NASCAR Pole Position | June-July

BEHIND THE SCENES LIVE FAST MOTORSPORTS

SOCIAL-MEDIA SENSATIONS

FOR THE RECORD

BOBBY ALLISON

UP-AND-COMER PARKER RETZLAFF

Q & A S

CHRISTIAN ECKES

B.J. MCLEOD SAMMY SMITH

The Spotter-Driver Dynamic Friendship fuels Joey Logano and Coleman Pressley’s success on the race track. P. 28

NASCAR Fan Rewards

Read this article and earn points toward prizes, autographed merchandise and tickets. P. 16

FAST RUNS IN THE FAMILY

Congrats to Christopher Bell and the entire #20 Rheem® Racing Team on an amazing Top 3 finish in the 2022 season championship. Here’s to a successful 2023. Whether it’s Christopher on the track, or our products delivering quick installations and rapid energy savings in homes and businesses everywhere, at Rheem, fast runs in the family.

HIGH PERFORMANCE

ON THE RACE TRACK, AND IN YOUR HOME

State Water Heaters is excited to partner with Jeb Burton on the race track and the whole Burton family on their outdoor TV show Crossroads with the Burtons. Just like Jeb Burton knows the value of high performing equipment on the track, we know the importance of high performing equipment in your home. Our ProLine® water heaters are designed to provide tough, commercialgrade performance that your family can rely on.

Jeb Burton

No. 27 State Water Heaters Chevrolet Camaro

MY FAVORITE WITH Harrison Burton

Harrison Burton is determined to take Wood Brothers Racing back to Victory Lane. The son of former NASCAR driver Jeff Burton is in his sophomore season of driving the team’s famed No. 21 Ford Mustang in the NASCAR Cup Series. Away from the track, the 22-year-old racer enjoys chicken parm and Rocky movies.

BY JOSEPH WOLKIN

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MOVIE?

ROCKY IV BECAUSE I used to watch the Rocky marathons that always came on TV with my dad. That was always my favorite as a little kid

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE WORKOUT?

I ENJOY A LONG jog, like a nice 7- to 8-mile run.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FOOD?

CHICKEN parmesan. I got hooked on it early because my mom has always made really good chicken parmesan!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PIECE OF RACING MEMORABILIA?

PROBABLY MY dad’s die-cast of the old Bruce Lee car he ran when they raced overseas. He had a Bruce Lee paint scheme and it’s a sweet die-cast.

IF THERE WAS A MOVIE MADE ABOUT NASCAR, WHO WOULD PLAY YOU?

I WOULD PICK TOM Cruise. He did a good job with Days of Thunder, but outside of the racing connection, we have no similarities.

WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE ATHLETE OUTSIDE OF RACING?

PROBABLY STEVE Smith. He used to be a wide receiver for the Carolina Panthers and was an absolute beast.

COLLECTOR SPOTLIGHT

ADAM WHITE

Adam White – a 38-year-old NASCAR fan in the Baltimore, Maryland, area – has spent more than 15 years and a lot of money building an impressive collection of NASCAR die-casts. White, who became a collector in 2007, owns “hundreds and hundreds” of die-casts valued at what he estimates to be more than $250,000.

“My goal is to one day have everything displayed as well as cataloged and insured,” White said. “I love racing, and I have enjoyed collecting all of these precious gems over the years.”

Here are five of White’s favorite die-casts:

This is an autographed replica of the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet that Jimmie Johnson raced to his recordtying seventh and final NASCAR Cup Series championship in November 2016 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Johnson won both the race and the championship, leading only the final three laps of the race.

This is the No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Toyota that Martin Truex Jr. wheeled to his first and only NASCAR Cup Series championship in November 2017 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, where he captured both the race win and the title. This raced version of the car is signed by Truex and crew chief Cole Pearn.

This is the raced version of the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota that Kyle Busch drove to his 200th NASCAR national series win on March 17, 2019, at Southern California’s Auto Club Speedway – the same track where Busch earned his first NASCAR Cup Series win as a series rookie in 2005.

Series champion and all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins leader Richard Petty, drove in his 1,184th and final Cup Series start at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Nov. 15, 1992.

PHOTOGRAPHY: ADAM WHITE

A MAJOR MILESTONE

NO. 7 FOR JIMMIE

TRUEX’S TITLE

THIS OLD-SCHOOL DARRELL WALTRIP CAR IS autographed by D.W., team owner Junior Johnson and crew chief Jeff Hammond. White paid around $300 for it “years ago,” and it’s one of his most treasured die-casts from his collection. Waltrip drove the Pepsi-sponsored Chevrolet Monte Carlo during the 1983 NASCAR Cup Series season.

PEPSI CHALLENGE

NASCAR FAN REWARDS

PRIZES INCLUDE AUTOGRAPHED MERCHANDISE AND RACE TICKETS

BY JARED TURNER

How would you like to wave the green flag to signal the start of qualifying during a NASCAR race weekend? How about taking a tour of the Cup Series garage or going for a pace car ride around a NASCAR track?

All this – and more – is possible through the NASCAR Fan Rewards program that formally kicked off in January just ahead of NASCAR’s landmark 75th anniversary season.

“Being able to turn around and thank the fans for being so loyal over these past 75 years really made for perfect timing,” Katie Harrington, manager of NASCAR’s Loyalty Program, said of the NASCAR Fan Rewards launch.

So how do fans earn various prizes, such as the ones mentioned above?

The first step is visiting the NASCAR Rewards page at NASCAR. com and signing up for a free NASCAR Rewards account – which is available to anyone who lives in the U.S. or Canada and is age 18 or older. Once this is done, it’s time to start collecting points, which is possible in myriad ways.

One super-easy way is through race “check-ins” with the click of a button from any location. It’s also possible to accumulate points by participating in NASCAR Fantasy Live (the actual results of which have no impact on your NASCAR Rewards points), simply reading NASCAR articles at NASCAR.com and various other straightforward steps.

“All of these things don’t cost anything,” Harrington said. “It’s not a transaction-based program. We really try to make it as simple as possible for those points to be added to your account.”

Earning points requires very minimal effort from enrollees in the NASCAR Fan Rewards program. For example, those reading this article can earn 100 points by entering the code “PolePosition23” at NASCAR.com.

Other not-yet-mentioned ways to boost a point total include buying race tickets as well as making purchases at the Official NASCAR Store at NASCAR.com.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re buying a grandstand seat or a suite for 10 people,” Harrington said. “You’re still going to get those same 100

points, so it’s very much a level playing field.”

Along with the aforementioned perks, those enrolled in the NASCAR Rewards program can win autographed NASCAR merchandise, race tickets and other items and experiences available in a Rewards Catalog.

“The Rewards Catalog itself is a NASCAR fan’s dream,” Harrington said. “NASCAR fans are now able to achieve all of these really great experiences and rewards just by doing things that they are already doing as NASCAR fans.”

Everyone who takes part in the NASCAR Rewards program starts out as a “Rookie,” but many fans end up becoming an “AllStar” and, eventually, a “Champion.”

Although the program has only been up and running for the general public since Jan. 1, numerous participants have already managed to earn one or both distinctions, which require amassing 3,000 points and 6,000 points, respectively. Both “All-Stars” and “Champions” are able to keep their status the following year, which plays to their advantage, too.

“There are additional benefits as you climb that ladder and become an ‘All-Star’ or a ‘Champion,’” Harrington said. “Most notably are the point multipliers that you’ll receive. All-Stars will receive a 10 percent reward point bonus when they earn points, with champions earning a 25 percent reward point bonus, so it’s a way to earn those points even faster for the most engaged fans.”

Participants are also rewarded for consistency. For example, anyone in the Fan Rewards program who does a race “check-in” for five consecutive weeks will collect an extra 50 points. For a 10week streak, they’ll get 100 bonus points. Anyone who checks in for every race throughout the entire season in the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series or NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will rake in a robust 500-point bonus.

“That’s without leaving your home,” Harrington said.

So far, feedback on the Fan Rewards program has been extremely positive. But those responsible for running the program are always looking for future enhancements.

“We’re getting a better understanding of some additional ways that fans can earn points, as well as finding out what rewards might be missing from the catalog that we can continue to add to make this an even better program,” Harrington said.

As for how long the NASCAR Fan Rewards program will continue, it’s safe to say that 2023 – NASCAR’s 75th anniversary season – isn’t a trial run.

“We want to keep it going for the next 75 years,” Harrington said.

Up-and-Coming Driver Q&A: Retzlaff: ‘We Just Need Better Luck’

BY JOSEPH WOLKIN

A year ago, virtually no one in the NASCAR garage area had heard of Parker Retzlaff. He wasn’t identified as a top prospect, and the former Bandolero champion from Rhinelander, Wisconsin, had only appeared in a handful of ARCA Menards Series races. Then, unexpectedly, Retzlaff made his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut with RSS Racing as a teammate to series veteran Ryan Sieg. And as soon as Retzlaff hit the track, he had plenty of speed.

During the offseason, Retzlaff switched to the Chevrolet camp and now drives the No. 31 car for Jordan Anderson Racing. The first time Retzlaff wheeled a JAR Chevy, he earned the team’s best finish. He came home fourth at Daytona in the season opener.

Now, Retzlaff is focused on improving. By the end of the year, he wants to be among the top 10 on a weekly basis – and a visit to the winner’s circle isn’t out of the question.

WHAT’S IT BEEN LIKE COMPETING IN THE NASCAR XFINITY SERIES THIS YEAR?

It’s been great. We’ve been having a lot of fun. It’s been an up-and-down year so far. It started out really good at Daytona and Las Vegas. We’ve been slowly getting better throughout the year, and I think everyone on the team is getting better. Hopefully, by the end of the year, we will be where we should be.

WHAT DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU NEED TO DO AS A DRIVER TO GET THIS TEAM INTO THE TOP 10 MORE FREQUENTLY?

We’ve had top-10 speed a lot of the weeks, but we’ve had some problems that have put us behind. We just need to have a race go our way once.

LAST YEAR, YOU REALLY SHOCKED SOME PEOPLE WITH THE RAW SPEED YOU SHOWED RIGHT AWAY. DID YOU SURPRISE YOURSELF THAT YOU ADAPTED TO THE XFINITY SERIES SO QUICKLY?

I did impress myself, yeah. When I got to Phoenix, we had so much speed. I needed to work on some stuff that I feel I’ve gotten better with this year. I just need to put a full race together and we should be right where we need to be.

SO WHY JORDAN ANDERSON RACING?

WHAT MADE YOU PICK THIS TEAM WHEN YOU WERE LOOKING FOR A HOME FOR 2023?

Jordan is younger and we’re both trying to build right now. He’s trying to build this team and I’m trying to get more races. I really like Jordan. I have known Jordan for the last five or six years. I watched them

race last year and I knew it was going to be a good place. I knew he would give me the best equipment.

HOW IMPORTANT IS YOUR PARTNERSHIP WITH FUNKAWAY, WHICH FOR THE READERS IS AN EXTREME ODOR ELIMINATOR FOR CLOTHES, SHOES, SPORTS GEAR AND AIRBORNE FUNK?

It’s been really good to work with the folks from FunkAway. They really stepped up this year. They’ve been my main sponsor, and I love everyone there. Overall, it’s been really good. I want to keep helping them grow while growing myself to be a better race car driver.

GROWING UP, WAS THERE A SPECIFIC RACE CAR DRIVER YOU WANTED TO EMULATE ONCE YOU GOT TO THIS LEVEL?

My favorite driver growing up was Kyle Larson. I met him 10 years ago, right at the start of my racing career. I really liked him and he used to race a Parker Store car and my name is Parker, so I also liked that growing up. I think Kyle Larson has always been my favorite driver.

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR THIS YEAR?

Once we start having good races and some better luck, there isn’t any reason why we shouldn’t be racing for top 10s every week. I feel like we’ve had really good stuff this year when we have things go right. But we’ve had a lot of issues at the beginning of the year that are out of everyone’s control. We just need better luck. We need to have nothing to go against us and we can see where we’re truly at.

BRENT POWELL NEEDED A PLAN B, SO HE CREATED PLAN B SALES

BY DUSTIN ALBINO

Years ago, while Brent Powell was working for an Action distributor, he was talking to a customer on the phone late in what had been a tough day on the job.

“I was like, ‘I need a,’ and he goes, ‘You need a plan b,” Powell recalled of the conversation. “He goes, ‘If you ever did your own thing, Plan B, with your name being Brent, would be perfect.’ Six months later, Lionel (Racing) decided they were going to add more distributors, and they offered me one since I had worked with those guys.” From there, Plan B Sales, the largest independent distributor of NASCAR die-casts, was born in 2010.

Powell has long been a die-cast collector, first buying die-cast cars for his 3-year-old son in 1998. In a perfect world, he believes every NASCAR driver should have at least one die-cast car made each season. But whether or not a die-cast gets produced is based on its minimum order quantity. If Lionel can’t get 500 presale orders on a particular die-cast, that die-cast won’t be made.

When Powell’s family couldn’t find a particular die-cast car at various stores in the Tulsa, Oklahoma, area, he decided it was time to enter the business, and opened a retail store in 2000.

While working for a Dallas-based distributor from which he purchased die-casts, Powell would participate in monthly conference calls. Originally, he was the regional sales manager in the South Central Region for Action, but was told there would be bonuses based on territorial sales. Knowing that NASCAR was based in Charlotte and was primarily a southeastern sport, Powell wanted that area, so he packed up the family and moved to Concord, North Carolina.

The goal for Plan B Sales was to bring service to dealers that carry licensed motorsports products. The business started as a

Lionel and Chase Authentics apparel distributor, and has grown to be Lionel’s largest account, servicing the dealer market, and has extended its product line.

Currently, Plan B Sales has two warehouses: one in Charlotte and the other in Missouri. Ten people work for the company, which had more than 80,000 shipments in 2022 alone.

For many years, Powell didn’t want to sell retail die-casts. He didn’t feel a wholesale distributor should sell against its customers. But he had to revert back on his own morals because he didn’t see any way to sell the die-casts without losing money if he were to only sell wholesale.

“I make a 10-20 percent margin on wholesale of what I sell. If we have 100 cars, we’ve got to sell 80-plus of them just to pay for it,” Powell explained. “On a 500-piece run, we’ve got to sell 400 or more at wholesale just to cover the cost.

“If you overbuy and get stuck with 48 cars and you have to sell those to the same dealers, they aren’t going to buy them for 10-15 percent off, so you end up losing money to get rid of them,” Powell said. “With the retail side, sometimes, we can drop it down and still get our cost out of it.”

Looking back on years of data, Powell knows the die-casts will eventually sell. It can just be a lengthy process.

Powell also got into sponsoring real race cars in 2014 with David Starr at Chicagoland Speedway. Since then, he’s backed multiple teams, including Spire Motorsports, Live Fast Motorsports and Go FAS Racing at the Cup Series level.

Powell notes that many teams reach out about sponsorship and he will accept their offer if he can catch a good deal.

“Some of those teams reached out to us, and it wasn’t really the team, it was a guy that sells sponsorship,” Powell said. “The Go FAS and the Live Fast (deals) were the same guy. He made the paint scheme and sent it to me and said, ‘What do you think of this?’ I said, ‘It looks awesome.’ He goes, ‘Do you want to do it?’ I was like, ‘If I can afford it.’

• Kevin Harvick

• Stefan Parsons (left) and his father, Phil Parsons

A lot of these guys know if they are a newer team, they just want to see their die-cast produced and they know if we sponsor it, we’re going to make the die-cast, which helps them in the long run.”

Whatever car or truck Powell sponsors, the team automatically gets a die-cast made of it. But while sponsoring four different Truck Series teams for a total of 13 different primary sponsorships during the 2020

Beard, Hair & Skin Oil

Our Beard, Hair & Skin Oil is a professional-grade, premium oil blend that locks in healthy hydration for weightless, conditioning strength in skin and strands.

Nohelmethairinsight. Elevatedgroominggoodsfortheaspiringgentleman.

25% off with code: 1821nascar

satisfaction for Powell was being on Noah Gragson’s race-winning car at Bristol in 2020. And while it was Gragson’s second career win, JR Motorsports originally asked Plan B Sales to be on Gragson’s season-opening No. 9 Chevrolet at Daytona before Bass Pro Shops and Black Rifle Coffee Co. stepped up. Gragson went on to win that race, and Powell still thinks about what could have been.

• Todd Gilliland

Waiting in the Wings

to see competing at the NASCAR Cup Series level in the not so distant future.

JARED TURNER

AUSTIN HILL

JOSH BERRY

IF THERE’S ANY NON-CUP SERIES DRIVER WHO’S ALL BUT A lock for a future Cup Series ride, Josh Berry is the one. A standout Late Model wheelman for JR Motorsports over many years, Berry landed a promotion to the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2022. He responded by winning three races and qualifying for the Championship 4.

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES VETERAN AUSTIN HILL got the nod to go NASCAR Xfinity Series racing in 2022 with Richard Childress Racing, and the transition was pretty seamless as Hill triumphed twice and finished sixth in points. Back with RCR, Hill began this year on a tear by winning three races early in the season.

CHANDLER SMITH

AFTER WINNING A RACE AND REACHING THE CHAMPIONSHIP 4 as a Craftsman Truck Series driver in 2022, Chandler Smith replaced A.J. Allmendinger in the NASCAR Xfinity Series as the full-time driver of Kaulig Racing’s No. 16 Chevrolet. Smith needed just seven starts in the car to record Xfinity Series career win No. 1 at Richmond.

ZANE SMITH

ZANE SMITH’S FUTURE AS A CUP SERIES DRIVER IS ALREADY in motion. The reigning NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion is making a handful of starts in a Front Row Motorsports Cup Series car this season in addition to another full-time Truck Series run. He was a two-time truck winner in the series’ first seven races.

TY MAJESKI

DURING HIS FIRST SEASON AS A FULL-TIME NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series driver, Ty Majeski won twice a year ago and earned a berth in the Championship 4. This year, the ThorSport Racing driver has continued to impress, finishing outside the top six just once in the season’s first seven races and leading the points standings for multiple weeks.

• Chandler Smith (16), Josh Berry (8), Austin Hill (21), Sammy Smith (18), Riley Herbst (98) and Ryan Sieg (39) set the pace during the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Phoenix Raceway.

Here are five up-and-coming drivers race fans can expect

SOCIAL-MEDIA SENSATIONS

BY EVAN LIU

NASCAR has moved on from its roots and the sanctioning body has come a long way in 75 years. This includes a still new adjustment for some – social media.

Drivers are no different and they are using social-media platforms to build their brands and grab attention from both new and longtime fans.

That being said, here are the best NASCAR drivers to follow on social media:

JORDAN ANDERSON: Anderson has taken a step back from driving following his fiery Truck Series crash last fall at Talladega, but he’s still active online in his role as an Xfinity Series team owner. In fact, his online adventures have created a substantial following, especially after his first win as a car owner generated tons of fun on social media.

DENNY HAMLIN: Hamlin has become one of the most outspoken drivers on social media. His “Actions Detrimental” podcast alongside his very active Twitter account allow die-hard fans to get real, in-depth news and opinions straight from the driver. While it’s gotten him in trouble, we sure hope he keeps going.

BRAD PEREZ:

HAILIE DEEGAN: Deegan has all of the star power NASCAR wants from its drivers. With her millions of followers across all platforms, she brings the track and her experience behind the wheel directly to her online audience. With her constant YouTube uploads, she keeps everyone in the loop and provides a real look as to what it’s like to be a NASCAR driver.

ALEX BOWMAN: Bowman’s “hack” allegations and “backing into wins” has sufficed in plenty of socialmedia attention – both good and bad. He’s had fun with it though with the promotion of merchandise and taking in the limelight. His reactions to recent events on and off the track bring the driver closer to his audience and add more of a human element to it all.

Perez brings a unique perspective to social media as both a driver behind the wheel and a crew member under the car. Hence, his insight is such that it interests race fans. The attention focuses on his quirky responses, and reactions to everything unfolding in the sport that makes it fun to follow.

RYAN VARGAS: Vargas has grown up on social media – so why would we exclude him from the list? He has built quite the brand for himself on TikTok, doing all sorts of videos both related and unrelated to NASCAR. His dedication and reach online even earned him a TikTok sponsorship for six races a couple years ago.

CARSON HOCEVAR: Hocevar – now a Craftsman Truck Series winner – has plenty going for him on social media, too. Last year, he had a unique hat for every track and always made time for a prerace selfie to show it off. While he has stopped with the hats so far for this year to devote more attention to his on-track performance, we can only hope for their return soon.

NASCAR’S SILENT SUPERSTARS

ELGIN SWEEPERS CLEAN THE TRACK

Since Elgin Sweeper Co. became an Official Partner of NASCAR more than 10 years ago, race tracks everywhere have been cleaner, safer, dryer and more eco-friendly.

Based in Elgin, Illinois, the company has been in business for more than a century and it produced the first mechanically operated street sweeper back in 1914.

“Before that, street sweeping was done with a broom and a dustpan – just like you do at your house – but we’ve evolved since then,” said Tim Letts, product manager for Elgin Sweeper.

Elgin first became involved with NASCAR in 2001 and has enjoyed an increased role over the last decade – first as an Official Partner of NASCAR’s Green initiatives. With the latest agreement between Elgin and NASCAR, Elgin is an Official Partner of NASCAR.

“NASCAR is a great forum for Elgin to be partners with,” Letts said. “We feel that the audience and the extreme amount of reach that NASCAR has is immensely helpful for the Elgin brand. And to be quite honest, the partnership has kind of pushed Elgin and our technology. The street sweepers that are used for the NASCAR races, though they look like ones you could buy and use on your residential streets, there’s actually a number of engineered enhancements compared to our street machines that we had to do in order for the Track Sweepers to perform properly on NASCAR race tracks.

“NASCAR, on the partnership, actually kind of pushed our engineering team to better our product. So, we think it’s been very beneficial in a multitude of ways. One, we learned things and had to devote some engineering resources to get the track sweeper to an optimal performance for the race track. And then, two, just the reach and getting our name out there in front of millions of people every week – you can’t beat that, right? So, it’s been great for us in that regard.”

Along with helping dry wet race tracks whenever rain rolls in, Elgin’s highly sophisticated track-sweeping technology plays a key role in ensuring that the racing surface is safe and 100 percent

BY JARED TURNER

race-ready when the green flag waves following a weather delay. The process includes removing debris and oil-absorbent material from the racing surface. The Elgin Sweeper technology also helps safety crews absorb no less than 50 gallons of water per minute, rather than just pushing the water out of the racing groove. As a result, NASCAR drivers are able to return to racing significantly faster than they once did – without fear of the track being ill-prepared.

“It’s great for Elgin to be a part of NASCAR and be a part of the safety aspect,” Letts said. “We take safety very seriously here at Elgin. All of our trucks come equipped with rear backup cameras, just as one example of our commitment to safety. These are big trucks that people are operating in residential areas, so we want to make sure that everyone is kept safe.

“Also, when you’re going 200 mph, safety is important at every second. So, to know that we play a part in keeping the drivers and the sport safe is immensely satisfying. We operate similarly in some residential streets as well. When there is debris to be picked up in residential neighborhoods, it factors into safety for everyday drivers like you and me.”

As Elgin Sweeper looks to the future, the hope is that the past 10 years are just the beginning of the company’s already longstanding relationship with NASCAR.

“The street sweeper that’s used to clean the streets is also trusted by an enormous company and brand like NASCAR to clean the race tracks every week,” Letts said. “I think that goes to show how dedicated Elgin is to our craft and how highly respected Elgin street sweepers are in the industry.

“NASCAR is an enormous brand, we’re very fortunate to be partnered with them, and they could’ve chosen any street sweeper company that they wanted – truth be told – and they chose Elgin for the last decade because of our performance and commitment to that clean track. So, we’re very proud of that, and we hope that NASCAR continues to pick us for the next 10 years and beyond.”

NASCAR is an enormous brand, we’re very proud of the relationship we’ve had for over 10 years.

TRUSTED ON SOME PRETTY IMPORTANT PAVEMENT...

Whether

FOR THE RECORD

Q&A with Bobby Allison

REVISITING THE 1983 CUP SERIES CHAMPION

BY BEN WHITE

At 85 years old, Bobby Allison is still one of the most popular drivers in the history of American auto racing. The 1983 NASCAR Cup Series champion and 2011 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee earned a reputation for being able to win on any type of race track in any type of car.

During his 25-year NASCAR career, Allision won 84 Cup Series races and is tied for fourth on the list of all-time series winners.

HOW

DO YOU SPEND YOUR TIME THESE DAYS?

Well, I’m taking it day by day. I answer fan mail and really enjoy that. I will travel to races and will attend race-related functions whenever I can.

TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY RECENTLY HONORED YOU, YOUR BROTHER DONNIE AND RED FARMER AS GRAND MARSHALS FOR THE GEICO 500. TELL US ABOUT THAT.

That was incredibly special to me. I lived in Hueytown Alabama, for many, many years and won four times at Talladega. I love that track and the fans that attend races there. I still have many friends and family in Alabama. It’s the home track for our family. Davey (Allison’s oldest son) won three times there before he passed away in 1993. To have been Grand Marshal there and have the backstretch named the Alabama Gang Superstretch for us is an incredible honor.

WHAT DID WINNING THE 1983 NASCAR CUP SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP WITH DIGARD RACING MEAN TO YOU AFTER SO MANY YEARS OF CHASING THE TITLE?

Winning that championship meant a great deal. I had come so close to winning it several times prior to 1983 but couldn’t get there, especially in 1981 and 1982 when we lost it to Darrell Waltrip and Junior Johnson while driving for DiGard. We were so close. It was incredibly rewarding to finally reach a goal I had dreamed about for so long.

YOU HAD A VERY SUCCESSFUL CAREER IN THE CUP SERIES FROM 1961 THROUGH JUNE 1988 WHEN YOU SUFFERED A NEARFATAL CRASH AT POCONO (PA.) RACEWAY. LOOKING BACK AT THOSE YEARS AND THE SUCCESS YOU ENJOYED, WHAT WAS THE MOST SATISFYING PART?

I would say winning the Daytona 500 in 1978, 1982 and 1988 is at the top of my list for sure. When the crash happened at Pocono in 1988, that was a tough deal to recover from both physically and mentally. Looking back on those Daytona 500s, I remember winning the 1978 race and the 1982 race but because of the crash, I don’t remember winning the Daytona 500 in 1988.

I’ve watched the race a thousand times, but I can’t remember any of it. I see myself winning it. I see my son Davey finishing second to me in Robert Yates’ Ford, but I don’t remember it. It’s like watching a movie but I don’t remember anything about that day. It’s very frustrating. I’ve been told it’s me and I see that it’s me. My doctors say it may never come back.

LOOKING BACK TO THE 1970S, YOU DROVE FOR JUNIOR JOHNSON IN 1972 AND HAD YOUR BEST SEASON WITH 10 WINS. WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER ABOUT THAT?

We had an incredible season with those 10 wins. As far as wins go, that was my best season. Herb Nab was my crew chief. We won on short tracks and superspeedways that year but finished second to Richard Petty in points. We just didn’t have the level of communication we needed to stay together. I went back to running my own car in 1973. Had we been able to stay together, I believe we could have won several championships. It just didn’t happen.

YOU WON RACES IN THE AMC MATADOR FOR ROGER PENSKE IN 1974 AND 1975, AND THEN FIELDED YOUR OWN MATADORS IN 1977. IT WAS AN UNDERDOG AND A FAN FAVORITE BUT DID NOT LIVE UP TO THE HYPE IT PRODUCED. BUT YOU LOVED IT. WHY WAS THAT?

I won more races in the Matador than any other driver. When I tried to race the car myself in ’77, we just didn’t have the performance we needed to make it competitive on a week-to-week basis. I thought it was a race car with incredible potential. It ran great for the majority of the races but inevitably engine issues put me out of so many races with only a few laps to go. I worked myself to death to get it to Victory Lane, but it just didn’t perform like I hoped. We had a lot of support from the fans for the Matador and I did enjoy that part of the deal.

IN 1975, YOU WON BOTH RACES AT LEGENDARY DARLINGTON (S.C.) RACEWAY WHILE DRIVING FOR ROGER PENSKE. WHAT WAS THE KEY TO WINNING THOSE RACES?

In the April race, I was lucky, I guess. I was down a lap and needed to get back on the lead lap after a bad pit stop. David Pearson and Benny Parsons crashed in the second turn with 17 laps to go while battling for the lead and that put me in the lead after running third. But we were in position to win and that’s what mattered most.

Then, we came back and won in September and that was my third of four Southern 500 wins. The Matador was really, really good. I led in all but three races that year but near the end fell back and lost the race because of bad rocker arms in the engine. In most of them, I was on cruise control because I was so far ahead. Then something would go wrong with the engine and I’d be in the garage before the end of those races.

I was convinced the Matador was good enough to win anywhere and that’s why I went back to it in 1977. The aerodynamics on the car were great and were comparable to the other makes of cars. I tried hard to make them work. There were times it was a struggle. I really had faith in the Matador that it could win. It should have won more races but didn’t.

WHAT WAS RACING LIKE IN YOUR ERA?

The racing was very competitive. We raced hard every lap under some tough conditions. For most of my career, we didn’t have power steering. At times, they were big and a bit difficult to drive. As far as heat goes, it never bothered me like it did with some drivers. I think that was an advantage for me. I never got out of a race car because I was hot. I relieved some drivers when they needed help after my car fell out, but I never had to have a relief driver. I did a time or two because of crashes but not for heat.

LOOKING BACK AT YOUR CAREER, WHAT DO YOU CHERISH MOST?

I would say that I’ve had some incredibly good days in the sport. There have been some incredibly sad days, but being a part of the sport has given me some incredibly good days.

A BICENTENNIAL CELEBRATION Pearson Wins 10 Times During 1976 Season

BY BEN WHITE

Heading into the 1976 season, three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion David Pearson and members of the Wood Brothers Racing team of Stuart, Virginia, were very optimistic.

Pearson and team owner Glen Wood joined forces on April 16, 1972, at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway and sealed their arrangement with a handshake and a victory in the Rebel 400.

Six wins that year, 11 victories in 18 starts during 1973, seven triumphs in 1974 and three wins in 1975 led into the ’76 season.

As America kicked off its bicentennial celebration, Pearson opened the NASCAR season with a victory on the road course in Riverside, California, and followed that with a win in the Daytona 500. It was the race in which he and Richard Petty crashed as they came to the checkered flag.

Pearson had the presence of mind to push in the clutch and kept his engine running. He crossed the line at 20 mph while Petty’s Dodge stalled.

Pearson collected further wins at Atlanta and Darlington, followed by Charlotte, a Riverside repeat and Michigan. Additional wins came with the second outings at Michigan and Darlington and in the final race of the season at California’s Ontario Motor Speedway.

All told, Pearson won 10 times in 22 starts during 1976, including the Triple Crown races – the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway, the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway and the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.

Pearson earned Cup Series titles in 1966, ’68 and ’69 but elected to step back to a limited schedule when he joined Wood Brothers Racing in 1972. He was 41 years old when he began the 1976 season, and because of his unique drive style and graying hair, Pearson had been dubbed “The Silver Fox” by the motorsports media.

Pearson retired in 1986 with 105 Cup Series victories. The native of Spartanburg, South Carolina, passed away on Nov. 12, 2018, at the age of 84.

“Pearson was so good everywhere he drove,” said Eddie Wood, co-owner of Wood Brothers Racing. “My brother Len and I sort of grew up with David. He drove for us in the 1970s when we were teenagers, just sort of getting established in the sport behind our dad (Glen) and uncle Leonard.”

Pearson’s manner of driving was a bit elusive but very successful when it came time to get the job done.

“David would never let us know what he had on the race track,” Wood added. “We would ask him what he had left in the two-way radio as far as the car or tires or whatever and he would say, ‘I’m good’ or ‘everything’s fine.’ He would never show his cards to anyone, not even us. Then, at the end, he somehow would come through and win. That’s just the way he was. He was such a great driver and great friend. I think about him every day.”

• David Pearson piloted the Wood Brothers’ iconic No. 21 car from 1972-1979.

Custer & Crew Remember Jason Leffler

BY DUSTIN ALBINO

It’s been 10 years since Jason Leffler was killed in a sprint car crash at New Jersey’s Bridgeport Speedway, and NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Cole Custer and his crew chief, Jonathan Toney, are doing their part to make sure the three-time NASCAR national touring series race winner is never forgotten.

After three seasons in the NASCAR Cup Series with Stewart-Haas Racing, Custer is back in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. He’s once again driving SHR’s No. 00 entry, a car number with which Custer became synonymous while rising through the racing ranks.

Custer selected the No. 00 all those years ago because it was Leffler’s number and the former openwheel sensation was his favorite driver.

In addition, Leffler earned Haas CNC Racing – before Tony Stewart became a co-owner – its first NASCAR victory at Nashville Superspeedway in 2004, a season in which Leffler drove car No. 00 to 17 top-10 finishes in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

“Having that connection with Haas and the fact he drove the car back then, it’s what got me into it,” Custer said. “He got Haas’ first win in that car. That was special because he made a big difference for the company.”

Custer’s dad, Joe Custer, is currently president of Stewart-Hass Racing. Two decades ago, he was leading the charge for Haas CNC Racing. The lead engineer for that 2004 team was Toney, who is now in his first season as crew chief on the No. 00 car.

“We played the strategy and fuel-mileage game and won it that way,” Toney recalled of Leffler’s 2004 victory. “But we had been competitive every week that year. It was validation that we were a championship-caliber team and a team that could win at a top level in NASCAR.”

As for Haas CNC Racing, the team was still building and growing – it was just their second year in the Cup Series and first year racing full time in the

Xfinity Series. It showed the organization was going in the right direction.

“For Leffler too, winning a race in the Xfinity Series paved the way for him to go back to the Cup Series,” Toney said. “It was big for the driver, crew chief, owner, sponsors, everybody.”

Custer also remembers the importance of that victory.

“They ran good and were in the lead, but I remember I was mad because they didn’t show the burnouts on TV,” Custer recalled. “I think they cut to a commercial so I was mad about that. It was a big day for my dad being in Victory Lane. It was big.”

Although Leffler ranked third in the Xfinity Series standings – behind only Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch – management removed him from the No. 00 car with six races remaining in 2004 after it was announced Leffler was moving to Joe Gibbs Racing in 2005 to pilot the No. 11 NASCAR Cup Series entry.

“On a personal side, we all got along well and were young back then,” Toney noted. “We had grown together as a team, and to take a big part of that away, that hurt. From the business side of it, I understand why it happened. It was disappointing to not finish out that season together.”

Leffler dropped to 12th in the championship standings.

Behind the scenes, Toney says Leffler was a blast to be around. His stories of beating up rental cars were well known, including one car that was in Toney’s name.

On the track, however, Leffler was ferocious and determined to be the best.

“From the competition side, he was about as fierce of a competitor as you would want to find,” Toney said. “You got him behind the wheel, and he put his helmet on, he was a different animal. He was ultra-competitive and wanted to win, which pushed us because as a driver with his talent, it forces you as a team, engineer and building cars to get better because he’s going to push the limit. He pushed the limit, and we were able to build, grow and give him cars that he needed.

“I have no doubt that in the right situation and the right circumstances, Jason could have gone on to the Cup Series and compete with (Truex Jr. and Busch) because he was able to do it then. There’s no reason to doubt he couldn’t have done it in the Cup Series.”

Over the years, Custer has run multiple throwback paint schemes to honor Leffler, including at Darlington Raceway earlier this season. His favorite was in 2020, running the same white template that Leffler carried during the 2004 season.

“It’s definitely cool to bring back those memories,” Custer said. “With Jason’s passing, it’s awesome to honor him and what he was as a race car driver.”

In multiple ways, this season is special,

specifically for Toney. While Custer has been around the family business since the day he was born, Toney has seen the 25-year-old Custer grow up. Being among the first employees at Haas CNC Racing, he has witnessed firsthand Custer’s successes and his struggles.

Now, to be leading the charge for Custer’s No. 00 team in his first opportunity as a NASCAR crew chief is a special time for Toney.

“I guess you would call it fate that it worked out that way,” Toney said. “It’s definitely fitting for it to work out that way. I couldn’t ask for a better situation and work with a better driver and group of people. Of course, the car number makes it even more special.”

Livin’ Large At Darlington

Some of NASCAR’s top content creators joined forces with Live Fast Motorsports to bring the No. 78 Podcast Party Bus to life at Darlington on May 14. The car prominently featured Out of the Groove, Black Flags Matter, Danny B Talks, The Iceberg, The Garage Guys and Scene Vault. Here is a look at the Podcast Party Bus’ weekend at Darlington.

PHOTOGRAPHY: CLAUDIA BALDWIN, AMELIA BROWN, MATT SMITH, ARNOUT

CONTENT CREATOR ACADEMY INTERVIEW WITH BAYLEY CURREY

BY COLE FETTERMAN

EDITOR’S NOTE: Content Creator Academy is proud to present Cole Fetterman. Cole is an aspiring content creator who recently completed a Zoom call interview with NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Bayley Currey of Niece Motorsports. His Q&A interview is featured below.

HI BAYLEY, LET’S JUMP RIGHT INTO IT. HOW DID YOU GET YOUR START IN RACING?

Cole, it is nice to meet you. My dad raced when I was a kid. He raced locally in Texas at a track called Thunderhill Raceway. The track was about 20 minutes from my house. There was a go-kart track about 30 minutes away from my house called Hill Country Kart Club, and I started racing there after watching my dad race. It all snowballed from there.

WHEN YOU STARTED RACING LATE MODELS, DID YOU EVER THINK YOU WOULD GET TO WHERE YOU ARE TODAY?

No. Not at all, honestly. When I was running Legend Cars and Bandoleros I was a lot younger and I was traveling and having fun. When I got into late models, and after I ran some modified races locally, I was just really looking to be a super late model guy like Bubba Pollard. I was going to college at Texas State, and I was going into engineering, hoping I could get a job in NASCAR and hopefully make enough money to go race my own super late model car.

YOU RECENTLY SCORED YOUR BEST NASCAR FINISH – A P4 AT ATLANTA IN THE CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES RUNNING FOR NIECE MOTORSPORTS; WHAT WAS GOING THROUGH YOUR MIND WHEN YOU CROSSED THE FINISH LINE?

When I crossed the line, after I hit the wall, I hoped the truck wasn’t hurt too bad. But then I was also like, man if I didn’t get into the wall, I probably could have run third or better. But then again, I was pumped too! I was happy to run well. I was really feeling some pressure I guess because Niece has really good equipment. And I wanted to capitalize on that in my first run with them this year.

DO YOU SEE A FUTURE AT NIECE MOTORSPORTS?

Yes, I love the Niece Motorsports group. Racing with these guys is a ton of fun. It’s a really, really fun group. While they are very relaxed and like to have a good time, we also build fast trucks so I feel like it’s the perfect balance of working hard and having a good time.

OTHER THAN YOUR DAD, WHO DO YOU LOOK UP TO IN THE RACING WORLD?

Great question. I would have to say Ross (Chastain). Ross is one of those guys who came from a smaller team, got after it and did it. In a way, I am following his plan – I ran for JD (Motorsports), he ran for JD; I am driving for Niece, he drove for Niece; he drove for Premium (Motorsports), I drove for Premium.

I KNOW YOUR FANS KEEP UP WITH YOUR PODCAST, “WHEELMEN OF GENIUS.” WHAT MADE YOU START A PODCAST?

I think it was just something I wanted to try. I’ve was listening to podcasts before I started, and I felt like I could do it. Some of my favorite times in the shop, working for RWR (Rick Ware Racing) were spent listening to the guys talk about old stories. They would tell me the goofy things they did! The stories were just fascinating so I wanted to be a part of that storytelling for people who don’t work in NASCAR. OKAY, NOW FOR THE IMPORTANT QUESTION. TELL US ABOUT “FAT PAT” YOUR GOLDEN DOODLE.

Oh, you got me on that one. He’s the man! He actually was put in a little timeout today. He’s been bad. Sometimes he gets hot in the shop and the garage doors have to be open. I’ll be working on something and I look down and he’s gone. I walk outside and he’s three shops down from ours. I’ve gotten tired of that so I tried to put him in a little cage but he barks like no other, so I finally tied him to my toolbox on his leash. But yea, Fat Pat is still the man!

CONTENT CREATOR BIO

NAME: Cole

Fetterman

STATE: Pennsylvania

AGE:14

What got me interested in NASCAR? My nanny telling me NASCAR was the first sport to return during the COVID-19 pandemic. I had to check it out.

• Currey’s puppy, Fat Pat

FRIENDSHIP FUELS DRIVER-SPOTTER

BY DUSTIN ALBINO

At a young age, Logano was touted by some, including Mark Martin, as the “best thing since sliced bread.” He rose through the racing ranks quickly, signing a deal with Joe Gibbs Racing’s Xfinity Series program before he turned 18. Eight months later, he replaced Tony Stewart as the driver of the No. 20 Toyota in the Cup Series.

Meanwhile, Pressley, son of well-known racer Robert Pressly, scratched and clawed for NASCAR opportunities. Between 2009 and 2010, he competed in a dozen Xfinity Series races, two of which came with powerhouse JR Motorsports. He had a best finish of 12th at Nashville Superspeedway in 2010.

Logano won a pair of Cup Series races during his time with JGR, while Pressley began transitioning out of the driver’s seat. His first races as a spotter were with Johanna Long in 2013. Pressley also worked as a crew chief in what is now the ARCA Menards Series East.

Fast-forward nearly a decade and Logano had become an established Cup Series driver with Team Penske. He won the 2018 championship with T.J. Majors as his spotter. But with Brad Keselowski departing Team Penske at the end of the 2021 season to become a co-owner of Roush Fenway Racing – later named RFK Racing – it was the perfect opportunity for Pressley to reunite with his best friend, this time as Logano’s eyes in the sky.

“It’s not been hard at all because in our professional life, we both try to be the best version of ourselves that we possibly can,” Pressley said. “We put a lot of emphasis and effort into it. We both know that when we go to the race track that we’re as prepared as we can possibly be.

Joey Logano and Coleman Pressley have been friends since they were kids. Separated in age by 17 months, they competed against each other during the Summer Shootout at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

“The personal relationship, that’s what we were most nervous about before we made the switch because we didn’t know how we would be able to handle that. But that’s been flawless because the natural trust is there, and we genuinely want each other to succeed. Not just me spotting Joey as a spotter, but he wants us both to succeed.”

The duo didn’t win together until the inaugural Busch Light Clash at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum in 2022. During last season, when the No. 22 team didn’t win its first points-paying race until early May, Logano and Pressley figured out each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Together, there’s a lot of preparation.

“We keep the same routine every week,” Pressley noted. “Usually, one day per week we’ll look at restarts and key moments at the race coming up and what to expect. We both keep a notebook of where we see the tracks changing; if it’s a superspeedway how the draft changes. We have those conversations, and they’re natural conversations at this point. Between the weekly sit-down at a certain time that we have and the friendship that we have and the conversations, he and I talk on the phone every day. At some point, we’re bringing up racing. To us, that’s probably what brought us the most success.”

Logano echoes those sentiments. He believes a lot of their success should go to Pressley and his driving experience.

“(Pressley’s) racing IQ is ridiculously high,” Logano said. “He’s very smart when it comes to racing and understanding what’s about to happen and why they’re doing it and giving me information before it’s happening. Whether that’s speedway racing, Bristol, really anywhere. You add that on top of the relationship that we had growing up together and still being best friends.

“The relationship that we have is unique and easy to know each other’s thinking. When you have that thought of him knowing what I need to hear, he’s able to give you precise, quick information.”

Listening to Pressley on the radio, particularly at superspeedways, is like listening to air traffic control. He wants to paint the picture for Logano, so he doesn’t have to worry about what’s around him. You can even hear a glimpse of what their communication is like during select NASCAR on Fox broadcasts when Pressley joins them for Xfinity Series coverage and oftentimes Logano is in the broadcast booth.

Pressley says giving Logano that information is the most crucial part of his job, no matter the race track. And Logano knows he can trust what his spotter is telling him.

“With how the safety is inside the cars, the drivers are in a cocoon and you need to keep them looking forward and keep their focus out the front windshield so they can hit their marks and find lap time,” Pressley explained. “Not just other cars around him or who he’s passing or getting passed by, but letting him know if I

see something with the line changing that he can do it immediately and know that there is speed there and I’m not just saying it to say it.”

In their first full season together, Logano won his second Cup Series championship, becoming one of only 17 drivers to have multiple titles at the sport’s top level. The No. 22 Ford bookended the season by winning the aforementioned Clash and wrapping up the championship at Phoenix Raceway. They ended the season with 17 top-10 finishes while leading 784 laps, trailing only Chase Elliott in that category.

Winning the championship as a pair was a cool bucket-list item for best friends to check off. Logano knows there’s nothing like his first title, but winning his second with Pressley was the cherry on top.

“We all want to be champions and be the best at what we do in this sport,” Pressley says. “Personally, I try to put as much effort as I can into it to reach that goal. But to be able to share that moment with a friend, and Joey being like a brother to me, it was a special moment.

“It was cool because with us winning it together, we got to celebrate it together. Had he won it with another spotter, or I won it with another driver, there’s still going to be, ‘Man, I wish it wasn’t you. I’m glad it is, but I wish it wasn’t.’ It’s good to share it together.”

During the ensuing offseason, Pressley returned to the driver’s seat of a late model for the first time in eight years. Spotting for him was none other than Logano in a role reversal. Logano had previously spotted for Pressley on two occasions, and both times Pressley had an engine expire.

But on this night at North Carolina’s legendary Hickory Speedway, Pressley found Victory Lane. And even that experience helped the two better understand the other’s responsibilities.

“More than anything, I think he got more of an appreciation for the little bit of stress and challenges that goes into spotting,” Pressley said. “For me, being out of the driver’s seat for eight years, I had even more respect for the amount of information that I give him that he can process quickly because I couldn’t process it as quickly as what he can.

“It’s just fun to win together.”

Logano was particularly happy that Pressley won because it was the first time his children got to see him win a race as a driver. And Logano had a lot of fun doing so.

“I was so excited; that was the best,” Logano says. “I told him afterward, I talked crap to all the other spotters, just to have fun. I was so excited for him to win because it was the first time, he was in a car in lord knows how long. And the way it came down was a green-whitecheckered and there’s a little rubbing and bumping going on. I was so excited after; I was cheering and trying to give people high-fives, but all it was, was other spotters and they didn’t want to give me high-fives. I was almost as excited as we were at Phoenix.”

• Logano and Pressley’s decades long rapport enables them to communicate quickly and efficiently on the track.

OUT OF THE GROOVE EXPLORES

The Moonshine & Motorsports Trail

Eric Estepp, host of the NASCAR-themed YouTube channel Out of the Groove, was commissioned by the North Carolina Dept. of Natural and Cultural Resources to travel the Moonshine & Motorsports Trail. The trail highlights North Carolina’s state history and the cultural impact on increased development across the state.

Estepp’s five-day journey was chronicled in a multi-part video series that can be found at dailydownforce.com/moonshineandmotorsports.

Here are some highlights from his epic journey, in Estepp’s own words:

Hidden inside of Mooresville is the North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame. You can’t take two steps without bumping into beautiful race cars from all forms of motorsports.

Matt Kenseth, Hershel McGriff and Kirk Shelmerdine each have their own exhibit to commemorate their induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte.

Rockingham Speedway last hosted a NASCAR Cup Series race in 2004, but has recently been repaved and continues to undergo massive renovations.

In Level Cross, North Carolina, you can visit Petty’s Garage and explore the history of NASCAR’s winningest family.

Inside the North Carolina Museum of History, you can find the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame. Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt have cars on display, in addition to old fire suits and trophies. An engaging free activity to do in downtown Raleigh!

The North Carolina Museum of Natural Science in Raleigh has an impressive collection of dinosaur and whale skeletons!

One of NASCAR’s oldest speedways has now become a nature trail just outside of Durham, North Carolina. Check out the flag stand, the press box and the original concrete grandstands that are still standing at the historic Occoneechee Speedway Trail.

The windy road and hills of Stone Mountain State Park were perfect for bootleggers to test their cars to the limits. Now, you can take in the natural beauty of the falls.

THE MOONSHINE & MOTORSPORTS TRAIL LOCATIONS INCLUDE:

• The Moonshine & Motorsports Trail Locations include:

• Occoneechee Speedway

• NASCAR Hall of Fame

• Charlotte Motor Speedway

• Rockingham Speedway

• North Wilkesboro Speedway

• North Carolina’s Albemarle

Peninsula and Elizabeth City

• Stone Mountain State Park

• North Carolina Museum of History

FROM THE TRAIL TO THE TRACK

In May, the Moonshine & Motorsports Trail was featured on the No. 6 Moonshine & Motorsports

Trail Chevrolet driven by Brennan Poole in the Alsco Uniforms 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

10 WHO MADE AN IMPACT WITHOUT A HELMET

BY JARED TURNER

Here are 10 individuals who had a major impact on the business of NASCAR without trading paint on the race track:

“BIG BILL” FRANCE: Without the entrepreneurial vision of William H.G. “Big Bill” France, NASCAR in all likelihood wouldn’t exist today. It was France, who formally established the sport in February 1948 after a now-famous meeting on Dec. 14, 1947, at the Streamline Hotel in Daytona Beach, Florida, with a group of racers who agreed to work together to form what would become America’s premier sanctioning body for stock-car auto racing.

Along with being credited as the founder of NASCAR, France oversaw the building of two iconic race tracks – Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway. France passed away in 1992 – 18 years before being posthumously enshrined in the NASCAR Hall of Fame as part of its inaugural five-member class.

BILL FRANCE JR.: The son of NASCAR’s founder, Bill France Jr. took the reins of the sport from his father in 1972 by becoming NASCAR’s president – a title he held for nearly 30 years. “Bill Jr.,” as NASCAR’s second-generation leader was known, later spent time as NASCAR’s chairman, and then as its vice chairman, prior to his 2007 death and 2010 NASCAR Hall of Fame induction.

It was under Bill Jr.’s watch that NASCAR morphed into a national, and to some degree, international sport with race tracks all over the U.S. and drivers from various regions of the country. It was also under France’s guidance that NASCAR signed its original multi-billion dollar media rights deal with current broadcast partners FOX Sports and NBC.

BRUTON SMITH: Arguably NASCAR’s most prolific track owner and promoter, Bruton Smith was the founder and CEO of Speedway Motorsports – the parent company of more than 10 modern-day race tracks, including Charlotte Motor Speedway, which Smith designed and built in 1959 with help from business partner and NASCAR pioneer Curtis Turner.

Since overseeing the construction of CMS, Smith’s company has expanded its portfolio to include Texas Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway, Sonoma Raceway and various other venues both old and new to the Cup Series schedule. Smith, who died in June 2022 at age 95, also founded Speedway Children’s Charities – a nonprofit organization that supports children in need.

RICK HENDRICK: Winner of a record 14 NASCAR Cup Series championships and nearly 300 Cup Series races as a team owner, Rick Hendrick is the gold standard for chief executives of racing teams that compete in NASCAR. The list of drivers who’ve raced for Hendrick Motorsports over the past almost-40 years include the likes of seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, four-time champion Jeff Gordon, 2020 champion Chase Elliott, 2021 champ Kyle Larson and 15-time National Motorsports Press Association Most Popular Driver Award winner Dale Earnhardt Jr.

A leukemia survivor, Hendrick created the Hendrick Marrow Program, which has raised more than $12 million since 1997 to help those fighting cancer.

LEONARD WOOD: A word-class innovator, mechanic, engine builder and crew chief who is widely credited as the inventor and mastermind of the modern-day pit stop, Leonard Wood will forever be remembered as one NASCAR’s foremost revolutionaries.

The brother of Wood Brothers Racing founder and 2012 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee Glen Wood, Leonard Wood entered the NHoF in 2013 and remains active today at age 88. Thanks in large part to his contributions, Wood Brothers Racing is one of the most successful teams in NASCAR history, with 99 wins in NASCAR’s premier series. It has fielded cars for some of the sport’s most legendary drivers – including Cale Yarborough, David Pearson, Junior Johnson, Mario Andretti and A.J. Foyt.

DALE INMAN: The only crew chief in NASCAR history with eight championships at the sport’s highest level, Dale Inman became famous while working with his cousin – Richard Petty – who won all of his record-tying seven Cup Series championships with Inman at his side. Inman’s other championship came in 1984 with Terry Labonte and team owner Billy Hagan’s team, but Inman reunited with Petty in 1986 after a nearly five-year absence.

Inman, a 2012 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee who worked his final race as a crew chief in 1988 with Petty – may be most remembered for the incredible 1967 season in which he and Petty earned a record-setting 27 wins, including 10 in a row.

H. CLAY EARLES: Before there was NASCAR, there was Martinsville Speedway – which hosted its first race in September 1947 thanks to the vision and efforts of its founder and longtime owner, motorsports pioneer H. Clay Earles. Although Earles passed away in 1999, his legacy lives on through his grandson — current-day Martinsville Speedway president Clay Campbell — and the fact that Martinsville is the only track from NASCAR’s inaugural Cup Series season of 1949 that still holds a pair of series points races.

Originally a dirt track, Martinsville may be best known for its signature hot dogs and the iconic grandfather clock that it awards to all race winners at the long-sincepaved .526-mile, paperclip-shaped oval. The grandfather clock tradition began in 1964 – at Earles’ request.

ROGER PENSKE: A three-time NASCAR Cup Series championship team owner who fielded his first Cup Series entry in 1972 with Donnie Allison, Roger Penske has been to Victory Lane 135 times over an amazing run that goes back nearly four decades in NASCAR.

Penske, whose nickname is “The Captain,” captured his first victory as a Cup Series team owner in 1973 with Mark Donohue, and other well-known drivers who’ve wheeled his Cup Series cars include Donnie’s brother, Bobby Allison, along with Rusty Wallace, Ryan Newman, Kurt Busch, Brad Keselowski and newly crowned 2022 Cup Series champion Joey Logano, who’s delivered two Cup Series titles for Penske in the last five years.

KEN SQUIER: With an unmistakable voice that routinely filled the homes of untold millions of NASCAR race viewers for nearly 30 years, Ken Squier is rightfully nicknamed “The Voice of NASCAR.”

After co-founding the Motor Racing Network (MRN Radio) in 1970, Squier took his broadcasting talents to television with CBS’ coverage of the 1979 Daytona 500 — the first NASCAR race aired on live TV from start to finish. The race turned out to be one of the most consequential events in NASCAR history when brothers Donnie and Bobby Allison teamed up to engage Cale Yarborough in a post-race fisticuffs after Donnie crashed along with Yarborough on the final lap, opening the door for Richard Petty to score an unlikely win. “And there’s a fight – between Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison,” Squier exclaimed from the CBS broadcast booth. “The tempers, overflowing.”

CHAD KNAUS: Easily the most successful crew chief of NASCAR’s “modern era” that began in 1972, Chad Knaus was atop Jimmie Johnson’s pit box for 81 of Johnson’s 83 victories as driver of the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet (Knaus was serving a suspension when Johnson won his other two).

More notably, Knaus guided Johnson to his seven Cup Series championships that tied the all-time record for most titles previously set by Richard Petty and the late Dale Earnhardt. Since moving away from a crew chief role at the end of 2020, the second of two seasons he spent with Hendrick driver William Byron, Knaus has stepped into an executive role with the company as vice president of competition.

NASCAR TEAMS MAKE THE SPEED

BY JERRY BONKOWSKI

Even NASCAR’s greatest drivers wouldn’t have found success if not for the men and women “back at the shop.” Here’s a look at some of the most iconic teams in NASCAR history.

HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS: When

Joseph Riddick “Rick” Hendrick formed AllStar Racing (now Hendrick Motorsports) in 1984, he came close to folding several times in the first couple of years due to lack of money. But once his teams started winning both races (291) and Cup Series championships (14), HMS has gone on to become the sport’s most successful organization.

PETTY ENTERPRISES: A close second to Hendrick Motorsports, Petty Enterprises was formed by team patriarch Lee Petty in 1949 and continued by son Richard. The Petty camp has earned 268 NASCAR Cup Series victories, with Richard contributing the most (196 wins and seven championships). While the Petty clan became the most successful organization in the 1960s and 1970s, by the 1980s things had gotten lean – and have continued that way since.

ROUSH FENWAY KESELOWSKI

RACING: This team has gone from Roush Racing to Roush Fenway Racing to Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing in 2022 when NASCAR Cup Series driver Brad Keselowski joined the organization as a driver and parttime owner (with the plan he’ll succeed team patriarch Jack Roush when his racing days are over). The organization has 138 Cup Series wins and two series championships, but has struggled of late, with no points finishes higher than 15th since 2015.

JOE GIBBS RACING: When NFL coach Joe Gibbs announced he was forming a NASCAR team in 1992, many laughed at him. But using the same diligence and strategy he utilized on the gridiron; Joe Gibbs Racing has gone on to 200 career Cup Series wins and five series championships. Unfortunately, the two sons Joe Gibbs planned to succeed him in running the organization, J.D. and Coy, have passed away, leaving the future of JGR unclear.

TEAM PENSKE: Operated by perhaps the most iconic team owner in all of motorsports (including his tremendous success in Indy car racing), Roger Penske has built a NASCAR organization that can hold its own against any rival, with 135 Cup Series wins and three championships (all in the last decade, including Joey Logano winning the 2022 crown). Austin Cindric, who won the 2022 Daytona 500, and Ryan Blaney are on the cusp of becoming NASCAR greats.

JUNIOR JOHNSON AND ASSOCIATES: Junior Johnson was among the first five inductees into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, not just for his 50 victories as a driver, but also for the 132 wins he amassed as a Cup Series team owner, including six championships (three each by Cale Yarborough and Darrell Waltrip). Johnson was an innovator, mentor and one of the most intelligent men to ever sit behind the wheel or atop the pit box.

RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING: Like many of his predecessors, Richard Childress went from being a so-so driver to an outstanding team owner, amassing 113 Cup Series victories and six championships. All of the team’s titles came with Dale Earnhardt driving and RCR has struggled to find its footing since his death in 2001 Daytona 500. However, with Kyle Busch joining the team this year, look for a major uptick in performance, wins and championships.

WOOD BROTHERS RACING: A true family operation that began in little, bucolic Stuart, Virginia, Glen Wood and brother Leonard formed the backbone of the organization. When Glen retired in the late 1980s, his sons, Eddie and Len, took over leadership of the organization, roles they continue in to this day. The organization has won 99 NASCAR Cup Series races, but has never earned a championship.

HOLMAN MOODY: From 1957 until 1973, Holman Moody was one of the most feared organizations in NASCAR. Backed by Ford Motor Co., it also was one of the most coveted destinations for drivers, winning 96 races with the likes of Fred Lorenzen, Mario Andretti (won his only Daytona 500 in 1967 for Holman Moody), Bobby Allison, Joe Weatherly and David Pearson, who brought the company its only two NASCAR Cup Series championships

RIVALRIES CAPTIVATE NASCAR FANS

BY JERRY BONKOWSKI

The best thing about NASCAR is winning, but the sport’s many rivalries are a close second. Which driver(s) is/are the best? Who’s the fastest or savviest? Who gets the best bragging rights? Fans love to argue and debate these topics. Here’s our picks for the all-time best rivalries:

DALE EARNHARDT VS. JEFF GORDON

While they raced just eight years (1993-2000) against each other, Dale Earnhardt vs. Jeff Gordon was one of the best rivalries the sport has ever seen. Earnhardt was “The Intimidator,” while Gordon was “Wonder Boy.” Their rivalry was fierce, leading NASCAR’s huge surge in popularity during the 1990s and into the 2000s before Earnhardt’s death at Daytona in February 2001. They were like wrestlers on-track with their bravado and loved to get fans fired up, but were great friends off-track and sold a ton of merchandise together, laughing all the way to the bank.

CHEVROLET VS. FORD

There’s been a massive rivalry for decades between Chevrolet and Ford – also known as the battle between the Bow Tie (Chevy) and the Blue Oval (Ford) – that began on the race track and extended to auto dealer showrooms. One humorous sidelight: There were countless decals produced that promoted a fan’s loyalty, most notably a cartoon character urinating on the logo of their arch-rival manufacturer. There have been other makes over the years, including Toyota (currently) and formerly Dodge, Chrysler, Pontiac, Oldsmobile and Buick, but no one has ever come close to Chevy vs. Ford.

KYLE BUSCH VS. EVERYBODY

THE YOUNGER BUSCH BROTHER HAS HAD MORE rivals and enemies than perhaps any other driver in NASCAR history. When he first came on the scene, he was young, brash, cocky … but could wheel the hell out of a race car. As he’s gotten older, got married and had a family, Busch has mellowed somewhat. But if a race is on the line, he’s still the best pick to win.

RICHARD PETTY VS. DAVID PEARSON

NASCAR’S ALL-TIME BEST RIVALRY WAS Richard Petty vs. David Pearson. They called each other the toughest driver they ever faced. They finished 1-2 in 63 of their respective wins against each other. If it hadn’t been for the other, Petty might have had 300 wins and Pearson would have lots more than 105 victories

DALE SR. VS. THE DAYTONA 500

NO MATTER HOW HARD HE TRIED, DALE Earnhardt could not win the sport’s biggest race, the Daytona 500. He tried everything to win The Great American Race but always came up short. Just when he was ready to give up, he finally reached Victory Lane in his 20th try in 1998. Fittingly, all teams came onto pit road to cheer and congratulate him.

INTRODUCING OUR MOST DURABLE OIL FILTER

SYNTHETIC MICROGLASS MEDIA WITH WIRE MESH MEDIA SUPPORT

HIGH-FLOW, HIGH-STRENGTH CENTER TUBE

SILICONE ANTI-DRAINBACK VALVE

HEAVY-DUTY CONSTRUCTION

PERFECT

NO-STICK GASKET

360° TEXTURED GRIP PRECISION RELIEF VALVE

SEAL®

DRIVERS WHO EMBRACED THE BOOS

BY JERRY BONKOWSKI

If NASCAR fans don’t like a driver, they quickly let ’em know with boos. But several drivers have let that animosity work in their favor.

THE MAN WITH THE SNIDELY WHIPLASH mustache was one of NASCAR’s most aggressive drivers and he was hated by fans of rival drivers who fell victim to Earnhardt and his famous “chrome horn.” When fans booed, The Intimidator would tick ’em off even more with a big smile in return.

DARRELL WALTRIP

THE MUHAMMAD

Ali of NASCAR, aka “I am the Greatest!” But as much as fans hated him for his cockiness and braggadocio, Waltrip backed it all up with 84 wins and three championships. Ironically, once he went into the FOX broadcast booth, he became one of the most beloved personalities in the sport.

JIMMIE JOHNSON & CHAD KNAUS

EARNHARDT’S ARCHrival. If you loved Earnhardt, you hated Gordon. But the irony is the duo was actually good friends off-track and their rivalry in many ways was just an act. Gordon was one of the biggest thorns in

ANOTHER OVERTLY AGGRESSIVE racer who had no problem mixing it up with fellow drivers in and out of his race car. He endured a number of suspensions for his actions but has gone on to be quite the entrepreneur, including operating the very successful Stadium Super Trucks Series.

KYLE BUSCH

THE YOUNGER BUSCH brother was easy to hate because of his oftentimes standoffish attitude, his complaints about virtually everything, his aggressive driving and his overt cockiness. While he still has occasional episodes of the old Kyle, marriage and fatherhood have mellowed him.

You can’t mention one without the other. Fans hated Johnson for all his wins and championships, while crew chief Knaus was booed because how he loved to push the envelope –some would call it outright cheating.

EXTREMELY TALENTED BUT HE was like a fish out of water in his seven years in NASCAR. Whether it was because he was a foreign-born driver or his abject cockiness at times, JPM had more than his share of boos.

WHILE “MR. Excitement” drew his share of boos, he also was wildly cheered for the day he punched Kurt Busch in the nose.

JUAN PABLO MONTOYA

JEFF GORDON

ROBBY GORDON

JIMMY SPENCER

DALE EARNHARDT

7 ICONIC NASCAR SPONSORS

EVERYTHING FROM AN OIL ADDITIVE TO A SOFT DRINK

BY JERRY BONKOWSKI

Corporate sponsorship is the engine that drives every type of auto racing. Since NASCAR’s debut as a sanctioning body in 1948, there have been countless exemplary companies that have financially supported its competitors and series.

Whether painted on a race car or supporting the sport in other ways, fans have long had a unique relationship with corporate sponsors. In fact, many will solely purchase products from a company because it sponsors their favorite driver’s car.

STP

Dating back five decades, oil additive STP has had a constant presence in NASCAR racing; starting with Fred Lorenzen in 1971. The Pettyblue-and-fluorescent-red colors eventually became symbolic with Richard Petty, who captured four of his record-tying seven Cup Series championships while sponsored by STP (1972, 1974, 1975 and 1979). STP still has relevance in the sport, last sponsoring Erik Jones in 2021.

LOWE’S

Then there’s Lowe’s, which was Jimmie John son’s primary sponsor for 17 years. In that time, the No. 48 team also won seven championships, including five in a row (2006-2010), making the home improvement chain the primary sponsor to win the most titles in NASCAR history.

COCA-COLA

As far back as 1970, Coca-Cola has had a presence in NASCAR. Don Tarr was the first Coke driver before it sponsored Bobby Allison – in a car owned by Junior Johnson – later that de cade. Coca-Cola branched into race sponsorship in the 1980s for the spring race at Atlanta and then took over the naming rights of the series’ longest race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Memorial Day Weekend in 1985. It’s a tradition that continues nearly four decades later, with the beverage occasionally being on cars, too.

WINSTON

While the Cup Series doesn’t presently have a title sponsor (it has four premier partners), Winston cigarettes took its activation to the next level when the R.J. Reynolds brand sponsored the series from 1971 to 2003. Winston was the first non-automotive company to sponsor NASCAR racing on a full-time basis. To honor that era of the sport, there’s a Winston Cup Museum in Winston Salem, North Carolina.

GM GOODWRENCH

Speaking of sponsors that have won plenty of championships, it’s worth bringing up GM Goodwrench. Synonymous with Richard Childress Racing and Dale Earnhardt, the famed No. 3 car won four titles and 45 races in Goodwrench colors before Earnhardt’s death in the 2001 Daytona 500. Kevin Harvick then sported the Goodwrench colors and won in his third career Cup Series start. If you visit a track this season, you are guaranteed to see black GM Goodwrench apparel.

GOODYEAR

In order to make efficient time around the track and help keep the drivers safe, the NASCAR Cup Series has relied on Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. for nearly seven decades (1954) as the “Official Tire of NASCAR.” As NASCAR has become more innovative, so too has Goodyear. In 1972, the company introduced the racing slick, radial tires debuted in 1989 and multi-zone tread arrived in 2013. With the Next Gen car being introduced in 2022, Goodyear had the challenge of making an 18-inch racing tire, though it’s been delivering a similar product to consumers for years.

DUPONT/AXALTA

When DuPont entered the sport in 1992, it was during a changing of the guard. Not only was it Richard Petty’s last race, but it was Jeff Gordon’s first race, in what turned out to be a first-ballot Hall of Fame career. The Wonder Boy won a career-high 13 races in 1998, along with four championships between 1995 and 2001. The rainbow warrior paint scheme is regarded as one of the most eye-catching in NASCAR history. DuPont’s flamed scheme that began in 2001, isn’t bad either. Now rebranded as Axalta, the company is still sponsoring Hendrick Motorsports.

THE INTIMIDATOR TO JAWS

NICKNAMES HAVE LONG ADDED COLOR TO NASCAR

BY DUSTIN ALBINO

While NASCAR drivers are among the most fearless people in the world, many racers have nicknames that add to their on-track persona. Over the last 75 years, there have been some dandies, with no discrimination among success. Here are some of the best nicknames in the sport’s history.

THE KING: Between 1967 and 1971, Richard Petty won double-digit races every year. With his dominance, he was coined “The King.” It’s a moniker that he still rocks today, with his Charlie 1 Horse cowboy hat.

THE INTIMIDATOR: Undeniably, Dale Earnhardt is among the greats in NASCAR history. And he didn’t shy away from his aggressive nature on the track. At times, it was move out of the way or get moved, but his nickname came to life with his “pass in the grass” of Bill Elliott during The Winston at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 1987.

THE SILVER FOX: With a winning percentage of 18.3, David Pearson, to many, is NASCAR’s GOAT. Though he never ran a full season, Pearson would often hang low in the opening stint of races before leaping to the front of the pack toward the end.

JAWS: No driver in NASCAR history was a better smack-talker than Darrell Waltrip. Cale Yarborough took notice early in DW’s career and gave him the “Jaws” nickname. Waltrip put it to good use in rivalries with Yarborough, Earnhardt and Rusty Wallace.

FIREBALL: In high school, Glenn Roberts was a standout baseball player who knew how to throw heat. Roberts is known as one of the best drivers to never claim a NASCAR Cup Series championship, despite winning 33 of his 206 starts.

SMOKE: Where there’s smoke, there’s fire, and Tony Stewart knew how to burn the tires off his car. The nickname “Smoke” predates his NASCAR driving days and reportedly goes back to when he ran sprint cars; when he would spin his tires off the corners so much that smoke would billow from his rear tires.

ROWDY: Love him or hate him, Kyle Busch has been among the most polarizing figures in the history of NASCAR. His “Rowdy” nickname came from his aggressive style on the track and his ruthless attitude. The Rowdy tagline has been associated with him since the mid-2000s, and he eventually created an energy drink, named Rowdy.

AWESOME BILL FROM DAWSONVILLE: The Elliotts have a long lineage in NASCAR, and have always stuck to their Dawsonville, Georgia, roots. Bill Elliott won 28 races in the back half of the 1980s, en route to the 1988 Cup Series title.

THE ROCKETMAN: In the 2000s, Ryan Newman was fun to watch in qualifying. He won a career-high 11 poles during his sophomore 2003 season, and finished his career with 51 total – 43 of which came for Team Penske. Between 2003 and 2005, the Indiana native started from the pole in six straight races at Atlanta Motor Speedway – a track record.

MR. EXCITEMENT: Before his NASCAR career began, Jimmy Spencer was anointed with the nickname “Mr. Excitement” for his aggressive nature in modifieds. Spencer was relevant through the 1990s and early 2000s, before becoming an analyst for SPEED. There, he was known for never holding back his bold opinions and beliefs.

RAINBOW WARRIORS: With a rainbow wrapped DuPont Chevrolet, Jeff Gordon and his No. 24 team quickly became known as the “Rainbow Warriors” in the 1990s. Gordon won three championships in the decade and double-digit races in three straight years (1996-1998).

DIY DIE-CAST CAR STAND

BY QUINN SWEETMAN

WHAT YOU NEED:

■ Welding machine capable of welding ¼” thick material (Forney 190 MP)

■ Plasma cutter capable of cutting 16 gauge (Forney Flex 30)

■ Chop saw with metal blade

■ 5 large magnets (Forney ITEM# 70715)

■ 5 4” x 12” ¼” thick plate (Forney ITEM# 49620)

■ 1 16 gauge sheet metal (Forney ITEM# 49575)

■ Angle grinder with flap disc (Forney ITEM# 1905 & 71923)

■ 6 inches of ½” square tube (Forney ITEM# 49520)

■ Circle cutting guide (Forney ITEM# 85683)

■ Personal protective equipment

1 Start by cutting out the base. Attach the plasma cutter to the circle cutting guide. Line up the circle cutting guide so the plasma cutter’s nozzle radius hits each corner.

2 Cut the radius out of the sheet metal.Move the sheet backward so the same radius can be cut out of the rear of the sheet metal. Use a tape measure to ensure an even cut on each side.

3 Build the car platform. Using the chop saw and metal cutting blade, remove 2” off one side of each ¼” plate. This will now make the plates 4”x10”.

4 Clean up the plates for a detailed finish. Remove the mill scale from the ¼” plates using a flap disc.

5 Create the bases for the tiered platform. Cut 3 sections of tubing 1½” tall, 2” tall and 3” tall. Using a chop saw or angle grinder, cut 30-degree angles directly in the center of the of the 1½” and 3” tall sections and on the very top of the 2” section. These pieces (once inverted) will create the perfect angles for viewing the top of the car.

6 Attach angled post to the car podiums. Using weld magnets to align the posts, tack weld them to the center of each of the plates.

7 Align the plates with the posts facing down, using the magnets to hold them up from the rear. Take your time to really align the podiums for the most uniform and best-looking orientation.

8 Tack weld the car podiums. Find a way that works for your cars to keep them from rolling off. You can leave this blank, use small magnets or weld a bar to the plate under the wheels. You can paint the podium, add flags or keep it simple with a clear coat.

THE FINAL PRODUCT

Q&A WITH AUSTIN DILLON RACER, OUTDOORSMAN & GM OF A PBR TEAM

BY DUSTIN ALBINO

Since 2014 when he made his first start in the iconic No. 3 Chevrolet, Austin Dillon has been the face of Richard Childress Racing, and his four NASCAR Cup Series victories include a pair of crown jewel events – the Daytona 500 and the Coca-Cola 600.

Last year, the third-generation racer came up clutch with a walk-off win in the regular-season finale at Daytona International Speedway to earn a spot in the postseason.

But things haven’t always been unicorns and rainbows.

Dillon, who earned the 2011 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship and claimed the 2013 NASCAR Xfinity Series title, has had to manage the expectations of racing for his grandfather, legendary team owner Richard Childress, while continuing the tradition of the No. 3 car that Dale Earnhardt wheeled to six of his seven Cup Series championships.

Like his grandfather, Dillon is an avid outdoorsman, so it’s only fitting that Bass Pro Shops has been among his sponsors since 2010 when Dillon was a rookie in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

In this wide-ranging interview with NASCAR Pole Position, Dillon discusses Kyle Busch’s arrival at RCR; his role in managing a Professional Bull Riders team; and why he’s been such a good fit with Bass Pro Shops, on and off the race track.

WHAT’S IT BEEN LIKE HAVING KYLE BUSCH AS A TEAMMATE?

Kyle is awesome to work with. We’ve struggled at times and they’ve been fortunate to get (multiple wins), which was great for the company. He was really good at Fontana and both of us have had some solid runs. The dirt race was good for both of us.

It’s been awesome having Kyle. He’s a solid teammate, and it’s been fun working with him.

TAKE ME BACK TO THE INITIAL PITCH LAST SUMMER. HOW DID YOU PRESENT KYLE WITH THE IDEA OF JOINING RCR?

The big thing was we want the same thing and that’s to win. RCR is committed to that and Kyle is committed to winning at all levels of racing. That’s what I noticed the most about him: He loves to race. He’s a racer through and through. With him coming to RCR, I figured we would put a group of racers with a racer and it’s a great combination.

KYLE WON TWO OF THE FIRST 10 RACES THIS SEASON. HOW HAS HE HELPED THE COMPANY THUS FAR?

Just his competitive drive. When we have a bad weekend, he wants to get it fixed fast. There’s no, “Well, let’s see if we can do this or

Aluminum Trailers

that.” It’s, “Let’s fix this.” He’s committed to moving as fast as possible to get the cars where they need to be constantly.

TALK ABOUT YOUR INTEREST IN A TEAM MANAGEMENT ROLE ONCE YOUR DRIVING DAYS ARE OVER?

I think in the future that’s something I’m interested in. I’ve been working with the (Professional Bull Riders) team as well and learning different skills. Right now, I’m focused on driving and putting a lot of effort into that this year by working with Josh Wise and the group at Chevy. I’m focused on getting this (No.) 3 team to Victory Lane. But in the future, I think that would be fun.

WHAT’S IT BEEN LIKE BEING THE GENERAL MANAGER OF A PBR TEAM?

It’s been good. I’ve learned a lot and built a solid squad. We came up short in the championship and are ready to go into our second year. We moved up in the draft and got the first overall pick, so that’s exciting. We’ve added a partner with Jeff Groin, one of our partners here at the race track with Bioethanol. His company POET is partnered up with us. It’s been exciting going through different types of ownerships with our good friends here at the race track to build that team and working with the riders; the guys who make it happen when it comes down to it. They are like your drivers of that sport.

HOW DOES THE DRAFT PROCESS WORK WITH RODEO?

Just like the NFL draft. Guys declare for the draft once they turn 18 and we can draft them onto our team. Then, you’ve got to work out a contract with them and try to build the best team you can build with guys that are committed to winning and putting forth the effort each and every weekend.

WHAT ARE THE COMPARISONS IN HOW THE NASCAR AND PBR TEAMS RUN?

There are a lot of different ways you can spend money. You’ve got the teams that spend a lot of money and you’ve got the teams that spend some money and some teams that take the cheapest way that you can compete. You have the different guys in the garage and the same thing on the franchise side with PBR.

Whether you’re looking for utility, recreation or fun, Aluma has the perfect trailer for you! Aluma offers a complete line of durable, lightweight and maintenance free aluminum trailers.

PRIOR TO GETTING INTO THE SPORT, HOW MUCH DID YOU FOLLOW BULL RIDING?

I was always a fan as a kid growing up, going to some of these rodeos. Now, it’s a whole other level. I’ve gotten so into the statistics and watching these guys. If you look at my following on Instagram, all I follow is bull riders. Just constantly watching them and seeing who’s gotten consistent and doing things that our coach Jerome Davis likes.

WOULD YOU EVER RIDE A BULL?

Hell, no. Those guys are way crazier than us.

BASS PRO SHOPS HAS BEEN WITH YOU SINCE 2010 WHEN YOU WERE A ROOKIE IN THE TRUCK SERIES. TELL US ABOUT THAT RELATIONSHIP.

Johnny Morris and the Morris family have been a huge part of my racing career. I look at them as family now. We’ve tried to grow the brand of Bass Pro and Cabella’s. The outdoors is what I love to do in my free time.

PRIOR TO BASS PRO SHOPS BACKING YOU, HOW MUCH OF AN OUTDOORSMAN WERE YOU?

I grew up with it and shot my first deer at 7 years old. My grandfather has had me in the deer stand

hunting my entire life. I actually bought land this past year to go hunting in Kansas. Hunting is something I will pass on to my son Ace and our kids. Getting people into the outdoors, there’s nothing like it. It’s special and you want to keep that opportunity and fight for it. That’s why my grandfather is the chairman of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, trying to keep our public lands open for access and being able to hunt and fish and get in the outdoors.

WHAT’S THE COOLEST OUTDOOR ADVENTURE YOU’VE EXPERIENCED?

I’ve been on quite a few: British Columbia, New Zealand, Africa. All three of those experiences were pretty wild. British Columbia was at a young age, a beautiful place.

WHAT KIND OF ANIMALS WERE YOU HUNTING ON THOSE TRIPS?

In British Columbia, it was mountain goats and caribou. Africa, a lot of plains game and a cape buffalo. In New Zealand, it was a red stag and a couple different goats over there, like a mountain goat.

WHAT’S THE BIGGEST CATCH YOU’VE EVER HAD?

I shot a moose in Wyoming. I was the youngest one to do that at the time, a Shiras moose. I was 14.

The TG Series Grill

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

NASCAR & RVING: SIMPLY

While watching NASCAR racing on television, you’ve likely seen a sea of recreational vehicles filling the track’s spacious infield. But have you ever wondered what makes RVing at a NASCAR race so alluring? Here are a few ways in which NASCAR and RVing were simply made for each other.

1. The Party Goes on All Weekend: When one thinks of tailgating or taking their recreational vehicle to a sporting event, they’ll likely conjure an image of a full parking lot outside of whatever stadium they are attending, complete with long lines of fans rushing to turn in their tickets and buy an overpriced amount of food, drinks and memorabilia.

In racing, however, that first night is only the beginning.

Many NASCAR weekends consist of three days of racing, featuring what is usually the top three national series. Some venues will include a Friday night event for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, a Saturday feature for the NASCAR Xfinity Series and finally the main NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday.

Some venues will also host plenty of infield events including concerts, driver appearances and autograph sessions. Without an infield pass, most fans aren’t able to see these events many race tracks are constantly promoting. Bringing an RV to the race track lets you get closer to experiencing the entirety of the NASCAR race weekend and all of the events happening in those infields without leaving the speedway.

Moreover, fans that bring RVs to the track have some of the best seats in racing.

2. A Unique Point of View: Many will sit in the grandstands that all speedway venues include, and at some tracks grandstand viewing will give you some excellent viewpoints of the entire racing circuit. That’s especially true at short tracks.

That’s all well and good, but at the end of the day grandstand viewing will never truly get you up and close to the racing action, nor will it get you close to your favorite drivers.

RVing on the other hand, offers much in terms of access.

Unlike many sports, NASCAR offers an unrivaled amount of fan access to drivers, teams, garages and in some cases even pit road. This is all usually accessed in the infield, and while many venues do offer infield passes, many tracks put RVers in the infield for the whole race weekend. You know, where the action is.

Being in the infield or wherever you find yourself at any racing venue will put you near all of the action for the entirety of the race weekend of your choosing.

What’s even better, with an RV, you’ll be near that action while spending time in your own style of comfort.

3. The Comfort of Home Away from Home: As is the case with any RV trip, you can take your home with you anywhere you go. Many fans who attend any sporting event away from home will usually end up paying extra for a nearby hotel or have to drive back to their living space at the end of the day.

Because NASCAR is almost always a multi-day event, RVers can simply retire back to the mobile dwelling at the end of the day to rest among their personal amenities and prepare for the next day’s events.

It’s also no secret that many sporting venues will charge astronomical prices for food and drinks. With RVs, fans can bring whatever snacks and foods they prefer and have their own kitchen without the hassle of having to find a concession stand and wait in a long line.

While NASCAR drivers are at a race for work, fans are of course there for fun, and if you’re RVing, there isn’t much limit to how much fun one can have.

4. Party to Your Heart’s Content: It certainly is no secret that what happens in a NASCAR infield or RV lot is a high level of partying. At Talladega, fans celebrate during the track-sanctioned “Big One,” which features concerts, food and games all along the circuit infield’s boulevard.

It’s a similar case at many other venues as well. There isn’t always a race going on, so when the track is silent, that’s when many fans can go outside and have some fun.

MADE FOR EACH OTHER

Whether you’re in the open superspeedway infield of Daytona or on the outside grounds near Bristol Motor Speedway, there will almost always be something to do near your mobile dwelling.

It’s always easier to cut loose knowing the place you’re sleeping at is only a few feet away from where you’re having fun, but that doesn’t mean you have to stay in your RV campsite the whole time.

And why would you? After all, there is always a community of other NASCAR fans and fellow RVers surrounding your campsite that you can party with the whole weekend.

5. Making New Friends: With any sport, there are always going to be fans. With fans, there will always be a large community of them gathering at events.

There’s likely no other sport that highlights a community coming together like NASCAR fans at a speedway campsite. Parties, grilling and music are some ways many race fans gather and celebrate during the course of a weekend.

Unlike most sports, NASCAR has the unique attribute of having

BY DALTON HOPKINS

multiple teams and drivers to root for, giving RVing fans at a NASCAR race ample reason to bond and make connections over the course of a weekend.

Sometimes those bonds will last for some time. Many RV goers will find themselves renewing their camping passes and campsites year after year for the same race weekend. With that, a small RV community may begin to form.

There are Facebook groups dedicated to certain NASCAR camping communities so fans that have gotten to know each other over the years can connect while the NASCAR circus isn’t in town.

Fans of a certain driver share in the roller coaster of emotions that will carry over the course of a race weekend. With shared emotions of hardship to joy, bonds are formed that, while born over the course of a weekend, may end up lasting for years to come.

In the end, all reasons to bring an RV to a NASCAR race culminate to that. Because really, what point is it to have fun and celebrate if you can’t share it with others?

eBikes for Every Adventure

Q&A WITH B.J. McLeod

‘LOOKING FORWARD AND

STAYING DETERMINED’

BY DUSTIN ALBINO

B.J. McLeod isn’t like most NASCAR team owners. The 39-year-old racer stands out amongst the crowd as he has a love for skulls and is always wearing the color black.

What many fans don’t know is that McLeod is also a successful race car driver. He’s won more than 300 races and 18 champion ships at the regional, state and national levels, despite not starting his racing career until he was 13.

Meanwhile, McLeod was also a driving instructor at Finish Line Racing School in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. He taught the likes of Matt Tifft and Scott Heckert in 2010 before dipping into NASCAR in a one-off start with Germain Racing at Martinsville Speedway.

Between 2010 and 2015, McLeod ran partial seasons in all three of NASCAR’s top touring divisions, including his first Cup Series start for Circle Sport Racing in 2015 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. He had a vision, however, of becoming a team owner. So, in 2016, he kickstarted BJ McLeod Motorsports.

Since then, McLeod has entered nearly 600 NASCAR Xfinity Series races as a team owner, at times running up to four cars in a given race. When he had some downtime during NASCAR’s hiatus for the COVID-19 pandemic, McLeod thought about adding a Cup Se ries team. A handful of months later, he announced he would start Live Fast Motorsports, a full-time team with Tifft as a co-owner. This season, BJ McLeod Motorsports is fielding the No. 78 Chev rolet for Anthony Alfredo in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and Live Fast Motorsports has the No. 78 Chevrolet with a rotating roster of drivers that includes McLeod.

In this interview with NASCAR Pole Position, McLeod talks about the growth of his teams and how he manages expectations.

WHY DID YOU WANT TO BECOME A NASCAR TEAM OWNER?

Becoming a team owner goes all the way back to 2010 when we started the Super Late Model driver developmental program. The goal the whole time was, I had been a driving instructor at Finish Line Racing School for nine or 10 years, maybe a little bit longer. I had been teaching kids and saw them having success in the sport. I thought I was at the point that I wanted to teach some of them myself past just the school, so that’s when we started the driver development program in Super Lates.

We got up to four cars in that series and had the chance to go K&N Pro Series racing with Scott Heckert in 2013, so we did that. It kept snowballing where we were doing well and treating people right and were able to run the Truck Series full time in 2015. We switched to Xfinity in 2016 and ran our first Cup Series race in 2020 with BJ McLeod Motorsports. It was because we had good partnerships and relationships with the people that drove for us, and as they advanced, a couple of them would take us to the next step with them. That’s really the way we made our way from Super Late Models to ultimately now in the Cup Series.

IN 2020, YOU MADE SELECT CUP SERIES STARTS AS AN OWNER. WHY MAKE THE JUMP TO THE CUP SERIES?

I wanted to for many different reasons, but one that popped up was that there wasn’t any practice or qualifying. It was just go, and learn. We knew that we were probably going to be a last-place car, but it was to see that system, that schedule and try to keep up with it. We wanted to see how well we did and how tired we got and knowing if we got the right people that we would be able to hang on.

TOWARD THE END OF 2020, YOU AND MATT TIFFT ANNOUNCED THE FORMATION OF LIVE FAST MOTORSPORTS. WHY WAS THAT THE RIGHT FIT?

We had always wanted to reach the highest level of stock car racing, which is the Cup Series. When we did a little bit of it in 2020 in the 78 car with BJMM, we had a chance to secure the charter and go that direction. It was a no-brainer. We knew that’s what we wanted to do together, and we’ve been working to make that better ever since.

WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED IN NASCAR, WAS THE GOAL TO BE A CUP SERIES OWNER?

It was always a dream and part of the plan. I still wouldn’t have believed it then if you had told me I would be a Cup Series owner right now. It’s so hard to get to this level. It was something we were working for, but couldn’t see the future and definitely wouldn’t have stated that we were going to do that.

We aspired to make it happen and fortunately enough we were able to make it happen.

YOU EARNED THE TEAM’S FIRST TOP 10 AT DAYTONA IN 2021. HOW IMPORTANT WAS THAT?

When you’re trying to build a small team, anything you can get for momentum is huge, to keep people working and digging when sometimes you don’t have a lot to

look forward to as far as finishes. Last year was a really tough year for us. We were definitely the lowest budgeted team in the Cup Series and were running 35th or 36th on speed every week, unless it was a superspeedway or road course.

Anytime you’re building a small team, a top 10, is because of attrition. We were a 20th- to 25th-place car that day. But with attrition, we were able to get a top 10 and that top 10 gives your people that work on these things every single week, six or seven days per week, it gives them motivation to keep going because they see that it can get better and we can work toward being more competitive.

NOW THAT YOU’RE TWO AND A HALF SEASONS INTO RUNNING A CUP SERIES PROGRAM, WHAT HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE?

The biggest challenge has been building partnerships; marketing partners to get the sponsorship that you need to run correctly because it is a money-driven sport. It’s very expensive to be competitive and once you have the money – that’s a big piece – but it’s only one piece. You have to have great people, great drivers. It just goes on and on because it’s the biggest and best stock car series in the world, in my opinion.

Money has been the biggest hurdle, but we knew that when we got into it and we were trying to grow from a small enterprise into a big one. It only happens one way and that’s looking forward and staying determined, being good to people and building year after year.

HOW DID NASCAR’S TRANSITION FROM THE OLD GENERATION CAR TO THE NEW ONE IMPACT LIVE FAST?

It’s odd because it’s great for us. The first year was difficult, not because of the Next Gen car itself, in my opinion. The Next Gen car made the sport very popular, and a lot of people wanted to get in because of the parity across the field. That additional number of people coming in because of the Next Gen car made the sport more competitive. Our first year, we were nowhere near the bottom three. We were over 50 to 60 points to the good, averaging 29th to 30th every week and outrunning six or seven teams. The Next Gen comes, everybody was excited and there were faster cars, more budget in the sport and we ended up being 35th to 36th most weeks. That was how it affected us. The Next Gen car is a great thing for us, but that’s why 2022 was a difficult year.

SHOULD YOU BE ONE OF THE BOTTOM THREE CHARTERS THIS YEAR AND NEXT, IT’S POSSIBLE NASCAR WILL TAKE THAT CHARTER. HOW MUCH OF AN INCENTIVE DOES THAT MAKE TO UP THE PERFORMANCE?

I don’t speak too much toward the charters, but it’s our goal to be out of the three, no matter what. We have no interest in being second to last or third from last. Our view is always looking forward and making sure we get to a competitive point that we’re OK with. For us, we’re aiming for 25th or higher.

We have all the incentives we need because we don’t want to be in the back.

ZEIGLER AUTO GROUP & BILICKI

Z E I G L E R A U T O G R O U P A N D

#LIVEZEIGLERFAST SEASON

B I L I C K I # L I V E Z E I G L E R F A S T S E A S O N

Zeigler Auto Group first sponsored Josh Bilicki at Michigan International Speedway in August 2021. At the time, this was going to be a one-time opportunity to partner with Bilicki to highlight the Zeigler Auto Group name and be a sponsor at a NASCAR Xfinity Series race.

y Matt Thomas

Fast forward to 2023, Zeigler Auto Group announced again their primary sponsorship of Bilicki and new partnership of the #78 Zeigler.com Camaro while teaming up with Live Fast Motorsports.

“Over the past two years, Bilicki has teamed up with Zeigler Auto Group on many different occasions and become part of #TeamZeigler. Bilicki has been involved with Zeigler Auto Group events including, becoming the lead pace car driver at the Zeigler Kalamazoo Marathon in 2022, participating in the Drive for Life Charity Gala in 2021 and 2022, enjoying the annual Holiday Party, rides upon the Zeigler hot air balloon or visits at the Zeigler Auto Group dealerships for their employee celebrations.

rst sponsored Josh Bilicki at Michigan ternational Speedway in August 2021 At the me, this was going to be a one-time pportunity to partner with Bilicki to highlight e Zeigler Auto Group name and be a ponsor at a NASCAR Xfinity Series race

“This is what separates Josh from others, his willingness to become engaged in our culture, with our team members across four states and truly embrace the team Zeigler values”, said Aaron Zeigler, President & CEO of Zeigler Auto Group.

ast forward to 2023, Zeigler Auto Group nnounced again their primary sponsorship of licki and new partnership of the #78 eigler com Camaro while teaming up with ve Fast Motorsports

This year, Zeigler Auto Group wanted to give fans the opportunity to get up close to the action at a NASCAR Cup Series race to experience what it is like to be in the pit box during a race. They launched the #Livezeiglerfast fan engagement contest, giving fans everywhere the opportunity to enter and win 2 VIP Hot pass tickets to 3 premier races throughout the 2023 season.

Over the past two years, Bilicki has teamed p with Zeigler Auto Group on many different ccasions and become part of #TeamZeigler licki has been involved with Zeigler Auto roup events including, becoming the lead ace car driver at the Zeigler Kalamazoo Marathon in 2022, participating in the Drive or Life Charity Gala in 2021 and 2022, njoying the annual Holiday Party, rides upon he Zeigler hot air balloon or visits at the eigler Auto Group dealerships for their mployee celebrations "This is what separates osh from others, his willingness to become ngaged in our culture, with our team embers across four states and truly embrace e team Zeigler values", said Aaron Zeigler,

“Our fans are the most important element of our sport and without them, we would not be racing on the weekends. Most fans see the action on track but do not have the chance to see what happens behind the scenes. Thanks to Zeigler, we have the opportunity to share this unique experience with a few very lucky individuals,” said Bilicki.

Fans can enter for a chance to win tickets to the first-ever NASCAR Chicago Street Race on July 2, 2023. The contest, which only takes two quick steps to enter.

• Follow @zeigler_racing on Instagram

“Our fans are the most important element of our sport and without them, we would not be racing on the weekends Most fans see the action on track but do not have the chance to see what happens behind the scenes Thanks to Zeigler, we have the opportunity to share this unique experience with a few very lucky individuals,” said Bilicki

• Tag 2 Friends on any of our Chicago Street Race contest posts.

The 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season is in full gear, Bilicki is ready to make the headlines, thanks to his sponsorship agreement with the Zeigler Auto Group and team Live Fast Motorsports. Zeigler Auto Group has a strong presence in the Midwest, but the sponsorship deal with Bilicki has helped to expand their reach and visibility on a national level. This has been a win-win for both parties. For Bilicki, the support of a major sponsor like Zeigler Auto Group has provided him with additional resources and exposure, as he continues to establish himself as a top driver in the Cup Series. Meanwhile, for Zeigler Auto Group, the partnership has helped to raise awareness of their brand and attract new customers, both in the Midwest and beyond.

Fans can enter for a chance to win tickets to the first-ever NASCAR Chicago Street Race on July 2, 2023 The contest-which only takes two quick steps to enter

Follow @zeigler racing on Instagram Tag 2 Friends on any of our Chicago Street Race contest posts

The 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season is in full gear, Bilicki is ready to make the headlines, thanks to his sponsorship

Image provided by Zeigler Auto Group

Q&A with Sammy Smith

BY JOSEPH WOLKIN

Despite being only 19 years old, NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Sammy Smith owns a robust list of accomplishments that includes an Xfinity Series race win, two ARCA Menards Series East championships, victories in some of the country’s most prestigious and competitive late model stock races, 15 ARCA wins, a super late model track title, and 31 Legend Car victories.

Not surprising in light of his impressive résumé, Smith – a Toyota Racing Development driver and native of Johnston, Iowa – earned an op portunity to compete full time for Joe Gibbs Racing this season in the Xfinity Series after making his debut with the organization in a part-time role last year.

Despite displaying the kind of inconsistency you’d typically expect from a newcomer to NAS CAR’s No. 2 division, Smith is off to a solid start and looks to have an incredibly bright future, not just in the Xfinity Series but in NASCAR as a whole.

In the following wide-ranging Q&A with NASCAR Pole Position, Smith discusses what he considers his proudest achievement to date, the people he con siders his closest friends in NASCAR, how he goes about preparing to race, whether he focuses more on the present or the future, and much more.

WHAT’S YOUR PROUDEST ACHIEVEMENT TO DATE?

My Xfinity Series win at Phoenix (in March) was probably the biggest accomplishment or race win of my career so far. … I feel like a lot of the accomplishments are good, but I feel like the Phoenix win was definitely the biggest one.

HAVE YOU BEEN SURPRISED BY HOW QUICKLY YOU’VE FOUND SUCCESS AT THIS LEVEL?

Not really. I kind of expected this so far. I feel like I’ve put a lot of work in, and my team does, and we work really hard together to try to make sure that we succeed early. I know in the offseason, we did a lot of work to try to be prepared for the season, and I feel like it definitely has paid off. I think every race we’ve gone to we’ve had speed. We just haven’t been consistent like we’ve needed to, but I think the biggest thing is just trying to be more consistent and being able to run up front week in and week out and getting the finishes we deserve.

WHAT WAS LIFE LIKE GROWING UP IN JOHNSTON, IOWA?

It’s a suburb of Des Moines. A lot of people, when they go to Iowa, they think of cornfields, but I lived in the city. … It was good. There’s kind of not much going on in Iowa. It’s kind of just a lot of racing. From when I started racing Legend Cars, I was on the road a lot, but I used to play hockey. I started doing that when I was like 4 years old. I was big into hockey for a while. I think I stopped playing hockey when I was 13, just

because of racing. But I played hockey and raced, and that was really about it. HOW DO YOU JUGGLE SCHOOL WORK WITH RACING?

I’ve done online since seventh grade. It’s just a lot easier being able to do that and race at the same time.

HAS ANYONE IN NASCAR MENTORED YOU OR GIVEN YOU ANY VALUABLE ADVICE?

Trevor Bayne’s been a huge help this year, my buddy Ty (Gibbs) has helped, my teammate John Hunter (Nemechek) is good. As far as guys I can reach out to and lean on, I think those guys have been beneficial.

MOVING FROM FULL-TIME ARCA TO FULL-TIME XFINITY THIS SEASON, WHAT’S BEEN THE BIGGEST LEARNING CURVE?

I think consistency and how much harder it is to win races. Everything you do as a race car driver is kind of amplified. The restarts are tough, the racing’s hard, as is being good on pit road week in and week out. I think it’s just being consistent and trying to be good on a lot of different aspects of things to be good every week.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR DRIVING STYLE?

I would say aggressive. I feel like I’m really aggressive every time I get in the race car – aggressive as in not overdriving the car but just trying to make good moves. I feel like I have really good race IQ in being able to make moves, and I feel like I can carry a car fairly well if it’s not a winning car. If it’s a fifth-place car, I’m trying to make it a fourth-place car and do the best I can as a driver to bring the best result.

HOW DO YOU BALANCE ANY FUTURE CUP SERIES ASPIRATIONS WITH WHAT YOU’RE DOING NOW?

Yeah, I honestly don’t look at the future at all. I usually just try to live in the moment and go race-by-race. I feel like if you’re a good race car driver, you’ll have good opportunities to come, and if you’re just average, you’ll be an average race car driver and be in average cars. So, I feel like it’s beneficial for me just to worry about the weekend and not worry about the future at all.

Q&A with Christian Eckes

McAnally-Hilgemann Driver Returns to Victory Lane

BY JOSEPH WOLKIN

Christian Eckes is ready for the average NASCAR fan to know his name. The native of Middletown, New York, is competing in his third full NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season for his third different team.

Along the way, Eckes has had some tough breaks. At Kyle Busch Motorsports – the team with which he broke into the series in 2018 – he showed plenty of promise but failed to win. Even with a playoff berth in 2020, Eckes’ failure to drive his truck into the winner’s circle left him without a ride.

That’s when Duke and Rhonda Thorson, owners of ThorSport Racing called.

They put Eckes in a truck for 10 events in 2021. His consistent runs, combined with his first career triumph at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, helped solidify a full campaign in 2022.

He was the model of consistency. Eckes earned eight top-five finishes and 15 top-10 results last year, but he came up short and failed to win.

Once again, he was left looking for a job.

Enter longtime team owner Bill McAnally, who brought his successful ARCA Menards West team to the Truck Series in 2020 with Derek Kraus. McAnally knows a thing or two about finding talented drivers in the ARCA ranks, and Eckes dominated the 2019 ARCA Menards Series season with four wins en route to the championship even after missing a race.

McAnally entered a new partnership with Bill Hilgemann to form McA nally-Hilgemann Racing for this year, and Eckes is driving the team’s No. 19 truck. Right off the bat, the combination had speed.

Three races into the season, Eckes earned the team’s first Truck Series win. He made a wild last-lap move to get by Nick Sanchez at Atlanta Motor Speedway, finally taking home his second trophy. It had been almost two years, but Eckes proved he can get the job done.

Now, Eckes and MHR are focused on the playoffs. For the first time, McAnally’s flagship No. 19 truck will be competing for a Truck Series title.

WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO RETURN TO VICTORY LANE AT

It was pretty cool, for sure. Not winning last year and going through everything that happened over ers, there was a lot of change overall. It was good to see all of those decisions work out and have what I envisioned happening on a regular basis occur at WHAT

DOES IT MEAN TO GET THE WIN OUT OF THE WAY

It’s really good. I figured we’d get locked into the ning a full schedule). To get that out of the way and not worry about points that much – although we are still worried about points for the regular-season championship – it’s nice to know we’ll most likely

watching NASCAR, Chevy is the premier manufacturer to be with. Watching Jimmie Johnson and everybody at Hendrick Motorsports with Chevrolet, it’s pretty cool to be with them now. It’s a privilege and it’s pretty cool to see the effort they’re putting in with their new technology center and many other things to continue to be that leading manufacturer. YOU REALLY SHOWED A DON’T-GIVE-UP MENTALITY AFTER LOSING YOUR RIDE AT KBM AND THEN RUNNING PART TIME WITH THORSPORT. WHAT HAS THIS JOURNEY BEEN LIKE FOR YOU?

It’s been a lot of long nights for sure. I feel like every offseason I’ve had has been very stressful. There was some stuff that went down at KBM, and it was partially my fault for not doing what I needed to do. If you go to KBM, you’re supposed to win and it just never worked out that way. Ever since then, it’s been a struggle. I’m very lucky for Duke and Rhonda (Thorson) for giving me the part-time schedule to prove myself, to win and then get a full-time ride. Obviously, getting in this new deal long term gives me a sense of security. It’s been stressful, but hopefully, the stressful years are over. I’m going to continue showing that I belong here.

WITH A STABLE RIDE AND A SPONSOR, HOW MUCH OF A RELIEF IS IT TO JUST FOCUS ON RACING?

tenacity to want to succeed and to want to win at all

WHAT DO YOU THINK THIS TEAM CAN ACCOMPLISH THIS

I feel like we can accomplish a lot. We need to contend for a regular-season championship. That’s our goal for now. We want to win and get set up for the playoffs as best as we can. We have eight playoff points and three stage wins (as of April). If we can get more, that would be preferred. Last year, I didn’t make the Championship 4 with ThorSport because we didn’t have many bonus points going in. I think I already have more bonus points than last year, but if we can keep moving and growing on that total, it’ll

YOU MENTIONED THIS HAS BEEN A BIG CHANGE FOR

It’s been great so far. Obviously, growing up and

It’s super relieving. I know when I get to November, I don’t have to be scrambling and calling people to see what I’m doing. I’m super thankful to Bill McAnally and Bill Hilgemann and everyone at McAnally-Hilgemann Racing for the opportunity. It’s been really fun to race these fast trucks. To know they want me there is the coolest part of it. Hopefully, we can just keep building like I said and we can build this into a championshipwinning organization.

WHAT DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU NEED TO DO TO MOVE UP TO THE XFINITY SERIES AND EVENTUALLY THE CUP SERIES?

It’s such a big jump, right? I feel like there’s a lot to it, for sure. I have buddies in the Cup Series and it’s a really hard transition. There’s a lot more to it than you’d expect. I think the biggest thing is I need to keep improving. I feel like I do that every year. I need to keep proving myself and get better in the process.

Obviously, getting in this new deal long term gives me a sense of security. It’s been stressful, but hopefully, the stressful years are over. I’m going to continue showing that I belong here.

WILLIAM BYRON

HARVICK

MCLEOD

WALLACE

ELLIS RYAN

spencer boyd

FOR VEHICLES 20 YEARS OR OLDER MANUFACTURED AFTER 1929

AMERICAN-ASIAN-GERMAN CLASSICS

Vehicles not eligible include purchase value of less than $10,000; Race Cars, Drag Cars, Funny Cars, Diesel Engines, and vehicles with more than 775HP. Call for exceptions.

f you own a classic car you give it special care and attention. Maybe it’s the first car you ever drove, or the first you ever bought with your own money. For many classic car owners it was our high school dream ride. Whatever the reason, you love your classic. Freedom Warranty loves classics, too. We are one of the very few companies that offer mechanical protection extended service contracts. Our coverage covers your classic so that you will never pay for another covered repair. Learn more at www.FreedomWarrrantyClassic.com

Strictly Stock Title to Byron

In 1949, Red Byron and team owner Raymond Parks earned their spots in NASCAR history by logging two wins, four top-10 finishes and one pole position en route to the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series championship.

BY BEN WHITE

The 1949 season was the first for NASCAR’s Strictly Stock division, known today as the NASCAR Cup Series. Under the leadership of “Big” Bill France. the sanctioning body was incorporated on Feb. 21, 1948.

The inaugural season of eight races on tracks in five states began at a half-mile dirt oval in Charlotte, North Carolina. On June 19, 1949, 33 cars entered the 200-lap event with Glenn Dunaway, of Gastonia, North Carolina, initially flagged the winner. However, illegal rear leaf springs under his Ford gave secondplace finisher Jim Roper of Kansas the victory.

Red Byron topped series race No. 2 at the 4.1-mile Beach and Road Course in Daytona Beach, Florida, on July 10 over Tim Flock. Bob Flock, of Atlanta, won on the dirt oval in Hillsboro, North Carolina, on Aug. 7.

Curtis Turner tamed the field at Pennsylvania’s Langhorne Speedway on Sept. 11, while Jack White won in Hamburg, New York, on Sept. 18 and Byron notched his second victory in Martinsville, Virginia, on Sept. 25.

Lee Petty was victorious in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Oct. 2 while Bob Flock earned his second victory at North Wilkesboro Speedway to close the season on Oct. 16.

Byron was crowned champion over Petty by 122 points at race’s end. Finishing third was Bob Flock, followed by Bill Blair, Fonty Flock, Ray Erickson, Tim Flock, Dunaway and Frank Munday.

Byron only raced in nine additional Cup Series events through 1951. The Alabama native passed away on Nov. 11, 1960.

SEASON RECAP

DATE CIRCUIT WINNER

June 19 Charlotte Speedway Jim Roper

July 10 Daytona Beach and Road Course Red Byron

Aug. 7 Occoneechee Speedway Bob Flock

Sept. 11 Langhorne Speedway Curtis Turner

Sept. 18 Hamburg Speedway Jack White

Sept. 25 Martinsville Speedway Red Byron

Oct. 2 Heidelberg Speedway Lee Petty

Oct. 16 North Wilkesboro Speedway Bob Flock

NO. 1 SONG: “RIDERS IN THE SKY” BY VAUGHN MONROE

GALLON OF GAS: 27 CENTS PRESIDENT: HARRY S. TRUMAN

POP CULTURE: GEORGE ORWELL INTRODUCES HIS DYSTOPIAN NOVEL, “1984,” IN WHICH A FUTURE TOTALITARIAN STATE UTILIZES GOVERNMENT SURVEILLANCE TO VIOLATE THE CITIZENS’ FREEDOMS.

BEST DRIVER

RED BYRON, WHEELING AN OLDSMOBILE fielded by Atlanta businessman Raymond Parks, won two of the eight races en route to the inaugural championship in what is now known as the NASCAR Cup Series. An Alabama native, Byron suffered severe shrapnel wounds to his left leg during World War II, and his race car was modified so he could use his injured leg to operate the clutch. Lee Petty finished second in the standings with Bob Flock third.

BEST RACE

ON SEPT. 11, SOUTHERN MOONSHINERS

Curtis Turner, Bob Flock and Red Byron showed the northern spectators their driving skills on the circular dirt track in Langhorne, Pa. The trio led numerous times with Turner holding the point for 60 laps, followed by Flock with 52 and Byron with 15. In the end, Turner pulled away and collected the $2,250 first-place money. Lee Schmidt, of Milwaukee, Wis., also led 73 of the race’s 200 laps.

TOP CARS

CARRYING THE NO. 22, RED Byron’s 1949 Oldsmobile was the top car of the 1949 season with two wins and four top-10 results in six starts.

Driving the No. 42 car fielded by Petty Enterprises, Lee Petty’s 1949 Plymouth recorded five top-10 finishes, including a single victory.

Tony Stewart

Tony Stewart won 49 NASCAR Cup Series races as well as series championships in 2002, 2005 and 2011. His biggest victories came in the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2005 and 2007.

BY BEN WHITE

Stewart set his sights on winning at an early age. He captured his first gokart championship in 1980 and earned a World Karting Association title seven years later.

Stewart was named USAC’s rookie of the year in 1991 and he won the USAC National Midget Series championship in 1994.

In 19995, Stewart became the first driver to win USAC’s version of the Triple Crown, earning championships in all three of the sanctioning body’s major divisions – Sprint Cars, Midgets and Silver Crown. His victories in the Hut Hundred and 4-Crown Nationals were the highlights of the year.

The Columbus, Indiana, native made his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut in 1996, driving for car owner Harry Rainer. In the 1997 Indianapolis 500, Stewart led 64 laps and finished fifth. He went on to win the 1997 IndyCar Series championship.

A year later, Stewart ran a majority of the Xfinity Series events for team owner Joe Gibbs. In 1999, he collected his first Cup Series victory at Richmond International Raceway, becoming the first rookie driver to win in NASCAR’s premier series since Davey Allison in 1987.

Stewart remained with JGR through 2007, recording 32 race wins and Cup Series championships in 2002 and 2005. Then, he and businessman Gene Haas formed Stewart-Haas Racing in 2008 and claimed 17 additional victories and the 2011 Cup Series title. He was the first driver-team owner since Wisconsin native Alan Kulwicki in 1992 to win a Cup Series championship.

Stewart was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2020.

RACE

BEST SEASON

WHEN HE NEEDED TO SHINE his brightest, Stewart won three of the final four races in 2011, leading to his third-career Cup Series championship. The Columbus, Indiana, native tied Carl Edwards of Roush Fenway Racing in championship points but won the title by virtue of race wins with five to Edwards’ one.

RECORD-SETTER

DURING HIS NASCAR CUP Series career, Stewart logged 49 wins, 308 top-10 finishes and 15 pole positions. He is the most successful driver to move from open-wheel racing to stock cars. Others have made the move but only Stewart won championships in both IndyCar and NASCAR racing.

ADAPTIVE HEADSTRONG OUTSPOKEN AGGRESSIVE TALENTED

KNOWN FOR THROUGHOUT HIS driving career, Stewart was one of motorsports’ very best and displayed a signature determination all his own. However, if ever he felt he had been wronged by other drivers on the track or the sanctioning body, Stewart never shied away from speaking his mind.

CARS, NO MATTER

WHAT SIZE OR SHAPE THEY ARE, THEY DO THE SAME THINGS. IT IS NOT COMPLICATED.

COOL STUFF FOR RACE FANS

Slime Licker® Squeeze™

FOLLOWING THE SUCCESS OF THE MEGApopular Slime Licker®, Candy Dynamics is excited to announce the release of its new Slime Licker® Squeeze! With the same delicious tartness as the original Slime Licker® line, the Slime Licker® Squeeze™ brings a new consistency. Unlike their namesake, the 70g Slime Licker® Squeeze™ comes in three flavors: Blue Razz, Cherry and Green Apple. Each display contains 6 Blue Razz, 3 Cherry and 3 Green Apple tubes. Sour candy lovers will love the way the Slime Licker® Squeeze™ paints their tongue and parents will be happy to see the colorful smiles coming from their kids!

WWW.TOXICWASTECANDY.COM/

Ooey Gooey Butter Cakes

OOEY GOOEY BUTTER CAKES ARE a must-try for anyone with a sweet tooth. Whether enjoyed as a prerace treat or as a post-race reward, Ooey Gooey Butter Cakes are the perfect way to satisfy your cravings. Originating in St. Louis, the bottom layer is a delicious buttery yellow cake, while the top layer is a rich mixture of cream cheese, sugar, and egg. With eight different flavors available, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

So why not treat yourself to the deliciousness of an Ooey Gooey Butter Cake? Head to your local convenience store and grab a stack for race day – keep them for yourself or share with your racing friends.

WWW.PCBAKERY.COM/

Manage Your Land with Kubota

KUBOTA’S LINE OF COMPACT TRACTORS IS RATED NO. 1 FOR DURABILITY AND OWNER EXPERIENCE IN THE U.S.*

The Kubota L Series is durable, reliable and built with the power and versatility to mow, haul, plow, dig, grade roads and more thanks to a long list of performance matched attachments. The series features Kubota diesel engines ranging from 24.1 to 47.3 HP with DT or HST transmissions and are simple to operate. Start making the most of your land today with the Kubota L Series.

Cleans without Streaking

JOE’S GLASS CLEANER IS A MULTIuse cleaning spray. The powerful foaming action works great on mirrors and windows without leaving streaks. It is also great at removing bugs and smears from windshields and headlights.

FRAM® Premium Filters

SINCE 1934, FRAM® HAS BEEN A TRUSTED BRAND WITH A LEGACY OF manufacturing industry-leading filtration products. From oil filters, to engine air filters, to cabin air filters, FRAM® has a product to fit your needs.

FRAM’s newest premium oil filter, FRAM Synthetic Endurance™, provides maximum durability, protection, and performance for up to 25,000 miles. FRAM Ultra Air™ engine air filter protects against dust, dirt, and other damaging particles for up to 4 years. FRAM

TrueAir™ cabin air filter’s dual-layered N95 grade media provides anti-bacterial and antiviral protection, keeping the air you breathe clean.

No matter what type of vehicle you drive or what road lies ahead, you can rely on FRAM®.

LEARN MORE ABOUT ALL THAT FRAM® HAS TO OFFER AT FRAM.COM.

Other household uses include workbenches, countertops, household items like athletic shoes and anything not damaged by water. With a pleasant smell and NO amonia, it’s safe and easy to use.

Joe’s Glass Cleaner is another fine product in the family of Joe’s Hand Cleaners, which has been manufactured and distributed in the heartland of America for more than 70 years.

CHECK OUT ALL OUR FINE PRODUCTS AT JOESHANDCLEANER.COM

Come Ride with Lectric eBike

WANNA GO FAST? THE XPEDITION EBIKE WILL LECTRIFY THE WAY YOU GET AROUND.

THE LECTRIC XPEDITION IS OUR MOST CAPABLE EBIKE TO DATE. THIS cargo eBike was designed to be the ultimate transportation solution, allowing riders to tackle even the most daunting of hills while holding up to 450 pounds. The XPedition is perfect for a wide variety of riders providing power to cover 150 miles on a single charge. Our all-new Lectric PWR™ programming paired with a 1,310W peak motor, dual-battery and twist throttle makes for a truly robust and enjoyable riding experience. Whatever your transportation needs, the Lectric XPedition is ready to take on the experience with you! Ships free and fully assembled to your doorstep.

SHOP LECTRICEBIKES.COM

Aluma Gets You There

WHETHER YOU’RE HEADED TO THE jobsite for a day of hard work or to the great outdoors for some fun and excitement, Aluma has the trailer to get you there.

Aluma offers a complete line of durable, lightweight and maintenance free aluminum trailers. Choose from a comprehensive offering of utility and recreational trailers, including ATV trailers, motorcycle and snowmobile trailers, versatile utility trailers and more. Aluma trailers are also perfect for hauling your classic car, truck or performance vehicle and make it easy to load and offload.

Special features and accessories such as side racks, stake pockets and various tailgate options add versatility and convenience. Aluma trailers are built in the USA and sold through a nationwide dealer network.

ALUMAKLM.COM

SuckerPunch

FIERY HOT 3-PEPPER PICKLE CHIPS

ROUST YOUR TASTEBUDS AND RING THE alarms, these spicy pickles pack a punch! Brined with arbol, jalapeño and habanero peppers, these pickle chips finish with a strong snap and an even stronger kick.

SNAPPY CLASSIC DILL PICKLE CHIPS

EVERY PICKLE LOVER UNDERSTANDS THAT DILL PICKLES ARE THE benchmark for a pickle brand. That’s exactly why SuckerPunch’s Classic Dill Pickle Snack Pack delivers a big dill flavor with a fresh, crisp crunch.

SNAPPY SWEET BREAD & BUTTER PICKLE CHIPS BOX

THERE’S NOTHING BASIC ABOUT A SUCKERPUNCH BREAD & BUTTER Pickle, especially when it comes chip cut and fresh-packed in an easy graband-go package! A little sweet, and a little savory, this pickle features bold flavors and snappy texture.

BUY SUCKERPUNCH ONLINE AT SUCKERPUNCHGOURMET.COM OR AT YOUR FAVORITE LOCAL RETAILER.

Easily Remove Hard-Water Stains

THIRTY-FIVE YEARS OF CREATING CLEANING PRODUCTS AND ACCESSORIES HAVE BROUGHT US THIS amazing package. Combining the No. 1 voted Hard Water Spot Remover of 2022 with the power of the Bring It On Drill Brushes, cleaning just became less of a chore.

The Bring It On Cleaner can remove the most stubborn hard mineral buildup from most of your hard surfaces, including windows and glass, tile and grout, fiberglass and porcelain, tubs and sinks. Now, add the power of the Drill Brushes and cut your cleaning time in half.

Drill Brushes are amazing for home use, but don’t forget these reusable brushes can be used for all your auto interior. Use them on your dirty floor boards and mats, stained seats and sticky cup holders. Even use them on your rims.

BRINGITONCLEANER.COM

LEAKING COOLING SYSTEM?

K-Seal is a one-step permanent multi-purpose system for coolant leak repair with more than 9 million bottles sold worldwide to date. It permanently repairs leaks in the head gasket, block, radiator, heater core, freeze plug and water-pump casing.

Trusted by professional mechanics, technicians and motorists alike, K-Seal is suitable for use with all water-cooled engines, including cars, motorcycles, commercial vehicles and heavy machinery.

No need to drain the system or worry about what type of antifreeze is in the cooling system; just shake, pour and get back on the road!

LEARN MORE AT KSEAL.COM

NASCAR POLE POSITION

AN OFFICIALLY LICENSED

PUBLICATION OF NASCAR

23110 STATE ROAD 54, SUITE 293

LUTZ, FL 33549

EMAIL: INFO@AE-ENGINE.COM

WEB: POLEPOSITIONMAG.COM; AE-ENGINE.COM

THE CREW

PUBLISHER: CRAIG BARONCELLI

COMMERCIAL

VICE PRESIDENT: DAVID WATSON

DIRECTORS: MARK MORALES, ROWLAND GEORGE, RICH ALLEN, ARNOUT KOK

CONTENT

CREATIVE DIRECTOR: JOE RABUCK

DIGITAL MEDIA DIRECTOR: NICOLE COOPER

DIGITAL CONTENT DIRECTOR: JOSH MULL

EXECUTIVE EDITOR: ERIC ESTEPP

COPY EDITOR: KEITH WALTZ

EDITORIAL: CODY WILLIAMS, MATT SMITH, JOSHUA LIPOWSKI, CHASE HOLDEN,

TANNER SHUTZE, GREG MATHERNE

SOCIAL MEDIA: JOEY STONE, PAIGE MARTIN, EVAN LIU

CONTRIBUTORS: JARED TURNER, KEITH WALTZ, BEN WHITE, JOSEPH WOLKIN, DUSTIN ALBINO

STAFF ASSISTANTS: AIDAN ANDERSEN, ETHAN ANDERSEN, SHOGUN

CONTENT CREATOR ACADEMY: COLE FETTERMAN

SPECIAL THANKS TO: ANDREW ENGEL (NASCAR)

A.E. ENGINE SPECIFIES THAT POST-PRESS CHANGES MAY OCCUR TO ANY INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THIS PUBLICATION AND TAKES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR GOODS OR SERVICES ADVERTISED.

NASCAR® IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR STOCK CAR AUTO RACING, INC.

MAIL ORDER: TO RECEIVE A SUBSCRIPTION TO NASCAR POLE POSITION MAGAZINE, SEND A CHECK OR MONEY ORDER FOR $30.95 TO: A.E. ENGINE, 23110 STATE ROAD 54, SUITE 293, LUTZ, FL 33549. PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR RETURN MAILING ADDRESS AND AN EMAIL ADDRESS AND MAKE THE CHECK PAYABLE TO A.E. ENGINE.

ONLINE ORDER: SUBSCRIPTIONS AND INDIVIDUAL COPIES CAN BE ORDERED ONLINE AT POLEPOSITIONMAG.COM.

DISTRIBUTION: IF YOU ARE A BUSINESS OR AN ORGANIZATION INTERESTED IN DISTRIBUTING COPIES OF NASCAR POLE POSITION MAGAZINE, PLEASE CONTACT CRAIG BARONCELLI AT CB@AE-ENGINE.COM.

SALES INQUIRIES: IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ADVERTISING OR WOULD LIKE TO BECOME A FIELD REPRESENTATIVE, PLEASE CONTACT DAVID WATSON AT DKW@AE-ENGINE.COM.

PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. (OH YEAH!)

IN HIS OWN WORDS

THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY

A SURPRISE WINNER AT TALLADEGA

BY DARRELL WALTRIP AS TOLD TO BEN WHITE

There are times when things don’t go as planned. One of those times was when we raced at Talladega Superspeedway on Aug. 2, 1981. It was the Talladega 500 and we were well into the season.

I started 13th in Junior Johnson’s No. 11 Buick and had a good car. By the time we got there for the second race at Talladega that year, we had already won seven races. We would go on to win five more as well as the 1981 Cup Series championship. Needless to say, we had a phenomenal season with 12 total wins.

That day at Talladega, I led on lap 38 and again on lap 84 just feeling things out but stayed at the front. I led a bunch of other laps, 36 in all, just popping in and out of the lead.

All told, the race was 188 laps and we were getting down to the end. Terry Labonte was driving Billy Hagan’s No. 44 Buick. He and I were having a heck of a battle. We were coming down that long front straightaway on the last lap. I’m thinking, “If I can beat him to the line, I’m going to win this race.” I was basically looking to my right most of the time because that’s where Terry was. We were

banging into each other and I’m trying to slow him down.

All the sudden a car comes streaking by on the inside and I’m thinking, “Where did that car come from? I don’t remember a car down there.” While I was trying to knock Terry down so I could win, Ron Bouchard snuck up on us and won the race. That was the biggest shock I’ve ever had in my life. There we went and he won.

I wasn’t paying any attention to him. Terry wasn’t either. Ron was behind us and Terry and I were concentrating on each other. He was right there, and we didn’t see him. I didn’t know he was anywhere around. I knew he wasn’t a lapped car. I knew what had happened. I couldn’t block them both. I would have lost to Terry had I tried to block Ron. It probably turned out as good as it possibly could have. Nonetheless, I was shocked that Ron won that race and Terry and I ran second and third. That’s all I could do to hold him back. That was the only win he had in the Cup Series so that’s good. I loved Talladega and had four wins there during my 29-year Cup Series career. That’s one of the craziest races I can remember.

The Army & Air Force Exchange Service provides tax-free savings with exclusive pricing for every member of the military community.

Veteran Shopping Benefits: Honorably discharged Veterans can shop tax free at shop myexchange.com, and Veterans with service-connected disabilities enjoy in-store military exchange and commissary shopping privileges as well as access to select MWR resale facilities.

It Matter Where You Shop: Tax-free shopping and military-exclusive pricing save you money while 100% of Exchange earnings goes back to support Soldiers, Airmen, Guardians and families. In the last 10 years, your Exchange benefit has provided $3.5 billion in earnings for critical military Quality-of-Life programs.

shopmyexchange.com/vets shopmyexchange.com/relevancy

aafes.media/itmatters

The Exchange is a Department of Defense Organization