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cHaSe foR tHe naScaR SPRint cuP

Insight on the last eight Chase races

Tony Stewart’s competitive advantage

How drivers qualify for the Chase

cHaSe foR tHe naScaR SPRint cuP cHaSing MoRe gReatneSS

Matt Kenseth’s bid for a second championship.

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green flag news & notes the number

fter utilizing No. 29 throughout his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career, Kevin Harvick’s car will carry No. 4 in 2014 when he moves to Stewart-Haas Racing. “I think the 4 is just something that goes with the 14,” Harvick said. “That was a number that was available and seemed like it was a pretty [logical] tie to the 14.”

NASCAR and HP Expand Relationship

Bud to Back Harvick at SHR For more than 30 years Budweiser has sponsored some of NASCAR’s top drivers. The “King of Beers” will continue its rich tradition in the sport by joining Kevin Harvick as he moves to Stewart-Haas Racing in 2014 to drive the No. 4 Chevrolet in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Budweiser will serve as primary sponsor of Harvick’s No. 4 Chevrolet for 20 races and will be a major associate sponsor for the remaining races. “I’ve developed a great relationship with so many people at Budweiser and am very happy it’s an association that will continue for many years to come,” said Harvick. stewart on the addition of harvick “We’re very proud to have such an iconic brand in Budweiser, and an incredibly accomplished racer in Kevin Harvick, join Stewart-Haas Racing,” said team co-owner Tony Stewart. “Budweiser is the leader in its industry and Kevin has proven himself year after year in our sport. It’s a partnership we welcome as it will make our entire organization stronger.”

POLE POSITION 2013

ASCAR has expanded a relationship with HP that began one year ago when the companies collaborated on the development of the Fan and Media Engagement Center. “The expanded alliance underscores our commitment to accelerate the adoption of cutting-edge technology across our sport,” said Steve Phelps, NASCAR senior vice president and chief marketing officer. “NASCAR has proven to be an effective vehicle to drive innovation and will be a powerful platform for HP to showcase its state-of-the-art products, services and solutions.”

shepherd sets oldest driver mark

organ Shepherd became the oldest driver to start a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race when the 71-year-old veteran drove the No. 52 Toyota owned by Bob Keselowski in the Camping World RV Sales 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Road-racing legend Jim Fitzgerald previously held the mark. Fitzgerald was 65 years, 6 months, 20 days when he competed in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at California’s Riverside International Raceway in June 1987. Shepherd finished 41st.

Marketing Mix Drivers, charge your engines. NASCAR has signed a multi-year official agreement with Eaton, a leader in developing global solutions for electrical power management challenges. The new alliance bolsters the growing roster of companies utilizing the NASCAR Green platform to validate technologies that positively impact the environment. Eaton will be the Official EV Charging Solution Provider of NASCAR. The new collaboration includes the installation of 20 Eaton Level 2 electric vehicle charging stations at NASCAR offices in Daytona Beach, Fla., and Charlotte and Concord, N.C. “Through the installation of Eaton’s industryleading EV charging station technology, Eaton provides NASCAR with yet another impactful way to reduce the sports’ impact on the environment in the future,” said Dr. Mike Lynch, NASCAR managing director, green innovation, strategic development.

naScaR diveRSity gReen flag

Ryan giffoRd ScoReS toP-10 finiSH in naScaR nationwide SeRieS deBut

yan gifford, the 24-year-old NASCAR Drive for Diversity and NASCAR Next driver, added his name to a pretty exclusive list during August as he piloted the No. 33 Menards Chevrolet to a ninth-place finish in the U.S. Cellular 250 Presented by Enlist Weed Control System at Iowa Speedway. This was his first NASCAR Nationwide Series race. “I’m just super pumped,” said Gifford, whose confidence was on a clear and steady incline throughout the weekend. “I feel like I learned more in these past 250

laps in a race car than I have in a long time. These Nationwide cars are so much fun to drive and difficult too; I mean you really have to be on your toes. I can’t thank Drive for Diversity and Menards enough for putting me in this race.” Midway through the race, it appeared Gifford may have been a little overwhelmed at first. He fell off the lead lap, but had the support of his crew and a certain driver he’s known for a long time. “[My crew said] if you’re running 20th at the first caution, we’ll try and get you a few spots and so on,” he said. “But the key point of the race for me was when I got [the beneficiary]. Fortunately, we got the caution right there. When Austin [Dillon] got behind me, right when he got by me, he kind of stuck his hand out the window and said, ‘Hey, this is where you need to be right here,’ and it kind of all clicked and that helped me a bunch. Then we got four fresh tires and freed the car up a little bit and it took off, so I got lucky there.” It was a weekend of learning for Gifford, who also improved upon his practice times from 24.253 (22nd) to 23.567 (14th). It was

just a quick sample of what this brand of racing is all about, but now that Gifford’s got the taste, it may not be too long before we see him again. “These cars are way different than the K&N cars and you can’t compare them at all,” Gifford said. “I learned how to drive with the brake and gas and be patient with a lot bigger car. These are cars that I’m going to be racing, hopefully in the future, so that’s the main thing.” As for now, Gifford will continue his NASCAR K&N Pro Series East season, where he stood fourth in points with Rev Racing. With the experience of running a bigger, faster NASCAR Nationwide car, it’ll be tough for him to focus on the present without looking toward the future.

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green flag news & notes

Mobile App Available for Windows

n an effort to bring more fans closer to the action, NASCAR Digital Media has launched the official NASCAR Mobile ’13 app for Microsoft Windows Phone 8 devices. NASCAR Mobile ’13, which is also available on Windows 8 tablets and PCs as well as for iOS and Android devices, offers a wide range of features and functionalities, such as race information, in-depth news, expert analysis, video and photos across the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. “Since February, fans have been able to download the official NASCAR Mobile ’13 app onto their iOS and Android devices, and now we are pleased to make the app available to Windows Phone 8 users as well,” said Marc Jenkins, NASCAR vice president of digital media. “The app gives avid and casual fans alike the ideal platform to further immerse themselves in the NASCAR experience.”

he NASCAR Mobile ’13 app is available for free from the Microsoft Store on Windows 8 devices, the App Store on Apple devices and Google Play on Android devices. Since launching in February, there have been more than 1.8 million total downloads worldwide of NASCAR Mobile ’13 and NASCAR RaceView Mobile ’13.

ristol Motor Speedway officials have launched The Bristol Kids Club – a membership club for youngsters 13 and under. The club is supplemented by its own space on the Bristol Motor Speedway website at bristolmotorspeedway.com/kids. The section features games and driver pages as well as coloring pages for younger race fans. Bristol Motor Speedway is among the NASCAR-sanctioned tracks that feature age-based ticket pricing and its Kids Zone has proven to be very popular.

en Kennedy, a title contender in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, is scheduled to make four NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts with Turner Scott Motorsports before the end of the season. The 21-year-old Kennedy, who is studying sports management at the University of Florida, hopes to run the full truck series schedule in 2014. Kennedy is the son of NASCAR and International Speedway Corp. executive Lesa France Kennedy and the great grandson of NASCAR founder Bill France.

artinsville (Va.) Speedway was among the facilities recognized during the recent National Sports Safety and Security Conference in Orlando, Fla. The track earned both the Facility of Merit Award and the Security Professional of the Year Award, which was presented to Matt Brannock, Martinsville’s director of operations. Martinsville Speedway was honored for its innovation in addressing traffic issues surrounding the track’s two NASCAR race weekends. Brannock was among seven recipients of the Security Professional of the Year Award. Since joining the Martinsville staff in 2011, Brannock’s accomplishments include enlisting community groups to help ensure better communication and service for race fans.

POLE POSITION 2013

nown as the “Dean of American Motorsports Journalists,” the late Chris Economaki has been named the third recipient of the Squier-Hall Award for NASCAR Media Excellence. Economaki will be honored during NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony festivities on January 29, 2014, and will be featured in a NASCAR Hall of Fame exhibit. Economaki, who died last year at age 91, was the editor, publisher and columnist for National Speed Sport News for more than 60 years. He began his television broadcast career with ABC in 1961 and with CBS Sports helped make the Daytona 500 one of racing’s marquee events.

ASCAR Team Properties has reached a licensing agreement with Touch by Alyssa Milano to create a line of apparel for female NASCAR fans. The fashionable apparel is designed utilizing highquality fabrics and features NASCAR drivers such as Dale Earnhardt Jr., Tony Stewart, Danica Patrick and Jimmie Johnson. “We’re excited to welcome Alyssa to the NASCAR family, and for the first time, we now have a fashion-forward clothing line exclusively for our many female fans,” said Blake Davidson, NASCAR vice president, licensing and consumer products. Touch by Alyssa Milano apparel is available at the NASCAR.com Superstore and select trackside outlets.

series schedules green flag 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series SCHEDULE Feb. 24 March 3 March 10 March 17 March 24 April 7 April 13 April 21 April 27 May 5 May 11 May 18 May 26 June 2 June 9 June 16 June 23 June 29 July 6

Daytona International Speedway Phoenix International Raceway Las Vegas Motor Speedway Bristol Motor Speedway Auto Club Speedway Martinsville Speedway Texas Motor Speedway Kansas Speedway Richmond International Raceway Talladega Superspeedway Darlington Raceway *Charlotte Motor Speedway Charlotte Motor Speedway Dover International Speedway Pocono Raceway Michigan International Speedway Sonoma Raceway Kentucky Speedway Daytona International Speedway

July 14 New Hampshire Motor Speedway July 28 Indianapolis Motor Speedway Aug. 4 Pocono Raceway Aug. 11 Watkins Glen International Aug. 18 Michigan International Speedway Aug. 24 Bristol Motor Speedway Sept. 1 Atlanta Motor Speedway Sept. 7 Richmond International Raceway Sept. 15 Chicagoland Speedway Sept. 22 New Hampshire Motor Speedway Sept. 29 Dover International Speedway Oct. 6 Kansas Speedway Oct. 12 Charlotte Motor Speedway Oct. 20 Talladega Superspeedway Oct. 27 Martinsville Speedway Nov. 3 Texas Motor Speedway Nov. 10 Phoenix International Raceway Nov. 17 Homestead-Miami Speedway *Non-points special event

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2013 NASCAR nationwide Series SCHEDULE Feb. 23 March 2 March 9 March 16 March 23 April 12 April 26 May 4 May 10 May 25 June 1 June 8 June 15 June 22 June 28 July 5 July 13

Daytona International Speedway Phoenix International Raceway Las Vegas Motor Speedway Bristol Motor Speedway Auto Club Speedway Texas Motor Speedway Richmond International Raceway Talladega Superspeedway Darlington Raceway Charlotte Motor Speedway Dover International Speedway Iowa Speedway Michigan International Speedway Road America Kentucky Speedway Daytona International Speedway New Hampshire Motor Speedway

2013 NASCAR camping world truck Series SCHEDULE Feb. 22 April 6 April 14 April 20 May 17 May 31 June 7 June 27 July 13 July 24 Aug. 3 Aug. 17 Aug. 21 Sept. 1 Sept. 8 Sept. 13 Sept. 28 Oct. 19 Oct. 26 Nov. 1 Nov. 8 Nov. 15

Daytona International Speedway Martinsville Speedway Rockingham Speedway Kansas Speedway Charlotte Motor Speedway Dover International Speedway Texas Motor Speedway Kentucky Speedway Iowa Speedway Eldora Speedway Pocono Raceway Michigan International Speedway Bristol Motor Speedway Canadian Tire Motorsport Park Iowa Speedway Chicagoland Speedway Las Vegas Motor Speedway Talladega Superspeedway Martinsville Speedway Texas Motor Speedway Phoenix International Raceway Homestead-Miami Speedway

July 21 July 27 Aug. 3 Aug. 10 Aug. 17 Aug. 23 Aug. 31 Sept. 6 Sept. 14 Sept. 21 Sept. 28 Oct. 5 Oct. 11 Nov. 2 Nov. 9 Nov. 16

Chicagoland Speedway Indianapolis Motor Speedway Iowa Speedway Watkins Glen International Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course Bristol Motor Speedway Atlanta Motor Speedway Richmond International Raceway Chicagoland Speedway Kentucky Speedway Dover International Speedway Kansas Speedway Charlotte Motor Speedway Texas Motor Speedway Phoenix International Raceway Homestead-Miami Speedway

NASCAR partner CONTESTS My Coke Rewards Sweepstakes January 1 - December 31, 2013 mycokerewards.com

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gReen flag Racing 101

understanding the terminology of Racing

presented by

NASCAR competitors and hard-core fans often use words or phrases that can be confusing to new or casual fans of America’s most popular form of auto racing. Consider the following a NASCAR Pole Position study guide as these definitions will help you better understand the racing “lingo.”

Adhesion: The “stick” between two touching objects. Adhesion implies a static condition, while traction implies a dynamic (moving) condition. Air filter: Paper, gauze or synthetic fiber element used to prevent dirt particles from entering the engine. It is located under the hood in the air box. Axles: Rotating shafts connecting the differential gears to the rear wheels. bite: (1.) “Round of bite” describes the turning or adjusting of a car’s jacking screws found at each wheel. “Weight jacking” distributes the car’s weight at each wheel. (2.) Adhesion of a tire to the racing surface. bodywork: The

Pole PoSition 2013

fabricated sheet metal that encloses the chassis. bore: Pistons travel up and down within each cylinder, or bore, in the engine block. Chute: A short straightaway on a race track. The straightaways connecting Turns 1 and 2 and Turns 3 and 4 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway are known as the “short chutes.” downforce: A combination of aerodynamic and centrifugal forces. The more downforce, the more traction a car has. But more downforce also means more drag, which can rob a race car of speed. flywheel: A heavy metal rotating wheel that is part of a race car’s engine. Located on the front of the

crankshaft, the flywheel keeps elements such as the crankshaft turning smoothly. gauge: An instrument usually mounted on the dashboard. It is used to monitor engine conditions such as fuel pressure, oil pressure and temperature, water pressure and temperature and RPM. Handling: Generally, a race car’s performance while racing, qualifying or practicing. How a car “handles” is determined by it tires, suspension geometry and other factors. intake manifold: A housing that directs the air-fuel mixture through the port openings in the cylinder heads. loading: Weight at a given tire position on a NASCAR race car due to aerodynamics, vehicle weight and lateral G-forces in a turn. Magnaflux: Short for magnetic particle inspection. A procedure for checking ferrous (steel) parts, including suspension pieces, connecting rods, cylinder heads, etc., for cracks and defects. It utilizes a solution of metal particles and fluorescent dye and a black light. Surface

cracks will appear as red lines. NASCAR whelen All-American Series: The first step in the NASCAR ladder system. It’s a network of nearly 60 race tracks around North America. NASCAR-sanctioned short-track races are held on dirt and asphalt tracks of all

adjustments made to a NASCAR race car’s suspension before and during a race. the Chase: Short for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. It is the final 10 races of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in which 12 eligible drivers compete for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship.

shapes and sizes. A national championship is awarded, along with U.S. state and Canadian province championships. Post-Entry: A team or driver who submits an entry blank for a NASCAR-sanctioned race after the deadline for submission has passed. A post-entry receives no driver or owner points. Setup: Slang term for the tuning and

toe: Looking at the car from the front, it’s the amount the tires are turned in or out. If you imagine your feet to be the two front tires of a race car, standing with your toes together would represent toe-in. Standing with your heels together would represent toe-out. wedge, Round of: Adjusting the handling of the car by altering pressure on the rear springs.

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green flag Q&A

Q&A with Kyle Busch NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Chase Contender What was life like growing up in Las Vegas, and what is your favorite childhood memory?

Our whole family lived racing, and we still do today, so that was always what I remember about growing up in Vegas. Mom and dad did a lot to get us to where [my older brother] Kurt and I are today. I’ve always grown up working on the race cars. That was dad’s deal, that we had to work on them in order to race them. I remember working on them when my dad had his limited late model, a little bit. When he sold that and bought a dwarf car and we got another dwarf car for Kurt and built it from the ground up and kind of copied a lot of things from his car. We made his car a lot better. Anytime we ever drove his car, one of us would either win or finish up front, and anytime we drove dad’s car we weren’t very good — we were horrible. Yet, dad would win in it. I don’t know how that really worked out. How much influence did Kurt have on you growing up?

We would go to the short track, Kurt would drive, dad would work on the car and I would be up in the grandstands spotting. I always wanted to be a racer just like my dad

busch at a Glance Favorite season: ■■ Race season!

Favorite food: ■■ Pasta

Favorite holiday: ■■ Christmas

Paper or plastic: ■■ Plastic

favorite spot: ■■ Beach

Favorite TV show: ■■ Dexter

Favorite music: ■■ Rock

Favorite actor: ■■ Adam Sandler

Guilty pleasure: ■■ Ice cream

and Kurt, but we didn’t compete a lot against each other since he’s seven years older than I am. When we first did start racing against each other was ’99, and I remember my first win was March 27 of 1999, so, yes, we were competitive. I think I qualified first and I won

the race that night. Kurt was actually in Denver, Colo.; he was racing at Colorado National Speedway and I think he sat on the pole up there and ran well. It was pretty cool, and then he came back a couple weeks later and we ran our first race against each other in which I could actually keep up with him. Then I think that was Friday night and he was supposed to let me win. I lost by like that much and then the next night I said, ‘Forget it, I’m going out.’ I went straight to the front and there were no cautions throughout the race, and I walked the dog on that one. He recalls it a little differently.

How has marriage benefited you?

Marriage has benefited me in so many ways. [My wife] Samantha is just someone who makes me a better person. She’s someone I can talk to anytime when things aren’t going well, and she has some great perspective on how things are. What makes you so passionate about racing?

Probably just growing up in a racing family; that’s really all we ever knew. So it continues as I’m lucky enough to race for a living. I still enjoy going out and racing my late models, and winning. I call it my golf game since I really don’t have any other

hobbies. It’s all I’ve ever known and obviously what I’m most passionate about.

How have you changed as a person and as a driver since you entered the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series eight years ago?

You just learn how to deal with situations a little bit better, whether that’s racing situations where you could be a smart racer, or off the track with some of the things you face. Just like any person, you get older and you learn from experience — some of it is from your successes and some from failures. I’m still a guy that goes out to win every week, so in that respect I don’t think I’ve changed in that way over the years.

by jared turner 12

POLE POSITION 2013

twitter green flag

Tweets from the Track Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m already thinking about Bristol. It may be more fun to watch Bristol than drive, that place is wicked

When you watch #marcosambrose on a road course, you are watching poetry in motion

aug 8 @55markmartin

july 28 after winning the Crown Royal Presents the Samuel Deeds 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

may 26

@ryannewman39

@allwaltrip

Yesterday was strange, hopefully today is a much better day. Thinking about my buddy Smoke. aug 6 after learning Tony Stewart had broken his leg in a sprint car crash

@kevinharvick

Made it home. Thank you for all of the messages. What an amazing weekend. Thank you to my team and everyone @StewartHaasRcng for a great car

Unnecessary censorship might be the funniest running weekly bit on tv. Thanks for the laughs @jimmykimmel aug 10 @keselowski

Anyone else get really excited when ur making a pork tenderloin and u cut the middle open after it rests to see that u nailed it?!!!

july 1

@danicapatrick

POLEPOSITIONMAG.COM

green flag did you know?

SAFER Barrier

■■ The SAFER Barrier technology debuted at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2002.

he SAFER (Steel and Foam Energy Reduction) Barrier technology has been a priority safety initiative among NASCAR, the IZOD IndyCar Series, Dr. Dean Sicking and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln since the fall of 2000. The technology, which helps in reducing the force of initial impact, consists of rectangular steel tubing backed by foam blocks that are installed in front of the race track’s traditional concrete walls. The process of adding the SAFER Barrier takes approximately two to three months for each track and that time frame consists of the ordering of the specific materials, bending of the steel tubing to fit the radius of the track’s corners, shipment and installation. Once the order, bending and shipment are completed, it takes an estimated two to three weeks to install the barrier.

Width The SAFER Barrier extends 30 inches from the old wall, but the distance may vary from track to track.

Height 40 inches, but the height may vary from track to track.

Steel Tubes The tubes are constructed of 3/16ths of an inch steel. Each tube is 28 feet long and measures 8-by-8 inches in diameter.

Sections Each SAFER Barrier section consists of five tubes stacked vertically. Some sections are shorter at the end of the turns.

Closed-Cell Foam Sheets measuring 2 by 22 by 40 inches are stacked and bound to create 30-by-40 inch energy-absorbing pylons, but this configuration may vary from track to track.

source: nascar 14

POLE POSITION 2013

Racin’ ReciPeS gReen flag ingRedientS ■ 1 can (21.5 ounces) BUSH’S® Sweet Mesquite Grillin’ Beans® ■ Optional Garnish: Fresh flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped

foR MaRinade ■ 1 tablespoon garlic, chopped ■ 1½ teaspoons smoked paprika ■ ½ teaspoon ground (cayenne) red pepper ■ 2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves ■ 2 tablespoons olive oil ■ 2 teaspoons salt

BuSH’S® PePPeRy cHicken kaBoBS

foR kaBoBS

■ Servings: 4 to 6 ■ Preparation Time: 30 mins. (plus 3 hours to overnight for marinating) ■ Cooking Time: 10 minutes

e ©2012 Bush Brothers & Company. JTG Daugherty Racing,™ Bobby Labonte name and/or likeness and race team, race car and car number used by authority of JTG Racing, Inc. TOYOTA AND ALL ASSOCIATED MARKS, EMBLEMS AND DESIGNS ARE THE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS OF TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION AND USED WITH PERMISSION.

njoy this recipe created for buSH’S® Grillin’ Beans® exclusively by Chef Jeffrey Saad, grilling expert, television host of numerous food- and cooking-related shows and author of the new cookbook, Jeffrey Saad’s Global Kitchen: Recipes Without Borders.

■ 2 pounds skin on chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces ■ ½ each large white onion, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces ■ 1 each red bell pepper, cut intoB:8.625” 1-inch pieces ■ Salt and pepper T:8.375” ■ 1 12-inch sheet plastic S:7.875” wrap ■ Wooden or metal skewers (recommend metal)

diRectionS foR MaRinade ■ In large bowl, mix

together garlic, paprika, red pepper, thyme, oil and salt.

foR kaBoBS ■ Place chicken in bowl of marinade, turn to evenly coat. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for three hours to overnight. ■ Using skewers create kabob by threading chicken, onion and pepper, leaving ½-inch of space between each piece for even grilling. Alternate between chicken, onion and pepper until all pieces are used. (Tip: If using wooden skewers, soak in cold water for at least one hour before use to prevent burning). ■ Season kabobs with salt and pepper. ■ Set clean, well-oiled grill to medium-high heat. When grill is hot, using tongs, place kabobs on

grill. Cook four minutes. Using tongs, flip kabobs and cook five minutes or until chicken internal temperature is at least 165 degrees F˚ and onions and peppers are slightly crispy. ■ Using tongs, remove kabobs from grill and place on platter. Garnish with parsley, as desired. Be sure to remove all ingredients from skewers before eating. ■ Serve with BUSH’S® Sweet Mesquite Grillin’ Beans.

DRIVE BOLD. GRILL BOLD.

With New BUSH’S® Sweet Mesquite Grillin’ Beans®. Root for Bobby Labonte, driver of #47 BUSH’S® Beans-sponsored car.

PolePOSITIONMag.COM

gReen flag Race tiMe at walMaRt fanS win witH RelationSHiP Between walMaRt and naScaR Race tiMe iS Back!

almart and NASCAR have once again teamed up to give race fans new NASCARbranded merchandise and special savings on tickets for select races nationwide. Throughout the season, Walmart will provide shoppers with affordability and accessibility to the NASCAR experience. The retail program, branded “Race Time,” is the largest retail promotion in NASCAR’s history and was launched in

2011. This year, it has been expanded to include more than triple the companies offering authentic merchandise. There is also an increase in the number of fan events in race markets and more tracks are partnering with Walmart to offer the Walmart Family Track Pack. Walmart customers and NASCAR fans can save money by purchasing a “Walmart Family Track Pack,” discounted ticket packages available exclusively through Walmart.com/NASCAR for select NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races. Ticket packages include four race tickets, four hot dogs and four sodas for just $99, a savings of more than $100, while supplies last. Tickets are also available at Ticketmaster kiosks in select markets. Race Time brings NASCAR to life at your

uPcoMing fan eventS at walMaRt StoReS doveR

Wed., Sept. 25 Wed., Sept. 25 Thurs., Sept. 26 Thurs., Sept. 26 Fri., Sept. 27 Fri., Sept. 27 Sat., Sept. 28

kanSaS

Wed., Oct. 2 Wed., Oct. 2 Thurs., Oct. 3 Thurs., Oct. 3 Fri., Oct. 4 Fri., Oct. 4 Sat., Oct. 05

cHaRlotte Tues., Oct. 8 Tues., Oct. 8 Wed., Oct. 9 Wed., Oct. 9 Thurs., Oct. 10 Thurs., Oct. 10 Fri., Oct. 11 Fri., Oct. 11

talladega Wed., Oct. 16 Wed., Oct. 16 Thurs., Oct. 17 Thurs., Oct. 17

Pole PoSition 2013

Fri., Oct. 18 Fri., Oct. 18 Sat., Oct. 19 Sat., Oct. 19

local Walmart with exclusive fan events, featuring authentic stock car displays, racing simulators, product sampling and driver appearances in every NASCAR market all season long. This year, Walmart also put its customers in the driver’s seat. Walmart was the title sponsor of the Party in the Poconos 400 race, which was both dedicated to and customized by the fans. Throughout the promotion, customers selected elements of the race, as well as had the opportunity to get to the track through Walmart’s discounted ticket offer. Most every seat was sold for the same low price as the Walmart Family Track Pack game-changing offer of $25! For more information, visit Walmart.com/NASCAR.

10:00am - 4:00pm 11:30pm - 5:30pm 8:00am - 2:00pm 9:30am - 3:30pm

8551 Whitfield Ave. 92 Plaza Ln. 92 Plaza Ln. 165 Vaughan Ln.

Leeds, Ala. Oxford, Ala. Oxford, Ala. Pell City, Ala.

11:00am - 5:00pm 11:00am - 5:00pm 11:00am - 5:00pm 9:00am - 3:00pm

515 Mount Cross Rd. 6711 North Carolina 135 304 East Arbor Ln. 976 Commonwealth Blvd. East

Danville, Va. Mayodan, N.C. Eden, N.C. Martinsville, Va.

10:00am - 4:00pm 11:30am - 5:30pm 10:00am - 4:00pm 11:30am - 5:30pm 10:00am - 4:00pm 11:30am - 5:30pm 8:00am - 2:00pm 9:30am - 3:30pm

801 W. Main St. 1515 S. Loop 288 4101 Hwy. 121 1601 W. State Hwy. 114 1732 Precinct Line Rd. 1401 North Saginaw Blvd. 1228 North Hwy. 377 8520 N. Beach St.

Lewisville, Texas Denton, Texas Bedford, Texas Grapevine , Texas Hurst, Texas Saginaw, Texas Roanoke, Texas Fort Worth, Texas

10:00am - 4:00pm 11:30am - 5:30pm 10:30am - 4:30pm 11:30am - 5:30pm 10:00am - 4:00pm 11:30am - 5:30pm 8:00am - 2:00pm 9:30am - 3:30pm

18551 North 83rd Ave. 1607 W. Bethany Home Rd. 5010 North 95th Ave. 2020 North 75th Ave. 1100 North Estrella Parkway 1060 South Watson Rd. 13055 W. Rancho Santa Fe Blvd. 7575 West Lower Buckeye Rd.

Glendale, Ariz. Phoenix, Ariz. Glendale, Ariz. Phoenix, Ariz. Goodyear, Ariz. Buckeye, Ariz. Avondale, Ariz. Phoenix, Ariz.

33501 South Dixie Hwy. 33501 South Dixie Hwy. 33501 South Dixie Hwy.

Florida City, Fla. Florida City, Fla. Florida City, Fla.

10:00am - 4:00pm 11:30am - 5:30pm 10:00am - 4:00pm 11:30am - 5:30pm 10:00am - 4:00pm 11:00am - 5:00pm 9:00am - 3:00pm

705 Middletown Warwick Rd. 939 North DuPont Blvd. 263 Walmart Dr. 36 Jerome Dr. 939 North DuPont Blvd. 263 Walmart Dr. 36 Jerome Dr.

Middletown, Del. Milford, Del. Camden, Del. Dover, Del. Milford, Del. Camden, Del. Dover, Del.

10:00am - 4:00pm 11:30am - 5:30pm 10:00am - 4:00pm 11:30am - 5:30pm 10:00am - 4:00pm 11:30am - 5:30pm 9:00am - 3:00pm

8301 North Church Rd. 8551 North Boardwalk Ave. 395 North K-7 Hwy. 13600 South Alden St. 16199 West 65th St. 12801 Kansas Ave. 10824 Parallel Pkwy.

Kansas City, Mo. Kansas City, Mo. Olathe, Kan. Olathe, Kan. Shawnee, Kan. Kansas City, Kan. Kansas City, Kan.

10:00am - 4:00pm 11:30am - 5:30pm 10:00am - 4:00pm 11:30am - 5:30pm 10:00am - 4:00pm 11:30am - 5:30pm 10:00am - 4:00pm 11:30am - 5:30pm

169 Norman Station Blvd. 323 South Arlington St. 5825 Thunder Rd. NW 2420 Supercenter Dr. NE 323 South Arlington St. 150 Concord Commons 5825 Thunder Rd. NW 150 Concord Commons

Mooresville, N.C. Salisbury, N.C. Concord, N.C. Kannapolis, N.C. Salisbury, N.C. Concord, N.C. Concord, N.C. Concord, N.C.

PHoenix

10:00am - 4:00pm 11:30am - 5:30pm 10:00am - 4:00pm 11:30am - 5:30pm

214 Haynes St. 8551 Whitfield Ave. 214 Haynes St. 165 Vaughan Ln.

Talladega, Ala. Leeds, Ala. Talladega, Ala. Pell City, Ala.

HoMeStead

MaRtinSville Wed., Oct. 23 Thurs., Oct. 24 Fri., Oct. 25 Sat., Oct. 26

texaS

Wed., Oct. 30 Wed., Oct. 30 Thurs., Oct. 31 Thurs., Oct. 31 Fri., Nov. 01 Fri., Nov. 01 Sat., Nov. 2 Sat., Nov. 2 Wed., Nov. 6 Wed., Nov. 6 Thurs., Nov. 7 Thurs., Nov. 7 Fri., Nov. 8 Fri., Nov. 8 Sat., Nov. 9 Sat., Nov. 9 Thurs., Nov. 14 Fri., Nov. 15 Sat., Nov. 16

10:00am - 4:00pm 10:00am - 4:00pm 9:00am - 3:00pm

Luke Lambert, Crew Chief of the No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet SS, wears the Argon, built track-tough and comfortable for all day and all season long. Visit catfootwear.com to find out more about Luke Lambert and to learn what makes Luke an earthmover.

© 2013 Wolverine World Wide. All rights reserved The stylized No. 31 and the RCR checkered flag logo are registered trademarks of RCR Enterprises, LLC. CAT, CATERPILLAR, CAT RACING, their respective logos, “Caterpillar Yellow,” other marks and corporate identity used herein are trademarks of Caterpillar Inc. and may not be used without permission. All trademarks, personal likenesses and the likeness of the No. 31 race car are used under license from their owners.

nascar green

A Match Made in Heaven

New Holland a Staunch Advocate of Fisher House Foundation New Holland, the Official Agricultural Equipment of NASCAR, believes in helping veterans of the United States military whenever and wherever possible. Thanks to a unique partnership with Fisher House Foundation, New Holland is making good on that mission. Known for its network of comfort homes built on the grounds of major military and VA medical centers, Fisher House Foundation donates free housing to the military and Department of Veterans Affairs so family members can be near a loved one during a time of hospitalization for combat injury, illness or disease. Located in close proximity to the medical center or hospital it serves, each Fisher House is 5,000 to 16,800 square feet and consists of between eight and 21 suites, with private bedrooms and baths. The program has saved military and veterans’ families an estimated $165 million in out-of-pocket costs for

lodging and transportation. New Holland, a Pennsylvania-based company known for innovative farm equipment, has joined with Fisher House Foundation on several key initiatives over the last few years to offer special discounts to military veterans and donate to what it deems a worthy organization. “We all need to recognize the sacrifices that members of our armed forces make in keeping us and, really, the world safe,” said Dan Valen, New Holland’s Pro Work Tools segment marketing manager. “It’s something that we feel very strongly about. As we started working with these individuals, we were really astounded by the story they had to tell.” The partnership enjoyed one of its greatest moments in January 2012 when late night television

talk show host Jay Leno donated his prized New Holland Boomer compact tractor – dubbed Li’l Tug – for the popular BarrettJackson automobile auction in Scottsdale, Ariz. New Holland worked closely with Leno to make Li’l Tug, which had lived in the world-famous “Jay Leno’s Garage,” more appealing as the event approached. The result was a winning bid of $535,000 – all going straight to Fisher House Foundation. Clearly, the partnership has been a win-win scenario for both New Holland and Fisher House Foundation. “Farmers in general are a big supporter of the military, so it was a great opportunity for Fisher House, and it was a great opportunity for us,” Valen said.

Leno Tractor Went Out In Fine Style

t never hurts to have some star power behind a project. Such was certainly the case with Li’l Tug, Jay Leno’s famous New Holland tractor that sold in January 2012 for $535,000 with all proceeds going to Fisher House Foundation. Li’l Tug, simply put, was no ordinary piece of farm equipment. New Holland placed the little blue tractor in the Jay Leno Garage in 2007 after the company engaged Leno in discussions about their shared interest in the development of renewable alternative fuels, including biodiesel – an area where New Holland is the recognized industry leader. However, when Leno decided in May 2011 that his garage needed a New Holland Boomer 8N, it was time for Li’l Tug to be retired. It’s safe to say Li’l Tug went out in grand style, considering the money its sale generated for Fisher House Foundation. “This is one of the greatest charities because 100 percent of the money goes to helping veterans,” Leno said in January 2012 after donating his cherished tractor for auction. “I’ve visited a Fisher House in California and I can tell you they make the families really feel special.”

by jared turner 18

POLE POSITION 2013

FOOD AND FUEL IN EVERY HARVEST.

NOW THAT’S SMART. We’re proud to support NASCAR and all the farmers making smart decisions for our future.

www.newholland.com/na

green flag tailgating

Food & Fun at the Track

o tailgate or not to tailgate is a question many NASCAR fans ponder when they attend a race. For Leesha Heins, the answer is very clear – it’s tailgate or bust. A self-described “die-hard” NASCAR fan since 2000 (she’s been watching races since she was a toddler), Heins, 37, lives just east of Kansas City in Mayview, Mo., and has tailgated approximately 20 times at Kansas Speedway since her first tailgate at the track in October 2003. To say she’s merely gotten hooked on tailgating would probably be an understatement. “It’s part of our whole race weekend,” said Heins, who is typically joined by her husband, Craig, and friends Brian and Stephanie. “We make plans to ‘do it again’ after the race is over for that day. At Kansas Speedway, we have four NASCARsanctioned events every year. On the Saturday races, my husband and I spend the time tailgating. We may not have a big spread, but we enjoy the time to sit, relax and talk. “On Sunday races, we spend the time with our friends. Sometimes it’s the only time of the year we do get to see them, but we look forward to it. When we leave the parking lot, you can count the number of vehicles left. We just enjoy our time of visiting, eating and relaxing. I definitely think it adds to the whole race weekend experience.” Heins, who grew up in Illinois, has also tailgated at Kansas City Royals baseball games, but she finds the NASCAR experience to be superior. “I think the NASCAR tailgate is more unique because people get there at the break of dawn and make it an all-day affair,” said Heins, who most recently tailgated during the April NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway. “After a NASCAR race, unless you’re in a hurry, it’s fun to stay around and tailgate with friends and talk with your ‘neighbors’ about that day’s race. At a football or baseball game, it seems like everyone is in a hurry to get home, and because there are so many games at a local

presented by venue, some people just don’t tailgate for every game. “NASCAR races only happen two to four times a year at a specific track, so it’s more like a special event. You mark it on your calendar and you know you will be tailgating that weekend. Sometimes, the decision to tailgate at a football or baseball game is a spur-of-the-moment decision. Conversely, NASCAR races necessitate considerable planning and attention long before the weekend of the big tailgate arrives. At the top of the list for Heins is always what items to bring and where to park her minivan for the best tailgating experience. The good news is that if an essential item is somehow forgotten, Heins has found that fellow tailgaters are typically willing to lend a hand. For example, she recalls one occasion when her group forgot to pack paper plates. “Make a checklist of the stuff you need,” she recommends. “You find yourself forgetting things, if you pack in a hurry. But, if you do, don’t be afraid to go visit your tailgating neighbors. They may have extra of what you need. Do make sure you have a sturdy tent if you choose to have shade. One year a storm hit and destroyed our cheap tents. All of the sturdy ones were still standing. “Do allow time to check out the sponsor and souvenir haulers when tailgating; you might get an autograph or two. Do be prepared for any type of weather. We’ve learned to make sure that you do make that list. We’ve forgotten grates for the grill, tables, chairs, etc. But if you do forget those things, it’s fun to see how you can improvise.” As for tailgating foods, Heins and cohorts aren’t married to one particular thing – even if Kansas Speedway is known for the smell of barbecue. “Don’t feel like you have to barbecue or grill at a tailgate,” she said. “You can have cold cut sandwiches. It’s the experience of being out in a parking lot with radios cranked up to music or Sirius/XM NASCAR radio that leaves the impression.”

by jared turner 20

POLE POSITION 2013

Porta-Party.

Get the party started and keep it going strong with a Honda Generator. You’ll enjoy quiet, fuel-efficient power, plus legendary Honda reliability. From RVing, camping and tailgating to home backup and jobs around the house, a Honda Generator is your portable party machine.

gen.honda.com THE OFFICIAL GENERATOR OF

Please read the owner’s manual before operating your Honda Power Equipment and never use in a closed or partly enclosed area where you could be exposed to poisonous carbon monoxide. Connection of a generator to house power requires a transfer device to avoid possible injury to power company personnel. Consult a qualified electrician. ©2013 American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

HoLidAY giFT guidE

Have a Holly Jolly Holiday With the holiday season quickly approaching, the editors at Pole Position reached out to see what some companies will be serving up to the delight of race fans.

ARCTiC CAT Suspension, handling, power; the Wildcat beats the competition hands down. It ascends the steepest sand dunes. Flexes its articulation across the rockiest landscapes. And blasts up and down uncharted logging roads with surefooted grace. New this year is the Wildcat X, defined by its 90-plus horsepower engine. Along with the 5-link rear suspension boasting adjustable FOX® Podium shocks, the Wildcat raises all expectations for anyone in search of off-road performance. Find more details at arcticcat.com.

wALLHAuLER Bring the race to your place with an authentic No. 24 Jeff Gordon Wallhauler from The Real Art of Racing. This is a must-have for collectors and fans of the “California Kid.” Handmade in the U.S.A., these first-class, striking door panels weigh only nine pounds and come ready to hang right out of the box. Manufactured from real race car doors, Wallhaulers feature official driver paint schemes. These stunning, high-quality tributes to the beauty and fury of NASCAR make outstanding gifts for your favorite NASCAR fan. Wallhaulers, from The Real Art of Racing. We blew the doors off of NASCAR, literally. And now you can too. Check out our entire lineup of teams and drivers at wallhaulers.com. 22

PoLE PoSiTion 2013

For the NASCAR fan who needs everything, you really need this!

dvx eyewear DVX eyewear is an incredibly versatile brand of sunglasses, perfect for on-thejob use or outdoors at play. Every pair is ANSI rated to meet occupational safety standards. Every pair is also perfectly styled for today’s outdoor lifestyles. No wonder DVX is what racing champion Jeff Gordon wears trackside and at home. And most styles are prescription ready. Available exclusively in Walmart Vision Centers nationwide. dvxeyewear.com

iracing.com Looking for the most realistic online racing experience to share with the race fan in your family? Welcome to iRacing.com; the world’s premier motorsports racing simulation. Online racing is a fun, easy and inexpensive way for race fans, gamers and racers alike to enjoy the thrill of racing from the comfort of their home. Race NASCAR, IndyCar, GRAND-AM, Aussie V-8 Supercars, sports cars, Grand Prix racing and more! All you need is a PC, Mac or tablet, a controller of choice and an Internet connection. Race for official championships or battle your friends. Join us now at iracing.com.

KEYSCAPER Rock out with this versatile Bluetooth speaker featuring your favorite NASCAR driver. It is flawlessly designed to work with any Bluetooth-enabled mobile device. It provides quality sound and comes with incredible, full-color NASCAR graphics. It offers an easy-to-use Bluetooth connection and charges by USB, and when connected to a mobile phone, its speakerphone functionality allows you to receive calls. Internal lithium-ion batteries provide up to 10 hours of play time, making it fantastic for tailgating, traveling or listening to tunes anywhere you go. To get it revved up, find the instruction manual online. Designed and printed in Portland, Ore., U.S.A. keyscaper.com

Keyscaper features your favorite driver on products you use every day: office, tablet, audio. Awesome designs on keyboards, mice, iPad, iPod and Kindle cases, bluetooth speakers, headphones, calculators and flash drives.

Order by Dec 17 for ground shipping before Christmas

www.keyscaper.com

NASCAR® is a registered trademark of the National Association forPOLEPOSITIONMAG.COM Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc.

nascar partners

The Secret Ingredient in Racing

The last 25 years of Mobil 1 Synthetic Oils

ew companies have been involved in motorsports as long as ExxonMobil, the makers of Mobil 1 synthetic motor oil. The Mobil 1 brand’s history in motorsports officially began in 1978. From that time, the presence of Mobil 1 technology on race tracks and circuits has grown by global proportions. Today, synthetic oils are the standard for a variety of lubrication needs for teams competing in NASCAR. Down to the molecular level, synthetic oils are specially formulated to withstand extreme temperatures, flow quickly to protect critical car parts and work to maximize efficiency and performance. With ExxonMobil renewing Mobil 1 as the Official Motor Oil of NASCAR and the Official Lubricant Technology Partner of NASCAR, we’ll detail the development of Mobil 1 synthetic oil in the sport of stock

POLE POSITION 2013

car racing, which is now chosen by more than 50 percent of teams in NASCAR’s top three series. THE EARLY DAYS IN NASCAR The origin of Mobil 1 synthetic oil in NASCAR begins in the 1987 season with Rusty Wallace’s No. 27 car owned by motorsports legend Raymond Beadle. The relationship started small with an associate sponsorship and using off-theshelf Mobil 1 15W-50 synthetic motor oil in Wallace’s engine. Fully synthetic 15W-50 oil was especially adaptable to racing because of its ability to stand up to extreme engine stress conditions where conventional oil may not perform. At the time, synthetics were relatively new in motorsports. But it wasn’t long until the Mobil 1 team had its first success in NASCAR. On the winding road course of

Watkins Glen in August of 1987, Wallace drove to Victory Lane and gave Mobil 1 oil its first NASCAR win. Running in all 29 races that season with Mobil 1, Wallace went on to earn two wins, nine top-five and 16 top-10 finishes. It was only two seasons later, in 1989, that Rusty Wallace edged out Dale Earnhardt to win the NASCAR premier series points standings and give Mobil 1 oil its first stock car championship. If not already, Mobil 1 synthetic motor oil had officially established itself on the NASCAR circuit. DEVELOPING SYNTHETICS ON THE TRACK In 1991, Rusty Wallace joined the rejuvenated Penske Racing South organization and took Mobil 1 oil with him. The move joined the Mobil 1 team with Penske’s NASCAR and open-wheel teams. It was then that ExxonMobil deepened its lubrication technology relationship to test and develop new lubricants on Penske race cars.

A champion. His crew. Their oil.

Tony Stewart will be the first to tell you he couldn’t do it without his pit crew. NASCAR® is a team sport, and Mobil 1™ is a crucial player. Like over half of all NASCAR drivers, Tony Stewart chooses Mobil 1 technology to help him win races. Who’s on your team? MANY CHAMPIONS. ONE OIL.

© 2013 Exxon Mobil Corporation. Mobil, Mobil 1 and the 1 Icon are trademarks or registered trademarks of Exxon Mobil Corporation or one of its subsidiaries. ™2013 Stewart-Haas Racing. NASCAR® is a registered trademark of The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. Other trademarks shown are property of their respective owners.

nASCAR PARTnERS Analyzing the engine and oil after each race, engineers with Mobil 1 and Penske began to notice the significant advantages of synthetic motor oils. Synthetics provided outstanding wear and high-temperature protection, helping to maintain the performance of the car in grueling race conditions. Mobil 1 oils reduce frictional loss in the engines to maximize fuel mileage, increase horsepower and turn more RPMs. Realizing the mutual benefit of running Mobil 1 oils, the Penske Racing organization grew its relationship with ExxonMobil by introducing the No. 12 Mobil 1 Dodge with driver Jeremy Mayfield in 1998. The first primary sponsorship for the Mobil 1 brand in NASCAR showed how a company can benefit from showcasing its products not only on the race car, but inside of the race car. Drivers Ryan Newman and Sam Hornish Jr. would also pilot the Mobil 1 machine in the No. 12 and No. 77 Penske cars, respectively, before ExxonMobil transitioned to its current partnership with Tony Stewart and Stewart-Haas Racing.

SYnTHETiCS FoR EvERY moving PART Today, synthetic lubricants play an integral role in racing in addition to engine performance. In fact, Mobil 1 and Mobil lubricants touch every major moving part of Tony Stewart’s No. 14 Mobil 1/ Bass Pro Shops Chevy. This includes lower friction synthetic gear oils, spline ■ Rusty Wallace’s 1989 championship-winning No. 27 car shaft grease, advanced chassis lubricants and precision power steering fluid. Each of these products Newman, now in his second stint with plays an important role in making the car Mobil 1, addressed the topic of automomore efficient and reliable. Mobil 1 gear tive product manufacturers partnering oils, for example, reduce friction in the with NASCAR teams in a 2003 interview. transmission, which translates to quicker “It holds true that the best drivers are usshift times and improved restarts. Simiing the best products,” Newman said. “In larly, Mobil 1 chassis lubricants reduce order to win, you need to be able to push friction in the suspension components, everything to the limit, and Mobil 1 has providing maximum tire grip as well as allowed my car and my team to perform helping to reduce steering compliance to at a higher level and to race in ways we give the driver an edge behind the wheel. never could before.” Engineers from ExxonMobil and SHR 26

PoLE PoSiTion 2013

■ Tony Stewart (in lab coat) meets with Mobil 1 lubricant engineers at Dover International Speedway

have formed a close working relationship to deliver more performance and enhance results of the No. 10, No. 14 and No. 39 cars on the track. Building on Tony Stewart’s 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship, ExxonMobil and SHR teams are a blend of chemistry and engineering that is helping to advance the science of synthetic oils. Ultimately, the knowledge and technology the team achieves through racing ends up in the synthetic oils found at local auto parts stores, quick lubes and mechanic shops. “Throughout the year, Stewart-Haas Racing saw real progress from the technology partnership with Mobil 1 in regard to fuel mileage, engine efficiency and reliability,” said Tony Stewart, reflecting on his NASCAR Sprint Cup championship. “Mobil 1 engine oil, chassis lubricants, gear oil – even the power steering fluid – helped get us to the end. It’s about reducing friction, heat and rolling resistance, and standing here as Sprint Cup champion, I’d say Mobil 1 did a great job of giving me what it takes to win.”

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CHASE FoR THE nASCAR SPRinT CuP

unique Format Has Added drama Since 2004

rom the time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams began building new Generation-6 cars, they’ve been thinking about and planning for a place among the 12 drivers eligible to compete for the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship. The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, its official name, is open to all drivers and teams that compete in the full 36-race schedule. To get an invitation among the title contenders is a tough and excruciating ordeal. The Chase has been a part of NASCAR Sprint Cup racing since the start of the 2004 season. Excitement builds during the initial 26 races and the 12-driver Chase field is determined after the checkered flag is waved at Richmond International Raceway. Race tracks comprising the 10-race Chase are of various sizes and configurations to test the skills and strategy of drivers, crew chiefs and teams. Once the coveted 12 spots have been set the tension grows to a new level and begins to take a toll on man and machine. They answer the call and elevate to a new level of competition among the very best stock car drivers. The championship usually comes down to 267 laps at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Nov. 17. That’s when the work is finished, their best efforts have been put forth and the champion is finally crowned. In 2013, NASCAR’s playoff system will once again begin at Chicagoland, followed by races at New Hampshire, Dover, Kansas, Charlotte, Talladega, Martinsville, Texas, Phoenix and Homestead. Among them are five 1.5-mile tracks, three one-mile tracks, a short track and a superspeedway restrictorplate track. The 10 races chosen give the competitors a taste of a variety of tracks where skills can be spotlighted. Jimmie Johnson, driver of the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, led the points for numerous weeks in 2013, but that was only the prelude.

Setting the Field How dRivERS QuALiFY FoR THE CHASE FoR THE nASCAR SPRinT CuP

o win the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship means one has reached stock car racing’s greatest achievement. During 36 weekends each year from February until November, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers earn points, depending upon where they finish in the final rundown at race’s end. The NASCAR Sprint Cup cham28

PoLE PoSiTion 2013

pionship is not bogged down by complications, but is rather a simple plan that concludes with an exciting playoff system where 12 competitors work to emerge as the best of the very best. The first 26 points-paying races determine the drivers eligible for the 10-race Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup and, ultimately, the series championship. After the 26th

race is completed on Sept. 7 at Richmond International Raceway – the top-10 drivers in the series standings qualify for the Chase. These drivers are joined by two Wild Card qualifiers, specifically the two drivers ranked between 11th and 20th in the series standings who have the most regularseason race wins. The points of the 12 drivers are

reset to a base of 2,000 per driver. Each of the 10 automatic qualifiers receives a three-point bonus for each win during the regular season to determine their seeding; while the two Wild Card qualifiers receive no bonus points and start the Chase in the 11th and 12th positions. During each of the remaining 10 weeks, all 43 drivers battle for victories and money as they continue the season and battle for points by positions finished. The driver who tops the Chase standings at the end of the final 10 races will be crowned the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion. The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup starts Sept. 15 with the GEICO 400 at Chicagoland Speedway and concludes Nov. 17 with the Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Scoring Points

“The closer we get to the Chase, the less experimenting we would do,” Johnson said. “You need to hone in and know what you’re going to take to the track and get familiar with it. I think it’s also important to run well leading into the Chase so that the driver is used to the pressure and running up front or the pit crew when they jump off the wall to the car. Something about that is good for a team.” The Chase offers a glimmer of hope for drivers who have struggled at times during the season. Two Wild Card spots offer two drivers a shot at the title. Positions 11 and 12 in the Chase are open to drivers between 11th and 20th in points with the most wins. Usually one or two bad finishes can erase a driver’s championship hopes, while wins and strong second- or third-place finishes can keep a team’s hopes alive for the 11th and 12th point positions. Tony Stewart, driver of his co-owned No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet, won an incredible five of 10 races in the 2011 Chase and won his third-career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship. Stewart says nothing is set in stone, even in the final races of the Chase. “I don’t know that you can predict [the Chase drivers] at this point,” Stewart said. “The year that I won the championship; Jimmie’s wreck at Charlotte [Oct. 2011] in Turn 2 changed his whole championship season. I wouldn’t be putting anybody’s name on the trophy yet. It’s way too early for that. There are a lot of organizations that can get things going before the Chase and there are the same amount of organizations on top of that that can get something going during the Chase as we saw in 2011.”

by ben white

he current format for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup was introduced prior to the 2011 season and is being used for the third consecutive year. Points are awarded in one-point increments based on a driver’s finishing position. For example, a race winner earns 43 points, plus three bonus points for the victory. The winner can also earn an extra point for leading a lap and another for leading the most laps, bringing the total to a possible maximum of 48 points. All other drivers in the finishing order are separated by one-point increments. A secondplace finisher earns 42 points, a third-place driver 41 points, and so on. A last-place finisher – 43rd place – earns one point. NASCAR has utilized several points systems to crown its champions through the years. Formulas based on the number of laps completed and the size of the track were among those used. The points system that was utilized from 1975 through 2010 was easier to understand than its predecessors, but was still difficult to follow. The closest championship battle in NASCAR’s 64-year history came in 2011 when Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards ended up tied in the final points tally. When Stewart and Edwards ended the 2011 season tied in points, fans had a better idea of how it happened. Both drivers had good races and bad races, including numerous top-five finishes and top-10 showings. Bonus points for winning, leading at least one lap and leading the most laps were easily tallied. Even so, the two drivers incredibly came away with exactly the same number of points. The fact Stewart had five wins to Edwards’ one served as the tiebreaker. That evening at HomesteadMiami Speedway proved to be a pleasant affirmation for the NASCAR executives who designed the Chase plan. The 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship came down to Brad Keselowski and Jimmie Johnson as the green ﬂag waved at Homestead-Miami Speedway. In the season finale, Keselowski drove a steady and careful race, while Johnson crashed late and saw his hopes for a sixth-career championship go up in smoke. In 2013, Johnson has steadily dominated the NASCAR Sprint Cup points and many within the garage area feel he may collect an amazing sixth-career championship. But the Chase format has proven anything can happen.

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JimmiE JoHnSon iS in PRimE PoSiTion To win A SixTH nASCAR SPRinT CuP SERiES TiTLE

oming into the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, Jimmie Johnson was already somewhere on most prognosticators’ short list of title contenders. Within a few weeks of the season beginning he moved to the top. And that’s where he remains. With a win in the season-opening Daytona 500, followed by a second-place finish in Week Two at Phoenix International Raceway, Johnson and his No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports team got off to a hot start and haven’t since lifted their foot off the proverbial accelerator. Victories at Martinsville, Pocono and the summer Daytona race brought Johnson’s win total to four by the season’s midway point, and there appeared to be no signs of a letup. There have been a few bumps in the road this season, to be certain, but Johnson has weathered each one and reminded the world why he is, after all, a five-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion. Despite a few hiccups, Johnson has been atop the points standings after all but two races this season and, as of press time, held a commanding 56-point advantage over second-place Clint Bowyer. Though any huge lead Johnson might have in points at the end of the “regular season” will be effectively erased when the standings are reset prior to the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup opener at Chicagoland Speedway, he’ll still be in terrific position to make a title run. After the regular-season finale at Richmond, the top-10 drivers and two Wild Cards will have their points reset based on the number of regular-season wins with drivers in the top 10 receiving three bonus points for each win and the two Wild Cards receiving no bonus points, regardless of wins. As of press time, Johnson and Matt Kenseth led that category with four victories apiece. After a brief two-year championship hiatus following their five consecutive titles from

2006-2010, Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus look as poised as ever to reclaim the mantle that was theirs for half a decade. Johnson, understandably, is feeling confident about his chances. “I feel I’m a far better driver today than I am from my rookie year, my first championship or my fifth,” he said. “Experience is so helpful and useful and important in our sport. I remember saying in different media situations that I would trade my age for experience any day. It really does make a big difference. … I feel that I’m much smarter, focused, my talents are refined. I know the race tracks, I know my industry and everything is so much better today than it was in previous years.” Johnson is certainly not lacking respect from fellow drivers, including the very ones who harbor hopes of denying him a sixth championship trophy in NASCAR’s top series this year. “People can say whatever they want about him, but I don’t know how you can say that he’s not the best ever,” said Kenseth. “You look at what he’s done with Chad since they’ve been over here [in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series], and nobody has ever put up numbers like that. “Nobody has ever won five championships in a row and probably never will. They’re amazing. It’s kind of cool to be part of that because I think someday you look back at history and be like, ‘Oh yeah, I raced against him.’ But at the same time it stinks because you get beat so many times.” Johnson, however, demurs at the suggestion by his peers that he might be the greatest to ever sit behind the wheel of a NASCAR stock car. “I am honored that they have mentioned me in that way,” he said. “I just don’t pay that much attention to it all. It’s very difficult to think about where I fit in while I’m still racing. I think of drivers’ careers ending mid-40s. I still have 10 years or so to even think about that or worry about that.” Right now, his focus is championship No. 6.

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Of the drivers who can plausibly beat Jimmie Johnson for the 2013 title, Matt Kenseth probably has the best shot of actually doing it. Kenseth, a veteran driver in his first season with Joe Gibbs Racing, has been rock-solid in the No. 20 Toyota he took over this season after 13 full seasons at Roush Fenway Racing. Kenseth’s biggest strength has been the mile-and-a-half tracks, where, as of press time, he had collected three of his four 2013 season victories. Four of the 10 Chase venues fit that description.

In his final season with Richard Childress Racing before leaving for Stewart-Haas Racing at year’s end, Kevin Harvick is certainly motivated to finish out strong his lengthy run with the team where it all started for him (in NASCAR Sprint Cup) back in 2001. While most lame-duck drivers wouldn’t be considered a title contender at this point in their final season with a team, Harvick bears all the appearances of an exception. One of the few drivers with multiple wins this season, Harvick has the potential to make it interesting.

While it’s been a somewhat quiet season for the driver of the No. 99 Ford, Carl Edwards shouldn’t be overlooked as a title contender. In addition to being a consistent frontrunner with his Jimmy Fennig-led team after a uncharacteristic 2012, “Cousin Carl” is no stranger to championship fights, having been the bridesmaid to Jimmie Johnson in 2008 and most recently lost the title on a tiebreaker to Tony Stewart in 2011. Edwards won at Phoenix in the season’s second race and could catch fire when it counts.

Veteran Matt Kenseth won the 2003 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship for Roush Fenway Racing, and is seeking his second title this year in his first season with Joe Gibbs Racing.

California native Kevin Harvick has multiple wins this season, his final one at Richard Childress Racing where he began his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career in 2001.

Carl Edwards has twice finished runner-up in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings, and is hungry to finally to break through this season with an elusive title.

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dRivERS wHo wiLL ConTEnd in 10 YEARS

decade from now, the face of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will unequivocally look considerably different. Reigning series champion Brad Keselowski, at age 29, is the only 2012 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup qualifier under the age of 30. Four of last year’s dozen Chase contenders are north of 40.

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LEAding nASCAR SPRinT CuP SERiES dRivERS wiLL bE ARound FoR AwHiLE

n five years, there will undoubtedly be a number of new faces in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. However, many will be the same – just a bit older. With today’s drivers often running competitively until their mid-40s, don’t expect a major changing of the guard by 2018. As for 2023, that will be a different story.

JimmiE JoHnSon Yes, you’ve probably heard of him. Jimmie Johnson, the man who’s already won five NASCAR Sprint Cup Series titles and has an excellent shot this year at claiming No. 6, will likely be still contending for championships five years from now. In fact, it would be surprising if Johnson isn’t right in the thick of the championship hunt in half a decade. After all, the native of El Cajon, Calif., turns 38 this fall – not exactly past his prime. If Johnson and Chad Knaus – one of the most potent driver-crew chief combinations in NASCAR history – are still together in five years, anything is possible.

KYLE buSCH Although he hasn’t won or even made a super-serious run at a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship, the best days are undoubtedly ahead for Kyle Busch. At 28 years old, Busch is already the NASCAR Nationwide Series’ all-time wins leader with 60 victories in the sport’s No. 2 division. Busch also has at least one triumph in each of his nine full NASCAR Sprint Cup seasons, including a personal-best eight wins in 2008. If there’s one blemish on Busch’s resume, it has been his inability to be at his best in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, where his best points finish was fifth in 2007.

RiCKY STEnHouSE JR. A driver doesn’t win back-to-back NASCAR Nationwide Series titles without possessing enormous potential. Such is certainly true of Ricky Stenhouse Jr., the reigning two-time champ of NASCAR’s No. 2 division. Now in his first year of fulltime NASCAR Sprint Cup competition, Stenhouse is undergoing the typical growing pains expected from a rookie. But he is loaded with talent, and he’s just 25 years old. If the youngster, who is currently dating fellow NASCAR Sprint Cup rookie Danica Patrick, can follow in the tire tracks of his teammates, he will achieve great success in the years to come.

KASEY KAHnE In his first eight seasons as a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Kasey Kahne showed amazing speed on many occasions and posted a number of downright impressive results on intermediate-sized tracks. Now that Kahne is with one of the sport’s premier organizations, Hendrick Motorsports, the native of Enumclaw, Wash., is a consistent threat to win just about anywhere, and proved as much earlier this season by reaching Victory Lane on a short track for the first time. To have so much NASCAR Sprint Cup experience, 33-yearold Kahne is still relatively young, which bodes well for the next decade.

CLinT bowYER Clint Bowyer has championship potential even though he’s doing it without fanfare. In the limelight or not, Bowyer’s future is extremely bright, and if there was ever any question about that fact, 2012 settled it. In his first season with Michael Waltrip Racing, an organization that had never fielded a Chase contender previously, Bowyer not only made the Chase; he recorded a careerbest three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victories in a single season, and finished a career-best second in the standings. At 34 years old, Bowyer has even more room to grow, and could easily be just peaking in five years.

But rest assured there’s a new generation of young bucks lining up to take their place. Look no further than the brothers Dillon – Austin and Ty – who are making their famous grandfather, Richard Childress, proud by winning in the NASCAR Nationwide and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, respectively.

Also in trucks are two other drivers with rich racing pedigrees – Jeb Burton (son of former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Ward Burton) and Ryan Blaney (son of current NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Dave Blaney) – who have shown immense promise. Meanwhile, truck series driver Darrell Wallace Jr. and NASCAR Nationwide rookie Kyle Larson – both graduates of NASCAR’s Drive 4 Diversity program – also look to be on a path for potential greatness.

by jared turner 34

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DRIVER PROFILES CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP

Jimmie Johnson

No. TEAM

Lowe’s/KOBALT Tools Chevrolet

Hendrick Motorsports

PREVIOUS APPEARANCES IN THE CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP

nine

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

Champion in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 & 2010 Champion in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 & 2010

C H A M P I O N S H I P C H A T T E R : Johnson enters the 2013 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup as a presumptive championship favorite. It’s easy to see why. In addition to winning ﬁve of the last seven championships in NASCAR’s top series, Johnson has already enjoyed a stellar season highlighted by wins in the Daytona 500 and the annual July NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event at Daytona International Speedway, along with victories at Pocono Raceway and Martinsville Speedway. And here’s the really scary part. Johnson and longtime crew chief Chad Knaus are known more for hitting their stride in the 10-race Chase playoff than the 26-race regular season. Does that mean Johnson is assured a sixth title this time? Of course not, but it certainly means he has, at the very worst, a darn good shot.

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DRIVER PROFILES CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP

Carl Edwards

No. TEAM

Fastenal/Aflac/UPS/ Subway/Kellogg’s/ Geek Squad Ford

Roush Fenway Racing

PREVIOUS APPEARANCES IN THE CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP

six

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

Second in 2008 & 2011 Second in 2008 & 2011

C H A M P I O N S H I P C H A T T E R : Without making too much noise along the way, Edwards has enjoyed a renaissance year of sorts after suffering through a 2012 season that was, by his lofty standards, a major disappointment. In his ﬁrst season with veteran crew chief Jimmy Fennig atop the No. 99 Roush Fenway Racing team’s pit box, Edwards charged out of the gate with a victory at Phoenix International Raceway in the season’s second race. This followed a winless 2012 in which Edwards was not only shut out of Victory Lane but also failed to make the Chase. But this season has been a different story as Edwards, despite not winning as much as he would like, has been solid, consistent and steady. As for the championship, there’s no better sleeper pick than this guy.

POLE POSITION 2013

Clint Bowyer

No. TEAM

5-hour ENERGY Toyota

Michael Waltrip Racing

PREVIOUS APPEARANCES IN THE CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP

FOUR

BEST CHASE FINISH

second in 2012

BEST POINTS FINISH IN THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES

Second in 2012

CHAMPIONSHIP CHAT TER:

After surprising virtually everyone by finishing a career-best second in points last year in his first campaign with Michael Waltrip Racing, Bowyer entered 2013 with elevated expectations and eyes on a championship that actually could have been his last season if a couple more breaks had bounced his way. While Bowyer’s 2013 successes, at least as of press time, were bereft of a win, the affable native of Emporia, Kan., has been stout nevertheless in his second year with MWR and crew chief Brian Pattie. With 11 top-10 finishes in the first 20 races, Bowyer trailed only Jimmie Johnson in the standings despite having not yet been to Victory Lane. Historically, if Bowyer makes the Chase, he is generally a factor, which bodes well.

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DRIVER PROFILES CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP

Kevin Harvick

No. TEAM

Budweiser/ Jimmy John’s/Rheem Chevrolet

Richard Childress Racing

PREVIOUS APPEARANCES IN THE CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP

six

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

Third in 2010 & 2011 Third in 2010 & 2011

C H A M P I O N S H I P C H A T T E R : In his farewell tour with Richard Childress Racing, the only NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team for which he’s ever raced, Harvick has been good throughout, and has even looked downright spectacular on a couple occasions. Will this all add up to an elusive ﬁrst championship for the driver who will suit up next season for Stewart-Haas Racing? It’s too soon to tell, but it’s not outside the realm of possibility. While it’s always tough being a lame-duck anything this time of year, Harvick is a veteran driver with a competitive team. And unlike some of his rivals Harvick tends to be at his best on NASCAR’s biggest stages. If he gets hot at the right time, the California native can deliver the ﬁrst NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship for RCR since 1994.

POLE POSITION 2013

Matt Kenseth

No. TEAM

Dollar General/ Husky Toyota

Joe Gibbs Racing

PREVIOUS APPEARANCES IN THE CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP

eight

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

Second in 2006 champion IN 2003

C H A M P I O N S H I P C H A T T E R : If there’s one driver with an excellent shot of beating Jimmie Johnson for the championship, it’s Kenseth. In his first season with Joe Gibbs Racing after spending his first 13 years in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with Roush Fenway Racing, the 2003 series champion seemingly picked up right where he left off at RFR, and was fast right out of the gate in JGR’s No. 20 Toyota. Kenseth, whose notoriously quiet personality makes him almost like a silent assassin on the track, won four times in the season’s first half with his new team, and was particularly hard to rival on the intermediate tracks, including one (Kansas Speedway) that is part of the Chase. If his JGR team can avoid reliability issues, Kenseth might be a two-time champ come November.

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DRIVER PROFILES CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP

Dale Earnhardt Jr.

No. TEAM

NATIONAL GUARD CHEVROLET

Hendrick Motorsports

PREVIOUS APPEARANCES IN THE CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP

five

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

FIFTH in 2004 & 2006 THIRD IN 2003

CHAMPIONSHIP CHAT TER:

In several seasons throughout his roller-coaster career, making the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup has proven demanding for Earnhardt. Not so the last three, including this one, when the third-generation driver has reached NASCAR’s playoff round rather comfortably. The challenge for Junior, more recently, has come once the Chase starts. In three Chase appearances with Hendrick Motorsports, Earnhardt’s best points finish is seventh. In the other two years, he finished last among the 12 Chase contenders. A disappointing finish last season came with an asterisk, however, since he missed two of the final 10 races while recovering from a concussion. Earnhardt likely won’t face such an issue this time, but to make a serious run at the championship he’s going to need a win or two in the Chase, which could prove formidable.

POLE POSITION 2013

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DRIVER PROFILES CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP

Kyle Busch

No. TEAM

M&M’s/Interstate Batteries Toyota

Joe Gibbs Racing

PREVIOUS APPEARANCES IN THE CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP

Five

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

FIFTH in 2007 FIFTH in 2007

C H A M P I O N S H I P C H A T T E R : For all the success Kyle Busch has enjoyed in NASCAR’s three national series, the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup has not been his strong suit. Despite making the Chase more times than he’s missed it, the 10-race playoff has typically not gone to Busch’s liking. For whatever reason, the driver nicknamed “Rowdy” has rarely been on top of his game when the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship is on the line. In fact, since joining Joe Gibbs Racing ahead of the 2008 season, Busch’s best Chase ﬁnish has been eighth – in 2010. Until he proves otherwise, it’s hard not to expect Busch to fade once the Chase commences. But, then again, this could be the year where it all comes together.

POLE POSITION 2013

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DRIVER PROFILES CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP

Greg Biffle

No. TEAM

3m ford

Roush Fenway Racing

PREVIOUS APPEARANCES IN THE CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP

five

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

second in 2005 second in 2005

C H A M P I O N S H I P C H A T T E R : A veteran driver who has made his share of appearances in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup and been solid in several while coming close in 2005, Biffle has the potential to break through this year. The longtime Roush Fenway Racing driver, who in June at Michigan International Speedway delivered Ford’s 1,000th NASCAR win, is always a force to be reckoned with at the intermediate-sized tracks that permeate the Chase. The only issue that might hold Biffle back this year from becoming the first driver to win a championship in all three major NASCAR series (he already has NASCAR Nationwide and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series titles) is his history on short tracks.

POLE POSITION 2013

DRIVER PROFILES CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP

Joey Logano

No. TEAM

Shell Pennzoil Ford

Penske Racing

PREVIOUS APPEARANCES IN THE CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP

none

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

n/a

sixteenth in 2010

CHAMPIONSHIP CHAT TER:

For Logano to win the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship he will have to perform throughout the Chase like he did in August. Logano’s chances of making the Chase looked grim mid-season, but he found his groove and rattled off six consecutive top-10 performances, including three top ﬁves and a win at Michigan. Now that the Connecticut native has secured his spot in the Chase, he should be aided by having the reigning champ, Brad Keselowski, in his corner as a teammate.

POLE POSITION 2013

DRIVER PROFILES CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP

Kasey Kahne

No. TEAM

Farmers Insurance/ Quaker State/Great Clips Chevrolet

Hendrick Motorsports

PREVIOUS APPEARANCES IN THE CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP

three

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

Fourth in 2012

C H A M P I O N S H I P C H A T T E R : Previously missing from the top of the standings in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Kahne perhaps laid the groundwork last year for changing that perception. In his ﬁrst season with Hendrick Motorsports, Kahne came home a career-best fourth in the standings – four spots better than his previous career best. There’s no reason to think Kahne can’t match or improve on his 2012 result this season with his Kenny Francis-led team. Oddly enough, the driver who Kahne will likely have the hardest time topping for the title resides within the quarters of Hendrick Motorsports, and his name is Jimmie Johnson. If Johnson were to uncharacteristically falter in the Chase, however, Kahne may be the organization’s next best hope of winning an 11th NASCAR Sprint Cup title.

POLE POSITION 2013

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DRIVER PROFILES CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP

Ryan Newman

No. TEAM

Quicken Loans/ Outback Steakhouse Chevrolet

stewart-haas racing PREVIOUS APPEARANCES IN THE CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP

four

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

sixth in 2005 sixth in 2002, 2003 & 2005

CHAMPIONSHIP CHAT TER:

After going more than half of the season without a win and looking like a long shot to make the Chase, Newman notched a gamechanger with his victory at Indianapolis in July. In addition to giving the Indiana native a highly coveted win on home soil, the victory also put Newman in the Chase discussion, since the two drivers with the most wins in points positions 11-20 at the end of the regular season make the playoffs via Wild Card berths. Newman’s Chase chances were bolstered again a few days later by the unlikeliest of circumstances — when team owner Tony Stewart, a strong Wild Card possibility, broke his leg in a Sprint Car crash and was forced to miss the remainder of the season. Newman’s Chase hopes appeared dashed after a hard-fought third-place finish at Richmond left him points shy of the final slot. Two days later, NASCAR penalized Truex’s team 50 points, dropping him out of the 12th and final spot in the Chase, thus making room for Newman.

POLE POSITION 2013

Kurt Busch

No. TEAM

Furniture Row Chevrolet

furniture row Racing

PREVIOUS APPEARANCES IN THE CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP

six

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

champion IN 2004 champion IN 2004

CHAMPIONSHIP CHAT TER:

Following the most difficult season of his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career, Kurt Busch has displayed shades of his former self in 2013 and showcased that skill as he and Furniture Row Racing became the first single-car team to make the Chase. Busch remains a talented driver, and has proven such by earning the pole award at Darlington, leading laps in 12 races and turning in eight top-five finishes. He capped off an excellent regular season with a runner-up finish at Richmond. Can he win the championship? It will be a challenge, simply because No. 78 is a single-car team, but the 2004 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champ has certainly reminded everyone this year that he still has what it takes to get the job done.

POLEPOSITIONMAG.COM

THE TRACKS CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP

the TRACKS

Chase race

no. 3

AAA 400

Dover Int’l Speedway LOCATION:

Dover, Delaware

LAP DISTANCE:

1.0 mile

FIRST NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES RACE:

July 6, 1969

MOST WINS AMONG ACTIVE DRIVERS:

Jimmie Johnson (7)

2012 R ACE WINNER:

Brad Keselowski

TICKETS:

1-866-GO-NASCAR

WEBSITE:

doverspeedway.com

Chase race

no. 4

DATE:

sept. 29 START TIME:

2:00 p.m. (EDT)

TELEVISION:

ESPN

TR ACK FAC T: Three times in the last four years the winner of this race has gone on to win the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship – Jimmie Johnson (2009 and 2010) and Brad Keselowski (2012).

H E A R D I N T H E G A R A G E – M A T T K E N S E T H : “Dover’s always been my favorite track. Dover is real unique. It’s one of those tracks you really have to attack. I’ve always really enjoyed that. Whenever you can get a good run at a track you really, really like – you always feel good about that.”

HOLLYWOOD CASINO 400

Kansas Speedway LOCATION:

Kansas City, Kansas

LAP DISTANCE:

1.5 miles

FIRST NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES RACE:

September 30, 2001

MOST WINS AMONG ACTIVE DRIVERS:

Greg Biffle, Jeff Gordon, matt kenseth, Jimmie Johnson & Tony Stewart (2)

2012 R ACE WINNER:

matt kenseth

TICKETS:

1-866-GO-NASCAR

WEBSITE:

kansasspeedway.com

POLE POSITION 2013

DATE:

OCT. 6 START TIME:

1:00 p.m. (CDT)

TELEVISION:

ESPN

TR ACK FAC T: Kansas Speedway joined the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in 2001, but this is only the third year that the track has hosted two races. Matt Kenseth won here in April.

H E A R D I N T H E G A R A G E – J E F F G O R D O N : “Things are quite a bit different than they were when we ﬁrst came here, but I still love it. The transitions and the banking and all those things are very similar. That part of it does remind me of the old track. Those are the things that I’ve always enjoyed here and still do.”

Chase race

no. 5

BANK OF AMERICA 500

Charlotte Motor Speedway LOCATION:

ATE: Concord, North Carolina Doct. 12

LAP DISTANCE:

1.5 miles

FIRST NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES RACE:

June 19, 1960

MOST WINS AMONG ACTIVE DRIVERS:

Jimmie Johnson (6)

2012 R ACE WINNER:

clint bowyer

TICKETS:

1-866-GO-NASCAR

START TIME:

7:30 p.m. (EDT)

TELEVISION:

abc

TR ACK FAC T: This will be the 11th consecutive year that the Bank of America 500 has been run at night. It is the only Chase race to start and end under the lights.

WEBSITE:

charlottemotorspeedway.com

Chase race

no. 6

H E A R D I N T H E G A R A G E – D E N N Y H A M L I N : “We look forward to Charlotte. It’s a home race for us. Even though it’s not the All-Star race, it’s got an All-Star type feel to it. Obviously, a night race in the Chase is big for any race track, but especially big being in the backyard of everyone’s house.”

CAMPING WORLD RV SALES 500

Talladega Superspeedway LOCATION:

talladega, alabama

LAP DISTANCE:

2.66 miles

FIRST NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES RACE:

Sept. 14, 1969

MOST WINS AMONG ACTIVE DRIVERS:

jeff gordon (6)

2012 R ACE WINNER:

matt kenseth

TICKETS:

1-866-GO-NASCAR

WEBSITE:

talladegasuperspeedway.com

DATE:

oct. 20 START TIME:

1:00 p.m. (cDT)

TELEVISION:

ESPN

TR ACK FAC T: Since the introduction of the Chase in 2004, no driver has won this race and the championship in the same year. But Chase contender Matt Kenseth is the defending race winner.

H E A R D I N T H E G A R A G E – C A R L E D W A R D S : After ﬁnishing third in the May race, “I not only learned stuff, but I’m gonna remember it. It’s burned in there because there was so much pressure right there, so I enjoyed that and I’m pretty grateful for it. Even though it’s not a win, I guarantee you we’ll be pretty good when we come back here.” POLEPOSITIONMAG.COM

THE TRACKS CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP

Chase race

no. 7

GOODY’S HEADACHE RELIEF SHOT 500

Martinsville Speedway LOCATION:

Martinsville, Virginia

LAP DISTANCE:

.526 miles

FIRST NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES RACE:

Sept. 25, 1949

MOST WINS AMONG ACTIVE DRIVERS:

jimmie johnson (8)

2012 R ACE WINNER:

jimmie johnson

TICKETS:

1-866-GO-NASCAR

WEBSITE:

DATE:

oct. 27 START TIME:

1:30 p.m. (EDT)

TELEVISION:

ESPN

TR ACK FAC T: Chase contender Jimmie Johnson has won eight races at Martinsville Speedway and trails only Richard Petty (15) and Darrell Waltrip (11) on the track’s all-time win list.

H E A R D I N T H E G A R A G E – B R A D K E S E L O W S K I : “We’ve been strong enough to be proud of what we’ve done, and I’m proud of where we are right here today, but the 48 car is on another level. That’s pretty obvious. But I feel like if we can get our car where he’s at, I can beat him.”

martinsvillespeedway.com

Chase race

no. 8

AAA TEXAS 500

Texas Motor Speedway LOCATION:

Ft. Worth, Texas

LAP DISTANCE:

nov. 3

1.5 miles

START TIME:

April 6, 1997

TR ACK FAC T: Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. combined to lead 313 of the 334 laps in the April race at Texas Motor Speedway with Busch claiming his ﬁrst victory in the Lone Star State.

FIRST NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES RACE: MOST WINS AMONG ACTIVE DRIVERS:

Carl Edwards (3)

2012 R ACE WINNER:

jimmie johnson

TICKETS:

1-866-GO-NASCAR

WEBSITE:

texasmotorspeedway.com

DATE:

POLE POSITION 2013

2:00 p.m. (CST)

TELEVISION:

ESPN

H E A R D I N T H E G A R A G E – K Y L E B U S C H : “Texas is a really fast mile-and-a-half race track. The asphalt is getting a little bit older, but for as old as the asphalt is, it’s still really fast for a few laps and it’s still kind of a pain sometimes because it is so aero-dependent. You’ve got to be able to move around a little bit and run the middle, run the top and show some ability to go all over the race track.”

Chase race

no. 9

AdvoCare 500

Phoenix International Raceway LOCATION:

Avondale, Arizona

LAP DISTANCE:

1.0 mile

DATE:

NOV. 10 START TIME:

1:00 p.m. (msT)

FIRST NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES RACE:

November 6, 1988

MOST WINS AMONG ACTIVE DRIVERS:

Jimmie Johnson (4)

2012 R ACE WINNER:

kevin harvick

TICKETS:

1-866-GO-NASCAR

WEBSITE:

phoenixraceway.com

Chase race

no. 10

TELEVISION:

ESPN

TR ACK FAC T: Jimmie Johnson won the fall race at Phoenix International Raceway three consecutive times (2007, ’08 and ’09) during his string of ﬁvestraight NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships.

H E A R D I N T H E G A R A G E – K U R T B U S C H : “Phoenix is the type of race track that you can change your strategy around multiple ways. A two-tire stop could be left-side tires. We had a strong run in the Furniture Row Chevrolet last fall in Phoenix, ran up front most of the day. The ending was spectacular when we wrecked heading to the ﬁnish line with ﬂames shooting out of the car.”

FORD ECOBOOST 400

Homestead-Miami Speedway LOCATION:

Homestead, Florida

LAP DISTANCE:

1.5 miles

FIRST NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES RACE:

November 14, 1999

MOST WINS AMONG ACTIVE DRIVERS:

Greg Biffle & tony stewart (3)

2012 R ACE WINNER:

jeff gordon

TICKETS:

1-866-GO-NASCAR

WEBSITE:

homesteadmiamispeedway.com

DATE:

NOV. 17 START TIME:

3:00 p.m. (EsT)

TELEVISION:

ESPN

TR ACK FAC T: Tony Stewart is the only driver to win the Ford EcoBoost 400 and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship in the same year since the Chase format debuted in 2004.

H E A R D I N T H E G A R A G E – T O N Y S T E W A R T : “A lot of times in Turn 3, because of the wind direction there, you can actually go into the corner a lot harder and a lot further, actually turning into the corner before you get off the gas. And it’s the same thing, once that car settles in; you get on the gas and ride it around to the frontstretch. It’s a pretty smooth race track.” POLEPOSITIONMAG.COM

nascar nationwide series NASCAR Nationwide Series Spotlight

Justin Allgaier Justin Allgaier, who competes for Turner Scott Motorsports in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, harbors hopes of still making it to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series level.

ot so long ago, Justin Allgaier was widely considered to be among a group of young, talented NASCAR Nationwide Series drivers destined for great things. Today, Allgaier is still regarded as a formidable competitor with a bright future. However, the Riverton, Ill., native believes the perception

of him has changed from where it was just two or three years ago. Instead of being viewed by NASCAR fans and pundits as a hot commodity bound for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Allgaier seems to have somewhat settled in among the NASCAR Nationwide Series ranks. “The one thing that I worry about is just kind

of becoming a guy that people look at and say, ‘Oh, he’s content with racing in the Nationwide Series the rest of his life,’” Allgaier said. After notching top-five points finishes in two of his first three NASCAR Nationwide Series seasons, Allgaier’s career – steady as it may be – has seemed to plateau. Despite winning once

each year from 2010 to 2012, Allgaier’s sixthplace points finish last season was actually his worst since his rookie season of 2009, when he also finished sixth. Allgaier ranked fourth in 2010 for Penske Racing and a career-best third in 2011 for Turner Scott Motorsports, where he has since remained. As of press time, Allgaier was sixth in the 2013 NASCAR Nationwide Series points and hadn’t yet been to Victory Lane. Allgaier, 27, finds himself in a somewhat odd position among his peers. Of the top drivers in the series, most are several years Allgaier’s junior or senior. On the lower end are highly touted NASCAR Nationwide Series rookies such as 21-year-old Kyle Larson and 23-year-old Austin Dillon. On the higher end, age-wise, is a pool of ex-NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers – most notably Elliott Sadler, Sam Hornish Jr., Regan Smith and Brian Vickers – who

have returned to the NASCAR Nationwide Series in the last two or three years, and found quick success. Caught somewhere in the murky middle is Allgaier, who is hardly a veteran but isn’t exactly a newbie either. However, Allgaier’s situation took a new turn in late August when one of his NASCAR Nationwide Series team owners, Harry Scott Jr., purchased the No. 51 NASCAR Sprint Cup team from James Finch and announced Allgaier would run three of the final 10 races. But while Allgaier finally has his shot, it’s still not known if he’ll be a full-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver in the future. But he’s not ready to give up on his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series dreams. “If I don’t ever get that opportunity, that will be the tough part – just knowing there was a lot of talk and hopes, and it didn’t ever happen,” Allgaier said. “So we’ll just have to wait, and see what happens.”

by jared turner 58

POLE POSITION 2013

nascar home tracks NASCAR K&N Pro Series Spotlight

Ryan Gifford NASCAR Drive for Diversity driver Ryan Gifford has enjoyed a memorable 2013, highlighted by his first NASCAR K&N Pro Series East win at Richmond International Raceway and his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut at Iowa Speedway.

24-year-old aligned with Richard Childress Racing’s driver development program, Gifford made history in 2010 when he paced qualifying for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway to become the first African-American pole winner in series history. This season is Gifford’s fourth with Rev Racing as part of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Program and the native of Winchester, Tenn., is having his best year yet. With nine races in the books, Gifford sat fourth in points on the strength of six top10 finishes, including four top-fives. The high point of his NASCAR K&N Pro Series East season was scoring his first series

victory in April at Richmond International Raceway, where he led 23 of 100 laps. “That definitely helped my confidence a lot,” Gifford said. “It made me feel like I can do it, I can go out there and win on a regular basis. You’re in position to win a lot of times, and things go wrong. You’re like, ‘Man, am I ever going to be able to get this done?’ To go out there and get my first win was big. It helped the momentum of our team so much, along with morale.” Gifford’s win also convinced team owner Richard Childress to give the young man a crack at driving a NASCAR Nationwide Series car fielded by RCR. The big day finally came Aug. 3 when Gifford made his NASCAR national series debut with the

organization in the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Iowa Speedway. Despite starting the race with no real-time experience in a NASCAR Nationwide Series car, Gifford finished an impressive ninth. While focused on finishing the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East season strong, Gifford is amped about the prospect of future opportunities to compete in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. “I’m looking forward to more,” he said. “I feel like I’m in a good position, I’m with good people and I try to surround myself with good people. So who knows what the future holds? Right now I’m having fun, I’m running good and I’m enjoying life.”

by jared turner POLEPOSITIONMAG.COM

nascar camping world truck series

Ross Chastain Finding Success at BKR

Florida native Ross Chastain is in his first season as a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver with Brad Keselowski Racing, the organization owned by the reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion.

oss Chastain knew when he joined Brad Keselowski Racing in 2013 that he was in for some big changes. He just didn’t know how big. Chastain, who spent 2011 and 2012 with other organizations, was immediately struck by the amount of resources and attention dedicated to making Brad Keselowski Racing’s two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series teams run up front. “It has been a change of pace, for sure,” said Chastain, whose owner is 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski. “The

teams I’ve ran for the two years before, they were just completely different in the way they were run and the expectations each week, and your goals were different. It’s definitely been a big boost for my career and my confidence being at BKR. “It has taken me from the guy who could run 10th every week and get a top 10, to fighting now for top-five finishes. And when we’re running top five, we can go out and contend for these wins when we put everything together.” But while BKR is providing Chastain equipment and opportunities he previously

lacked, the 20-year-old Florida native appreciates the fact that the company’s shop is actually small when compared to those of many NASCAR teams. “Our shop is small and low-key,” said Chastain. “There’s not even a sign out front. I like it that way. Brad’s got his trophy case up on the wall and all his flags from his wins, but other than that, it’s just a race shop.” Chastain, who is running most of the races this season in a No. 19 Ford being shared by multiple drivers, started off a little bit slow. As the team has gelled, Chastain has picked up the pace. He believes he is

particularly benefiting from the horsepower generated by Roush Yates Engines. This was especially apparent in August at Pocono Raceway, a high-speed, 2.5-mile track where Chastain led nine laps and finished a season-best fifth. His teammate at BKR, Ryan Blaney, scored the organization’s first win of the season at Pocono. “I’ve been really pleasantly surprised at how good we can restart,” Chastain said. “I don’t know what we’ve got figured out, but we’re not changing it right now because it’s working pretty good. Our restart ratios are really strong.”

by jared turner 60

POLE POSITION 2013

Keselowski making an impact

ReigNiNg NASCAR SpRiNt Cup SeRieS ChAmp SeRiouS ABout teAm owNeRShip

hen Brad Keselowski won the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship last season in only his third full year in stock car racing’s top division, lots of folks sat up and noticed. Few could blame them.

A 28-year-old kid going head-to-head with a Goliath-like figure of sorts down a season’s homestretch – and prevailing – is worthy of recognition. That’s what Keselowski did last year with Jimmie Johnson, taking down the five-time champion when others before him had tried and failed. It is clear from this that Keselowski isn’t easily deterred when he sets his mind to something. And that includes turning Brad Keselowski Racing into a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series powerhouse. Like Keselowski the driver, Keselowski the team owner is serious about contending for wins and championships. “Giving back and reinvesting in our sport is critical,” Keselowski said. “Someone gave me the chance to prove myself, and I feel it’s the only thing to do to give a young driver a chance in good equipment.” Brad Keselowski Racing, birthed in 2007 as an ARCA Racing Series-only organization, now fields two full-time trucks — one with driver Ryan Blaney and a second driven primarily by Ross Chastain. Blaney, whose father, Dave, is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series veteran, delivered BKR’s first truck victory last fall at Iowa Speedway and rang up win No. 2 at Pocono Raceway this August.

Chastain, who is running a partial 2013 schedule in the No. 19 BKR Ford, is meanwhile enjoying a breakout season in his first campaign with the organization. Rest assured, the strength shown by both drivers this year wouldn’t be possible without an owner and employees fully dedicated to the cause. BKR, with Roush Yates engines and technical support from Penske Racing, is producing its best equipment ever. “We’ve gotten to that point where I know we have a truck to go out there and win every week,” Blaney said. “I think everyone at the shop has done a great job of making sure of that and making the improvements that we’ve needed to put ourselves in that position. So, it definitely gives you a lot of confidence as a driver when you know that you’re in a winning truck and that it should be good every week.”

KeSelowSKi A diffeReNt KiNd of teAm owNeR

oes having the reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion as a boss bring added pressure on a driver? “I don’t really see it as pressure,” said Ryan Blaney, who competes for 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champ Brad

Keselowski in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. “I just see it as a great opportunity to be a part of such a great organization in Brad Keselowski Racing. So it’s really just an opportunity to be able to prove myself, and being able to talk to

Brad on a daily basis has been really helpful to me.” Blaney’s perspective of Keselowski is also different than folks might expect in a typical boss-to-subordinate relationship. “I really don’t think of him as an owner,” Blaney said. “I just

think of him as a fellow driver and someone I can talk to really easily. He doesn’t really want me to think of him as an owner. It’s pretty cool to have a driver as an owner because you can relate to them really well and you can learn so much from them.”

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NASCAR fuel lifeStyle

dowNtime WITH JAMES BUESCHER

ﬁrst-time father as of July, defending NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion James Buescher certainly has no trouble keeping busy these days. After all, there are diapers to change and baby food to buy. Of course, it’s not like Buescher had any trouble filling his schedule before his wife, Kris, gave birth to their son. Even during some of the lengthy breaks in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series schedule, Buescher finds ways to avoid boredom. “We had five weeks off between the season’s first and second races,” Buescher noted. “I just enjoy spending time around the house with my family, and having friends around. When I’m bored during the middle of the day, I have a Pac-Man table in my office that I recently set the high score on. I was pretty proud about that.” Buescher, whose truck team owner is his father-in-law, Steve Turner, also enjoys taking on special projects with his wife. “I play with RC cars,” he said. “I also help out with my wife at our gym that we started over the offseason. I found a lot of ways to stay busy while we were off for five weeks.”

meNtAl pRep WITH RYAN BLANEY What do you do to get mentally prepared to race? Have any rituals?

I really just talk to my crew chief or my dad. I’m focusing on different things that could play out throughout the race. I’m constantly thinking about what could happen. Sometimes that’s not good; you kind of over-think some things. But I think it’s better to over-think things than to under-think them.

tRAiNiNg WITH JIMMIE JOHNSON

s a ﬁve-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion, it should come as no surprise that Jimmie Johnson prioritizes physical ﬁtness. After all, being the best behind the wheel of a race car goes hand in hand with being in top condition. And for Johnson, that means no one singular focus in his training. “A lot of it of late has been endurance-based stuff,” Johnson said. “I’ve always had a focus on an endurance base, but maybe a little more strength focused the last few years. I’ve always been interested in triathlons, and last year started participating in a few. I had some time and ran a half marathon, and ran some other shorter distance events, as well.” Johnson believes that, at age 38, he’s in the best shape of his life. “It takes time and commitment to get it all done, but, it’s been great for me,” he said of his exercise regimen. “I think it’s very important for my profession, and certainly to add longevity and stay healthy long term as I turn 40 a few years down the road and try to continue my career on past that.”

fueliNg up WITH JUSTIN ALLGAIER

Breakfast: LUNCH: Allgaier enjoys ham and cheese omelets with a glass of orange juice. For him, breakfast is an all-or-nothing meal. “I love cereal at lunch or dinner, but I just can’t eat it for breakfast,” he said. “I know that sounds really weird. I would rather eat a good, big breakfast or not eat at all.”

Allgaier is big on burgers with fries or chips. “You take saltine crackers and crunch them up and put them on top of the burger while it’s cooking,” he said. “And then, when you go to put your cheese on, put A1 Sauce on top of the crackers and put your cheese on top of all of it, and that’s your ideal burger.”

DINNER:

Allgaier always seems to have a taste for Italian at dinner time. He simply can’t go wrong with pasta for the ﬁnal meal of the day. “If I have a big bowl of Alfredo or spaghetti, I’m usually pretty good,” he said. “I don’t need much else other than that.” His dinner beverage of choice is ice tea.

SNACK:

Allgaier’s guilty pleasure is chocolate ice cream – with no sprinkles. “You can’t touch that,” he said, stressing that chocolate ice cream is best left alone. When there’s no ice cream to be had, the NASCAR Nationwide Series driver likes oatmeal cream pie, especially “the little three-packs.”

by jared turner 64

pole poSitioN 2013

NASCAR Dreams NASCAR Dreams grants once-ina-lifetime opportunities to young fans of the sport by allowing them to meet their heroes, learn from Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) educational initiatives and experience NASCAR in ways they never thought possible. Since The NASCAR Foundation began the program in 2006, we have granted 700 NASCAR Dreams to children suffering from illnesses, underprivileged youth, kids of parents who are serving in the U.S. military, and others.

Speediatrics

NASCAR Unites

Speediatrics began with the humble goal of importing the color, excitement, and fun of NASCAR into children’s hospital rooms, wings, and waiting areas. Today, we provide medical treatments for 24,000 children each year at our two permanent Speediatrics facilities in Daytona Beach and Homestead, and continue to extend our reach beyond the hospital walls by supporting other causes related to helping children live a healthy life.

In 2011, The NASCAR Foundation introduced NASCAR Unites as a vision for the future of the sport’s charitable mission. It is a rallying cry for the entire sport, our drivers, our tracks, our sponsors, and our fans to take the passion they have for NASCAR and funnel it into compassion for those who need it most. NASCAR Unites is a broad, all-encompassing way to benefit a wider and larger range of causes.

About Us Our mission is to embody the compassion of the NASCAR family and its commitment to serving our communities. The NASCAR Foundation seeks to raise funds and increase volunteerism to support nonprofit charities and charitable causes throughout the nation with an emphasis placed on initiatives that affect the ability of children to live, learn, and play.

Want to get involved or learn more? Visit NASCAR.com/foundation or contact The NASCAR Foundation, One Daytona Blvd., Daytona Beach, FL 32114 • 386-310-5736 Follow us on

SPECIAL ADVERTISING PAGE

Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award The NASCAR Foundation awards the Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award to a NASCAR fan who embodies the ideals of charity and community that Mrs. France has championed throughout her life. These applicants honor the spirit of NASCAR, demonstrating goodwill and generosity in the interest of helping children in need. One winner receives a $100,000 donation to the children’s charity of their choice along with a NASCAR experience of a lifetime.

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NASCAR SeRieS RoSteRS 2013 NASCAR SpRiNt Cup SeRieS RoSteR No.

Driver

Team

Sponsor & Make

Crew Chief

Hometown

Birthdate

1 2 5 7 9 10 11 13 14 15 16 17 18 20 21 22 24 27 29 30 31 32

Jamie McMurray Brad Keselowski Kasey Kahne Dave Blaney Marcos Ambrose Danica Patrick Denny Hamlin Casey Mears Mark Martin Clint Bowyer Greg Bifﬂe Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Kyle Busch Matt Kenseth Trevor Bayne Joey Logano Jeff Gordon Paul Menard Kevin Harvick Cole Whitt Jeff Burton Ken Schrader Timmy Hill David Ragan Josh Wise J.J. Yeley David Gilliland Ryan Newman Juan Pablo Montoya Aric Almirola Bobby Labonte Jimmie Johnson Regan Smith A.J. Allmendinger Brian Vickers Martin Truex Jr. Kurt Busch David Reutimann Joe Nemechek Dale Earnhardt Jr. Travis Kvapil Scott Speed Michael McDowell Carl Edwards

Earnhardt Ganassi Racing Penske Racing Hendrick Motorsports Tommy Baldwin Racing Richard Petty Motorsports Stewart-Haas Racing Joe Gibbs Racing Germain Racing Stewart-Haas Racing Michael Waltrip Racing Roush Fenway Racing Roush Fenway Racing Joe Gibbs Racing Joe Gibbs Racing Wood Brothers Racing Penske Racing Hendrick Motorsports Richard Childress Racing Richard Childress Racing Swan Racing Richard Childress Racing FAS Lane Racing

McDonald’s/Cessna Chevrolet Miller Lite Ford Farmers Insurance/Quaker State Chevrolet SANY America Chevrolet Stanley/DeWALT Ford GoDaddy.com Chevrolet FedEx Toyota GEICO Ford Bass Pro Shops/Mobil 1 Chevrolet 5-Hour ENERGY Toyota 3M Ford Best Buy/Zest/Fifth Third Ford M&M’s/Interstate Batteries Toyota Husky Tools/Dollar General Toyota Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Shell/Pennzoil Ford Drive to End Hunger/Axalta/Pepsi Chevrolet Menards Chevrolet Budweiser/Jimmy Johns/Rheem Chevrolet Swan Energy/Nutrition53 Toyota Caterpillar/Cheerios Chevrolet Oxywater/Federated Auto Parts Ford

Kevin Manion Paul Wolfe Kenny Francis Tommy Baldwin Jr. Drew Blickensderfer Tony Gibson Darian Grubb Robert “Bootie” Barker Steve Addington Brian Pattie Matt Puccia Scott Graves Dave Rogers Jason Ratcliff Donnie Wingo Todd Gordon Alan Gustafson Richard “Slugger” Labbe Gil Martin Steven Lane Luke Lambert Frank Stoddard Jr.

Front Row Motorsports Front Row Motorsports Tommy Baldwin Racing Front Row Motorsports Stewart-Haas Racing Earnhardt Ganassi Racing Richard Petty Motorsports JTG Daugherty Racing Hendrick Motorsports Phoenix Racing

Taco Bell Ford MDS Transport Ford Golden Corral/Accell Construction Chevrolet Long John Silver’s Ford Quicken Loans Chevrolet Target Chevrolet Smithﬁeld Foods/STP Ford Kingsford/Clorox/Scott/Bush’s Beans Toyota Lowe’s/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet Phoenix Construction Chevrolet

Jay Guy Todd Anderson Joe Lax Frank Kerr Matt Borland Chris Heroy Todd Parrott Brian Burns Chad Knaus Nick Harrison

Michael Waltrip Racing Michael Waltrip Racing Furniture Row Racing BK Racing NEMCO Motorsports Hendrick Motorsports BK Racing Leavine Family Racing Phil Parsons Racing Roush Fenway Racing

Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota NAPA Auto Parts Toyota Furniture Row Chevrolet Burger King/Dr. Pepper Toyota NEMCO Motorsports Toyota National Guard Chevrolet Burger King Toyota WRL General Contractors Ford K-Love/Curb Records Ford Fastenal/Aﬂac/UPS/Geek Squad Ford

Scott Miller Chad Johnston Todd Berrier Doug Richert Scott Eggleston Steve Letarte Dale Ferguson Wally Rogers Gene Nead Jimmy Fennig

Joplin, Mo. Rochester Hills, Mich. Enumclaw, Wash. Hartford, Ohio Launceston, Australia Roscoe, Ill. Chesterfield, Va. Bakersfield, Calif. Batesville, Ark. Emporia, Kan. Vancouver, Wash. Olive Branch, Miss. Las Vegas, Nev. Cambridge, Wis. Knoxville, Tenn. Middletown, Conn. Vallejo, Calif. Eau Claire, Wis. Bakersfield, Calif. Alpine, Calif. South Boston, Va. Fenton, Mo. Port Tobacco, Md. Unadilla, Ga. Riverside, Calif. Phoenix, Ariz. Riverside, Calif. South Bend, Ind. Bogota, Colombia Tampa, Fla. Corpus Christi, Texas El Cajon, Calif. Cato, N.Y. Las Gatos, Calif. Thomasville, N.C. Mayetta, N.J. Las Vegas, Nev. Zephyrhills, Fla. Lakeland, Fla. Kannapolis, N.C. Janesville, Wis. Manteca, Calif. Glendale, Ariz. Columbia, Mo.

June 3, 1976 Feb. 12, 1984 April 10, 1980 Oct. 24, 1962 Sept. 1, 1976 March 25, 1982 Nov. 18, 1980 March 12, 1978 Jan. 9, 1959 May 30, 1979 Dec. 23, 1969 Oct. 2, 1987 May 2, 1985 March 10, 1972 Feb. 19, 1991 May 24, 1990 Aug. 4, 1971 Aug. 21, 1980 Dec. 8, 1975 June 22, 1991 June 29, 1967 May 29, 1955 Feb. 25, 1993 Dec. 24, 1985 Feb. 7, 1983 Oct. 5, 1976 April 1, 1976 Dec. 8, 1977 Sept. 20, 1975 March 14, 1984 May 8, 1964 Sept. 17, 1975 Sept. 23, 1983 Dec. 16, 1981 Oct. 24, 1983 June 29, 1980 Aug. 4, 1978 March 2, 1970 Sept. 26, 1963 Oct. 10, 1974 March 1, 1976 Jan. 24, 1983 Dec. 21, 1984 Aug. 15, 1979

34 35 36 38 39 42 43 47 48 51 55 56 78 83 87 88 93 95 98 99

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Get in the Know. Now!

2013 NASCAR NAtioNwide SeRieS RoSteR Crew Chief

01 2 3 4 5

St. Louis, Mo. Boise, Idaho Welcome, N.C. Cedar Rapids, Iowa Enumclaw, Wash. Grass Valley, Calif. Knoxville, Tenn. Cato, N.Y. St. Augustine, Fla. Owensboro, Ky. Emporia, Va. Deﬁance, Ohio Chilhowie, Va. Milwaukie, Ore. Thomasville, N.C. Rochester Hills, Mich. Middletown, Conn. McKinney, Texas Brasilia, Brazil Riverton, Ill. Elk Grove, Calif. Bakersﬁeld, Calif. Peachtree City, Ga. Riverside, Calif. Des Moines, Iowa Alpine, Calif. Spartanburg, S.C. Cedar Rapids, Iowa Las Vegas, Nev. Annapolis, Md. Pensacola, Fla. Westport, Conn. Lakeland, Fla. Conover, N.C. Kahnawake, Quebec Germantown, Tenn. Tucson, Ariz.

JD Motorsports Richard Childress Racing Richard Childress Racing JD Motorsports JR Motorsports

Chevrolet Chevrolet Chevrolet Chevrolet Chevrolet

Dave Fuge Phil Gould Danny Stockman David Smith Mike Bumgarner

Roush Fenway Racing JR Motorsports Team SLR TriStar Motorsports Joe Gibbs Racing Penske Racing TriStar Motorsports TriStar Motorsports Joe Gibbs Racing Penske Racing

Ford Chevrolet Chevrolet Toyota Toyota Ford Toyota Toyota Toyota Ford

Mike Kelley Greg Ives Brad Parrott Greg Conner Chris Gayle Greg Erwin Todd Myers Paul Clapprood Kevin Kidd Jeremy Bullins

R3 Motorsports Turner Scott Motorsports Turner Scott Motorsports Turner Scott Motorsports Richard Childress Racing The Motorsports Group The Motorsports Group Richard Petty Motorsports TriStar Motorsports Jeremy Clements Racing Jimmy Means Racing Joe Gibbs Racing Roush Fenway Racing ML Motorsports Kyle Busch Motorsports NEMCO Motorsports Faith Motorsports KH Motorsports Biagi-DenSeste Racing RAB Racing

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

Tony Eury Sr. Pat Tryson Scott Zipadelli Trent Owens Ernie Cope Gary Showalter Mike Sroufe Phillippe Lopez Randy Cox Ricky Pearson Tim Brown Adam Stevens Chad Norris Mark Gutekunst Eric Phillips Steven Gray Claude Townsend George Ingram John Hanson Chris Rice

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As NASCAR moves into a new era, one factor has rem RACE DAY ained steady – the MAKING SENSE OF fans ENDERS PG.28 VICTORY LANE CONT PG.26 @NP PMA G

P O LE I O N : P O S I T

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P O LE P O S I T I O N M

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Mike Wallace Brian Scott Austin Dillon Landon Cassill Kasey Kahne Brad Sweet Trevor Bayne Regan Smith Scott Lagasse Jr. Jeff Green Elliott Sadler Sam Hornish Jr. Eric McClure Mike Bliss Brian Vickers Brad Keselowski Joey Logano Robert Richardson Jr. Nelson Piquet Jr. Justin Allgaier Kyle Larson Kevin Harvick Reed Sorenson Josh Wise Michael Annett Cole Whitt Jeremy Clements Joey Gase Kyle Busch Travis Pastrana Johanna Long Parker Kligerman Joe Nemechek Morgan Shepherd Dexter Stacey Kevin Swindell Alex Bowman

FRE E!

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P O S I T I O N :

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No. Driver

FEATURE STORY

2013 NASCAR CAmpiNg woRld tRuCK SeRieS RoSteR No. Driver

Hometown

Team

Make

Crew Chief

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 13 17 18 19

Welcome, N.C. South Boston, Va. New York, N.Y. Westmorland, Calif. Watkinsville, Ga. Stockbridge, Ga. Palmdale, Calif. Kansas City, Kan. Chemung, N.Y. Providence, N.C. Miami Springs, Fla. Alva, Fla. Rochester Hill, Mich. Bakersﬁeld, Calif. Copper Hills, Va. High Point, N.C. Plano, Texas Nova Prata, Brazil Tucker, Ga. Las Vegas, Nev. Mobile, Ala. Level Green, Pa. New Castle, Ind. Las Vegas, Nev. Mexico City, Mexico Houston, Texas Lakeland, Fla. Tulare, Calif. Bahama, N.C. Necedah, Wis. Stuart, Fla.

Richard Childress Racing Turner Scott Motorsports Wauters Motorsports Eddie Sharp Racing Red Horse Racing Eddie Sharp Racing NTS Motorsports Jennifer Jo Cobb Racing ThorSport Racing Red Horse Racing Kyle Busch Motorsports Brad Keselowski Racing

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

Marcus Richmond Mike Hillman Jr. Richie Wauters Bryan Berry Mike Beam Chris Showalter Bruce Cook Steve Kuykendall Jeriod Prince Butch Hylton Harold Holly Chad Kendrick

NTS Motorsports Mike Hillman Racing Brad Keselowski Racing Turner Scott Motorsports Turner Scott Motorsports RSS Racing Kyle Busch Motorsports Kyle Busch Motorsports Norm Benning Racing Turn One Racing Richard Childress Racing Red Horse Racing Green Light Racing Glenden Enterprises ThorSport Racing RBR Enterprises ThorSport Racing T3R Racing

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

Eddie Pardue Mike Hillman Doug Randolph Michael Shelton Jeff Hensley Kevin Starland Ryan Fugle Jerry Baxter Gary Ritter Joe Shear Jr. Shane Wilson Dan Stillman Bobby Dotter Kevin Ingram Carl Joiner Michael Hester Dennis Connor Gary Cogswell

24 27 29 31 32 39 51 54 57 60 62 77 81 84 88 92 98 99

Ty Dillon Jeb Burton Tim George Jr. Justin Lofton John Wes Townley Max Gresham Ron Hornaday Jr. Jennifer Jo Cobb Todd Bodine Timothy Peters Joey Coulter Ross Chastain Brad Keselowski Brennan Newberry Jeff Agnew Ryan Blaney James Buescher Miguel Paludo Ryan Sieg Kyle Busch Darrell Wallace Jr. Norm Benning Dakoda Armstrong Brendan Gaughan German Quiroga David Starr Chris Fontaine Matt Crafton Scott Riggs Johnny Sauter Bryan Silas

ThE NExT GENERATION OF NASCAR

As NASCAR move s into a new era, factor has remaone ined steady – the fans

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insider’s view fresh faces

Brian Scott

NASCAR Nationwide Series Driver

ASCAR Nationwide Series driver Brian Scott has steadily climbed the NASCAR ladder over the last few years, making his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut in 2007 before moving to a full schedule the next two seasons. In 2010, Scott was promoted to the NASCAR Nationwide Series, where he is currently in his fourth season as a full-time driver. Highlights of Scott’s relatively short career in NASCAR’s major divisions include a pair of NASCAR Camping World Truck Series wins (the first coming as a full-time series driver in 2009 and the second coming last season in a limited truck schedule) and back-to-back top10 points finishes the last two seasons in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Scott, 25, has also enjoyed the good fortune of competing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series for two of NASCAR’s premier organizations – Joe Gibbs Racing, in 2011 and 2012, and Richard Childress Racing, beginning this season. Yet, despite all this,

Scott isn’t about to let his foot off the proverbial gas pedal. With backing from longtime sponsor Shore Lodge, a popular Idaho-based vacation resort owned by his

father’s real estate company, Scott is an attractive hire for reasons that go beyond his driving ability or personality. In short: With any new team for which Scott drives, it’s almost a given that Shore Lodge will follow him there as a sponsor. As a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver, Scott carried sponsorship from the Albertsons supermarket chain, which was founded by his great-grandfather. Scott, however, wants to be known not

as a guy who brings cash to the table. He wants to be identified as a winner and championship contender. “The record books and the winner are all that people really remember, so I’ve got to still prove that to myself, that I can do that in the NASCAR Nationwide Series,”

Scott said. “I’ve been able to do it in the truck series and do a lot better in the points standings, but I have yet to prove it in the Nationwide Series, so I’ve got to prove that to everybody. “In 2012, we had six mechanical DNFs – that definitely didn’t help. When you’re trying to fight for wins and battle for a championship, you can’t have things like that, so we fought that. I felt like we missed a little bit on calling races and race strategy, but there was also some good

runs that I just failed to capitalize on.” In his first year with RCR, the native of Boise, Idaho, has been competitive but far from dominant. Entering the August race at Bristol, Scott had posted nine top-10 finishes, including two top-five finishes, in 22 starts. Scott’s best finish was second in July at Indianapolis where he led before being passed late by Kyle Busch. “It’s a privilege to be a part of a team like RCR and have sponsors like Shore Lodge, but also having five other sponsors come on board at the beginning of the season,” said Scott, who ranked seventh in points at press time. “So to just have opportunities with all of those sponsors to represent a lot of different companies, and for them to put funding into our racing program, it speaks a lot and it makes me very proud; and it makes me want to go out there and do a good job and prove their investment is worth it.” Scott, who has logged just shy of 200 starts between the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, looks forward to a day when he can take the next step. “Experience-wise, I’ve raced enough

races, I think, to go into the [NASCAR Sprint] Cup Series and not flounder around and look totally pathetic, and other than that, I think it’s just all about timing,” he said. “The opportunity’s got to be there with the right team and I just think it is timing. Timing’s everything. You’ve got to have a little luck in that respect and you’ve got to have sponsors and a team behind you. So really, when the timing’s right, I think I’m ready.”

THINGS YOU 5 DON’T KNOW

ABOUT brian scott

“I was academic in school. I was able to always have good grades. In my high school career, I had a cumulative GPA of 4.0 or above, and that’s something that most people just don’t know about me.” “I will do anything if I’ve never done it. I like to just check things off, saying that I’ve done them.”

2 3 4 5

“I enjoy being alone from time to time.” “I love spicy food and hot wings. I consider myself a hot-wing connoisseur.”

“I used to think that I was going to be a movie critic. I was going to be like a Siskel and Ebert, or whatever their names are. I love movies, I love going to them and I always felt like I could analyze a movie better than a professional, so I thought maybe I could have a career in it.”

by jared turner 70

POLE POSITION 2013

#WHATDRIVERS

NEED What does a driver need to win The Chase? He needs his whole season—heck, his whole career — to come

together at precisely the right moment. A driver cannot fall apart at any time during The Chase, and he needs a whole lot more than duct tape to keep it all together. You see, The Chase is hard, and winning it, even harder. It’s 1 against 11 against great odds. It’s 10 grueling weeks. It’s the playoffs. No excuses and not a millimeter of room for failure. And so, a driver needs to draw on every source of inspiration and power to win it. He needs endurance, nerve, guts, brains, focus, and an iron will. A driver needs to outlast and outrun his enemies. He needs to watch his temper and check his fuel intake. He needs to dodge, draft, maneuver, and charge forward, all with the precision of a Swiss Watch. Is that it? Is that all he needs? Oh, no. (No, no, no.) He needs so much more: sub 12-second pits, split-second reflexes, and a car tuned to each track. Fresh tires, a seasoned crew chief, and a sharp spotter. He needs to be at his best and avoid the worst. He needs oil, grit, and grease under his fingertips, and an 850 horsepower rocket to fly. A driver needs to stay far away from trouble. He needs gravity to work in his favor on every turn. He needs to see what others don’t—daylight. That tiny little hole to slip through, to pass, that perfect opening to seize the lead. He needs fate and chaos to be his bedfellows. Throw in the strategy of a general, the nerve of a fighter pilot, and the speed of a bullet. A driver also needs his team, his sponsors, and his owner to rally behind him like never before. He needs perfection, but even perfection will laugh in his face and throw him against the wall. So he needs something extra: Your help. Right now. Your advice, your support, and your voice to cheer him on during The Chase. And if he has that, and everything above, he just may have a chance to win it all. 12 Drivers. 1 Champion.

SHOW US WHAT YOU THINK YOUR DRIVER NEEDS TO WIN THE CHASE AT

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ChASe foR the NASCAR SpRiNt Cup

the prize

very major sport has an iconic championship trophy, a hand-crafted piece of hardware that symbolizes excellence and is recognized around the world. The NFL has the Vince Lombardi Trophy; in the NBA, it’s the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy; and the World Series winner annually receives the very unique Commissioner’s Trophy. Other awards such as the Tour de France’s yellow jersey, the Heisman Trophy, the Masters’ green jacket and the FIFA World Cup Trophy have also become symbols for their respective sports. Trophies have played an important role in auto racing since shortly after Frank Duryea won America’s inaugural race on Thanksgiving Day, 1895. The ultimate prize for early American racers was the Vanderbilt Cup and the Borg-Warner Trophy, introduced in 1936, has become a symbol of the Indianapolis 500. But today, the most coveted prize in American motorsports is the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series trophy. The unique trophy is presented each year to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion. Crafted by master artisans at world-renowned jeweler and silversmith Tiffany & Co., the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series trophy features flowing checkered flags rendered entirely in sterling silver sitting atop an ebonized wood base. A minimum of eight master craftsmen work on the trophy, which takes nearly four months to complete, at Tiffany’s silver workshop

past Champions

NASCAR SpRiNt Cup SeRieS titleS woN dRiveR

Richard Petty Dale Earnhardt Jimmie Johnson Jeff Gordon Lee Petty David Pearson Cale Yarborough Darrell Waltrip Tony Stewart Herb Thomas Tim Flock Buck Baker Joe Weatherly Ned Jarrett Terry Labonte Red Byron Bill Rexford Rex White Bobby Isaac Benny Parsons Bobby Allison Bill Elliott Rusty Wallace Alan Kulwicki Dale Jarrett Bobby Labonte Matt Kenseth Kurt Busch Brad Keselowski

pole poSitioN 2013

ChAmpioNShipS

7 7 5 4 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

SeASoNS

1964, 1967, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1979 1980, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 1995, 1997, 1998, 2001 1954, 1958, 1959 1966, 1968, 1969 1976, 1977, 1978 1981, 1982, 1985 2002, 2005, 2011 1951, 1953 1952, 1955 1956, 1957 1962, 1963 1961, 1965 1984, 1996 1949 1950 1960 1970 1973 1983 1988 1989 1992 1999 2000 2003 2004 2012

in New Jersey. They employ age-old production techniques, including spinning, etching, silversmithing and polishing. The etching process that creates the flag’s unique checkered pattern requires nearly 80 hours of precision work. The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series trophy is 24 inches tall, 17 inches deep and weighs 27 pounds. Interestingly, the trophy has been presented seven times and Jimmie Johnson has collected five of them. Johnson’s unprecedented string of five consecutive championships came into focus late in 2010 when a photo shoot brought the champ together with his five trophies. “When I walked up to the little shed where they had all five trophies, I mean, it was just staggering to see that in person, know my name is on those five trophies. Very, very cool,” Johnson said.