NASCAR Pole Position 2019 Aug/Sep Edition

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BET YOU DIDN’T KNOW

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TIRES KEY IN DARLINGTON DEBUT

Bubba Goes Legend Car Racing Bubba Wallace, driver of the No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, returned to his racing roots this summer, driving a Legend Car in the Bojangles’ Summer Shootout on Charlotte Motor Speedway’s frontstretch quarter-mile oval.

■ “It’s great to be able to come back to my roots and race a series that I have such a passion for,” Wallace said. “The last few years, I’ve been trying to figure out if I should race a couple of Legend Car events, and if I did, how I’d go about making that happen. This year, the stars aligned, so I called the guy that helped me out in Legends years ago, Chris Rogers, and next thing you know we’re building a car.”

NEWMAN’S ‘RAIN MAN’ RIDE

M

onster Energy NASCAR Cup Series veteran Ryan Newman, who wheels the No. 6 Oscar Mayer Ford for Roush Fenway Racing, is an automotive aficionado whose garage is filled with more than 20 classic cars and trucks.

The centerpiece of Newman’s collection is a 1949 Buick Roadmaster convertible, one of four cars used during production of the 1988 hit movie “Rain Main.” Newman received the car as a 30th birthday present from his wife, Krissie.

Newman’s collection also includes a 1969 Chevrolet Camaro, a 1974 Triumph TR-6, a 1953 Plymouth Cranbrook, a replica of the General Lee from “The Dukes of Hazard,” a 1949 Jaguar XK120, a 1928 Ford roadster hot rod, a 1936 Ford 3-window coupe and a “Sanford and Son” replica 1949 Ford F-150 pickup.

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POLE POSITION 2019

TIRE SELECTION PROVED TO BE THE DECIDING factor in Johnny Mantz winning the inaugural Southern 500 on Sept. 4, 1950, at South Carolina’s Darlington Raceway.

A AAA Champ Car race winner from Long Beach, California, Mantz was a late addition to the entry list for NASCAR’s first 500-mile event, and he knew the race would overtax the traditional passenger car tires of the day. As a result, he opted to run hard-compound truck tires on his 1950 Plymouth.

Mantz lined up 43rd in the 75-car field after recording the slowest qualifying speed (73.460 mph), but needed only 50 laps to take command of the race. He led the final 350 laps while watching his rivals repeatedly retreat to the pit area to replace blown tires.

CHANGE IN PHILOSOPHY CAPTURING THE 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturers’ Championship was the culmination of a strategy change Ford Motor Co. executives made four years earlier.

“It was a conscious decision at the highest level of the company,” said Mark Rushbrook, global director of Ford Performance. “The discussion – and I was lucky enough to be in that very

small discussion – was that it seemed like we were in racing at that point in time in 2014, but we were really in racing just to be in it, not necessarily in it to win.”

That’s when the corporate mindset shifted and winning races and championships became Ford’s priority. As a result, the Ford Performance Tech Center debuted and the motorsports engineering team grew from seven to 45 people.

WINNING IN ALASKA During an off weekend from the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series in late May, owner/ driver Jordan Anderson ventured north and raced a Late Model at Alaska Raceway Park, a NASCARsanctioned track in Palmer, Alaska.

Anderson won the 10-lap qualifying race to earn the pole for the main event. The native of Forest Hills, South Carolina, then topped the 60-lap feature as he beat track point leader Dana Pruhs to the checkered flag.

“What a day!!” Anderson posted on Twitter.

“We grabbed the pole, had a great race with several battles for the lead, and brought home the win at the @AlaskaRaceway Park!! Thankful for @bobaru (Bobby Reuse) & @Rogreu (Roger Reuse) giving me the opportunity to come run their car. I love Alaska!”

BY KEITH WALTZ | PHOTOGRAPHY: CMS/JOHN DAVISON

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Behind the Scenes in 2019

FROM TOP-TO-BOTTOM:

■■ A FRIENDLY FAN. Joey Logano talks with an enthusiastic fan during practice for the Foxwoods Resort Casino 301.

■■ STAGE DIVING. Kurt Busch celebrates with his crew members after winning the Quaker State 400 Presented by Walmart at Kentucky Speedway.

■■ FROM THE GRID TO THE GRIDIRON. Bubba Wallace throws a football to fans during a weather delay for the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona.

■■ A PATRIOTIC PASSION. A look at the haircut worn by Austin Dillon prior to the Camping World 400 at Chicagoland Speedway.

■■ WINE COUNTRY. Fans watch racing action during the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway.

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POLE POSITION 2019

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CELEBRATING 50 YEARS

MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP DRIVER PROFILES PRESENTED BY

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58 MY GREATEST DAY

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NASCAR POLE POSITION AN OFFICIALLY LICENSED PUBLICATION OF NASCAR

45. HOW THE PLAYOFFS WORK 46. HOT TOPICS 48. 5 TRAITS OF A NASCAR CHAMPION 50. TRACKS OF THE MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES PLAYOFFS

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POLE POSITION 2019

BACK TO THE FUTURE

22. NASCAR HISTORY

36. SEAL THE DEAL

26. WHO I AM

74. WOMEN OF NASCAR

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PIT PASS

79 06. GREEN FLAG 14. SPOTLIGHT: JEB BURTON 24. MADE IN THE USA 28. SPOTLIGHT: ROXOR 32. NASCAR HEALTH 34. FAVORITE FINDS 38. TAILGATING

40. NASCAR BUILDS 42. TOOLS OF THE TRADE 72. XFINITY SERIES 76. GANDER OUTDOORS TRUCK SERIES 80. ENASCAR

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GREEN FLAG Introducing Youngsters to iRacing

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ASCAR and World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway partnered with the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation to launch an iRacing league that started in June. The center, located in East St. Louis, Illinois, provides afterschool, summer and academic programming for youth in underserved communities. NASCAR provided iRacing rigs to the center as well as the required equipment and software for iRacing and NASCAR Heat 3. iRacing is the leading sim-racing software. Developed as a centralized racing and competition service, iRacing organizes, hosts and officiates races on virtual tracks around the world. NASCAR launched eNASCAR in 2018, including three main series: The eNASCAR PEAK Antifreeze iRacing Series, featuring virtual replicas of Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series cars; the eNASCAR Ignite Series, the first youth racing competition on iRacing to attract and identify young talent; and the eNASCAR Heat Pro League, featuring 14 of the top NASCAR teams battling for supremacy on NASCAR Heat 3.

NASCAR XFINITY Series standout Christopher Bell says he’ll be back with Joe Gibbs Racing next season, though he’s unsure which NASCAR series will be his focus.

Bell, 24, has extended his contract with the Toyota-backed team, which has fielded his cars since he joined the Xfinity Series part time in 2017.

BY DAN GUTTENPLAN | PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

The Motorsports Hall of Fame of America will induct its Class of 2020 during the 32nd annual Induction Celebration next March in Daytona Beach, Florida. The class includes NASCAR’s first champion Robert “Red” Byron (Historic), NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick (Stock Cars) and Daytona 500 winner Tiny Lund (Historic), among others. Next year marks the fifth consecutive induction ceremony in Daytona Beach since the MSHFA moved to Daytona International Speedway in 2016.

The paint scheme on Daniel Hemric’s No. 8 Chevrolet during the annual NASCAR Throwback weekend at Darlington Raceway will honor the history and legacy of Caterpillar.

Instead of a tribute to an old race car, RCR will recognize the history of sponsor Caterpillar with the scheme. Hemric’s car, with battleship gray and orange colors, is inspired by the design of CAT equipment and the logo used on them from the company’s launch in 1925 until 1931.

For a look at more Darlington paint schemes, visit page 16.

INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY CORP. announced its “Proud Partner” status with the Veteran Tickets Foundation (Vet Tix), an organization that provides event tickets through its Tickets for Troops program to all branches of currently serving military and veterans, including immediate family of troops killed in action.

ISC’s Proud Partner designation spans across its 12 motorsports entertainment facilities throughout the U.S. that host NASCAR racing.

ISC’s partnership includes hosting military service members and veterans and providing unique event experiences for them, as well as at-track activation at races through the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway in February 2020.

Through the agreement, ISC tracks will participate in a social media campaign where fans may nominate a military member to win a race-day experience.

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POLE POSITION 2019

TORNADO AND POWR-FLITE ARE TEAMING UP WITH Front Row Motorsports through the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season. Powr-Flite will serve as an associate sponsor on the No. 38 Ford driven by David Ragan at Texas Motor Speedway in March. Tornado will be an associate sponsor on Michael McDowell’s No. 34 Ford for the same race.

Tacony also becomes the Official Cleaning Partner of Front Row Motorsports. Known for its innovative history and worldclass equipment, Tornado has been a recognized leader in commercial cleaning since 1927. Powr-Flite has been a leader in the commercial floor care industry for more than 50 years.

Longtime NASCAR pit reporter and magazine editor Dick Berggren has been named by the NASCAR Hall of Fame as the recipient of the 2020 Squier-Hall Award for NASCAR Media Excellence. Berggren becomes the ninth journalist to win the prestigious award named after Ken Squier and Barney Hall, the first two recipients.

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP PLANS to present a Presidential Medal of Freedom to Roger Penske, the owner of Team Penske.

“He’s very deserving. He’s a great gentleman,” the President said. “I’ve known him a long time, and he’s a very brilliant guy.”

Trump spoke with Penske to inform him of the honor, and said Penske is “very thrilled” to be receiving the nation’s highest civilian commendation.

Penske later issued a statement.

“It is truly an honor to be recognized by President Trump and awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom,” he said. “I am humbled by the President’s acknowledgement of our achievements in business, in motorsports and in our community. Thank you to President Trump for this special recognition. On behalf of my wife, Kathy, our family and our nearly 65,000 team members worldwide, it will be my privilege to accept this prestigious award.”

NASCAR Heat 4 Fueled by Fans

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ast year’s iteration of 704Games’ hit series NASCAR Heat 3 was a landmark for the franchise, most notably for launching the eNASCAR Heat Pro League. Now, company officials are looking to build on that success with help from the fans.

“Over the years, the NASCAR video game has built a large and passionate fan base, and when developing this game, we made sure many of their voices were heard,” said Colin Smith, president of 704Games.

The latest entry has “incorporated a number of features and improvements recommended by the NASCAR Heat community.”

This includes the much-rumored improved physics model, along with being able to start the single-player campaign from the Xtreme Dirt Tour, Gander Outdoors Trucks, Xfinity Series or Cup Series.

“As someone who has played NASCAR Heat 4, and has given feedback to make this game fun, you guys are going to enjoy this game a lot,” Joey Stone, esports driver for RCR, wrote on Twitter.

These updates are on top of an even deeper career mode, and Tony Stewart’s dirt-racing team, Smoke Racing, joining 704Games’ hit fantasy series, Xtreme Dirt Tour.

“My passion for dirt racing is well-documented, so to play such a big part in that experience in NASCAR Heat 4 is exciting,” said Stewart, who is featured on the game cover. –Josh Mull

■■ NASCAR Heat 4 can be preordered for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC, and will arrive in September.

Back to the Future

Here is a snapshot of the throwback paint schemes you can expect to see during the Bojangles’ Southern 500 at legendary Darlington Raceway in September.

NASCAR XFINITY SERIES

DALE EARNHARDT JR. NO. 8 HELLMANN’S CHEVROLET TRIBUTE TO DALE EARNHARDT SR.

As a third-generation racer, Dale Earnhardt Jr. understands the importance of family, hard work and heritage. Hellmann’s and Earnhardt Jr. will put this on full display during the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Darlington Raceway.

Earnhardt Jr.’s No. 8 Hellmann’s Chevrolet draws inspiration from the same classic design the elder Earnhardt piloted in his first NASCAR Cup Series start on May 25, 1975, at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The 2019 version mirrors the blue-and-yellow livery, showcases a similar font and recreates the vintage style of the No. 8 on the door panels and roof.

“This is something I’ve been wanting to do for a while,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “We had the perfect opportunity with the Darlington throwback race and I couldn’t pass up the chance. Hellmann’s has been completely supportive from the beginning and the whole concept aligns well with their core values.”

MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES

RYAN NEWMAN NO. 6 OSCAR MAYER FORD TRIBUTE TO MARK MARTIN

The No. 6 Oscar Mayer throwback paint scheme pays homage to Mark Martin’s 1993 Ford that scored Jack Roush’s first Southern 500 victory.

Reimagined in Oscar Mayer colors, the iconic Wienermobile was also on hand for a public relations event during which the throwback scheme was unveiled.

“I think the scheme looks great,” said Ryan Newman. “Darlington is my favorite track on the circuit and the Southern 500 is one of the best events on our schedule. I can’t wait to come back here in September and see if we can put this No. 6 back in Victory Lane.”

ALEX BOWMAN

AUSTIN DILLON

Alex Bowman will pilot a No. 88 Axalta Chevrolet with a throwback paint scheme that pays homage to what Bowman considers the “most iconic car” Tim Richmond drove.

“I was always a big Tim Richmond fan,” Bowman said. “I’ve kind of joked around about wanting to do a Tim Richmond throwback for as long as I’ve been driving for Hendrick Motorsports.”

Austin Dillon’s scheme on the No. 3 American Ethanol Chevrolet for the annual NASCAR Throwback weekend at Darlington Raceway will honor his grandfather Richard Childress’ black-and-gold No. 3.

NO. 88 AXALTA CHEVROLET TRIBUTE TO TIM RICHMOND

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POLE POSITION 2019

NO. 3 AMERICAN ETHANOL CHEVROLET TRIBUTE TO RICHARD CHILDRESS

BY JOE HANGER | PHOTOGRAPHY: COURTESY RACE TEAMS

CHASE ELLIOTT

NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CHEVROLET TRIBUTE TO BILL ELLIOTT The Elliott family heritage runs deep in NASCAR, and once again this season, Chase Elliott will pay tribute his father, Bill Elliott, with a paint scheme that’s “in his blood.”

The throwback paint scheme on Elliott’s No. 9 Chevrolet will be based on the last car Bill Elliott ran for his father’s (George Elliott) team in 1981.

“It’s always a cool thing to be able to honor family or throw back to something within your own blood,” Chase Elliott said. “I have enjoyed doing that the past couple years. I felt like it was another good opportunity to do so, kind of fits the NAPA colors, car looks good and hopefully it goes fast.”

DENNY HAMLIN

NO. 11 FEDEX TOYOTA TRIBUTE TO DARRELL WALTRIP FedEx offered Denny Hamlin the opportunity to design his throwback paint scheme for Darlington, with a twist. Hamlin needed to design two schemes and have Joe Gibbs Racing employees vote on which one would hit the track for the Southern 500.

Hamlin chose to honor Darrell Waltrip with two iconic paint schemes.

The shop voted in early June for a car similar to the one Waltrip drove to his final NASCAR Cup Series win – at Darlington – in 1992.

“When FedEx asked me to design my Darlington scheme, it was right around the time that Darrell announced his retirement, so it was an easy decision for me,” Hamlin said. “Darrell carried the banner for the No. 11 car for so many years, and I’ll be proud to drive this throwback scheme in his honor in September.”

DAVID RAGAN

NO. 38 SHRINERS HOSPITALS FOR CHILDREN FORD TRIBUTE TO DAVID PEARSON Front Row Motorsports, Shriners International and Shriners Hospitals for Children will honor and remember fellow Shriner David Pearson during the Southern 500. David Ragan, a Shiner himself, will drive the car that will replicate the livery of the Holman-Moody Ford Tornio Cobra that Pearson raced to his third and final NASCAR Cup Series championship 50 years ago in 1969; the same year Pearson became a Shriner.

“When you remember or read about David Pearson, it’s all about the success he had on the track, and his legendary and Hall of Fame career,” said Ragan. “On the 50th anniversary of his last championship, and in one of the most iconic cars in our sport, we wanted to honor David Pearson and keep his memory alive. But we also want his sons and family to talk about David away from the track and what he enjoyed about being a Shriner.

This is going to be a great platform to do all of that. I’m humbled that I’ll get to race this car in honor of David, the Shriners and the Shriners Hospitals for Children.”

POLE POSITION MAG.COM

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SPOTLIGHT Burton and State Water Heaters: A Special Partnership

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he days of Ward Burton driving the black, blue and orange State Water Heaters race car are long gone, but one of NASCAR’s most loyal sponsors continues to support the sport. Burton, the 2002 Daytona 500 winner, stopped racing more than a decade ago. However, his 27-year-old son, Jeb Burton, is carrying the family name proudly.

Since breaking into NASCAR in 2012, the younger Burton has been one of the sport’s top prospects. First, he competed for NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series titles in 2013 and 2014, followed by a rapid ascent to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in 2015.

Ever since, he’s bounced between Cup and Xfinity Series rides, attempting to show he can indeed get the job done. Last year, he ran only three races. This season, he’s running a chunk of contests for JR Motorsports and impressing the field with his raw speed. Thanks to the support of State Water Heaters, Burton has the chance to showcase his talent.

What’s the journey been like for you this season?

It’s been pretty good. We’ve had a couple of decent runs, but we’d like to run a little better. So far, we’ve been doing well. We want to be even better at Bristol.

How important is your relationship with State Water Heaters?

They have helped me for the longest time, and they were part of dad’s career, too. They’ve been a great partner throughout my whole career. I’m hoping to get them to Victory Lane. They’ve never won a race in NASCAR. We’ve been close, but we haven’t gotten it done. They won with me in Late Models, though.

You’re a proven Truck Series winner, but what are you missing to win in the Xfinity Series?

I’ve never been in good equipment on the Xfinity Series side. We’ve had a couple of good runs this year, but I never had good equipment until now.

Does your mentality change once you get in good equipment?

It does a little bit. You need to tell yourself that you can win, whether you’re in good equipment or not. You gotta do what you gotta do.

This partnership with State Water Heaters dates back to well over a decade with your dad. You guys even do appearances and photo shoots together. What’s it like to work with a company that supports your family?

It’s really special. State Water Heaters is a part of my family. Without their support, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

How hard is it mentally to be a parttime driver when you know you’re capable of competing each week?

It’s not easy. You just have to know that the races you have, you have to make the most of them. It’s definitely frustrating, but it is what it is. You have to keep working to get where we want to be.

So where do you want to be?

I would like to run a lot more races at JRM next year. We’re working on that now.

We have four more races at JRM left this year. Hopefully, we can finish in the top five for those and have a shot to win. Next year, we’ll do the same thing and keep working with our partners to go full time in 2021.

I feel like we just have to keep going.

BY JOSEPH WOLKIN | PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

Celebrating

50 Years NASCAR HALL OF FAME DISPLAY HONORS RICHARD CHILDRESS

A

mong the many exhibits at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in uptown Charlotte sits an amazing display of the life and career of one of NASCAR’s most successful drivers and team owners.

The Only in America exhibit celebrates the 50th anniversary of Richard Childress Racing and its founder, 2017 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee Richard Childress, through artifacts, race cars, images and audio/video displays.

Childress’ incredible success story began with a $20 race car in the early 1960s and over five decades transformed into 218 victories and 11 championships spanning NASCAR’s top three series.

The exhibit opened in May and will remain in place until Feb. 8.

From a young age, the former racer at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, had a plan to become a NASCAR driver. He raced locally during the early 1960s before being given a chance to compete in a NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway in 1969.

For 12 seasons, Childress competed in what is now the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series

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POLE POSITION 2019

but never visited Victory Lane. Still, his six top-five finishes and 76 top-10 results in 285 starts were impressive for someone without financial backing from Detroit’s Big Three auto manufacturers.

Childress retired from driving in 1981 and turned his No. 3 Chevrolet over to a young rising star named Dale Earnhardt. The two parted ways in 1982 with a plan to reunite in 1984. The iconic driver and team owner remained together through the season-opening Daytona 500 in 2001 when Earnhardt lost his life in a last-lap crash.

Together, they amassed 67 of Earnhardt’s 76 victories as well as six of Earnhardt’s seven NASCAR Cup Series championships.

Earnhardt’s tragic loss resulted in Kevin Harvick being promoted to NASCAR Cup Series competition, winning in only his third series start at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 2001. Harvick collected 22 of his 45 Cup Series wins in RCR Chevrolets, including the prestigious Brickyard 400 in 2003 and Daytona 500 in 2007.

Drivers Ricky Rudd, Clint Bowyer, Robby Gordon, Jeff Burton and Ryan Newman also claimed NASCAR Cup Series victories for RCR.

BY BEN WHITE | PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

On display at the NASCAR Hall of Fame are the 1987 Chevrolet Monte Carlo driven by Earnhardt, Harvick’s 2007 Daytona 500-winning Chevrolet Monte Carlo, a 1976 Chevrolet Laguna Childress drove and the Chevrolet Monte Carlo Rudd wheeled to RCR’s first victory Riverside International Raceway in 1983.

There’s also a Chevrolet Austin Dillion drove during his NASCAR Xfinity Series championship season in 2013 and a Chevrolet he has driven in NASCAR’s Monster Energy Cup Series this season. Dillon’s Cup Series victories include the 2017 Daytona 500 and 2018 Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

“Who would have thought that a $20 investment more than 50 years ago would have grown into the organization that RCR is today,” said Childress.

“I’m very proud of RCR’s accomplishments, from race wins to championships and the many drivers, employees and partners who have been associated with our race team along the way. I’m most proud of the relationships we’ve formed and the many race fans that support us each weekend.”

POLE POSITION MAG.COM

17

NASCAR PETS Hemric’s Yorkie: ‘She’s Wide-Open’

P

rior to competing in a big Legend Car race at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2010, Daniel Hemric and his then-driver girlfriend, Kenzie, made a deal.

“She said if she won, she’d give me the option to get something that I wanted, and vice versa,” Hemric, now a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series rookie, said of the woman he later married. “Well, lo and beyond, I end up winning the race, so her choice was a puppy. We started doing some research, and she was dead-set on getting a Teacup Yorkie, which at max is three-and-a-half pounds. I had always wanted a big dog, so it was really a lot for me to cope with.”

The dog that Daniel and Kenzie ultimately settled on is now 9 years old, weighing in at all of three pounds.

“I’ve been waiting nine years for her

to get bigger, and she hasn’t,” Daniel said with a laugh. “That big, manly dog I was talking about wanting, it didn’t exactly turn out that way.”

Millie the Teacup Yorkie is full of personality but small enough for Daniel and Kenzie to take her with them on the road each weekend to the race track.

“She’s wide-open,” Daniel said. “Her being 9 years old now, we always think she’s going to start slowing down, and she hasn’t. If she’s awake and we’re both at home, she’s wanting to play ball or do something. She’s definitely full of it.”

Now long-since recovered from his best-laid plans for a larger pet, Daniel wouldn’t trade Millie for the world.

“I never thought I could love a little animal so much, but she’s definitely been a big blessing for my wife and I,” he said.

PRESENTED BY

BY JARED TURNER

M4E1 LOWER RECEIVER

FOR THE RECORD Q&A WITH NASCAR LEGEND

Dale Inman

D

ale Inman, a 2012 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee, is one of NASCAR’s greatest and most iconic crew chiefs. The longtime fixture at Petty Enterprises and Richard Petty Motorsports is the only crew chief to win eight Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championships and seven Daytona 500s – those victories coming with his cousin, Richard Petty, behind the wheel. The NASCAR legend recently shared his interesting insights on growing up with the Pettys, building a racing dynasty and his love for racing.

When did you know you would be working in NASCAR as a career?

I would say it just kind of happened really. My first salary for working on race cars and working with the team was in 1963. But I started going to races with the Pettys in 1951. Richard didn’t start driving until 1958. I’m not sure it was a career then, but I had just started working full time. I had different jobs. I made my living at something else and went with them on the weekends. I didn’t go up north with them but would come down to Daytona and other tracks. It’s what I’ve done most of my life.

What did you and Richard do as kids?

■■ Dale Inman, left Golly, we played football in high school.

I was a running back and he was a lineman, believe it or not. We played offense and defense. Richard was a good and strong football player. Then there was a swimming hole we would go to called Polecat Creek. I’m not sure if it wasn’t just a mud hole. In those days there weren’t any McDonald’s and things like that. I grew up without a telephone and Richard did, too. We were up in years before we had a television. You had to just about entertain yourself. A lot of time was spent on Lee Petty’s race car. Lee did most of it but before we could go pitch horseshoes or do the things we did back then his car was ready to race. We had bicycles and built a little race track to race our bicycles on. But we had to make sure the race car was pretty much ready to go before we could do anything.

Did you ever think about becoming a race car driver?

No, not really. Lee probably would have let me. Maurice (Petty, Richard’s brother) drove some. I guess I used the excuse that I could see myself tearing up a race car that didn’t belong to me. I was pretty well content to work on Richard’s car.

How did you become chief mechanic (today’s crew chief) for Petty Enterprises?

I don’t know. Someone had to lead the team. I don’t know why I stood up, but I guess I did. They use the phrase, and I’ve been thought of as the person that created the crew chief title a lot of years ago. Even back then, I still drove the truck (team transporter), changed tires and worked on the car. But Richard has

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even helped us drive the truck home after winning a race that same day.

Tell us about the chemistry between you and Richard over the past 60 years of racing.

I guess you can say we just jelled. We were born within a half mile of each other, as the crow flies. We were together all through school. Maurice was there with us, too. I just don’t know life without the Pettys.

You are listed as having nearly 200 career victories as a NASCAR Cup Series crew chief.

What does that mean to you?

I think it’s 193 or something like that. When we were doing it, I wasn’t even sure they were keeping records. I had no idea there would eventually be a NASCAR Hall of Fame. I feel so fortunate to have gone in with the third class of inductees (2012).

I won a bunch with Richard and a few with Tim Richmond and Terry Labonte. I was with the Pettys when Lee won the first Daytona 500 in 1959. I also saw the last race NASCAR held on the beach in 1958 (won by Paul Goldsmith).

You’re the only crew chief to win eight Cup Series championships, seven with Richard and one with Terry Labonte. What does that mean?

I don’t dwell on it. It’s just a record that’s out there.

It’s out there for someone to beat. There are probably some records that Richard has that are still out there.

I don’t see anyone ever winning more than 200 Cup races like Richard has. To be a part of that all ties together and that’s just what we did through life.

What do you do when you’re away from the race track?

(Laughs) On Dec. 20, Mary and I will be married for 60 years. We watch a lot of television. We are focused on the Charlotte Hornets in basketball and Atlanta Braves in baseball.

How did the iconic Petty blue come about?

We had an Oldsmobile in 1957 and all of the cars came to us painted white. One season we were getting ready to paint a car and had only so much royal blue and so much white, but not enough to paint the whole car. So we mixed the two and that’s what we came up with. People have called it Petty blue forever.

What would you like for people to remember you by when your career is finished?

I would like for people to say I was dedicated to the Petty organization and dedicated to NASCAR. If that wasn’t true, I wouldn’t still be here. I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t dedicated to Richard. Eventually, both of us will have to stop coming because (the travel) will catch up to us. I feel like I get a lot more respect than I really deserve. I’m very thankful to be a part of it all.

BY BEN WHITE | PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

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NASCAR HISTORY NASCAR LEGEND

Davey Allison Davey Allison entered his first NASCAR Cup Series race on July 28, 1985, at Talladega Superspeedway.

All told, he competed in 191 Cup Series events, winning 19 and finishing among the top five 66 times.

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Born in Hollywood, Florida, on Feb. 25, 1961, Allison began sorting nuts and bolts in his father’s race shop in Hueytown, Alabama, as a child.

He kept his grades just high enough in school to meet his parent’s approval to race on Alabama’s storied short tracks. By Allison’s senior year in high school, he knew every part of the race car and was a master mechanic.

His father, 1983 NASCAR Cup Series champion Bobby Allison, encouraged him to race and gave him proper instruction. Davey Allison often competed at a variety of tracks with friends and cousins helping as his pit crew.

By the early 1980s, the youngster had established himself as a strong superspeedway racer in the ARCA series. When prominent NASCAR Cup Series team owner Hoss Ellington needed a driver, he called upon this young star to wheel a Chevrolet for a team his uncle Donnie Allison had already made famous.

Another call from championship team owner Junior Johnson to fill in for the injured Neil Bonnett in 1986 got his career off the ground.

When Cale Yarborough left team owner Harry Ranier to form his own Cup Series operation in 1987, Davey Allison was given his best opportunity to date.

Ranier sold his team to Robert Yates in 1988 and together, Yates and Allison collected 19 Cup Series victories amid several championship challenges.

While attempting to land his helicopter in the infield at Talladega Superspeedway in July 1993, Allison crashed and suffered fatal injuries.

THERE’S NO QUESTION IN MY MIND THAT I WILL FINISH OUT MY CAREER AS A DRIVER IN NASCAR WITH ROBERT YATES. I SIMPLY DON’T WANT TO DRIVE FOR ANYONE ELSE.

BEST SEASON DURING THE 1992 season, Davey Allison won five NASCAR Cup Series races, including the prestigious Daytona 500. He recorded 15 top-five finishes and 17 top-10 results in 29 starts, driving Yates Racing’s No. 28 Ford. His best starts that year came with poles at Michigan and Pocono.

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RECORD SETTER ALLISON FINISHED third in both the 1991 and 1992 NASCAR Cup Series championship battles, posting 10 wins over two seasons. A crash triggered by another driver in the final race of 1992 at Atlanta took him out of contention and ended his best shot at claiming the title.

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A TOUGH COMPETITOR in everything he drove, Allison developed a reputation for using his talent for getting the most out of his cars and often won in them. He was also a huge fan favorite with a large following throughout a driving career tragically cut short by a helicopter accident.

BY BEN WHITE | PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

RACE REWIND

Title No. 3 for Lee Petty

I

n 1959, Lee Petty, a resident of Level Cross, North Carolina, won 11 races, including the inaugural Daytona 500, on short tracks and superspeedways and earned his third NASCAR premier series championship.

Petty was in his 11th year of racing in NASCAR’s premier series after making his first start during the inaugural season of competition in 1949. He fielded his own Oldsmobile and Plymouth with help from sons Richard and Maurice Petty, as well as nephew Dale Inman.

Richard Petty was also in his second season of NASCAR competition after winning rookie-of-the-year honors in 1958.

Lee Petty had already claimed championships on the elite stock car circuit in 1954 and again in 1958. He was on top of his game as the defending champion and was poised to put together another successful season.

His closest rival, Cotton Owens of Spartanburg, South Carolina, was also a mechanic-turned driver and had established himself as a winner on many southern short tracks. Owens managed to score a victory at Richmond Raceway late in the season, while his 22 top-10 finishes kept him in the title hunt with Petty.

From the beginning of the season, Petty set the pace after winning the Daytona 500 over Johnny Beauchamp in a controversial photo-finish. Like Owens, Petty also performed well and kept his name at the top of the win column.

After 10 additional victories on short tracks, Petty secured his third title by winning two of the final three races of the year. All told, Petty logged 27 top-five finishes and 35 top-10 results in 42 starts that season. He won the title over Owens by 974 points.

1959 BEST DRIVER LEE PETTY, DRIVER OF THE NO. 42 Petty Enterprises Oldsmobile and Plymouth, was a careful racer while managing to keep his cars up front throughout the 44-race NASCAR schedule. Petty only fell out of eight races that year due to broken axles, engine issues and one crash. The 45year old driver kept his overall plan in sight and captured his third title with overwhelming dominance. It came through careful driving and careful maintenance of his cars.

SEASON RECAP DATE November 19 February 20 February 22 March 1 March 8 March 22 March 29 March 30 April 4 April 5 April 26 May 2 May 3 May 17 May 22 May 24 May 30 June 5 June 13 June 14 June 18 June 20 June 21 June 27 June 28 July 4 July 21 July 26 August 1 August 2 August 9 August 16 August 21 August 22 August 29 September 7 September 11 September 13 September 13 September 20 September 27 October 11 October 18 October 25

LOCATION Champion Speedway Daytona International Speedway Daytona International Speedway Orange Speedway Concord Speedway Lakewood Speedway Wilson Speedway Bowman Gray Stadium Columbia Speedway North Wilkesboro Speedway Reading Speedway Hickory Speedway Martinsville Speedway Trenton Speedway Charlotte Fairgrounds Fairground Speedway Nashville Ascot Stadium Hub City Speedway Greenville-Pickens Speedway Lakewood Speedway Columbia Speedway Wilson Speedway Richmond Raceway Bowman Gray Stadium Asheville-Weaverville Speedway Daytona International Speedway Heidelberg Raceway Charlotte Fairgrounds Rambi Raceway Charlotte Fairgrounds Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville Asheville-Weaverville Speedway Bowman Gray Stadium Greenville-Pickens Speedway Columbia Speedway Darlington Raceway Hickory Speedway Richmond Raceway Sacramento Fairgrounds Orange Speedway Martinsville Speedway Asheville-Weaverville Speedway North Wilkesboro Speedway Concord Speedway

WINNER Bob Welborn Bob Welborn Lee Petty Curtis Turner Curtis Turner Johnny Beauchamp Junior Johnson Jim Reed Jack Smith Lee Petty Junior Johnson Junior Johnson Lee Petty Tom Pistone Lee Petty Rex White Parnelli Jones Jack Smith Junior Johnson Lee Petty Lee Petty Junior Johnson Tom Pistone Rex White Rex White Fireball Roberts Jim Reed Jack Smith Ned Jarrett Ned Jarrett Joe Lee Johnson Bob Welborn Rex White Buck Baker Lee Petty Jim Reed Lee Petty Cotton Owens Eddie Gray Lee Petty Rex White Lee Petty Lee Petty Jack Smith

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BEST RACE ON FEB. 22, 1959, PETTY battled Johnny Beauchamp for the victory in the inaugural Daytona 500, crossing under the checkered flag with Joe Weatherly alongside, one lap down. Both Petty and Beauchamp went to Victory Lane with the win initially going to Beauchamp. Three days later, a photograph shot near the start-finish line proved Petty was the winner. He was given the winner’s trophy at his home in North Carolina.

TOP CARS THE 1959 OLDSMOBILE Lee Petty owned and maintained from his Level Cross, North Carolina, shop, producing 11 wins, 27 top-five finishes and 35 top-10 results.

THE 1959 PONTIAC Cotton Owens owned and maintained at his shop in Spartanburg, South Carolina, producing one win, 13 top-five results and 22 top-10 finishes.

POLE POSITION MAG.COM

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ho likes spilling gasoline when you’re simply trying to fuel up your lawnmower?

Thanks to a revolutionary, highly sophisticated but easy-to-use product appropriately dubbed the “SureCan,” pouring gas doesn’t have to be so frustrating anymore. In fact, the SureCan makes pouring a downright enjoyable experience.

“The most important benefit that people see right off is it’s just easier to use,” said Brad Ouderkirk, the founder and CEO of SureCan, Inc. “It takes all the pain out of it. When you are filling anything up, you can hold the can in a comfortable position, you can see what you are filling up and you’re not standing on your head.”

Ouderkirk owned a cabinet shop where he built custom cabinets when he first conceived the SureCan concept about 10 years ago.

“There was an awful lot of wood in that first prototype since that was what I had,” Ouderkirk recalled. “I put it all together and started showing

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my new gas can prototype to everyone who would listen, and then asked them if this was something they would buy if it was on the market. I just got a resounding, ‘Yes, if that thing was available, I would take one in a second.’”

After some eight years of dreaming, planning, development and testing, the SureCan was ready to hit the stores in the spring of 2015. Now, it’s being sold by all the major outdoors retailers – Lowe’s, Menards, Tractor Supply and Ace Hardware.

Meanwhile, SureCan, Inc. – headquartered in Utah but with its factory in Lebanon, Tennessee – has more than tripled in size.

“People have really taken to our gas can since it’s a lot safer and since the gas only goes where it’s supposed to go,” Ouderkirk said. “It’s also greener so you’re not spilling all over the ground and getting all the emissions into the environment. And, it’s the easiest gas can to use.

“The can is 100-percent made in the USA and it will always be that. We’re going to always keep it here. That’s important to us. I think we’re on our way to changing how people dispense fuel into their machines.”

n addition to being picked up by major retailers, the SureCan has received global recognition. In 2014, Ouderkirk took his new product to the National Hardware Show in Las Vegas where the SureCan won the Most Innovative New Product Award and a Retailers Choice Award.

Later, the SureCan was featured on the DIY Network’s hit show, “I Want That,” and as a Top 100 Product for This Old House Magazine.

The SureCan has since been selected a Silver Winner at the Edison Awards in New York City where 300 judges around the world voted on new innovative products.

“People are noticing that we’re different and that we’ve actually changed the way people do things from here on out,” Ouderkirk said. “Basically, our growth is attributed to our innovation. All we have to do is get in front of people and people immediately see the benefit and they’re purchasing our cans.”

One of the most innovative features of the SureCan – which is available in both 2.2- and 5-gallon sizes – is its thickness. Ouderkirk recalls conducting an informal test last summer when he intentionally left two 5-gallon cans in the back of his truck.

After a week, he couldn’t smell the gasoline.

“Our can is six layers thick,” Ouderkirk said. “One layer in the middle is a barrier layer that locks all the vapors in the can. One thing you’ll notice right away is that if the can is in your shed or garage, you’ll never smell gasoline, because the vapors are locked in so tight. It does its job. It locks the vapors in and keeps the emissions from escaping into the atmosphere.”

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WHO I AM Elliott Continues a Family Tradition In a very short amount of time, Chase Elliott has become a household name among race fans around the world.

The driver of the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet has been a popular rising star in NASCAR’s Monster Energy Cup Series since making five starts during the 2015 season. Over the past three years as a full-time competitor in NASCAR’s premier series, he has scored Cup Series victories at Watkins Glen International, Dover International Speedway, Kansas Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway.

Born Nov. 28, 1995, in Gainesville, Georgia, Elliott is the son of 1988 NASCAR Cup Series champion Bill Elliott. The elder Elliott collected 44 Cup Series victories, including two Daytona 500s.

In 1985, he won the Winston Million, a special bonus offered by series sponsor R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. and became one of NASCAR’s most iconic superstars.

Chase Elliott has been a fixture in the NASCAR Cup Series garage area since the days of being carried as a toddler. As Chase got older, he stood on the sidelines, often wearing his own crew member uniform just like the guys who worked on his dad’s Evernham Motorsports Dodge during the early 2000s.

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POLE POSITION 2019

Chase Elliott spent time watching, learning and waiting for his opportunity to someday compete in NASCAR’s premier series.

There was little doubt the young protégé would be interested in building his own driving career.

After years of working through the ranks of short-track racing and into NASCAR’s trio of national series, Chase Elliott continues to generate excitement among today’s NASCAR fans.

The 2018 NMPA Most Popular Driver hopes to someday add a NASCAR Cup Series championship to his list of accomplishments. His famous father won 16 NMPA Most Popular Driver awards and Chase looks to be following suit as one of the sport’s most popular competitors.

Still, he is naturally down to earth and hasn’t let his success change him.

“I really don’t feel extra pressure from that standpoint,” Chase Elliott said.

“I want to be me and try to keep things as straightforward as I can. I try not to be a very complicated person and try to keep things as simple as possible.”

When it comes to racing and fighting for track position, wins and championships are what Chase Elliott is all about.

His name fits him well. “Chase” is defined as an occupational name for an exceptionally skilled huntsman. However, Chase is actually a nickname, as his full name is William Clyde Elliott II, after his father.

“Our friend, Mary Colwell, came up with the name Chase when she first saw him in the hospital,” his mother, Cindy Elliott, explained “She also called him Chase when she babysat for us and the name stuck. He is actually named for Bill, but it wasn’t to be his every day name or what we called him.

“Mary felt that the name Chase would fit him better on a daily basis than Will or William and Bill, and I agree.”

Expect Chase Elliott to remain a popular fixture among NASCAR fans for many decades to come.

BY BEN WHITE | PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

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ahindra Automotive North America has launched its new ROXOR A/T off-road work/play vehicle. The ROXOR A/T connects the best of outdoor adventures past to new summer memories for the whole family with a fully automatic transmission model. The work and agricultural owners will appreciate the ease of use during stop and go tasks. The ROXOR brings 70 years of off-road adventure and work heritage to the summer with a new automatic transmission. Enjoy the nostalgia of making summer memories with your family and getting the job done

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on the trails, fields, and lands of America with the newest version of the original offroad adventure/work vehicle.

“We’ve listened to our customers and dealers and are giving them what they want in a new ROXOR that makes work life easier and now allows more people to enjoy ROXOR adventures,” stated Richard Ansell, Vice President of Marketing. “The automatic transmission is a natural extension to our ROXOR line up and will broaden the work and recreational capabilities of off-roading activity. The optional rear seat doubles the number of people who can experience outdoor fun and is another way to customize your ROXOR to make it your own.”

With hundreds of hours of collaboration, engineering, and testing, the ROXOR A/T is now available. Based on user input the new automatic transmission is calibrated for industrial and off-road capabilities. The precisely tuned transmission electronic control module (TECM) provides effortless drivability and torque demand for whatever conditions operated in. The adaptive control learns the users driving pattern delivering consistent performance regardless of operating conditions. The 6-speed hydraulic-actuated transmission

has been integrated seamlessly into the ROXOR A/T for off-road, maintenance-free service and performance.

The ROXOR is simple fun. It’s tough steel body and strong, box steel frame ensures it will last for generations. The new rear seat option doubles rider capacity and adds to the full customization capability of ROXOR. The new ROXOR A/T makes it easier to multi-task for those sipping a latte watching a secluded sunrise or for the rancher racing the sunset while navigating a back 40 with multiple gates. The ROXOR is an off-road vehicle with years of heritage and equipped with modern technology, including a stout 2.5-liter turbo diesel engine that can run on Ag fuel.

The ROXOR A/T starts at $18,999 MSRP (USD). Additionally, a ROXOR A/T limited package will be offered at $19,599 available in three color options and includes a custom hood wrap, ROPS (Roll Over Protection System), and black matte grill for a distinctive and functional style.

BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

MY GREATEST DAY Two Memorable Victories Every NASCAR driver has one special victory that stands out when they think back on their careers. Here’s a look at two of those memorable events.

JONES BREAKS THE ICE On July 2, 2018, Erik Jones, driving the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, led only the final lap to win the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway. He was in position as the race drew to close and held off Martin Truex Jr. for his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victory.

Jones struggled in qualifying, having to settle for the 29th starting position in the 40-car field, but he steadily worked through the field during the 160-lap event on the 2.5-mile track and avoided two multi-car crashes during the final 11 laps.

While at Daytona International Speedway for this year’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 weekend, Jones relived his greatest moment in racing.

“Well, I remember that whole last sequence of restarts,” Jones

said. “The last one, the green-white-checkered, we were stuck side by side with Martin on that first lap. Then coming around to take the white, I could see the top line forming behind me and I was hoping they would stick with me and I would get a big push.

“Going down the backstretch, Martin was trying to side draft hard and we got a really big push from behind from the 37 (Chris Buescher) and got clear of Martin. I knew at that point the only way we were going to lose it was a catastrophic failure.”

Jones needed one more significant move to secure the victory.

“I was defending the last move that Martin could make and got to the checkered,” Jones said. “Coming out of four, I would say I knew it was pretty locked in. I remember everything about those last laps for sure.”

LABONTE TOPS A CROWN JEWEL On May 28, 1995, Bobby Labonte, driving the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet, scored his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victory in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The win came in his 74th career start.

Labonte qualified in the second position and led a total of 85 laps. His biggest competition through the grueling 600-mile event was Ken Schrader, driver of the No. 25 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. Schrader dominated the race by leading 169 laps but went to the garage area with only 42 laps remaining.

Labonte knew a win was coming based on his early-season finishes.

“When you win your first one, that’s pretty special,” Labonte said. “I would say it had to be the Coca Cola 600 in 1995. We had finished

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POLE POSITION 2019

second three or four times behind Jeff Gordon.

That night, Ken Schrader was out front and had a problem and we ended up winning the race.”

Labonte was having so much fun he was coming close to getting on his crew chief’s nerves.

“We were so fast. I remember I was talking so much on the radio (crew chief) Jimmy Makar told me to shut up because I was talking so much. I was saying things like, ‘this guy is going to crash’ and ‘this guy is going to wreck.’

I had never done that before but the car was so good. I just had a feeling that night that we were going to win.

“I remembered thinking, ‘We just won the Coca-Cola 600.’ When you win your first race it’s just amazing and mine was that race. It still gives me chills today thinking about how it all went down.”

BY BEN WHITE | PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

NASCAR HEALTH MSG: Making Racing Safer Motorsports Safety Group is a collaboration of innovators in the sport who are determined to improve the safety of racing. MSG shares tips for race car drivers to help avoid injuries during races and practice sessions.

PRESENTED BY

A

cknowledged as one of the country’s leading neurosurgeons, Dr. Jason Cormier has helped MSG provide a comprehensive, grassroots marketing campaign focused on preventative health care education and wellness training. With an emphasis to educate and engage race fans in their growing role as health care consumers, the objective is to influence behavioral changes, to provide racing’s brand-loyal audience with the medical knowledge to make informed, preventative decisions that directly affect the wellness of their families.

As the NASCAR schedule turns to the hotter summer months, Cormier continues to stress the importance of hydration. A dehydrated athlete is unable to maintain peak levels of focus or mental health in a race car.

“There are a couple of signs that heat is taking a toll on an athlete,” Cormier noted. “The driver’s reaction slows down because the brain becomes dehydrated. Once they’re losing reaction time and cognitive ability, the mental ability declines and they just want to get out of the car as they continue to compete. Recognize that competing at this level, without proper hydration, creates an extremely miserable situation for the driver athlete. Drivers

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have reported that not only do they want the race to end, they start thinking of the last race and there’s a predictability that it’s coming on again.”

A good rule of thumb for staying hydrated is to drink at least half of your body weight (measure in kilograms) in ounces of water. Cormier says that process must start days – not hours – before competition.

“It should really start three days prior to a race,” he said. “They’re not camels, so they can’t just store water. People want to load up on vitamin water, but that has 32 grams of sugar particularly fructose. Pedialyte is not indicated as a true hydration tool. What they should be doing is staying away from carbonated drinks and processed foods, while maintaining a good balanced diet of fruits and vegetables.”

Cormier believes the importance of hydration ties nicely with an undervalued aspect of performing in a race car – mental wellness. Not enough attention is paid to ensuring the drivers are getting behind the wheel in peak mental condition. Research on the effects of heat on the brain, from both Harvard and Stanford University recently revealed both an increase cognitive difficulties as well as an increase in the frequency of suicide.

“We should be studying all aspects of a person’s mental condition,” Cormier said. “When was the last episode? What was the cause? What were some other outside factors? What are they doing for self-help? They’re driving 200 mph when they have a lot of other things on their minds. They could have PTSD, bipolar diagnosis, anxiety … we don’t address that enough.”

Cormier believes anyone struggling with mental health issues should surround him or herself with positive energy.

“It’s also important they’re not engaging in risky behavior off the track. For example, alcohol abuse, frequenting bars or taking drugs,” he said.

“Meditation is great, yoga is great, but having a positive circle around you is also great. Social media can be a positive in many ways, but we need to control that aspect of our lives. Books that are inspirational or help books can be beneficial. Those things help a great deal.”

TM

AN MSG PARTNER – BRAIN ARMOR MOTORSPORTS SAFETY Group is planning to partner with The Healthy Brain Co. on a mission to positively impact the health and wellness of the brain – 86 billion neurons at a time.

Brain Armor products are clinically proven, evidencedbased nutritional formula designed for the sole purpose of building strong, healthy brains through improved structural integrity and enhanced cognitive performance.

Dr. Julian Bailes has helped design the product, which includes some of the most researched and evidence-based ingredients on the planet: DHA and EPA Omega-3 fatty acids.

“Julian Bailes did the initial studies, which broke barriers for some unexpected and very promising results,” Dr. Jason Cormier said. “The elevated dosages can help support neurons and repair certain injuries that occur in the brain. Some drivers use it; it’s utilized in the NFL, NCAA, NHL and some military as well.”

BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

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SURECAN The award-winning SureCan was designed with all of your gas-powered machines in mind. With patented technology, the SureCan offers its user the best experience they have ever had with a fuel can. The flexible spout rotates down more than 180 degrees and fits perfectly into any machine’s fill location, while the thumb-release trigger on top controls the flow. By pulling straight back on the safety trigger and then down on the thumb button, fuel is released immediately while you stay in complete control.

When you notice your tank is almost full, slowly release the thumb button and allow the excess fuel to drain from the top of the spout before rotating it back up. No more bending over, tipping your fuel can forward and holding it in an awkward position.

The SureCan is a high-quality fuel dispensing machine.

Learn more at surecanusa.com.

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POLE POSITION 2019

BUBBA BURGER

LIVE. LOVE. LAFE’S. Lafe’s is family-owned and made with natural and organic ingredients. Our family’s mission of sustainable living with trusted products made from Mother Nature began with our mother.

Because of her passion, our family creates deodorants, crystal deodorants, soaps, hair care, baby care and lip balms which do not contain toxins or gluten, are cruelty-free and non-GMO. We also believe in giving back, so for every purchase, one-percent goes to help support breast cancer prevention.

To find a retailer near you, or to purchase online, go to lafes.com. Enjoy 20-percent off your first order using code “NASCAR20” at checkout.

BUBBA burger® is sold in grocery stores throughout the United States as well as worldwide through the U.S. Military Commissary system. BUBBA burger® is a natural choice for quality and convenience, using only the highest quality meat to produce our uniquely shaped, gluten-free BUBBA burgers®. You can take them right from your freezer to your grill or skillet and BUBBA burgers® come in many varieties to fit any taste. Race to your favorite local grocer’s freezer today and grab a box of BUBBA burgers® so that you are sure to have a winning race weekend! bubbafoods.com

ANTI MONKEY BUTT POWDER WITH CALAMINE Work Hard? Play Hard?

We’ve got you covered!

You can use Original Anti Monkey Butt to protect yourself from a multitude of skin irritations like blistering feet or between skin folds for almost any activity from cycling to truck driving or attending an event on a hot and sticky day! Original Anti Monkey Butt (for men) is a rare breed because it contains calamine. We’re not monkeying around when we say it works to reduce sweat, chafing, and aids in healing. You can also find talc-free Lady Anti Monkey Butt to reduce skin friction and Baby Anti Monkey Butt to prevent and treat diaper rash. You can buy the entire lineup online at Amazon or visit your local Walmart store and other fine retailers.

ROXOR OFF-ROAD Want to know how the Motor City Madman enjoys the outdoors? Build your ROXOR just like his. The Ted Nugent ROXOR edition starts with a camo body wrap, HD Bumper with a Warn Winch and D-ring mounts, a hardtop, windshield, four Kolpin Rhino grips, a 40-inch KC Light Bar, spare tire kit and grab handles. As always, the core is the same, exactly like Uncle Ted: steel body, steel boxed frame, legendary simplicity. Respect the environment and get off-road. Nine-hundred numbered Ted Nugent ROXORs are available while supplies last at authorized ROXOR dealers across North America. You can find more information at roxoroffroad.com.

TIGER BALM

FOLEX

Whether you’re a world-class athlete or a weekend warrior, you can trust Tiger Balm for proven, pill-free pain relief. It’s the world’s No. 1 selling pain-relieving ointment, made from a blend of herbal ingredients, based upon annual sales of ointment sold worldwide. Visit tigerbalm.com or facebook.com/TigerBalmUS for your nearest retailer.

FOLEX® is perfect for removing stains from upholstery, vinyl, clothing and practically any other material that is “colorfast” and “color-stable.” Even hard surfaces, painted surfaces, walls and woodwork that can be safely dampened with water will be quickly and easily cleaned with FOLEX®!

Please visit folex.net for a list of retailers in your area and other useful information!

MAGIC CLEAR LENS

ZYMOX EAR SOLUTION ZYMOX Ear Solution, the No. 1 most effective formula for relief of painful ear infections in dogs and cats. Veterinarian recommended for 20 years.

ZYMOX features the patented LP3 Enzyme System to eliminate bacteria, yeast and fungus without antibiotics. Easy-to-use with once-daily application and no pre-cleaning of the ears.

To learn more about the ZYMOX family of products, visit zymox.com.

Magic Clear Lens is a liquid cleaning, preservation, and maintenance treatment for automobile headlights. Simply shake the bottle, add a small amount onto a cotton cloth and apply to headlights. The treatment improves lens clarity by clearing off layers of oxidation, acid rain, and road grime from unsightly headlights.

Depending on the original lens condition, a single application can last several months. The process can be repeated for the life of the lens without altering its integrity.

What makes Magic Clear Lens different? Others require extensive labor and time by a trained professional (sanding, buffing, and re-applying a clear coat layering), removal of layers of plastic from the headlight lens, weakening and damaging its structural integrity, or total replacement of the headlight lens, with costs ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars. Learn more at magicclearlens.com.

SILVER BIOTICS ARMOR GEL Silver Biotics Armor Gel is a natural, protective layer for cuts, scrapes, burns, abrasions and fresh tattoos.

Live Silver Strong with Armor Gel Wound Care! A multi-tasker that gives you and your family a layer of protection the natural way with our patented nano silver technology. And because it contains only natural ingredients, it’s safe for the whole family and won’t sting or stain.

Find Armor Gel at Rite Aid and other grocery or drug stores across the United States. Visit silverbiotics.com to find a retailer near you or to purchase online. Order online and enter code “NASCAR19” at checkout for free shipping and $1 OFF any Armor Gel product.

POLE POSITION MAG.COM

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SEAL THE DEAL BUDDY BAKER TWO IN A ROW On Aug. 17, 1975, Buddy Baker, driving Bud Moore’s No. 15 Ford, edged Richard Petty and the No. 43 Petty Enterprises Dodge to win the Talladega 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.

It was Baker’s second consecutive victory at the 2.66-mile Alabama track as he had bested David Pearson four months earlier during the Winston 500.

Baker was the class of the 50-car field, leading 93 laps during the August race. The Charlotte, North Carolina, native sealed the deal by passing Petty a final time on lap 177 of the 188-lap event to record his second of four wins that season.

On the final lap, Petty tried a slingshot move for the victory coming off the fourth turn, but Baker was able to hold him off by less than a car length.

While in the press box for the post-race interview, Baker was informed that close friend Dewayne “Tiny” Lund had passed away after being involved in crash during the sixth lap.

All told, Baker went on to win two more races at Talladega Superspeedway, one in 1976 and another in 1980.

“I like Daytona with its speed, but I love Talladega because it’s longer, banked more, faster and more fun to drive,” Baker said in a May 6, 1990, article published by the Daily Press in Newport News, Virginia. “It’s like home to me.”

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POLE POSITION 2019

PRESENTED BY

KYLE BUSCH DETERMINATION PAYS OFF Driving the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, Kyle Busch won the Aaron’s 499 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 27, 2008, after coming back from being a lap down with less than 70 laps to go.

Busch also had a close call with Jamie McMurray, driver of the Roush Fenway Racing Ford, during the closing laps. The two touched, causing McMurray’s car to fade, but Busch was able to continue to the front.

With five laps remaining, Busch passed Michael Waltrip for the lead but kept his eyes on the rearview mirror and the tight pack behind him. He sealed the deal by holding off second-place Juan Pablo Montoya on the backstretch just before an 11-car crash in the second turn on the final lap caused the race to end under caution.

Busch’s determination gave him his second of eight Cup Series victories that season.

“With about 10 to go … I was running fourth or fifth and got a bump draft and got a huge run … and got into (Jamie) McMurray there,” Busch said.

“I don’t know what happened with that scenario and we were able to straighten up and get going. The 42 (Montoya) pushed me all the way to the front. (He) gave me a great shot, got us both up to the front two spots and rode up there and stayed together.”

BY BEN WHITE | PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

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TAILGATING

PRESENTED BY

Q&A WITH LINDY

Tailgating with Lindy Brandes

F

rom infectious laughter to lifetime memories made with friends to consuming lots of delicious food, there’s nothing quite like a tailgating experience at Bristol Motor Speedway for longtime NASCAR fan Lindy Brandes.

Already an avid tailgater for many years, Brandes decided to take her tailgating habit to a whole new level in 2017. Here’s how it all went down.

“We have been setting up a Tiki Bar at our campsite at The Landing (at Bristol) since August 2011,” she explained. “We have added onto it, making more room for all of our friends. We wanted to do something different. In September 2016, we were tailgating with our friends Steve and Shantelle at another track.

“We were sitting around talking about what things we could do for a new bar area. As we are sitting there, a guy stopped in front of their campsite and he was pulling a small pop-up. My husband,

David, and Steve looked at each other and are like, ‘Hey, there’s an idea.’ They got up and walked around the guy’s camper.

Then they put their arms on top of the pop-up and announced, ‘This is a bar.’ We retired the Tiki Bar in the pouring rain at 2 a.m. during the April 2017 Bristol race, and we debuted the new and improved Bar 10 in August 2017.”

For Brandes and friends, tailgating at Bristol is never bereft of a few good shenanigans.

“Every August race, we bring a pool,” she said. “I am usually the only person to get into the pool. A few people may sit around and put their feet in it. We have a friend, George, who is always wanting to go swimming in the pool. I tell him the pool is open to the public from 12 a.m. until 12:01 a.m. He always comes down from his campsite to ours about 12:05 a.m. wanting his pool time. He gets told, ‘At this time, the pool is closed.’”

MUST-HAVE GEAR

G

one but not forgotten. Everyone misses the late seven-time NASCAR Cup series champion and NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt. Now, thanks to a new flag available for purchase at the NASCAR.com “NASCARSHOP,” fans can keep “The Intimidator” close by while tailgating at the track. This 3-by-5-foot, two-sided flag is a special-event item priced at $42.99 and features Earnhardt’s iconic black No. 3 and familiar signature on a black polyester background. This WinCraft flag is good for both indoor and outdoor settings, but shipments will go out no later than Aug. 30, so tailgaters need to act fast.

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POLE POSITION 2019

WHO’S YOUR FAVORITE DRIVER? Kyle Busch WHERE DO YOU RESIDE? Maryville, Tennessee; born in Alabama and raised in LaPorte, Indiana WHAT’S YOUR OCCUPATION? Provider enrollment coordinator for a medical billing company HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A FAN? 20 or more years WHERE WAS YOUR FIRST TAILGATE? Bristol Motor Speedway at The Landing Campground in March 2010 AT WHAT TRACKS HAVE YOU TAILGATED? Once at Atlanta, Kentucky and Darlington. We have tailgated at Bristol for both races since March 2010.

WHAT MAKES FOR A GOOD TAILGATE? Friends and ice-cold beverages WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE FOODS? David’s hash brown scramble, Parker’s hash brown casserole. That’s just for breakfast. For dinner, we love to grill. We pick up some Food City gourmet burgers or marinate pork chops and chicken.

WHAT ARE YOUR ESSENTIALS? The main tailgating essential is our blender. My husband and I are both Marine Corps veterans, so in addition to our driver flags, we always bring an American flag and the Marine Corps flag for setup. For the warmer weather, I have my pool and a canopy to put over it.

TAILGATING

RECIPES TACO SOUP Ingredients: ■■ 2 pounds of hamburger meat ■■ Onion & green pepper – “I use the frozen mixture.”

■■ 2 cans of Niblet corn ■■ 2 cans of Pinto Beans or Red Kidney Beans ■■ 2 cans of Ro-Tel ■■ 1 can of stewed tomato – Mexican-style ■■ 2 packages of taco mix – hot & spicy ■■ 1 package of Hidden Valley Ranch ■■ 2 cups of water – “Add more water if you don’t want it thick.”

■■ Optional – shredded cheese and sour cream NOTES: ■■ Before browning the hamburger meat, drain the corn and beans.

■■ Brown the hamburger meat over medium heat and drain.

■■ In a large pot, put in hamburger.

■■ Stir in corn, beans, Ro-Tel, onion and green pepper and stewed tomatoes.

■■ Add taco mix, Hidden Valley Ranch and water.

■■ Cook on medium heat until it begins to boil.

Reduce heat and simmer for an hour.

BY JARED TURNER

Experience security and peace of mind with the Honda EG2800i Inverter Generator. It provides quiet power, long run times, and a 30A receptacle for easy connection to a transfer switch. And at only 67 lbs., it’s trusted, portable home backup and DIY power where you need it, when you need it—for your home, and life. Find out more at gen.honda.com.

Please read the owner’s manual before operating your Honda Power Equipment and never use in an enclosed or partially enclosed area where you could be exposed to odorless, poisonous carbon monoxide.

Connection of a generator to house power requires a transfer device to avoid possible injury to power company personnel. Consult a qualified electrician. Specifications subject to change without notice. © 2019 American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

NASCAR BUILDS

PRESENTED BY

Grassroots Racer Relies on Forney Welder

ATTENTION METALWORKERS!

I

n an era when many NASCAR drivers likely never touch the parts and pieces used to build and repair their race cars, NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series and ARCA Menards Series driver C.J. McLaughlin doesn’t shy away from getting his hands dirty.

That’s especially true when he has his trusted Forney welder nearby, which is pretty much all the time.

McLaughlin, whose father taught him how to weld at a young age, considers himself what most might call a true grassroots racer.

As such, doing his own race car welding is a way of life.

“I am a through-and-through grassroots racer, so what that means is prior to the past two years, I didn’t really have any sponsors,” McLaughlin said. “I think that’s all across America where there are people pushed to build because they love the sport, they love racing, and most of the things and race cars that they build are out of their garage and they’re fabricating their own parts. Forney has a great, affordable welder that helps us racers build our own parts, fabricate our own pieces to go racing with, and it kind of gives us a competitive advantage, because then we can take the money we’ve saved and invest it elsewhere.”

Forney Industries, the parent company of the Forney welder, is one of America’s longest operating family-owned tool, equipment and accessory product companies. Headquartered in Fort Collins, Colorado, Forney Industries was founded in 1932 and introduced the first publicly available arc welder in the 1940s.

Today, Forney offers close to 5,000 metalworking products within four categories: Welding, Abrasives, Personal Protective Equipment and Shop Tools.

Forney products are sold under three brands: Forney®, ForneyHide™ and Forney Easy Weld.

“I love using all the products that they have,” McLaughlin said. “I’m not just loyal to the welders but also the other safety equipment that you have to have when you’re welding.”

McLaughlin has been using the Forney welder for a little over a year now, and he couldn’t be more pleased with his sponsor’s product.

“I love using the Forney welder. I think it’s a rugged, durable piece of machinery, and it was well worth the investment and it’s well worth the investment for other grassroots racers.”

McLaughlin is thrilled to now have Forney as one of his sponsors, because the connection is personal for him.

“I like to tie myself to brands that mean something to me,” the 27-year-old native of Framingham, Massachusetts, said. “It is really cool to be able to use a product and stand behind a product that’s on my car. And it’s not like, ‘Oh, I use this beard cream.’ I actually use a Forney welder.”

FORNEY INDUSTRIES recently released a new line of auto-darkening welding helmets. These helmets cater to all levels of metalworking and encompass technologically advanced features that are sure to impress.

The Forney Easy Weld® series of welding helmets are ideal for DIYers, hobbyist and beginner welders.

The controls and internal switches are easy to use, so no time is wasted learning complicated instructions before welding. These helmets cover a wide range of basic needs.

The Forney® series of welding helmets feature HD optical clarity with true color technology, which provides clear and precise welds. This series is perfect for the experienced do-it-yourselfer, light contractor, and farm and ranch.

The Forney® PRO series of welding helmets include Arc Optics technology, a professional lens with the clearest view, allowing you to weld with confidence.

This combined with the 43% larger viewing area provides all-day comfort for demanding jobs, perfect for professional welders.

These new lines feature helmets with unique designs, allowing the user to choose one that combines skill and individual style. No matter which series you choose from, trust each helmet will give you the utmost protection at a reasonable price. –Rachel Bigum

PERFECT FOR FANS AND RACERS FORTUNATELY FOR C.J. MCLAUGHLIN, he hasn’t had to use his Forney welder for too many race car repairs this season.

“We’ve been lucky this year and haven’t had to weld that many brackets,” he said. “Fewer crashes equals less welding, right? We’ve had a good year so far of not having to do that much welding either at the track or at the shop prior to the race. It’s funny; I love welding, but I don’t like crashing.”

Of course, even when there aren’t race car parts that need to be melted together,

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POLE POSITION 2019

McLaughlin has found other ways to put his Forney to good use.

“There’s always stuff to be tacked up or fixed around the shop,” he said. “Like someone needs a trailer hitch welded up or something that can be used for something pretty heavyduty. It’s a good machine to have around.

“Grassroots racers truly do it all themselves in their own garage, so when you have an affordable, reliable welder like Forney has, it is perfect for both the NASCAR fan and the NASCAR racer.”

BY JARED TURNER

NEW AUTO-DARKENING WELDING HELMETS Find a helmet that fits your skill AND your style.

Forney Industries is proud to introduce three new lines of welding helmets sure to impress all levels of metalworkers.

• • • • •

Upgraded technology relieves eye-strain Custom graphics Functional user controls for hassle-free adjustments Comfortable headgear High-grade, heat-resistant shell

Learn more at FORNEYIND.COM

TOOLS OF THE TRADE

POR-15 RUST REMOVER Fast-Acting, Water-Based, RustDissolving Solution. POR-15 Rust Remover will safely and completely remove light to even heavy rust from metal surfaces without affecting non-rusted steel, plastic, PVC and most paints. POR-15 Rust Remover is formulated with a fast-acting, water-based technology that is biodegradable and reusable with no fumes or bad odors.

The easy-to-use formula requires no sanding or scrubbing and is ideal for all metal parts, including small delicate items with hard-to-reach surfaces.

Available for purchase at POR15.com.

TAILGATER TIRE TABLE LUBRIPLATE LUBRIPLATE Chain and Cable Fluid – Penetrating Oil. A superior, cleansing, non-gumming penetrating oil for wire rope, chains, cables and general lubrication. Prevents rust and corrosion, protects brightwork and loosens rusty nuts and bolts.

Excellent for drilling, tapping and sawing. Available in a 12-ounce spray can, Part No. L0135-063.

Buy it today at lubriplate.com or CARQUEST Auto Parts stores.

HONDA GENERATORS

FULL THROTTLE BATTERY Full Throttle Series High-Performance AGM batteries are designed to tackle the real-world needs of high cranking, accessories and components that draw on batteries. Our TPPL Technology (Thin Plate Pure Lead) and brass terminal connections ensure the power in your battery flows efficiently whenever you need it. Full Throttle Series AGM batteries are built for both performance and reliability. So, go ahead, crank it up and enjoy extreme power on demand! fullriverbattery. com/series/batteries/full-throttle

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POLE POSITION 2019

Honda’s Super Quiet Series generators – the EU1000i, EU2000i, EU3000is, EU3000i Handi and EU7000is – are inverter-equipped, lightweight models that feature extremely quiet performance.

Designed for the ultimate in quality, portability and convenience, these models are ideal for tailgating, camping or any trip to the great outdoors. Honda is proud to support several teams such as Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, StewartHaas Racing, Kyle Busch Motorsports and Rev Racing with EU series generator products that provide smooth, reliable power for their racing needs.

When every inch of space in your rig matters, the Original Tailgater Tire Table is a must have for when you need an extra surface for your cold drinks or hot pans off the grill. It attaches to any of your vehicle’s tires, including the spare, and comes fully assembled with all pieces secured. Weighing 12 lbs., it is easily maneuvered and can be tucked away and stored flat for your next adventure without wasting valuable space.

Works regardless of flat or uneven ground, holds up to 50 lbs. and creates a sturdy, usable surface area anytime you need it and has a retractable leg for extra support.

Learn more and see photos in action at TailGaterTireTable.com.

2019 PLAYOFF PREVIEW PRESENTED BY

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

HOW THE NASCAR XFINITY SERIES PLAYOFFS WORK

How the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Work

S

ixteen drivers qualify for the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. A victory in the regular season guarantees automatic entry into the playoffs, provided that driver was a series regular and in the top 30 in points. Justin Haley, who won at Daytona in July, isn’t in the playoffs because he’s not a full-time Monster Energy Series driver and also not in the top 30 of the standings.

The 16-driver playoff grid, consisting first of race winners from this season, will be filled out by the drivers who are highest in points at the end of the regular season but don’t have a win.

While baseline point totals are reset as equal heading into the playoffs, a driver earns five playoff points for every race win, and one playoff point for every stage win, in the regular season. 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 is still championship-eligible.

The points leader at the end of the regular season starts the playoffs with an additional 15 playoff points. In fact, the top-10 drivers in points after the regular season are all awarded playoff points on a descending scale.

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 win by a championship-eligible driver in any playoff race automatically clinches the winning driver a spot in the next 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 are known as the Round of 16, which commences at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The next three races make up the Round of 12, followed by three races in the Round of 8.

The champion is the highest finisher among the four title contenders in the season-ending Championship 4 race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

BY JARED TURNER | PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

THE 2019 NASCAR Xfinity Series playoff features 12 drivers and two elimination rounds, with four drivers competing straight up for the title at HomesteadMiami Speedway.

A win in the regular season guarantees a driver entry into the playoffs, provided the driver is in the top 30 in points. The rest of the playoff field is set based on points.

The first round, called the Round of 12, consists of three races, the first being at Richmond Raceway. All drivers start with equal points, plus any additional playoff points earned for race wins and stage victories during the regular season.

If a driver wins a race in the Round of 12, the driver automatically advances to the next round. The remaining available positions that have not been filled by winners, will be filled based on points.

Each driver who advances to the Round of 8 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 move on to the Championship 4.

The remaining positions 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 champion.

HOW THE NASCAR GANDER OUTDOORS TRUCK SERIES PLAYOFFS WORK THE NASCAR GANDER Outdoors Truck Series uses a playoff format similar to but not identical to what’s used in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series.

Consisting of seven races, the Truck Series playoff features eight drivers and two elimination rounds.

A win during the regular season guarantees a driver entry into the Truck Series playoffs, as long as that driver is in the top 30 in series points.

The first round begins at Bristol Motor Speedway this year and is called the Round of 8. If a driver wins a race during the opening round, the driver automatically advances to the next round.

The remaining available positions that have not been filled by winners are filled based on points.

Each driver who reaches the Round of 6 must win to automatically advance to the Championship 4 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The remaining available positions that have not been filled by winners are set 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 in the season finale at Homestead is champion.

POLE POSITION MAG.COM

45

PLAYOFF PREVIEW

PRE S E N T E D BY

Hot Topics The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoffs are just around the corner. Following are five topics fans will be discussing in the weeks leading up to NASCAR crowning its premier series champion at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

1

The Schedule Changes Coming in 2020.

Since NASCAR introduced a season-ending playoff for its premier series in 2004, the season has always concluded at Homestead-Miami Speedway in South Florida. But, beginning next season, the final race will move to ISM Raceway in Arizona as Homestead moves all the way up to the sixth race of the season.

Of the 10 playoff tracks this year, only Richmond, Talladega and Texas will keep the same place on the schedule next season. While the 2020 playoffs might be a year away, they are bound to be a topic of conversation as this year’s playoffs progress.

PRESENTED BY

2

Jimmie Johnson’s Improbable Bid for History. While it has only been three years since Jimmie Johnson won his record-tying seventh Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship, it feels much longer. After all, since his last championship, Johnson has had a three-win season (2017) and a winless season (2018) in which he advanced no further than the Round of 8.

What does this mean for Johnson’s chances of winning an elusive eighth championship, breaking his tie with fellow seven-time champs Richard Petty and the late Dale Earnhardt? Most signs suggest it won’t happen this year. Then again, Johnson can never be counted out.

The Ultimate Wild-Card Race. Up until last season, Talladega Superspeedway stood alone as the ultimate, quintessential wild-card race in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. Everything changed in 2018, however, with the inclusion of a road course – formally known as The ROVAL at Charlotte Motor Speedway – in the 10-race playoff slate.

This season, an expanded configuration of The ROVAL’s challenging chicane will create additional passing opportunities and more side-by-side action throughout the 17-turn course, which will play host to the first elimination race of the playoffs. The chicane’s original layout was 32-feet at its widest point, but the new version will be 54 feet at its widest point and will feature additional runoff areas, which were unavailable in its first iteration.

Joey Logano’s Quest for Back-to-Back Titles. Despite a solid regular season, Joey Logano didn’t enter the 2018 playoffs as one of the favorites to win the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship. He is in a similar position again this year – can he capture magic in a bottle, again?

The Possibility of a Chase Elliott Championship Run. As a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series rookie in 2016, Chase Elliott qualified for the playoffs and was eliminated in the Round of 12. In 2017 and 2018, the Hendrick Motorsports driver made it to the Round of 8 before his title hopes ended.

This season, Elliott has his sights set on the Championship 4 and being one of the four drivers who race straight up for the title in the season-ending race.

If that happens, there will be much excitement and jubilation throughout the NASCAR world, as Elliott is NASCAR’s most popular driver, having earned that distinction by way of fan voting in 2018.

Will this be the season he finally reaches the Championship 4? That possibility is guaranteed to generate considerable buzz.

3

4 5

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POLE POSITION 2019

BY JARED TURNER

We’ve taken the bold, balanced flavor of Texas Pete® Hot Sauce and created Texas Pete® Original Dust Dry Seasoning to rev up your kitchen. Race over to your local grocer and ask for Texas Pete® Dust today. Actually, maybe wait until tomorrow because it will be late when the race is over and the traffic will be really bad. In the meantime learn more at TexasPete.com

©2018 Texas Pete® is a registered trademark of TW Garner Food Company. 205-0718

PLAYOFF PREVIEW

PRE S E N T E D BY

5 Traits of a NASCAR Champion

E

very champion throughout the history of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series has been unique in his own way, bringing certain characteristics to the table that no one else could. However, there are certain traits that bind all of these champs together. Following are the five most common ones.

Strong Communication Skills.

In the ultra-competitive world of NASCAR, driver-crew chief communication is as important as anything to becoming a champion. If a driver can’t consistently and successfully communicate to the crew chief how his or her car is handling, the crew chief won’t know how to fix the car or at least make it better.

Four-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon, who drove his final race in 2016, was one of the best communicators in the history of the sport when it came to relaying information about his car’s handling characteristics to his crew chief.

Resilience and Determination. The late, legendary Dale Earnhardt once said, “The winner ain’t the one with the fastest car; it’s the one who refuses to lose.” In racing, truer words have perhaps never been spoken.

A classic example of this kind of feat was Earnhardt’s pole-winning effort and sixthplace finish on the Watkins Glen International road course in 1996.

Just two weeks earlier, Earnhardt had broken his sternum and collarbone in a violent crash at Talladega Superspeedway. Earnhardt had to bail out of his iconic No. 3 car just six laps into the following weekend’s Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. But at the Watkins Glen race, held the weekend after Indy, the seven-time series champion went the distance and soldiered to an impressive finish after leading 54 of 90 laps.

Extreme Confidence. Look at the list of drivers who’ve won championships in NASCAR’s premier series over the past three decades or so. If there’s one trait that they’ve all had in common, it’s extreme confidence.

Yes, to be a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion, you have to first believe you can be one. This wasn’t a problem for Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart or Matt Kenseth. And the list of overtly confident champions goes on and on.

Sufficient Experience. It’s no coincidence that in more than 70 years of NASCAR history, a true rookie has never won a championship in the NASCAR Cup Series. The only driver to win a premier series championship in his sophomore year is the late Dale Earnhardt, who went on to become arguably the greatest driver in the sport’s history.

Legendary Hendrick Motorsports drivers Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson had to wait until their third and fifth full seasons, respectively, to claim NASCAR’s biggest prize. Like Johnson, Richard Petty needed five mostly full seasons to capture the first of his recordtying seven premier series championships.

Necessary Aggression. NASCAR drivers don’t win championships by racing conservatively and letting the race come to them. Rather, history has proven that the drivers who are willing to go for broke and race aggressively are the drivers who typically become champions.

Most recently, 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano demonstrated how pivotal aggression can be to winning a title. Had Logano not pushed the envelope and knocked Martin Truex Jr. out of the way in the final corner on the final lap of the playoff race at Martinsville Speedway, Logano wouldn’t have advanced to Homestead and been part of the Championship 4.

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PLAYOFF PREVIEW

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Tracks of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs THE RESULTS OF THE RACES AT THESE 10 FACILITIES WILL DECIDE THE 2019 CHAMPION LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY LOCATION: LAS VEGAS, NEVADA LENGTH: 1.5 MILES (267 LAPS = 400.5 MILES) BACKSTRETCH: 1,572 FEET FRONTSTRETCH: 2,275 FEET BANKING IN TURNS: 20 DEGREES BANKING ON STRAIGHTAWAYS: 9 DEGREES FIRST RACE: MARCH 1, 1998 – LAS VEGAS 400 MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES QUALIFYING RECORD: KURT BUSCH, 196.328 MPH, MARCH 4, 2016 RACE RECORD: BRAD KESELOWSKI, 154.633 MPH, MARCH 9, 2014 RICHMOND RACEWAY LOCATION: RICHMOND, VIRGINIA LENGTH: 0.75 MILES (400 LAPS = 300 MILES) BACKSTRETCH: 860 FEET FRONTSTRETCH: 1,290 FEET BANKING IN TURNS: 14 DEGREES BANKING ON STRAIGHTAWAYS: VARIES FROM 2 TO 8 DEGREES FIRST RACE: APRIL 19, 1953 – RICHMOND 200 MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES QUALIFYING RECORD: JEFF GORDON, 130.599 MPH, SEPT. 6, 2013 RACE RECORD: DALE JARRETT, 109.047 MPH, SEPT. 6, 1997 CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY ROVAL LOCATION: CONCORD, NORTH CAROLINA LENGTH: 2.28-MILE, 17-TURN ROAD COURSE (109 LAPS = 248.5 MILES) FIRST RACE: SEPT. 30, 2018 – BANK OF AMERICA ROVAL 400 BANKING IN TURNS: VARIES FROM 2 TO 24 DEGREES BANKING ON STRAIGHTAWAYS: VARIES FROM 0 TO 5 DEGREES MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES QUALIFYING RECORD: KURT BUSCH, 106.868 MPH, SEPT. 28, 2018 RACE RECORD: RYAN BLANEY, 82.125 MPH, SEPT. 30, 2018 DOVER INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY LOCATION: DOVER, DELAWARE LENGTH: 1 MILE (400 LAPS = 400 MILES) BACKSTRETCH: 1,076 FEET FRONTSTRETCH: 1,076 FEET BANKING IN TURNS: 24 DEGREES BANKING ON STRAIGHTAWAYS: 9 DEGREES FIRST RACE: JULY 6, 1969 – MASON-DIXON 300 MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES QUALIFYING RECORD: BRAD KESELOWSKI, 164.444 MPH, MAY 30, 2014 RACE RECORD: MARK MARTIN, 132.719 MPH, SEPT. 21, 1997 TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY LOCATION: TALLADEGA ALABAMA LENGTH: 2.66 MILES (188 LAPS = 500 MILES) BACKSTRETCH: 4,000 FEET FRONTSTRETCH: 4,300 FEET BANKING IN TURNS: 33 DEGREES BANKING ON STRAIGHTAWAYS: VARIES FROM 2 TO 16.5 DEGREES FIRST RACE: SEPT. 14, 1969 – TALLADEGA 500 MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES QUALIFYING RECORD: BILL ELLIOTT, 212.809 MPH, APRIL 30, 1987 RACE RECORD: MARK MARTIN, 188.354 MPH, MAY 10, 1997

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KANSAS SPEEDWAY LOCATION: KANSAS CITY, KANSAS LENGTH: 1.5 MILES (267 LAPS = 400 MILES) BACKSTRETCH: 2,207 FEET FRONTSTRETCH: 2,685 FEET BANKING IN TURNS: VARIES BETWEEN 17 AND 20 DEGREES BANKING ON STRAIGHTAWAYS: VARIES BETWEEN 5 AND 10 DEGREES FIRST RACE: SEPT. 30, 2001 – PROTECTION ONE 400 MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES QUALIFYING RECORD: KEVIN HARVICK, 197.773 MPH, OCT. 3, 2014 RACE RECORD: CHASE ELLIOTT, 152.087 MPH, OCT. 21, 2018 MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY LOCATION: MARTINSVILLE, VIRGINIA LENGTH: .526 MILES (500 LAPS = 263 MILES) BACKSTRETCH: 800 FEET FRONTSTRETCH: 800 FEET BANKING IN TURNS: 12 DEGREES BANKING ON STRAIGHTAWAYS: 0 DEGREES FIRST RACE: SEPT. 25, 1949 MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES QUALIFYING RECORD: JOEY LOGANO, 100.201 MPH, MARCH 28, 2014 RACE RECORD: JEFF GORDON, 82.223 MPH, SEPT. 22, 1996 TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY LOCATION: FORT WORTH, TEXAS LENGTH: 1.5 MILES (334 LAPS = 501 MILES) BACKSTRETCH: 1,330 FEET FRONTSTRETCH: 2,250 FEET BANKING IN TURNS 1 AND 2: 20 DEGREES BANKING IN TURNS 3 AND 4: 24 DEGREES BANKING ON STRAIGHTAWAYS: 5 DEGREES FIRST RACE: APRIL 6, 1997 – INTERSTATE BATTERIES 500 MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES QUALIFYING RECORD: KURT BUSCH, 200.919 MPH, NOV. 3, 2017 RACE RECORD: GREG BIFFLE, 160.577, APRIL 14, 2012 ISM RACEWAY LOCATION: AVONDALE, ARIZONA LENGTH: 1 MILE (312 LAPS = 312 MILES/500 KILOMETERS) BACKSTRETCH: 1,551 FEET FRONTSTRETCH: 1,179 FEET BANKING IN TURNS 1 AND 2: 11 DEGREES BANKING IN TURNS 3 AND 4: 9 DEGREES FIRST RACE: NOV. 6, 1988 – CHECKER 500 MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES QUALIFYING RECORD: JIMMIE JOHNSON, 143.158 MPH, NOV. 15, 2015 RACE RECORD: TONY STEWART, 118.132 MPH, NOV. 7, 1999 HOMESTEAD-MIAMI SPEEDWAY LOCATION: HOMESTEAD, FLORIDA LENGTH: 1.5 MILES (267 LAPS = 400.5 MILES) BACKSTRETCH: 1,760 FEET FRONTSTRETCH: 1,760 FEET BANKING IN TURNS: VARIES BETWEEN 18 AND 20 DEGREES BANKING ON STRAIGHTAWAYS: 4 DEGREES FIRST RACE: NOV. 14, 1999 – PENNZOIL 400 MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES QUALIFYING RECORD: BRAD KESELOWSKI, 181.238 MPH, NOV. 14, 2014 RACE RECORD: JEFF GORDON, 142.245 MPH, NOV. 18, 2012

Playoff Schedule

DATE TRACK Sept. 15 Las Vegas Motor Speedway Sept. 21 Richmond Raceway Sept. 29 Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL Oct. 6 Dover International Speedway Oct. 13 Talladega Superspeedway Oct. 20 Kansas Speedway Oct. 27 Martinsville Speedway Nov. 3 Texas Motor Speedway Nov. 10 ISM Raceway Nov. 17 Homestead-Miami Speedway

EVENT South Point 400 Federated Auto Parts 400 Bank of America ROVAL 400 Dover 400 1000Bulbs.com 500 Hollywood Casino 400 First Data 500 AAA Texas 500 Phoenix 500 Ford EcoBoost 400

POLE POSITION MAG.COM

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PLAYOFF PREVIEW

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to Watch in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs

While Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. enter the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoffs as the clear-cut championship favorites, the two former champs are bound to have plenty of competition for the sport’s ultimate prize.

Here are five other drivers to watch.

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Brad Keselowski. Looking for the driver most consistently capable of hanging with the powerful Joe Gibbs Racing duo of Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. this year? Try Team Penske’s Brad Keselowski, who earned three victories in the season’s first 12 races and quickly cemented his status as one of the championship favorites. While consistency hasn’t been Keselowski’s forte this season, his No. 2 Ford Mustang prepared by veteran crew chief Paul Wolfe has been consistently fast – and, on occasion, even fast enough to beat the often-dominant Toyotas of Busch and Truex.

Kevin Harvick. It’s been a most surprising and unusual kind of season for Kevin Harvick, who entered the year on the short-list of championship favorites but as of the season’s midway point – 18 races in – had yet to put his No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford in Victory Lane. By contrast, Harvick had scored a series-high five victories at the same point in the 2018 season. The 2014 champion’s struggles, relatively speaking, have been more a microcosm of the struggles faced this season by Stewart-Haas Racing as a whole.

Joey Logano. Eager to become the first winner of back-to-back Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championships since Jimmie Johnson capped his record-breaking streak of five consecutive titles in 2010, Joey Logano began 2019 as a championship favorite despite facing long odds based on the dearth of back-to-back champions in the past decade. While Logano hasn’t done enough this year to be considered the championship favorite heading into the playoffs, he’s done nothing to suggest he’s incapable of going all the way.

Denny Hamlin. Want a list of the best active Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers yet to win a championship? Denny Hamlin would certainly rank somewhere near the top. A two-time Daytona 500 winner who owns more than 30 victories and at least 30 poles in NASCAR’s premier series, Hamlin has made the playoffs in all but one season since joining NASCAR’s premier division full time in 2006. But, despite that stellar achievement, the 38-year-old Chesterfield, Virginia, native has never won a title.

He’s certainly been close, finishing second to Jimmie Johnson in the 2010 standings after leading the points entering the final race.

Alex Bowman. Are you a fan of underdogs? If so, Alex Bowman is your best hope of winning the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship. Buoyed by a career-best second-place finish in the spring race at Talladega Superspeedway, Bowman went on to make it three consecutive runner-up finishes by matching his Talladega result the next two weekends at Dover International Speedway and Kansas Speedway. After cooling off just a bit over the next four races, Bowman returned to the top five on June 30 at Chicagoland Speedway – only this time, his No. 88 car finished the day sitting in Victory Lane after Bowman went toe-to-toe with Kyle Larson in the final laps, ultimately taking the lead for good with six laps to go.

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to Watch in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs

Thanks to the trio of Tyler Reddick, Cole Custer and Christopher Bell, 2019 has been a pretty balanced season for the NASCAR Xfinity Series – at least at the top. This formidable trio, and two drivers who haven’t been as strong, are the five to watch entering the playoffs.

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Tyler Reddick. Although not unprecedented, it’s rare for a driver to win a championship in one season and join a rival team for the next. That’s exactly what Tyler Reddick did, however, after capturing the 2018 Xfinity Series title as a rookie for JR Motorsports. Less than three weeks before his surprising but remarkable championship-clinching victory, Reddick announced his intention to join Richard Childress Racing for the 2019 Xfinity Series season.

“We’ve been so fast all year long, been so consistent, scoring stage points at almost every opportunity and in almost every race that we’ve been in,” he said. “We’ve been inside the top five, and that’s been a lot of fun and it’s been awesome. I can’t wait to keep rolling.”

Perhaps all the way to a second consecutive championship.

Christopher Bell. Since 2015, Christopher Bell has become a NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series champion, a winner of seven Truck Series races, a three-time Championship 4 qualifier (twice in trucks, once in the Xfinity Series) and a winner of more than 10 Xfinity Series races.

“One thing that stands out to me most is his desire to learn and be the best – not only at going out and winning races, but understanding the game, understanding the strategy,” said veteran crew chief Jason Ratcliff, who has spent the 2018 and 2019 seasons calling the shots for Bell.

“Whether it’s being the best at getting on pit road, running pit road, running pit road without getting a speeding penalty, he’s just an all-around good driver.”

Cole Custer. By virtually all accounts, Stewart-Haas Racing hasn’t enjoyed as much success as the organization planned on having this year in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. It’s been a different story, however, in the NASCAR Xfinity Series where SHR’s Cole Custer has been a bright spot for the organization co-owned by Tony Stewart.

Justin Allgaier. One of the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ most consistent drivers over the past decade, Justin Allgaier enjoyed a career season a year ago by scoring a personal-best five victories. But the JR Motorsports driver fell painfully short of his ultimate goal – a championship – when he finished a disappointing seventh in the standings after missing out on a third consecutive appearance in the Championship 4.

Noah Gragson. First, there was Chase Elliott. Then, there was William Byron. Then, Tyler Reddick. Now, say hello to Noah Gragson – the latest in a line of talented young drivers who joined JR Motorsports with two particular goals in mind: win the NASCAR Xfinity Series championship and use the experience with JRM as a springboard to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.

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to Watch in the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series Playoffs

In a season where wins have been hard to come by for even some of the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series’ traditionally toughest driers, it’s anyone’s guess who will ultimately take home the championship. Here are five drivers to watch, all worthy of championship consideration.

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Matt Crafton. The only back-to-back champion in the 24year history of the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series, Matt Crafton arrives at the 2019 playoffs with the kind of swagger that only such a distinction can bring. This despite going winless in 2018 and through at least the first 12 races of this year. The veteran driver would strongly recommend a change in perspective for anyone who might be tempted to underestimate his championship hopes.

“I don’t think it would be very smart of them, to be honest,” Crafton said. “You put our backs against the wall, and we’ll come through.”

Grant Enfinger. Grant Enfinger has spent much of the season as the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series points leader, due in large part to outstanding consistency. But does that make the ThorSport Racing driver a favorite to qualify for and ultimately prevail in a one-race, winner-take-all finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway? Enfinger, for his part, doesn’t see himself as a championship dark-horse.

“I truly feel like our 98 team, if we hit our stride at the right time, will absolutely be the favorite going into Homestead,” Enfinger said.

Johnny Sauter. In his second stint with ThorSport Racing after spending the past three seasons at GMS Racing where he won a championship in 2016, Johnny Sauter is perhaps the championship favorite entering the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series playoffs.

Sauter is also racing with a bit of a chip on his shoulder after being unexpectedly let go by GMS at the end of 2018 – a year when he won six races and finished fourth in the standings after reaching the Championship 4 for a third consecutive season with the organization.

Brett Moffitt. Last season, Brett Moffitt wasn’t the favorite to win the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series championship.

Now, as the reigning champion one year later, it’s a different story.

“There’s certainly a lot of pressure,” Moffitt said. “You’ve got a target on your back from the first race in February all the way to the end of the year at Homestead. It’s a lot of added pressure just to go out there and perform in back-to-back seasons. We need to go out and keep performing and keep winning races.”

Stewart Friesen. An accomplished dirt-track racer with more than 260 victories dating back nearly two decades, Stewart Friesen decided three years ago to venture into the world of NASCAR as a part-time participant in the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series. In 2018, Friesen began competing full time in trucks under the banner of Halmar Friesen Racing – a team he created alongside Chris Larsen, the owner of Halmar International.

After reaching the playoffs and finishing seventh in points in his first season as a full-time truck driver, Friesen has been even better this year. A dozen races into the schedule, the Canadian ace ranked second in the standings on the merits of eight top-10 finishes, including seven top-five results.

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What Does It Take to be a Champion?

Winning a NASCAR championship is in no way simplistic or straightforward.

Rather, it requires a host of intangibles, which ultimately separate the champions from the drivers who never quite reach the mark. Following are the top-five requirements for becoming a NASCAR champion this year.

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Fast Race Cars. In NASCAR, there is simply no substitute for speed. The best driver in the world can only do so much if his or her race car doesn’t have what it takes to run up front. As obvious as it may sound, it’s all but unheard of for a driver to win a race – much less a championship – without being consistently equipped with cars that boast a lot of speed.

Pure Skill. Looking back over the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champions of the past decade or so, it would be hard to make the case that any of them were anything less than enormously talented. A driver can have the best equipment in the world, but if he or she doesn’t know how to get the most out of it, they’re not going to win a championship at the sport’s premier level.

Total Team Effort. Ever wonder why drivers – including some really good ones – with less-than-elite or middle-of-the pack teams almost never win Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championships? The answer is simple: Talent and skill alone aren’t enough to get a driver to NASCAR’s Promised Land. Reaching the pinnacle of the sport requires a total team effort. That means having a top-notch crew chief and car chief, gifted engineers and fabricators, and a reliably fast pit crew that doesn’t make mistakes on pit road. Crew chiefs get paid good money to make really tough strategy calls, ultimately weighing the risk vs. reward with each scenario – and there are many scenarios that must be carefully contemplated in a 400-, 500- or even 600-mile race.

Mental Toughness. Only the mentally toughest drivers win championships in NASCAR. It’s really just as simple as that. Since NASCAR instituted a 10-race playoff for its top series in 2004, and particularly since that playoff began featuring elimination rounds and a one-race, winner-take-all championship event in 2014, only drivers with disciplined mental stamina and poise have been able to ultimately prevail.

Good Luck. NASCAR is no different than any other sport in that winning a championship almost always requires having some good luck on one’s side. Perhaps the greatest modern-day example of a champion who needed good luck and got it is Kurt Busch.

In the hunt for the 2004 premier series title along with Hendrick Motorsports teammates Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon entering the final race, Busch lost his right-front wheel on the 93rd of 267 laps at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Miraculously missing the outside pit wall by less than a foot when the tire failure occurred, he momentarily lost control of his car’s steering, but Busch managed to somehow keep his Roush Fenway Racing Ford on the lead lap and ultimately rallied from 28th to finish fifth – good enough to beat Johnson for the championship by eight points while Gordon finished another eight points back in third.

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MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP DRIVERS

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Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series

Driver Profiles As the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series heads into the 10-race stretch that will decide the 2019 champion, these seven drivers are more than capable of making deep runs into the playoffs. Learn more about their seasons and their championship expectations.

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POLE POSITION 2019

BY JARED TURNER | PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

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MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP DRIVERS

PRE S E N T E D BY

Kyle Busch

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

NUMBER OF PLAYOFF APPEARANCES

12

BEST PLAYOFF FINISH

1st

FRIENDLY RIVALS BUSCH’S STIFFEST COMPETITION THROUGHOUT MOST OF THE SEASON HAS COME from an all-too-familiar source, who as of this year is also a teammate. That driver is Martin Truex Jr., who at the midway point of 2019 was tied with Busch for most wins. The two drivers have developed a friendly rivalry while maintaining a mutual respect.

“Year in, year out, he’s kind of the guy to beat,” Busch said of Truex. “The last few years, he’s been the guy to beat.”

One of the most talented and fiercest drivers of his era, Kyle Busch did something earlier this season that only one other person has done. That person is seven-time NASCAR premier series champion Richard Petty and the accomplishment was winning his 200th race in one of NASCAR’s national series (Busch has since eclipsed the 200 mark).

Although all 200 of Petty’s victories came in the sport’s premier series, while Busch’s are divided up among the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series, reaching the 200 mark is still a remarkable achievement and one in which Busch understandably takes pride.

The Joe Gibbs Racing driver is hardly satisfied, however.

While success will always be measured in large part on race wins, perhaps the greatest measure of success is championships – and Busch only has one of those in NASCAR’s premier series. He hopes to change that in the upcoming playoffs, where he will enter as one of the favorites.

After starting out the season on the shortlist of drivers believed to have a real shot at the title, Busch has only strengthened that perception with a performance that included four victories by the season’s halfway point. During the first 18 races, Busch had also rolled up an impressive 15 top-10 finishes – which were a series-high.

Entering the playoffs with a slew of bonus points, the 2015 champ stands an excellent chance of being part of the Championship 4 a record fifth year in a row.

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POLE POSITION 2019

CHAMPIONSHIPS

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MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP DRIVERS

PRE S E N T E D BY

Kurt Busch

1

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NUMBER OF PLAYOFF APPEARANCES

13

BEST PLAYOFF FINISH

TOP-10 TIME WHILE WINS AND TOP-FIVE FINISHES HAVE BEEN HARD TO COME BY for Busch in his first season with Chip Ganassi Racing, the 2004 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion had to be encouraged by his position in the standings and his number of top-10 finishes at the season’s midway point.

With 18 races in the books, Busch had posted 10 top-10 results and ranked eighth in points with his No. 1 Chevrolet team led by crew chief Matt McCall.

Fifteen years ago, Kurt Busch won his first championship in what is now the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. Since that time, Busch has competed for six different teams and been a fairly consistent contender along the way while typically winning one or two races a year.

But it’s another championship that the veteran driver really wants. Will this be the year?

After five mostly successful seasons at Stewart-Haas Racing, Busch joined Chip Ganassi Racing for 2019 hoping to make the most of what could be his final season in NASCAR’s premier series.

Busch, 41, has just a one-year contract with CGR and hasn’t said whether he expects to return next season. It’s not at all farfetched to assume his future plans with the organization might hinge on his 2019 performance, which Busch claimed to be “pleased with” after seven top-10 finishes in his first 10 races with CGR. By the season’s halfway point, Busch was still in search of his first win, however, while the same was true for teammate Kyle Larson. Fifteen of the first 18 races were won by drivers from Joe Gibbs Racing or Team Penske, a clear sign that Busch and Chip Ganassi Racing have room for improvement.

“When you’re trying to battle for top-five spots and Penske and Gibbs have them on lockdown, that’s where we know we need to work at our own pace, find our own speed and make both the Ganassi cars better,” Busch said.

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1st

CHAMPIONSHIPS

1

MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP DRIVERS

PRE S E N T E D BY

Chase Elliott

9

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NUMBER OF PLAYOFF APPEARANCES

4

FAMILY TRADITION AFTER TWO SEASONS IN A NO. 9 CAR FOR JR MOTORSPORTS, ELLIOTT SWITCHED to No. 24 when he joined NASCAR’s premier series in 2016 with Hendrick Motorsports. But, for 2018, Hendrick announced Elliott would return to the No. 9 – a number made famous by his father.

“I wasn’t sure I’d ever drive the 9 again,” Elliott said. “It’s a huge deal to my family and everyone back home (in Georgia). There’s a legacy attached to that number, and I want to carry it on.”

Growing up in the house of a NASCAR legend, Chase Elliott knew from a fairly young age that he wanted to pursue a career in racing.

When the time finally came for the Dawsonville, Georgia, native to make the jump to NASCAR’s big leagues, he went all in – and wasted little time finding success.

As a newcomer to the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2014, Elliott – at the tender age of 18 – became the youngest champion of a major NASCAR series and the first rookie driver to win a major NASCAR series title. But, perhaps even more importantly, he made a believer out of his father, Bill, who is the 1988 champion of NASCAR’s premier and a 2015 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee.

Bill Elliott, also a 16-time NASCAR most popular driver and winner of 44 premier series races, admittedly wasn’t confident his son was poised to become the sport’s first rookie champion.

“Why, heck no,” Bill Elliott told this writer in 2014. “Why, Lord God, no.

I mean, in your wildest dream, you wouldn’t think so. To be able just to be consistently in the top 10 would be a stretch as far as I was concerned.”

Two seasons after winning the Xfinity Series championship, Chase Elliott had a ride in NASCAR’s premier series with Hendrick Motorsports. By the midway point of this season, he had recorded four career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victories and asserted himself as a serious championship contender.

Dad couldn’t be prouder.

64

POLE POSITION 2019

BEST PLAYOFF FINISH

5th

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16

NUMBER OF PLAYOFF APPEARANCES BEST PLAYOFF FINISH CHAMPIONSHIPS

1st

7

BACK TOGETHER AGAIN WHILE JOHNSON IS NO LONGER PAIRED WITH HIS longtime crew chief, Chad Knaus, the two men who won seven championships and more than 80 races together are on good terms.

“On the Easter off-weekend (for the Monster Energy Series), we were both vacationing near one another and we connected and had some fun,” Johnson said. “We have a friendship and a bond. Our work life strained it for a few years there, but it didn’t impact it, and we are still great friends.”

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In most seasons during his illustrious career, Jimmie Johnson has entered the playoffs as a favorite – if not the favorite – to head home with the championship hardware in hand. The 2019 campaign has been a different story, however, as Johnson has more often than not struggled to contend for victories and lead laps in his No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.

Paired with rookie crew chief Kevin Meendering this season after spending his entire Cup Series career up until 2019 with Chad Knaus calling the shots, Johnson was a bit sluggish out of the gate as he posted only one top-five finish in his first 10 outings with Meendering.

However, signs of progress for the No. 48 team began to emerge around mid-summer when Johnson scored

back-to-back top-five finishes for the first time since 2017. Though he still isn’t quite where he wants to be, the seventime champion has some reason to feel encouraged looking ahead to the final 10-race stretch.

“These crew members on this No. 48 team have been working really hard,” Johnson said. “I think we’re really starting to get our stride as a group now.”

Johnson largely views his team’s improvements as a microcosm of the gains recently made by Hendrick Motorsports as a whole.

“When you’re on, it’s wonderful,” Johnson said. “But when you’re off, all four Hendrick cars are going to suffer at that point, but I think we’re doing a nice job.

All four cars are very close and showing that speed week-in and week-out.”

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NUMBER OF PLAYOFF APPEARANCES BEST PLAYOFF FINISH CHAMPIONSHIPS

1st

1

FOLLOW THE LEADER IN ADDITION TO BEING EQUIPPED WITH fast cars to drive, Truex Jr. has enjoyed another key aspect of life at Joe Gibbs Racing. That would be the leadership style of the organization’s founder and owner, Joe Gibbs.

“He leads by example,” Truex said of Gibbs, a three-time Super Bowl-winning coach with the NFL’s Washington Redskins. “He works so hard.

That’s why everybody at his company puts in the effort they do. That’s why they’re successful.”

After a slow start to his first season with Joe Gibbs Racing, Martin Truex Jr. took it up a notch beginning with a victory at Richmond Raceway in mid-April.

He hasn’t slowed much since.

By the time July rolled around, Truex and his No. 19 team, led by Cole Pearn, had picked up three more victories and collected a plethora of playoff points in the process. As a result, Truex was positioned well for the final 10 races.

Truex, of course, is no stranger to deep playoff runs, having reached the Championship 4 in three of the past four seasons and captured the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series title in 2017.

However, all that success came with Furniture Row Racing — the former Joe

Gibbs Racing affiliate that shuttered operations at the end of 2018 due to sponsorship concerns.

In addition to continuing his winning ways after moving to JGR, Truex has also enjoyed having the familiarity of Pearn – the crew chief with whom he worked at Furniture Row from 2015-2018. This is the fourth season that Truex has won at least four races under Pearn’s guidance.

“We’re very fortunate to have a great relationship together,” Pearn said. “Martin has done a great job of that this year with all the rule changes. It’s a different style of racing, a lot more downforce. You had no downforce last year to a ton of downforce this year. The fact that you can win in both configurations is really important.”

MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP DRIVERS

PRE S E N T E D BY

Clint Bowyer

14

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NUMBER OF PLAYOFF APPEARANCES

8

CLOWNING AROUND Known by almost everyone for his quick wit and proclivity for pranks, Bowyer was dubbed a “class clown” earlier this season by teammate and fellow driver Aric Almirola.

Bowyer’s reaction was as one might have expected from him.

“I need to have a word with Aric,” Bowyer said, joking. “I guess you can either be energetic and have fun or be boring. I choose to have fun and enjoy the sport. If I can’t have fun, I can’t have success.”

On the heels of a strong 2018 season that represented a personal renaissance of sorts after being shut out of Victory Lane from 2013-2017, Clint Bowyer came into 2019 with justifiably high expectations.

The road has been bumpier than he had hoped, however.

Now in his third season with Stewart-Haas Racing after spending five years with teams that lacked frontrunning equipment, Bowyer has faced a number of challenges this season. Those challenges have included, most notably, being caught up in several wrecks not of his own making and the fact that Stewart-Haas Racing as a whole hasn’t been up to par with its performance from the past several seasons.

Bowyer’s most notable moment from the season so far came in May just a couple of minutes after the Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, when he ran up to Ryan Newman’s car and began punching at the Roush Fenway Racing driver to express his anger over contact they had just made on the track.

In spite of everything, Bowyer remains hopeful that his No. 14 team, which he took to Victory Lane twice in 2018, can rekindle the magic in time to make a deep run in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.

“Success is measured by winning – that’s goal No. 1,” Bowyer said halfway through the season, at which point he had recorded five top-five finishes but no victories in 18 starts. “We still haven’t accomplished that, so that’s our priority.”

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POLE POSITION 2019

BEST PLAYOFF FINISH

2nd

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NASCAR XFINITY

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Victory with a Drink of Maple Syrup

I

t’s 2:30 p.m., but that doesn’t matter to NASCAR Xfinity Series title contender Tyler Reddick. He wants some maple syrup. Will he down a shot of the sweet treat, or will he put it on or in something unconventional? Reddick is busy piloting the No. 2 Chevrolet on weekends for Richard Childress Racing, but right now, it’s time to put Anderson’s Maple Syrup in … his tea. And if Reddick wins with Anderson’s on his race car, he says he’ll take a drink of maple syrup in Victory Lane.

You’re the main NASCAR Xfinity Series guy at RCR. What’s that like?

I was curious to see how the start of the year would go without having any true in-house teammates with the exception of Kaz Grala or Joe Graf Jr. Having Justin Haley and Kaulig Racing down the street has been good for me. It’s been like having a teammate.

Did the opportunity to run a handful of Cup Series races play into your decision to move to RCR? We planned Daytona before we started doing so well on the Xfinity side. Once we got things rolling in Xfinity, it made it easy to lobby for some Cup Series races. Richard (Childress) wanted me in the Cup car some, so running well just made that more regularly available. We ran really well at Kansas, so that helps solidify it even more.

What did you learn last year in the playoffs that will carry over to this season?

I need to build up as many playoff points as possible. We already have a good amount of playoff points compared to the field, besides Cole Custer and Christopher Bell.

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POLE POSITION 2019

What do you do the morning before a race?

I try to hydrate and prepare the best that I can.

You have to start days in advance. I really enjoy taking Anderson’s Pure Fuel. It’s like a little shot, which is good for days when I’m not feeling that energetic. If I’m having way too many cups of coffee, I’ll have the Pure Fuel so I don’t upset my stomach.”

What’s your favorite breakfast meal?

I’m not a massive breakfast guy, but every time you have waffles or pancakes, you need to have Anderson’s Maple Syrup on them.

That’s a given. I’m not the best at eating breakfast, though, because I normally just have a cup of coffee. But when I have a waffle or pancake, how can you not put Anderson’s Maple Syrup on there?

What’s it been like to work with Anderson’s?

It’s really cool that they’ve been partnered with RCR as long as they have. The next time they’re on the car, I hope I can use that opportunity to get them to Victory Lane and reward them for their dedication to the team.

They’re die-hards to RCR and to the sport. They love racing. I’d love to hold them to my promise of getting them to Victory Lane and taking a shot of Pure Fuel and chug some maple syrup.

Other than pancakes and waffles, what would you put Anderson’s Maple Syrup on?

I’ve thought about this in the past.

If I feel like I need to make something a little sweeter, I’ve never been afraid to put a little syrup on it. I’ve even had it on my eggs before. I’ve been pretty ridiculous. I’ve put it on hash browns.

When I was younger, I used to put it on everything. How could I forget? I always used to put it in Cream of Wheat oatmeal. I still do that sometimes. I don’t think I’ve put it in coffee in a long time, but I put it in tea.”

BY JOSEPH WOLKIN | PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

WOMEN OF NASCAR

PRESENTED BY

CATWALK FOR A CAUSE

Sherry Pollex On a Mission

N

o one in the NASCAR community has been a bigger force for good in recent years than Sherry Pollex – the longtime girlfriend of 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion Martin Truex Jr. Diagnosed with stage III ovarian cancer in August 2014, Pollex has spent years on a mission to raise awareness, boost advocacy and generate financial support for underfunded cancer research initiatives specific to ovarian and childhood cancers.

One of the ways Pollex has done this is through her involvement in The Martin Truex Jr. Foundation, which she and Truex started in 2007 – seven years before her cancer diagnosis.

The foundation exists through the generosity of donors, partners and corporate sponsors passionate about its mission, which also includes assisting the individuals and families affected by ovarian and childhood cancers.

Knowing firsthand the toll radiation, chemotherapy and toxic chemicals can take on a person’s body, Pollex wants to help find better, safer ways to save the lives of babies, toddlers and teenagers battling cancer.

“The damage that these lifesaving drugs do to your system is awful and, at the end, there is still no guarantee that you will be cancer-free,” she said. “What will the long-term effects be on these poor kids’ systems 10, 20 and 30 years from now?”

Pollex, who at the time of her diagnosis was given less than a 30 percent chance to live five years, has been mostly in remission since 2016 but remained on oral chemotherapy as of earlier this year. Shortly after receiving her diagnosis five years ago, she underwent surgery to remove multiple tumors.

Pollex calls that day – a Friday when Truex was scheduled to be at Michigan International Speedway for NASCAR on-track activities – “the most important day of our lives.”

“It was an eight-hour surgery where they were literally taking the tumors out of my body,” she said. “It was a big day for my family as far as me even coming out of the surgery alive, because they didn’t know if I would. Martin wasn’t going to miss it. Race cars take a back seat when the person you love is facing a deadly cancer like ovarian cancer. Martin was there by my side, and it was the first time ever in his career he’s had to sit out of the car, and I know it was a horrible feeling for him because he wanted to be at the speedway and at the same time he wanted to be by my side.”

PUTTING HER cancer-fighting advocacy into action, Sherry Pollex and boyfriend Martin Truex Jr. in May 2019 hosted their 10th annual Catwalk for a Cause honoring their “Catwalk Heroes” who are currently in the fight against cancer.

An estimated 700 guests – including a large segment of the NASCAR community – attended the event, which included a fashion show, dinner and after-party concert with popular country music artist Cole Swindell. The Martin Truex Jr. Foundation raised about $800,000 from this year’s Catwalk proceeds, which are helping underwrite the launch of a Children’s Emergency Department in Huntersville, North Carolina, and the SherryStrong Integrative Oncology Clinic in Charlotte.

“Honestly, when we started the foundation, it was just trying to do good, give back and help people, and it’s since just become a part of our lives a lot because of what Sherry has been through,” Truex said.

“But a lot because of the families we’ve met and got to kind of see the impact we’ve been able to make and, you know, I think we’re surprised all the time at just how big of an impact we can make.”

The first Catwalk event was attended by 50 people and raised about $7,000.

“It’s still hard to imagine how far we’ve come,” Pollex said. “It fills my heart with joy.”

BY JARED TURNER | PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

TRUCK SERIES

PRE S E N T E D BY

NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series: Four Former Champs Nearly a quarter century old, the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series has produced some terrific drivers since the series’ inaugural season in 1995. Get to know four former series champions who’ve also enjoyed success in NASCAR’s other national divisions.

GREG BIFFLE: 2000 Before Biffle became a champion of the NASCAR Xfinity Series or a 20-time race winner in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, the driver from Vancouver, Washington, spent three full seasons – the last two of them downright spectacular – in what is now the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series.

Driving for Roush Fenway Racing, Biffle won nine races on the way to a runner-up finish in the 1999 Truck Series standings. The following season, he scored five wins and captured the title on the strength of better overall consistency than he displayed during the previous campaign. Biffle used his success in trucks as a catalyst for landing a full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series ride with Roush Fenway for 2001 and 2002 – the latter year being his championship season. By 2003, he was in the Cup Series full-time with RFR. After going 15 years without a single Truck Series start, Biffle made a cameo appearance in the series in June of this year when he won at Texas Motor Speedway, driving for Kyle Busch Motorsports.

TODD BODINE: 2006, 2010 One of only four drivers with multiple championships in the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series, Todd Bodine earned his first title in 2006 and returned to the Promised Land four years later, in 2010, with the same Germain Racing team. Unlike most of his fellow truck champions, Bodine didn’t parlay his Truck Series success into a future at NASCAR’s higher levels. Rather, Bodine had already made a total of more than 500 starts between NASCAR’s premier series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series before going full-time Truck Series racing in 2005.

Winless in NASCAR’s premier series and a winner of 15 Xfinity Series races, Bodine enjoyed his greatest success in trucks. From 2004-2012, he captured 22 NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series victories and finished in the top five of the standings six times. The Chemung, New York, native, who is the youngest of three Bodine brothers who raced in NASCAR’s premier series, finished his Truck Series career in 2013 with 220 career starts. Today, Bodine is a NASCAR analyst on FS1, primarily for the Truck Series.

AUSTIN DILLON: 2011 Growing up with a father who raced and a grandfather who is one of the most successful team owners in NASCAR history, Austin Dillon seemed practically destined to drive race cars. No one knew exactly how good Dillon could be, however, until he joined the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series in 2010 with his grandfather’s organization – Richard Childress Racing.

Over two seasons as driver of a black No. 3 RCR truck, Dillon collected a total of four victories. His first two wins came as a series rookie in 2010, when he finished fifth in the standings. The other two truck wins came in 2011 on the way to the series championship.

Using his Truck Series success as a springboard to even bigger things, Dillon later spent two seasons in the NASCAR Xfinity Series – the latter of which produced a championship. He joined NASCAR’s premier series full time in 2014 and has since totaled two victories. Since graduating from the full-time Truck Series ranks, Dillon has continued to dabble in the series, picking up three more victories along the way.

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ERIK JONES: 2015 After turning a lot of heads and picking up a total of four victories during two seasons as a part-time NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series driver for Kyle Busch Motorsports, Erik Jones landed a full-time ride with the team for the 2015 season.

And, what a ride it turned out to be.

In what would end up being his only full year in the Truck Series, Jones recorded three wins en route to becoming then the youngest champion in series history at just 19 years, 5 months and 21 days old. That success catapulted Jones to a full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series opportunity with Joe Gibbs Racing in 2016, and the youngster from Byron, Michigan, moved to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in 2017 with Furniture Row Racing.

When Furniture Row scaled back to a single car at the conclusion of 2017, Jones joined JGR’s Cup Series program, where he earned a playoff-clinching victory at Daytona in July 2018. None of that would have been possible, however, if Jones hadn’t made a splash in the Truck Series starting in 2013 at the tender age of 16.

BY JARED TURNER | PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

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TRUCK SERIES

PRE S E N T E D BY

Brett Moffitt: Primed and Ready

L

ooking for someone who knows a thing or two about resiliency? Look no further than NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series driver Brett Moffitt.

Competing last season for a little-known, underfunded team in Hattori Racing Enterprises, Moffitt did the virtually unthinkable: claim the Truck Series championship and capture a series-high six victories all while his team struggled to find the funding to keep his truck on the track for the full campaign.

Despite his remarkable accomplishments against long odds, Moffitt received a proverbial pink slip at season’s end when HRE decided to pursue a driver who would bring sponsorship. However, Moffitt quickly landed at GMS Racing – the organization owned by Allegiant Travel Co. CEO Maury Gallagher Jr. that won the 2016 Truck Series championship with veteran Johnny Sauter.

Now, with the 2019 truck playoffs looming, Moffitt is primed and ready to chase a second consecutive title – this time with the organization that won 13 races over the past three seasons with Sauter, who was released by GMS at the end of 2018.

Moffitt recorded two victories and seven top-five finishes in his first dozen starts with GMS, punching his ticket into the playoffs by prevailing in the season’s 10th race – held at Iowa Speedway, his home track. Moffitt’s second victory of 2019 came in late June at Chicagoland Speedway – two races after his Iowa win.

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POLE POSITION 2019

“I think the depth of the organization is huge,” Moffitt said of GMS, which fields multiple NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series teams and a NASCAR Xfinity Series team. “They have quality equipment in all of their race teams. … They put all their best feet forward and, as a driver, you notice that.”

GMS clearly took notice of Moffitt, whose heroics from last season were illuminated by the fact that he perhaps saved his best for when it mattered most, scoring a convincing victory in the seasonending championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway where he led 59 of 134 laps. In an event that featured only two caution flags, Moffitt pulled away after grabbing the lead from fellow Championship 4 contender Noah Gragson on lap 99.

“That was the longest 20-30 laps of my life,” Moffitt said. “I was glad we could get to the white flag without a caution and have clean sailing. We had a great truck all day.

“It’s unreal. I didn’t know if I would have the opportunity to run for a championship, even after we got our first victory. Everyone pulled together hard.”

But less than three weeks after his impressive championship drive, the Grimes, Iowa, native found himself searching for a ride.

“No matter what, looking back, at least I can say I was the 2018 Truck Series champion with six victories on the year,” he said. “I’ll forever have that, and the people who supported me will have that.”

With the playoffs here again, Moffitt hopes to achieve the same outcome with a different team.

This much is certain: He won’t rest the least bit easy in his pursuit of back-to-back titles just because he’s already ascended to the series’ mountaintop.

“It’s one level of success, and one checkmark on the career box, but hopefully there’s a lot more to come,” Moffitt said.

IMMENSE POTENTIAL SINCE HIS TEEN YEARS, Brett Moffitt has flashed immense driving potential.

At 16, he made his NASCAR debut in a NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race and recorded an impressive fifthplace finish after starting from the pole. Moffitt has since claimed 10 victories on NASCAR’s regional tour.

With aspirations to compete in NASCAR’s premier series, Moffitt joined Michael Waltrip Racing in 2011 and took part in the team’s testing program. He logged thousands of test laps at numerous race tracks that prepared him for sporadic starts at the premier level.

One start came at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 2015 when Moffitt found himself behind the wheel of MWR’s No. 55 car after an earlyseason driver shuffle. Moffitt seized on the opportunity, finishing eighth. The result turned heads and led to Moffitt earning 2015 rookieof-the-year honors.

However, Moffitt was left without a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series ride for 2016 after MWR ceased operations, and the ultimate domino effect for him was a full-time move to the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series in 2018.

BY JARED TURNER | PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

PIT PASS

Favorite Food Bowman Loves Mexican: Without hesitation, Alex Bowman, a native of Tucson, Arizona, proclaims Mexican food as his favorite. “But it has to be good,” he jokingly adds. It doesn’t matter the dish, he loves “all of it.” While it is difficult to find authentic Mexican food in North Carolina, Bowman can’t help but hunger for the tasty dishes from his home state.

WITH NASCAR GANDER 2Q OUTDOORS TRUCK SERIES OWNER-DRIVER JORDAN ANDERSON

N

ASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series owner-driver Jordan Anderson doesn’t get much sleep. The 28-year-old is constantly working to be an ambassador for his sponsors and he wants to be the face of the series. However, there’s a long way to go. After running all but one race a year ago, Anderson’s small team is making strides in its effort to make the No. 3 truck a top-10 contender at every race.

When you have someone like Ryan Newman race your truck as he did at Eldora last season, what does it do for the team?

Certainly, that’s one thing we looked at last year. If I step out of the truck and put Ryan in it, it helps the program get better. We took a second truck to three races last year, and it opened my eyes to show we have the ability and infrastructure to do that. It definitely has me encouraged about what can happen in the future. I’m all for the growth of the team and sometimes I need to separate myself as Jordan Anderson the race car driver and Jordan Anderson the team owner.

What made you pick the No. 3?

I have a model of the truck I ran in Canada last year on my desk with the Junior Johnson paint scheme. The initial number I requested was the No. 2 because Mark Martin ran it back in his ASA days. I really appreciate his journey, but that number was taken. I thought of other underdog driver-owners.

I thought of Alan Kulwicki, one of the most well-known underdogs. I came to find out that was taken.

I asked NASCAR to send me a list of available numbers, and the No. 3 was one of them. Everybody knows the Earnhardt connection, but I wanted to dig deeper. It was the first number Junior Johnson ran. I thought of his story and him being a driver-owner and then an owner. I felt I could relate to that. I was so drawn to that, so the No. 3 it is.

TERMINOLOGY Racing Suit: They’re covered in logos. They’re bright, colorful and fun to look at. We’re talking about racing suits, the fire-retardant overalls that drivers use to protect themselves while in the race car and crew members wear for protection while servicing the car on pit road. Fire-retardant uniforms have been commonplace in NASCAR racing since the 1960s.

BY JOSEPH WOLKIN | PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES POLE POSITION MAG.COM

79

ENASCAR Connecting a New Style of NASCAR Fan with Esports SKRRT BUSCH BRINGS THE HYPE TO ENASCAR

How do you stay connected to NASCAR? Of course we have the spectacular racing, legendary drivers, and incredible vehicles. But that’s only one day a week. Think about the rest of your NASCAR life – sharing the latest news on social media, arguing about the latest controversy on Reddit, calling up your buddy just to say, “did you see that?”

What would your life be like without it?

Meet Greg Matarazzo, professional esports driver for Chip Ganassi Racing in the eNASCAR Heat Pro League. While today he rubs shoulders with iconic teammates like Kurt Busch and Kyle Larson, he wasn’t always at the center of the stock car universe.

A SECOND LIFE “I had all the games,” he exclaimed. “Thunder 04, 05, 06, 07.”

That’s not a missile launch, those are a list of beloved NASCAR video games. But when you’re a core

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POLE POSITION 2019

gamer, you don’t remember the specific title of, say, NASCAR 2005: Chase for the Cup. Instead it’s more just the general year you experienced the awesome.

“I did split-screen with my friends,” he said. “I really liked the career mode, building up the team with your shop, managing the chassis, all those little things. I liked getting to make a driver and create a name for him.”

“I first started playing more online on the Playstation 3,” he said, “there were some decent online modes. I dabbled in the leagues, but I didn’t take it seriously because of school.”

Matarazzo would continue this until the release of NASCAR Heat 3 last year.

“I was impressed by the graphics and all the gameplay I was seeing online. I said to myself ‘I gotta get this game.’”

He immediately went out and bought an Xbox One. A month later, the Heat Pro League draft was announced, and Matarazzo knew what he had to do.

“Luckily, I had 15 years of racing experience.”

AN URBAN LEGEND “I wake up sometimes and think, ‘A year ago I was dreaming of being involved in NASCAR.’ And now I’m in it as much as I can be!”

“Everything completely flipped with this pro league,” Matarazzo explained. “I never really thought this could all be something, racing with purpose online, rather than just for fun or career mode.

“In high school, the only racing around me was go karts. But a lot of those people were two towns away. I couldn’t hang out with them or interact with them,” he recalls. “Now I have tons of friends in NASCAR. Online, in person, all over the country.”

And that hardcore gamer explaining how he used to drive backwards in “09” to wreck people online? He’s also the founder of Burassi, a lifestyle fashion company in Los Angeles with sales in over 35 countries.

“Burassi is a made up word, it represents the idea of creating something out of nothing,” he said.

“That’s how I approached my brand, my whole journey online, and my approach with the NASCAR side of things.”

“Esports is that middle ground,” he said, “to merge streetwear, youth culture, and racing. I’m in the process of figuring out how I can merge these two industries and cultures,” he said.

“I want to merge these two different audiences.

Bring it back whole circle.”

So, how do you stay connected to NASCAR? And who might you be connecting with?

BY JOSH MULL