ROAR! - Weekly Racing Magazine - July 6, 2020

CLIMBING TO THE TOP THE BRICKYARD DOESN’T DISAPPOINT

5 THINGS WE LEARNED AT INDY

KEVIN HARVICK CONTINUES TO MAKE CASE AS MAN TO BEAT IN 2020

JJ SHOULD RECONSIDER RETIREMENT

MATT TIFFT WEIGHS RETURN TO RACING

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BIG WRECKS AND BROKEN HEARTS AT INDY In this week’s episode of Out of the Groove, host and creator Eric Estepp gives us the rundown on the historic weekend of racing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. NASCAR’s brickyard crown jewel event was joined by both Indycar and the Xfinity series over the weekend, with Xfinity stealing the show on the Indy road course in what some have interpreted as a test run for Cup. But how was the actual Cup race? Eric takes us through the standings driver by driver, highlighting the most important takeaways and storylines.

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ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: JULY 6, 2020

Standing out were the myriad of tire issues that sidelined many contenders, but these were balanced out by an incredible top ten lineup that included Cole Custer, Bubba Wallace, and Matt Kenseth.

This was also the first race broadcast of the season on NBC, featuring a much different team of broadcasters and offering a unique TV experience.

How did NBC stack up to FOX, and where did the Cup race fall on Eric’s patented Groovy Gauge?

You’ll have to watch the episode to find out!

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5 LESSONS LEARNED

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LESSONS LEARNED AT INDIANAPOLIS HARVICK’S HOT STREAK CONTINUES Held on July 4 weekend for the first time in its 27-year history, the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway produced no shortage of drama on Sunday evening. Although passing proved difficult as it often does at the flat but fabled 2.5-mile track, the outcome was in doubt until the very end, which featured a green-white-checkered finish on the heels of a crash by race leader Denny Hamlin. Ultimately, it was Kevin Harvick who captured his fourth win of the season and his third at Indy.

Following are five important takeaways.

BY JA RED TURNER

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ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: JULY 6, 2020

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5 LESSONS LEARNED

5

ROOKIE CLASS CONTINUES TO TURN HEADS

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nother race, another stout performance by this year’s crop of standout rookies. So stout were the first-year NASCAR Cup Series drivers on Sunday at Indianapolis that all four came home in the top 15, with Stewart-Haas Racing’s Cole Custer leading the way by posting a careerbest fifth-place finish. “For us, our team, this package has been exactly the opposite of what I am used to driving,” said Custer, who spent the last three seasons in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. “For it to all come together today means a lot. Thanks to all the guys at SHR for bringing great race cars. I am psyched. I am really happy we finally had it all come together. I think it is just that I am getting better with the cars and knowing what to expect when we go to the track.” Next among the rookies at Indy was eighth-place Tyler Reddick, followed by 12th-place Christopher Bell and John Hunter Nemechek in 15th.

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ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: JULY 6, 2020

5 LESSONS LEARNED

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INDIANAPOLIS IS BECOMING KEVIN HARVICK’S PERSONAL PLAYGROUND

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ver a little more than a quarter century of NASCAR at Indianapolis, different drivers have taken turns being dominant at the fabled 2.5-mile speedway. For many years, the driver to beat was Jeff Gordon, who owns a record five wins in the Brickyard 400. Next in line is four-time Brickyard winner Jimmie Johnson, while Tony Stewart and Kyle Busch each have laid claim to a pair of Brickyard trophies. Now slotting in between Johnson and Stewart/Busch on the list of drivers with the most Brickyard 400 wins is Kevin Harvick, who with Sunday’s victory here is now a threetime Brickyard winner. Harvick’s first Indy triumph came in 2003 with Richard Childress Racing. His wins at Indy in each of the past two years have come with Stewart-Haas Racing. “I know how many times we’ve had fast cars here and come out the other end,” Harvick said. “Now to have won it back-to-back, three times, is something that’s a little bit surreal.”

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ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: JULY 6, 2020

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5 LESSONS LEARNED

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MATT KENSETH STILL HAS THE MOJO

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ince coming out of retirement earlier this season to fill the seat left open by the removal of Kyle Larson from the No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet, Matt Kenseth hasn’t been all that impressive.

Sunday at Indianapolis was a different story, however, as the 48-year-old driver nearly pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the season, finishing a close second to Kevin Harvick’s No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford. It was the first top-five finish and only the second top-10 for Kenseth in 12 starts since taking over his current ride. “It was a great day for the 42 team today,” said Kenseth, the 2003 NASCAR Cup Series champ. “It’s always nice to be up front and be in contention late in the race. I tried everything to get to the front but just didn’t have quite enough to get around the No. 4 car. If we had gotten to the lead though, I know we would have been hard to beat.”

ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: JULY 6, 2020

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INDY IS THE BIG MONKEY STILL ON DENNY HAMLIN’S BACK

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ith three victories in the Daytona 500 and a pair of victories in the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, Denny Hamlin clearly knows how to win NASCAR’s “crown jewel” events. Two exceptions still remain, however, for the veteran driver. One is the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, a track where Hamlin is winless in 29 points-paying starts. The other is Indianapolis Motor Speedway — home to NASCAR’s Brickyard 400 — where Hamlin held a comfortable lead with seven laps to go on Sunday before a tire failure sent his No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota abruptly into the outside wall with tremendous force. As a result, Hamlin remains winless at the world-famous speedway, having finished no better than third in 15 starts. After his latest Brickyard disappointment, Hamlin didn’t mince words on Twitter about how the outcome made him feel. “Gutted,” he tweeted. “I’ve been trying to win the Brickyard for so many years.

Come so close. This one hurt on many levels.”

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ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: JULY 6, 2020

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5 LESSONS LEARNED

1

KEVIN HARVICK, DENNY HAMLIN ARE IN A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN

O

f the 12 races held since the NASCAR Cup Series returned from its nearly two-month long hiatus, seven have belonged to either Kevin Harvick (four) or Denny Hamlin (three). The Harvick-Hamlin dominance continued Sunday at Indianapolis where the two drivers battled for the win before Harvick ultimately prevailed when a tire failure sent Hamlin’s race-leading Toyota into the wall with seven laps to go. Later, each of the two drivers bestowed high praise on the other.

“You have to kind of smile about it because it’s two teams performing at a tremendously high level right now,” Harvick said. “It has cycled around to the two of us for several weeks now. I think as you look at that, it definitely makes it fun.” Hamlin agrees. “It’s been a great battle, and those guys are great competitors,” Hamlin said. “The last few weeks, it’s been a head-to-head with me and him. There’s probably not another guy I would rather battle with each and every week.”

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ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: JULY 6, 2020

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JUST SAYIN’ ▶ JIMMIE JOHNSON SHOULD RECONSIDER RETIREMENT PLANS Although not experiencing any ill-effects from the virus, Jimmie Johnson courageously announced prior to Sunday’s Brickyard 400 that he had tested positive for COVID-19.

Unfortunately, Sunday was scheduled to be Johnson’s final start at Indianapolis — a track where he’s a four-time winner. Now, he’s likely to also miss what was supposed to be his final start at Kentucky, his final appearance in the All-Star Race and his next-to-last outing at Texas and Kansas. All of this after missing what was scheduled to be his last race at Sonoma and Chicagoland, two tracks removed from the 2020 schedule because of restrictions related to COVID-19. All this being so, Johnson should really consider returning for one final season in 2021 so he can enjoy a real farewell tour. He simply owes it to himself.

JA RED TURNER ▶ GOODYEAR MUST CORRECT TIRE ISSUES AT INDY Although the multiple tire failures on Sunday didn’t compare to the debacle of 2008 when drivers had to pit every 12 or 13 laps to replace their worn-out rubber, Sunday’s race did bring back some memories of that dark day in Brickyard 400 history 12 years ago. I’m not pointing fingers at anyone here, but before NASCAR comes back to Indy next summer, Goodyear needs to make sure it provides teams with the best compound that the tire manufacturer possibly can. NASCAR simply can’t afford a repeat of what happened here in 2008 — nor should there be as many blowouts as there were on Sunday.

■■ Jimmie Johnson should return for a proper sendoff in 2021.

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▶ TEAM PENSKE CREW MEMBER IS LUCKY TO BE OK By far the scariest moment of Sunday’s race occurred when Ryan Blaney’s rear tire changer, Zach Price, was injured after being struck by a car when several drivers got tangled up together just past the entrance to pit road. The good news was that even while being loaded into an ambulance, Price was smiling and gave those around him a big thumbs-up. He was later treated and released from the hospital but will undergo further evaluation in North Carolina. Let’s all be thankful today that Price is OK. That could have been a tragic situation.

ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: JULY 6, 2020

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ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: JULY 6, 2020

WINS

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4 0 9 13 4 0 9 10 2 1 6 11 2 0 3 7 1 1 7 9 1 0 7 7 1 1 2 8 1 0 2 5 0 0 5 8 0 1 7 9 0 1 3 9 0 0 1 4 0 1 2 5 0 0 0 5 0 0 2 6 0 0 1 4 0 0 4 6 0 0 1 4 0 0 0 3 0 1 3 3 0 0 1 4 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 4 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 BLUE AREAS HIGHLIGHT PLAYOFF QUALIFIERS

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JUSTIN HALEY

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5

BRANDON JONES

383

6

ROSS CHASTAIN

501

7

AUSTIN CINDRIC

495

8

JUSTIN ALLGAIER

434

9

MICHAEL ANNETT

373

10 RYAN SIEG

329

11 RILEY HERBST

298

12 BRANDON BROWN

285

13 MYATT SNIDER

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14 ALEX LABBE

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15 JEREMY CLEMENTS

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16 JOSH WILLIAMS

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ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: JULY 6, 2020

WINS

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179

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177

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174

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170

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12 STEWART FRIESEN

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58

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39

28 BAYLEY CURREY

37

29 CLAY GREENFIELD

32

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31 TYLER HILL

30

32 BRYAN DAUZAT

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33 JASON WHITE

27

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ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: JULY 6, 2020 5/15/2020 8:30:21 AM

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IN THE HOTSEAT

IN THE HOT SEAT Matt Tifft

BY ROB TIONGSON

Throughout the season, Rob Tiongson interviews various drivers in the world of NASCAR. Today, he talks with Matt Tifft, a six-year NASCAR racing veteran. ▶ FIRST OFF, IT’S GREAT TO TALK WITH YOU AGAIN! HOW HAVE YOU BEEN FEELING IN TERMS OF YOUR RECOVERY FROM A SEIZURE LATE LAST YEAR? Luckily, things have been good recently. Hopefully, that continues, but it certainly has been a huge life adjustment from going to the track every weekend to watching it on television. I’ve recently finished doing a huge two-week test to learn more about my brain and seizures, so hopefully that will be something that will give great info to doctors and myself for years to come. ▶ YOU’VE BEEN STRONG AND RESILIENT THROUGHOUT YOUR LIFE AND CAREER. WHAT DRIVES YOU OR MOTIVATES YOU EVEN DURING THE DIFFICULT TIMES? I think the biggest thing is for me it is easy to get down, so the challenge is to stay positive and keep on moving forward. Whether it was medical, professional, or something else in my life I have faced, I just go with the attitude that there is a reason for everything and you can not only learn from it, but make you a stronger person in the end.

But there’s no doubt that this has been extremely difficult. I’ve talked about my openness now of dealing with anxiety and mental situations that I’ve really never had to deal with before, but that is an ever growing process. Luckily, through my wife, friends, family, and therapist, things are getting better, but it’s a process.

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ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: JULY 6, 2020

IN THE HOTSEAT ▶ IN AN INTERVIEW EARLIER THIS YEAR, YOU MENTIONED ABOUT A CROSSROAD DECISION THAT YOU MAY ENCOUNTER. WITH ALL THAT YOU’VE BEEN THROUGH, ARE YOU STILL CONSIDERING THE POSSIBILITY OF RETURNING TO THE DRIVER’S SEAT? I can’t remember exactly what the crossroad decision was at the time, but I can certainly speak to the second part of the question. There is no doubt that I always have racing in the back, and at some points, the forefront of my mind.

It is extremely frustrating at times to see what happened and knowing where things were going when the first episode happened. However, it has opened doors on the other side of being able to help my wife open a business, spend more time at home, and travel as well.

I would love nothing more to return to the driver’s seat.

This is a loaded response though, because first off, I want to return to the driver’s seat of a streetcar. Because of testing and different situations, I haven’t yet been 0 2 8

■■ Matt Tifft has been on the road to recovery since suffering a seizure last year.

cleared to do that. As you can imagine, being a racecar driver makes it extremely tough to not be able to just drive and go get groceries. Uber and Lyft bills certainly get expensive!

When it comes to racing, I don’t have an idea or a timetable on this, at least professionally. The biggest thing with seizures is being able to have them under control for a certain amount of time before certain things are deemed safe. I would say I will make a return in some short track racing or smaller series at some point, but it is too soon to say anything more until we see how all this progresses. With that being said, I really enjoy the business and logistics/sponsor side of NASCAR, as that’s what I spent most of my weeks in between weekends doing trying to secure sponsorship. I would love to work in that side of the industry and be around the garage area in some fashion.

ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: JULY 6, 2020

IN THE HOTSEAT

■■ Matt Tifft last raced in the no. 36 in 2019

▶ YOU’VE BEEN AN INSIGHTFUL AND INCREDIBLE PRESENCE ON SOCIAL MEDIA DURING THE RACING SEASON. WHAT’S PERHAPS ONE STORYLINE THAT’S CAPTIVATED YOUR ATTENTION? It really has been a fun time with that for me on social media, in particular on Twitter. It’s kinda fun when you have no one looking over your shoulder to stand up for something you believe in or want to say.

It also has been really fun to answer questions for fans and give an in depth look as to what us drivers really face in these 0 3 0

ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: JULY 6, 2020

demanding races. I certainly will try to keep this up. Also, I get to share opinions good/bad of current events in NASCAR, whether it’s rule changes, driver’s actions, etc.

To me, the biggest storyline is the last few weeks of unification with our entire garage area.

With all the things going on in the world with COVID-19, the Black Lives Matter movement, and the Confederate flag ban, I think a lot of eyes have been on NASCAR in their response to these events.

While I may not agree with some of our fanbase, I think I have never been prouder of the inclusiveness, support, and forward thinking

Steve Phelps and Steve O’Donnell have shown.

It was truly incredible to see everyone come together as one garage in support of one of our own, no matter the investigation’s finding. Either way, NASCAR gained a lot of positive responses that no one saw coming, or at least I don’t think they did. ▶ HAVING RACED WITH VARIOUS TEAMS OVER THE YEARS, WHO HAVE BEEN SOME OF YOUR MOST MEMORABLE TEAMMATES IN TERMS OF THEIR PERSONALITY OR MANNERISMS? As far as teammates go, I really have to say my favorite was my teammate and owner Ken Schrader. Schrader is just one of the most down-to-earth racers there are. He has been a part of our sport for so long, and just loves going to the racetrack. I think if more racers were like him, it would be an awesome atmosphere.

He was a huge mentor to me, being just 16 or 17 when I raced for him, and was critical when he needed to be, and supportive when needed as well. He could tell a story like none other, and I look back on those years as being some of my favorites spent with those guys. ▶ IF YOU GOT TO HOST A VIRTUAL APPRECIATION DAY FOR YOUR FANS AND SUPPORTERS, WHAT BANDS WOULD YOU INVITE TO THIS ONLINE CONCERT? Ha, that’s a great question. I am all across the board these days when it comes to music.

I would definitely have Zac Brown Band on there though.

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NASCAR COMMUNITY

REDDIT REACTIONS COMPILED BY ROB TIONGSON r/NASCAR . Posted by u//Rector1219

2.4k

Jimmie Johnson has tested positive for Cornavirus

RECTOR1219 SHARED JENNA FRYER’S TWEET ABOUT NEWS THAT HONESTLY SHOCKED the lot of us in NASCAR nation. Jimmie Johnson, who tested positive for COVID-19, is proof that any of us are vulnerable to this ailment. While there’s lots to understand about it, it’s not hard to understand that wearing a mask, washing your hands for at least 20 seconds, and physical distancing are the keys to battling the coronavirus. Here’s to a full recovery for Jimmie and his wife Chandra.

r/NASCAR . Posted by u/Made_Up_Reddit_Name 496

It’s been a joy watching Bernard Pollard, Jr. become a genuine NASCAR fan on Twitter. He’s watched almost every single race since the Confederate flag ban.

SURE, BERNARD POLLARD WAS HEARTBURN TO THE AUTHOR OF THIS SEGMENT, particularly in 2008. However, he’s an awesome new member of the NASCAR community as a passionate fan who constantly asks questions with fans on Twitter during races. Clearly, the progress made since last month have ushered in new faces from all walks of life into the series.

Made_Up_Reddit_Name observed how joyful it is to have Pollard around. 12 years later, I’m glad he’s watching the races with us!

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ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: JULY 6, 2020

NASCAR COMMUNITY

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JUMBOBROWN SHARED A RATHER HOT TAKE ON REDDIT THAT will probably produce more conversations and debates long before the 2021 schedule is released. While fans clamored over Saturday’s stirring race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course layout, should the Cup Series follow suit? Only time will tell with this.

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SURE, HIS MENACING CHARACTER DESTROYED THE JJ ABRAMS’ version of the polarizing USS Enterprise in Star Trek Beyond. Yes, his other character loathed Jim Halpert in The Office during a Season 5 arc.

However, October23rd2077 shared a fun clip of Idris Elba wheeling it at Watkins Glen International in 2013.

ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: JULY 6, 2020

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TWEETSTORM COMPILED BY ROB TIONGSON

▶ It’s always neat for a Hoosier boy to return home to Indiana. And it seemed that Chase Briscoe saw the gleaming candlelight still shining bright through the sycamores for him. Possibly, the newborn hay sent out its fragrance through the fields that Briscoe previously roamed. When he dreamed about the moonlight near the Waban, he longed and won in his Indiana home in one of the most memorable races in recent NASCAR XFINITY Series history. “The Cable Guy” continually delivers!

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ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: JULY 6, 2020

▶ While it had to be tough for Jimmie Johnson to not be in that driver’s seat of his No. 48 Chevrolet, he can take heart that his substitute is one of the hardiest, most passionate racers around in Justin Allgaier. Instead of moping or feeling down, Johnson showcased his class and professionalism with his show of support of Allgaier. As Johnson recovers from COVID-19, we all hope for the seven-time Cup champion to return to full strength in good time.

▶ One of the gems during the pandemic has been Landon Cassill and his passion of virtual racing. This past week, a special iRacing event took place with the FireCracker 400 with the recently released 1987 mod. And who says gamers aren’t racers too? It’s quite excellent stuff to check out!

▶ When Drew Johnson pitched an interesting idea for setting up the starting grid, Brad Keselowski seemed to like it. Essentially, the grid would be set by each driver’s fastest lap from the prior race. While it is unknown when qualifying returns, it seems like a fair idea for the interim.

▶ If NASCAR still hands out the “Goody’s Headache Powder Award,” Alex Bowman definitely deserves it after a tough outing at “The World’s Fastest Half Mile.”

Still, while he lost his chance at a race win in a situation not of his doing, he didn’t relinquish his witty sense of humor.

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NASCAR DEFINED

THE HOUSE OF HARVICK. Driving the Stewart-Haas Racing No. 4 Ford, Kevin Harvick set the pace for 68 of the 161 laps in the Big Machine Hand Sanitizer 400.

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ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: JULY 6, 2020

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NASCAR DEFINED ANOTHER REASON TO CELEBRATE. Crew members for the No. 4 Busch Light Patriotic Ford celebrate after Kevin Harvick raced to his fourth victory of the 2020 season.

HEY HEY HALEY. Justin Haley drives during the NASCAR Xfinity Series Pennzoil 150 at the Brickyard at Indianapolis.

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ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: JULY 6, 2020

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ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: JULY 6, 2020 1/9/20 5:03 PM

NASCAR DEFINED WRONG WAY ON A ONE-WAY. Ryan Blaney spins during the Big Machine Hand Sanitizer 400 Powered by Big Machine Records at Indianapolis.

REAPING THE REWARDS. Chase Briscoe celebrates with a burnout after winning the the NASCAR Xfinity Series Pennzoil 150 at the Brickyard at Indianapolis.

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ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: JULY 6, 2020

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