NASCAR Pole Position 2020 Feb/March Edition by A.E. Engine

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HANGING UP HIS HELMET

Ranking Jimmie Johnsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Seven Championships

Things to Watch For NASCAR HALL OF FAMER

DARRELL WALTRIP

6 Drivers to Watch XFINITY + GANDER RV & OUTDOORS TRUCK SERIES

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CONTE NT 2020

Ranking Jimmie Johnson’s Seven Championships 08

NASCAR HALL OF FAMER DARRELL WALTRIP P.14 WORLD OF NASCAR

06 Green Flag 12 Drivers & Wives 13 Crew Member Spotlight 16 Owner Spotlight 18 Tailgating 20 Favorite Ride 21 NASCAR Pets 22 Partner Spotlight: ROXOR 30 Seal the Deal 38 NASCAR Personality

20 THINGS TO WATCH IN 2020 P.32 46 47 48 64 68

RAREFIED ROOKIES P.50

Growin’ Up NASCAR The Inspection Process NASCAR Health Favorite Finds Bucket-List Events

NASCAR CUP SERIES

10 15 24 26 28

Fresh Faces & New Places Old School vs. New School NASCAR Builds NASCAR Careers NASCAR Home Tracks

DRIVER PROFILES P.52

42 2020 Cup Series Season 66 Daytona vs. Talladega 70 NASCAR History 72 Race Strategy XFINITY SERIES

44 6 Drivers to Watch GANDER RV & OUTDOORS TRUCK SERIES

45 6 Drivers to Watch 61 Q&A with Spencer Boyd 62 Q&A with Christian Eckes

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GREEN FLAG

2019 POSTSEASON DRIVER RATINGS

DEEGAN PAYS TRIBUTE TO TRAILBLAZER ST. JAMES

IT’S NO SURPRISE THAT Kyle Busch and Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Martin

HAILIE DEEGAN SPENT

Truex Jr. and Denny Hamlin

some time with Lyn

held three of the top five

St. James Jan. 23 at

positions in postseason

Daytona International

driver ratings.

Speedway before attempting to continue

D R I V E R R ATI N G S

to blaze a path St. James

The Gander RV and Outdoors Truck Series playoff field in 2020 will expand from

in 1985 and won three

eight drivers/trucks to 10 drivers/trucks. The new structure will be as follows: •• Round of 10. World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and Bristol Motor Speedway •• Round of 8. Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway, Martinsville Speedway •• Championship 4. Phoenix Raceway “Expanding the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series playoff field to 10 is a win-win for drivers, teams and, most importantly, the passionate fans who support our Gander Trucks,” said NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Managing Director Brad Moran. “This will only increase the competitive intensity this series offers, as more drivers and teams vie for one of the most coveted championships in all of racing.”

times competing in a Ford Mustang for Jack Roush that season. In January, Deegan made her IMSA debut driving the No. 22 Multimatic Motorsports Ford Mustang GT4 in the Michelin Pilot Challenge four-hour race - the car designed with a tribute livery to St. James’ 1985 car.

BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

WHEELING AND DEALING

TEAM SPONSORSHIP NEWS

NEWMAN’S NO. 6

LARSON’S NO. 42

GILLILAND’S NO. 38

ROUSH FENWAY RACING

ADVENTHEALTH

FRONT ROW MOTOR-

announced a multi-

expanded its relationship

sports will expand oper-

year extension with

with Chip Ganassi Racing

ations to the NASCAR

Wyndham Rewards® that

(CGR) by once again

Gander RV and Outdoors

will continue to see the

teaming up with Kyle

Truck Series in 2020

award-winning rewards

Larson on the No. 42

through an alliance with

program serve as a

Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for

DGR-Crosley. Nineteen-

primary sponsor on Ryan

two races during the 2020

year-old Todd Gilliland is

Newman’s No. 6 NASCAR

season. AdventHealth

set to drive the team’s

Cup Series Ford Mustang.

is also teaming up with

No. 38 Ford F-150. Gilliland

Wyndham Rewards will

Florida-native Ross

spent his childhood watching

make its 2020 debut as

Chastain on the No. 77

his father, David, race that

a primary partner at Las

Chevrolet Camaro ZL1,

number in NASCAR’s pre-

Vegas Motor Speedway

prepared by CGR, in

mier Cup Series driving for

for the 400-mile Cup

conjunction with Spire

FRM and Ford Performance.

Series race on February 23.

Motorsports, for starts at

David’s father, Butch,

Wyndham Rewards joined

the DAYTONA 500 and the

also raced the No. 38 to a

Roush Fenway Racing as a

Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte

NASCAR K&N Pro Series

primary sponsor in 2018.

Motor Speedway.

West championship in 1997.

POLE POSITION 2020

DENNY HAMLIN 98.0

GT-class solo victory

JOEY LOGANO 98.4

Truck Series Playoffs Expand to 10 MARTIN TRUEX JR. 103.4

woman to earn an IMSA

KEVIN HARVICK 105.2

St. James was the first

KYLE BUSCH 108.4

started in the 1980s.

“IF I DIDN’T WORK FOR HIM, I WOULDN’T BE WHERE I’M AT NOW.”

—T O N Y S T E W A R T ON JOE GIBBS

Major changes in store for the 2020 season Between new entitlement sponsors and significant rule changes in NASCAR’s premier series, fans will be happy to see some crowdpleasing adjustments in 2020.

Our promise to our fans, and we’ll do it right here, is we are going to provide the best racing we can at our short tracks.”

– NASCAR PRESIDENT STEVE PHELPS

DENNY HAMLIN’S REACTION WHAT A GREAT COLLABORAtion from everyone involved. Special thanks to @odsteve for putting it together. Getting everyone in a room with the same goal results in good change. This will without a doubt result in better short track racing in 2020.

CHANGE OF SCENERY

The tracks that will employ this new package are Bristol Motor Speedway, Dover International Speedway, Martinsville Speedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Richmond Raceway and Phoenix Raceway, which will host the 2020 championship weekend.

In 2020, NASCAR’s premier series will be known as the NASCAR

Cup Series. Four brands — Busch Beer, Coca-Cola, GEICO and Xfinity — will hold Premier Partner positions.

A reduced-downforce package designed to enhance competition

on road courses (Sonoma, Watkins Glen and the Charlotte Roval) and the circuit’s shorter oval tracks (Phoenix, Bristol, Richmond, Dover, Martinsville and New Hampshire) is in place for those tracks.

The changes include significantly smaller

NASCAR’S OFFICIAL HAULER

GM’S NEW TECHNICAL CENTER

NASCAR AND MACK TRUCKS ANNOUNCED A

GENERAL MOTORS WILL OPEN A NEW

other aerodynamic devices

multi-year extension that continues its designation

technical center focused on performance and

in an effort to place a greater

as the “Official Hauler of NASCAR®.” For nearly five

racing in the Charlotte region, a major racing hub

emphasis on handling

years, NASCAR has logged approximately 450,000

in the United States. The facility will expand GM’s

and driver input with less

miles annually with Mack trucks, paving the way

performance and racing capabilities, with a focus

stabilizing downforce on

for successful races at various tracks across North

on transferring knowledge and resources from

those tracks. The package

America. In 2018, NASCAR helped Mack unveil its

the racing programs to core vehicle engineering.

draws inspiration from

new Mack Anthem® model — the latest addition to

The goal for the Charlotte Technical Center

similar rules used in the

its premium lineup and still hauling the NASCAR fleet

is to eventually house future technology and

2017-18 seasons.

today — during NASCAR Fan Appreciation Day.

engineering development capabilities.

spoilers, splitters and

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

POLE POSITION MAG.COM

CHAMPION SPOTLIGHT

Ranking Jimmie Johnson’s Seven Championships

Set to retire at the conclusion of the 2020 season, Jimmie Johnson will hang up his helmet as one of the most successful NASCAR drivers of all time. Here’s how we rank his seven NASCAR Cup Series championships.

BY JARED TURNER

NO. 1 – 2007: Of Johnson’s seven

NO. 2 – 2008: Thirty years after

NO. 3 – 2009: Having tied

NO. 4 – 2006: After two fifth- and

championship seasons, 2007 is

the legendary Cale Yarborough

Yarborough’s record for consecutive

two second-place points finishes

by far his most dominant. Johnson

became the first driver to win

championships, Johnson began

over the course of his first four

recorded a career-high 10 wins in a

three consecutive championships

2009 on a mission to break it.

seasons, Johnson reached the

single season and rolled to a second

at NASCAR’s top level, Johnson

Mission accomplished. Johnson

sport’s pinnacle in his fifth try

consecutive championship. Johnson

became the second. On the

notched an impressive seven wins

and at the age of 31. Under the

put the title on ice by scoring four

strength of a seven-win season

for the second year in a row, and

guidance of crew chief Chad Knaus,

consecutive wins leading up to the

that he finished with a healthy

the only real threat to his pursuit

Johnson went to Victory Lane five

season finale at Homestead-Miami

points advantage over his closest

of history proved to be first-year

times and took the championship

Speedway, where Hendrick Motor-

pursuers – Roush Fenway Racing

Hendrick Motorsports teammate

by a fairly comfortable margin

sports teammate Jeff Gordon arrived

teammates Carl Edwards and Greg

Mark Martin, who Johnson

over Matt Kenseth, who was

as the only driver with a mathematical

Biffle – Johnson forever solidified

ultimately crushed in the final

seeking his second title with

chance – albeit a small one – of

his place as one of the greatest

points tally.

Roush Fenway Racing.

unseating Johnson for the title.

drivers in the history of the sport.

NO. 5 – 2013: After engaging in a

NO. 6 – 2016: This has been Johnson’s only

NO. 7 – 2010: Johnson entered the

season-long battle for supremacy with

championship in the era of an elimination-style

final race at Homestead trailing Denny

Matt Kenseth, Johnson came into the final

playoff and season-ending Championship 4 race.

Hamlin in the standings but left South

race with a sizeable lead over Kenseth

While 2016 wasn’t Johnson’s most impressive

Florida as a five-time champion by

in the standings and then took care of

season, the Hendrick Motorsports driver saved

virtue of finishing second on a day

business by finishing ninth at Homestead.

his best for last after running behind his three

when Hamlin stumbled his way to

Kenseth finished second in the race,

championship foes for most of the finale. Johnson

a 14th-place result. Johnson made

but it wasn’t enough to overcome his

grabbed the lead for the first time with three laps

history for the second year in a row,

steep deficit to Johnson, who returned to

to go and held on to win the race and tie Richard

this time becoming the first driver to

NASCAR’s Promised Land after coming up

Petty and the late Dale Earnhardt as the only

win five consecutive titles in NASCAR’s

short the two previous years.

seven-time champions of NASCAR’s premier series.

premier series.

POLE POSITION 2020

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

SPOTLIGHT

Fresh Faces & New Places

Want to know the secret to having a ride in the NASCAR Cup Series? Winning. Want to be replaced? Go a whole year without winning. BY JARED TURNER Such was the formula that shaped the 2019-20 “Silly Season,” as all 12 of the full-time NASCAR Cup Series drivers who went to Victory Lane in 2019 will return with their respective teams. Meanwhile, four drivers who were winless – Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Matt DiBenedetto, Daniel Suarez and Daniel Hemric – were dismissed at season’s end. DiBenedetto’s seat at Leavine Family Racing will be filled by rookie Christopher Bell, who won eight races in the NASCAR Xfinity Series last season. Suarez’s old seat at Stewart-Haas Racing will belong to rookie Cole Custer, who rang up seven Xfinity Series victories in 2019. Hemric’s former seat at Richard Childress Racing will be occupied by rookie Tyler Reddick, who captured six victories on the way to the 2019 Xfinity Series championship. Stenhouse is being replaced at Roush Fenway Racing by Chris Buescher, who, coincidentally, did not win a race in 2019 with JTG Daugherty Racing. Stenhouse managed to land on his feet, though, essentially swapping rides with Buescher when JTG Daugherty named him the driver of Buescher’s old car. DiBenedetto was equally fortunate, being tapped to fill the seat of Wood Brothers Racing’s No. 21 Ford after Paul Menard retired at the end of 2019. As of press time, however, Suarez was looking for work, while Hemric had secured only a part-time Xfinity Series ride with JR Motorsports.

•• Daniel Hemric will drive select NASCAR Xfinity Series races for JR Motorsports.

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Fab Four

When it comes to old or new faces in new places for the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season, four drivers stand out above the rest. PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

COLE CUSTER: The

MATT DIBENEDETTO:

TYLER REDDICK: If any

RICKY STENHOUSE JR.:

biggest winner of “Silly

No one is more thankful

driver is ready to move

Stenhouse endured a roller-

Season” was Custer,

for their 2020 ride than

up, it’s Reddick, a winner

coaster ride over his decade

who will take over the

DiBenedetto, who in

of back-to-back Xfinity

at Roush Fenway Racing,

No. 41 Stewart-Haas

spite of less-than-elite

Series titles the past two

once even getting benched

Racing car driven last

equipment last season

years – the first with JR

by team owner Jack Roush

season by Daniel Suarez.

recorded three top-five

Motorsports and the sec-

for tearing up too much

Custer, who won nine

and seven top-10 finishes.

ond with Richard Childress

equipment. He won Xfin-

races over three full

DiBenedetto is thrilled to

Racing. Reddick, whose

ity Series titles for the

seasons in the Xfinity

be joining a Wood Brothers

2019 championship season

company in 2011 and 2012.

Series, moves up with an

group that is NASCAR’s

was far more dominant

That led to a promotion to

organization that has won

longest continuously

than the one he enjoyed in

NASCAR’s top series where

two premier series titles

operating team. “I don’t

2018 with JRM, strategi-

he spent seven seasons

in the past 11 years and

even have the words to

cally positioned himself for

but won only twice before

become a staple of the

describe how thankful I

this opportunity by joining

being let go and joining JTG

Championship 4.

am!!” DiBenedetto tweeted.

RCR’s Xfinity program.

Daugherty Racing.

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DRIVERS & WIVES

•• Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his wife, Amy •• Joey Logano and his wife, Brittany •• Aric Almirola and his wife, Janice •• Kyle Busch and his wife, Samantha •• Daniel Hemric and his wife, Kenzie

POLE POSITION 2020

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

CREW MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

MADE IN THE U.S.A.

Danny Efland

R A C E E N G I N E E R AT R I C H A R D C H I L D R E S S R A C I N G

“Some people just have that competitive nature and that’s me. We want to win but sometimes we set intermediate goals, such as winning a stage, staying on the lead lap, or making sure we don’t run out of fuel, which is my job. That’s what I enjoy about it.” BY BEN WHITE Danny Efland, race engineer for Richard Chil-

HARDWOOD

LAMINATE & TILE FLOOR CLEANER

From 1999 through 2002, Efland won seven state championships as well as five National World Karting Association championships.

dress Racing and driver Tyler Reddick, set out from an early age to build a driving career of his own. He raced in karting competition from the age of 4 and worked his way through the ranks to the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series. A lack of sponsorship eventually dictated that he should make a career change. “I wanted to race all my life and ended up having to give up driving because of money,” Efland said. “It was all financial. That was the only reason I quit. It’s really tough for most PLAYING FAVORITES everybody. A lot of guys never make it to the WITH DANNY EFLAND Xfinity Series garage, so I think it’s been a MARRIED: KELLY blessing to be able to get here as a driver. CHILDREN: ELLA (4), AUDREY (1) “I gained the knowledge I needed through HOMETOWN: IRMO, SOUTH CAROLINA driving to turn all of that into a different career. VACATION SPOT: THE MOUNTAINS I felt like I had what it took, but we struggled HOLIDAY: CHRISTMAS for four of five years to make ends meet.” SEASON: SUMMER In 2013, Efland was driving in the Xfinity TV SHOW: THE VOICE and Truck Series, loading and unloading the MOVIE: GONE IN 60 SECONDS trucks or cars, working on them until 1 a.m., MUSIC: COUNTRY putting them through NASCAR inspection and driving them as long as he could afford to be on the track. He simply got burned out and needed a change. Having an engineering degree from the University of South Carolina paved his way into Richard Childress Racing, first in the Xfinity Series and then the Cup Series in 2017 when Ryan Newman was their driver. Efland’s eyes are always moving as he crunches numbers to make sure Reddick can get every ounce of performance from their cars. His past experience on the track gives him a special feel for what Reddick may be experiencing. “For the first two years I was here, we only had two race engineers and both sat in the pit box,” Efland said. “We now have three race engineers and only two of us travel. I travel every single week. I’m competitive. I just love to race.”

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NASCAR CUP SERIES

FOR THE RECORD

NASCAR Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip

Three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Darrell Waltrip called it a career last June when he retired from the broadcast booth, but he still has plenty to say. BY BEN WHITE

What did you want to do at 10 years old?

Actually, I wanted to be a country music singer. When I was a kid back in Owensboro, Kentucky, I would listen to WSM on my transistor radio and I would listen to the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday nights. I just always thought I’d do that. When I was in grade school, I won a couple of contests. So I had that vision early on.

How were you introduced to stock car racing?

It was at Legion Park in Owensboro. It was a small half-mile dirt track. I went to my first race with my grandmother, Oda “Odie” Palestine Phillips. I was 6 or 7 years old at the time. My favorite driver was G.C. Spencer and he ran a lot of Cup Series races later on. That’s who I pulled for.

Was being in NASCAR a dream come true?

I always think back to Bubba Watson winning the Masters golf tournament a few years back. They asked him if he had ever dreamed that he would win it. He said that he had never dreamed that big. I always knew I was pretty good at driving a car, but I didn’t know if I’d ever get further than Nashville. My dream was to just meet Junior Johnson, Bobby Allison and Richard Petty. They were all big names and I honestly never imagined being a part of that group and winning against them. It’s been more than I could ever imagine.

POLE POSITION 2020

You always backed up what you said in the Cup Series. What generated that confidence?

(Laughter) I’m a big chicken at heart. I’m afraid of a lot of things, such as water skiing, snow skiing, heights and all that. But when I got in a race car and put my seat belts on and helmet on, I was a different person. When I put that armor on and went to war, I felt I could do anything. I never even gave it a second thought.

You have 84 wins and three championships. Are you satisfied with how it all turned out?

Oh yeah. There were the ones I should have gotten credit for and didn’t or the ones that I won that you maybe shouldn’t have. So they all kind of balanced themselves out. From a driving standpoint, I couldn’t be more satisfied with what I was able to accomplish with the help of a lot of people.

How much did your broadcast career mean?

When my driving career ended in 2000, I could have never found a better job than working with FOX Sports. I had a place to take all of that experience and be able to share it with the fans. They told me to be myself and I did that. Those were some great years. I have no regrets. It was the greatest second job I could have ever had.

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

OLD SCHOOL VS. NEW SCHOOL

Make life simple get a

Dale Earnhardt vs. Kyle Busch BY JARED TURNER

Kyle Busch and the late Dale Earnhardt competed in different eras, but there are some striking similarities in how the two race and express themselves. Here are five: Attitude. Good luck finding two drivers who’ve hated losing more than Earnhardt and Busch. This disdain for anything less than a victory has often manifested itself during post-race interviews. Earnhardt – who once told reporters to “watch the replay” after being wrecked by Morgan Shepherd at Talladega in 1995 – was notoriously terse when things didn’t go his way on the track. The same for Busch, who tends to be sarcastic or avoid post-race interviews altogether after a particularly disappointing finish. Aggression. Earnhardt wasn’t nicknamed “The Intimidator” for being unafraid to put a front bumper to someone’s rear bumper when it meant advancing his chances of winning or finishing better. Just ask Rusty Wallace, Terry Labonte or Bill Elliott, among others, who experienced Earnhardt’s aggression first-hand. Likewise, Busch didn’t acquire the nickname “Rowdy” for playing it safe or conservatively – even if it means ruffling some feathers along the way. Just ask Busch’s biggest rivals, Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski. Business. Earnhardt was the first NASCAR driver to run a really successful racing team. That team – Dale Earnhardt Inc. – won 24 premier series races before disbanding in 2009. DEI also won two NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series championships and 25 truck races with Ron Hornaday Jr. Busch founded Kyle Busch Motorsports in 2010 and has become one of the most successful team owners in Truck Series history. KBM drivers had won 75 races and two championships entering 2020. Quotability. If there’s one former driver who knew how to dish out a quote, it was Earnhardt. His most memorable one came after wrecking Labonte in the 1999 Bristol night race. “Didn’t really mean to turn him around – meant to rattle his cage, though,” Earnhardt said. Busch delivered one of his most colorful lines last fall. “We’re the top echelon of motorsports and we’ve got guys that have never won Late Model races running out here on the race track,” he said. Polarization. Throughout NASCAR history, no two drivers have been more polarizing than Earnhardt and Busch. Earnhardt, though adored and idolized by perhaps millions, was likely loathed by just as many. The kind of polarization that follows Busch is similar. “I don’t need to be any more popular; I don’t,” Busch said after winning the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series championship. “I am by far the most popular (driver); I’m just not going to win the (Most Popular Driver) award.”

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OWNER SPOTLIGHT

A BORN WINNER

Rick Hendrick Built His Team from Humble Beginnings Few team owners in the NASCAR Cup Series have equaled the success of Joseph Reddick “Rick” Hendrick since he arrived in the sport as a full-time team owner in 1984. BY BEN WHITE So, who is this man that is so iconic in the Cup Series garage area? Born July 12, 1949, in Warrenton, North Carolina, Hendrick was raised on the family’s tobacco and cotton farm. He discovered farming wasn’t his thing at age 14, so he paid a friend to do his chores. His passion then was drag racing and he drove a 1931 Chevrolet he built himself. At age 16, Hendrick also worked on the pit crew of modified icon Ray Hendrick (no relation) and usually rode his bike many miles to the shop each day. There was a time while in high school that Hendrick thought of playing professional baseball. Instead, he landed on a co-op work study program with North Carolina State University and Westinghouse Electric Co. in Raleigh, North Carolina. Hendrick found he had a real talent for selling cars. He partnered with established car dealer Mike Leith and opened a small used-car lot. So good with people, Hendrick was named general sales manager of the company at age 23.

POLE POSITION 2020

In 1976, he became the youngest Chevrolet dealer in the United States. Huge success at his Bennettsville, South Carolina, store was the beginning of 98 franchises and 10,000 employees across 13 states for the Hendrick Automotive Group. From day one, the car business served as the foundation for Hendrick’s racing efforts. During the late 1970s, Hendrick formed a drag boat racing team that went on to win three consecutive championships. He entered what is now the NASCAR Xfinity Series and earned one victory with Dale Earnhardt at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 1983. In 1984, he founded All-Star Racing (now Hendrick Motorsports). With five full-time employees and 5,000-square feet of workspace, he fielded one NASCAR Cup Series team under the direction of veteran crew chief Harry Hyde. Young modified star Geoff Bodine became his driver and took the team to

victory on the Martinsville and Nashville short tracks during their first season. They also finished ninth in the championship point standings that season. Over time, Hendrick has won 16 drivers’ championships – 12 in the NASCAR Cup Series, one in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and three in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series. He also has 345 race victories across NASCAR’s top three series. When Jimmie Johnson collected the 200th victory for Hendrick Motorsports in May 2012 at Darlington Raceway, the emotional Hendrick said, “When something like this happens, it reminds me of when I won the first championship (with Gordon in 1995). I never thought I’d get to race in NASCAR. I never thought I’d win one race. I never thought I’d ever win a championship. When something like this happens, you think, No. 1, that you’ve been blessed. But then you’ve been blessed to be around some great people.” PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

TAILGATING

PRESENTED BY

Q&A with Brett FAVORITE DRIVER Chase Elliott. I was a fan of his dad, also. RESIDENCE Stuart, Florida TA I L G AT I N G W I T H B R E T T R O M B A C H

Brett Rombach enjoys attending NASCAR races and cheering on his favorite driver, Chase Elliott. But for Rombach, there’s much more to a race weekend. Sure, the racing is great, but the part that brings Rombach the most joy is before and after the race. Not surprisingly, Rombach approaches the race track as more of a host than a spectator. “I take a lot of pride in executing a complete tailgate experience for everyone to kick back and party,” he said. “Life is so busy for everyone. My favorite memories are seeing people let loose, laughing and cracking jokes, swapping stories and reconnecting with old and new friends.” One of Rombach’s favorite tailgating memories to date came a few years ago at Homestead-Miami Speedway – the track where he’s spent far more time than any other. “We had a typical rainy South Florida afternoon, and most of us gathered under the tent and continued the fun,” he said. “Others took the rain as an opportunity to make a slip-n-slide. The adults enjoyed it more than the kids. It was really awesome.” Rombach tips a cap to the folks at Homestead-Miami for creating an environment that’s conducive to great tailgating experiences. “It’s not easy organizing any big event,” Rombach said. “The staff at Homestead-Miami Speedway is top notch. You couldn’t get a better location than South Florida. It’s a vacation all year long.”

BY JARED TURNER

POLE POSITION 2020

OCCUPATION

BRETT ROMBACH’S

Buffalo Chicken Boat Recipe

FOR BRETT ROMBACH, THERE IS SIMPLY NO

tailgating dish like buffalo chicken boats. “It’s like a whole plate of buffalo wings in one

VP of operations at

bite,” Rombach said. “They are very easy to throw

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together and easy to transport. The tailgate

HOW LONG HAVE YOU

guests love them.

BEEN A NASCAR FAN?

“Last November, I tailgated with 900 people in

As long as I can remember,

Homestead – some that had never experienced

growing up in the Midwest

tailgating, let alone NASCAR. It’s awesome to be

watching dirt-track racing.

a part of that.”

WHERE WAS YOUR

Here’s the recipe for Rombach’s cherished

FIRST TAILGATE?

buffalo chicken boats, which require only 15

Michigan International

minutes to cook and are certainly worth the wait.

Speedway in the early ’90s.

INGREDIENTS

AT WHAT TRACKS HAVE

■■ 1/3 cup of Frank’s RedHot

YOU TAILGATED?

■■ 2 tablespoons of butter melted

Charlotte (4 times),

■■ Salt to taste

Martinsville (once),

■■ Freshly ground black pepper

Bristol (twice), Atlanta

■■ 2 cups of shredded cooked chicken

(twice), Talladega (5

(Rombach uses rotisserie chicken)

times), Michigan (twice),

■■ 4 stalks of celery, cut into 3-inch pieces

Daytona (8-10 times) and

■■ A handful of crumbled blue cheese

Homestead (15-18 times).

■■ Ranch, for drizzling

WHAT MAKES FOR A

■■ Chives, for garnish

GOOD TAILGATE?

DIRECTIONS

A killer playlist, stocked

■■ In a medium bowl, whisk together hot sauce

coolers and great company.

and butter and season with salt and pepper.

FAVORITE FOODS?

Pour over shredded chicken and mix to

Beer, burgers and wings.

combine.

TAILGATING ESSENTIALS?

■■ Spoon chicken mixture into celery boats.

A great sound system,

■■ Top with blue cheese, drizzle with ranch and

a fully stocked bar with

garnish with chives and enjoy!

plenty of ice and a tent with lots of seating for everyone.

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FAVORITE RIDE

Dale Earnhardt Finally Wins the Daytona 500

Many hours had gone into building one special car at Richard Childress Racing during the summer of 1997. After all, this particular No. 3 Goodwrench Chevrolet was designated to do a very special job – win the 1998 Daytona 500. BY BEN WHITE

When all was bolted down and its body was as sleek as a pin, the team tested the car at Talladega Superspeedway and also took it to a wind tunnel to fine tune it from good to great. When the black No. 3 arrived at Daytona International Speedway in February 1998 for Speedweeks, it looked like a shark waiting to pounce on its prey. Its driver, seven-time champion Dale Earnhardt, won his Thursday 125-mile qualifying race and was fast every time he was on the track. All that seemed to mean little when it came to recounting all the years everything had gone wrong for Earnhardt in the 500. There were 20 of them to be exact. It had become finding ways to cover the loss rather than finding confidence that a win would come. Earnhardt had won 30 races at the 2.5-mile track leading up to the 1998 500, more than anybody in history. It was the Daytona 500 that held all the road blocks and disappointments. This time the swagger was there, especially after sleeping well on his yacht named “Sunday Money” the night before the race. It didn’t matter that the Kannapolis, North Carolina, native was on a 59-race winless streak. This time, he knew he had a fast car and his body language and easy smile let everyone know it. It was truly his time to shine.

POLE POSITION 2020

Earnhardt led 107 of 200 laps. In the end when the caution flag waved for the spinning cars of John Andretti and Lake Speed on the final lap, Earnhardt raced back to the line and the Daytona 500 was finally his. No doubt, the car that carried Earnhardt to Victory Lane that day was the best of any he ever drove. It was the greatest victory of his incredible 25-year career. “Can you believe it?” Earnhardt asked Ken Squier of CBS Sports in Victory lane. “I had an awesome race and No. 2, thank the Good Lord for a good day. This race car did everything. The Good Lord looked down on us. This is for all the race fans and all the people that said this is your year.” Team owner Richard Childress, who won his first Daytona 500 as a team owner that day, will forever cherish those special memories. “A lot can happen in the next 50 years, but I think that will go down in history as one of the most popular wins with all the race teams because everyone knew how many times Dale was so close to winning in the race and the Daytona 500,” Childress said in a 2018 FOX Sports article. That car will be remembered as the most revered No. 3 Chevrolet in RCR’s storied history.

NASCAR PETS

PRESENTED BY

DiBenedetto’s Perfect Pet

ASCAR Cup Series driver Matt DiBenedetto and his wife, Taylor, grew up animal lovers and always wanted a dog to call their own.

So, in September 2018, they decided to visit a local animal shelter and rescue a canine. The plan couldn’t have worked any more favorably. Nor could the adoption process have taken any less time. Upon being introduced to an 8-week-old dog of the Labrador Retriever/Great Pyrenees persuasion, the DiBenedettos believed they’d found the perfect pet. Now, almost a year-and-a-half later, the dog they named “Brian” after the dog on the TV show “Family Guy” has proven to be exactly what they had in mind. “He’s a very relaxed dog,” Matt said. “That would be my one-word summary of him – relaxed. In terms of his temperament in general, we couldn’t have gotten luckier. He’s fun, he’s playful, has a lot of personality, loves attention. All the good things that you would want in a dog. Brian doesn’t generally travel with Matt to the races but stays back home with Taylor. Those long weekends when Matt is away make for quite the homecoming when Matt arrives home. “Whether you had a good race, a bad race or whatever it may be, he just unconditionally loves you and wags his entire body and freaks out and goes in circles and rubs up against you and just can’t get enough attention,” Matt said.

BY JARED TURNER

SPOTLIGHT

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ROXOR: Making Its Mark in NASCAR

Enid, OK FEB. 28: Bankers Life

Mahindra Automotive North America’s new ROXOR is an off-road workhorse built on a no-nonsense, heavy-duty steel frame with a Mahindra 2.5L turbo diesel engine and 3,490 pounds of towing capacity. The off-road vehicle will be on display at HomesteadMiami Speedway on championship weekend as part of its expanding marketing campaign with NASCAR.

Fieldhouse: Indianapolis, IN FEB. 29: Wolstein Center: Cleveland, OH MAR. 5: Amarillo Civic Center Coliseum: Amarillo, TX MAR. 6: Mission Ballroom: Denver, CO MAR. 7: Uptown Theater: Kansas City, MO

NASCAR fans may be becoming more familiar with Mahindra’s ROXOR due to the company’s marketing campaign, which is putting its off-road vehicle in front of NASCAR fans again in 2020 at events across the country. The branding and experiential campaign in 2019 included a showcase of Mahindra ROXOR vehicles at a stop at Michigan International Speedway, the entitlement naming rights on the XFINITY race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (ROXOR 200), and a customized digital campaign throughout the year. Why is ROXOR becoming more and more prevalent on the NASCAR circuit? Because NASCAR fans make the perfect market for the off-road vehicle, according to ROXOR Senior Marketing Manager Dan Proffer.

POLE POSITION 2020

MAR. 19: Cobb Energy

“ROXOR is committed to supporting NASCAR because we want the sport to grow into the next stage,” Proffer said. “We’re committed to not only being a new sponsor, but we have plans to be here for a while.” With a price point of $16,000 per vehicle and a demographic of 35- to 65-year-old males, ROXOR fits the bill as a potential NASCAR partner. NASCAR Vice Chairman Mike Helton owns several ROXOR off-road vehicles. The marketing campaign at Homestead-Miami Speedway will offer fans an opportunity to see the ROXOR off-road vehicles on display. The speedway will operate the products throughout its 650-acre facility during Ford Championship Weekend. Several other NASCAR tracks have purchased Mahindra tractors for use by speedway operations personnel.

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NASCAR BUILDS

PRESENTED BY

Gas and Go

FUEL CANS ARE DESIGNED FOR SAFETY AND SPEED

Millions of dollars are spent building Chevrolets, Fords and Toyotas to race each season in the NASCAR Cup Series. However, without the element of fuel to power them, they become museum pieces that will never hit the track. BY BEN WHITE While Indy cars use hoses connected to large tanks to fuel their machines, NASCAR crews rely on fuel cans, an important piece of equipment on pit road. They are built to rush as much Sunoco 98 Octane Green E15 gasoline into a car’s fuel cell as possible in the least amount of time. Fuel cans have come a long way in 71 years of NASCAR racing. Standard five-gallon cans from hardware stores were used during the 1940s and 1950s. Larger fuel cans that resembled an upside-down jug with long spouts came into the sport in the early 1970s.

During a pit stop, the gas man carries a 90-pound can over the pit wall directly to the car and plugs it into the fuel opening at the left rear (right rear for road courses). For decades, a second crew member stood at the back of the car as a catch-can man for any fuel that came from the overflow. NASCAR has mandated that the present fuel cans be equipped with a clear overflow tube that runs the access fuel back into the can. The standard fuel can carries 12 gallons of racing gasoline. A gallon of fuel weighs approximately six pounds. The cans are weighed before and after refueling to get a precise measurement of fuel used. Each filler end is designed to empty the entire contents of the can into the fuel tank in

eight seconds. Since each fuel cell holds 18 gallons, one can and half of a second can is needed to fill the cell. Ironically, running a race during the day versus running one at night impacts fuel mileage, as cooler conditions under the lights often mean higher speeds. Crew chiefs must take that into consideration. With faster pit stops comes the need for a faster flow of fuel into the car. In order to ensure fuel flows properly, each fuel can is vented so air comes out when fuel goes in. Danny “Chocolate” Myers fueled cars for seven-time champion Dale Earnhardt for decades and has seen the evolution of fuel cans firsthand. “I have a collection of cans from the 1940s, ’50s,’60s and ’70s and so on, and they’ve changed a lot,” Myers said. “We would buy them from a couple of manufacturers, but things kind of got out of hand with making them bigger and faster. NASCAR eventually stepped in with a template that we had to follow. That put everyone on the level and equal playing field. “Today’s can does two jobs. When you’re putting fuel into a car, you’re replacing air. Air has to be able to come out. Without the self-vented fuel can used today, the fuel wouldn’t go in the fuel cell. So now it’s being fueled while the air is vented out.”

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POLE POSITION 2020

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NASCAR CAREERS

Chris Tidwell: Motivated to Achieve Greatness

Growing up in Emporia, Kansas, Chris Tidwell remembers watching the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway from the grandstands as a teenager back in 2001. BY JARED TURNER

ittle did he know at the time that he would one day end up spending time at Kansas Speedway and a lot of other tracks from a much different vantage point.

Hired by Richard Childress Racing in 2005, Tidwell logged 12 years with the organization and held several roles before eventually working his way to the position of underneath car mechanic. Since the beginning of 2018, Tidwell has held the same role at Team Penske with the No. 12 team of driver Ryan Blaney. As the underneath mechanic on Blaney’s Ford Mustang, Tidwell is responsible for the maintenance and fine-tuning of the car’s gears, transmissions and rear suspension. Tidwell spends roughly 90 percent of each workday on his back and knees, all with the goal of giving Blaney the fastest race car possible. When you work for a legend like Tidwell’s boss, team owner Roger Penske, nothing less than 100 percent effort is expected. “I always looked at the Penske brand and the Penske organization as the top team,” Tidwell said. “You see the stainlesssteel haulers pull into the race track, you know that’s Roger Penske – that’s his team, that’s what he likes. I always wanted to be there at some point in my career, in my life. I finally had the opportunity, and it couldn’t have worked out better.” Tidwell carries out his weekday duties at the team’s sprawling race shop in

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

Mooresville, North Carolina, and then travels with the team on the weekend. He is at the track for every race on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule. “I’ve never missed a race since my job title has been underneath mechanic,” Tidwell said. “I hope that I can go on to never miss a race. I enjoy the traveling, I enjoy the camaraderie with the guys, I enjoy everything that we do. I go have dinner with the guys and enjoy a Miller Lite or two and have fun. That’s what it’s about.” Since joining Team Penske, Tidwell has been privileged to be a part of two wins with Blaney – the first coming on a particularly wild weekend at the Charlotte Motor

BEFORE CHRIS TIDWELL JOINED A NASCAR team, he spent a lot of weekends at Lakeside Speedway – a four-tenths-

Speedway ROVAL in late September 2018. “We had a lot of fun,” Tidwell said. A self-professed “gearhead-type” from childhood onward, Tidwell attended a vocational school to be an electrician and worked at a drag racer friend’s engine shop throughout high school. However, he ultimately decided to pursue a career in NASCAR – which included moving to the Charlotte, North Carolina, area and graduating from the NASCAR Technical Institute in 2005. That same year, he had the opportunity to join RCR and pursue a lifelong dream of working in NASCAR, and he’s never looked back.

“We claim him sometimes,” Tidwell said with a laugh. In those early days with Bowyer,

“We would stop two miles from the track,” Tidwell said. “There was this little turnoff there, and you could stop

mile oval roughly 90 minutes from his

Tidwell would typically leave school

– and I would jump in the trailer and

hometown of Emporia, Kansas – where

at 3 p.m. on Fridays and “haul butt” to

go hide up in the trailer, and it would

he assisted the dirt-track efforts of a now

the track. To gain entry into Lakeside,

take me in the pits because I wasn’t old

well-known NASCAR driver who also hails

he had to think a little outside the box

enough to be in there to work on the

from Emporia. That driver is Clint Bowyer.

at times.

cars. So, it was kind of fun.”

POLE POSITION 2020

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

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NASCAR HOME TRACKS

Bowman Gray Stadium

Bowman Gray Stadium, a quarter-mile paved oval situated around a football field in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, has hosted NASCAR racing since 1949. “We’re racin’, wrestlin’ and religion. We have the most dedicated fans. If you’ve ever watched wrestling on TV, it’s similar to how those people follow their wrestlers, their heroes,” said third-generation promoter Gray Garrison. “And we get out and discuss issues sometimes like they do in wrestling. We’re religion because people come and sit in the exact same seats every Saturday night just like they do at church on Sunday. And we just happen to be racing, so we’re racin’, wrestlin’ and religion.” Known as the “Madhouse,” the stadium has one of the most unique atmospheres in short-track racing. “We are like the Roman Colosseum; when the drivers roll their cars out and they call out their names, you’ve got 10,000 fans that are either booing or cheering,” Garrison noted.

BY KEITH WALTZ

T H E S T R E N G T H S O F B O W M A N G R AY S TA D I U M

NASCAR’S LONGEST-RUNNING WEEKLY TRACK

MODIFIED MADNESS

THE SCHEDULE

LOCATION, LOCATION

BOWMAN GRAY STADIUM’S WEEKLY RACING

THE TRACK’S SCHEDULE OF WEEKLY

WHILE A MAJORITY OF THE SHORT-TRACK

program features four NASCAR-sanctioned

Saturday night racing starts in mid-April.

racing facilities across the country are situated in

divisions, headlined by the Modifieds. “I love the 100-lap Modified races, which are

“We are proud of our drivers because we have 100-plus cars a week, we are proud of our fans

rural settings, Bowman Gray Stadium is unique. “We are blessed in our location in Winston-

just totally blind draws,” Garrison said. “We

because we get good crowds,” Garrison said.

Salem,” Garrison said. “We are in a downtown

qualify to set the starting 24 and then we draw 24

“We traditionally get about 18 weeks in. Our

setting, we have really high-traffic roads going by

out of the hat. If you’ve never been to a 100-lap

season usually starts in April and we usually stop

us and we have third- and fourth-generation fans.

race at Bowman Gray it’s gotta be a bucket-list

in August because in North Carolina when high

What really helps us maintain our attendance is

thing because it is wild, it is crazy.

school and college football start, the focus is

that the next generation keeps coming and keeps

going to switch to football.”

coming, not only fans but drivers, too.”

Burt Myers is the defending Modified champion.

POLE POSITION 2020

PHOTO BY ERIC HYLTON PHOTOGRAPHY

NASCAR HISTORY

PRESENTED BY

Great Moments in NASCAR History

SEAL THE DEAL: THESE LEGENDS FOUND A WAY TO GET THE JOB DONE

In every NASCAR race, there is a single moment that decides who goes to Victory Lane and who goes home disappointed. This NASCAR Pole Position feature looks back at some of those moments and the drivers who sealed the deal. BY BEN WHITE

DALE EARNHARDT JR. DROUGHT ENDS AT DAYTONA

JUNIOR JOHNSON TOPS DAYTONA QUALIFIER

On Feb. 23, 2014, Dale Earnhardt Jr., driving the No. 88 Hen-

On Feb. 12, 1965, Junior Johnson, driving of his own No. 27

drick Motorsports Chevrolet, led 54 of 200 laps at Daytona International Speedway to earn his second Daytona 500 victory. The Kannapolis, North Carolina, native broke a 55-race winless drought dating back to 2012. He endured several lengthy periods of rain that pushed the end of the race to 11 hours after the 43-car field took the initial green flag. Forty-two lead changes and four multi-car accidents were the storylines of the day. An accident triggered by Austin Dillon with seven laps remaining set up a final two-lap shootout to the finish. Earnhardt moved smoothly past Brad Keselowski on the restart. Behind him, Denny Hamlin passed Jeff Gordon and was in Earnhardt’s rearview mirror with one lap to go. Earnhardt sealed the deal when former Daytona 500 winners Kevin Harvick and Jamie McMurray crashed and brought out the caution flag. That froze the field and secured the victory for Earnhardt. Hamlin finished second, followed by Keselowski and teammates Gordon and Jimmie Johnson. “Winning this race is the greatest feeling that you could feel in this sport, besides accepting the trophy for the championship,” Earnhardt said after emerging from his car in Victory Lane. “I didn’t know if I’d ever get the chance to feel it again and it feels just as good.”

Ford, sped past Fred Lorenzen’s No. 28 Holman Moody Ford on the final lap to win a 100-mile qualifying event prior to the 1965 Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. It was Johnson’s first visit to Victory Lane with crew chief Herb Nab, who worked for Holman Moody before being hired by Johnson the previous winter. The race was marred by a 13-car crash on the opening lap after a rookie lost control of his car in the fourth turn. His car shot to the bottom and came back into traffic. The lead changed hands nine times among Johnson, Lorenzen and Earl Balmer, who led two laps. Johnson sealed the deal when Lorenzen backed off slightly after mistaking the white flag for the checkered flag. Ironically, the North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, driver only ran the No. 27 for that race as well as the 500. He changed to the No. 26 for the remainder of the season after feeling the number carried some sort of jinx. “I changed numbers because I was getting tired of having bad luck with the No. 27,” Johnson said after winning at North Wilkesboro Speedway the following April. “I was in the No. 27 at Daytona (in the 500) and blew a tire and wrecked on the 27th lap. That was enough of that 27 stuff for me.”

POLE POSITION 2020

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

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THINGS TO WATCH IN 2020 AND BEYOND BY JARED TURNER Talk about Trimming the NASCAR Schedule. Thanks to Pocono Raceway taking the unconventional step of hosting two NASCAR Cup Series races on the same weekend, the 2020 season will feature one less travel weekend for drivers and teams. This is certainly a welcomed change for just about everyone in the sport – especially the men and women responsible for driving the big rigs that transport the race cars to and from tracks. If Pocono’s twin bill is deemed successful, look for more tracks to experiment with hosting two NASCAR Cup Series races in the same weekend. The twin-bill concept would save teams a lot of travel time and money, with the only potential downside being its adverse economic impact on the tracks that move from two race weekends a year to only one.

Buzz About Additional Night Races. After years of planning and anticipation,

Martinsville Speedway will host its first NASCAR Cup Series night race on May 9. The race, which will be run under the lights on the Saturday night of Mother’s Day weekend, has been a longtime coming for the Virginia short track, which for years has widely been considered an ideal place for a Saturday night showdown. Now the question becomes whether other tracks that have lights – but that don’t currently host a Saturday night race – will follow suit. Texas Motor Speedway, Phoenix Raceway and Kansas Speedway have all hosted night races in the past but won’t this season. As much as drivers and fans enjoy Saturday night racing, perhaps it’s time that every track with lights actually utilizes them.

An Aging Cast of Team Owners. Look around the NASCAR Cup Series garage and one

thing becomes quickly obvious: NASCAR’s most accomplished and well-known team owners are getting up in years. Rick Hendrick is 71, Richard Childress is 74, Jack Roush is 77, Joe Gibbs is 79 and Roger Penske is 82. All of these men are NASCAR Hall of Famers, but it would be shortsighted to assume any of them will still be in their current roles in another five to 10 years. What happens then to their respective organizations? Hendrick Motorsports is in good hands with Hendrick’s son-in-law, team president Marshall Carlson, ready to assume the reins. Hendrick has also stated that he envisions Jeff Gordon someday running Hendrick Motorsports. But what about the other teams? For them, the succession plan is a bit murkier.

Chatter about Midweek Races. For the past several years, the NASCAR Gander RV

& Outdoors Truck Series schedule has featured two midweek races – one at Bristol Motor Speedway and another at Eldora Speedway, the popular half-mile dirt oval in Rossburg, Ohio. By all accounts, both races – Eldora, in particular – have been quite successful. So, is it plausible for the NASCAR Cup Series to add a midweek race or two in the foreseeable future? Back in the earliest days of the sport, midweek races were common. But as the sport grew bigger and travel became more complicated and expensive, a move to explicitly weekend events became inevitable. But now that Bristol and Eldora have proven they can be successful at hosting a midweek truck race, what’s to stop some tracks from considering a midweek NASCAR Cup Series race?

POLE POSITION 2020

Anticipation Surrounding the Arrival of the Gen-7. For the past seven years,

NASCAR Cup Series drivers have raced a style of car commonly known as the Gen-6. That will change in 2021, however, when NASCAR rolls out its next generation of race car – the appropriately dubbed Gen-7 – for the sport’s premier series. While the Gen-7 won’t turn an official lap until the opening race of the 2021 season, initial reviews and shakedowns of the new model have been overwhelmingly positive. The most encouraging news of all is that it’s believed the Gen-7 will help alleviate the passing difficulties that have plagued the sport’s top series on and off now for several years and that were particularly problematic with the move to a high-downforce 2019 aero package that will remain in place for 2020.

Manufacturer Games. Last year, “teamwork” at the sport’s two superspeedways –

Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway – went to a whole new level and took on a broader definition as drivers aligned with the same manufacturer worked together in the draft just as real teammates – drivers who compete for the same organization – have often done in past years. Instead of Hendrick Motorsports cars drafting mainly with Hendrick Motorsports cars, for example, Chevrolets worked with Chevrolets and Fords worked with Fords regardless of their particular team affiliation. This new strategy caused quite the stir and even garnered some criticism. Manufacturer battles have always been a part of NASCAR, so the alliances formed at the superspeedways in 2019 likely won’t suddenly fall by the wayside when the series returns to Daytona and Talladega.

The Next Wave of Young Guns. Just when it seemed like the drivers in NASCAR’s top series couldn’t get much younger, think again. Looking past the ultra-talented 2020 rookie class for the NASCAR Cup Series, there’s another crop of youngsters already waiting in the wings and looking for their big opportunity to make a splash in NASCAR’s premier series in the years to come. Remember these names: Riley Herbst, Harrison Burton, Christian Eckes, Tyler Ankrum, Todd Gilliland, Austin Hill and Ross Chastain – just to name a few. While most of these drivers are not yet well known to the broader NASCAR world, all of them have displayed enormous potential at NASCAR’s lower levels and look poised to eventually wind up in NASCAR’s premier division in the not-toodistant future.

The Return of the Fights and Feuds. The 2019 NASCAR season had no shortage of driver feuds, with one of the more memorable ones coming late in the season when championship hopefuls Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano engaged in an all-out fisticuffs on pit road following the Round of 8 playoff race at Martinsville Speedway. As is typical for just about any season, Kyle Busch made his share of enemies along the way, and it felt several times throughout the season as if Ricky Stenhouse Jr. couldn’t get out of his own way, much less anyone else’s. One of the season’s more surprising spats came early on when mild-mannered Michael McDowell came to blows with Daniel Suarez during a qualifying session at Phoenix Raceway. So, who’s ready to fight in 2020? Stay tuned.

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

POLE POSITION MAG.COM

20 THINGS TO WATCH IN 2020

NASCAR’s Next Female Sensation. NASCAR’s quest to find its next female super-

star looks to be settling down. By all indications, that driver is 18-year-old Hailie Deegan, who has turned heads the past two seasons as a full-time competitor in the ARCA Menards Series West where she’s won three races and commanded quite the following thanks not only to her skills behind the wheel but her outgoing nature and affable personality. As of early December, the Temecula, California, native had more than 532,000 Instagram followers and over 67,000 on Twitter. While Deegan’s 2020 plans had not been finalized as of press time, many in the NASCAR world expect her to quickly move up through the ranks and possibly land a NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series ride as early this year.

Driver/Team Realignments. While the 2020 season will feature its share of fresh faces in NASCAR’s premier series, the season will also showcase a number of familiar faces who have landed in new places. Chief among them are two-time Xfinity Series champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who moves from Roush Fenway Racing to JTG Daugherty Racing, while 2019 JTG Daugherty driver Chris Buescher takes over Stenhouse’s old ride. Another familiar face in a new place will be Matt DiBenedetto, who assumes driving duties of Wood Brothers Racing’s fabled No. 21 Ford after spending last season at Leavine Family Racing where he enjoyed his best season to date. Meanwhile, Front Row Motorsports will field entries for two yet-to-be named drivers, after losing David Ragan to retirement and parting ways with Matt Tifft, who is taking time away to deal with health issues.

A Hotly Contested Rookie-of-the-Year Battle. This season’s rookie-of-the-year battle figures to be one for the ages as youngsters Tyler Reddick, Christopher Bell and Cole Custer engage in what’s almost certain to be a close three-way fight for top rookie honors. Reddick, Bell and Custer collectively ruled the Xfinity Series in 2019, combining to win 21 of 33 races. Reddick ultimately came out on top, capturing his second consecutive championship with a victory in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway where he raced Bell, Custer and Justin Allgaier straight up for the title. While Custer, who moves to NASCAR’s top series with Stewart-Haas Racing, will likely be the rookie with the best opportunity to win, Reddick (Richard Childress Racing) and Bell (Leavine Family Racing) could also make some noise.

More First-Time Winners. While the 2019 season featured no dearth of compelling storylines, the campaign was largely bereft of first-time race winners. The only full-time driver to score his first career victory in 2019 was Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman, who had been knocking on the door to Victory Lane for a couple of months before smashing it completely in with a commanding triumph at Chicagoland Speedway in late June. One driver who challenged for his first career victory but came up short in 2019 was Bowman’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate, second-year NASCAR Cup Series driver William Byron, along with Stewart-Haas Racing’s Daniel Suarez and Leavine Family Racing’s Matt DiBenedetto. Both Suarez and DiBenedetto have moved on from their 2019 teams, making Byron the most likely among the trio to score a breakthrough win.

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

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Chase Elliott’s Continued Rise in Popularity. Since Dale Earnhardt Jr. retired from full-

time driving at the end of 2017, no NASCAR Cup Series driver has been as beloved as Chase Elliott, who was voted NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver in 2018 – the first year after Earnhardt called it quits. Listen to the fan reaction during driver intros on any given weekend, and you will realize Elliott – at the young age of 24 – has a massive following. Elliott’s rise in popularity isn’t surprising, of course, when considering that his father, 1988 NASCAR Cup Series champion Bill Elliott, still holds the record for most NASCAR Most Popular Driver Awards with 16. Chase, who has won three races in each of the past two seasons, seems to have successfully won the hearts of his father’s fans and added many of his own supporters, too.

A New Sponsorship Model for NASCAR’s Premier Series. While the particulars of the

arrangement were just being revealed at press time, NASCAR is moving to a new sponsorship model this year whereby the sport’s premier series will not have a single entitlement sponsor as it has for several decades. Instead, the newly branded NASCAR Cup Series will rely on numerous sponsors to carry the financial load of what a single entitlement sponsor traditionally would. The new model, while certainly different from what fans of the sport are accustomed, will be good in that it will bring added exposure to sponsors that historically wouldn’t be featured so prominently. As these sponsors benefit from more TV time, they can then invest money back into the sport. The big question is whether fans will need some time to adjust to the new model.

Denny Hamlin’s Continued Pursuit of a Championship. Before 2019, Mark Martin was almost universally viewed as the best driver in NASCAR history to never win a NASCAR Cup Series championship. But by the time 2019 ended, Denny Hamlin was making a strong case for that distinction. Despite entering the final race with considerable momentum, Hamlin fell short in his quest to capture his first series championship and finished last among the Championship 4 participants. For Hamlin, who had gone to Victory Lane one week prior, the outcome was a bitter pill to swallow – especially considering this was the third time he had entered the final race with a shot at the championship, only to fall short. For that reason, 2020 will undoubtedly be a year when Hamlin is hungrier than ever to lock down the championship that’s so narrowly eluded him.

Possible Retirement Announcements. The NASCAR Cup Series has seemingly experienced more than its share of driver retirements in recent years, as the likes of Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Carl Edwards and Dale Earnhardt Jr. have all hung it up from full-time driving for one reason or another. This will continue in 2020, which will be seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson’s final season in NASCAR’s top series. Who will be the next big name to announce plans to call it quits? Kevin Harvick, 44, is the second oldest active full-time NASCAR Cup Series driver (Johnson is the first), while Ryan Newman (42) and Kurt Busch (41) aren’t too far behind. Once Harvick, Newman or Busch retires, the other two big names in the 40-and-over crowd likely won’t be too far behind.

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

20 THINGS TO WATCH IN 2020

Some Challengers to Joe Gibbs Racing. Joe Gibbs Racing put a good old-fashioned butt-

whoopin’ on the competition in 2019, winning 19 of 36 NASCAR Cup Series races and placing three of its four drivers in the Championship 4. Not surprisingly, one of those drivers – Kyle Busch – walked away with the championship hardware after winning the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway where he raced straight up for the title against teammates Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr., as well as Kevin Harvick. JGR will feature the same driver lineup this year, but will the organization be just as strong? JGR’s most formidable challenges in 2019 came from Team Penske, which got off to a strong start, and Stewart-Haas Racing, which came on strong late. Expect Team Penske, SHR and Hendrick Motorsports to all give JGR their best shot.

The Naming of Jimmie Johnson’s Successor. Who’s going to replace Jimmie Johnson in 2021? That question will be on everyone’s mind until the day team owner Rick Hendrick formally taps someone as Johnson’s successor behind wheel of the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. Speculation is rampant that Hendrick will go with a relatively young driver to replace 44-year-old Johnson, but who that youngster might be – if it’s a youngster at all – is a mystery. One driver who could get some consideration is soon-tobe second-year NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Noah Gragson, who is competing for the JR Motorsports organization that Hendrick co-owns along with Dale Earnhardt Jr. Or, Hendrick could pluck a more experienced driver from a rival NASCAR Cup Series team or have another young buck in mind. Stay tuned. This is going to get interesting.

Kyle Busch’s Quest for Championship No. 3. Love or loathe him, Kyle Busch has unequivo-

cally asserted himself as one of the best drivers of his generation – perhaps ever. What Busch accomplished in 2019 was nothing short of spectacular as he rose to the occasion when it mattered most and managed to win the championship in a year when he often did not have the fastest car and often had to play second or even third fiddle to his own Joe Gibbs Racing teammates. But when the dust settled on the season-ending race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Busch had his second NASCAR Cup Series title in five seasons and became just the 16th driver in NASCAR history to claim multiple titles at the sport’s premier level. One of only two active drivers with more than one championship, Busch hopes to wrangle a third title this season.

Jimmie Johnson’s Farewell Tour. Jimmie Johnson hasn’t won a NASCAR Cup Series race since June 4, 2017, but don’t expect the seven-time champion to go out quietly in 2020 – his final season as a NASCAR driver. Johnson, who announced shortly after the 2019 season that 2020 would be his last, has some unfinished business. His first order will be getting back to Victory Lane and breaking the tie he’s held for two-and-a-half years with NASCAR legend Cale Yarborough as an 83-time premier series winner. With one more victory, Johnson will eclipse Yarborough and move into a tie with Darrell Waltrip and Bobby Allison for fourth on the all-time win list. Johnson’s goals for his final season are clear: Score an 85th victory to move into sole possession of fourth-place in wins and capture a record-breaking eighth series championship.

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

NASCAR PERSONALITY ONLINE COMMUNITY

The 2020 Hype in the Online NASCAR Community

Sit down with YouTuber Eric Estepp to find out what’s driving the 2020 NASCAR hype. From the cars to the drivers, to the schedule, what has the fanbase talking? BY JOSH MULL “I think this season will have some of the best racing, the best on track product, of the entire Gen 6 era when we look back at the end of the year,” says Eric Estepp, host of the Out of the Groove channel on YouTube. Strong words! But if you’re plugged into the online NASCAR community, Eric’s comments speak to a wider air of excitement and optimism about the future of the sport. A series of bold decisions from NASCAR’s leadership are playing out in real time alongside historic roster upheavals from the teams, and the end result is one of the most exciting times ever to be a NASCAR fan. “It’s the last season for Jimmie Johnson,” Eric notes. “He’s the closest thing to a household name still racing today.” “The rookie of the year battle will be fun,” Eric says. “Probably the best three Xfinity drivers from the last few years will all be rookies at the same time. Christopher Bell will have a really good race car, JGR equipment, with a very experienced crew chief. This might be one of the best rookie seasons we’ve seen from a driver in the last decade, maybe even going as far back as Ryan Newman.”

Martinsville at night will feel to a lot of old school, hardcore fans like a local short track, but amplified to 60,000 fans watching 40 cars bumping and running under the lights.”

–ERIC ESTEPP

2 02 0 S C H E D U L E S H A K E U P

A R C A TA L E N T R I S I N G

NEXT GEN ON THE HORIZON

“INDIANAPOLIS WILL HAVE XFINITY ON THE

“THE NEW FORD DEAL IS GREAT FOR HAILIE

“I’M OPTIMISTIC,” ERIC SAYS. “IT’S CLEAR

road course, the first time stock cars have

Deegan,” Eric explains. “They have a long

that NASCAR is listening to the most

been on that circuit. Austin Cindric is excited

history of developing drivers with a multitude

passionate fanbase. There’s a plan, a blueprint,

about it,” Eric laughs. “And the regular season

of disciplines of racing, like Chase Briscoe on

but it’s still very much fluid. If you’re a fan and

finale at Daytona, the last ditch to make the

the road courses. She’s trying out the same

you like what you’re seeing, let NASCAR know!

playoffs. That’ll be a lot of hungry drivers at

thing. ARCA races will be more exciting to watch

It’s clear the last year or two that fans are very

the edge of control.”

because she’s in them.”

high on their list.”

POLE POSITION 2020

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

2020 SCHEDULES

XFINITY SERIES Saturday, Feb. 15 Saturday, Feb. 22 Saturday, Feb. 29 Saturday, March 7 Saturday, March 14 Saturday, March 21 Saturday, March 28 Saturday, April 4 Saturday, April 25 Saturday, May 2 Saturday, May 23 Saturday, May 30 Saturday, June 6 Saturday, June 13 Saturday, June 20 Sunday, June 28 Saturday, July 4 Friday, July 10 Saturday, July 18 Saturday, Aug. 1 Saturday, Aug. 8 Saturday, Aug. 15 Saturday, Aug. 22

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

NASCAR CUP SERIES Sunday, Feb. 9 Thursday, Feb. 13 Sunday, Feb. 16 Sunday, Feb. 23 Sunday, March 1 Sunday, March 8 Sunday, March 15 Sunday, March 22 Sunday, March 29 Sunday, April 5 Sunday, April 19 Sunday, April 26 Sunday, May 3 Saturday, May 9 Saturday, May 16 Sunday, May 24 Sunday, May 31 Sunday, June 7 Sunday, June 14 Sunday, June 21 Saturday, June 27 Sunday, June 28 Sunday, July 5 Saturday, July 11 Sunday, July 19 Sunday, Aug. 9 Sunday, Aug. 16 Sunday, Aug. 23 Saturday, Aug. 29 Sunday, Sept. 6 Saturday, Sept. 12 Saturday, Sept. 19 Sunday, Sept. 27 Sunday, Oct. 4 Sunday, Oct. 11 Sunday, Oct. 18 Sunday, Oct. 25 Sunday, Nov. 1 Sunday, Nov. 8

The Clash Duels at Daytona Daytona 500 Las Vegas Motor Speedway Auto Club Speedway ISM Raceway Atlanta Motor Speedway Homestead-Miami Speedway Texas Motor Speedway Bristol Motor Speedway Richmond Raceway Talladega Superspeedway Dover International Speedway Martinsville Speedway All-Star Race at Charlotte Charlotte Motor Speedway Kansas Speedway Michigan International Speedway Sonoma Raceway Chicagoland Speedway Pocono Raceway Pocono Raceway Indianapolis Motor Speedway Kentucky Speedway New Hampshire Motor Speedway Michigan International Speedway Watkins Glen International Dover International Speedway Daytona International Speedway Darlington Raceway Richmond Raceway Bristol Motor Speedway Las Vegas Motor Speedway Talladega Superspeedway Charlotte Motor Speedway Kansas Speedway Texas Motor Speedway Martinsville Speedway ISM Raceway

Friday, Aug. 28 Saturday, Sept. 5 Friday, Sept. 11 Friday, Sept. 18 Saturday, Sept. 26 Saturday, Oct. 10 Saturday, Oct. 17 Saturday, Oct. 24 Saturday, Oct. 31 Saturday, Nov. 7

Daytona International Speedway Darlington Raceway Richmond Raceway Bristol Motor Speedway Las Vegas Motor Speedway Charlotte Roval Kansas Speedway Texas Motor Speedway Martinsville Speedway ISM Raceway

GANDER OUTDOORS TRUCK SERIES Friday, Feb. 14 Friday, Feb. 21 Saturday, March 14 Friday, March 20 Friday, March 27 Saturday, April 18 Friday, May 1 Friday, May 15 Saturday, May 30 Friday, June 5 Friday, June 12 Friday, June 19 Saturday, June 27 Thursday, July 9 Thursday, July 30 Saturday, Aug. 8 Friday, Aug. 21 Sunday, Sept. 6 Thursday, Sept. 17 Friday, Sept. 25 Saturday, Oct. 3 Friday, Oct. 30 Friday, Nov. 6

Daytona International Speedway Las Vegas Motor Speedway Atlanta Motor Speedway Homestead-Miami Speedway Texas Motor Speedway Richmond Raceway Dover International Speedway Charlotte Motor Speedway Kansas Speedway Texas Motor Speedway Iowa Speedway Chicagoland Speedway Pocono Raceway Kentucky Speedway Eldora Speedway Michigan International Speedway Gateway Motorsports Park Canadian Tire Motorsports Park Bristol Motor Speedway Las Vegas Motor Speedway Talladega Superspeedway Martinsville Speedway ISM Raceway

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

POLE POSITION MAG.COM

NASCAR CUP SERIES

The 2020 NASCAR Cup Series Season A RADICALLY REVAMPED ITINERARY BY JARED TURNER

ince NASCAR introduced a playoff for its top series in 2004, the schedule has remained largely untouched. All of this changes drastically this year as the newly branded NASCAR Cup Series will follow a radically revamped itinerary that hardly mirrors the schedule from 2019 and other seasons in the relatively recent past.

While the season will begin in traditional fashion with Daytona Speedweeks and the running of the sport’s most prestigious race, the Daytona 500, the scheduling facelift begins in earnest during Week Two and lingers all the way through the final race, which will be run at a track other than Homestead-Miami Speedway for the first time since 2001 when it was held at New Hampshire. Other notable differences include a new venue for the regular season finale, the opening race of the 2019 playoffs and all three playoff elimination races (now held at Bristol, Charlotte’s ROVAL and Martinsville, respectively). Forget continuity. The 2020 season marks the dawn of a new era where NASCAR’s premier series schedule is concerned. “The fans and the industry as a whole have been vocal about the desire for sweeping changes to the schedule, and the 2020 slate is a reflection of our efforts to execute against that feedback,” said Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer. “These changes are a result of unprecedented consensus-building with our race tracks and broadcast partners; something we look to continue into 2021 and beyond.” The competitors, while not always the biggest proponents of change, seem overall pleased with the retooled schedule, which includes three off-weekends – two of them coming back-to-back in late July and early August. The first noticeable difference in the 2020 schedule from 2019 is placement of the appropriately nicknamed “West Coast Swing” the weekend after the Daytona 500. Instead of Atlanta Motor Speedway’s annual race preceding the “West Coast Swing,” it will now fall immediately after. “Overall, I think the schedule is really good,” Chip Ganassi Racing driver Kyle Larson said. “It just adds a lot of excitement to the year. I think going to the West Coast before Atlanta is good. I think all the cutoff races in the playoffs are really intense, exciting places that the points can change a lot throughout those events. Yeah, I think it was good. Having a two-week break is nice. Overall, I think the schedule is really exciting.”

POLE POSITION 2020

PHOENIX RACEWAY

DARLINGTON RACEWAY

MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY

THE SIX BIGGEST SCHEDULE CHANGES COMING IN 2020

Phoenix Raceway replacing Homestead as the final race. After hosting the penultimate race on

Daytona becoming host to the regular-season finale. For the first time, the regular season

Darlington hosting the first race of the playoffs. Since NASCAR unveiled a playoff for its

Indianapolis Motor Speedway moving to July 4 weekend. One of the staples of NASCAR’s

Martinsville Speedway moving to Mother’s Day weekend. While this in itself represents a

Pocono Raceway hosting a double-header weekend. Yes, you read that correctly. In per-

the NASCAR schedule for the past 15 years, Phoenix Raceway in Arizona will finally be the place where NASCAR crowns its champion in a winner-takeall finale for its top three series. The track, which recently underwent a $178 million modernization project, has been part of the premier series schedule since 1988. Now, it will host three Championship 4 races on the same weekend.

DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY

will begin and end at Daytona International Speedway – a radical change, when considering that prior to 2018, the regular season had always concluded at Richmond Raceway. After two years of Indianapolis hosting the regular season finale, it moves to Daytona – a 2.5-mile superspeedway known for some of the most electrifying racing the sport has to offer.

premier series, Darlington Raceway has only once hosted a playoff race – and that was all the way back in 2004 when the track “Too Tough to Tame” was the site of the season’s penultimate event. This year, the playoffs will begin on Labor Day weekend at the famed egg-shaped oval in South Carolina.

INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY

premier series schedule over the past several decades has been the July 4 week race at Daytona International Speedway. Now, this spot on the calendar belongs to IMS – another history-rich facility – as the two tracks essentially swap dates.

significant changeup for the Virginia short track, which is having its spring date pushed back by roughly a month-and-a-half, the bigger deal is that the race will be held on a Saturday night under the lights. This will be the first time Martinsville has hosted a night race for NASCAR’s premier series in the track’s more than 70-year history.

POCONO RACEWAY PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

haps the most blockbuster, outside-the-box adjustment to the schedule, the track known as the “Tricky Triangle” will no longer host two NASCAR weekends. Instead, Pocono will play host to two premier series races on back-to-back days on the same weekend in late June. This twin bill is the first of its kind in NASCAR’s modern era. POLE POSITION MAG.COM

NASCAR XFINITY SERIES

6 Drivers to Watch

The “Big Three” of Tyler Reddick, Christopher Bell and Cole Custer have graduated, but these six NASCAR Xfinity Series drivers will be fun to watch.

BY KEITH WALTZ

VETERAN JUSTIN ALLGAIER EYES FIRST CHAMPIONSHIP

EXPECT BIG THINGS FROM FORMER DIRT RACER BRISCOE

DON’T OVERLOOK UNDERDOG RYAN SIEG

COMING OFF A

ROSS CHASTAIN COULD DEFINITELY SHAKE THINGS UP IN 2020

A FORMER DIRT-

DANIEL HEMRIC,

AT 33 YEARS OLD,

track sprint car

who earned the

successful

ROSS CHASTAIN

enjoys cheering for

Justin Allgaier is the

driver with limited

elder statesman

pavement experience,

NASCAR Cup Series

sophomore season in

moves from the

the underdog should

Rookie-of-the-

which he won twice

NASCAR Gander RV

of the NASCAR

keep an eye on Ryan

24-year-old Chase

Year title in 2019,

and posted 24 top-10

& Outdoors Truck

Sieg this season. The

Xfinity Series as he

Briscoe is coming off

is returning to the

results, 21-year-

Series and will drive

32-year-old drives for

continues to chase

an impressive Rookie-

NASCAR Xfinity

old Austin Cindric

the No. 10 Chevrolet

a family-run opera-

his first series title.

of-the-Year effort in

Series this year and

should be among the

for Kaulig Racing. The

tion that has secured

The driver of No. 7

which he won a race

is scheduled to make

Championship 4 when

27-year-old racer has

primary sponsorship

JR Motorsports

and scored 26 top-10

21 starts in the No. 8

the series arrives at

158 series starts, but

from CMR Construc-

Chevrolet has 11

finishes. His results

Chevrolet for Dale

Phoenix Raceway in

this will be the first

tion & Roofing. The

series wins and has

should be even better

Earnhardt’s team.

November. Cindric is

time he’s chased the

increased support

finished among the

this season and he’ll

The 28-year-old

an experienced road

title with a well-

should result in in-

top seven in the

be a strong contender

won’t be in the title

racer who has quickly

funded team capable

creased performance

standings each year

in the championship

hunt, but he should

adapted to the art of

of winning multiple

and don’t be surprised

since 2009.

battle.

win some races.

oval-track racing.

races.

if he wins a race.

POLE POSITION 2020

HEMRIC JOINS JR MOTORSPORTS FOR LIMITED 2020 RUN

PENSKE DRIVER AUSTIN CINDRIC A TITLE FAVORITE

ANYONE WHO

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

NASCAR GANDER RV & OUTDOORS TRUCK SERIES

6 Drivers to Watch

The NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series will once again feature a group of seasoned veterans battling a handful of dazzling young guns. BY KEITH WALTZ

CRAFTON CHASES FOURTH SERIES TITLE

18-YEAR-OLD ANKRUM MOVES TO GMS RACING

ARCA CHAMPION CHRISTIAN ECKES JOINS KBM

HRE DRIVER AUSTIN HILL A TRUCK SERIES TITLE FAVORITE

JOHNNY SAUTER SHOULD LEAD THE VETERANS

MODIFIED MAVEN FRIESEN MAKES STEADY IMPROVEMENT

MATT CRAFTON

TYLER ANKRUM

CHRISTIAN ECKES,

enters his 20th

turned heads during

the 2019 ARCA

AUSTIN HILL WON

JOHNNY SAUTER’S

STEWART FRIESEN,

season of Truck

a Rookie-of-the-Year

Menards Series

four NASCAR Gander

sixth-place finish last

a 36-year-old

Series racing looking

season in which

Champion, will drive

RV & Outdoors Truck

year in the No. 13

Canadian who honed

to defend his title and

he won a race and

one of the potent

Series races last year

ThorSport Racing

his skills racing dirt

add a fourth series

recorded eight top-10

Toyotas fielded by Kyle

in his first season

Ford was his worst

modifieds in the

championship trophy

finishes en route to

Bush Motorsports as

driving the No. 16

in the Truck Series

Northeast, has made

to his collection. The

an eighth-place finish

he takes the next step

Toyota for Hattori

standings since 2012.

steady improvement

43-year-old Crafton

in the standings. The

in the developmental

Racing Enterprises.

The 41-year-old,

since making his first

went winless en

18-year-old racer

ladder. The 19-year-

This will be Hill’s

second-generation

Truck Series start in

route to last year’s

from San Bernardino,

old from Greenville,

third full-time Truck

driver has his sights

2016. Expect him to

crown and that won’t

California, has a

New York, has seven

Series effort and

set on a second series

improve on his 2019

happen again to

legitimate shot at the

top-10 finishes in a

anything short of an

championship, and

season in which he

the driver of No. 98

championship now

dozen Truck Series

appearance in the

he and his team are

won two races and

ThorSport Racing

that he’s moved to

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PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

POLE POSITION MAG.COM

NASCAR CUP SERIES

Growin’ Up NASCAR with Brennan Poole

Brennan Poole is competing in the NASCAR Cup Series this year thanks to a new deal with Premium Motorsports. The charismatic journeyman has made a name for himself in the lower ranks of stock car racing, all with limited funding.

2 3

BY JOSEPH WOLKIN

•• 1) Poole’s career began in Quarter Midgets, where he earned 90 wins and claimed a championship in 2002. •• He then raced Legend Cars across the South and was no stranger to Victory Lane, winning 96 races in two years. •• 2) Poole, who was born on April 11, 1991, grew up in The Woodlands, Texas. By the age of 10, he earned the nickname “The Bull” for his ability to charge through the competition. •• 3) For a while, Poole raced dirt Modifieds. In 2007, he won the Texas World Dirt Track Championship. •• 4) By 2011, he caught the eye of car owner Billy Venturini, who signed the Texan to a part-time ARCA Menards Series deal. He won his first race, a Sunday afternoon contest at Salem Speedway. •• 5) Poole finished third in the 2012 ARCA championship but couldn’t find funding to race full time. He ran five races for Venturini in 2013 and seven in 2014, leading him to a NASCAR Xfinity Series gig. •• 6) HScott Motorsports with Chip Ganassi signed Poole to a half-season deal in 2015 and Chip Ganassi Racing enabled him to qualify for the Xfinity Series playoffs a year later. He fought for the title in both 2016 and 2017. •• 7) When Ganassi didn’t pick up his contract, Poole only ran a pair of Gander Truck Series races in 2018. Finally, in 2019, On Point Motorsports signed him and he almost won at Charlotte for this new team. •• 8) Poole is currently competing for the Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award with Premium Motorsports. Team owner Jay Robinson said he was impressed with Poole’s performance in NASCAR’s lower series.

POLE POSITION 2020

The Inspection Process Maintaining a Level Playing Field BY JARED TURNER

he old adage holds that cheaters never prosper. That’s certainly true in NASCAR – just ask the folks who’ve tried.

Thanks to a highly sophisticated inspection process that leaves virtually no stone unturned, it’s nearly impossible these days for teams to bend the rules without being discovered and appropriately punished.

Inspection procedures differ depending on the type of track. For example,

at a short track, where aerodynamics plays only a minimal role in a car’s speed, inspection doesn’t focus on the body of the car as much as it does at high-speed tracks where aero is critical. Similarly, road courses are the only tracks where officials conduct a close inspection of the transmission, since road courses are the only tracks where drivers shift at times other than restarts.

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

How thorough is the inspection process for the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series? Consider that each race weekend, each car undergoes a minimum of two pre-race inspections lasting roughly three hours each. The first inspection occurs before teams ever get on track for the first practice. The second inspection is prior to qualifying. Then, there’s a roughly 90-minute post-race inspection of select cars. Add it all up, and that’s a ton of hours spent on inspection during a race weekend. But that’s just how serious NASCAR is about ensuring a level playing field for all competitors. Following is important information about the inspection process.

Each of the top-five finishing cars and at least one random car go through a general post-race inspection. Three of

those cars also get torn down. “There’s really no way to check every single part on the car,” NASCAR Xfinity Series technical manager Eric Peterson said. “So we kind of have a list that varies from week to week of spot-check items and things we’ll take off the car and inspect individually in detail.”

Each car must go through four inspection stations during a race weekend.

The first is an engine station, where the intake system is checked. The next station is chassis inspection. The third station measures the car’s weight (in the Xfinity Series, car height is also measured). The final station is optical scanning, which features a computerized camera system that does a three-dimensional scan of the outer surface of the car’s body and checks all of the suspension wheel alignments.

POLE POSITION MAG.COM

NASCAR HEALTH

PRESENTED BY TM

MSG: A life of racing for Dr. Cormier

Motorsports Safety Group is a collaboration of innovators who are determined to improve the safety of racing. MSG shares tips for race car drivers to help avoid injuries. BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

CHALLENGES DR. JASON CORMIER teaches both medical students and residents many innovative neurosurgical techniques including endoscopic pituitary and image-guided surgery, and minimally invasive complex spinal surgery. Cormier was named one of “America’s Top Surgeons,” in the field of Neurosurgery, by the Consumers Research Council of America, Guide to America’s top surgeons and currently listed as one of the leading physicians in the world for Neurosurgery.

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. Dr. Cormier’s work with MSG ties together his passion for racing with his professional expertise. Cormier developed a love for racing at an early age. As early as 3 or 4 years old, he remembers racing his brother to see who could be the first to complete regular household tasks, such as brushing teeth. As he got older, he raced lawn mowers, then bikes, then motorcycles, and ultimately go-karts. Cormier’s athletic career took him to LSU, where he was a member of the men’s basketball team. After playing professionally for a year after college, Cormier renewed his passion for racing. He has since raced go-karts professionally at tracks in Lafayette, N.Y., and New Orleans, and attended Porsche Driving School. More recently, he test drove stock cars at Daytona Superspeedway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway. In January, he participated in a test at Myrtle Beach Speedway. One of Cormier’s greatest athletic moments came on a race track in New Orleans about four years ago. A field of 58 drivers went through qualifying for 24 spots, and Cormier qualified third. “I felt like, ‘Man, I really can drive,’” Cormier said. “It’s not just driving fast in a car down a highway

POLE POSITION 2020

Cormier is a member of the

or a packaged track. This is the real deal. That was the first vindication or validation that this is something I can do.” Cormier has always followed the sport at the highest level, as a fan of NASCAR and Formula 1. “There’s always been that attraction to racing,” Cormier said. “After I went to medical school, my dream was to become a NASCAR driver team doctor.” Along with Dr. Alan Appley and Dr. Julian Bales, Cormier crafted a strategic partnership with the ARCA racing series’ safety initiative program to form a “Motorsports Healthcare Education Plan.” For the past three years, in his role as founder and CEO of Motorsports Safety Group, Cormier has designed a structural outline of best safety practices in the sport based on input from other high-impact sports like football, boxing and other forms of racing, as well as the military. Cormier has found it rewarding to speak with NASCAR drivers and learn how seriously they take their own health. One of the most interesting conversations for me was probably with Brad Keselowski,” Cormier said. “It was clear that both he and NASCAR safety officials have a great respect for what we do as physicians and the importance of safety in racing. It’s exciting how many drivers who don’t talk about it outwardly are concerned with their safety.”

American Association of Neurological Surgeons and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons and is board certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery. His busy practice involves performing complex brain and spinal operations on patients from around the country that seek out his surgical acumen. For Dr. Cormier’s most recent side project, he coauthored an autobiography. The book, “Challenges: The Inspiring Story of Dr. Jason Cormier” shares the brain surgeon’s journey overcoming significant obstacles to achieve extraordinary things. Sign up for more news and updates on “Challenges: The Inspiring Story of Dr. Jason Cormier” at thechallengesbook.com.

Rarefied Rookies

Reddick, Bell & Custer Expected to Make an Impact

A NASCAR Cup Series rookie class typically features no more than one or two drivers who’ve proven themselves capable of winning numerous races in NASCAR’s No. 2 division. The 2020 rookie class is a rare exception. BY JARED TURNER

s NASCAR Xfinity Series drivers in 2019, Tyler Reddick, Christopher Bell and Cole Custer combined to win 21 of 33 races and made up threefourths of the Championship 4.

Tyler Reddick

POLE POSITION 2020

So dominant was the big three that it seemed virtually a forgone conclusion by the season’s midway point that one of them would ultimately capture the series crown. Reddick did just that, claiming his second consecutive title and becoming the first back-to-back Xfinity Series champion since Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in 2011 and 2012. It therefore came as little surprise to anyone that by the end of the final race weekend of 2019, all three Xfinity Series frontrunners had locked up rides in the NASCAR Cup Series for this season. In the case of Custer, in particular, that ride couldn’t be of much higher quality. Custer has replaced Daniel Suarez as the driver of the No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford and moved up to NASCAR’s premier division with an organization that has won two NASCAR Cup Series

championships and placed a driver – Kevin Harvick – in the Championship 4 in five of the past six seasons. Understandably, Custer is widely expected to perform well right out of the gate. “This is the moment I’ve worked for ever since I first started racing,” said Custer, who began racing quarter midgets at age 5. “I’ve learned a lot in these last three years in the Xfinity Series, and to be able to stay within Stewart-Haas Racing will make a steep learning curve a little less steep. I know the people, the culture and what’s expected of me. I’m ready for this challenge.” In his three seasons as a full-time Xfinity Series driver, Custer posted nine wins – seven of them in 2019. The Ladera Ranch, California, native finished as the championship runner-up to Reddick the past two seasons. “Cole has certainly earned his spot in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2020,” said SHR co-owner Tony Stewart, a winner of three NASCAR Cup Series championships and 49 series races. “He’s consistently running

up front, leading laps and winning races. The level of competition increases dramatically in the NASCAR Cup Series, but it’s where Cole belongs after having proven himself in the Xfinity Series.” The same is true of Reddick, who accomplished the rare feat of not only winning consecutive championships but doing so with two different teams. Following a twowin championship season with JR Motorsports in 2018, the Corning, California, native made the bold decision to leave for Richard Childress Racing in hopes of enjoying an even better 2019 and better positioning himself for a jump to the NASCAR Cup Series. Mission accomplished. RCR announced some six weeks before the 2019 season ended that Reddick would be promoted to the NASCAR Cup Series, replacing Daniel Hemric in the No. 8 RCR Chevrolet. Team owner Richard Childress – a 2017 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee and sixtime NASCAR Cup Series champion team owner – couldn’t feel any better about his decision to elevate Reddick. “I think he’s an amazing talent,” said Childress, whose most recent championship as a premier series team owner came in 1994 with the late Dale Earnhardt. “I saw that before he even won his first championship, watching him race. He drove some loose race cars that year for (JR Motorsports). Really loose. That gets

Cole Custer PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

Christopher Bell

you in trouble. First thing I told Randall (Burnett, crew chief) was: ‘You keep him tight enough, he’ll go out and win a lot of races for us.’ And, he did. “We’re so excited. I just felt if we could get here, we’d have a great shot of winning the championship.” Now the question is whether Reddick can elevate RCR’s NASCAR Cup Series program. Since Harvick left the organization at the end of 2013, RCR has only three

premier series wins – two courtesy of Reddick’s new teammate, Austin Dillon. Childress expects big things from Reddick, who went to Victory Lane six times for RCR last season in the Xfinity Series. “The talent that he’s got is going to raise RCR to another level,” Childress said. Bell, meanwhile, might be the most talented of this year’s rookie class. After winning the 2017 NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series championship for Kyle Busch Motorsports, Bell amassed an incredible 15 victories over the 2018 and 2019 seasons as a full-time Xfinity Series driver for Joe Gibbs Racing (he won his first Xfinity race in a part-time role for JGR in 2017). That success earned the Norman, Oklahoma, native an opportunity to go NASCAR Cup Series Racing this season. While it’s possible that Bell could struggle as a rookie with Leavine Family Racing – a single-car operation that has yet to record its first NASCAR Cup Series win – there is potential for success, especially since LFR brought an enhanced technical alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota Racing Development into 2020. “I’ve said from the start: I want this team to be competitive,” LFR team owner Bob Leavine said. “Christopher is one of the most talented drivers we’ve seen come up through NASCAR’s ranks and, together, with JGR and Toyota’s support, I’m confident our team will continue to grow.” POLE POSITION MAG.COM

NASCAR CUP SERIES PROFILES

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ue to his longstanding proclivity for coming on strong at the end of races, Kevin Harvick has often been dubbed “The Closer.” Enter-

ing the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season, one could argue that moniker is just as suitable for Kyle Busch. After starting the 2019 season in spectacular fashion, Busch struggled mightily throughout most of the summer, and even into the playoffs, but returned to his winning ways when it mattered most: the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, where he and three other drivers raced straight up for the championship with the highest finisher taking the crown. Busch won that race in South Florida, snapping a 21-race skid and earning his second title in NASCAR’s top series four years after winning his first. “To have the beginning part of the season that we had and then to kind of lose whatever we lost through the last third and save the best for last and to come into Homestead and score the win and the championship, that’s what it’s all about,” Busch said. How many championships could Busch win by the time he hangs up his driving helmet? He’s only 34, so the potential is there for several more titles. “I would love to be sitting here right now talking about eight,” Busch said after capturing championship No. 2. “I’ve been in the sport for 14, 15 years, and we’re only talking about two championships. It’s nice to have the success that we have had. You take it when you get it, but there’s certainly a few missed opportunities, for sure.”

POLE POSITION 2020

ELITE CLUB WITH NASCAR CUP

Series championships in 2015 and 2019, Kyle Busch enters the new season as one of only two active drivers with multiple championships. Jimmie Johnson, with seven titles, is the other. If Busch can secure championship No. 3 this season, he would join NASCAR legends and Hall of Famers Darrell Waltrip, Cale Yarborough and David Pearson as three-time champs. Only Jeff Gordon (four titles), Johnson, Dale Earnhardt (seven titles) and Richard Petty (seven titles) have more.

If Busch can begin this season anything like he began 2019, he will be well-positioned for another championship run. The driver of the No. 18 Toyota and his Adam Stevens-led team piled up four wins in last season’s first 14 races before their summer slump. The hot start – and all the playoff points that came with it – were enough to all but assure Busch of his fifth appearance in the Championship 4, which he ultimately reached along with Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. Busch wants to start this year in similar fashion to what he did in 2019 and finish the same way as well. However, he wouldn’t mind avoiding another letdown in the middle. Either way, the idea for the No. 18 bunch is to have enough of a security blanket from his early-season success to punch a ticket to Phoenix Raceway, which replaces Homestead this season as the site of the Championship 4. “The only thing we know for sure when the season starts is that one of us at least is going to get in (the Championship 4) on points,” Stevens said. “You’re a fool if you don’t put yourself in position to be that guy. As a team, our goal is to win the championship. Our goal in 2020 is to win the championship, and we want to be the (team) that has the most stage points and wins the regular season championship so we have the most points in case we don’t win one of those three races (in the playoff rounds leading up to the final race).”

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Denny Hamlin didn’t win the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series championship, but just about everything else went his way. So as disappointing as it was to once again fall short of the big prize in the season-ending race at Homestead-Miami Speedway where he finished last among the four championship contenders, Hamlin is extremely optimistic about 2020. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver certainly has reason to be, after winning six races last season – including his second Daytona 500 in four years. “We won 19 races as an organization. That’s the most in this era,” Hamlin said. “That’s a good thing. Our year was fantastic in every way you can think of, and it just didn’t pan out in one race (Homestead) in our favor.” Crew chief Chris Gabehart has returned for his second season atop the pit box of the No. 11 team. “I’m excited about 2020,” Hamlin said. “I really am. I’m looking forward to having the momentum that we took through last year with a first-year crew chief, and we’re going to win a lot – like a lot – this year. I just think that we’ll have another opportunity. There’s no question.” Arguably the best active driver who has yet to win a championship, Hamlin is focused on again making it to the final race and being able compete straight up against three others for the championship hardware. “I don’t know how it’s going to be,” he said. “I just am really excited with the group that we have, what we can do and getting another shot at it.”

DESERT STORM DENNY HAMLIN delivered one of the most clutch performances of 2019 in the Arizona desert when he won the Round of 8 elimination race at Phoenix Raceway to punch his ticket into the Championship 4. To have an opportunity to compete for the title at Homestead, going to Victory Lane at Phoenix was his only real option. Phoenix Raceway will host this year’s championship race, which could bode well for Hamlin’s chances if he returns to the Championship 4.

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Martin Truex Jr.’s first season at Joe Gibbs Racing proved to

be a seamless transition from Furniture Row Racing – where he had spent the previous five seasons, won the 2017 NASCAR Cup Series championship and established himself as one of the sport’s elite drivers. Driving the No. 19 Toyota for JGR under the guidance of Cole Pearn – his crew chief for four of five seasons Furniture Row – Truex enjoyed a stellar first season for the organization owned and founded by three-time Super Bowl-winning coach Joe Gibbs. Along with reaching the Championship 4 for the third year in a row and finishing runner-up in the standings for the second consecutive year, Truex won a NASCAR Cup Series-high seven races and arrived for the season-ending race at Homestead-Miami as the popular pick to walk away with the championship trophy. While Truex ultimately came up one position short of that goal, he couldn’t have been any more pleased with his first year as a driver for JGR. To repeat or surpass his 2019 success, Truex will need to quickly adjust to life with a new crew chief – former JGR lead engineer James Small, who the company tapped to succeed Pearn when Pearn decided to leave the sport at the end of 2019 to pursue family interests. So, for the second year in a row, Truex will have to deal with a transition. But if it goes as well as last year’s, he should be in the thick of the hunt for his second NASCAR Cup Series title.

MEET THE NEW GUY WHEN THE TIME came to appoint a new crew chief for Martin Truex Jr., team owner Joe Gibbs gave the nod to Melbourne, Australia, native James Small. Truex agreed, calling the man who spent last season as his team’s lead engineer “a natural fit.” Truex then added: “I know James well and feel very comfortable with him. I feel like we approach racing very similar. He and Cole have a lot of similarities.”

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

GANDER RV & OUTDOORS TRUCK SERIES

Q&A with Christian Eckes NASCAR GANDER RV & OUTDOORS TRUCK SERIES DRIVER

BY JOSEPH WOLKIN

he Kyle Busch Motorsports driver lineup looks completely different this season, with Christian Eckes, the 2019 ARCA Menards Series champion, gunning for the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series title in the No. 18 Toyota Tundra. In only eight series starts last year, the native of Middletown,

New York, made his presence known with three top-five finishes.

What are you looking forward to this season? I’m looking forward to running full-time in the Truck Series. I’ve been part-time in the past, even though last year was a little bit more of an advanced schedule. Hopefully, we have a shot at the championship at the end of the year.

What are your expectations?

What does it mean to know Kyle Busch believes in you?

The obvious goal is to win races and get a championship. But we have to take it one step at a time. The Truck Series is so competitive, and it’s hard to do these things. I was lucky to be part of the owners’ championship last year with KBM. Hopefully, we can duplicate that this year – but we need to get there.

It means a lot to me. I grew up racing Legends Cars against him on the weekends. Finally, we can see this play out the way it is. It’s amazing to witness in my eyes. It means a ton for him and Toyota to support me. This journey has had its highs and lows, but I’m fortunate for the opportunities provided and the lessons I’ve learned.

Who has given you the best advice?

What do you do well compared to other drivers your age?

I would say my ARCA car owner, Billy Venturini. He’s given me a lot of life guidance. He even got me in touch with Toyota Racing and helped me start that relationship. Without him, I wouldn’t be where I’m at today.

I feel like I prepare a lot better than everybody who is coming up with me. I spend countless hours going over film and taking notes. That’s definitely what helped me stand out. I’m always trying to figure out what I can do better. I feel like I’m ahead in that department.

What were those initial conversations with Toyota like? It all started after the 2016 Snowball Derby that I won. We had a sit-down meeting after that and outlined the goal. It’s been crazy from there. It’s cool how that program at Venturini works, and I’m honored to be part of it. The knowledge I’ve learned is intense.

What challenges do you expect this season? It’s a wake-up call when you go run in the Truck Series, more than you’d expect. When you go to the Truck Series, it’s so much more intense. The racing is more intense, and the restarts are more intense. You have to be on your game more. There are 12 to 15 trucks that can win on a weekly basis. You have to have everything go right. PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

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With 2019 NASCAR Xfinity Series frontrunners Tyler

Reddick, Christopher Bell and Cole Custer now in the NASCAR Cup Series, it’s anyone’s guess who will emerge as the 2020 Xfinity Series champion. One driver capable of making a serious title run is 2019 Xfinity Series rookie of the year Chase Briscoe, who is back for a second full season with Stewart-Haas Racing. Briscoe is a two-time Xfinity Series winner, both of his victories coming in SHR-prepared Ford Mustangs. The 25-year-old from Mitchell, Indiana, finished fifth in the standings in 2019, earning a playoff berth on the strength of a win, two poles, 13 top-five results and 26 top-10 finishes in his first full season of Xfinity Series competition. “This is the first time I’ll be able to run back-to-back, full seasons with the same team, and I couldn’t be happier to do it with Stewart-Haas Racing,” said Briscoe, a development driver with Ford Performance. “Their faith in me means a lot, and I want to reward them and Ford with more wins and a run for the championship.” Briscoe used a limited Xfinity Series schedule in 2018, when he drove for both SHR and Roush Fenway Racing, as a springboard to a full-time ride with SHR in 2019. He earned his first career Xfinity Series victory in September 2018 in just his 14th series start when he won the inaugural race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL. Briscoe scored his second Xfinity Series win in his 36th career start, which came in July 2019 at Iowa Speedway.

FAMILY TRADITION BRISCOE IS A THIRDgeneration racer whose career began on dirt tracks in and around Indiana. Since he was 13, Briscoe has followed in his grandfather’s and father’s footsteps, racing sprint cars on the rough-andtumble bullrings of the Midwest. It’s a lineage that makes Briscoe a natural fit for SHR, as the Xfinity Series team is co-owned by threetime NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart, an Indiana native who also began his career on dirt.

•

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Growing up in a racing family, Harrison Burton knew

from a young age that he wanted to make a living racing cars. This season, he’s getting the chance. Burton, who drove the full 2019 NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series season for Kyle Busch Motor-sports, has moved to a full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series ride with Joe Gibbs Racing after making select Xfinity starts for the organization last season. Burton, 19, is campaigning JGR’s No. 20 Xfinity Series car as a rookie in pursuit of the series championship. The son of 21-time NASCAR Cup Series race winner turned NASCAR on NBC broadcaster Jeff Burton couldn’t be more excited about his newest opportunity, which means taking the reins of a car that has gone to Victory Lane a total of 15 times the past two years and made the Championship 4 with Christopher Bell behind the wheel. Burton enters 2020 on the heels of a solid first full season in trucks that produced 11 top-10 finishes – including seven top-five results – in 23 starts. “This year is going to be a really cool opportunity for me because I grew up watching my dad race in the Xfinity Series,” said Burton, whose father drove 306 races in NASCAR’s No. 2 division. “Making my first start at Bristol this year was really surreal. I remember being a little kid and watching him race there and now, I will have the opportunity to compete for the Xfinity Series championship.”

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

FAST LEARNER ALONG WITH running the complete schedule in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series, Harrison Burton teamed with Joe Gibbs Racing last season for nine NASCAR Xfinity Series starts that produced five top-10 finishes, including a career-best NASCAR Xfinity Series finish of fourth at Iowa

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Speedway. All of Burton’s top-five runs – be it his lone top-five in Xfinity or his multiple top-five finishes in a truck – came prior to his 19th birthday. “Harrison is mature

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CREW CHIEF JUNIOR JOINER

Matt Crafton begins the season chasing both a fourth

NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series championship and his first victory since July 2017. While Crafton has displayed his trademark consistency over the past two seasons – including last season when he captured his third series title in unlikely fashion – he hasn’t led nearly as many laps or been in contention to win all that often. “I know when we knock one (victory) down, the rest are going to start falling,” Crafton said. “We’ve done it so much in the past that you’ve just got to put yourself in the right position and keep knocking down top fives and running first and second each and every week, and the wins will come.” Wins or no wins, Crafton begins the season on a clear mission: to tie Ron Hornaday Jr.’s record of four truck championships. “That’s what it’s all about,” Crafton said. “You look at the Truck Series and you say, ‘Ron Hornaday.’ So, if we can put ourselves in that record book and have as many championships as him, it would be awesome.” Hornaday – the only Truck Series driver in the NASCAR Hall of Fame – joined Crafton in celebrating Crafton’s 2019 championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The two are longtime friends. “Me and Ron go way back,” said Crafton, 43. “He used to race with my dad back in the day, and Ron has been the man. He was still whooping us when he was like 50 years old, and I’m still quite a ways away from that.”

ON THE REBOUND SINCE SWITCHING TO Ford in 2018, ThorSport Racing has made slow but steady gains, which were reflected in Matt Crafton’s results from last season compared to the prior year. While Crafton recorded the same number of top-five finishes last season – seven – that he managed in 2018, he posted five more top-10 results and captured three poles, compared to none the previous year. Crafton calls his recent struggles to find Victory Lane “a little aggravating” but believes this year could be different.

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

PRESENTED BY

Four Questions with Record Rack Driver Spencer Boyd You have a passion for hunting. What’s your favorite memory? Hunting takes me back to my roots, growing up in the Midwest in St. Louis, Missouri. My grandparents had a farm down South in Missouri, and my dad hunted whitetail a lot. It was something I started doing at an early age, probably four or five years old, just going out there with my grandpa or my dad. My coolest memory of deer hunting is very recent. I was down in Texas and harvested a huge whitetail buck that was 180-plus inches. That’s like a record-type buck. Record Rack is a sponsor of yours. What makes that a good fit for you? My love for the outdoors is definitely what tied me to Record Rack. We tried Record Rack for a year or two, and I was like, ‘Hey, let me reach out to these guys.’ It’s an American-made product, I saw they were

doing a lot of cool stuff with veterans, and that’s something I like to do, so that led to the conversation about sponsorship. Record Rack and I have a lot of the same values. How does it feel to be known as one of the most patriotic drivers in NASCAR? I have a lot of cousins, and quite a few went into the military. Growing up, my grandparents always had the American flag up in the front yard, and it was a big deal. If the national anthem was on TV, everyone was standing in the living room. NASCAR is so involved with the military and all the stuff that they do, that they give us a pretty cool platform. I appreciate

what those guys and gals in the military do for us, and I definitely have seen the sacrifice that my cousins and others have had to make. I love our country and love our flag. I wear patriotic, American flag socks every day. I’ve wore those socks every day for probably six years now, and people love seeing it. You’ve helped support Record Rack’s “Bucks for the Brave” hunt the last two years. Can you describe what this is? It’s an experience. It’s like going to Talladega or Bristol for the first time. They’ve been doing it for a while, and basically, family members and friends will nominate someone from one of the five branches of the military, or a police officer or firefighter or someone like that. You’re nominating someone that you feel deserves an opportunity to go on a hunt of a lifetime. It lasts five days, and Record Rack hooks them up with things associated with the cowboy lifestyle — from boots to jeans to cowboy hats — and they get to ride in a big stretched out Hummer Ford limousine. They’re treated like royalty, as they should be.

NASCAR GANDER RV & OUTDOORS TRUCK SERIES

EMBRACE THE JOURNEY Running a NASCAR Race Team in 2020

NASCAR Pole Position goes inside Jordan Anderson Racing for a peek into what it takes to build your own NASCAR team from the ground up. BY JOSH MULL

POLE POSITION 2020

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

Say you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, and you’ve decided you want your business to be racing against some of the fastest people on the planet. In other words, you want your own NASCAR team. What lessons do you need to learn in order to make it as a team owner? What kind of decisions will you face every day? And what kind of unique advantages do you bring to distinguish yourself among all the others? Let’s imagine for a moment you are that owner. You’re conferring with your team after a hardfought battle on the track, when some of your competition comes over to you. “Hey, we noticed you’re struggling a little bit,” they say. “Your toe’s out.” How do you respond? “We both looked at our feet,” says Jordan Anderson, laughing. “That’s how far out of water we were.” Today, Anderson is the owner and driver for Jordan Anderson Racing. But back in the day, he was just a kid with a passion and a dream. “I remember to this day, 10 years old at Concord Motorsport Park,” Anderson recalled. “They had a quarter-mile track, and my dad and I would race our champ kart. We were making a lot of mistakes back then. There was no manual and no guidebook. They didn’t exist. “But the best lessons come from those mistakes.” MANY MOVING PARTS Last season, Anderson completed his 100th race for Jordan Anderson Racing in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series. The season also marked the second year of his five-year business plan. As he prepares to enter year three, he faces an all new set of lessons. “We’re moving shops,” Anderson noted. “Five days of packing and putting everything together. Five days of moving everything over. And five more days of settling in. “What do we need to keep? What do we get rid of? How do we streamline everything so it can fit together really well,” Anderson asked? This streamlining process is crucial to the operation. Far from the days of champ karts on lawn trailers, the modern-day Jordan Anderson Racing team has to operate with precision and urgency. “We’re figuring out the flow of the new shop.” he said. “Do we have the right materials ordered, the right parts to build the trucks? There’s scheduling to do for the body shop, which trucks need body work or fabrication work. “On the operations side,” Anderson continued, “I have to keep the checkbook balanced, keep track of the motor mileage, handle payroll for the week.” PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

One of the most critical decisions that falls to Anderson as owner is, of course, personnel. “That’s what makes this sport,” he said. “The team can make or break you.” Thankfully, these decisions aren’t always difficult. This year, Jordan Anderson Racing has Wally Rogers as a full-time crew chief. The winning NASCAR veteran demonstrated the importance of personnel already at several races with Anderson in 2019. “He came on board for the Kentucky race,” Anderson said. “First time out of the box, we posted our best career qualifying.” How do we know about this important personnel decision by the way? True to the Jordan Anderson Racing brand, Rogers tweeted it. ALWAYS ONLINE Jordan Anderson is known among the new generation of NASCAR fans for his huge social media presence. Every day his fans are treated to photos and videos of intimate peaks into his life and behind the curtain of Jordan Anderson Racing. As owner, Anderson is responsible for the operations, the competitions, sponsorships, and let’s not forget, driving in the races. But when it comes to the marketing as well, he’s also responsible for that social media success. “It gives the sponsors a marketing platform 24/7 basically,” Anderson explained. “It’s taking on a new face with YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. Not just the hospitality, the business opportunities, the exposure (of the truck), but part of a program of nonstop promoting. “I’m on the NASCAR subreddit 10 to 15 times a day, just to see what’s going on,” Anderson added. “The more knowledge you have, the better decisions you can make. “I see a post about something a fan or somebody in the sport shares what they’re feeling about something. That makes me think about, ‘Oh, maybe I can do this or that better.’ “I’ve joked about it since I was in college,” he continued, “everything you ever wanted to know or do is on Google. At the office or at home, there’s always something going on in the background. Just to stay in the loop.” From the mechanics of the race equipment to the personnel decisions of the crew to the social media content, these are the building blocks of what goes into a NASCAR race team in 2020. “We started small,” Anderson said. “But year one, year two, going into year three, we’re right on track, right where we wanted to be.” POLE POSITION MAG.COM

FAVORITE FINDS

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POLE POSITION 2020

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SUPERSPEEDWAYS

DAYTONA VS. Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway – both owned by NASCAR and built by NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. – are uniquely similar in appearance and the style of racing they produce. Don’t be fooled, though; NASCAR’s two superspeedways have some subtle yet notable differences. BY JARED TURNER First, the tracks are not same length, nor do they feature the same degrees of banking. Daytona is a 2.5-mile tri-oval, with 31-degree banked turns. The backstretch and tri-oval portion of the track are banked three degrees and 18 degrees, respectively. Talladega is a 2.66-mile tri-oval, with turns banked at 33 degrees. The backstretch and frontstretch are banked two degrees and 16.5 degrees, respectively. Although the differences in banking and length may seem relatively insignificant, Daytona and Talladega are different animals. For example, handling tends to play a role at Daytona – where the track is

POLE POSITION 2020

a bit narrower and some lifting off the throttle is required, particularly as tires wear during a green-flag run. At Talladega, however, drivers hold it wide open all race long, with no reason to ever let off the gas unless it’s to simply avoid running over someone. “Daytona is more like a regular speedway because you have to lift in the turns and drive the car,” Denny Hamlin said. “The tires fall off really fast there, so you’ve got to find ways to get your car to handle. Daytona and Talladega aren’t even close.” Because of both tracks’ steep banks and relatively wide racing surfaces, big-pack

racing and multi-car wrecks – sometimes of the more dramatic variety – are customary, as it’s not uncommon to see the entire field bunched in one, two or three packs. Average lap speeds at both tracks hover in the 195-200 mph range, with drafting and teamwork playing a key role in a driver’s ability to find his way to the front. In recent times – and in 2019 in particular – drivers of the same manufacturer tended to work together in the draft as de facto teammates, pushing each other forward as situations allowed. In previous years, it was more customary for only drivers with the same team to strategically pair up. PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

Last season, the horsepower-choking restrictor plates used at Daytona and Talladega since 1988 were replaced by tapered spacers – which proved to be more of a logistic than anything, as the style of racing that fans have come to know and love at the two superspeedways remained unchanged. A few other points to consider about Daytona and Talladega: •• Both tracks have hosted two annual NASCAR Cup Series races since 1970, the year after Talladega first joined the tour. This year – for the first time – Daytona will play host to the final race of the Cup Series regular season, as the track’s traditional July race date moves to September. Talladega will continue to host spring and fall race weekends. •• Both Talladega and Daytona are synonymous with what’s come to be known in NASCAR circles as “The Big One” – the moniker associated with a major and sometimes spectacular multi-car

wreck. It’s also not uncommon for races at Talladega and Daytona to feature numerous instances of “The Big One,” meaning there are multiple multi-car wrecks that wipe out significant segments of the field. •• Both Talladega and Daytona have had their share of photo finishes over the years – due in large part to the closequarters nature of the racing at these tracks. The most recent Talladega thriller came in fall 2019 when Ryan Blaney nipped Ryan Newman at the finish by .007 seconds. Meanwhile, Denny Hamlin’s narrow win over Martin Truex Jr. in the 2016 Daytona 500 was .01 seconds. •• Drivers who run well at Daytona tend to fare similarly well at Talladega, and vice versa. It’s not at all uncommon for a driver to win multiple superspeedway races in the same year, although there are just four such events on the

NASCAR Cup Series calendar. The most recent driver to capture more than one superspeedway race in the same year was Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in 2017. •• Daytona hosts both day and nighttime NASCAR events in addition to the world-famous Rolex 24 At Daytona – an annual sports car race that lasts exactly 24 hours and is run every January. Talladega, meanwhile, has never hosted a night race and there are no plans to do so, since the track does not have a lighting system. Adding lights, of course, comes with a big price tag. •• One of the most obvious differences between Daytona and Talladega is the location of the start/finish line. At Daytona, it’s right in the middle of the tri-oval portion of the track, which is similar to other tracks with a tri-oval configuration. At Talladega, a driver doesn’t reach the start/finish line until he exits the tri-oval and is past the exit from pit road.

TALLADEGA

POLE POSITION MAG.COM

FAN EXPERIENCE

Bucket-List Events Get Your Tickets – Don’t Miss These Races! BY KEITH WALTZ

he NFL season ends with the Super Bowl, the World Series brings down the curtain on the Major League Baseball schedule and the basketball season concludes with the NBA Finals. Almost every professional sports league ends the

season with its marquee event. NASCAR takes a slightly different approach as the NASCAR Cup Series, America’s premier form of motorsports entertainment, kicks off the season with the biggest and most prestigious race on its 38-event schedule – the Daytona 500 at legendary Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. The Daytona 500 is definitely a bucket-list event for any race fan, but don’t let your list be a one-hit wonder. This season, NASCAR will sanction 94 races across its trio of national series – the NASCAR Cup Series (38), NASCAR Xfinity Series (33) and NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series (23). The schedules run from Feb. 9 to Nov. 8. The NASCAR Cup Series’ regular season is comprised of 26 points-paying races and 10 playoff races that decide the series champion. The Xfinity Series has 26 regular-season races with seven playoff races, while the Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series regular season has 16 races and there are seven playoff events.

While the race tracks vary greatly in size and shape, each track operator who hosts a NASCAR national series event does it with one goal – to provide each and every race fan with the best possible race experience. So how do you know which NASCAR events to place on your bucket list? We consider the following six events to be must-see. You can also use the following tips to help compile your own list: •• If you are a big fan of road racing, there are numerous options such as California’s Sonoma Raceway, the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Wisconsin’s Road America and the legendary Watkins Glen International in upstate New York. •• Also consider the length of the track, as some people prefer the rough-and-tumble racing at short tracks like Martinsville Speedway or Richmond Raceway, while others enjoy the high speeds of Talladega Superspeedway or Michigan International Speedway. •• Talk to friends and use social media for input and suggestions as to which NASCAR races should be on your bucket list. The NASCAR experience is unmatched, and now is the time to comprise your bucket list so you can purchase tickets and start checking off races.

BANK OF AMERICA ROVAL 400 The newest addition to the NASCAR Cup Series schedule, Charlotte Motor Speedway’s ROVAL combines a high-banked superspeedway and a world-class road course to provide the ultimate challenge for both man and machine. The frontstretch grandstands offer a view of the entire 2.28-mile circuit and the drama of being a cutoff race in the playoffs is unparalleled.

BOJANGLES’ SOUTHERN 500 The “granddaddy” of all NASCAR races, the Southern 500 was first run at South Carolina’s iconic Darlington Raceway in 1950, and stock car racing’s original paved superspeedway still produces some of the best action on the schedule. This Labor Day weekend tradition also features a throwback theme, which takes race fans on a trip down memory lane.

POLE POSITION 2020

ELDORA DIRT DERBY The NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series’ annual visit to Tony Stewart’s Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, is a must-see event. Since purchasing the dirt track in 2004, Stewart has maintained its antiquated charm while adding modern amenities. In addition, the track’s concessions menu is among the best in the industry, and the prices are extremely fan friendly.

BASS PRO SHOPS NRA NIGHT RACE Racing a NASCAR Cup Series car at Bristol Motor Speedway has been compared to flying a fighter jet in a gymnasium, and the annual Night Race is traditionally action-packed from start to finish. There will be even more drama and intensity this year as the marquee event concludes the opening round of the playoffs.

NASCAR ALL-STAR RACE This special NASCAR Cup Series event at Charlotte Motor Speedway has generated several of the most memorable moments in the sport’s history since it was introduced in 1985. The unique format and short stages are designed to provide race fans with the ultimate in on-track entertainment, while the winning team takes home a check for $1 million.

CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND After 18 years of ending its season at Florida’s Homestead-Miami Speedway, the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series championship will be decided at Phoenix Raceway in Avondale, Arizona. The 55-year-old, one-mile track is now a motorsports showplace after undergoing a $178 million renovation that focused on elevating the fan experience. Make sure to reserve your seat early for this one. PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

POLE POSITION MAG.COM

NASCAR HISTORY NASCAR LEGEND

NASCAR’s Mr. Nice Guy

Jamie McMurray was known as one of the nicest competitors in NASCAR competition. The Missouri native raced in the NASCAR Cup Series from 2001 through 2017 and made seven visits to Victory Lane. BY BEN WHITE

McMurray won U.S. karting titles in four of the five years between 1986 and 1992. He then found early success in stock cars as a track champion at Lebanon I-44 Speedway in his home state during 1997. After successful seasons in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series during 2000 and 2001, McMurray had a life-changing year in 2002 while subbing for the injured Sterling Marlin at Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates. McMurray won the fall race at Charlotte Motor Speedway in only his second Cup Series start. He also won back-to-back NASCAR Xfinity Series races with Ganassi’s team. En route to the Cup Series rookie-of-the-year title in 2003, McMurray enjoyed 13 top-10 finishes, along with one pole position. He finished 13th in the NASCAR Cup Series point standings that season. He ended his tenure with the Ganassi team at the end of 2004 with 12 top-10 finishes in that season’s final 14 races, and he ended up 11th in the standings. McMurray joined Roush Fenway Racing midway through the 2005 season. By 2007, he had logged a win in the July race at Daytona. He also won for Roush at Talladega Superspeedway in 2009. Upon his return to what was then known as Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing in 2010, McMurray won three of the sport’s major races – the Daytona 500, the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis and the fall race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. After finishing 20th in the 2018 standings, McMurray joined FOX Sports as an analyst for the 2019 season.

I feel so fortunate to have been a part of NASCAR for so many years and to have won seven races. To win the Daytona 500 and the Brickyard 400 and the first win at Charlotte were amazing.”

– J A M I E M C M U R R AY

BEST SEASON MCMURRAY SCORED HIS BIGGEST VICTORIES IN 2010 in the Daytona 500, the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis and the October 500-mile event at Charlotte Motor Speedway. He also logged nine top-five finishes, 12 top-10 results and four poles. He established himself as a winner of premier events on the NASCAR schedule. RECORD-SETTER IN 583 STARTS, MCMURRAY LOGGED SEVEN WINS, 63 top-five finishes, 168 top-10 results and 11 poles. During his 17-year career, his average start of 18.1 and 18.2 finish made him a consistent driver that team owners admired. All told, he led 1,903 of 164,300 laps in some of the sport’s top rides. KNOWN FOR KNOWN FOR HIS HAPPY-GO-LUCKY OUTLOOK ON HIS career and his life, McMurray is still a fan favorite in NASCAR. His soft approach outside the race car didn’t match the driver he became in competition. His fellow drivers respected him for his clean style of driving on the track.

POLE POSITION 2020

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

SEASON REWIND

1955: Flock Flies to 18 Wins BY BEN WHITE

BEST DRIVER TIM FLOCK, DRIVER of the No. 300 Kiekhaefer Chrysler, collected 18 victories in 39 starts for a win record of 48 percent. His 18 victories and 33 top-10 finishes were three times bet-

In 1955, Atlanta native Tim Flock held steady in one of Carl Kiekhaefer’s Chrysler 300s en route to 18 victories and his second NASCAR Cup Series championship. Flock completed his seventh NASCAR season that year with the one of the most prominent teams on the circuit. Kiekhaefer, a boat engine manufacturer from Wisconsin, tried his hand at creating a top NASCAR organization. Going into the season, several drivers were hired to wheel his Chryslers, putting top-of-the-line cars and equipment with top drivers. Kiekhaefer was extremely determined to win and knew he had a strong chance with Flock behind the wheel of one his cars. That year, Flock’s brothers, Fonty and Bob, also wheeled cars out of Kiekhaefer’s stable. It was older brother Tim who proved to have the most successful season. Flock’s first victory of the season came on the Road and Beach Course in Daytona Beach, Florida, on Feb.27. From there, Flock often began a string of short-track victories that were preceded by 18 pole positions. His wins came in such places as Rochester, New York; Charlotte, North Carolina; Syracuse, New York; Spartanburg, South Carolina; Weaverville, North Carolina; Morristown, New Jersey; and Langhorne, Pennsylvania, to name only a few. All told, Flock logged 33 top-10 finishes with an amazing 3.2 average start and a 4.6 average finish. On the other end of the spectrum, Flock’s Chrysler fell out of five events with mechanical issues and did not finish. Flock ended his season with a victory at Hillsboro Speedway on Oct. 30 and clinched his second NASCAR title. His first championship came while driving a Hudson for team owner Ted Chester in 1952.

ter than the statistics accumulated by any driver who raced against him. His biggest victory of the season came at Monroe County Speedway in Rochester, New York, where he led all 200 laps. Flock led all the laps in four races that season. BEST RACE ON SUNDAY, OCT. 16, at Martinsville Speedway, Speedy Thompson led 64 of 200 laps and held off Bob Welborn for his second victory of the season. Jim Reed led 32 laps to Bob Welborn’s 31 laps but

1955 SEASON RECAP DATE CIRCUIT November 7 Tri-City Speedway February 6 Palm Beach Speedway February 13 Speedway Park February 24 Daytona Beach & Road Course March 6 Oglethorpe Speedway March 26 Columbia Speedway March 27 Hillsboro Speedway April 3 North Wilkesboro Speedway April 17 Montgomery Motor Speedway April 24 Langhorne Speedway May 1 Charlotte Speedway May 7 Hickory Speedway May 8 Fairgrounds Raceway May 15 Tucson Rodeo Grounds May 15 Martinsville Speedway May 22 Richmond Raceway May 28 State Fairgrounds Speedway May 29 Forsyth County Fairgrounds June 10 Lincoln Speedway June 17 Monroe County Fairgrounds June 18 Fonda Speedway June 19 Airborne Speedway June 24 Southern States Fairgrounds July 6 Piedmont Interstate Fairgrounds July 9 Columbia Speedway July 10 Asheville-Weaverville Speedway July 15 Morristown Speedway July 29 Altamont-Schenectady Speedway July 30 New York State Fairgrounds July 31 Meadows Race Track August 5 Southern States Fairgrounds August 7 Forsyth County Fairgrounds August 14 Memphis-Arkansas Speedway August 20 Raleigh Speedway September 9 Darlington Raceway September 11 Montgomery Speedway September 18 Langhorne Speedway September 30 Raleigh Speedway October 6 Greenville-Pickens Speedway October 9 Memphis-Arkansas Speedway October 15 Columbia Speedway October 16 Martinsville Speedway October 16 Las Vegas Speedway Park October 23 North Wilkesboro Speedway October 30 Orange Speedway

WINNER Lee Petty Herb Thomas Lee Petty Tim Flock Lee Petty Fonty Flock Jim Paschal Buck Baker Tim Flock Tim Flock Buck Baker Junior Johnson Tim Flock Danny Letner Tim Flock Tim Flock Junior Johnson Lee Petty Junior Johnson Tim Flock Junior Johnson Lee Petty Tim Flock Tim Flock Jim Paschal Tim Flock Tim Flock Junior Johnson Tim Flock Tim Flock Jim Paschal Lee Petty Fonty Flock Herb Thomas Herb Thomas Tim Flock Tim Flock Fonty Flock Tim Flock Speedy Thompson Tim Flock Speedy Thompson Norm Nelson Buck Baker Tim Flock

they fell back during the closing laps. Thompson took the

PRESIDENT

lead for good on lap

Dwight D. Eisenhower

138 and stayed there for the remainder of

NO. 1 IN THE BOX OFFICE

the race. Tim Flock

Lady and the Tramp

led 66 laps until his engine expired on lap 73.

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“Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White” by Perez Prado

1955

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29¢

POLE POSITION MAG.COM

RACE STRATEGY

Four Tires, Two Tires or None at All

To pit for four tires, two tires or none at all. That is the question faced by crew chiefs in every NASCAR race – actually multiple times a race – and their decision is oftentimes the difference between winning and losing. BY JARED TURNER

5 KEY ELEMENTS OF PIT STRATEGY

1 2

TYPE OF RACE TRACK. Tracks with

lower grip all but

require four fresh tires. LAPS REMAINING IN A STAGE OR THE RACE. If near the

end, a team is more likely to gamble on two tires or fuel-only.

TRACK POSITION. If losing a lot of track position can’t

be overcome, two tires or no tires is the way to go.

PIT STALL LOCATION. If pitting near the end of pit

road, crew chiefs can see what tire strategy other teams are using and adjust their strategy on the fly at the last minute.

So, what’s the best option? There is no simple answer, because it all depends on the situation. “Probably the No. 1 thing that weighs on a crew chief or engineer’s mind in terms of the decision to go with two or four tires or fuel-only is just simply track position. Track position – especially in the Cup Series today – is king,” said former NASCAR Cup Series crew chief turned NASCAR on FOX pit reporter Larry McReynolds. “There’s just no substitute for it. These cars are so aerodynamically sensitive in traffic that if you can get track position by strategy on pit road and be closer to the front than if you just spent time on pit road changing four tires, the track position outweighs the grip of those four fresh tires.” Yet, at some tracks – Darlington Raceway, Homestead-Miami Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway and Auto Club Speedway being prime examples – changing four tires is virtually a non-negotiable. “Those tracks are so low on grip and wear out the tires so fast that if you do just two tires or, God

POLE POSITION 2020

forbid you consider doing fuel-only, they (cars with four tires) would just absolutely run over you,” McReynolds said. One memorable example of a call for two tires paying off came in the 1994 Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway when crew chief Ray Evernham’s decision to change only two right-side tires late in the race gave Jeff Gordon the track position needed to capture his first career victory. Back then, such strategy calls were made more on a crew chief’s gut instinct than anything. In 2020, other factors are in play. “Today, these guys have so much information,” said McReynolds, who worked as a crew chief from 1982-2000, most notably with Davey Allison and Dale Earnhardt. “Race teams – no different than football teams or baseball teams – they are working off of analytics. They’ve got the information almost right in front of them. In most of my years as a crew chief, it was seat-of-the-pants experience and, quite honestly, a little bit of luck.”

RISK VERSUS REWARD. Certain strategy calls

are dictated by the big picture. For example, if a driver’s only hope of making the playoffs is winning that race, the crew chief is more prone to gamble on two tires or fuel-only.

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