND WRECK SOME.”

“IF I DIED RIGHT NOW, MY LIFE WOULD BE COMPLETE.”

“AUTO RACING, BULL FIGHTING, AND MOUNTAIN CLIMBING ARE THE ONLY REAL SPORTS… ALL OTHERS ARE GAMES.”

“WE DROVE FOR THE SHEER FUN OF DRIVING BECAUSE THERE WASN’T THAT MUCH MONEY TO BE MADE.”

CAPTION CONTEST Tweet @nppmag with a photo caption for this picture. The winning submission will receive a lifetime subscription to NASCAR Pole Position magazine. The winner will be announced on Twitter. Good luck!

NASCAR Trivia TEST YOUR RACING KNOWLEDGE WITH THESE EIGHT QUESTIONS!

1 2 3

ANSWERS AT POLEPOSITION.COM

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POLE POSITION 2017

What is the ofﬁcial name of NASCAR’s premier series in 2017? A. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series B. Monster Energy NASCAR Series C. Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series D. NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series What number is on Chris Buescher’s race car this season? A. 34 B. 35 C. 37 D. 73 Which NASCAR Cup Series driver replaced Casey Mears in the No. 13 Chevrolet? A. Ty Dillon B. Alex Bowman C. Tyler Reddick D. Clint Bowyer Who is Martin Truex Jr.’s new teammate at Furniture Row Racing? A. William Byron B. Elliott Sadler C. Daniel Suarez D. Erik Jones

5 6 7 8

Which driver left Roush Fenway Racing during the offseason? A. Trevor Bayne B. Greg Bifﬂe C. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. D. Carl Edwards Which driver’s retirement led Richard Petty Motorsports to lease the No. 44 charter? A. Greg Bifﬂe B. Tony Stewart C. Casey Mears D. Brian Scott Which team bought a charter from Tommy Baldwin Racing after the 2016 season? A. Leavine Family Racing B. Wood Brothers Racing C. Circle Sport Racing D. GoFAS Racing Who is sharing the driving duties with Kyle Larson aboard the No. 42 Chevrolet Camaro? A. Tyler Reddick B. Brennan Poole C. Justin Marks D. Jamie McMurray

2/2/2017

FebMar Puzzle 40 words in the grid

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BRAKE CARS CAUTION CORNER CREW CUP DRAFT DRAG DRIVERS ENGINE FIELD FINISH FLAG FLAGS GROOVE HEADSET HORSEPOWER LAPS NOISE OFFICIALS OWNER PITSTOP POINTS POLE POSITION PRESSURE RESTRICTOR RUBBER RULES SAFETY SERIES SPEED SPIN SPOILER SPONSORS STANDINGS TRACK TROPHY VICTORY WIN

WHOSE HELMET? Identify the owner of each racing helmet. Find the answer on the NASCAR Pole Position Facebook page. 1 https://worksheets.theteacherscorner.net/makeyourown/wordsearch/

3 1/1

POLE POSITION MAG.COM

NASCAR LEGENDS Bobby Isaac Bobby Isaac ran his first NASCAR premier series race in 1961 after a successful short-track career. The 1970 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion amassed 37 victories in 308 starts and is 20th on the list of all-time race winners.

Born in Catawba, North Carolina, in 1932, Isaac was the second to the youngest of nine children. The family income came from the cotton and corn crops they raised. At age 12, he began working in a saw mill. After years of cutting trees into planks and 2-by-4s, he wanted out and decided to make a living driving race cars. In the early 1950s, Isaac built a hobby stock car to race at nearby Hickory Speedway and also found success on various dirt tracks around the Tar Heel State. He began racing full time in 1956, but seven years passed before he broke into NASCAR’s premier division. Isaac gained a reputation for winning pole positions, logging 49 during his NASCAR career. His first victory came during a 100-mile event at Daytona International Speedway in 1964 for team owner Ray Nichels.

THIS HAS BEEN A LIFELONG AMBITION FOR ME SINCE I’VE BEEN IN RACING, TO BE THE GRAND NATIONAL CHAMPION. – BOBBY ISAAC “NASCAR: THE COMPLETE HISTORY” BY GREG FIELDEN BEST SEASON DURING THE 1969 NASCAR Cup Series season, Isaac collected 17 victories in 50 starts. He also amassed 29 top-five finishes, 33 top-10 results and 19 pole positions. His disappointing sixth-place finish in points came from falling out of 19 events. He also led 5,053 laps, the most of his 15-year career.

RECORD-SETTER

POLE POSITION 2017

BIRTHPLACE ■ Catawba, North Carolina AWARDS ■ NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers ■ International Motorsports Hall of Fame ■ NASCAR Hall of Fame

A victory dry spell set in for three years before Isaac finished runner-up in the series standings in 1968 while driving for team owner Nord Krauskopf. In 1969, Isaac finished sixth in the standings for Krauskopf after posting 17 wins and 19 pole positions. His breakthrough season came in 1970 when he won the series championship, posting 11 victories, 32 top-five finishes and 38 top-10 results in 47 starts. In September 1971, Isaac drove his Harry Hyde-prepared Dodge to 28 speed records on the Bonneville Salt Flats. He succumbed to a heart attack on Aug. 14, 1977, while racing in Hickory, North Carolina. During NASCAR’s 50th anniversary celebration in 1998, Isaac was named one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers and was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2016.

QUIET

DEMANDING

COMPETITIVE

DETERMINED TALENTED

THE NO. 71 CAR

STERN

KNOWN FOR

DURING THE 1970 season, Isaac put his No. 71 Dodge Charger into high gear with a total of 11 victories and an average finish of 6.8 in 47 starts. A total of 38 top-10 finishes paved the way to his lone NASCAR championship that year.

THROUGHOUT HIS incredible NASCAR career, Isaac was always a favorite during qualifying, especially on the superspeedways. Short tracks were also a specialty. Isaac was extremely quiet around his fellow competitors and media members as he let his talent on the track do his talking each time green ﬂag fell.

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BIRTHDATE ■ August 1, 1932

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PROUD TRANSPORTATION PROVIDER FOR BUBBA Burgers

RACE REWIND Earnhardt and Martin Dominate The 1990 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season began with hope that a longstanding mystery would finally be solved as one popular hero became the true definition of determination over the course of the 29-race schedule. Having fallen short to Rusty Wallace for the 1989 NASCAR Cup Series title, Dale Earnhardt started the 1990 season at Daytona International Speedway on a mission. A Daytona 500 victory had eluded Earnhardt since 1978. The Kannapolis, North Carolina, native had come extremely close to winning NASCAR’s most prestigious race but had fallen just short of collecting the missing jewel year after year. Earnhardt and his No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet were once again strong throughout Daytona’s Speedweeks. In the 500, a cut tire on the final lap sent him skating high in the third turn, leaving the door open for relative unknown Derrike Cope, of Spanaway, Washington, to come out of nowhere to steal the victory. Earnhardt regained his footing and the point lead with his first victory of the season at Atlanta Motor Speedway. He remained on top for nine events through Charlotte in May, but blew an engine at Dover the next week and fell to fifth in the standings over the next four races. A win at Daytona in July moved him back to second in points for 14 of the remaining 16 races. He regained the point lead at Phoenix with his ninth victory of the season. Mark Martin, driver of the No. 6 Roush Racing Ford, was Earnhardt’s closest nemesis throughout the year. Wins at Richmond, Michigan and North Wilkesboro were his biggest highlights. But an illegal engine part discovered by NASCAR officials at Richmond cost Martin 46 points and $40,000 in fines. Earnhardt finished third in the final race of 1990 at Atlanta and won the NASCAR Cup Series championship by 24 points.

1990

PRESIDENT: GEORGE H.W. BUSH

SEASON RECAP DATE CIRCUIT Feb 18 Daytona International Speedway Feb 25 Richmond International Raceway March 4 North Carolina Speedway March 18 Atlanta Motor Speedway April 1 Darlington Raceway April 8 Bristol Motor Speedway April 22 North Wilkesboro Speedway April 29 Martinsville Speedway May 6 Talladega Superspeedway May 27 Charlotte Motor Speedway June 3 Dover International Speedway June 10 Sonoma Raceway June 17 Pocono Raceway June 24 Michigan International Speedway July 7 Daytona International Speedway July 22 Pocono Raceway July 29 Talladega Superspeedway Aug. 12 Watkins Glen International Aug. 19 Michigan International Speedway Aug. 25 Bristol Motor Speedway Sept. 2 Darlington Raceway Sept. 9 Richmond International Raceway Sept. 16 Dover International Speedway Sept. 23 Martinsville Speedway Sept. 30 North Wilkesboro Speedway Oct. 7 Charlotte Motor Speedway Oct. 21 North Carolina Speedway Nov. 4 Phoenix International Raceway Nov. 18 Atlanta Motor Speedway

NO. 1 SONG: “JEALOUS AGAIN,” THE BLACK CROWES

APRIL 28: THE BROADWAY PLAY “A CHORUS LINE” CLOSES AFTER 6,137 PERFORMANCES OCT. 25: EVANDER HOLYFIELD DEFEATS BUSTER DOUGLAS FOR THE HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE

BEST DRIVER AMAZINGLY, DALE Earnhardt failed to finish only one race, the June 3 event in Dover, Delaware. His average start of 5.8 and average finish of 8.0 proved enough to log his third of seven-career NASCAR Cup Series titles. Confident of his ability to win the 1990 crown, Earnhardt ran less than 15 practice laps in the season finale at Atlanta and covered his car, playing mind games while sending a message to Mark Martin’s team.

BEST RACE

TOP CARS

ON THE FINAL LAP, Earnhardt appeared certain to collect his elusive Daytona 500 victory after 12 straight losses. However, a cut tire in turn three erased his chances. The surprise victory by Derrike Cope, a driver who hadn’t finished in the top-five at any point in his career, generated headlines around the world. Interestingly, Cope’s second-career triumph came on June 3, 1990, the day Earnhardt suffered his lone DNF of the season.

DALE EARNHARDT’S No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet was the best car of 1990 with nine wins, 18 topfive finishes, 23 top-10 results and four pole positions. MARK MARTIN, DRIVER of the No. 6 Roush Racing Ford, collected three wins, 16 topfive results, 23 top-10 finishes and three pole positions.

BEN WHITE 58

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WINNER Derrike Cope Mark Martin Kyle Petty Dale Earnhardt Dale Earnhardt Davey Allison Brett Bodine Geoffrey Bodine Dale Earnhardt Rusty Wallace Derrike Cope Rusty Wallace Harry Gant Dale Earnhardt Dale Earnhardt Geoffrey Bodine Dale Earnhardt Ricky Rudd Mark Martin Ernie Irvan Dale Earnhardt Dale Earnhardt Bill Elliott Geoffrey Bodine Mark Martin Davey Allison Alan Kulwicki Dale Earnhardt Morgan Shepherd

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■ Mark Martin (6), Dale Earnhardt (3) and Geoffrey Bodine battle on pit row. ■ Dale Earnhardt and Mark Martin ran the two top cars all season in 1990. ■ Mark Martin, earlier in his career, during the 1981 season.

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POLE POSITION 2017

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12 SYLVANIA HEADLIGHTS

8 11 16 12

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15 DOGTRA PATHFINDER

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16 CHICKEN POOP

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17 ZERO-G HOSE

9 ADVIL FILM-COATED TABLETS

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10 NEXIUM 24HR

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DRIVER SPOTLIGHT XFINITY SERIES

CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES

BRENNAN POOLE

NOAH GRAGSON

rennan Poole’s journey to the top ranks of NASCAR has been a roller-coaster ride, as the Texas native has gone from working side jobs for some of the sport’s top teams to contending for victories. When Poole landed a fulltime NASCAR XFINITY Series ride with Chip Ganassi Racing, the 25-year-old racer knew he had a home. In his rookie season a year ago, he earned four top-five finishes and 17 top-10 results, ending up eighth in the standings. “We were a top-10 car every week and we were in contention to win a couple of races,” Poole said. “We need to keep building on what we were building on, and continue to execute our plans and strategies.” Veteran crew chief Chad Norris returns to work with Poole and the No. 48 team this season. As they look to emerge as a title contender, the team needs to improve on its average finish of 12.4. Last season, Poole completed the second most laps among NASCAR XFINITY Series drivers, running just 34 fewer laps than series leader Elliott Sadler during the 33 races. The feat is an impressive one for Poole, who is now set for his second full-time season. “I feel like if we can do the same thing this year, just having goals and being able to have a way to execute those goals is key,” Poole explained. “This year, our goals are definitely a little bit steeper. We feel like we’re capable of them, but we need to execute them.”

CAREER STATS Brennan Poole has four top-five finishes and 19 top-10 results in 50 NASCAR XFINITY Series starts. He finished on the lead lap in 22 of 33 races in 2016. In the ARCA Series with Venturini Motorsports, Poole scored six victories in 35 races.

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POLE POSITION 2017

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oah Gragson came up short twice in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West championship battle. And the youngster also made two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts last season for Kyle Busch Motorsports. Now, the Las Vegas native is set to replace rising star William Byron with one of the Truck Series’ top organizations. “He [Byron] did something that was – I don’t know what I would call it – I guess something remarkable,” Gragson said. “No other driver has ever been able to do that in history. For him to be able to come in as a rookie and win seven races is unbelievable. I definitely want to win seven races, but the odds of that are very difficult.” Gragson is joining KBM this season, making the move from the Ford-backed NASCAR K&N Pro Series cars fielded by Jefferson Pitts Racing. Suddenly, the pressure is on the 18-year-old’s shoulders to perform with the team that won the owner’s championship a year ago. But the challenge is not intimidating for Gragson, who is a NASCAR Next member. Not only did he compete for a championship in the K&N Pro Series West last season, but he ran all but one of the K&N Pro Series East races, winning a pair of events at Stafford Motor Speedway and at New Jersey Motorsports Park. “I would say they have the best program in the Camping World Truck Series with what they’ve been able to do,” Gragson said about his new team. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I’m really looking forward to.” As Gragson prepares for the next step in his career, he enters the Toyota family of drivers with hopes of one day advancing to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.

CAREER STATS Noah Gragson is a four-time K&N Pro Series West winner with 24 top-10 finishes in 27 career starts. In his two full-time seasons in the division, he finished second and third in the standings, respectively. His first top-five finish in the ARCA Racing Series came last fall at Kanas Speedway in only his second series start.

2017 SCHEDULES

GETTY IMAGES MONSTERY ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES Feb. 18 Feb. 23 Feb. 26 March 5 March 12 March 19 March 26 April 2 April 9 April 23 April 30 May 7 May 13 May 20 May 28 June 4 June 11 June 18 June 25 July 1 July 8 July 16 July 23 July 30 Aug. 6 Aug. 13 Aug. 19 Sept. 3 Sept. 9 Sept. 17 Sept. 24 Oct. 1 Oct. 7 Oct. 15 Oct. 22 Oct. 29 Nov. 5 Nov. 12 Nov. 19

Daytona International Speedway Daytona International Speedway Daytona International Speedway Atlanta Motor Speedway Las Vegas Motor Speedway Phoenix International Raceway Auto Club Speedway Martinsville Speedway Texas Motor Speedway Bristol Motor Speedway Richmond International Raceway Talladega Superspeedway Kansas Speedway Charlotte Motor Speedway Charlotte Motor Speedway Dover International Speedway Pocono Raceway Michigan International Speedway Sonoma Raceway Daytona International Speedway Kentucky Speedway New Hampshire Motor Speedway Indianapolis Motor Speedway Pocono Raceway Watkins Glen International Michigan International Speedway Bristol Motor Speedway Darlington Raceway Richmond International Raceway Chicagoland Speedway New Hampshire Motor Speedway Dover International Speedway Charlotte Motor Speedway Talladega Superspeedway Kansas Speedway Martinsville Speedway Texas Motor Speedway Phoenix International Raceway Homestead-Miami Speedway

NASCAR XFINITY SERIES Feb. 25 March 4 March 11 March 18 March 25 April 8 April 22 April 29 May 6 May 27 June 3 June 10 June 17 June 24 June 30 July 7 July 15 July 22 July 29 Aug. 5 Aug. 12 Aug. 18 Aug. 27 Sept. 2 Sept. 8 Sept. 16 Sept. 23 Sept. 30 Oct. 6 Oct. 21 Nov. 4 Nov. 11 Nov. 18

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

NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES Feb. 24 March 4 April 1 May 12 May 19 June 2 June 9 June 17 June 23 July 6 July 19 July 29

Daytona International Speedway Atlanta Motor Speedway Martinsville Speedway Kansas Speedway Charlotte Motor Speedway Dover International Speedway Texas Motor Speedway Gateway Motorsports Park Iowa Speedway Kentucky Speedway Eldora Speedway Pocono Raceway

Aug. 12 Aug. 16 Sept. 3 Sept. 15 Sept. 23 Sept. 30 Oct. 14 Oct. 28 Nov. 3 Nov. 10 Nov. 17

Michigan International Speedway Bristol Motor Speedway Canadian Tire Motorsport Park Chicagoland Speedway New Hampshire Motor Speedway Las Vegas Motor Speedway Talladega Superspeedway Martinsville Speedway Texas Motor Speedway Phoenix International Raceway Homestead-Miami Speedway

CMY

NASCAR PETS PRESENTED BY

Meet Oliver

DAVID RAGAN’S 10-YEAR-OLD BEAGLE

or as far back as Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver David Ragan can remember, there’s always been a dog in the family. These days are no exception. In addition to being the proud parents of two young children, Ragan and his wife, Jacqueline, are the owners of a 10-year-old beagle named Oliver. Oliver has been part of the Ragans’ lives since their dating years – when he was just a puppy and Jacqueline was in college. “I grew up with basset hounds in my childhood so I loved beagles, and Oliver was a rambunctious puppy who didn’t need to be living in dorm room at UNC Charlotte,” David Ragan said. “So he stayed at my house quite a bit when we first got him.” David and Jacqueline married in December 2012 and now have two daughters – 2-year-old Julia and Meredith, who was born in March 2016. Oliver has been a staple of the family from the beginning. “He has aged really well,” said David Ragan, 31. “He’s turned into a very low-key, really-minds-well, good dog. A lot of times beagles are high-energy, they bark a lot, are very vocal, but Oliver’s not. So he’s an inside/outdoor dog, and he’s a perfect pet for us and our two kids.” Ragan admits there are times, however, when his oldest daughter doesn’t understand why Oliver can’t go the distance.

“Meredith and Julia really like Oliver,” said Ragan, a second-generation NASCAR driver from Unadilla, Georgia. “We also have a couple cats that are outdoor cats at our house, and they love the pets. I think Julia would like a dog that’s younger and a little more playful. Oliver goes through his spurts where he’s got a lot of energy and runs around the house and he can play hard for 10 minutes, but then he just wants to lay down and sleep the rest of the day. “Julia is at that age where she loves chasing them around and playing with them, but Oliver is getting into his twilight years where he just wants to relax and rest some.” The Ragans occasionally take Oliver to the race track, but only when the accommodations are suitable. Despite Oliver being what Ragan calls “a good traveling dog,” the family is selective about where their docile canine stays. “We pick the tracks that are easy and dog-friendly,” Ragan said. “Talladega’s a dog-friendly track because the motorhome lot is spread out, there’s a lot of grass area. It’s a quick drive to Darlington and we’re back. … The places that make sense, we take him.” The Ragans’ best memories with Oliver are often made near their home outside Charlotte. David sometimes takes his beloved beagle for rides in the car – and Oliver has learned the places where they

might be headed. A frequent stop is Ragan’s personal race shop not far down the road. “Oliver and I have interacted and done things together, and we almost know each other’s tendencies,” Ragan said. “We wake up similar times. Jacqueline’s definitely the mom; she takes care of him, takes him to the vet. If he’s got a little limp, I’m like, ‘Just tough it out for a few days and you’ll be OK.’ But Jacqueline pampers him and makes sure he’s taken care of. “Oliver knows when I say, ‘no,’ he’d better stop, but sometimes he’ll push the limit with Jacqueline. But it’s fun as he’s gotten older; you don’t even have to tell him what to do. He just knows what to do.” For the Ragans, the old adage that a dog is “man’s best friend” couldn’t ring truer. “I love animals,” David Ragan said. “Growing up with dogs, it’s always been fun to play with them, to love on them and to enjoy them. Oliver, he’s been in retirement mode for a long time, but I do enjoy having him around and a dog is always something we’ll have in our family.”

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