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REDEMPTION FOR CHASE ELLIOTT In this week’s episode of Out of the Groove, host and creator Eric Estepp takes us through his race review and analysis of the Alsco 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Without a doubt the biggest storyline coming out of the race is the man who took the checkered flag, Chase Elliot, but there’s a lot more going on to this week’s race than just the winner. First up, it was another mid-week race, this one being a Thursday night due to heavy storms in the Charlotte area. On top of the first 24 hour 0 0 4
ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: MAY 29, 2020
delay, there were also several delays due to lightning in the area last night, giving the race an even later start time (albeit with a much shorter race length than the weekend’s Coke 600). How did all of this play out during the show, and how were fans dealing with it at home? Eric has the full breakdown, plus he takes us through the surprising finishing order and new standings. Where does it rank on the Groovy Gauge? You’ll have to watch the episode and find out!
5 THINGS WE LEARNED
5
THINGS WE LEARNED AT CHARLOTTE CHASE ELLIOTT TAKES ALSCO UNIFORM 500K WIN ELLIOTT FINALLY EXORCISES PESKY LATE RACE DEMONS While the waiting is likely the hardest part, as the late Tom Petty once sang, Chase Elliott must have felt like that wait to get into Victory Lane was as laborious as trying to beat Ninja Gaiden on the Nintendo Entertainment System. Although lightning delayed the action, it was the thunder on the track that prevailed. All told, with 16 lead changes among eight different drivers, it was quite the scramble for the Alsco Uniforms 500k. Now, here are the five notable takeaways from this Thursday night special at Charlotte. BY ROB TIONGSON
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ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: MAY 29, 2020
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5 THINGS WE LEARNED
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STENHOUSE AND JTG RACING NAB SOLID TOP-FIVE
W
hen Ricky Stenhouse drove to a third-place finish at Las Vegas earlier in the year, it seemed like the two-time NASCAR XFINITY Series champion and the No. 47 JTG Racing Chevy team were prime for incredible things. However, Stenhouse and his team hit a bit of a snag with finishes of 20th or worse from Fontana through this past Sunday evening’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte. Things finally appeared to head in the right direction for the mullet-wearing wonder as he drove from his 24th starting spot to a fantastic fourth-place finish. This was not a case of parlaying smart pit strategy or lucking into a strong run. Instead, Stenhouse was a consistent, frontrunning racer all evening long as he finished sixth in Stage 1. It is evident that Stenhouse and crew chief Brian Pattie have what it takes to mix it up at the front when it all comes together.
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5 THINGS WE LEARNED
4
KURT BUSCH KEEPS WITH CONSISTENT STRONG FINISHES
O
ther than few hiccups in the early going of 2020, Kurt Busch and his No. 1 Monster Energy Chevy Camaro seem to be constant fixtures at the front of the pack. Despite starting 14th for Thursday night’s race, Busch’s car seemed to be stronger in long runs as opposed to his showing in the Coca-Cola 600, a race in which he managed to place seventh. Steady, quiet, and smooth as the race progressed, Busch kept the consistency going with an eighth-place finish in Stage 1 and a sixth-place result in Stage 2. Sure, finishing in fifth at Charlotte Motor Speedway may not seem exciting. However, as the saying that defense wins championships still proves true in the stick and ball sports, the same can be said about consistency being a key element in NASCAR. Kurt Busch and Chip Ganassi Racing have what it takes to score multiple wins in 2020.
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5 THINGS WE LEARNED
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AUSTIN DILLON TURNS UP WICK WITH TOP-10
ometimes, reuniting the old band can produce some memorable new tunes. That may be the case with Austin Dillon and crew chief Justin Alexander. Together, this duo won a few crown jewel races such as the 2017 Coca-Cola 600 and the 2018 Daytona 500 to finish 11th and 13th in the final points tally. With Dillon and Alexander reunited for this season, it seems like both are like close friends who can complete each other’s sentences or thoughts. A fourth at Las Vegas and 11th in the Real Heroes 400 at Darlington Raceway were merely the coming attractions for their Charlotte races. While Dillon finished 14th in the Coca-Cola 600, he finished inside the top-10 in that race’s first three stages. During Thursday night’s Alsco Uniforms 500, Dillon reeled off seventh-place results in the first two stages before logging an eighthplace finish, good enough for 15th in the points standings.
ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: MAY 29, 2020
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5 THINGS WE LEARNED
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BLANEY CAPS OFF CHARLOTTE DOUBLE WITH THIRD
f Ryan Blaney had to finish third in every race for the rest of this season, he would probably accept such a condition, especially if it netted him this year’s NASCAR Cup Series championship. All told, the man who led the points standings in the early portion of the year has returned to his frontrunning form. Once he and crew chief Todd Gordon eliminated the cobwebs from their Darlington outings, the Charlotte double treated this still new combination quite kindly. After placing third in the Coca-Cola 600, Blaney and his No. 12 Team Penske comrades returned to the 1.5-mile Charlotte Motor Speedway with another fast Ford Mustang from their fleet. Driving from the 18th starting spot, Blaney tallied serious stage points with runner-up finishes in the first two stages. In the final stage, Blaney kept a steady presence near the front of the pack to place third again at Charlotte.
ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: MAY 29, 2020
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5 THINGS WE LEARNED
1
ELLIOTT FINALLY NABS FIRST WIN OF 2020
Y
ou cannot blame Chase Elliott and Alan Gustafson if they felt a bit nervous when they were leading with just two to go in the Alsco Uniforms 500k at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Despite this being a shorter race, it seemed like déjà vu for the No. 9 team. While Elliott only led for one stint, it was the most important one as he led the final 28 laps. It was quite the moment of redemption for Elliott after his heartbreaking Coca-Cola 600 defeat. Keeping pace with the frontrunners all evening long, Elliott caught Kevin Harvick, who seemed like the man to beat. As Harvick’s car struggled to maintain long run speed, Elliott’s Camaro seemed like it ran on rails. Also, this was quite the moment for Gustafson after the conundrum he encountered last Sunday night. With one win in the books, how many more victories can Elliott capture this year?
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ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: MAY 29, 2020
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RECAPPING JIMMIE JOHNSON’S NASCAR CAREER
■■ Jimmie Johnson relinquished the lead to Carl Edwards on the final lap in a win at Kansas in 2008.
JIMMIE JOHNSON OUTLASTS EDWARDS’ HAIL MARY ATTEMPT AT KANSAS IN 2008 BY JA RED TURNER
O
ne of the most exciting wins of Jimmie Johnson’s amazing career to date came at Kansas Speedway on September 28, 2008. On this particular day, however, it wasn’t Johnson who made the finish so exciting; it was Carl Edwards, the driver who tried — unsuccessfully — to outduel him. With Johnson holding a semi-comfortable lead heading down the backstretch on the final lap, Edwards quite literally went for broke in turns 3 and 4 as he dove to Johnson’s inside and appeared to never lift off the throttle. It was the kind of bonsai move you might see in some kind of racing movie, but Johnson admittedly wasn’t too surprised, even as Edwards grabbed the lead for a brief moment before his No. 99 Ford drifted up the track and into the wall. “You know, in the off-road ranks, stadium trucks and stuff, slide job was a common move, kind of like dirt ovals,” said Johnson, who led a race-high 124 laps from the pole to secure his 38th win in
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NASCAR’s premier division. “To be honest, I was cruising down the backstretch, had a decent lead. I knew he would go to the bottom. My concern was just making sure I was at his quarter panel coming off of Turn 2. So I was thinking through what I needed to do. “Next thing you know, that car goes flying by. I knew instantly, there was no damn way he’s making the turn.” Johnson — ever the picture of poise behind the wheel — regained the lead as Edwards began to lose control. “Just stayed on the brake, tried to get redirected and turned down,” Johnson said. “I was so in awe of how fast he drove it in. I watched him pound the wall and jump back on the gas. I thought, ‘Man, he’s serious about this win; I better get back on the gas myself.’ Got off the turn well and got back to the start/finish.”
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IN THE HOTSEAT
IN THE HOT SEAT
Mark Martin BY ROB TIONGSON
During the season, Rob Tiongson interviews various drivers in the world of NASCAR. Today, as a preview for an upcoming special series, he talks with NASCAR Hall of Fame racer Mark Martin. ▶ ONE OF THE UNIQUE THINGS ABOUT YOUR DRIVING STYLE IS HOW YOU HELD THE STEERING WHEEL WITH YOUR HANDS TOGETHER ON THE SAME SIDE WHEN YOU’RE IN A CORNER. WHAT’S THE BACKGROUND STORY WITH YOUR DRIVING STYLE? Well, the seats weren’t as supportive as they are today. The restraint systems weren’t what they are today. Back in the 1990s, we ran a lot slower steering boxes, so you’d turn the wheel a lot further. There were certain advantages for me using that grip and it held me in the seat. I ran my cars really loose. Whenever the back end would break loose, I wouldn’t have to loop my hands on the wheel. I could turn right and catch the back end without having to move my hands. That’s just the way I liked to drive. It supported me and it held me down in the seat the way I wanted to be. And I was able to make quick responses catching the back end of the car. ▶ WHO WERE SOME DRIVERS THAT YOU WERE REALLY CLOSE FRIENDS WITH IN THE NASCAR SCENE DURING THE 1990S? Ernie Irvan and I were really good friends. That’s really who I hung around with. I got along with a lot of the drivers really well. Davey Allison was really cool. I got along with a lot of the good, great ones. Rusty Wallace and I got along really well. When it came right down to personal hanging out time, Ernie was the guy that I liked to hang out with. The others were fun and friendly to hang out with. But my relationship with Ernie was really special.
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OWNER SPOTLIGHT
IN SEARCH OF RACING SUCCESS DAVEY ALLISON WAS ALSO A NASCAR TEAM OWNER BY BEN WHITE
■■ Davey Allison fielded his own Xfinity and ARCA Series teams.
OWNER: DAVEY ALLISON MANUFACTURER: FORD, BUICK, CHEVROLET SERIES: XFINITY & ARCA SERIES
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D
avey Allison, driver of the No. 28 Robert Yates Racing Ford, enjoyed a Cup Series career spanning 8 ½ seasons from 1985 through 1993. The Hollywood, Fla.. native won 19 Cup races before his untimely death on July 13, 1993, as a result of a helicopter accident while attempting to land in the infield at Talladega Superspeedway. Today’s fans of NASCAR’s premier series may not realize the 1992 Daytona 500 winner fielded his own Xfinity Series and ARCA Series teams out of the Allison Racing shops in Hueytown, Ala. It was where his father, 1983 Cup Series champion and fellow Hall of Famer Bobby Allison, built and raced his own Cup cars in the 1960s and 1970s. While driving in the Cup Series for Yates, Davey also wheeled his own then Busch Series Fords, Buicks and
ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: MAY 29, 2020
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OWNER SPOTLIGHT Chevrolets in select events, carrying the same familiar black and fluorescent orange colors he made so famous on the Winston Cup circuit. All told, Davey logged 61 starts in his own cars, logging no wins, 15 topfives and 31 top-10s during 10 years of competition. He also entered 25 races for Bobby Allison Racing, Sadler Brothers Racing and Ed Whitaker Racing for a total of 86 career entries. During a successful career in what is now the NASCAR Menard’s ARCA Series, Davey logged seven victories from 1983 through 1985, all coming on superspeedways at Talladega and Atlanta except for one victory on the short track at Macon, Ga., in 1984. Three victories were logged for Davey Allison Racing, two for his father’s team, and two for team owner Bill Collins. Those victories proved his talent and set the stage to drive in the Cup Series early in his career for team owners Hoss Ellington, Junior Johnson and Harry Ranier. When Ranier sold his team to Yates 0 2 4
■■ Davey Allison fielded his own Xfinity and ARCA Series teams.
in 1989, Davey remained there until his death in July of 1993. When asked in late 1992 at Charlotte Motor Speedway if he would ever elevate his then Busch Series team to what was then known as the Winston Cup Series, Davey had no desire to make the move. “No, I really don’t see that happening,” Davey said. “I enjoy fielding a team on a part-time basis in the Busch Series but have no desire to take that any further. I’ve seen through my Dad’s efforts as a Winston Cup team owner and Robert Yates current efforts how challenging that can be. It’s so competitive to field a Cup team. I have absolutely no plans to field a team at the Cup level. As far as I’m concerned, I’ll finish my Cup career with Robert Yates Racing, however long that will be.”
ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: MAY 29, 2020
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DRIVER Q&A
A LITTLE LUCK REQUESTED
XFINITY SERIES UP-AND-COMER HAS HIGH EXPECTATIONS WITH JD MOTORSPORTS BY JOSEPH WOLK IN
In Jesse Little’s rookie season in the XFINITY Series, he isn’t shy about his expectations. The son of former Cup Series racer Chad Little is ready to make a name for himself, competing full-time for JD Motorsports in 2020 with plenty of goals to reach. ▶ WHAT’S IT BEEN LIKE TO START YOUR JOURNEY WITH JD MOTORSPORTS? “It was great to start off with. We learned a lot and we were growing a lot as a team. We hit the pause button for a while. It’s unique and almost like another offseason after barely getting the season started. I’m excited to keep going.” ▶ WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS THIS YEAR? “I want to get the most out of the car that I can in every race with the equipment that Brian Berry and Johnny Davis can provide me. I think we have a shot at making the playoffs. The 12th spot could be ours if we play our cards right. If we’re cautiously aggressive throughout the season, I think it’s a great goal.” ▶ HOW DO YOU COMPARE YOURSELF TO ROSS CHASTAIN TO SEE HOW YOU CAN GET THE MOST OUT OF THIS CAR? “That’s my game plan. I’m modeling every bit I can after Ross in the sense of getting the most out of this and doing my best to make the playoffs. I want to turn heads. I’m going to racetracks that I’ve 0 2 6
ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: MAY 29, 2020
■■ Jesse Little races in the XFINITY Series for JD Motorsports.
never been to this year, like Darlington, and my first laps will be at the wave of the green flag. It’s a complete unknown to me.” ▶ HOW DIFFERENT IS IT TO BE ABLE TO FOCUS ON RACING RATHER THAN THE OWNERSHIP SIDE? “When my uncle and I had our truck team, I was wearing a lot of different hats. It didn’t take away from driving, but it did make it harder to focus on that. Now, with the XFINITY stuff, it’s allowed me to channel my attention to being a better driver.”
CREW MEMBER PROFILE
BORN TO BE A RACER PLOURDE HAS KNOWN NOTHING BUT GOING FAST BY BEN WHITE
B
illy Plourde, car chief for Germain Racing and driver Ty Dillion, grew up in a family of racers that took to the track in his native state of New Hampshire. “I’ve been going to races since I was a baby,” Plourde said. “The first race I remember was when my Dad raced at Lee (USA) Speedway in New Hampshire. The first NASCAR event I saw in person was at New Hampshire Motor Speedway the year it opened in 1993.” Plourde built his career in Street Stocks, Late Models, Pro Stocks and some Canadian stock car events. He admittedly ate and slept racing and wanted desperately to race but knew making a living as a seasonal driver would be difficult. Plourde sold his house and brought his family to North Carolina in hopes of finding a job in NASCAR. His first job came with a car dealership as a mechanical technician while putting resumes out to Cup Series and Xfinity Series teams. Within the first two months, a job came his way from someone at Joe Gibbs Racing that once raced against him in New Hampshire. An interview led to a job of setting up car chassis for the organization in 2004. Over the years, Plourde worked as a front end mechanic and tire carrier and also joined H Scott Motorsports, Robby Gordon Racing and JR Motorsports before becoming a car chief at Germain Racing in 2010. “Basically, Matt Borland, our crew chief, handles the driver while I handle the crew and the car,” Plourde said. “I oversee the set up the on the car, whether I do it myself or have someone on the crew do it.”
■■ Billy Plourde, car chief for Germain Racing and Ty Dillon
EXTRA LAPS WITH BILLY PLOURDE RELATIONSHIP: SINGLE CHILDREN: CASSANDRA (26), SAMANTHA (18) HOMETOWN: BARRINGTON, N.H. FAVORITE VACATION SPOT: BAHAMAS FAVORITE HOLIDAY: CHRISTMAS FAVORITE SEASON: FALL FAVORITE TV SHOW: SEINFELD FAVORITE MOVIE: DAYS OF THUNDER FAVORITE MUSIC: COUNTRY
What I enjoy most is being hands on and being involved in the mechanical side of the process. I also enjoy the people management side of it as well as the competition side of it and trying to find an edge. -BILLY PLOURDE 0 2 8
ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: MAY 29, 2020
BY THE NUMBER
13
BY THE NUMBER
CAR NO. BY K EITH WA LTZ
M
any old-school racers had a deeprooted superstition about peanuts in the pit area, green race cars and the No. 13. Therefore, it’s no surprise that NASCAR Cup Series cars sporting No. 13 have been few and far between through the years with a majority of the starts made by cars with that number coming during the last decade. Germain Racing has been the caretaker of No. 13 since its Cup Series debut in 2009 with Germain drivers Casey
■■ 2019 – Ty Dillon (Getty Images photo)
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ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: MAY 29, 2020
■■ 1963 – Johnny Rutherford (Motorsports Images and Archives photo)
Mears (227), Ty Dillion (113) and Max Papis (33) leading the list of those who have raced cars sporting the number. Overall statistics show that cars carrying No. 13 in the NASCAR Cup Series have visited Victory Lane just once while posting 36 top-10 finishes in only 618 starts. Pat Kirkwood, of Ft. Worth, Texas, was the first to brush aside the superstition when he used No. 13 on the 1949 Oldsmobile he drove to a 29th-place finish in series race No. 4 on Sept. 11, 1949, at Pennsylvania’s legendary Langhorne Speedway. Johnny Rutherford, who would eventually record three Indianapolis 500 victories, is the only driver to win a NASCAR Cup Series race in car No. 13. That triumph came on Feb. 22, 1963, when Rutherford wheeled Smokey Yunick’s Chevrolet to victory in a 100-mile qualifying race for the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway.
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NASCAR STANDINGS
NASCAR CUP SERIES
STANDINGS
START RUN STORE
NO. DRIVER
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PTS.
1
JOEY LOGANO
317
2
DENNY HAMLIN
244
3
KEVIN HARVICK
331
4
CHASE ELLIOTT
290
5
ALEX BOWMAN
288
6
BRAD KESELOWSKI
265
7
RYAN BLANEY
264
8
MARTIN TRUEX JR.
263
9
ARIC ALMIROLA
225
10 KURT BUSCH
223
11 MATT DIBENEDETTO
220
12 KYLE BUSCH
217
13 ERIK JONES
193
14 CLINT BOWYER
192
15 AUSTIN DILLON
190
16 JIMMIE JOHNSON
188
17 TYLER REDDICK
185
18 WILLIAM BYRON
183
19 CHRIS BUESCHER
164
20 RICKY STENHOUSE JR.
152
21 JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK 141 22 COLE CUSTER
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138
23 BUBBA WALLACE
127
24 TY DILLON
126
25 MICHAEL MCDOWELL
125
26 COREY LAJOIE
119
27 RYAN NEWMAN
114
28 CHRISTOPHER BELL
111
29 RYAN PREECE
76
30 MATT KENSETH
61
31 BRENNAN POOLE
59
32 QUIN HOUFF
30
33 KYLE LARSON
121
WINS
POLES
TOP 5
TOP 10
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NO. DRIVER
1
CHASE BRISCOE
251
2
HARRISON BURTON
234
3
NOAH GRAGSON
232
4
BRANDON JONES
186
5
AUSTIN CINDRIC
243
6
ROSS CHASTAIN
239
7
JUSTIN ALLGAIER
218
8
RYAN SIEG
192
9
JUSTIN HALEY
186
10 MICHAEL ANNETT
169
11 RILEY HERBST
160
12 BRANDON BROWN
144
13 ALEX LABBE
128
14 JOSH WILLIAMS
127
15 MYATT SNIDER
108
16 B.J. MCLEOD
100
17 CHAD FINCHUM
91
18 JESSE LITTLE
89
19 VINNIE MILLER
86
20 JEREMY CLEMENTS
75
21 JOE GRAF JR.
66
22 DANIEL HEMRIC
135
23 RAY BLACK JR.
92
24 DAVID STARR
59
25 TOMMY JOE MARTINS
57
26 ANTHONY ALFREDO
54
27 J.J. YELEY
52
28 DILLON BASSETT
43
29 MATT MILLS
38
30 JEB BURTON
32
31 MASON MASSEY
31
32 JEFFREY EARNHARDT
26
33 JOSH BILICKI
24
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ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: MAY 29, 2020
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ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: MAY 29, 2020
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CHASE ELLIOTT THE FUTURE CHAMPION? This week, popular YouTuber and streamer Rusty Walrus is back outside in his car for another fast reaction to last night’s race, and with so much hype behind Chase Elliot’s cathartic victory in Charlotte, Rusty definitely has plenty to say about what happened. After everything that’s happened to Chase this year, Rusty takes us through why his victory means so much, not just to the No. 9 team, but to the NASCAR fanbase as a whole. 0 3 8
Chase Elliot is certainly NASCAR’s most popular driver, and with that comes a heavy burden of expectations. But that’s not all, Rusty also has his piece to add to the debate over race length. Was the action last night better compared to Sunday’s action because of the number of laps, or was there something else at play? Check out this week’s episode and find out what Rusty has to say.
ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: MAY 29, 2020
10 TOUGH TRUCK TITLE CONTENDERS
■■ Matt Crafton has three Truck Series championships to his name.
BY ROB TIONGSON
W
hile only three NASCAR Gander RV and Outdoor Truck Series races are in the books, it’s never too early to consider the early title contenders. Sure, there’s the usual favorites who’ll dabble for race wins from other divisions, but this is about the full-time drivers whose main focus is hoisting the Truck Series championship trophy following the season finale at Phoenix Raceway. Although 24 drivers have scored points in the three races completed thus far, three of those racers previously won the series title. Certainly, Matt Crafton, Brett Moffitt, and Johnny Sauter, winners of three of the past four Truck Series championships, can make serious bids for Truck Series glory. After all, they’ve got the experience, determination, and the excellent personnel and equipment from their longestablished teams. Then again, there are plenty of young, enthusiastic challengers who are ready to make names for themselves like Austin Hill, Ben Rhodes, Sheldon Creed, Christian Eckes, and
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ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: MAY 29, 2020
Tyler Ankrum. Tenacious, gritty, and bold, some of these racers view their current Truck Series rides as their audition for the prestigious NASCAR Cup Series. Regardless if this is a driver’s full-time focus or a proving ground series, there are at least 13 more races in which the proven champions and raw, fresh faces duke it out for wins, a spot in this year’s Playoffs, and a spot on the podium to hoist their prized reward, a testament to their consistency and aggression in one of racing’s most action-packed series. Before the Truck Series heads to Atlanta Motor Speedway for Round 4 of this relatively new season, let us consider the 10 drivers who can be dubbed as “Tough Truck Title Contenders.”
10 TOUGH TRUCK TITLE CONTENDERS
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1
Matt Crafton - When anybody thinks about the Truck Series,
Matt Crafton is likely one of the first drivers that comes to mind. After all, he’s competed full-time in this division for the past 20 years with three championships, 14 race wins, 117 top-fives and 274 top-10s. Moreover, Crafton and his No. 88 Menards ThorSport Racing team are efficient at being sneaky good when it really counts. While most eyes were on Ross Chastain, Brett Moffitt, and Stewart Friesen, few kept their focus on Crafton in last year’s season finale. Once the checkered flag waved, it was the pride of Tulare, Calif. who stood tall with his team.
2
Brett Moffitt –
Fully recovered from a motocross accident just a few months ago, 27-year-old Brett Moffitt appears set for another run at the Truck Series championship. Coming off a terrific fourth-place finish at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the Grimes, Iowa native possesses a Jack Sprague-like intensity, and not just because he sports that infamous Mr. Pringles mustache. Also, he competed in the IceBox Pickup Throwdown Series with some of his Truck Series competitors. Before thinking this series was just a virtual dress rehearsal for on-track racing, consider that Moffitt raced these events with his patented style of flat out, no holds barred intensity.
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ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: MAY 29, 2020
■■ Breff Moffitt will look to repeat his 2018 success.
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3
Johnny Sauter – It seems like it’s either checkers or
wreckers for Johnny Sauter, the 2016 Truck Series champion. However, when Sauter’s got momentum on his side, it’s hard to knock him off the good luck express. Consistent and steady with the wheel, at least for the most part, the 42-year-old’s average points standings finish since 2016 is 3.4. Not to mention, he’s got 24 wins and has been a staying power in this series since 2009.
4
Stewart Friesen
– Simply put, Stewart Friesen is more than just “best in class” when it comes to a Truck Series regular searching for their first championship. Hailing from Niagra-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada, the 36-year-old is coming off his best season in this series. On the heels of a campaign that saw Friesen score two wins, 12 top-five results, and 16 top-10s, Friesen has the makings to be a serious Truck Series title threat this year. It’d be foolish to dismiss the Canadian even if he’s in his first season in Toyota sheet metal after racing with the Bowtie Brigade for the past four years. While he’s strong in the short tracks, he’s shown some skills that pays the bills on the superspeedways in recent years.
ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: MAY 29, 2020
5
Grant Enfinger
– The man whose last name rhymes with a famous James Bond villain, Grant Enfinger is a throwback racer who’s built for NASCAR’s finest superspeedways. Scoring his first Truck Series win at Talladega in 2016, the Alabamian kicked off this season with a thrilling victory at Daytona. However, he’s had some tough results in the past two races with a 31st at Las Vegas and a 12th at Charlotte. Although consistency sometimes eludes the 2015 ARCA Menards Series champion, he is incredibly talented and seems to find ways to rally to a top-10 finish at some of the more technical tracks, something to watch as this season progresses.
10 TOUGH TRUCK TITLE CONTENDERS
6
Austin Hill – Following a terrific 2019
campaign resulting in four wins, seven top-fives and 13 top-10s, Austin Hill would love to improve on his fifth-place points finish. Presently, the 26-year-old Georgian is making a great case to contend for the Truck Series title with a sixth at Daytona, third at Las Vegas, and ninth at Charlotte. Hill’s more than lover of a factor of three as he holds the points lead. Not to mention, he drives for Hattori Racing, the team that won the 2018 Truck championship with then driver Brett Moffitt. Certainly, Hill is quite adept at a plethora of the Truck Series tracks as he’s not afraid to mix it up on the short tracks and superspeedways.
8
Christian Eckes – Fresh
off his 2019 ARCA Menards Series championship, 19-year-old Christian Eckes might be competing in his first full-time Truck Series campaign. Be that as it may, Eckes is a smooth, steady racer who has an Erik Jones-like quiet sense of confidence. Making some noise in the recently concluded IceBox Pickup Throwdown Series, Eckes works with Rudy Fugle, considered one of the best crew chiefs in NASCAR. Once the series heads to the high speed, intermediate venues, look for Eckes to make noise and a formidable case for this year’s title fight.
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7
Rhodes isn’t afraid to speak out and let his competitors know how he feels after an on-track tussle. However, 2014 ARCA Menards East champion is a relentless, fearless driver who leads his fair share of laps during the season. With wins at Las Vegas and Kentucky, the 23-year-old is a raw but highly talented racer with a great team led by crew chief Matt Noyce. Finishing ninth or better in the past three years, there’s still plenty of upside for Rhodes as a legitimate contender for the Truck championship.
■■ Christian Eckes is competing in his first Truck Series campaign.
ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: MAY 29, 2020
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10 TOUGH TRUCK TITLE CONTENDERS
9
Tyler Ankrum – Young and confident, Tyler Ankrum drove
his way to one of the most emotional wins in the Truck Series last year at Kentucky. Placing eighth in the final points tally, the San Bernardino, Calif. native joins the famed GMS Racing team for this year. Naturally, it’s taking some time for Ankrum to get acclimated with his new surroundings with a pair of top-15s at Las Vegas and Charlotte. Make no mistake that Ankrum and his team can right the ship as this season progresses into the long hot summer.
10
Sheldon Creed – Last but not least, Sheldon Creed
and the No. 2 GMS Racing Chevy team look to improve on their 10th-place points finish in 2019. Logging three top-10s to start this season, including a fifth at Charlotte, the 22-year-old has the makings to be a NASCAR superstar if he can make a serious run at the Truck Series championship. Racing for one of the most consistent, frontrunning teams in this division certainly helps. Ultimately, it may be a case noted by Eminem also known as Slim Shady when it comes to this driver. Won’t the real Sheldon Creed please stand up?
■■ Sheldon Creed started the season with 3 Top-10 finshes.
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ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: MAY 29, 2020
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MEDIA RELEASE
STEWART-HAAS RACING’S PARTNERSHIP WITH NOVANT HEALTH TAKES FLIGHT WITH ZIPLINE MEDI A RELE A SE
W
orking in extreme conditions where the clock is always ticking, Stewart-Haas Racing is well-versed in delivering under the most intense circumstances. The championship-winning NASCAR team has put its experience to good use during the COVID-19 pandemic, partnering with Novant Health to deliver 20 million face masks and produce 120 ICU webcam carts. Novant Health has launched an emergency drone logistics operation for hospital pandemic response through a partnership with Zipline, the world’s only national-scale, ondemand drone logistics service, which will provide drone flight services. Stewart-Haas Racing is providing 25,000-squarefeet of property adjacent to its Kannapolis campus for Zipline to deliver medical supplies via its fleet of drones to Novant Health’s integrated system of physician practices, hospitals and outpatient centers.
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ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: MAY 29, 2020
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) granted Novant Health a Part 107 waiver to begin operation, which is being initiated as part of the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s (NCDOT) Unmanned Aircraft System Integration Pilot Program (IPP). The operation provides contactless distribution of personal protective equipment and critical medical supplies to frontline healthcare workers in the Charlotte, North Carolina, metro area. The operation helps position Novant Health, which operates 15 hospitals and nearly 700 locations in the southeastern United States, to adapt quickly to the evolving pandemic and could lead to such innovative uses as testing, drug trials and vaccine distribution in the future. The groundbreaking operation will provide ongoing drone logistics flights in Class-D controlled airspace,
where all air traffic is actively managed by the FAA under a Part 107 waiver issued to a major U.S. healthcare system. True to its roots, North Carolina is once again “First in Flight.” “This new part of our relationship with Stewart-Haas Racing has – quite literally – taken our logistics operations to new heights,” said Mark Welch, senior vice president of supply chain, Novant Health. “Once again, SHR stepped up when we had a need in response to this pandemic by providing us the critical space to create our distribution center. This operation is taking Novant Health logistics to the next level and we could not do it without the assistance of Stewart-Haas Racing.” The operation uses battery-powered drones with autonomous navigation systems which launch from a distribution center near Stewart-Haas Racing. Novant Health is able to move its products efficiently from this hub to its frontline medical teams powered by Zipline’s long-range, fixed-wing drones. Since 2016, Zipline has used its fleet of drones to deliver 110,000 vaccines, units of blood and
critical medications internationally. “As soon as we heard about the initiative Novant Health had with Zipline, our only question was, ‘How can we help?’,” said Mike Verlander, vice president of sales and marketing, Stewart-Haas Racing. “Finding a tract of land that could be used for the distribution center was paramount, and Gene Haas, the co-owner of our race team, had the perfect spot right behind our race shop. He cut through all the red tape and dirt was quickly moved. We helped with logistical coordination during the build and have seen firsthand the work of the Zipline crew and the efficiency of the distribution center and the technology it houses. It’s all very impressive.” In the span of a few minutes, a lightweight drone takes off from Novant Health’s distribution center, with the package placed inside a parachute in the belly of the Zipline drone. When the drone reaches its destination, it simply drops the parachute and the healthcare worker collects it. The drone then returns to the distribution center to get outfitted for its next flight. 0 5 1
OFFICIAL NASCAR MEMBERS CLUB Q&A
WORTH THE WAIT: TEXAS WOMAN REAPS REWARDS OF ONMC MEMBERSHIP BY DA N GUT TENPL A N
P
atti Avella, 64, has been a NASCAR fans since the 1970s when she grew up in Texas rooting for Darrell Waltrip. She’s attended races at 13 tracks over the years, and she typically shares the experience with family or friends. The one thing her guests never understood: how she can wait in line for hours to get autographs from her favorite drivers. “I’d bring people who’d never been,” Avella said. “I’d want to stand in line, and they’d say, ‘How can you wait in line for hours just to get a signature? This is ridiculous.’ I like to do it.” The lines haven’t been quite as long for Avella since she joined the Original NASCAR Members Club in 2012. The longtime racing fan shares her ONMC experience with ROAR in a recent interview.
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▶ WHAT DREW YOU TO THE SPORT OF NASCAR? “I just like racing. In the early ‘70s, I used to go to quarter miles. Then I started to get more into the NASCAR scene.” ▶ WHICH DRIVERS HAVE YOU ROOTED FOR? “In the 1970s, it was Darrell Waltrip. In the 1980s, I liked the Labontes and those Texas boys. I ended up buying a Toyota in the 2000s. I always had Chevys, but once I bought a Toyota, I thought I’ll take the Rookie of the Year. So, I’m with Denny Hamlin.” ▶ WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO JOIN THE ORIGINAL NASCAR MEMBERS CLUB? “I ordered something and it asked if I’d like to join. Right away, I got a chance to go on the infield and ride the pace car. I’ve always gotten pit passes; I’ve been to 13 tracks. This gave me more opportunities to get up close.” ▶ WHICH ARE YOUR FAVORITE TRACKS? “I live in Texas now, but I lived in Florida, Connecticut and Virigina as well. My first race was at Daytona. I went to Daytona no matter what when I lived in Florida. I went to Atlanta, Richmond, Darlington … I never went to Martinsville. I’m trying to get to all of them. I want to go to the Poconos this year, but I don’t know if the race will be on.” ▶ WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BIGGEST PERKS YOU’VE EXPERIENCED AS A PART OF YOUR ONMC MEMBERSHIP? “I took my future son-in-law to a race in Las Vegas. He had a great experience. My daughter got us tickets to Bristol. I told them my goal is to hit every track. I’m almost 65, but I’ll do it. There’s even more motivation now that my friend in the club can take us to the pits.”
ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: MAY 29, 2020
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