NASCAR Pole Position 2017 Oct/Nov

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NASCAR DEFINED

PRESENTED BY

■■ At a track where his father raced and where he was a “garage rat” as a child, Martin Truex Jr. won the I LOVE NY 355 on the historic Watkins Glen International road course in Central New York.

■■ Jimmie Johnson’s crew prepares for a pit stop during the I LOVE NY 355.

■■ Will Rodgers was greeted by Kevin Harvick after his victory during the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Finger Lakes Wine Country 100 at Watkins Glen.

This edition of NASCAR Defined features excitement, intensity, camaraderie and fun in a behind-the-scenes look at life at the track.

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POLE POSITION 2017

■■ Kyle Larson prepares for practice at Watkins Glen International.

■■ Ryan Blaney, driver of the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire and Auto Center Ford, seeks advice at Watkins Glen International.

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PLAYOFF CONTENDERS PRESENTED BY

62. DRIVER SPOTLIGHTS A WEEK IN THE LIFE

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POLE POSITION 2017

HOT TOPICS

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DALE EARNHARDT JR. WINNING SMILES: IN VICTORY LANE

34.

GOT YOUR NUMBER

10. GREEN FLAG 16. SPOTLIGHT 18. CREW SPOTLIGHT 20. TAILGATING 22. NASCAR LEGENDS 24. RACE REWIND

26. SPOTLIGHT: SYLVANIA 28. PIT PASS 30. MY RACE GIG 32. BET YOU DIDN’T KNOW 35. NASCAR PETS

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GREEN FLAG Hendrick Motorsports Shuffles Numbers for 2018

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hen the new NASCAR season begins in February, rising star Chase Elliott will be reunited with the number synonymous with his legendary racing family. In 2018, 12-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Hendrick Motorsports will introduce the No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet to its four-car team with Elliott in the driver’s seat. The Dawsonville, Georgia, native drove the No. 9 car to the 2014 NASCAR XFINITY Series title, and his Hall of Fame father, Bill Elliott, used the number during a memorable Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career that included 38 victories and the 1988 series championship. The debut of the No. 9 will mark the first time in nearly a decade that Hendrick Motorsports will field a new car number for one of its full-time teams. The most recent addition was the No. 88, which was added in 2008 when Dale Earnhardt Jr. joined the organization. Following the 2017 season, Hendrick Motorsports will no longer use the No. 5 on a full-time basis.

DAN GUTTENPLAN

WHEN WILLIAM Byron starts his first career Daytona 500 next year, it will be in the iconic No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet made famous by four-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon. Byron will begin his rookie season at the same age (20) Gordon was when he made his NASCAR Cup Series debut in 1992.

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Liberty University and Hendrick Motorsports have reached a two-year agreement that will make the world’s largest Christian university a primary sponsor of the No. 24 Chevrolet driven by William Byron in 12 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races in both 2018 and 2019. Byron, a native of Charlotte, North Carolina, will move to NASCAR’s premier level next season and compete for rookie-of-the-year honors.

Team Penske and Menards announced that the home improvement store company will sponsor driver Ryan Blaney and the No. 12 Ford for 14 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races next season.

The sponsorship follows the recent announcement that Blaney will drive a third Team Penske entry in the NASCAR Cup Series. Menards will also be a sponsor on the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing entry, which will be driven by Paul Menard.

THE ICONIC NO. 21 FORD FUSION RACE car of Wood Brothers Racing will have a new face behind the wheel next season, but for 14 races it will have a very familiar look as Motorcraft and Quick Lane Tire and Auto Centers return as major sponsors of the team for the 18th season.

Ford Customer Service Division, the parent organization for Motorcraft and Quick Lane Tire and Auto Centers, signed an extension to be the primary sponsor for 14 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races in 2018. FCSD’s sponsorship of Wood Brothers Racing began in 2001.

Paul Menard, a 14-year NASCAR Cup Series veteran, will replace Ryan Blaney as driver of the No. 21 Ford.

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OFFICIALS OF DOVER INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY ANNOUNCED THE TRACK’S OCT. 1 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoff race will be known as the Apache Warrior 400 presented

by Lucas Oil. “Apache Warrior” is a feature-length documentary that puts the viewer in the cockpit of an Apache helicopter during one of the most intense missions in aviation history. Telling the story of an elite U.S. Army Aviation Squadron, this film highlights the adaptability, courage and selflessness of Apache pilots and their crews as they launch an attack during the initial surge into Iraq in March 2003.

Fifth Third Bank has renewed its sponsorship with Roush Fenway Racing as a primary backer of the No. 17 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Ford driven by Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. Fifth Third Bank came onboard with Roush Fenway Racing in 2012 and has served as a primary sponsor on the No. 17 Ford for the past six seasons.

NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES team owner Brad Keselowski announced that his team, Brad Keselowski Racing, will end operations at the conclusion of the 2017 season.

BKR has fielded trucks in NASCAR competition dating back to 2008. Since that time, the organization has provided opportunities to more than a dozen upand-coming drivers. BKR has amassed nine NASCAR Camping World Truck Series wins and the team has twice contended for the championship in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

“The Truck Series is truly special to me given my family’s ties to the history of the sport, and this decision comes with much contemplation. But, for a number of reasons, and as I plan for the long-term future, I’ve decided not to field a team in 2018,” said Keselowski.

BKR, its team members and its drivers remain fully committed to pursuing victory in the remaining races on the 2017 calendar, and hopefully contending for the series championship.

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POLE POSITION MAG.COM

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HOT TOPICS ‘Silly Season’ Hits High Gear

PRESENTED BY

Although not terribly unpredictable, the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series’ “Silly Season” has been one of the busiest in recent memory. When 2018 rolls around, there will be numerous old and new faces in new places.

WILLIAM BYRON TO HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS

ALEX BOWMAN TO HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS

Retiring Dale Earnhardt Jr. endorsed Alex Bowman as his replacement in the No. 88 Chevrolet next season. Boss man Rick Hendrick agreed. Impressed by Bowman’s poise and performance as Earnhardt’s substitute driver for 10 races in 2016, Hendrick said Bowman’s appointment to the No. 88 “wasn’t much of a decision at all.” Matt Kenseth and Brad Keselowski were rumored to be candidates for the ride.

ERIK JONES TO JOE GIBBS RACING

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oung drivers typically spend at least two years in the NASCAR XFINITY Series, honing their skills and gaining experience, before jumping to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. Just consider 19-year-old William Byron atypical.

In the biggest move of the NASCAR “Silly Season,” Hendrick Motorsports announced Byron would replace Kasey Kahne in the No. 5 Chevrolet beginning in 2018.

One season in the NASCAR XFINITY Series and one season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series were enough to convince team owner Rick Hendrick that Byron was ready to make the jump.

“At every step, William has proven how quickly he can adapt,” Hendrick said. “Some drivers have raw talent and some have a strong work ethic. William has both. It’s impressive to see a young guy who never gets rattled and instinctively knows how to communicate with his team.

“That level of commitment, poise and pure ability is rare at any age. I think he’s just scratching the surface.”

After winning seven races in his lone Truck Series season, Byron continued to impress in the XFINITY Series. As the playoffs approached, he led all full-time XFINITY Series drivers in victories and was wellpositioned for a championship run.

Understandably, Byron is thrilled to be tabbed to race for one of NASCAR’s top organizations at the sport’s highest level.

“Mr. Hendrick has built such a great team,” Byron said.

“The people at Hendrick Motorsports have dedicated their lives to giving their drivers the best chance to win every weekend. I have a responsibility to them to work hard and put everything I have into this opportunity.”

Five solid seasons for Matt Kenseth at Joe Gibbs Racing weren’t enough to keep JGR from replacing the 2003 Monster Energy Cup Series champ with Erik Jones, a driver less than half Kenseth’s age. The move wasn’t much of a surprise since Kenseth, at age 45, is NASCAR’s oldest full-time driver, and Jones was on shortterm loan to Furniture Row Racing from JGR. RYAN BLANEY TO TEAM PENSKE

Already in the Team Penske family as a part-time NASCAR XFINITY Series driver since 2012, Ryan Blaney will join the organization as a full-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver in 2018 as Penske expands to three cars. The move had been in the works for some time, but was perhaps accelerated by Blaney’s breakout 2017 Cup Series season with the Wood Brothers – a Penske affiliate.

PAUL MENARD TO THE WOOD BROTHERS

When Team Penske announced plans to acquire Ryan Blaney from the Wood Bothers, with whom Penske shares a technical alliance, a vacancy was left in the Wood Brothers’ iconic No. 21 Ford. It will be filled by Paul Menard, who joins the team after seven seasons at Richard Childress Racing and brings primary sponsorship from his family’s Menards home improvement chain with him.

JARED TURNER 12

POLE POSITION 2017

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WIVES & GIRLFRIENDS PRESENTED BY

■■ Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his wife, Amy, prior to the Coke Zero 400.

■■ Austin Dillon celebrates with his fiancée, Whitney Ward, after winning the Coca-Cola 600.

■■ Kyle Larson, his girlfriend, Katelyn Sweet, and their son, Owen, enjoy Victory Lane at Michigan.

■■ Martin Truex Jr. with his girlfriend, Sherry Pollex, at Dover.

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POLE POSITION 2017

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SPOTLIGHT PLENTY OF POSITIVES

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PRESENTED BY

Honoring the U.S. Military

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s the general manager for Germain Racing, which fields the No. 13 GEICO-sponsored Chevrolet driven

by Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series rookie Ty Dillon, Larry Rogers is a busy man.

Although being on the road every weekend of the Monster Energy Series season can be a grind, there’s one aspect of the hectic travel schedule that makes Rogers feel right at home.

Rogers, who served in the United States Air Force from 1975 to 1977 and comes from a family of decorated military veterans, is touched by the regular displays of love, appreciation and support given to

members of the armed forces, both past and present, by the NASCAR community.

Nowhere are these heartfelt tributes more clearly seen than in pre-race ceremonies, which honor the military in a variety of ways – especially for the Memorial Day, Veterans Day and the Fourth of July holidays.

“Sometimes I get to see an airplane fly over that I might have worked on, or one like it, but there’s a special effort made to honor,” Rogers said. “It’s very solemn and it gets your mind straight, I guess, and you stop and think of the things you ought to think of every day.

At Charlotte Motor Speedway [on Memorial Day weekend], they

play ‘Taps’ and they do the gun salute and you realize that on your race car’s windshield there’s the name of a young man or a young woman who, along with their family, sacrificed everything. We get reminders all the time.”

While other sports also recognize servicemen and servicewomen, Rogers believes NASCAR is in a league of its own when it comes to honoring the United States military.

“Not to take away from anybody else, because I think they all do a good job, but NASCAR’s unique in the interaction between the competitors and the fans,” Rogers said. “You don’t get to go on the football field and talk

to the quarterback just before kickoff. NASCAR fans get an opportunity to go talk to the driver right before he gets in the car. So I think the military appreciation kind of flows from that.

To NASCAR’s credit, to the tracks’ credit, they’ve taken advantage of that opportunity to demonstrate their respect.”

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POLE POSITION 2017

lthough proud to have been in the Air Force, Germain Racing’s Larry Rogers doesn’t consider himself “a veteran.”

He’s also not one to make a big deal about his service.

Sure, he’s happy to talk about it if asked, but he’s probably not going to bring it up in casual conversation.

“I was honored to have the opportunity to be in the Air Force and do what I did, but I was never put in harm’s way, and realistically, in my job, I don’t think I would have ever been,” Rogers said. “I don’t mean to demean anything about the people who worked the same job I did, but I just think there’s a distinction between somebody who’s had bullets fired at them or jumped out of an airplane into a battle zone, to what I did. I’m not the same as those folks.”

Yet, Rogers – whose background as a lawyer ultimately paved the way for his job in NASCAR – wouldn’t trade his relatively brief stint in the military for anything.

“The things that I learned, the experiences that I had, the people I was fortunate enough to work with and learn from, I would not have been able to go to law school if it wasn’t for the GI bill and those benefits,” Rogers said. “I don’t know what I would have ended up doing if it hadn’t been for all the good and positive things that came from my opportunity to be a member of the military.”

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Ty Dillon, NASCAR driver of the #13 GEICO Chevrolet SS

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CREW SPOTLIGHT NICK CASE FRONT-END MECHANIC

JOEY FORGETTE BODY-TEMPLATE SPECIALIST

Nick Case, a front-end mechanic for Chip Ganassi Racing and driver Jamie McMurray, credits a trip soon after high school graduation for his introduction to NASCAR. “My first NASCAR race was the 2004 Daytona 500,” Case said. “A friend and I drove down to Daytona International Speedway and camped out. I had grown up around racing, but I had never been to a whole lot of races.”

Case’s uncle owned a NASCAR XFINITY Series team in 1997, offering a glimpse into the competition side of the sport. In 2004, he moved from Florida to North Carolina and found an opportunity to work in an entry-level position. That year, he began working for team owner Greg Pollex and driver John Andretti. Then in 2007, he went to work at Dale Earnhardt Inc. with driver Martin Truex Jr. Case is now in charge of keeping all parts on the front of McMurray’s Chevrolets in top working order during practice, qualifying and each of the 36 NASCAR Cup Series events.

“From the firewall forward, I work on the front end of the car,” Case said. “I’ll checklist everything before the race to make sure everything is race-tight, safety-wired and locked tight. I will change brakes and hubs as well. I do all those changes, but with this team, everyone is very well-rounded. So everyone helps out where needed.”

Case also helps get the No. 1 Chevrolet car through technical inspection and scaled before practice.

Joey Forgette, a body-template specialist for Richard Petty Motorsports and driver Aric Almirola, was introduced to stock car racing as a child through his father’s job at a local race track.

“To be honest, I wasn’t real big into it while I was growing up,” Forgette said. “My dad and I used to go to a local short track close to my hometown in Norway, Michigan. It was a small quarter-mile paved track. He would drive the wrecker for races there and for work and stuff.”

Forgette started his career with Key Motorsports and PPC Racing, as well as several smaller NASCAR XFINITY Series teams over a five-year period. Then his career began to come together.

While at PPC Racing, Forgette befriended Todd Gordon, current crew chief for Joey Logano and Team Penske.

“I got along with Todd very well,” Forgette said. “He worked in the Camping World Truck Series for one year before joining Joe Gibbs Racing, where he worked on the XFINITY team before they joined the Cup shop. He later joined RPM and in his third year of Cup competition.

“On our team, I deal with template issues. NASCAR has limited downforce on these cars so they don’t make very much. They make half of what a truck makes so we try to find 10, 15, 20 pounds from the wind tunnel reports. I do a lot of detail work on them to try and make them good every week. I handle any issues we may have that week and also help the guys out on the team.”

I ENJOY EVERYTHING ABOUT WHAT WE DO. WE GET TO BUILD RACE CARS FOR A LIVING. IT’S NOT A BAD JOB. YOU DO HAVE DAYS THAT ARE HOT AND MUGGY, BUT WE STILL DO IT FOR FUN.”

PLAYING FAVORITES WITH NICK VACATION ■■ Key West, Florida HOLIDAY ■■ Christmas SEASON ■■ Fall MOVIE ■■ Endless Summer TV SHOW ■■ Gears with Stacy David MUSIC ■■ Southern Rock

I DO A LOT OF SPECIAL PROJECT STUFF. I GET TO BE CREATIVE. I LIKE TO FABRICATE. WITH THE WAY THE RACE CARS ARE, I DO MORE NOW THAN WHAT I WAS DOING AS A FRONTEND MECHANIC OVER THE PAST SEVEN YEARS.”

PLAYING FAVORITES WITH JOEY VACATION ■■ Italy HOLIDAY ■■ Christmas SEASON ■■ Spring TV SHOW ■■ Seinfeld MOVIE ■■ Gladiator MUSIC ■■ Everything!

BEN WHITE 18

POLE POSITION 2017

TAILGATING Kansas Fans Take Pride in Tailgating

Q&A WITH JED & CHRISTINA WEATHERS

PRESENTED BY

F

or good reason, NASCAR fans love tailgating at Kansas Speedway. The 1.5-mile track, home to the world-famous Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway, offers approximately 1,000 acres for tailgating during its annual NASCAR weekends, which occur in mid-May and late October – almost perfect times to be outdoors.

For those who want to tailgate close to the track, Kansas Speedway offers a paid tailgating area that includes a reserved spot near the display area.

And for those who prefer to tailgate near friends, general parking is free.

“From barbecue to hamburgers to your favorite meat, not to mention your favorite sides, Kansas Speedway offers plenty of space for all of our tailgaters,” said Kelly Hale, Kansas Speedway’s director of public relations.

Much of the tailgating scene at Kansas seems to revolve around allegiances to sports teams.

“You can see a lot Kansas City Chiefs, Royals, Jayhawks, Mizzou and even Husker and Iowa gear mixed in with all the NASCAR gear,” Hale said. “Not only will you be next to a NASCAR fan, make sure you support your favorite college and pro teams.

You never know what rival you may be parked next

to. Fans aren’t afraid to drive for hours to attend this great Midwest track.”

Nor are they afraid to mix and mingle and have a good time.

“Kansas City has been called the ‘Tailgating Capital of the U.S.,’ and our fans definitely take a lot of pride in their tailgating,” track president Pat Warren said. “With thousands of fans tailgating each race weekend, you’re sure to not only have a lot of fun, but maybe make some new friends as you share your tailgating tips. And for the fans that don’t want to grill out, there are plenty of options in the Village West across from Kansas Speedway.”

And, of course, for those interested in trying to leave Kansas Speedway with a little more cash than they had when they arrived, the Hollywood Casino is another compelling attraction.

“If you need to take a tailgating break, you can visit the Hollywood Casino with an assist from a dedicated tram,” Hale said.

JARED TURNER

MUST-HAVE GEAR Dale Earnhardt Jr. will soon be retiring from full-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series competition. So why not stock up on as much Dale Jr. tailgating gear as possible before NASCAR’s most popular driver calls it quits?

For just $5.99, fans can purchase their very own “Dale Yeah” koozie at the NASCAR.COM SuperStore. The officially licensed, 12-ounce can cooler from WinCraft is 100 percent neoprene, made in the USA and features sublimated graphics said to “give your favorite drink an extra kick of Dale Earnhardt Jr. spirit.”

It features the logo for the Hendrick Motorsports driver’s weekly podcast formally known as “Dale Jr.’s Dirty Mo Radio.”

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THE EXPERIENCE JED & CHRISTINA WEATHERS

J

ed and Christina Weathers consider themselves “professional tailgaters,” but readily admit they’re “not perfect.” Christina recalls one time when the couple was reminded of their tailgating imperfections.

“We got the whole tailgate set up – super proud of ourselves, we were there early, got a good spot, etc.,” she said. “The only problem is we forgot our food. The only thing we had for a couple of hours were beers, Smirnoff Ice and a bag of Fritos that I threw in at the last minute.”

Interestingly for Jed and Christina, tailgates at the track seem to be the place where NASCAR and wrestling intersect.

“We were once tailgating a short time after the death of Randy ‘Macho Man’ Savage,” Christina recalled.

“Since we are both in our mid-to-late 40s, we grew up on wrestling in the ’80s. So we created a small tribute to ‘The Macho Man.’ We made a poster with images and were passing out Slim Jims to those who would give us an, ‘Oh yeah!’ Fellow tailgaters went crazy for this.”

Then there was the time Jed actually encountered a well-known professional wrestler.

“I was tailgating in Vegas in the camper area. My buddies and I were playing horseshoes,” he remembered.

“We became fast friends with a guy I call, ‘NASCAR Mike.’

Mike asked if I wanted to take a ride with him – he had to go get someone. It turned out to be Dana White from UFC. It was a strange encounter indeed.”

WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE DRIVER? CHRISTINA: Kyle Busch.

I believe he is the best wheelman in the business.

JED: I was a Jeff Gordon fan for years, but became a Brad Keselowski fan in 2014. Christina and I have a good little rivalry going between us as we cheer on our drivers.

WHERE DO YOU LIVE? CHRISTINA: Blue Springs, Missouri, a suburb of Kansas City, Missouri. It’s only about 35 miles from Kansas Speedway.

HOW MANY YEARS HAVE YOU BEEN A NASCAR FAN? CHRISTINA: I grew up just 30 miles from Daytona and attended a couple of races in the early ’80s as a kid, but I didn’t become a real fan until I started dating Jed in 2010.

JED: I really started following NASCAR when I was in the Marine Corps in about 1995, and have been a fan ever since, though my love of racing probably started when I got a race track one year for Christmas as a kid.

WHERE HAVE YOU TAILGATED? CHRISTINA: Since 2011, we’ve tailgated together at Vegas, Iowa, Atlanta, Daytona and Auto Club Speedway in California. Plus, we are season ticket holders at Kansas Speedway, and have tailgated there about nine times.

JED: Prior to 2012, I lived in Southern California and tailgated at Phoenix, Auto Club and Vegas numerous times. At times, I would stay with friends that had motorhomes, which is a whole different tailgating experience.

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NASCAR LEGENDS Dick Hutcherson TALENTED DRIVER AND CAR BUILDER Dick Hutcherson spent a relatively brief amount of time as a driver in NASCAR’s premier stock car division. In only four seasons, he won 14 races and finished in the top-five in points twice before electing to step out of the cockpit.

29

BIRTHDATE December 30, 1931 BIRTHPLACE Keokuk, Iowa AWARDS ■■ IMCA Stock Car Series champion in 1963 and 1964 ■■ Inducted into the IMCA Hall of Fame in 1972 ■■ Received the Tim Flock Driver’s Award from the Victory Lane Racing Association in 2015

Born Nov. 30, 1931, in the farming community of Keokuk, Iowa, Hutcherson only drove in NASCAR competition from 1964 to 1967. In 1965, he won nine races and finished second to champion Ned Jarrett in what is now known as the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. Just two years later, Hutcherson finished third in the season standings and then hung up his helmet. The successful businessman joined forced with fellow racer Eddie Pagan to form Hutcherson-Pagan Enterprises, a highly respected race car construction business in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Hutcherson began racing locally in Iowa during the 1956 season and moved to the International Motor Contest Association stock car circuit in 1959. “Hutch,” as he was dubbed by his close friends, rose quickly to the top of his profession and became the IMCA series champion in 1963 and ’64. He also earned two – 1960 and ’61 – late model track championships at Dakota State Fair Speedway. Hutcherson logged 81 stock car victories with the Midwest-based IMCA before turning his attention to NASCAR’s top division.

In April 1962, NASCAR legend Curtis Turner invited Hutcherson to compete with former moonshiners in a race he was promoting at Virginia International Raceway. Other NASCAR standouts in the field that day were Tim Flock, NASCAR’s premier series champion in 1952 and ’55, as well as three-time NASCAR Convertible series champion Bob Welborn.

Hutcherson finished third in that race behind Turner and Welborn.

After his retirement from driving, Hutcherson won championships in 1968 and ’69 as David Pearson’s crew chief at Holman-Moody. Hutcherson passed away on Nov. 6, 2005, at the age of 73, of a heart attack.

BOLD TALENTED QUIET SMART

DETERMINED

COMPETITIVE

BEST SEASON IN 1965, HUTCHERSON won nine times at tracks in Greenville, Spartanburg and Myrtle Beach in South Carolina; Maryville and Nashville in Tennessee; Moyock and Hillsboro in North Carolina; and Oxford, New York. He posted an amazing 32 top-five finishes in 54 races with an average finish of 7.4.

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THE NO. 29 CAR

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HUTCHERSON BECAME THE first driver to win races as a driver and then orchestrate championship seasons – in 1968 and ’69 – for Ford’s Holman-Moody operation and driver David Pearson. As a driver, Hutcherson logged 14 victories, 73 top-10 finishes and 21 pole positons.

He enjoyed great success in only a four-year timespan.

HUTCHERSON BUILT many of his own cars during his incredible NASCAR career. He was considered to be one of the very best racers of the 1960s in part because of his ability to read race cars and make them go faster.

He quickly learned how to win in NASCAR.

BEN WHITE 22

POLE POSITION 2017

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RACE REWIND Back in Championship Form: Labonte’s Second Title The 1996 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season featured a rare scenario where two drivers from the same team battled for the championship, as the success of Hendrick Motorsports helped stock car racing enjoy one of its most exciting seasons.

1996 SEASON RECAP ■■ Labonte’s first title, in 1984

NASCAR’s premier series schedule consisted of 31 races that began in Daytona Beach, Florida, and ended in Hampton, Georgia. The sport’s popularity was strong, prompting a non-points special event to be run at season’s end on the road course in Suzuka, Japan. It was the first of four annual visits to Japan, two of which were held on the oval at Twin Ring Motegi.

Chevrolet drivers led the win column with 17, followed by Ford with 13.

Pontiac’s lone 1996 victory came in November at Phoenix International Raceway with Bobby Hamilton driving the Petty Enterprises entry.

Terry Labonte, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt and Sterling Marlin were best in the Chevrolet camp, while Dale Jarrett, Rusty Wallace, Geoff Bodine and Ernie Irvan enjoyed victories for Ford Motor Co. Labonte, a native of Corpus Christi, Texas, won the series championship in 1984 while driving for car owner Billy Hagan, and he suffered a long dry spell before a second championship came his way. Consistency was the key to his second title as Labonte only won two races but logged 24 top-10 finishes.

The championship came down to Labonte and Hendrick Motorsports teammate Gordon. Labonte took the point lead with a third-place finish at North Carolina’s Rockingham Speedway in late October. Then, top-five finishes in the final two events were enough for Labonte to secure the crown by 37 points over Gordon.

Gordon won 10 races, while Labonte only won twice. Both collected 21 top-five finishes and 24 top-10 efforts, but Labonte had an average finish of 8.2 to Gordon’s 9.5.

1996

PRESIDENT: BILL CLINTON

DATE CIRCUIT Feb. 18 Daytona International Speedway Feb. 25 Rockingham Speedway March 3 Richmond International Raceway March 10 Atlanta Motor Speedway March 24 Darlington Raceway March 31 Bristol Motor Speedway April 14 North Wilkesboro Speedway April 21 Martinsville Speedway April 28 Talladega Superspeedway May 5 Sonoma Raceway May 26 Charlotte Motor Speedway June 2 Dover International Speedway June 16 Pocono Raceway Jun 23 Michigan International Speedway July 6 Daytona International Speedway July 14 New Hampshire Motor Speedway July 21 Pocono Raceway July 28 Talladega Superspeedway Aug. 3 Indianapolis Motor Speedway Aug. 11 Watkins Glen International Aug. 18 Michigan International Speedway Aug. 24 Bristol Motor Speedway Sept.1 Darlington Raceway Sept.7 Richmond International Raceway Sept.15 Dover International Speedway Sept. 22 Martinsville Speedway Sept. 29 North Wilkesboro Speedway Oct. 6 Charlotte Motor Speedway Oct. 20 Rockingham Speedway Oct. 27 Phoenix International Raceway Nov. 10 Atlanta Motor Speedway

NO. 1 SONG: “MACARENA,” BAYSIDE BOYS

TOP NEWS: JAN. 5: MIAMI DOLPHINS COACH DON SHULA RETIRES

POLE POSITION 2017

MAY 21: BLACKOUTS

ACROSS QUEENS, NEW YORK AUG. 9: BORIS YELTSIN SWORN IN AS PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA

BEN WHITE 24

WINNER Dale Jarrett Dale Earnhardt Jeff Gordon Dale Earnhardt Jeff Gordon Jeff Gordon Terry Labonte Rusty Wallace Sterling Marlin Rusty Wallace Dale Jarrett Jeff Gordon Jeff Gordon Rusty Wallace Sterling Marlin Ernie Irvan Rusty Wallace Jeff Gordon Dale Jarrett Geoffrey Bodine Dale Jarrett Rusty Wallace Jeff Gordon Ernie Irvan Jeff Gordon Jeff Gordon Jeff Gordon Terry Labonte Ricky Rudd Bobby Hamilton Bobby Labonte

COURTESY NASCAR

BEST DRIVER JEFF GORDON, driver of the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, won 10 races under the direction of crew chief Ray Evernham. There were six superspeedway victories and four on short tracks, including the final NASCAR Cup Series race at North Wilkesboro Speedway on Sept. 29, 1996. That victory marked the end of 47 years of NASCAR racing at the storied North Carolina track.

Mechanical issues and crashes at Daytona, Rockingham, Talladega, New Hampshire and Indianapolis doomed Gordon’s title hopes.

BEST RACE DALE JARRETT, driving the No. 88 Robert Yates Racing Ford, collected his first of two Brickyard 400 victories at Indianapolis Motor Speedway over teammate Ernie Irvan.

Jarrett took the race lead seven laps from the finish after a hard-fought battle with Irvan. The 160-lap race ultimately ended under the caution flag, giving Jarrett his seventh of 32-career victories. Jarrett retired from driving after five races in the 2008 season.

TOP CARS TERRY LABONTE, driving the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, earned the series championship.

He won two races, had 21 top-five finishes and earned four poles during the season.

JEFF GORDON, driver of the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, finished second in the standings with 10 wins, 21 top-five finishes and five pole positions.

SPOTLIGHT

PRESENTED BY

TWO AT A TIME

Don’t Neglect Your Headlights

H

eadlights dim over time. The concept, simple as it might sound, often goes unconsidered by drivers on the highway – many who don’t give any thought to the necessity of periodically replacing their vehicle’s headlights.

“Like tires, like brakes, like batteries, headlights are not at max performance their whole life,” said Brian Noble, marketing manager for OSRAM SYLVANIA, the world’s leader in automotive lighting. “Most people actually think light bulbs are on or their off, and that’s not true at all.

They’re wearing and they’re dimming the whole time they’re on.”

By the time a headlight completely stops working, it’s

possibly emitting up to 30 percent less light than it originally did.

The gradual dimming is a result of the tungsten filament inside the bulb wearing out over time and not having the same amount of material that was there when it was new.

“We’ve all seen those cars where they have lights on, you know they’re on, but they’re very yellow and very dim,” Noble said.

“I’ve had people write emails that say, ‘My first headlight burned out on my 17-year-old car. You do amazing work.’ I’m like, ‘That’s really not good, because you’ve been seeing very poorly for a very long time.’”

While it’s difficult to pinpoint an exact timetable for when

drivers should replace their headlights, Noble offers a common-sense recommendation.

“We try to say, ‘Try to change every other year,’ but you have people that are driving 10,000 miles a year, and you have people that are driving 30 and 40,000 miles a year,” he said. “It’s really impossible to say how much of that driving’s done in the day and at night. You could have somebody

driving 30,000 miles a year and they’re never driving at night, so their lights are never on. Or you can get somebody driving 10,000 miles a year and their lights are always on.

“So it’s really hard to come to an answer.

We say every other year, but if you feel like you’re just not seeing as well down the road, it’s probably a good idea to take care of it.”

JARED TURNER 26

POLE POSITION 2017

AS TEMPTING AS IT might be to replace just one headlight at a given time, it’s always a better idea to go ahead swap out both headlights in one swoop.

To have one new headlight and old one going simultaneously poses risks that are too significant to ignore.

“If one of them goes out, the other is not too far behind,” said SYLVANIA’s Brian Noble, noting that the process of replacing headlights is simple enough for people to do it at home on their own, instead of making a special trip to see a mechanic.

“They’re made to be almost identical, so if one’s out, the other one is going to go pretty soon, and you might as well replace them in pairs,” Noble added. “And because they’ve been wearing over time, that one is probably going to have considerably less light output than the other one. So now you have an uneven field of vision which distracts the driver, because you’re seeing one side better than the other and your eyes are focusing because one headlight shows further down the road and you’re not seeing the whole picture. All of that can be an extra distraction, and that’s not a good thing.”

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PIT PASS

Track Food Martinsville Speedway Hot Dog: For NASCAR fans visiting Martinsville Speedway, buying a hot dog is a must. It’s plain and simple. Formerly, the bright red dogs were processed by Virginia-based Jesse Jones.

However, Valleydale Foods took over in 2015 and the company has continued one of the track’s oldest traditions.

Terminology PJ1 Track Bite: What do the Bristol, Kentucky and Indianapolis tracks have in common?

Each of those facilities used PJ1 Track Bite this season to add grip to the racing surface in the corners. The compound, known as “sticky stuff,” adds traction by means of adhesion and is commonly used in NHRA drag racing.

3Q

WITH NASCAR DRIVER MATT DIBENEDETTO

Matt DiBenedetto is making the most of his time at Go FAS Racing. The No. 32 team is now competing near the top 20 on a weekly basis, and “DiBurrito” wants to take the organization to the next level.

Do you surprise yourself when you have good results?

I know we can do it as a team.

I know how good our people are, but an eighth-place finish at Indy is exceeding expectations. A top 20 is like a victory for us, and that’s considered to be a great day. We just keep getting better and more organized as the year goes on.

You’ve been having a blast on social media. How important is it to interact with fans?

It’s a great way to connect with fans and I just try to be myself. There’s a little bit of personality missing in the sport, and there are some big voids to fill with guys like Tony Stewart and Dale Jr. leaving. I’m trying to be myself and connect with fans and sponsors.

It’s funny because everyone talks

about how good of a job I do on social media, but it’s not just me. It’s Ryan [Ellis, former driver], too. Everyone says, ‘Oh, my gosh, you do such a good job on social media.’ But I don’t do anything special besides be myself.

Describe your relationship with team owner Archie St. Hilaire?

He’s a great guy and hilarious to listen to. He’s from up north and talks fast. He’s the most honest, genuine guy. Everyone has their own reputations for this and that, but I’ve been with this team since the offseason and I haven’t heard one negative comment in the entire garage area about Archie and his son. I couldn’t say enough about them because they’re just good, honest people.

Their word is better than any contract I’ve ever signed.

JOSEPH WOLKIN 28

POLE POSITION 2017

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PLAYING FAVORITES WITH

Brennan Poole FAVORITE MOVIE SUPERBAD. It changed comedy, I feel like, for our generation. I love the Star Wars movies and even painted my helmet like Luke’s from the original movie.

LEAST FAVORITE FOOD I EAT MOST EVERYTHING. I guess I would say hummus. Lindsey [my girlfriend] is always trying to get me to eat it, but it’s not for me.

FAVORITE VACATION SPOT

FAVORITE MUSIC

JEKYLL ISLAND. I always went there as a kid with my family. I played golf with my dad and his dad. It was sort of a tradition in a way.

It’s where my grandparents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. It’s a special place for me and my family.

I’M INTO EVERYTHING AND IT DEPENDS ON MY MOOD. I play guitar and enjoy playing songs from Stained, Nirvana and Brand New. I also really like music by Mac Miller, J. Cole and Logic.

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MY RACE GIG Total Access MANAGER KEEPS CMS CREDENTIALS ON TRACK

M

yra Faulkenbury, credentials manager for Charlotte Motor Speedway, has one of the most important jobs at the legendary 1.5-mile speedway.

The Concord, North Carolina, native joined Charlotte Motor Speedway in 1985 and worked in various administrative and public relations roles. Then in 1992, she was assigned her present position and has performed her duties admirably for the past 25 years.

Faulkenbury has a reputation for being extremely organized and is known for keeping the department in top shape. She has over 75 NASCAR weekends to her credit, including Monster Energy All-Star Races as well as all other activities at the speedway and The Dirt Track at Charlotte, which is located just across Highway 29.

“I’m not always sure about that, but thank you for the kind words,” Faulkenbury said. “We have an online credential system that really helps to keep things on track. Also, just having done this job for so long makes it easier to stay organized.”

ACTION/REACTION

Faulkenbury is quick to point out that she loves working with the people who are involved in so many roles within the NASCAR industry.

“I really enjoy working with the media and also the many interesting people that come through my office,” she said. “We get to meet a lot of members of the military and that is also very special. I also really enjoy working with the teams and NASCAR. I love what I do.”

BEN WHITE

GETTY IMAGES

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30

POLE POSITION 2017

ACTION: Built by H. Clay Earles in 1947, Martinsville Speedway began as a small dirt track in southern Virginia. It’s now in its seventh decade of operation under the direction of Earles’ grandson and longtime track president, Clay Campbell.

The track was originally built to accommodate 750 spectators on wooden bleachers. During the first stock car race held there in 1947 – the year before NASCAR was formed – some 6,000 fans came to see auto racing in their Sunday best.

Many improvements have come to the historic .526-mile track, including increased parking, VIP Suites and a modern press box. International Speedway Corp. bought the facility in 2004 and has continued to make it a showplace.

The installation of

NEW SCHOOL VS. OLD SCHOOL FIRST RACE FIRST FINISH IN CUP RACE CAREER HIGHLIGHT YEARS IN CUP SERIES BEST POINTS FINISH

lights is the track’s latest improvement project, further enhancing the fan experience.

REACTION: Since its inception almost threequarters of a century ago, daytime racing has been the standard at Martinsville Speedway.

The lights, however, give NASCAR and speedway officials the opportunity to complete events instead of postponing them or cutting them short should inclement weather play a role.

ISC’s decision to spend $5 million on lighting the track was the company’s largest capital investment in Martinsville Speedway since purchasing the facility 13 years ago.

Fans, drivers and teams are overwhelmingly in favor of lights around the famed paper clip-shaped speedway.

COREY LAJOIE NEW SCHOOL

MICHAEL WALTRIP OLD SCHOOL

2014 SYLVANIA 300

1985 COCACOLA 600

41ST

28TH

2ND IN NASCAR K&N PRO SERIES EAST POINTS IN 2012

TWO-TIME DAYTONA 500 WINNER IN 2001 & 2003

2

33

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12TH, 1994 & 1995

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A BLANEY FAMILY TRADITION

R

yan Blaney, who will move from the Wood Brothers Racing Ford to a third Team Penske entry next season, is a third-generation racer. His grandfather, Lou Blaney, was a top modified and sprint car driver in eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania, while his father, Dave Blaney, claimed the 1995 World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series championship and had a successful NASCAR career. In addition, Blaney’s uncle, Dale Blaney, is a six-time champion of the All Star Circuit of Champions sprint car series.

Blaney has a pair of tattoos that honor his grandfather.

“By the time I was old enough to start racing, he had retired,” Blaney said about the family patriarch. “Unfortunately, I didn’t know him as well as I would have liked to.”

Track Rises from Devastation Homestead-Miami Speedway was built by veteran auto racing promoter Ralph Sanchez as part of a plan to help the South Florida region rebound from the devastation caused by Hurricane Andrew. The Category 5 storm, which struck in August 1992, was the most destructive hurricane in Florida’s history. With recorded wind speeds reaching 165 mph, Andrew passed directly through the town of Homestead, completely destroying most of the homes and businesses in its path. Construction on the 1.5-mile superspeedway started with a ceremonial groundbreaking on Aug. 24, 1992, exactly one year after the storm.

Homestead-Miami Speedway officially debuted with a NASCAR XFINITY Series race on Nov. 5, 1995, and it has hosted the season finales for NASCAR’s top three series each year since 2002.

DANICA PATRICK MAKES HISTORY

T

oday, Danica Patrick is known as the driver of the No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. But prior to taking her career in a new direction, Patrick made auto-racing history. On April 20, 2008, Patrick became the first female to win an Indy car race when she topped the Japan 300 on the 1.5-mile oval at Twin Ring Motegi. Driving for Andretti Green Racing, Patrick’s team utilized fuel strategy as she led only the final three laps and beat Helio Castroneves to the stripe by 5.859 seconds.

“It’s been a long time coming, finally,” Patrick said in Victory Lane. “I can’t say the last fuel stint was hard. We were taking it easy and taking care of the car.”

TURNER & SMITH JOIN FORCES

D

uring the late 1950s, star NASCAR driver Curtis Turner and veteran racing promoter Bruton Smith were both working to secure financing and purchase property to build a superspeedway in the Charlotte, North Carolina, area.

Eventually, the two combined their efforts and Charlotte Motor Speedway was the result. The 1.5-mile track, located 12 miles northeast of downtown Charlotte, opened in June 1960 with a

‘POLISH’ VICTORY LAP Alan Kulwicki introduced a new style of celebration after scoring his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victory in the Checker 500 at Phoenix International Raceway on Nov. 6, 1988.

After the checkered flag had been waved, Kulwicki mysteriously stopped his No. 7 Zerex Ford on the backstretch. He made a 180-degree turn and drove back to Victory Lane the wrong way, waving to the appreciative crowd.

“That was my Polish victory lap,” Kulwicki later told reporters. “I wanted to do something they’d remember. I’d been thinking about it for a couple of months, just hoping I’d get a chance to use it.”

Kulwicki won four more races and claimed the 1992 series championship before he was killed in a plane crash on April 1, 1993.

KEITH WALTZ 32

POLE POSITION 2017

600-mile race for NASCAR’s premier stock car series.

Faced with a tremendous amount of debt, the track soon fell into bankruptcy.

Smith left the area to pursue his interests in the automobile industry while Turner returned to the cockpit and focused on his logging business.

Smith eventually began purchasing stock in Charlotte Motor Speedway and regained control of the track during the mid-1970s.

GETTY IMAGES

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GOT YOUR NUMBER Numbers drive NASCAR in many different ways. Here are the stories behind two iconic numbers.

17

SWEET SEVENTEEN FOR D.W.

W

hen Darrell Waltrip made his first start in NASCAR’s premier stock car series on May 11, 1972, at Talladega Superspeedway, he wanted to use what he considered to be “his number.”

The hurdles the eventual three-time series champion encountered, however, dictated a compromise.

“I wanted the No. 48 because that’s what I raced in my Late Model Sportsman days back in Nashville,” Waltrip explained.

“I had No. 48 on all of my cars for quite a few years before coming to the Cup Series. James Hylton had it among the Cup guys when I came into NASCAR in 1972. I also liked the No. 17, but it belonged to Ford’s Holman-Moody team at the time.”

NASCAR offered a suggestion, but Jake Elder, Waltrip’s veteran crew chief, balked at the idea. Elder staunchly believed cars with high numbers couldn’t win races.

“I told NASCAR I didn’t like the 95 all that much, but I’d take it,” Waltrip recalled. “I liked the No. 17 a lot more because I was a big David Pearson fan, and he used it with Holman-Moody in the late 1960s. The Mercury I drove in 1972 came from Holman-Moody. I finally talked John Holman into working a deal to get the No. 17. I won my first two Cup races with it in 1975.”

FINCH’S WINNING COMBINATION

J

ames Finch, a former Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series team owner with 251 starts from 1990 through 2013, was known as one of the more interesting car owners in the garage area.

Even though the Panama City, Florida, resident ran only limited schedules in the NASCAR Cup Series throughout his career, he consistently had the very best drivers at the wheel of his cars.

The list includes Geoff Bodine, Sterling Marlin, Aric Almirola, Bobby Labonte, Bill Elliott and Kurt Busch, to name only a few.

“The way it worked out was that Geoffrey Bodine had No. 9 for his team when he was running with sponsorship from Miccosukee Indian Gaming,” Finch said. “I had been using the No. 51 when I started in 1990, but in 1994, Neil Bonnett lost his life in practice before the 1994 Daytona 500. So I didn’t run that number after it happened.”

Finch cited escalating costs for eventually getting out of the sport.

“We had a lot of fun,” Finch said. “I had a lot of opportunities with a lot of different drivers. I think I’ve had six Daytona 500 winners drive my cars. I also had four or five Cup champions in my cars as well and one world champion with Jacques Villeneuve. We won one race with Brad Keselowski, which happened to be in 2009 while driving the No. 09 Chevrolet.

That was pretty cool.”

09 BEN WHITE

34

POLE POSITION 2017

COURTESY NASCAR

NASCAR PETS

PRE S E N T E D BY

Bowyer’s Dogs Couldn’t Be More Different

C

lint Bowyer and wife Lorra are the proud owners of two dogs that couldn’t be more different. Trip, a 7-year-old Australian Shepherd, is “a crazy smart dog,” who in all reality “doesn’t need a leash,” according to the driver of the No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford. Lola, a 10-year-old Shih Tzu, is “a trooper,” according to Bowyer, “but is blind now and wanders all over.”

Lola was Lorra’s dog before she and Clint married in April 2014. The couple welcomed Trip into their family during an Atlanta race weekend while they were still dating. He was just a puppy at the time.

“It was supposedly a breeder, but we rescued Trip from a disaster,” Bowyer said.

“That’s what we did. It was pretty sad.”

There are many sides to Trip’s personality.

“He’s a really shy and timid dog and very, very, very, very protective,” Bowyer noted. “The protective side kind of comes with that breed. They’re kind of a

one-person dog. When Lorra and the kids are gone, Trip’s all about me and wants to do whatever I want to do – go outside and play, go ride on the buggy. Do whatever, feed cows, he’s in.

“As soon as she shows up with the kids, it’s full-on protect mode. He won’t leave her side, won’t leave the kids’ side. It’s amazing.”

With the NASCAR schedule consisting of 38 annual events, it’s fair to say Trip and Lola are well-traveled canines.

“The thing about both of those dogs is they probably have more miles on them than a lot of humans, from flying all over the country and being at all these race tracks and everything,” Bowyer said.

“They’ve covered a lot of ground.”

All the traveling inevitably leads to some funny stories — like the following one.

“Jack Roush and I have the exact same plane. They’re kind of painted the same paint scheme and they were parked right

next to each other,” Bowyer said. “We’re running out on the tarmac and my hands are full and Trip’s running next to me and he looks up and sees the plane and takes off after it. I could see him and I was like, ‘No, no, no, no!’ He ran right up in Jack Roush’s plane and was sitting there chilling.”

JARED TURNER

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rom sponsor commitments to social media engagement to yard work, NASCAR XFINITY Series driver Brandon Jones is a busy man.

Not surprisingly, Jones – whose No. 33 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet is sponsored by Anderson’s Maple Syrup – never feels like there’s enough time to get everything accomplished. Here’s a dayby-day breakdown of how the 20-year-old spends his time during a typical week.

MONDAY: “That’s my day to commit fully to spending time at Richard Childress Racing. We have competition meetings to talk about the previous race weekend and then we run the simulator so I can get on track before we go to the next race track. I would honestly say Monday is my favorite day of the week. I enjoy going to the shop. I know the team guys probably don’t enjoy it too much, but I enjoy coming to the shop and just messing with them and giving them a hard time. But I’ll help around a little bit, too. Sometimes we’ll strip the cars and wash them down or peel the wraps off if we have a different car that next weekend.”

TUESDAY: “It just kind of depends, really. Normally, I kind of have that day off to let myself relax and hang out at home.

I normally have something to do there. I live on three acres, but my neighbors have 34 acres and we all kind of share that and help him out a little bit. Whether it’s yard work, cutting up trees or splitting logs, we’re always doing something there.”

WEDNESDAY: “I usually go to the shop again to get some more time with the guys – maybe not all day but usually a half day from 8 to 12 or 12 to 4.”

THURSDAY/FRIDAY: “Normally we fly out to the track Thursdays. We use a big charter plane. You show up, hop right on, and head out. If we’re doing one-day shows we come in and have practice all day and we have meetings after the practices. All of the RCR drivers get together and we have a meeting and talk about kind of how the practices went and how our setups are to prepare for the race.”

SATURDAY: “Right after the race, we head back home on the airplane no matter

what time it is. There have been times where we’d get home at 6 or 7 at night or we’ll get home at 3 or 4 the next morning. It doesn’t matter what time it is. We normally just fly right after the race. Normally, I’m trying to get out of there as quick as possible to beat the traffic. If I have my motorhome I’ll hop in the shower real quick. That’s pretty nice to be able to do once you’ve been in that car three hours and sweating the whole time. Getting cleaned up a little bit makes the ride home a little bit nicer. I hop in the car and drive to the airport and when I get on the plane, we’ll have a little time to relax. I normally have at least 10 to 20 text messages after every single race.

I try to go through and answer those and check emails right quick.”

SUNDAY: “I get back from the race track and relax, watch the Cup race or do whatever we want to do there. It’s pretty funny, honestly. I struggle watching some of those races just because you want to be there and you want to be in it. I guess I view a race a little bit differently than the average fan would. I’m looking for stuff that’s going to help me later on, and looking for little things that those guys are doing in those cars to help themselves out. I guess the average fan is just kind of watching to enjoy the race, but I’m watching to learn and figure out where they’re beating me or maybe they’ve found something throughout the years that’s helping them out. I normally just watch the race at my house and have a couple of my buddies over.”

JARED TURNER

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DALE EARNHARDT JR.

Winning Smiles 2001

2004

DALE EARNHARDT JR. IN VICTORY LANE

Dale Earnhardt Jr. celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the EA Sports 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.

2006

2004 2001

Third-generation racer Dale Earnhardt Jr. enjoys the spoils of victory after topping the EA Sports 500 on Oct. 3 at Talladega Superspeedway.

2006

Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the No. 8 Budweiser Chevrolet, shows off his trophy after winning the Crown Royal 400 on May 6 at Richmond.

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DALE EARNHARDT JR. CAREER MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES WINS YEAR TRACK

SPONSOR

2000 Fort Worth Budweiser 2000 Richmond Budweiser 2001 Daytona Budweiser / MLB All-Star Game 2001 Dover Budweiser / USA 2001 Talladega Budweiser 2002 Talladega Budweiser 2002 Talladega Budweiser 2003 Talladega Budweiser 2003 Phoenix Budweiser 2004 Daytona Budweiser Born On Date 2004 Atlanta Budweiser 2004 Richmond Budweiser 2004 Bristol Budweiser 2004 Talladega Budweiser 2004 Phoenix Budweiser 2005 Chicago Budweiser / MLB All-Star Game 2006 Richmond Budweiser 2008 Michigan National Guard / AMP Energy 2012 Michigan Diet Mtn. Dew/Dark Knight Rises/Natl. Guard 2014 Daytona National Guard 2014 Pocono National Guard 2014 Pocono Michael Baker International 2014 Martinsville National Guard 2015 Talladega Nationwide Insurance 2015 Daytona Nationwide Stars & Stripes 2015 Phoenix Nationwide Insurance 40

POLE POSITION 2017

2008

2008

Sporting a big smile, Dale Earnhardt Jr. celebrates after driving the No. 88 National Guard/AMP Energy Chevrolet to victory in the LifeLock 400 at Michigan International Speedway on June 15.

2012

Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the No. 88 Diet Mountain Dew/ The Dark Knight Rises/ National Guard/ Chevrolet, poses with then-girlfriend, Amy Reimann, after winning the June 17 Quicken Loans 400 at Michigan International Speedway.

2012

SET A NEW PACE FOR

Get a head start on race day with this easy and delicious chili featuring BUSH’S® Pinto Chili Beans!

SLOW-COOKED FLAVOR

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 50 minutes | Serves: 6

BUSH’S Chili Beans Chili ®

INGREDIENTS 2 cans

(16 oz) BUSH’S® Pinto Chili Beans

2 tsp

2 tsp

oil

½ tsp pepper

1 lb

ground beef

½ tsp sugar

1

large onion, chopped

1 tsp

salt

chili powder (or to taste)

4 pieces celery, chopped

½ cup ketchup

2 cloves garlic, chopped

½ tsp cayenne pepper or hot pepper sauce

2 cups

water

DIRECTIONS 1. Heat oil in skillet. Cook beef until lightly browned. Push to one side of pan.

2. Add onion, garlic and celery. Cook until soft.

3. Drain excess fat. Mix in remaining ingredients. Mix well, simmer 30 to 45 minutes.

©2017 Bush Brothers & Company

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2014

2014

Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the No. 88 National Guard Chevrolet, poses with the Harley J. Earl trophy after winning the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 23.

2014

2014

Driving the No. 88 Michael Baker International Chevrolet, Dale Earnhardt Jr. poses with a broom after winning the Aug. 3 GoBowling.com 400 to sweep the 2014 Cup Series events at Pocono Raceway.

2014

2015

2014

Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the No. 88 National Guard Chevrolet, takes a drink of celebratory champagne after winning the Goody’s Headache Relief Shot 500 at Martinsville Speedway on Oct. 26.

2015

Opening the season on a high note, Dale Earnhardt Jr. drove the No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet to victory in Budweiser Duel 1 at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 19.

2015 2015

2015

Dale Earnhardt Jr., driving the No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet, scored his sixth career victory at Talladega Superspeedway when he won the GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on May 3.

2015

NASCAR’s most popular driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr., wheeled the No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet to victory in the Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500 at Phoenix International Raceway on Nov. 15.

POLE POSITION MAG.COM

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MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES How the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Work After a decade with a format in which the driver who accumulated the most overall points during the season’s final 10 races was crowned Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion, NASCAR introduced radical changes for its premier division back in 2014.

Along with expanding the playoff field from 12 to 16 drivers and making a single race victory – not overall points at the end of 26-race regular season – the No. 1 criteria for playoff eligibility, NASCAR instituted an elimination-style playoff format culminating in a one-race, winner-take-all season finale in which just four drivers would compete for the title.

Now, for the fourth consecutive year, the top 15 drivers with the most wins over the first 26 races earn a playoff berth – provided they are in the top 30 in points. The 16th playoff position is reserved for the points leader after race No. 26 if that driver does not have a victory. If there are fewer than 16 different winners in the first 26 races, the remaining playoff positions go to the winless drivers who are highest in points.

The changes made to the playoff format in 2014 have delivered on their intended goal of boosting fan engagement while ratcheting up the pressure that drivers and teams face over the season’s final 10 weekends.

The 2017 playoffs could be the wildest yet, however, thanks to the new stage-based race format unveiled in January.

With this year’s addition of what NASCAR calls “playoff points,” drivers have the potential to start the playoffs – and the subsequent playoff rounds, excluding the Championship 4 Race – with a notable points advantage on other competitors. A driver earns five playoff points for every race win, and one playoff point for every stage win. Drivers can continue to amass playoff points once the playoffs commence, adding to their regular-season totals. A driver’s playoff points carry over to each new round – except the Championship Round – provided he or she is still championship-eligible.

“This format puts a premium on every victory and every in-race position over the course of the season,” said Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer. “Each point can eventually result in winning or losing a championship.”

JARED TURNER

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POLE POSITION 2017

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As part of January’s announcement about the new stage-based race format, NASCAR also introduced a playoff bonus structure that honors the points leader at the end of the regular season as the “regular season champion,” a distinction worth 15 playoff points to be added to the driver’s playoff reset total of 2,000. In addition, the top-10 drivers in points leading into the playoffs receive playoff points, with second place receiving 10 playoff points, third place earning eight points, fourth place receiving seven points, and so on. All playoff points carry over to the Round of 12 and the Round of 8.

The number of playoff drivers in contention for the championship decreases after every three playoff races, from 16 to start the playoffs; 12 after playoff Race No. 3; eight after playoff Race No. 6 and four after playoff Race No. 9.

A victory by a championship-eligible driver in any playoff race automatically clinches the winning driver a spot in the next playoff round.

The positions for each round that aren’t filled based on wins in the previous round are filled based on point totals at the end of the previous round.

The first three races of the playoffs (27-29) are known as the Round of 16 and are held at Chicagoland, New Hampshire and Dover, respectively. Dover, where the field of championship-eligible drivers decreases from 16 to 12, is the first of three elimination races in the playoffs. Races 30-32 on the season are known as the Round of 12 and are held this year at Charlotte, Talladega and Kansas, respectively. Kansas is the elimination race where the playoff field is whittled from 12 drivers to eight. Races 33-35 are dubbed the Round of 8, and are held at Martinsville, Texas and Phoenix, respectively.

Only four drivers leave Phoenix still in title contention.

The season’s 36th and final race is the winner-take-all season finale from which a champion is crowned. No playoff points count in this race; the highest finisher among the four title contenders is the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion.

HOW THE NASCAR XFINITY SERIES PLAYOFFS WORK

W

hen NASCAR introduced a NASCAR XFINITY Series playoff in 2016, the change was greeted with much enthusiasm. Not surprisingly, the eliminationstyle format generated a thrilling championship battle in the final race – something the XFINITY Series had often lacked in previous years.

This year’s NASCAR XFINITY Series playoff features 12 drivers and two elimination rounds, with a quartet of drivers competing in the Championship 4 race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

A win during the regular season all but guarantees a driver entry into the XFINITY Series playoffs, provided the driver is in the top 30 in points.

The first round, called the Round of 12, consists of races at Kentucky, Dover and Charlotte. All drivers

start with equal points, plus any additional “playoff points” earned for race wins and stage victories in the regular season. If a driver wins a race in the Round of 12, he automatically advances to the next round.

The remaining available positions (1-8) that have not been filled by race winners will be filled based on points.

Each driver who advances to the Round of 8 (Kansas, Texas and Phoenix) will start the round with equal points – plus any playoff points earned during the regular season or the Round of 12.

Drivers who win in the Round of 8 automatically advance to the Championship 4. The remaining positions (1-4) that have not been filled by winners are based on points at the end of the Round of 8.

The highest finishing Championship 4 driver at Homestead is the NASCAR XFINITY Series champion.

HOW THE NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES PLAYOFFS WORK

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ike the NASCAR XFINITY Series, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is in its second season with an elimination-style playoff format modeled after the one used the past three years in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. The Truck Series playoff isn’t identical to the playoff format used in either of NASCAR’s top two divisions, however.

Consisting of seven races, the Truck Series playoff features eight drivers and two elimination rounds, with four drivers competing for the title on equal points footing at Homestead-Miami Speedway. A win during the regular season all but guarantees a driver entry into the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series playoffs, as long as that driver is in the top 30 in series points.

The first round, called the Round of 8, consists of races at New Hampshire, Las Vegas and Talladega. If a driver wins a race in the Round of 8, he automatically advances to the next round.

The remaining available positions (1-6) that have not been filled by winners are filled based on points.

Each driver who reaches the Round of 6 – consisting of races at Martinsville, Texas and Phoenix – needs to win to automatically advance to the Championship 4 at Homestead. The remaining available positions (1-4) that have not been filled by winners are filled based on points.

The drivers in the Championship 4 will have their point totals reset and made equal, and the highest finishing Championship 4 driver will be crowned champion.

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MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES + NASCAR XFINITY SERIES + NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES

Playoff Contenders JARED TURNER 50

POLE POSITION 2017

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TO WIN THE MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES TITLE

1

MARTIN TRUEX JR.: The most dominant driver of the season, Martin Truex Jr. is the favorite to claim the Monster Energy Cup Series championship. With five races remaining in the regular season, Truex topped all drivers in laps led and stage victories, and he had earned almost twice as many playoff points as any other driver.

Truex and crew chief Cole Pearn are also battle-tested, having reached the Championship 4 in 2015.

2

KYLE LARSON: The most pleasant surprise of the year, Kyle Larson has been a consistent frontrunner after scoring his first career Monster Energy Cup Series victory and making the playoffs for the first time a season ago. As of press time, Larson had earned two wins this year, along with a healthy amount of playoff points.

Larson has been particularly potent at the 1.5-mile tracks, which bodes well for the playoffs.

3

JIMMIE JOHNSON: You really didn’t think we could leave out the seventime champion did you? Despite being outperformed by Truex and Larson for most of the regular season, Jimmie Johnson enters the playoffs in a good spot thanks to his multiple regular-season victories, which each earned him five extra playoff points. No other title contender boasts a history of clutch performances that remotely compares to Johnson’s.

4

KYLE BUSCH: Kyle Busch needed 21 races to finally win a pointspaying race this season, but don’t be fooled by his lengthy absence from Victory Lane. Busch’s No. 18 Toyota has been one of the fastest cars for most of the season; he’s simply been snake-bitten by bad luck more than usual.

Just two years removed from a championship, Busch isn’t the least bit frightened by the big stage.

5

KEVIN HARVICK: Kevin Harvick qualified for the Championship 4 in both 2014 and 2015 – the first two years of the winner-take-all championship race’s existence – and came away with a championship in the first season and a runner-up points finish in the second.

While Harvick’s 2017 numbers are down from the past three years, it would be downright foolish to consider him anything less than a serious title contender.

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48 NUMBER OF PLAYOFF APPEARANCES

14

BEST PLAYOFF FINISH

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Not three hours had passed from the moment Jimmie Johnson captured his record-tying seventh Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship last November when the Hendrick Motorsports driver was hit with the inevitable question: What about No. 8?

Suddenly deadlocked with NASCAR legends Richard Petty and the late Dale Earnhardt for most championships in the sport’s premier series, Johnson confronted the subject of No. 8 head-on.

“I don’t know what the chances are, but let’s go,” Johnson said. “I’m so excited to put that in front of myself, and the team has a hurdle to get over and an accomplishment to achieve.”

Even though Johnson – who is sometimes known as “Superman” – has looked human at various times this season, he’s also shown flashes of tremendous strength. Given Johnson’s proclivity for late-season heroics, it would be hard to pick against him if he makes it into the Championship 4.

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PRE S E N T E D BY

Kyle Busch

18

NUMBER OF PLAYOFF APPEARANCES

10

BEST PLAYOFF FINISH

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Kyle Busch spent most of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series regular season as the fastest driver without a race victory. But that label was removed at Pocono Raceway in late July when Busch prevailed for the first time in 2017 and for the first time ever at the “Tricky Triangle.”

Despite going deep into the season without a victory, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver’s playoff berth was never in doubt, as he was in position to make the postseason based on being solidly in the top five of the series standings. Now with a win under his belt and his No. 18 Toyota seemingly getting faster as the season wears on, Busch is suddenly one of the drivers worthy of real championship consideration.

It doesn’t hurt, of course, that he’s been part of the Championship 4 in each of the past two seasons, winning the title in 2015 and finishing third last year.

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POLE POSITION 2017

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PRE S E N T E D BY

Martin Truex Jr.

78 NUMBER OF PLAYOFF APPEARANCES

4

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When Martin Truex Jr. joined Furniture Row Racing in 2014, the Denver, Colorado-based organization was an underdog. These days, Furniture Row is one of NASCAR’s big dogs. So is Truex, who enters the playoffs after being the regular season’s most dominant driver.

“I just kind of have to pinch myself every once in a while because things are going so well,” Truex said earlier this season. “I’m such a lucky person right now.”

After earning a playoff berth in 2015, Truex shattered all expectations by reaching the Championship 4. Building on that success, Truex enjoyed a career season in 2016 when he scored a careerhigh five victories. This season, no one has been better than Truex, who owns multiple wins and more playoff points than any other driver.

Unlike 2015 when Truex was the weakest link among the Championship 4, he’ll be the favorite if he makes it back to Homestead.

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POLE POSITION 2017

BEST PLAYOFF FINISH

4th

Kyle Larson

42 NUMBER OF PLAYOFF APPEARANCES

2

BEST PLAYOFF FINISH

9th

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Kyle Larson achieved a lifelong dream in 2016 by scoring his first career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victory. This season, Larson hasn’t just won a race; he’s won multiple races – and on occasion, he’s looked darn near unbeatable.

With two victories and a slew of second-place finishes under his belt heading into the late summer stretch, Larson was in a good place as he prepared for his second trip to the playoffs. However, unlike last season when the Chip Ganassi Racing driver was widely considered a longshot for the championship, he’s now one of the favorites.

“I’m really fortunate to be driving really fast race cars right now,” Larson said. “Our cars are by far as good as they’ve ever been, really good at every race track right now. … I feel like I have a shot to win every time I go to the race track. That’s always a lot of fun.”

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NASCAR XFINITY SERIES

PRE S E N T E D BY

5 Favorites

TO WIN THE NASCAR XFINITY SERIES TITLE

1

WILLIAM BYRON: No other full-time NASCAR XFINITY Series driver has been on William Byron’s level this season.

The rookie has been everything he was cracked up to be and then some, earning three victories over a stretch of five races heading into late summer. Considering the minimal impact that Byron’s lack of experience has had on him so far, there seems to be nothing stopping him from mounting a serious title run.

2

ELLIOTT SADLER: Three times a NASCAR XFINITY Series championship runner-up – the most recent being last year, Elliott Sadler is virtually everyone’s sentimental favorite to finally walk away with the championship hardware.

For that to happen, however, the series veteran and former fulltime Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver will likely need to win a race – something that, as of press time, he had been unable to do this season.

3

JUSTIN ALLGAIER: Other than Sadler, Justin Allgaier is the most experienced of the NASCAR XFINITY Series title hopefuls.

Of course, experience alone won’t be enough to get Allgaier to the proverbial Promised Land. He’ll likely need some wins. If Allgaier can reach the playoff’s penultimate round, which is a strong possibility, Phoenix Raceway – the site of his only victory in the season’s first 19 races – will be waiting.

4

BRENNAN POOLE: The least known of the NASCAR XFINITY Series championship contenders, Brennan Poole was still in search of his first career victory approaching his 70th start in NASCAR’s No. 2 division. However, the DC Solar/Chip Ganassi Racing driver’s consistency throughout much of the season put him on solid footing for a playoff berth even while facing the possibility of not going to Victory Lane.

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POLE POSITION 2017

5

RYAN REED: Ryan Reed opened the year by winning at Daytona, but he’s been inconsistent ever since. The good news is that the Roush Fenway Racing driver finished fifth and led five laps earlier this season at Dover, which hosts the middle race in the first round of the NASCAR XFINITY Series playoffs. If Reed can repeat his Dover performance and hold his own at the other two first-round tracks, advancement is possible.

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William Byron

9

NUMBER OF PLAYOFF APPEARANCES

0

PRIMARY SPONSORS: LIBERTY UNIVERSITY, AXALTA MANUFACTURER: CHEVROLET TEAM: JR MOTORSPORTS

William Byron, the 19-year-old phenom who will drive the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series next season, has been downright impressive as a NASCAR XFINITY Series rookie with JR Motorsports.

In his first 11 races, Byron netted six top-10 finishes, a pole and a $100,000 Dash 4 Cash bonus. Then, once summer arrived, Byron got even hotter – winning three races over a five-race stretch and making his case to be considered the odds-on championship favorite.

“Our team’s race strategy has been strong so far,” Byron said. “I think we could be able to focus in on fine-tuning what we have a little better and not make major adjustments throughout the weekend so that we are able to have a little more consistency. With this, we would be able to give a little bit more concise feedback throughout the weekend to ensure that we are going in the right direction.”

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NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES

PRE S E N T E D BY

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TO WIN THE NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES TITLE

1

CHRISTOPHER BELL: Hands-down the most impressive driver of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season, 22-year-old Christopher Bell enters the playoffs armed with a clear-cut advantage attained by virtue of collecting more wins and playoff points than anyone else during the regular season. If Bell can keep up his winning ways when crunch time comes, the championship is likely his to lose.

2

JOHNNY SAUTER: Seeking to become just the second driver to win back-to-back NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championships, Johnny Sauter has a good shot. Other than Bell, Sauter has been the series’ most consistent performer this season. However, unlike last year where a third-place finish at Homestead was enough to secure his first championship, there’s a good chance Sauter will have to win the race this time around.

3

MATT CRAFTON: Although not up to his front-running form of the past several seasons, Matt Crafton has to be considered a title favorite. After all, among this year’s contenders, he’s the only one with multiple championships to his credit. Since winning those two titles – in 2013 and 2014 – Crafton has finished third (2015) and second (2016) in the standings. Those are the numbers of a consistent big-time performer.

4

JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK: In just his second full NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season, second-generation driver John Hunter Nemechek continues to turn a lot of heads after notching his first career victory back in 2015 while running only a part-time schedule.

Nemechek, the son of four-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race winner Joe Nemechek, certainly has a lot of people in the NASCAR garage rooting for him.

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POLE POSITION 2017

5

KAZ GRALA: A high school senior and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series rookie, Kaz Grala lacks the seat time of his fellow championship contenders. But the 18-year-old is not lacking in talent. Grala proved it when he punched his ticket into the playoffs by winning the season opener at Daytona from the pole.

To have a shot at the title, Grala will need to do a much better job of finishing races.

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Christopher Bell

4 NUMBER OF PLAYOFF APPEARANCES

1

BEST PLAYOFF FINISH

3rd

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Driving for the most dominant NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team of the past decade, Christopher Bell has made the most of his time at Kyle Busch Motorsports this season – and that’s putting it mildly.

In his second full year with the organization owned by Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series veteran Kyle Busch and Busch’s wife, Samantha, Bell has delivered in a big way. With a dozen races in the books this season, the 22-year-old had recorded a series-high four wins and 11 top-10 finishes – including eight top-five results.

Although Bell is young in years, his experience from 2016 – when he was part of the inaugural Truck Series Championship 4, and finished third among the quartet of title contenders – could serve him well if he gets back to Homestead with another shot at the crown.

This year, Bell has certainly looked every bit the part of a driver well-positioned to win his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship.

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DRIVER SPOTLIGHT

XFINITY SERIES

CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES

ROSS CHASTAIN

TOMMY JOE MARTINS

Ross Chastain knows a thing or two about watermelons.

The eighth-generation farmer is known for protecting his melon, both on and off the track. Chastain, 24, competes full time in the NASCAR XFINITY Series for JD Motorsports, often with watermelon logos on his car. With the expectation of simply finishing races, he is quite thankful to be at the track.

“The whole racing thing has gotten more humbling the longer I’ve done it,” Chastain said. “There are a lot of good race car drivers out there and a lot of guys that know a lot more than me. Working to get better on the track is one thing, but off the track is where I’ve had to step it up the most.”

In June, the Florida native received the call he had always dreamed about. Team owner Johnny Davis worked out a deal with Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series car owner Jay Robinson, giving Chastain a chance to race at the sport’s highest level.

“I can’t even put it into words, man,” he said. “When I first got the call about the idea of it and what I thought, I wasn’t too sure. I asked myself, ‘Would I be prepared?’ Once they explained everything to me, even off the track stuff that is going into this program and looking at the big picture with more than just one race on Sunday, it opened my eyes that this is the right move.”

Chastain earned an impressive 20th-place finish that day at Dover International Speedway.

CAREER STATS Before making the jump to the NASCAR XFINITY Series, Chastain’s focus was in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series where he earned five top-five results and 12 top-10 finishes. This year, he’s also run a few Truck Series races for Bolen Motorsports, tallying two top10 results in seven contests. In NASCAR XFINITY Series competition, he had seven career top-10 finishes as of Aug 1.

Driver-owners are as rare as a blood moon in today’s NASCAR. But after years of struggling to find a competitive ride, 30-year-old Tommy Joe Martins and his father took it upon themselves to do the unthinkable – they started their own team.

Building Martins Motorsports from scratch, the family operation is making the most of a limited budget. Splitting the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season among several drivers, including Tommy Joe himself, they have built the No. 44 team into a respectable effort in the garage area.

“I get mad if we don’t run well,” said Martins, a native of Como, Mississippi. “I have nothing else to think about other than showing up and doing my job as a driver.”

The Martins’ operation is one of many mid-level teams trying to survive in today’s economic environment. Each week, Tommy Joe Martins worries about purchasing tires, damaging his vehicle, travel costs and all of the responsibilities that he takes on as a team owner and driver.

Thanks to social media, Martins is able to voice his opinions on how NASCAR can help smaller teams succeed and, more importantly, grow.

“It’s really important to me,” he said. “I think I’m bringing up things that need to be talked about. No one ever wants to talk about money in racing, but it’s the only thing that matters. In some weird way, I think I’ve become the poster boy for speaking out for small teams.”

CAREER STATS Martins has been competing in the upper divisions of NASCAR since 2009, running four races in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series that season. His best Truck Series finish is 15th at Michigan International Speedway in 2015. His best result in a handful of NASCAR XFINITY Series starts came earlier this season when he finished 11th at Iowa Speedway while driving for B.J. McLeod Motorsports.

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POLE POSITION 2017

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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. 8 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. 7 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

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

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

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POLE POSITION 2017