NASCAR Pole Position 2018 June/July

POLEPOSITIONMAG.COM

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JIMMIE JOHNSON

MADE IN

AMERICA 6 REASONS NASCAR IS A GREAT AMERICAN SPORT RACE REWIND NASCAR LEGEND PIT CREW PROFILES NASCAR’S GREATEST RACES: LAST VICTORIES

NASCAR GREEN INITIATIVE NASCAR HALL OF FAME

PRESENTED BY OLIVA CIGAR

NASCAR ROOTS I FAVORITE FINDS I DRIVER PROFILES I SEAL THE DEAL I NASCAR BUILDS ESPORTS I TAILGATING I BET YOU DIDN’T KNOW I ON THE ROAD I NASCAR NEWS I TOOLS OF THE TRADE

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NASCAR DEFINED

PRESENTED BY ■■ Kevin Harvick and his team celebrate in Victory Lane after winning the KC Masterpiece 400.

■■ Harvick poses with the trophy at Kansas Speedway.

Kevin Harvick has enjoyed an unprecedented start to the 2018 season.

GETTY IMAGES

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POLE POSITION 2018

■■ The pit crew of the No. 4 team completes a tire change during the race.

■■ Harvick celebrates immediately after winning the KC Masterpiece 400.

“Victory Never Tasted So Good!”

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CONTENT 20. NASCAR’S GREATEST RACES

6 REASONS NASCAR IS A GREAT AMERICAN SPORT

24.

BEHIND THE SCENES WITH TY DILLON

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74. NASCAR LEGEND 75. RACE REWIND

NASCAR POLE POSITION RACE FAN GUIDE AN OFFICIALLY LICENSED PUBLICATION OF NASCAR

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NASCAR GREEN

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POLE POSITION 2018

76.

BET YOU DIDN’T KNOW!

DRIVER PROFILES PRESENTED BY

77. BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS

10. GREEN FLAG

26. SPOTLIGHT: SPARTAN MOWERS

44. SPOTLIGHT: ALIEN GEAR

14. NASCAR FAN SHOP

30. SEAL THE DEAL

46. FAVORITE FINDS

16. NASCAR ESPORTS

32. ON THE ROAD

50. TOOLS OF THE TRADE

18. TAILGATING

34. CREW SPOTLIGHT

52. SPOTLIGHT: MSG

22. NASCAR BUILDS

36. SPOTLIGHT: SYLVANIA

54. NASCAR HALL OF FAME

24. SPOTLIGHT: ZYNGA

42. SPOTLIGHT: BUCK KNIVES

78. NASCAR ROOTS

GREEN FLAG Camping World Revises Sponsorship

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ASCAR and Camping World have revised their agreement to provide Gander Outdoors naming rights to what is now the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

Beginning next season, the series will be rebranded as the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series. Camping World originally became title sponsor of NASCAR’s Truck Series in 2009. In 2014, NASCAR and Camping World signed a seven-year agreement, continuing the sponsorship through 2022. This newly updated agreement provides official NASCAR status and naming rights to Camping World’s sister brand, Gander Outdoors. The remaining years on the contract remain intact. Gander Outdoors, formerly known as Gander Mountain, was purchased and rebranded by Marcus Lemonis, chairman of Camping World, in May 2017.

Earlier this year, Gander Outdoors announced its title sponsorship of two races at Pocono Raceway; the Gander Outdoors 150 (NASCAR Camping World Truck Series) on July 28 and the Gander Outdoors 400 (Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series) on July 29.

M

onster Energy has extended its sponsorship of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series through the 2019 racing season. The company is currently in its second year as the title sponsor of NASCAR’s premier series. As part of the new agreement, the brand also continues as the Official Energy Drink of NASCAR.

BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

Officials of Bristol Motor Speedway introduced Jaicee Weaver as the inaugural recipient of the Dale Earnhardt Jr. Scholarship.

The graduate of Bristol Tennessee High School received a $2,088 award toward her studies in the automotive field at Northeast State Community College in Blountville, Tennessee.

The Dale Earnhardt Jr. Scholarship, which was announced during the Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race last August, drew inspiration from Earnhardt’s former career as an automotive service technician.

FASTENAL, FIFTH THIRD BANK AND SunnyD have extended their contracts with Roush Fenway Racing and will continue as primary sponsors of the No. 17 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series entry driven by Ricky Stenhouse Jr. through the 2021 season.

All three companies will serve as primary sponsors, with Fastenal continuing as the anchor sponsor while increasing its number of races as the primary backer. This year marks the fourth full season for Fastenal, which began its relationship with Roush Fenway Racing in 2010.

Fifth Third Bank has been an RFR supporter since 2012, while SunnyD joined the team in 2016, giving Stenhouse’s No. 17 Ford a colorful new look.

Stenhouse was promoted to Roush Fenway Racing’s No. 17 team in 2013 after winning two NASCAR Xfinity Series championships.

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POLE POSITION 2018

Bobby Labonte, the first driver to win championships in both the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (2000) and the NASCAR Xfinity Series (1991), has returned to racing in hopes of adding an international title to his résumé. The 54-year-old Labonte is driving full time this season in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series, wheeling the No. 18 Yacco Toyota fielded by RDV Competition.

“Joining the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series is a great opportunity,” said Labonte.

FORD PERFORMANCE MOTORSPORTS IS BRINGING FORD’S ICONIC MUSTANG TO THE Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in 2019.

“We’re combining America’s favorite sports car with America’s top stock car racing series,” said Mark Rushbrook, global director, Ford Performance Motorsports. “Mustang always has been about affordable performance, which can be traced to innovations we’ve made competing in racing, like NASCAR. Mustang is a perfect fit for our racing heritage today and tomorrow.”

This will be Ford’s fourth different Cup Series model in NASCAR’s modern era (1972-present), following Thunderbird, Taurus and Fusion. Ford has raced the Mustang in the NASCAR Xfinity Series since 2011.

Joe Gibbs Racing, the NASCAR team owned by former NFL head coach Joe Gibbs, has extended its relationship with Toyota. Over 27 NASCAR seasons, the operation has grown to field four NASCAR Cup Series entries and three full-time cars in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. JGR has raced Toyotas since 2008.

RETIRED NASCAR DRIVER DALE Earnhardt Jr.’s latest book is still six months from being published, but it’s already cracked a bestseller list.

Less than 24 hours after Earnhardt, a 15-time winner of NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver Award, announced plans to publish “Racing to the Finish: My Story,” the book reached No. 7 on Amazon’s Best-Selling New & Future Releases list.

Scheduled to be released on Oct. 16, the book will reportedly focus on Earnhardt’s struggle with concussions, which contributed to him retiring from driving at the conclusion of the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season.

Earnhardt missed half of the 2016 season due to concussion-like symptoms, and at multiple points throughout his final season the third-generation NASCAR champion pointed to concussions as a contributing factor in his decision to trade his helmet for a microphone.

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GREEN FLAG

■■ Ron Drager, president of ARCA; Lesa France Kennedy, NASCAR vice chairperson and ISC chief executive officer; and Jim France, NASCAR vice chairman and executive vice president.

ARCA Joins NASCAR Family

I

n late April, NASCAR announced it has acquired the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) Series after a 60-plus year relationship between the sanctioning bodies that started with NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. and ARCA founder John Marcum. NASCAR Vice Chairman Jim France joined Marcum’s grandson, ARCA President Ron Drager, during a special event at Talladega Superspeedway to formalize the announcement.

“Our NASCAR family has long had a special connection with our friends at ARCA, and this is a logical step in demonstrating our commitment to the next generation of racers,’’ France said.

Much of the future between the two series is possible because of their lengthy and successful past relationship. The two founders raced against one another before founding their respective governing bodies.

“Our position in the industry over all these years – 67 years – has been really intertwined with NASCAR,’’ Drager said. “Before there was a NASCAR, before there was an ARCA, there was a relationship between the Marcum and France families.

“And over all these years and over all this period of time, we at ARCA have been fortunate to carve out a spot in the industry and to be able to be a constructive part of our sport. I think this is really just coming back full circle to where things started out. This provides ARCA with sustainability.

“We’re all looking toward the future and trying to figure out where we need to be and how best to stabilize and come together to make the sport stronger. I think a coming-together is a good way to do it.”

ARCA will continue to operate under its current structure through the 2019 season. Details of the 2020 season and beyond will be forthcoming. But much of what makes this union appealing is the unique market ARCA has long served and making that part of the NASCAR umbrella.

And Jim France, one of the crucial forces behind this new alliance, has proven himself a master of motorsports mergers. He brought together sportscar racing’s GRAND-AM Road Racing and American Le Mans Series in 2012, creating

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POLE POSITION 2018

a thriving and “modernized” International Motor Sports Association (IMSA).

“There aren’t many industries, particularly sports franchises or leagues, that support an industry the way the France family and Marcum-Drager family has. And for them to join forces and come back together after all these years, I think that’s a compliment to not just their families, but a big message to motorsports participants, whether a car owner, crew member or participant, or fan,’’ NASCAR Vice Chairman Mike Helton said. “I think it shows that both of those families believe in the future of stock car racing and motorsports.’’

For Drager, the future is about increased opportunity and the ability to feature the best of ARCA’s offering in drivers, venues and competition.

It currently has a schedule of 20 races, including nine events at NASCAR national event venues. This February was a historic event at Daytona International Speedway with Natalie Decker, 20, becoming the third woman in ARCA’s long history to win a pole at Daytona. The race was won by a former “NASCAR Next” driver, Michael Self.

“The relationship is truly seven decades, and so as you wind on down the road and build relationships over an extended period of time, this was always a very natural relationship, something that just eventually made sense to formalize,’’ Drager said. “There was really no timeline on it. I think it’s just something that just very gradually and very naturally happened.’’

BY HOLLY CAIN, NASCAR WIRE SERVICE

WALMART EXCLUSIVE

PLAYOFF EDITION

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n a s c a r p o l e p o s i t i o n : r a c e fa n g u i d e I s e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 7 I p l ay o f f e d i t i o n

NASCAR DEFINED SEASON IN PHOTOS

PLAYOFF CONTENDERS JIMMIE JOHNSON + MARTIN TRUEX JR. KEVIN HARVICK + JOHNNY SAUTER JUSTIN ALLGAIER

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GREEN FLAG NASCAR Fan Shop Here are some of the latest NASCAR-licensed products found at nascar.com/shop.

YETI Keep your drinks cool this summer with the recently launched customizable ramblers on the Yeti Custom Shop. Fans now have the opportunity to select a color, favorite driver, track or NASCAR look for their rambler. Colors include: seafoam, olive green, black, brick red and tahoe blue. Many different options in ramblers are available for customization such as tumblers, lowballs, colsters or bottles. Fans can pick between their favorite driver, track or NASCAR look. Check them out at YETICUSTOMSHOP.COM and NASCAR.COM\SHOP

SELFIE SOCKS Get the finishing touch to your race day outfit by grabbing these Selfie Socks from For Bare Feet. The bold driver graphics will make these a conversation piece everywhere you go! Snap them up before they are gone on NASCAR.COM/SHOP.

MY CUSTOM SPORTS CHAIR Relax in the sun this summer and customize your own sports chair on the My Custom Sports Chair website. Fans are able to select their favorite driver or NASCAR style. They even have the option to add their name and number on the back of the chair! These chairs are maintenance free and resistant to: moisture, fading, warping and splintering. They also fold down to less than 12” tall, for easy storage. Personalize your own chair at MYCUSTOMSPORTSCHAIR.COM and NASCAR.COM\SHOP

NASCAR SALUTES

STAR WARS AND NASCAR COLLABORATION

NASCAR and Lucas Licensing created a co-branded line, which brings together the speed of NASCAR with the force of Star Wars. Featuring Star Wars favorites such as Darth Vader, Chewbacca and the Millennium Falcon, the line consists of apparel, headwear and novelty items for Star Wars fans of all ages. Punch it, Chewie, and go to NASCAR.COM/SHOP!

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POLE POSITION 2018

New Era captures the patriotic spirit of NASCAR with its new Americana 9FORTY collection.

Made with New Era’s premium HEX ERA performance fabric, the caps are accented with the American flag and embellished with your favorite driver’s number.

Launched in conjunction with NASCAR Salutes, you can find these and other patriotic NASCAR gear online at NASCAR.COM/SHOP. Get yours today!

RACE INTO SUMMER VISIT NASCAR.COM/SHOP FOR OFFICIALLY LICENSED MERCHANDISE

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VISIT US TRACKSIDE OR ONLINE AT NASCAR.COM/SHOP

ESPORTS JOIN THE ESPORTS MOVEMENT

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NASCAR Taps Video Games for Next Star

illiam Byron, a rookie driving the iconic No. 24 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, started his racing career on iRacing in 2011 at 14 years old. In just two years on iRacing, Byron accumulated more than 100 wins and finished in the top five in an additional 203 races.

Now, only seven years later, Byron is leading the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings in NASCAR’s top series, complementing a NASCAR Xfinity Series championship (2017), NASCAR K&N Pro Series East championship (2015), and Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (2016) and Xfinity Series (2017).

I

n May, NASCAR announced the formation of a youth esports racing series, the first esports competition created to attract and identify young talent. The series will be hosted on iRacing, the world’s premier racing simulation platform. NASCAR’s youth esports series establishes an easily accessible entry point to real-world racing and provides young competitors with an unparalleled simulation experience on iRacing’s ultra-realistic software.

The youth series will be open to participants ages 13-16 worldwide. The inaugural 12-week season is slated to kick off in June on virtual renderings of iconic short tracks like Langley Speedway, The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park.

The regular season, comprised of the first eight events, will be open to all participants. The 50 racers accumulating the most points over the regular season will qualify to compete in the four-week playoffs. The top 30 in points after the playoffs will advance to a final championship event at the iconic Martinsville Speedway. The season will include a mix of single and heat race formats. Participants can register today on NASCAR.com/iRacing.

NASCAR currently sanctions the NASCAR PEAK Antifreeze iRacing Series, an esports series now in its ninth season and features the most elite oval sim-racers competing on virtual versions of NASCAR-sanctioned race tracks. The addition of

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POLE POSITION 2018

a youth series on iRacing will provide driver’s seat experience for competitors looking to hone their talent, including those with professional racing aspirations.

“As we expand our presence in esports, NASCAR is uniquely positioned as the only sport that can develop skills transferable to real world competition,” said Blake Davidson, NASCAR vice president of consumer innovation. “We’re excited to see the young, diverse and global talent pool this series attracts, especially as we cultivate our next generation of drivers.”

“NASCAR has been at the forefront of competitive online racing for years and its enhanced involvement in esports will be even more evident through the launch of its youth esports series on iRacing,” said Tony Gardner, iRacing president. “NASCAR drivers have used iRacing to accelerate their development beginning at a young age, as well as to hone their skills throughout their careers.

We look forward to cheering on the alumni from the youth series when they compete at the highest levels of NASCAR in the years to come.”

GETTY IMAGES

FRAME-IT

POLE POSITION

TAILGATING

PRESENTED BY TAILGATING EXPERIENCES

B

Tailgating with Deb Wentzel

D

eb Wentzel has tailgated at half a dozen NASCAR tracks, but it’s her home track – Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania – where she’s had her most memorable tailgating experiences.

Wentzel, who is a member of the track’s fan council, has tailgated at Pocono for many years during both the June and August Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race weekends. With both races held during the summer, the temperatures are always ripe for tailgating, and Wentzel and some of her traveling companions make sure to take full advantage.

“It’s all about the fun and the camaraderie, hanging around with family and friends, meeting new friends, friendly competition about which driver is going to win, eating, drinking and relaxing,” said Wentzel, whose tailgating group includes friends, co-workers and a fellow member

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POLE POSITION 2018

of the Pocono Fan Council. “Most of the time, these new friends become your family as well, your racing family, and you look forward to meeting up with them at each event time and time again.”

Tailgating at Pocono Raceway – a 2.5-mile track located in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains – never gets old for Wentzel and cohorts. In fact, there’s nothing quite like it.

“When staying in the infield at Pocono, there is so much to do,” Wentzel said.

“There is usually something going on up on the stage, whether it’s a band playing or the fan block party. The fireworks on Saturday night are always something to look forward to, and they never disappoint. It’s so much fun to just walk around and meet new people; it’s like you’re in a neighborhood and there’s a big block party going on with everyone sharing food and conversation.”

rian Harman (Floyd, Virginia) can’t do without some tasty tailgating eats and treats. Here’s what Harman had to say when asked to reveal his favorite tailgating foods: “We have tailgated with a group that works with my in-laws, and they fix barbeque, baked beans and shrimp. I always enjoy eating with them; the food is unreal! If we just do it as a family, it’s always BUBBA Burgers – it’s been a tradition for years. This past year, we grilled corn on the cob, and that will be a must from now on.”

While having a great selection of tailgating foods on hand is important, it’s not everything.

“We were recently talking about old tailgating stories,” said Harman, who estimates having attended about 30 races at Richmond Raceway. “We were talking about different coolers, breaking a fold-out picnic table, playing rummy and the in-laws always coming up with different rules. We usually enjoy the tailgating part more than the race. It is about getting away and enjoying time with family and friends.”

Q&A WITH DEB FAVORITE DRIVERS Jamie McMurray. He’s very down to earth, friendly and humble, and he appreciates his fans as much as they appreciate him.

RESIDENCE Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A NASCAR FAN? Since about the early to mid-1990s, but I was familiar with it while growing up as my stepfather would watch the big summertime races. So I knew the names Allison, Andretti, Earnhardt, Jarrett, Labonte and Petty.

WHERE WAS YOUR FIRST TAILGATE? I think my first actual tailgate was at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

WHERE HAVE YOU TAILGATED? Atlanta, Charlotte, Daytona, Dover, Pocono and Richmond.

WHAT MAKES A GOOD TAILGATE? Being with friends or family, and meeting new fans, whether they are fans of the same drivers or different drivers. Just hanging out together and relaxing, or playing cornhole, soaking up the sunshine. And, of course, the food and drinks.

BY JARED TURNER

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NASCAR’S GREATEST RACES

OCT. 31, 1965

NOV. 1, 2015

SEPT. 6, 1992

PRESENTED BY

One Last Victory Lane Celebration

F

APRIL 13, 1980

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or every NASCAR race winner, there comes a time when a final victory is recorded. Here’s a look at a few of the very best last wins among some of NASCAR’s legendary stars: Oct. 31, 1965: Wheeling the No. 41 Wood Brothers Racing Ford, Curtis Turner collected his 17th and final victory at the new North Carolina Motor Speedway in his seventh start of the season. Turner dominated on the 1.017mile superspeedway, leading 239 laps of the American 500.

April 13, 1980: David Pearson, driving a Chevrolet owned by Hoss Ellington, endured a terrible hail storm and a three-hour rain delay during the CRC Rebel 500 to score his 105th and final career victory. He led the final 32 laps and beat Benny Parsons by 3.3 seconds for his 11th triumph at Darlington Raceway.

Sept. 6, 1992: After dealing with a very wet Southern 500 weekend, Darrell Waltrip used the inclement weather to log the 84th and final victory of his 30-year career. Driving his No. 17 Western Auto Chevrolet, Waltrip only led the final six circuits but was out front when heavy thunderstorms and darkness halted the race after 298 of 367 laps.

Nov. 1, 2015: With only two laps remaining in the Goody’s 500 at Martinsville Speedway, Jeff Gordon, driving the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, earned his 93rd and final victory with a pass for the lead on a restart with two laps remaining. Gordon got to the inside ahead of secondplace Jamie McMurray and held the lead to the checkered flag. He was set to retire at season’s end but drove in eight races the following year for the injured Dale Earnhardt Jr.

BY BEN WHITE | PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF NASCAR

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NASCAR BUILDS Simply Perfect

PRESENTED BY

NASCAR’S UNIQUE VERSION OF BODY BUILDING

T

he days of using tape measures and framing squares to build NASCAR race cars are long gone.

Today, each car goes from the drawing board to a rolling machine through the expertise of extremely talented crewmen who rely on state-of-theart measuring equipment.

Kenny Eudy, a fabricator for Leavine Family Racing and driver Kasey Kahne, is meticulous about every piece that goes on one of the team’s Chevrolets.

Interestingly, building a race car is much like building a model car that comes with instructions.

First, the body of the No. 95 Camaro has to have somewhere to rest. According to NASCAR rules, it sits atop a maze of carefully shaped steel tubing designed to wrap around the driver to keep him safe.

“The chassis is the actual heavy structure of the car that contains the roll cage,” Eudy explained.

“We’re affiliated with Richard Childress Racing and their engineers come up with the designs. We pretty well stick with what they give us. There is a lot of wind-tunnel testing just on the chassis today. It’s mainly driver and crew chief preference.”

When applying the sheet metal body, there are some similarities to today’s passenger cars, but the race car is far different than what’s in the family garage.

“They aren’t the same,” Eudy noted, “The generic shape of the Camaro, like the nose and all the window openings, is pretty close to the actual street car, but the differences aren’t that huge by any means.”

The starting point for body installation is most crucial. If it’s off even a fraction in initial placement, it could become a problem during NASCAR inspection.

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POLE POSITION 2018

THE PERFECT SUMMER PROJECT

S

“We start at the roof, deck lid and spoiler,” Eudy said. “That is your main location and everything else builds off of that. If you have your top right and you pay attention to your measurements, the rest of it goes fairly simple. As soon as we get the top right and check it with what’s called a FARO Arm and it’s in tolerance where the crew chief wants, we just weld it on solid.”

Bodies are built through specification charts provided by Chevrolet. The fronts and rears are molded in fiber composite Kevlar, while the sides are stamped and molded with small indention holes to ensure accurate alignment. A number correlation system is used, giving right and left, up and down and forward and aft instructions for precise application. An engineer then uses the FARO Arm and make sure the body is exact.

Before the car is rolled off the surface plate, it is checked at least 15 more times. Then it is taken to NASCAR’s Research and Development Center where a Hawkeye laser system is used to measure it again. When satisfied it is as exact as possible, paint is applied and the car is assembled.

“That’s when we remind the crew to be very careful when they are putting in the seat,” Eudy said. “A dent to the door makes us have to put the car back through the measuring system all over again. The FARO Arm is an intricate tool that we really rely on to measure increments in 10ths of thousands. With NASCAR’s new inspection process, we live and die by that machine.”

At Leavine Family Racing, the body-building process requires approximately 240 man hours.

till not sure what to build for your summer garage project? Forney Industries has all your metalworking products and welding equipment covered. Why not build a go-kart? That’s what Forney Industries and Joe Mooney of Homesteadonomics did when they partnered to build an off-road go-kart.

Mooney lives in the mountainous desert of Arizona and wanted a two-seater go-kart with suspension to easily navigate around the terrain.

With some purchased plans, a Forney 190 multi-process welding machine, some steel, cutting and grinding wheels, and the proper personal protective gear, Mooney had just what he needed to start welding the chassis together.

He customized his plans to fit his needs, which included baskets for storage and an adjustable steering wheel so his daughter could get in on the fun of steering from the passenger seat.

Cutting and labeling the metal pieces was the most tedious part, but welding them together is when the fun kicked in. Temporarily held with heavy-duty magnets and c-clamps, Mooney tack welded the entire chassis together. Once it all was square, he finished with complete welds. With a fresh coat of Forney green and gray paint, the go-kart chassis was complete. Mooney followed his purchased plans to add the electrical system, mount the tires and place the engine. Now the go-kart was ready to ride.

See the full build and step by step process on the Forney Industries YouTube channel. –Blair Weilnau

BY BEN WHITE | PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF LEAVINE FAMILY RACING

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SPOTLIGHT PRESENTED BY

FAMILY SUPPORT

F

Ty Dillon Takes Fans Behind the Scenes Ty Dillon doesn’t want to be just a race car driver who NASCAR fans see on a TV screen or behind a microphone. He wants to establish a personal connection with fans by giving them insight into his life.

Dillon, the second-year driver of the No. 13 GEICO Chevrolet for Germain Racing, is using a video blog – also known as a VLOG – to take fans behind the scenes with him to places where they wouldn’t otherwise have access.

For example, in episode 1 of the weekly YouTube series that Dillon has appropriately coined, “The Ride,” the 26-year-old married father of one talks with fans from inside his home garage, a rental car, the back of golf a cart, a team plane, a restaurant and a basketball event with fellow NASCAR drivers.

Standing inside a quiet Daytona International Speedway infield, Dillon also takes fans to the spot where, as a child, he went to Victory Lane with Dale Earnhardt after the 1998 Daytona 500.

“I just wanted to open up to my fans and fans of NASCAR and fans of sports and entertainment in general and give them an opportunity to learn what a driver is like on and off the track – mainly off the

24

POLE POSITION 2018

track – and the ups and downs that come with it, and what it’s like to be in a family and have a family traveling and being in the sport,” said Dillon, who prior to the season hired a personal videographer to chronicle all of his journeys.

Dillon’s plan is to finish the season with at least 36 individual video episodes – most of them filmed in and around the track during race weekends, or at home, but a few in settings completely unrelated to his job as a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver.

“The response from fans has been that they’re thankful that I’m opening up, and they’re all saying that they’re happy that I’m doing this and they want to see more drivers doing this,” Dillon said.

“Whether fans like me or not, they’re going to get all of me, and I think that’s what’s cool about it.”

or Dillon’s video blog to be successful, it requires at least two things – cooperation from the rest of his family, and a good videographer. Thankfully for Dillon, he has both.

“I’m lucky my wife is awesome,” said Dillon, whose wife, Haley, gave birth to their daughter, Oakley, in November. “She always pushes me to do more and pushes me to push myself. We’re both the same, and we want to keep doing and keep growing in our lives, and we have a lot of things we want to accomplish.

I think the thing about having a daughter is, yeah, it’s a lot of work and a lot going on, but we want her to adapt to what we’ve got going on, and she’s done that well. We just bring her along for the ride.”

Dillon’s videographer, 22-year-old multimedia extraordinaire Joseph Beckham, has virtually become like another member of the family on race weekends.

“I could count the hours he’s not with me easier than I could the hours he’s there,” Dillon said. “He pretty much is there. He likes to get there really early and get some early-morning shots. He’s usually there around 6 or 7 in the morning at the race track, depending on when the garage opens. And then he’s usually there until about 4 or 5 or whenever everything shuts down. So he stays busy and he stays on me about being creative about what we want to show and what we want to do. He’s pretty passionate for 22, and a pretty sharp guy.”

BY JARED TURNER | PHOTOGRAPHY: YOUTUBE

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SPOTLIGHT

INTEGRATED SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN

A Zynga Poker Goes NASCAR Racing

P

oker is a high-stakes game enjoyed by millions of people, and NASCAR is a highstakes sport loved by millions of fans.

In a partnership that could easily be considered the quintessential match made in heaven, Zynga Poker and NASCAR driver Matt DiBenedetto are now on the same team.

A social game developed by Zynga as an application for Facebook and various other platforms that most notably include Android and iPhone, Zynga Poker is serving as the primary sponsor on DiBenedetto’s Go FAS Racing No. 32 Ford in eight races over the course of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season.

The partnership began in March at ISM Raceway in Phoenix where Zynga Poker sponsored DiBenedetto for the first time after the driver posted a video on Twitter explaining the ongoing sponsorship needs of his relatively low-budget team.

Touched by DiBenedetto’s impassioned appeal, Monster Energy Series drivers Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick, along with NASCAR Hall of Famer/ FOX NASCAR announcer Darrell Waltrip, pledged one-time donations. That’s when Zynga Poker stepped up in an even bigger way with a one-race sponsorship – that was later expanded to include seven more races.

“The response we got was overwhelming, but then for a company like Zynga Poker to have reached out to us, it’s awesome,” DiBenedetto said.

“It’s such a cool, big company that we were like, ‘Wow. Is this real? Are they really interested in doing this?’ We talked with them, and they were such a cool group of people. It’s amazing that it came together like it did.”

26

POLE POSITION 2018

Zynga Poker, the world’s No. 1 Texas Hold’em Poker game, considers DiBenedetto and Go FAS Racing the perfect fit for their brand.

“We are inspired by Matt’s fans and excited to join the rally to keep No. 32 in the race,” said Monty Kerr, senior vice president for Zynga Poker. “Over the past 10 years, Zynga Poker players have shown the same passion and enthusiasm, so we’re proud to partner with a team that loves their fans as much as we do.”

DiBenedetto couldn’t be any prouder to carry the Zynga Poker colors on his race car. For him, the connection is personal.

“I actually play Zynga Poker, and I’ve played Texas Hold’em Poker since I was 6 years old,” DiBenedetto said. “It’s very easy for me to naturally, organically promote Zynga. It’s just a part of my life, and it’s something that I do.”

s part of the relationship between Matt DiBenedetto and Zynga Poker, the driver and sponsor worked hand in hand to create an integrated social media campaign to support DiBenedetto’s effort to win the NASCAR All-Star Race driver Fan Vote.

To boost DiBenedetto’s chances of being voted into the Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Zynga Poker hosted fan contests and giveaways on its social channels and created unique in-app assets to encourage player participation.

“They’re so smart in their social media department,” DiBenedetto said. “We mix very well because we’re both very creative with social media. It was pretty cool when they came to us and said they wanted to get involved for more races this year. That is huge for us.

They’re really, really actively involved in our team.”

DiBenedetto looks forward to coordinating closely with Zynga on more promotional efforts as the season continues.

“I’m a big believer that you have to represent companies you truly believe in – or that truly fit your lifestyle – and that’s the only way that I feel like it will actually work,” he said. “People can tell if you’re being fake about something or if you’re trying to help promote something that you don’t really use or isn’t a part of your life.

“This is a perfect match and it’s fun, because I play Zynga Poker in general. So, if I ever need a whole bunch of free coins, I know where to get them.”

BY JARED TURNER | PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

SPOTLIGHT

Rev Up Your Yardwork WITH A MARK MARTIN EDITION SPARTAN MOWER

■■ Entrepreneur Robert Foster is the owner of Batesville, Arkansas-based Spartan Mowers.

There are lawn mowers, and then there’s the Limited SRT “Mark Martin” Edition mower from Spartan Mowers based in Martin’s hometown of Batesville, Arkansas.

Created by business owner and entrepreneur Robert Foster and named after one of NASCAR’s all-time toughest drivers, the Limited SRT “Mark Martin” Edition has been on the market since 2017 and is available for purchase at any of the 275-plus Spartan Mowers dealerships around the country.

Foster, who owns Spartan Mowers, also owns five other companies all falling under the umbrella of the Batesville-based Intimidator Group. Foster has been designing mowers since 1998 and began manufacturing them in 2002. Who knew 20 years in the making that he would see some of his greatest success with the introduction of the Spartan Mower, which has outperformed initial sales projections by 300 percent.

“Every week, we add locations, so if there’s not a dealer near you, there probably will be in the very near future,” Foster said.

One of Foster’s most successful and sophisticated mowers series to date has been the one bearing the name of Martin, a 40-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race winner who last competed in 2013.

Martin, a 2017 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee, was one of NASCAR’s most popular drivers and established a reputation as one of the sport’s grittiest over a career that stretched more than three decades. Martin met Foster about three years ago and the two have since become good friends.

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POLE POSITION 2018

So, when Foster was thinking about the next great mower to market for his growing business, a machine bearing the name of one of NASCAR’s most beloved drivers of all time – and a local legend – made both practical and business sense.

After all, Spartan Mowers was birthed in Batesville, and there’s not anyone more synonymous with the 10,000-resident Arkansas town than Mark Martin.

“Mark is such a kind person to everybody and is very accessible. I thought it would be cool to have a Mark Martin Signature Series Edition offered through Spartan, and they have sold even better than I had hoped,” Foster said. “I recently had one of my sales guys comment on how many Mark Martins he’s been selling to his dealers and how well it’s done in the marketplace.”

SPARTAN MOWERS TAKE COMMAND OF YOUR YARD, TAKE COMMAND OF YOUR TIME, TAKE COMMAND OF YOUR LIFE

BY JARED TURNER

The Mark Martin Edition is available in the SRT HD and XD models and comes equipped with all the standard features available on every SRT Spartan, including Improved Smart Ride Technology, as well as a customized upgraded seat, steel-belted radial tires, aluminum wheels, dual chrome exhaust, LED lighting, stress pads and custom Mark Martin decals, bearing the driver’s signature and famous No. 6.

The mower is specifically designed for traction and ride and less turf impact when turning.

“We’re the first company to ever come out with radial tires on a mower,” Foster said. “It’s got radial tires on the front and rear. And we thought we would add a little extra to it. We put dual exhaust; it’s got chrome tips on it coming out the rear. People love the sound of the dual exhaust – it comes across really throaty. It sounds really good, and it looks really cool.

It’s just something you don’t normally see on a mower, with aluminum wheels, stress pads, dual exhaust and all the different things we’ve added to this mower.”

The best part of all, perhaps, is that the Mark Martin Edition mower looks, feels and sounds like you’re on the race track when you’re cutting your grass. In other words, it’s the perfect mower for NASCAR fans everywhere – and a mower that Foster put a lot of thought and time into creating.

“I think about mowers 24/7,” Foster said. “That’s all I ever think about is mowers. Everybody knows me as a mower nut, so I’m always building stuff that I’m excited about taking home and using for myself.”

SEAL OF APPROVAL

W The HD series of the Mark Martin Edition mower starts at only $8,699 and features a 32-horsepower, big-block engine and a light. The more bells and whistles, of course, the higher the price, but even the most high-end Mark Martin Edition mowers are priced well below mowers of similar value from rival brands.

“You don’t find anything even close to this for less than $15,000,” Foster said. “We’re very, very competitive on our pricing. No one can believe the price we’re selling our machines for.”

What helps keep the MM Signature Series affordable is the fact that Martin doesn’t demand a cut from any of the sales.

“Mark wanted to be sure we gave our customers an unreal value instead of him receiving royalties for using his name,” Foster said. “He didn’t want anything off it; he just wanted to give it back to the customer, so I thought that was really cool on his behalf.”

■■ Robert Foster (right) partnered with racing legend Mark Martin to create the Spartan Mower Limited SRT “Mark Martin” Edition mower in 2017.

hile the Limited SRT “Mark Martin” Edition mower from Spartan Mowers was more the brainchild of Foster than Martin, the veteran NASCAR driver did take the opportunity to approve of all the mower’s outward features before it went to market.

“Mark doesn’t want to put his name on anything unless it’s quality – and it has to look really good,” Foster said.

In getting to know Martin better over the past few years, Foster has come to respect him more than ever.

The feeling is mutual. Martin has shared his admiration for Foster and said his only regret was not teaming up with Foster sooner while he was still racing. He believes having Foster on his pit crew, they could have created an incredible machine!

“When Mark was racing, he was just a class act no matter what happened,” Foster said. “We’re a faith-based company, so we wanted to have somebody that represented our company values well and was very kind to everybody and a quality person. You know with Mark, whatever he says, you can just take it to the bank – that’s the way it is. He has actually spoken at a couple events for us just to help us out, and I’ve been extremely impressed. I hardly ever watched NASCAR growing up, but his reputation is what drew me to him. Being a straight-up guy, I was really impressed with him.”

In fact, Foster isn’t the only one in his family who has taken a shine to the man who is one of the most well-known natives of the Batesville area.

“I’ve got a little granddaughter who is 6 years old, and she had a birthday here awhile back,” Foster said.

“She said, ‘That NASCAR driver, Mark Martin, I want to have lunch with him for my birthday.’ I thought that was so sweet, so I called Mark, and he said, ‘We can definitely make that happen.’”

POLE POSITION MAG.COM

29

SEAL THE DEAL BILL ELLIOTT A DOMINANT PERFORMANCE On Feb. 17, 1985, Bill Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Melling Racing Ford Thunderbird, entered the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway as a heavy favorite to win NASCAR’s premier race.

The Dawsonville, Georgia, native won the pole at a then-record speed of 205.114 mph and almost lapped the field in one of two 125-mile qualifying races. In the 500, he sealed the deal by leading 136 of the race’s 200 laps.

Neil Bonnett, Elliott’s closest competition, was challenging for the lead but spun when his car’s engine expired while running second with only four laps remaining. Engine issues also sidelined former Daytona 500 winners David Pearson, A.J. Foyt, Benny Parsons, Bobby Allison, and two-time defending race winner Cale Yarborough.

Earlier in the race, NASCAR officials forced Elliott’s crew to repair a broken headlight assembly.

The nearly two-minute pit stop relegated Elliott to third in the running order, but he quickly made up for lost time and charged back to the front.

He excelled through the late caution flag for Bonnett’s spin and went on to win his first Daytona 500.

“What this means is beyond words,” Elliott said in Victory Lane, according to Greg Fielden’s series of books, “40 Years of Stock Car Racing.” “We’ve worked real hard during the winter, done our testing and applied the knowledge we’ve gotten.”

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POLE POSITION 2018

PRESENTED BY

JOE LEE JOHNSON ON TOP OF THE WORLD An estimated 36,000 fans filed into the new Charlotte Motor Speedway on June 19, 1960, to see a field of 60 cars battle for 600 miles on the fresh asphalt. Chunks of the racing surface came up and caused bothersome pot holes, prompting many chief mechanics to install screens over the front grilles to protect their cars’ radiators.

Chattanooga, Tennessee, native Joe Lee Johnson sealed the deal by driving Paul McDuffie’s Chevrolet Impala to the second victory of his NASCAR career.

He led the final 48 circuits after making up a five-lap deficit when race leader Jack Smith was sidelined by a punctured gas tank.

Johnson’s career ended in 1962, in part because McDuffie, crewman Charles Sweatland and NASCAR official Joe Taylor lost their lives in a pit road accident at Darlington Raceway during the 1960 Southern 500.

Johnson talked about his career in a 1999 interview with GeorgiaRacingHistory.com. It was the same year Tony Stewart ran the Coca-Cola 600 and the Indianapolis 500 on the same day.

“I know the cars are different today,” Johnson said.

“You couldn’t have physically done that back in the ’60s, but man, it was still something. I was dead tired after my win in running just the Charlotte race.”

Johnson passed away May 26, 2005, at his Tennessee home at the age of 75.

BY BEN WHITE | PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

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ON THE ROAD PRESENTED BY

TALES FROM THE ROAD

Denton Enjoys Trucking – and Winning

F

rom the time Scott Denton was a child, he knew he wanted to work in NASCAR. “I drove Super Late Models for my grandpa and raced motocross, but I always just loved racing,” said Denton, now a 15-year veteran of the NASCAR industry. “My grandfather, he had cars in the Daytona 500. So I’ve always been around racing, and I grew up in racing. So it’s basically in my blood.”

After getting the opportunity to spend several years as a hauler driver at Chip Ganassi Racing, Denton joined Hendrick Motorsports in 2010 as hauler driver for the No. 24 team of Jeff Gordon.

Denton has spent the past three seasons driving the No. 88 Hendrick big rig, transporting the cars of Dale Earnhardt Jr. and now Alex Bowman.

Denton’s current role as backup hauler driver for the No. 88 team requires him to join the team’s primary truck driver on any trips that require traveling more than 11 hours one way. As the journey to the race track approaches the 12th hour, Department of Transportation regulations require a driver

change. That’s when Denton takes over.

Denton also assists the No. 88 team with fueling the car on pit road every race weekend, so he’s at the track even on the weekends when he’s not helping drive the hauler. Denton is also responsible for cleaning and completely restocking the truck at the end of the race weekend.

“My role is to make sure all the parts and pieces are on the truck, and it’s clean and stocked with uniforms and everything,” said Denton, who also drives the truck when one of the four Hendrick teams goes for a mid-week test at a race track.

“Anything that needs to be on there is a backup driver’s role.”

While Denton enjoys every aspect of his job, his favorite part, quite simply, is being part of a winning organization.

“I’ve got championship rings, I’ve got Daytona 500 rings, I’ve got a Brickyard ring, a Coca-Cola 600 ring,” he said. “Being in Victory Lane’s pretty awesome.”

TALE NO. 1: “I’ve seen a lot of different things during my time as a hauler driver – like crew members getting to the track and forgetting their fire suits and they have to wear a smaller fire suit or something like that. But now it’s gotten to where we have to put their fire suit in their locker, but their shoes and stuff, they have to do themselves. It’s nothing for one of those guys – or ‘kids’ – to forget something.

So it’s funny to watch them scramble and say, ‘Hey, have you seen my shoes? Have you seen my gloves?’”

TALE NO. 2: “It’s something when you’re driving to the track and you stop to fuel the truck, how many people will approach you to say, ‘Hey, you got a hat?

You got a postcard?’ But now that it’s Alex Bowman in the No. 88 car, instead of Dale Earnhardt Jr., it’s kind of gone downhill – you don’t even get stopped. But when it was Dale Jr., every time you stopped to get fuel, it was, ‘Hey, man, you got a hat? You got a postcard?’ But now it’s like they don’t even know who you are.”

GET TO KNOW

SCOTT DENTON HOMETOWN: Gastonia, North Carolina TEAMS WORKED FOR: Chip Ganassi Racing, Hendrick Motorsports and PPI Motorsports.

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POLE POSITION 2018

FAVORITE MEAL ON THE ROAD: I love Subway. I just like a sub.

TRAVELING COMPANIONS: I run down the road with the 48 [Hendrick] team.

We leave together. Sometimes it’s all four of us [Hendrick hauler drivers].

DAYTIME OR NIGHTTIME DRIVING: Night.

HOW HE PASSES TIME ON THE ROAD: I usually just sit and think, and take it easy and listen to a little country music.

FAVORITE DRIVE TO A TRACK: Phoenix.

That’s beautiful out through there.

FAVORITE TRACK: Probably Talladega.

I love superspeedway racing.

LIFE BEFORE NASCAR: Worked parttime for FedEx and attended Gaston College in Gastonia, North Carolina.

BY JARED TURNER

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CREW SPOTLIGHT SCOTT EGGLESTON PREMIUM’S ANSWER MAN

JON DESROCHER ‘IT ALL RELATES TO THE TIRES’ I’VE ALWAYS BEEN A PROBLEMSOLVER, EVEN GOING BACK TO THE CREW CHIEF DAYS. I WAS THE PERSON EVERYONE WENT TO FOR THAT. IT’S KIND OF LIKE I HAD ALREADY BEEN DOING IT. EVEN THOUGH I GOT AWAY FROM BEING A CREW CHIEF, I’M STILL DOING IT.”

Scott Eggleston, team manager for Premium Motorsports, took it upon himself to check out NASCAR soon after reaching what some feel is the PLAYING greatest teenage milestone.

FAVORITES “That was back in the late 1970s WITH SCOTT at Richmond,” Eggleston said. “I was 16 years old and had just gotten my VACATION driver’s license. I had been following SPOT: NASCAR since I was 8 or 9 by listening ■■ Anywhere outside to races on the radio through Motor SEASON: Racing Network.”

■■ Fall Eggleston didn’t set out to work HOLIDAY: in NASCAR. Instead, he turned his ■■ Christmas attention to motocross competition and was exposed to Late Model racing TV: at various short tracks around Virginia.

■■ The History Channel From there, he met noted chassis MOVIE: builder Jay Hedgecock, who was with ■■ Cinderella Man Petty Enterprises at the time. Eggleston MUSIC: worked with the Pettys for several sea■ ■ Anything Old School sons before moving to SABCO Racing, Dale Earnhardt Inc., BAM Racing, MB2 Motorsports and Front Row Motorsports. He went to work for Premium Motorsports in 2012.

“In the old days, you pretty much did a little bit of everything,” Eggleston said. “Then I became a crew for the first time in 1998.

I’ve pretty much been a crew chief or team manager ever since.”

Eggleston’s job these days is all about organization and making sure there are answers when problems arise.

“I’ve been working as a team manager for two years,” Eggleston said. “I was going to retire from racing, but they asked me to come over and help them.”

He’s closely involved in the organization’s entire NASCAR effort.

“We have two Camping World Truck Series teams and most of the time we have two Cup Series teams at the track,” Eggleston noted.

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POLE POSITION 2018

THE ONLY TIME IT GETS CRAZY IS WHEN WE’RE FIVE PIT STALLS AWAY FROM PITTING AND THERE’S A CALL FOR AN AIR PRESSURE ADJUSTMENT. THAT’S WHEN IT GETS KIND OF HECTIC. (CREW CHIEF) ADAM (STEVENS) IS PRETTY GOOD ABOUT GIVING ME A HEADS UP.”

Jon Desrocher, tire specialist for Joe Gibbs Racing and driver Kyle Busch, saw his first NASCAR race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway during the mid-1990s when he was PLAYING only 7 years old. He and his family went FAVORITES to NHMS for the NASCAR Cup Series WITH JON event, but because of a Sunday rainout they enjoyed Saturday’s NASCAR K&N VACATION Pro Series race instead. As he grew SPOT: older, Desrocher couldn’t ignore the ■■ Oakland, California lights and sounds just down the road SEASON: from his home in Plattsburg, New York.

■■ Fall “There was a local short track next HOLIDAY: to my house called Airborne [Park] ■ ■ Christmas Speedway,” Desrocher said. “You could TV SHOW: pretty much ride a four-wheeler over ■■ The Big Bang Theory there. There was a guy named Bucko Branham and he used to race there MOVIE: all the time. I used to go hang out with ■■ Batman him in the pits.”

MUSIC: After moving to North Carolina and ■■ Hard Rock completing his studies at the NASCAR Technical Institute in 2008, Desrocher met a pit crew coach at a local gym who suggested he might make a great tire changer. An interview was set up with Braun Racing and soon after, Desrocher was gluing lug nuts to wheels, setting up pit areas and changing tires during pit stops.

Over the years, he has worked in various NASCAR divisions with drivers and teams such as Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney and Ron Hornaday Jr., as well as ThorSport Racing, and Hendrick Motorsports, to name only a few. At Joe Gibbs Racing, Desrocher focuses solely on getting Kyle Busch’s tires ready to race.

“A tire is kind of everything,” Desrocher said. “That’s where you get all of your information. Whatever change you make to the car, it all relates to the tires and that’s the last thing you get to see. You’re going to have tire wear or pressure builds or temperatures. You could potentially cause yourself a handling issue and lose the race.”

BY BEN WHITE

ClearMinis Cle

™

^It's possible while taking Nexium® 24HR. Use as directed for 14 days to treat frequent heartburn. Do not take for more than 14 days or more often than every 4 months unless directed by a doctor. Not for immediate relief. †May take 1 to 4 days for full effect. All Nexium® 24HR products have the same effectiveness.

The stylized No. 3 and the RCR checkered flag logo are registered trademarks of RCR Enterprises, LLC. Ty Dillon’s name, likeness, signature and the TD stylized logo are registered trademarks of Ty Dillon. All trademarks and the likeness of the No. 3 race car are used under license from their owners.

SPOTLIGHT

PRESENTED BY

KNOW WHEN TO REPLACE

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Be Responsible for Your Own Headlights

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YLVANIA Automotive (an OSRAM company), the world leader in automotive lighting, is on a mission to help people realize just how simple and non-time-consuming swapping out headlights can be.

Here’s the real crux of the matter: You can be responsible for your own headlights — a fact that research suggests most drivers don’t know.

“I was at soccer practice and there was one of the moms and I said, ‘Let me do this for you,’ and it took about two minutes to change both low beams and high beams on both sides,” said Brian Noble, OSRAM SYLVANIA’s marketing manager. “She just stared at me like, ‘It was that easy?’ Yeah, it’s that easy. I showed her how to do it, and so now she can do it, too — real quick and easy. Not every vehicle is that way, but there are so many of them that are so easy to get in, push, pull it out, disconnect, reconnect and put it back in, and it’s that easy.

“What SYLVANIA is trying to do is give people the idea that you can have control and that you can get in there and with a few steps go in and put a better light in and see better when driving at night, and make yourself feel better and more confident when driving at night.”

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Noble strongly recommends utilizing the many online tutorials available on how to change a headlight in the driveway. Not only does replacing headlights at home save time; it’s cheaper, too.

“It’s easy for anybody of all ages,” Noble said. “I’ve had my kids do it. I’ve had my parents do it. Anybody that wants to get it done can do it. Some cars are more complicated than others, but for the most part it’s an easy fix. It’s something where if you wanted to spend the $50 to have a mechanic do it, that’s your choice … but there are videos out there that will give you the confidence to do it and let you know what steps you have to take and how to complete them.”

n order for drivers to successfully install new headlights, they must not only know how to do it – they must know when to do it.

Headlights should be treated no differently than ceiling lights; they should be replaced before, not after, a blowout.

“That filament will over time wear out so that less light is coming off of that filament, so when you’re driving down the road you’re not seeing as far or as much,” said Brian Noble, OSRAM SYLVANIA’s marketing manager.

If one headlight has a longer lifespan than the other, it’s a good idea to go ahead and change out both since replacing just one creates an uneven field of vision for the driver.

“It’s almost impossible for me to tell you to do it every year or every two years, because everybody’s driving habits are different,” Noble said. “If you drive 10,000 miles a year, you might do it every three years. If you drive 30,000 miles a year, you might do it every year and change them out ahead of time because you put a lot of wear and tear on them.

“It’s one of those things that if you don’t remember the last time you’ve changed them, now might be a good time to think about it.”

BY JARED TURNER

Find the right bulbs for your vehicle at sylvania-automotive.com

SilverStar ® ULTRA headlights.

High performance and safety have rarely coexisted so perfectly.

Light is safety No matter what kind of car you drive, you need to confidently see farther down the road at night. SilverStar ® ULTRA is our farthest downroad headlight and fits over 90% of vehicles on the road.

Choose SilverStar ® ULTRA for everything ahead of you.

©2018 OSRAM SYLVANIA *Compared to SYLVANIA BASIC and the SYLVANIA family of halogen headlights.

MADE IN AMERICA

6

Reasons

NASCAR IS A GREAT AMERICAN SPORT

From proud displays of patriotism by drivers, fans and race tracks, to the manufacturers that compete against each other every weekend, to the overall demographic of NASCAR’s vast and diverse fan base, NASCAR is deeply rooted in American culture.

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Fords and Chevys. Two of NASCAR’s three car manufacturers – Ford and Chevrolet – are based on American soil, with Ford headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, and Chevrolet based out of the General Motors headquarters just down the road in Detroit.

If you’ve been a NASCAR fan for any time at all, you’ll know NASCAR fans take their manufacturer loyalties seriously. Of course, Chevrolet and Ford aren’t NASCAR’s only automakers; there’s also Toyota, the Japanbased manufacturer that joined the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in 2007.

While many fans don’t have a problem supporting a driver or team aligned with a foreign manufacturer, there are also plenty of fans who stand by Chevrolet, Ford

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or both, simply because of their American roots. The emphasis that fans, sponsors, drivers and team owners place on manufacturers – and the support manufacturers offer drivers and teams – is the ultimate testament to how deep these roots run.

The American Flag.

It’s not uncommon in NASCAR for a driver who wins a race to stop at the start/ finish line and grab an American flag from a crew member.

He will then take a victory lap or perform a burnout while holding the American flag out of his driver’s side window.

One driver who has adopted this ritual is 2012 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski.

“People ask me all the time why I do it and what the flag means to me,” Keselowski wrote in a 2014 blog found at bradracing. com. “And while the flag obviously has meaning for me personally, that’s not why I do it. I do it for what it means to the people who see it. The flag means a little something different to each and every person. It’s one of the few things that I think most everyone has a positive response to.”

Troops to the Track. In 2009, NASCAR and the Armed Forces Foundation partnered to create NASCAR Troops to the Track, a year-round recreational group therapy program

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BY JARED TURNER | PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

MADE IN AMERICA that honors service men and women, veterans and military families at races throughout the country.

Each season, NASCAR activates this special program at more than 20 races and allows for wounded service members, active duty troops, warriors in transition, veterans and military families throughout the country to enjoy a special day of activities at the race track. During a race weekend, thousands of troops from local military installations across the country are treated to customized VIP experiences, which include garage tours, driver meet-and-greets and special recognition during the drivers’ meeting, among many other special-access activities.

“NASCAR has a long tradition of supporting our nation’s military, and we are honored by the presence of the men and women who serve our country and their families at our races,” NASCAR President Brent Dewar said.

Military Support. Many well-known members of the NASCAR community are outspoken in their support of the U.S. military – and their actions back up their words. Take, for example, 2012 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski. Last year alone, Keselowski’s Checkered Flag Foundation – founded by the Team Penske driver in 2010 – raised upward of $450,000 and assisted or honored more than 250 people and organizations in an effort to help veterans and first responders on their road to recovery.

And drivers aren’t the only ones who have gone the extra mile to support and honor veterans and active-duty military members.

NASCAR Hall of Famer and six-time Monster Energy Series champion team owner Richard Childress, for example, has hosted troops at his North Carolina-based winery, taken troops on guided tours of the Richard Childress Racing museum in Welcome, North Carolina, and spent time with troops at the race track.

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The Tracks. For four decades, NASCAR tracks were found primarily in the Southeast corner of the United States. But, beginning in the late ’80s and continuing into the early 2000s, NASCAR embarked on a westward and northern expansion that resulted in new tracks sprouting up in all four corners of the United States and many places in between.

Now, instead of races being run predominantly in the Southeast, 10 races on the 36-race Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series schedule are held west of the Mississippi River (two at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, one at Sonoma Raceway in Northern California, one at Auto Club Speedway in Southern California, two at ISM Raceway in Phoenix, two at Kansas Speedway and two at Texas Motor Speedway).

NASCAR’s premier series also competes in Indianapolis, in the Chicago area and up north at Pocono (Pennsylvania), Watkins Glen (New York) and Loudon (New Hampshire). NASCAR is a truly great American sport, because its tracks represent so many parts of the country.

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The Fans. From farmers and factory workers to CEOs and engineers and everyone in between, NASCAR’s fan base represents a wide and diverse demographic made possible only by the sport’s broad fan appeal. In short, NASCAR fans are a microcosm of America.

NASCAR’s robust fan base – estimated at 80 million fans – also isn’t limited by age or ethnicity. Look in the stands on a race weekend, and you’ll find fans of all ages and numerous ethnicities cheering on their favorite driver. Many races on the annual Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series schedule even draw fans from all 50 states. That’s a pretty phenomenal stat, but it’s not surprising given the great measures that NASCAR has taken to let fans have their say on the goings and comings in the sport.

NASCAR’s fan council, which provides a forum for fans to communicate their thoughts and opinions directly with NASCAR’s top brass, now stands at nearly 25,000 members.

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Bear Creek Arsenal is a family owned company located in Sanford, North Carolina. Our employees take great pride in the fact that our firearms are made in the USA! With over 40 years of precision machining experience and a commitment to quality and customer service, we are producing both high quality and affordable firearms designed to bring you years of reliable service.

BearCreekArsenal.com Save 10% with Coupon “NASCAR�

Coupon expires 12/31/18

MADE IN AMERICA

■■ C.J. Buck, CEO & Chairman

A NATURAL PARTNERSHIP WITH NASCAR

C Buck Knives: American Craftsmanship at Its Best

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he family business, Buck Knives, started in 1902 when Kansas blacksmith Hoyt Buck produced the first Buck Knife while looking for a better way to temper steel to hold an edge longer.

He made each knife by hand, using worn-out file blades as raw material. The handiwork was used by American soldiers during World War II. For over 100 years, other knife manufacturers have strived to match the quality and craftsmanship that the Buck family has consistently achieved.

From Hoyt to his son, Al, to his grandson, Chuck, to his great-grandson, C.J., the Buck family has offered the same consistent quality and innovation to outdoorsmen over the last century-plus.

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Hoyt’s eldest son, Al, moved his family into Hoyt’s home in 1945, starting a new shop, H.H. Buck and Son. Following the death of his father, Al continued the knife business until incorporating Buck Knives, Inc., in 1961. Al introduced his son, Chuck, to the business at an early age. In 1964, Buck Knives introduced the Model 110 Folding Hunter, elevating the business into one of the nation’s leaders in knife production.

Chuck worked his way to president and CEO before turning over the business in 1999 to his son, C.J., a fourth-generation family member to run Buck Knives who started with the company on the production line in 1978.

Buck Knives’ ongoing commitment to developing innovative new products and improving the current stock of products has helped make Buck Knives the leader in knife manufacturing today.

“We’re always working on trying to come up with the next lock or ball-bearing system,” said Buck Knives Director of Brand Management Chris Brooks. “We are committed to developing innovative new products and improving processes that will advance the industry.”

As Buck Knives continues to evolve as a company, it will look to offer more everyday items to its customers. Expect to see Buck Knives adding more options in kitchen cutlery, fishing gear, and tactical law enforcement products.

“We have some plans to come out with more of a selection in the everyday category and get more into that market,” Brooks said.

hris Brooks understands that the NASCAR fan and Buck Knives customer are one in the same.

“It’s our demographic,” Brooks said. “NASCAR fans are hunters and outdoorsmen. They love being outside. A lot are farmers. It’s a natural partnership.”

The Buck Knives plant is located in Post Falls, Idaho, and the company takes great pride in offering its customers American-made products. Every year, Buck continues to introduce innovative new knife products for every user category, from efficient knives for everyday use to a wide range of hunting and fishing knives; and from rugged survival knives to dramatic limited editions for collectors.

In 2009, the Buck family took a significant stand with the announcement of their “American Commitment,” under which Buck Knives is countering offshore trends with their move to Idaho and implementation of new manufacturing philosophies.

All Buck hunting knives are made in America.

“It’s our history,” Brooks said. “The demand is there from our consumers.

Everybody wants USAmade knives at good value.

We are able to do that, and our factory supports it. Our intention is to be 100-percent USA-made in the near future.”

BY DAN GUTTENPLAN

WWW.BUCKKNIVES.COM | POST FALLS, IDAHO

FAVORITE FINDS

COOL STUFF FOR SERIOUS RACE FANS

GLACIER COOLERS

SURECAN The award-winning SureCan was designed with all of your gas-powered machines in mind. With patented technology, the SureCan offers its user the best experience they have ever had with a fuel can. The flexible spout rotates down more than 180 degrees and fits perfectly into any machine’s fill location, while the thumb-release trigger on top controls the flow. By pulling straight back on the safety trigger and then down on the thumb button, fuel is released immediately while you stay in complete control.

When you notice your tank is almost full, slowly release the thumb button and allow the excess fuel to drain from the top of the spout before rotating it back up. No more bending over, tipping your fuel can forward and holding it in an awkward position.

The SureCan is a high-quality fuel dispensing machine.

Learn more at surecanusa.com.

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The evolution of GLACIER Coolers has set the new standard for cooler design, construction and insulation. We started GLACIER with big ambitions. Our goal was to design and construct a cooler that would exceed our customers’ expectations. Our coolers are, quite simply, the world’s finest. We created a product that will give you a generation of use.

Our commitment to innovation and craftsmanship is built into every cooler. Whether you are camping, fishing or just love the outdoors, GLACIER builds coolers to withstand many years of rugged outdoor exposure.

Learn more at glaciercoolers.com.

BUBBA BURGER BUBBA burger® is sold in grocery stores throughout the United States as well as worldwide through the U.S. Military Commissary system. BUBBA burger® is a natural choice for quality and convenience, using only the highest quality meat to produce our uniquely shaped, gluten-free BUBBA burgers®.

You can take them right from your freezer to your grill or skillet and BUBBA burgers® come in many varieties to fit any taste. Race to your favorite local grocer’s freezer today and grab a box of BUBBA burgers® so that you are sure to have a winning race weekend! bubbafoods.com

UNIVERSITY OF RACING Behind every Icons 1:24 scale die-cast replica is a memorable story of passion, dreams and commitment to excellence. Our quality materials, uncompromised craftsmanship and attention to detail assure you of the most authentic and best value in the industry. Our University of Racing die-casts bring back the memories of the true race fan, while educating the new race fan about the amazing cars, the legendary drivers and the unbelievable stories that have made NASCAR the fan-favorite sport it is today. Icons’ goal is to recognize these competitors and their amazing race cars that made stock car racing what it is today. They are the true “Legends.” We welcome the opportunity to bring these memories to life in your collection.

Learn more at universityofracing.com.

TIGER BALM Whether you’re a world-class athlete or a weekend warrior, you can trust Tiger Balm for proven, pill-free pain relief. It’s the world’s No. 1 selling painrelieving ointment, made from a blend of herbal ingredients, based upon annual sales of ointment sold worldwide.

Visit tigerbalm.com or facebook.com/TigerBalmUS for your nearest retailer.

HOWES MULTI-PURPOSE OIL

WALEX PORTA-PAK

Howes Multi-Purpose Lubricator and Penetrating Oil is the ultimate solution to all of your penetrating oil needs.

Made from a secret formula of highly refined petroleum ingredients, Howes Multi-Purpose contains no alcohols or harmful solvents, making it safe to use on virtually any surface including electrical wires.

With Howes Multi-Purpose, you can dissolve rust, sludge and gunk while displacing water and repelling dust. It permeates, penetrates and does not evaporate so each job lasts.

From stopping squeaky door hinges to preventing locks from freezing or getting sticky, the uses are almost never ending!

Spray on nuts, bolts, tools and more to remove and prevent rust and corrosion.

Lubricate and drive water out of cable housings or spray on wires, leads and distributor caps to start damp engines.

Join the likes of national fleets as well as thousands of automotive repair shops and marinas nationwide by grabbing a can of Howes Multi-Purpose today!

Learn more at howeslube.com.

The No. 1 RV Holding Tank Treatment. Porta-Pak RV Holding Tank Deodorizer and Waste Digester was introduced by Walex Products Co., Inc., to provide the ease and convenience of the water-soluble drop-in for Recreational Vehicle enthusiasts. Porta-Pak revolutionized the RV industry when it was introduced and is now used globally by millions in a variety of applications, including: Portable Restrooms, RV, Marine, Bus and Trains. Porta-Pak remains the industry’s leading portion control product by offering the best deodorizer and waste digester in the industry at an affordable price. Porta-Pak is formaldehyde free, biodegradable, contains non-staining color and offers the most powerful odor prevention in the market. The ease of use makes Porta-Pak the product of choice for millions of customers around the world.

Available in two fragrances: fresh scent and lavender breeze.

Check your local retail outlet for your favorite Walex product, or visit Walex at rvsanitation.com.

ALLSHOP PRODUCTS™ ALLSHOP™ Hand Cleaner is the “nextgen” alternative to older, harsh solutions. Our Hand Cleaner is an antibacterial, detergent-based cleaner that features micro-scrubbing polymers. No skin damaging petroleum-based solvents or harsh grit pumice ingredients. You get clean without the dryness, cracking and stinging from waterless products, plus a pleasing fragrance.

ALLSHOP™ also offers these fine automotive care family of products: WICKED or X-TREME Tire Shine, Final Detail Spray and Engine Degreaser. These quality products all feature an easy-to-use, high-gloss spray to brighten any rubber, plastic or vinyl. WICKED for Cherry Fragrance or go with X-TREME for a superior high-gloss, long-lasting look. Engine Degreaser is a noncorrosive, spray-on that rinses off with water, leaving no residue. Final Detail Spray cleaner and wax repels water and prevents discoloration, drying and cracking.

ALLSHOP™ is a Veteran-Owned company committed to offering our customers superior products for work or home, at affordable prices. allshopproducts.com

HONDA GENERATORS

FOLEX

Honda’s Super Quiet Series generators – the EU1000i, EU2000i, EU3000is, EU3000i Handi and EU7000is – are inverter-equipped, lightweight models that feature extremely quiet performance. Designed for the ultimate in quality, portability and convenience, these models are ideal for tailgating, camping or any trip to the great outdoors. Honda is proud to support several teams such as Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, Stewart-Haas Racing, Kyle Busch Motorsports and Rev Racing with EU series generator products that provide smooth, reliable power for their racing needs.

FOLEX® is perfect for removing stains from upholstery, vinyl, clothing and practically any other material that is “colorfast” and “color-stable.”

Even hard surfaces, painted surfaces, walls and woodwork that can be safely dampened with water will be quickly and easily cleaned with FOLEX®!

Please visit folex.net for a list of retailers in your area and other useful information!

POLE POSITION MAG.COM

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FAVORITE FINDS CAIN DAYTONA

ADVIL FILM-COATED TABLETS

Goes to work in minutes on tough pain. This Advil® has a Rapid Release formula to stop tough pain before it gets worse – in fact, nothing is proven to work faster.* Use fast-acting Advil® Film-Coated for headaches, muscle aches, toothaches, menstrual cramps, back pain, and aches and pains associated with the common cold. Fastacting Advil® Film-Coated leverages the rapid absorption properties of ibuprofen sodium, which dissolves faster than standard ibuprofen.

Cain Daytona is the latest release from Studio Tobac. The Jalapa Ligero is more refined than other Ligeros. Jalapa Ligero, plus Cain’s triple fermentation, makes Cain Daytona a medium to fullbodied, smooth, rich and flavorful smoke.

Making a Straight Ligero cigar requires a unique understanding of the leaf. Ligero comes from the top of the tobacco plant. Its direct exposure to the sun darkens and thickens the leaf. Smaller than leaves lower on the plant,

it also enjoys a concentration of nutrients.

Habano Seed Ligero is recognized as the most full flavored leaf. Additionally, the region in which this Habano Seed is grown plays a significant role in its flavor and strength.

Jalape Ligero is the smoothest of these powerhouses. Jalapa is the northernmost tobacco region of Nicaragua. Jalapa Ligero is grown in a valley and enjoys less direct sun. The result is a full-bodied leaf with a more noticeable range of flavor.

Cain Daytona is exclusively manufactured and distributed by Tabacalcera Oliva Cigar Co. Learn more at CainCigars.com.

GEICO Great news! There’s a quick way you can save money: Switch to GEICO. All it takes is 15 minutes to find out if you could save 15 percent or more on car insurance. And GEICO offers coverage for more than just car insurance. Got a motorcycle? GEICO’s got you covered. Got an RV? Covered. Got a boat? Covered. How about homeowners or renters insurance? You bet GEICO’s got you covered. And there’s so much more GEICO could help with, plus don’t forget the discounts.

Go to geico.com today and see how much you could save. That’s geico.com!

The makers of Advil® do not produce store brand ibuprofen pain medicine. * Among OTC pain relievers.

BFGOODRICH RUGGED TERRAIN T/A Are you driver enough? Just because a tire looks good on your truck doesn’t mean you have to hear it on the highway. Introducing the BFGoodrich® Rugged Terrain T/A® tire – it sounds nothing like it looks.

Learn more at Walmart.com.

BFGoodrichTires.com © 2017 MNA, Inc. All rights reserved.

NEXIUM 24HR Nexium® 24HR is the No. 1 selling frequent heartburn brand*. More than 10 years and millions of prescriptions later, The Purple Pill® you know and trust is available without a prescription for frequent heartburn. Nexium® 24HR works by blocking acid directly at the source, giving you complete protection^ from frequent heartburn – no matter what triggers it. This is Nexium Level Protection®. * Based on IRI sales data 52 weeks ending 2/14/16 among OTC brands. May take 1 to 4 days for full effect. Use as directed. ^ It’s possible while taking Nexium 24HR. Use as directed for 14 days to treat frequent heartburn. Do not take for more than 14 days or more often than every 4 months unless directed by a doctor. Not for immediate relief.

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COPPERHEAD’S SOUTHERN SHINE Shine began very early in American history. It had a significant role during prohibition, and in the start of professional stock car racing. Its name suggests liquor for which taxes have not been paid, produced under the cover of darkness, by the light of the moon. Copperhead’s Southern Distillery is nestled amid grandfather oaks in the woods of central Florida.

Copperhead’s Southern Shine is made using only sugar, honey and yeast and is distilled five times for an extra smooth, clean taste. In keeping with tradition, our Southern Shine is distilled using a rustic copper still. We carefully infuse fresh natural ingredients to offer a variety of fine, handcrafted flavors.

Copperhead’s Southern Shine comes in 10 fantastic flavors: strawberry, apple pie, Original 120, vanilla, banana, blueberry, cinnamon, jalapeno, lemon and southern tea.

Learn more at copperheadssouthernshine.com or visit our retail store if you are passing through Brooksville, Florida.

WYLER’S LIGHT® Put a smile on your water and add flavor to your life with Wyler’s Light® drink mixes! Whether you’re looking to cut back on carbonated soft drinks or want to add some excitement to your water, Wyler’s Light is here for you. We know your life gets busy – crazy busy – which is why our convenient, Singles to Go drink mix packets are there for you every step of the way. Simply add one fruitflavored drink stick to 16 oz. of water to create a tasty, sugar-free refreshment. Open up a world of endless flavor possibilities and visit us at wylerslight.com to find a retail store near you. And don’t forget to share your #WylersLife with us!

SPEED CRATE Your driver, your gear, every month, right to your door! With Speed Crate, you just sign up for your favorite driver, pick your apparel size and awesome boxes of gear come straight to you.

Each month we feature all new items such as T-shirts, hats, flags, accessories and so much more. Speed Crate is the first monthly subscription service created by race fans, for race fans. It has never been this easy to keep your racing wardrobe fresh, collect great products and support your favorite driver. The Speed Crate platform allows you full control of your subscription. You can cancel at any time, switch drivers or skip a month if needed.

Head over to speedcrate.co for all the information and join Speed Crate Nation today! Use coupon code POLE for 15% OFF your first Speed Crate.

FULL THROTTLE BATTERY Full Throttle Series High-Performance AGM batteries are designed to tackle the real-world needs of high cranking, accessories and components that draw on batteries. Our TPPL Technology (Thin Plate Pure Lead) and brass terminal connections ensure the power in your battery flows efficiently whenever you need it.

Full Throttle Series AGM batteries are built for both performance and reliability. So, go ahead, crank it up and enjoy extreme power on demand! fullriverbattery.com/series/batteries/ full-throttle

DRYMATE OIL SPILL MAT Stop oil spills and leaky messes! The Drymate Oil Spill Mat is a handy tool when performing routine maintenance or repairs on your vehicles, lawn equipment, ATVs, golf carts and more. The mat’s top layer is designed to absorb spills and leaks, while the patented bottom layer prevents soakthrough. Containing the mess not only eliminates stains on your garage floor but helps prevent accidental slips and falls.

The Drymate Oil Spill Mat absorbs motor oil, coolant, gasoline, brake fluid and other related fluids. It’s lightweight, easy to clean and made in the USA. Drymate also offers a larger Maintenance Mat that will help keep you clean and dry as it provides a soft, protective and waterproof barrier between you and hard, cold or dirty surfaces. Drymate proudly offers Made-inthe-USA products for your garage, vehicle, pets, hunting, outdoors and other useful household helpers.

Learn more at Drymate.com.

ELEKTROPLATE Personalize your very own license plate frame with us today! Comprised of an all-metal frame with striking customizable 3D text options, there are over 25 different combinations of colors and designs to choose from, so you’re sure to find one that works perfectly for you.

Own a company or organization? We also work with many of the country’s largest auto manufacturers, dealerships and automotive organizations on custom automotive accessories! Whether you are looking to garner brand recognition or generate revenue, we can find the perfect solution for you.

Elektroplate specializes in high-end automotive accessories that are guaranteed to

withstand harsh outdoor environments.

Product lines include chrome emblems, hitch covers, front license plates, license plate frames, and specialty decals. Product categories include collegiate, military, religious, masonic, hunting and fishing, flags, letters and numbers, ribbons, fire, EMS, police, DC Comics and many more.

Race to chromeemblems.com to see all the possibilities!

POLE POSITION MAG.COM

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TOOLS OF THE TRADE Tire Carts

M

ike Motil, tire specialist for Front Row Motorsports and driver Michael McDowell, relies heavily on a piece of equipment that makes his job much easier. It’s called a tire cart, a tool that helps move heavy tires around a NASCAR garage area. It’s designed to easily transport four tires at once.

“It basically can handle tires, inner liners and wheels and that’s about 250 pounds,” Motil said. “That’s about 62 pounds per wheel, tire and liner assembly and 52 pounds without the liner.”

Without a tool to assist in moving the tires, there would be a safety risk due to manually moving such a heavy load. The design is also extremely user-friendly.

“We would do a lot of lifting if you didn’t have these,” Motil said. “When we get the tires from Goodyear, they stack them but not necessarily in sets. That’s part of what we do. The tire carts make is easy to move them to the work areas as well as the pits.

“The axle has to be in a certain spot for it to be able to pivot and also roll it in a comfortable manor. The bottom [half-circle] plate is designed to slip much better under the tires. The solid plate used in the past could cause some damage.”

All tire specialists are extremely grateful for the help from these unique tools during each NASCAR weekend.

BY BEN WHITE

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FAVORITE FINDS

GEAR UP YOUR GARAGE WITH THESE GREAT PRODUCTS

POR-15 RUST REMOVER Fast-Acting, Water-Based, RustDissolving Solution. POR-15 Rust Remover will safely and completely remove light to even heavy rust from metal surfaces without affecting non-rusted steel, plastic, PVC and most paints. POR-15 Rust Remover is formulated with a fast-acting, waterbased technology that is biodegradable and reusable with no fumes or bad odors. The easy-to-use formula requires no sanding or scrubbing and is ideal for all metal parts, including small delicate items with hard-toreach surfaces.

Available for purchase at POR15.com.

PLASTEX PLASTIC REPAIR KIT Plastex Plastic Repair Kit is a revolutionary product that makes even difficult repairs quick and easy. Use it to bond, fill gaps, repair stripped threads and remake tabs or small parts. Plastex has a reusable molding bar that gives you the ability to repair or reproduce parts or replicate textures. Plastex works on plastic, fiberglass, wood, composites and more. It is sandable and paintable. We do what glues and adhesives can’t. Plastex is family owned with a passion and history in motorsports for more than 40 years, and it’s proudly made in the USA. Conveniently purchase your kit or find out more information today at plastex.net.

BOLT BUSTER If it’s rusted ... it’s busted. Introducing the Bolt Buster BB2X HIGH POWER lightweight, portable, magnetic heatinduction tool. Use it to heat up anything metallic quickly and precisely without an open flame.

This all-in-one patented design now features twice the power (1,800 watts at 95 percent efficiency!).

Heat a three-quarter-inch nut cherry red hot (1,200 degrees Fahrenheit) in seconds. Torch-less heat induction is a proven time-saving alternative for the removal of rusted-on bolts, nuts, pins, any metal fasteners, frozen brake calipers, side moldings, frozen gas tank strap bolts, wheel bearings and more.

The BB2X comes complete with an Advanced Coil Kit. Learn more at boltbusterinc.com.

SYLVANIA HEADLIGHTS LUBRIPLATE LUBRIPLATE Chain and Cable Fluid – Penetrating Oil. A superior, cleansing, nongumming penetrating oil for wire rope, chains, cables and general lubrication. Prevents rust and corrosion, protects brightwork and loosens rusty nuts and bolts. Excellent for drilling, tapping and sawing. Available in a 12-ounce spray can, Part No. L0135-063.

Buy it today at lubriplate.com or CARQUEST Auto Parts stores.

Do you want to see better and farther downroad when driving at night? You can actually affect your nighttime driving experience through better headlights because there are choices. SilverStar® Ultra is SYLVANIA’s brightest downroad headlight family. SilverStar® Ultra is also designed with a whiter light that improves contrast and clarity. Greater clarity improves the visibility of road markings, street signs and objects on the side of the road like deer. Upgrade today to get SYLVANIA’s brightest downroad headlight, SilverStar® Ultra!

Available at most automotive retailers. sylvania.com/auto

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SPOTLIGHT PRESENTED BY

TM

INTRODUCING DR. MARK HADLEY

MSG: Making Racing Safer Motorsports Safety Group is a collaboration of innovators in the sport who are determined to improve the safety of racing.

MSG shares tips for race car drivers and fans to help avoid injuries during races and practice sessions.

Acknowledged as one of the country’s leading neurosurgeons, Dr. Jason Cormier has helped MSG provide a comprehensive, grassroots marketing campaign focused on preventative health care education and wellness training.

With an emphasis to educate and engage race fans in their growing role as health care consumers, the objective is to influence behavioral changes, to provide racing’s brand-loyal audience with the medical knowledge to make informed, preventative decisions that directly affect the wellness of their families.

One such area for preventative measures is spinal cord injuries. The incidence of SCI is highest among those ages 16-30, in which 53.1 percent of injuries occur; more injuries occur in this age group than all other age groups combined. Males represent 81.2 percent of all reported spinal cord injuries and 89.8 percent of all sports-related SCIs. Auto accidents are the leading cause of spinal cord injuries in the United States for people ages 65 and younger, while sports and recreation-related spinal cord injuries primarily affect people under age 29.

“In terms of prevention of these types of injuries, there are simple things a person can do like wearing a seat belt and making sure all passengers are wearing a seat belt,” Cormier said. “Make sure

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all car parts are up to date, and the rearview and side mirrors are adjusted to provide more attention to blind spots. Pay attention to the speed limit, and always avoid drunk driving or driving under the influence of drugs.”

If a citizen happens to encounter a car accident in which a driver may have suffered a spinal cord injury, Cormier recommends the ABC steps – airway, breathing and circulation.

“When you approach any kind of trauma, it’s important to assess if the person has suffered a neck injury,” Cormier said. “Are they able to move their extremities without any difficulty? Outside of that, it’s important to take in-line cervical precautions by keeping the head in line with the neck and the neck in line with the body. Make sure there are no other red flags.”

For people 65 and older, falls are the leading cause of spinal cord injuries. Cormier has some preventative steps to avoid these types of injuries.

“Preventing these falls is about making sure there are no obstacles in the way at home,” he said.

“Make sure it’s well lit. Make sure medication doses are appropriate, and the floor is clear of debris.

Don’t overly wax the floors without placing appropriate signs to keep free of traffic.”

D

r. Mark Hadley is a member of the Motorsports Safety Group Medical Advisory Board and a mentor to Dr. Jason Cormier.

Hadley has been actively involved in medical student, resident and fellow education at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and serves as director of the Residency Training Program and director of the Neurosurgical Spinal Surgery Fellowship program.

He has served as the medical director of an active regional Think First Injury Prevention program and has worked as the team physician for the University of Alabama and UAB athletic programs.

Hadley has authored over 200 scientific articles and chapters in medical textbooks. He serves in editorial roles for Spine, Nutrition and several foundations, and is on the editorial boards of Neurosurgery (1999 to present) and Journal of Neurosurgery, Spine (2008 to present).

“Dr. Hadley has been a primary mentor to me,” Cormier said. “I did the majority of my training directly under him in regard to spinal trauma and deformity. He maintains positions on several editorial boards. I am thankful for and have extreme gratitude for what he’s taught me over the years.”

HALL OF FAME NASCAR HALL OF FAME

“BIG BILL” FRANCE

William H.G. France, known as “Big Bill” partly because of his 6-foot-5 stature, was a visionary who helped transform stock car racing from a backwoods sport into a national phenomenon.

A native of Washington, D.C., who moved his family south to Florida, France operated a gas station to support his passion for driving stock cars. He was among several drivers, car owners and promoters who assembled at the Streamline Hotel in Daytona Beach, Florida, on Dec. 14, 1947, in an effort to better organize the sport.

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing was the eventual result and France was selected to guide organization.

NASCAR began sanctioning races in 1948 and what is now the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series debuted the following year.

In addition to his work in growing NASCAR, France saw a need for bigger, more modern race tracks. In 1959, he opened Daytona International Speedway and introduced the sport’s marquee race – the Daytona 500. He later added Alabama’s Talladega Superspeedway to his International Speedway Corp. business.

France turned over the day-to-day operation of both NASCAR and ISC to his oldest son, William C. France, in 1972. He passed away on June 7, 1992, at the age of 82 after battling Alzheimer’s disease.

France was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame as part of the inaugural five-member class in 2010.

■■ “Big Bill” France (NASCAR photo) ■■ “Big Bill” France, driver Johnny Mantz and Alvin Hawkins at North Carolina’s Bowman Gray Stadium. (Bowman Gray Archives via NASCAR)

NASCAR HALL OF FAME

KEN SQUIER

There are a handful of NASCAR legends who achieved iconic status without risking their lives at every turn. Broadcaster Ken Squier is among that select group.

Born April 10, 1935, Squier’s family owned and operated radio station WDEV in Waterbury, Vermont.

“My dad used to work the fairs with the harness racing and the bigger fairs would have sprint car racing on the weekends,” Squier said about his introduction to auto racing. “That was pretty exciting stuff for a kid – and I never grew up.”

After trying his hand at racing a stock car, Squier began working local races as a public address announcer. He was eventually hired by the France family to assemble a radio network – Motor Racing Network – to broadcast many of the NASCAR races.

As sports television expanded during the 1970s, the networks became interested in racing and they needed announcers familiar with the sport, so Squier transitioned from radio to TV. While working as a reporter for “CBS Sports Spectacular,” Squier brought forward the idea of televising the Daytona 500 live from flag to flag. CBS executives eventually signed on and Squier’s

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call of the 1979 race forever changed the sport. Squier continued to anchor CBS’ NASCAR coverage – including the Daytona 500 – until 1997 and he served as the program’s host until 2000.

He was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2018.

■■ Ken Squire during his NASCAR Hall of Fame induction speech.

(Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images via NASCAR) ■■ NASCAR Hall of Famers Ken Squire and Richard Petty.

(Photo by John Harrelson/Getty Images via NASCAR)

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DRIVER PROFILES

PRE S E N T E D BY

NASCAR National Series

Driver Profiles With the NASCAR season entering the heart of its summer stretch, here’s a look at how some drivers across NASCAR’s three major series are doing – along with some interesting facts about their favorite things.

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BY JARED TURNER | PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

Aric Almirola TIME TO SHINE Aric Almirola took a quantum leap forward this season in joining the perennial frontrunning Stewart-Haas Racing organization following a lengthy run at Richard Petty Motorsports. Appropriately, his season started with a bang – although it wasn’t the kind he wanted.

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Leading on the final lap of the Daytona 500 and less than half a lap from victory, Almirola’s No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford slid out of control and slammed the wall following a bump from Austin Dillon in Turn 3. Instead of celebrating a victory in NASCAR’s biggest and most prestigious race, Almirola left Daytona disappointed with a torn-up car.

Thankfully for the native of Tampa, Florida, the disappointment of Daytona did not cause any kind of hangover effect in the weeks that followed. Ten races in, Almirola was 11th in the standings and had finished inside the top 15 in all but two events.

“I knew that when I was going to join StewartHaas Racing, it was going to be an opportunity for me to go and prove that I can drive a race car and be competitive and run up front,” said Almirola, who entered 2018 with one career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victory. “I knew SHR was an incredible organization; I just didn’t know how incredible. Showing up, it was great seeing all 380 employees work so well together. Everybody pulls the rope together in the same direction, and I feel like that makes SHR such a successful place and a great place to work.”

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mithfield, which sponsored Almirola the past six seasons at Richard Petty Motorsports, announced in September that it would move its sponsorship to Stewart-Haas Racing for the 2018 season. It wasn’t long after that SHR named Almirola the driver of the No. 10 Ford driven the past five years by Danica Patrick. The primary sponsor? Smithfield. Now in their seventh season together, the Almirola/ Smithfield marriage represents one of the longest running driver/sponsor pairings in the sport.

HOME SWEET HOME Aric and his wife, Janice, are parents to two small children, Alex and Abby. While Almirola loves racing, he makes no bones about being first and foremost a family man.

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Jimmie Johnson

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Dover International Speedway: There’s the “Monster Mile” – and then there’s the “Monster Master.”

With his eighth victory at Dover – the track known by most everyone as the “Monster Mile” – Jimmie Johnson broke a tie with NASCAR Hall of Famers Richard Petty and Bobby Allison for most wins at the high-banked, onemile oval. Johnson’s record-breaking win came in September 2013. The Hendrick Motorsports driver and now seven-time champion had added three more wins to his impressive Dover résumé as of press time, further cementing his status as the most successful driver in track history.

Martinsville Speedway: Once dubbed “Mr. Martinsville” for his amazing success at Martinsville Speedway, Johnson has made NASCAR’s shortest track his personal playground at various points in his illustrious career as a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver. Although it’s doubtful that Johnson will ever catch or surpass Richard Petty’s record 15 wins at the fabled Virginia short track, Johnson’s nine Martinsville victories are historically significant as they equal former teammate Jeff Gordon and are just two shy of NASCAR Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip.

Charlotte Motor Speedway: Like with Martinsville, Johnson has enjoyed times in his career when he’s been virtually unbeatable at Charlotte Motor Speedway – a historyladen 1.5-mile track located only about five minutes from the Hendrick Motorsports team headquarters.

Johnson’s Charlotte portfolio as of press time included eight points-paying victories highlighted by four in the world-famous Coca-Cola 600 that is held each Memorial Day weekend and stands as NASCAR’s longest race. In addition to his points wins at Charlotte, Johnson owns a record four victories in the Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race.

Texas Motor Speedway: They say everything’s bigger in Texas, and count Johnson’s accomplishments at Texas Motor Speedway among them. With seven victories at the 1.5-mile track in Fort Worth, Johnson leads all Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers in visits to Victory Lane at Texas. Interestingly, Johnson has traditionally been stronger in the track’s fall race (five wins) than in the spring (two wins). All in his familiar No. 48 Chevrolet, Johnson has led more than 1,000 laps at Texas Motor Speedway, representing nearly 11 percent of the laps he’s completed at the track.

Auto Club Speedway: The old adage holds that there’s no place like home.

Johnson, for his part, certainly knows it to be true. A native of El Cajon, California, Johnson has long considered Auto Club Speedway – a track less than two hours from his hometown – to be his home track. And, he’s driven like it, too. Since notching his first career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victory at the Southern California oval in the spring of 2002, Johnson has added five more to his Fontana win total.

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DRIVER PROFILES

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Kyle Busch

5 FAST FACTS

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He’s a Three-Time Championship 4 Qualifier: Since NASCAR introduced a seasonending Championship 4 race for its top series in 2014, Kyle Busch has been a Championship 4 qualifier three times – in 2015, 2016 and 2017. While only one of those appearances – the one in 2015 – resulted in a championship, Busch is one of only two drivers to be part of the Championship 4 in three different seasons (the other driver is Kevin Harvick). With his success so far this season, it’s probable that Busch will earn yet another berth in the winner-take-all race held at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

He’s Never Won the Daytona 500: For all his accomplishments in racing, one item is notably absent from Busch’s résumé. It’s a victory in NASCAR’s crown jewel of all crown jewels – the Daytona 500. Busch does have a points-paying victory at Daytona, which came in July 2008, but he’s never finished better than third in 13 Daytona 500 starts. When it comes to bucket-list items he’d like achieve, Busch makes no bones about what’s at the top. “The number-one, most important thing is trying to win the Daytona 500,” he said.

He Owns a Successful Truck Series Team: In addition to competing as a full-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver, Busch is the owner of Kyle Busch Motorsports – a wildly successful NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team that has won multiple driver and owner championships in NASCAR’s No. 3 division. Busch considers his role at KBM as a way to give back to the sport that has been so good to him, as he helps groom NASCAR’s next generation of drivers. When Busch isn’t in a race car, you’ll often find him offering advice to one of KBM’s young drivers.

He Wins in Multiple NASCAR Series: Although Busch’s primary job is that of Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver for Joe Gibbs Racing’s No 18 Toyota, the Las Vegas native continues to dabble in NASCAR’s lower divisions. His more than 90 NASCAR Xfinity Series wins are a series record, and as of press time, Busch had 50 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victories – one shy of the record held by NASCAR Hall of Famer Ron Hornaday Jr. Totaled altogether, Busch owns more than 185 wins across NASCAR’s three major series.

He and His Wife Are Making a Difference: Busch and his wife, the former Samantha Sarcinella, were married in Chicago on Dec. 31, 2010. The couple has one child, son Brexton, who was born on May 18, 2015. Brexton’s arrival followed the couple’s long public journey with in vitro fertilization. Aware of the financial burden that this procedure places on ordinary families hoping to conceive a child, the couple started the Kyle & Samantha Busch Bundle of Joy Fund, which is a monetary award for in-need families struggling with infertility.

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Kurt Busch 5 BEST WINS

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2017 Daytona 500: Without any doubt, Kurt Busch’s greatest victory as a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver came in the 2017 Daytona 500 – a race he won by leading only the final lap. Busch, who took the top spot from Kyle Larson when Larson ran out of gas with half a lap to go, held on to win NASCAR’s biggest race for the first time in his 16th try. Unless Busch wins the season finale to capture a future championship, no victory will ever top his Daytona 500 triumph.

2010 Coca-Cola 600: Busch hasn’t had much success at Charlotte Motor Speedway over the course of his lengthy run in NASCAR’s premier series, but there was one memorable race at CMS – the 2010 Coca-Cola 600 – that the veteran driver simply couldn’t be denied. A week after winning the NASCAR All-Star Race at Charlotte, Busch completed the All-Star/Coke 600 sweep with a commanding performance in NASCAR’s longest race. Driving the No. 2 Team Penske Dodge, he led 252 of 400 laps after starting from the outside of the front row.

Bristol Spring 2002: There’s no win quite like the first one. In just his second full season as a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver, Busch scored career victory No. 1 by prevailing in the spring 2002 race at Bristol Motor Speedway. Driving the No. 97 Roush Fenway Racing Ford, the 23-year-old Las Vegas native moved forward in a hurry from his 27th-place starting position and went on to lead 89 of 500 laps. Busch paced the final 56 laps and scored the victory by a second-and-a-half over second-place finisher Jimmy Spencer.

New Hampshire Fall 2004: Busch kicked off the inaugural edition of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoffs in style by winning at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and establishing himself as a championship favorite after entering the playoffs seeded seventh out of 10 championship contenders. The victory was also significant because it allowed the driver of the No. 97 Roush Fenway Racing Ford to complete the season sweep at New Hampshire, where he also triumphed that July. Busch led the final 36 laps in September, winning comfortably over title-contending teammate Matt Kenseth.

Richmond Spring 2015: Busch’s 2015 season got off to a rocky start when NASCAR suspended him during the middle of Speedweeks and he was forced to leave Daytona and hand over his No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing car to a substitute driver. The former champ was reinstated and allowed to return to competition prior to the season’s fourth race, however, and wasted little time getting back to his typical front-running form.

The culmination of Busch’s return was his sixth race back, when he won in dominating fashion at Richmond Raceway.

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POLE POSITION 2018

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DRIVER PROFILES

PRE S E N T E D BY

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. SHOWING SIGNS OF IMPROVEMENT The 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season was in many ways a breakout year for Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who notched Monster Energy Series career victories No. 1 and No. 2 on the way to securing a berth in the playoffs for the first time.

Stenhouse’s victories came in the May Talladega race and the July Daytona race, which proved his No. 17 Ford is a force to be reckoned with on the superspeedways. Stenhouse hopes the current campaign will be the season when he finally wins at a non-restrictor plate track.

Although the first third of the season was a bit of a struggle for the Mississippi native, there were a few bright spots. The most notable was a much-needed fourth-place finish in the spring Bristol race. The Bristol finish marked Stenhouse’s first top-five finish – and first top 10 – of the year, and seemed to signal improvement as the season entered its second quarter.

“Our good tracks, we have to cap those races off with good finishes,” Stenhouse said. “I think we are definitely learning with our cars and definitely are in a better spot right now than we were going to Las Vegas (in March), so that is a positive. Every time I show up to the race track, I feel our cars are getting better and trending in the right direction. I just have to not make as many mistakes so we can get the finishes the team deserves.”

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Stenhouse always seems to run well at Bristol. No wonder he likes the .533-mile oval so much. “It’s just my favorite race track that we go to,” he said.

17 INFO

OWNER JACK ROUSH

TEAM ROUSH FENWAY RACING SPONSORS FIFTH THIRD BANK, FASTENAL, SUNNYD MANUFACTURER FORD CREW CHIEF BRIAN PATTIE

SPONSORSHIP FALLING INTO PLACE

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oush Fenway Racing officials announced in April that three of Stenhouse’s primary backers – Fifth Third Bank, Fastenal and SunnyD – had renewed their sponsorships through the 2021 season. That’s good news for Stenhouse in a climate where sponsorship dollars can be hard to find.

“I think it says a lot also that the contracts technically weren’t even up for those partners of ours,” Stenhouse said.

“But they wanted to continue throughout the rest of my [driving] contract, so that was cool.”

Daniel Suarez TRANSLATING SPEED INTO RESULTS After winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series championship for Joe Gibbs Racing in 2016, Daniel Suarez expected to spend at least one more season in NASCAR’s second-tier division.

However, when Carl Edwards abruptly retired before the 2017 season, JGR promoted Suarez to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series to take over Edwards’ old seat. It was a change Suarez did not expect to happen so soon, but one he fully embraced nevertheless. That was evident on the track, where Suarez posted a respectable 12 top-10 finishes in 36 races.

The start of this season was a bit more frustrating, however, as he recorded only three top-10 results in the first 10 events.

“We have had a lot of challenges so far this year,” Suarez said. “We have had good speed, but we’ve been very inconsistent. We’ve struggled sometimes transferring that speed from practice to the race, or from qualifying to practice. The speed is there; we just have to be able to transfer that speed to the weekend, and that’s something that we have to keep working on and try to keep getting better at.”

Competing for Joe Gibbs Racing, Suarez derives confidence from knowing he has tremendous resources at his disposal.

“We have some new engineers from last year to this year, and these guys are extremely smart,” Suarez said. “They have a huge talent, and I’m sure once we get everything together and once we get on the right track, we’re going to be very strong.”

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s the first Latin-American driver to win a championship in one of NASCAR’s national touring series, Suarez can introduce the sport to new audiences. This fact is certainly not lost on the Monterrey, Mexico, native. “It’s very cool to meet people who tell me that they didn’t know a lot about NASCAR, but once they found out that there was one Mexican driver racing in the Cup Series, now they follow the sport and they follow me,” he said.

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Suarez loves mixing and mingling with fans, especially those from his native country. “People are getting into the sport because they can feel that connection with someone,” he said.

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DRIVER PROFILES

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Josh Bilicki

5 FAST FACTS

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Prevagen Connection: Josh Bilicki’s primary sponsor is Prevagen, the No. 1-selling brain health supplement in America. Prevagen, which is manufactured by Madison, Wisconsin-based Quincy Bioscience, also backed Bilicki in five races last season.

Humble Beginnings: After driving shifter-karts at a top level for nearly five years, Bilicki made the transition to sports cars in 2011 at age 15, racing a Spec Miata in Sports Car Club of America events.

Next Steps: After earning his national racing license in 2012, Bilicki began competing in the SCCA Majors Tour. He has qualified for the famed SCCA National Championship Runoffs every time he has tried.

Moving On Up: Bilicki made his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series debut in 2017 on the road course at Sonoma Raceway and later competed at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. He drove for Rick Ware Racing.

He’s a Driver Coach: When Bilicki isn’t racing, he offers private driver coaching. “I’ve learned quite a bit in my 16-plus years of racing,” Bilicki said. “Let me share my racing knowledge with you.”

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POLE POSITION 2018

Cole Custer A SENSATIONAL SOPHOMORE SEASON

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After a solid season as a NASCAR Xfinity Series rookie in 2017, Cole Custer brought understandably high expectations into his sophomore campaign as a driver in NASCAR’s second-tier series.

So far, he hasn’t disappointed.

Custer, who won a race and finished fifth in points as a rookie, opened 2018 with seven top-10 finishes in his first nine starts. If there was any downside to Custer’s early season performance, it’s that only one of those seven top-10 finishes was also a top five (fourth at Texas Motor Speedway in April).

Still, with nine races in the books and Custer fifth in the standings, the 20-year-old from Ladera Ranch, California, was very much on pace to match, if not surpass, his performance from the previous season.

“Compared to last year, I would say we are leaps and bounds better,” Custer said. “Going to the track, we have a really good notebook that we can rely on, and as a driver, I feel like I’ve made pretty big gains since last year. We still want more, but it’s awesome to see the improvement from last year.”

Crew chief Jeff Meendering believes the team is capable of even better results.

“I’m not upset with top 10s, but we should be finishing in the top five every week,” Meendering said. “Everyone on the team is doing a great job. We definitely have the potential to finish in the top five every week and even win a few races.”

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hile Custer did not manage to win one of the first nine races of the NASCAR Xfinity Series season, the youngster did capture a pair of poles – one at the .533-mile Bristol Motor Speedway and another at the three-quarter-mile Richmond Raceway. That’s more poles than he won in all of 2017 – when he never qualified first. Custer certainly has reason to be excited about the extra speed his team has displayed at the short tracks this season.

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Tony Mrakovich GAINING VALUABLE EXPERIENCE

Growing up on the outskirts of Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, Tony Mrakovich caught the racing bug early in life – and the bug stuck.

An affinity for bikes and die-cast race cars led Mrakovich to try his hand at go-kart racing, and by age 11, he was courting local sponsors – including some who remain with him to this day.

Mrakovich graduated from go-karts to Legends Cars and, eventually, to full-bodied stock cars. His big break came in 2016 when he was invited by NASCAR team owner Carl Long to participate in an ARCA Racing Series test session at Daytona International Speedway in January 2017.

Mrakovich turned some impressive laps during the test – so impressive, in fact, that they earned him a three-race deal in an ARCA car owned by veteran racers Ken Schrader and Andy Hillenburg.

Mrakovich made the most of the opportunity, finishing the 2017 season with a pair of top-10 finishes in his three starts.

This season, the 19-year-old is making select ARCA and NASCAR Xfinity Series starts.

His Xfinity Series debut came in late April at Richmond Raceway, where he finished a respectable 24th.

Not bad for a youngster who prior to last year had never raced a true stock car.

“I’m very happy that we finished the race and gained valuable experience in my first Xfinity Series event,” Mrakovich said. “I can’t thank the guys enough for all the work they put into the car and the adjustments they made after qualifying to give me exactly what I needed.”

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s a race fan for virtually his entire life, Tony Mrakovich has had his share of favorite drivers. Among them: Bobby Labonte, the late Dale Earnhardt and the late Alan Kulwicki.

Being from the Northeast, Mrakovich derives personal inspiration from Kulwicki – the 1992 Monster Energy Series champion and a Wisconsin native.

“I wasn’t alive to see him race in person, but I am motivated by his story of being an outsider from the north and giving up everything to go racing,” Mrakovich said.

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NASCAR GREEN Making an Impact for 10 Years NASCAR GREEN FOCUSES ON ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

I

n 10 years, NASCAR Green has made an impact beyond what anyone would have first imagined. Here are 10 factoids about this total industry effort, which is helping make the world a cleaner and more environmentally friendly place.

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It starts with sustainability. Sustainability at NASCAR falls under the platform of NASCAR Green. NASCAR has taken a holistic approach across its wide-ranging effort to help preserve the environment. Since 2008, NASCAR has been collaborating with key stakeholders that care deeply about sustainability. Those stakeholders include teams, tracks, partners, employees and fans.

“It takes a village; it takes an ecosystem of support to make it truly impactful,” said Catherine Kummer, senior director of NASCAR Green Innovation. “What’s unique about this program is the impact and inspiration it’s provided to our fan base. Doing the right thing is a given but ensuring we are educating and communicating what we are doing, specifically to our fans – with the anticipation that they will also make behavioral changes – makes this program truly special. The industry as a whole is doing all that we can toward reduction of impact, while staying mindful of new ways we can work to preserve the natural environment. Recovery events are a small way in which we’re doing that, but we’re always exploring new ways – specifically with our partners – because our partners are a significant program. Sustainability is top of mind for them.”

Preservation and reducing impact are central. NASCAR Green’s mission is to reduce impact and preserve the natural environment all while driving inspiration and value for the NASCAR industry, partner, fan and employee.

“NASCAR Green has been proven to inspire our fans to make a change. That’s not something that you typically see throughout sports which is another reason why this program is so incredibly unique.” Kummer said. “You take just one percent of 80 million people and get them to do something that’s minimizing their environmental impact, that’s a big number, that’s a big impact.”

In the earliest days of the NASCAR Green program, some outside of the sport were skeptical of the program. Not anymore.

“In the beginning some called the program an oxymoron.” Kummer said. “Over the last 10 years, we’ve been able to tell the story on an elevated stage that has allowed us to attract influencers with audiences of millions of people.”

Community tree recovery events on tap in 2018. NASCAR teamed up with some of its Official Partners and the Arbor Day Foundation to announce a new

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initiative that will plant and distribute trees to communities devastated by climate-related natural disasters across the United States.

As part of the effort, NASCAR and the Arbor Day Foundation will host a series of community tree recovery events throughout the year.

Events are scheduled for the spring and fall in key race markets, including North Carolina, California, Texas and Florida. NASCAR Official Partners are contributing time, people and resources throughout the initiative.

“Over the past decade we have focused on supporting environmental sustainability through the NASCAR Green platform. We look forward to continuing our year-round mission to reduce impact, offset and work to preserve the natural environment while inspiring fans to do the same,” said Lou Garate, vice president, Partnership Marketing, NASCAR. “This new initiative with the Arbor Day Foundation, supported and enhanced by our Official Partners, is a direct reflection of the effort being made across the industry to be more sustainable.”

Continued analysis and operational functions happen year-long, behind the scenes. On an ongoing basis, NASCAR works with its Official Green Partners to measure the success of its sustainability programs.

Along with its track partners, Safety-Kleen and Liberty Tire Recycling, the sport recycles aluminum and PET, racing oils and fluids, corrugated cardboard, and racing tires. NASCAR seeks to measure, for example, how many Goodyear tires are recycled, how much recycling is diverted from waste, and how many gallons of automotive fluids are diverted from landfills. This type of analysis continues week in and week out.

“We can’t have a program without having the measurement, the analytics and the validation,” Kummer said. “That’s something we are critically mindful of – that we have those programs that are providing the insights we need to keep the program operating efficiently and most impactfully.”

Monster Energy NASCAR Free Friday is a hit. Monster Energy, Pocono Raceway and NASCAR Green teamed up on June 1 for the second annual Monster Energy NASCAR Free Friday program during Pocono’s race weekend.

By recycling a Monster Energy can of any size, fans could enjoy all the day’s racing action for free. On-track activities included Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practices and qualifying, NASCAR Xfinity Series practice, ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards qualifying and the ARCA race.

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NASCAR GREEN “This program combines two of our most important initiatives, delivering a unique program for our customers and being environmentally friendly,” Pocono Raceway President Ben May said. “It adds to the sustainability efforts of Pocono Raceway, Monster Energy and NASCAR Green as we all try to do our part.”

Fans looking to enter for free were to bring their empty can to the Monster Energy redemption center located behind the grandstands.

“Thousands of cans were recycled, which meant thousands of people being in the stands,” Kummer said. “This program is an excellent example of connecting back to the triple bottom line of people, planet and profit.”

Tracks are among the biggest supporters of sustainability efforts in NASCAR. Here’s how some tracks are making a difference: Pocono Raceway: The 3MW Pocono Solar Project introduced in 2010 has allowed the track to be powered 100 percent by solar power.

Martinsville Speedway: Martinsville has a new, permanent LED lighting system that provides greater flexibility and efficiency than traditional metal halide lights.

Michigan International Speedway: MIS has worked to reduce overall energy consumption, while providing an example for fans and fellow businesses alike.

Sonoma Raceway: Using solar power, sheep for landscaping and recycling, Sonoma is a leader in sustainable practice.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway: The IMS Solar Farm consists of 68 acres and helps provide affordable energy to 2,700 Central Indiana homes, offsetting 10,288 tons of carbon annually.

Richmond Raceway: The track has transformed the fan midway to feature the Toyota Green Space Oasis in which fans can learn about sustainability and green automotive technology. Richmond also has a recycling program, back of house composting program and food donation effort.

Daytona International Speedway: DIS partnered with Florida Power & Light Co. to create the FPL Solar Pavilion and FPL Solar Canopy to provide shade for fans, as well as the FPL Solar Park. Collectively, all three consist of over 7,000 solar panels and generate 2.1 megawatts of zero-emissions energy.

Chicagoland Speedway: Chicagoland has hosted a “Go Green for Spring” event where fans were invited to drive their personal car on the track, 500 Arbor Day Foundation sapling trees were given to fans and the Nicor Gas’ Energy Efficiency program presented ideas for consumers to save energy and money on their bills.

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Outside influencers have a role to play. Helping champion the cause of NASCAR Green is the occasional celebrity from outside of the sport.

A recent example is actor Ian Somerhalder, best known for starring in the hit television series “The Vampire Diaries.”

Somerhalder is an environmental activist who is involved in NASCAR through a sponsorship of Austin Dillon. Somerhalder’s work with environmental concerns led him to develop Go Green Equipment – an industry leader in eco-friendly power solutions that has become involved in NASCAR. “I developed and built Go Green Equipment with blood, sweat and tears and we have a massive interest in NASCAR,” said Somerhalder, who drove the pace car at Auto Club Speedway in March.

Somerhalder, who has an Instagram following of some 13 million people, also made an appearance at this year’s Daytona 500.

NASCAR counts on Official Green Partners. NASCAR currently counts K&N, Sunoco, Elgin, Ford, Chevrolet, Toyota, Exide, Mobil 1, Poet, Growth Energy, Safety-Kleen, Goodyear, Liberty Tire Recycling and Green Plains Renewable Energy as Official Green Partners.

“For us, it’s all about driving social impact through sustainability with the help of our Official Partners, because they care about this just as much as are fans do,” Kummer said. “Anytime we are looking at consumer-facing events or programs, we’re absolutely going to align with our sponsors and partners in these spaces because they are already doing it, and we are humbled by the work that they are doing.”

These partners help support NASCAR’s Green initiatives through a variety of sustainability efforts at the track and in the community.

“The program wouldn’t be possible without this entire ecosystem of industry members and partners,” Kummer said. “Folks will come to me and say, ‘We want to be part of the Green program.’ We love that, and we work to develop a program together and take it from there.”

NASCAR has pivotal NGO partnerships with the Green Sports Alliance and Sport and Sustainability International. In September 2015, NASCAR CEO and Chairman Brian France and other senior NASCAR officials joined Green Sports Alliance President Allen Hershkowitz in announcing a formal partnership between NASCAR and the Green Sports Alliance.

The Green Sports Alliance was started in February 2010 to bring together venue operators, sports team executives and environmental scientists to exchange information about better practices and develop solutions to their environmental challenges that are cost-competitive and innovative.

The NASCAR-Green Sports Alliance collaboration is focused on promoting energy efficiency, the use of renewable energy, recycling and composting of wastes, the marketing of healthier food and fan education.

NASCAR is also involved with Sport and Sustainability International, an international coalition of the most powerful sports organizations in the world to educate and mobilize the public to take global action on climate change.

Driver integrations around sustainability set an example. NASCAR drivers – like tracks and Official Green Partners – are doing their part to promote sustainability. Last October in Charlotte, Matt DiBenedetto joined NASCAR representatives and young fans to plant trees in honor of service members and first responders killed in the line of duty. Austin Dillon has a longstanding sponsor relationship with American Ethanol, which through a partnership with NASCAR and Sunoco prompted the launch of a long-term bio-fuels program across NASCAR’s three national touring series. NASCAR uses a biofuel, Sunoco Green E15 – a 15 percent ethanol blended bio-fuel – reducing greenhouse emissions up to 20 percent while increasing horsepower. In 2016, NASCAR eclipsed 10 million miles running on Sunoco Green E15.

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NASCAR HISTORY PRESENTED BY NASCAR LEGEND

Donnie Allison Donnie Allison entered his first NASCAR Cup Series race on Oct. 16, 1966, at Charlotte Motor Speedway. He went on to compete in 242 series races, winning 10 and finishing in the top 10 115 times.

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BIRTHDATE ■■ September 7, 1939 BIRTHPLACE ■■ Miami, Florida NOTABLE TEAM OWNERS ■■ Banjo Matthews ■■ Wood Brothers ■■ Hoss Ellington

B

orn in Miami, Florida, on Sept. 7, 1939, Allison began racing after a neighbor came home with a 1940 Ford. They took the car to nearby Hialeah Speedway and Allison proved he was the better driver.

By the early 1960s, Allison was routinely winning races and championships throughout the Southeast. He began a career in NASCAR’s top stock car series in 1966 when team owner Robert Harper offered him a ride at Charlotte Motor Speedway. In only his second start with Harper, Allison finished ninth at the track in Rockingham, North Carolina.

The following year, Allison logged seven top-10 finishes in 20 starts with various team owners. Then on June 16, 1968, his first victory came at Rockingham Speedway while driving for car owner Banjo Matthews. A second win followed with Matthews at Charlotte in October 1969 and three victories during the 1970 season sent his career into high gear.

Allison won on his home track in Talladega, Alabama, for Wood Brothers Racing in May 1971. For the next five seasons, he fell into a victory drought until another win came at Charlotte for team owner Hoss Ellington in October 1976. He won twice more for Ellington in 1977 and another in 1978 rounded out his roster of victories.

Allison suffered a near-fatal accident at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 1981 but eventually returned, making his final start at Michigan International Speedway on Aug, 21, 1988. For the past 25 years, he has worked with young drivers as a consultant.

I CHOSE NOT TO RUN FULL SCHEDULES IN NASCAR BUT STILL HAD GREAT SUCCESS. I ENJOYED WINNING IN MY OWN CARS ON SHORT TRACKS WHEN I WASN’T RACING IN CUP EVENTS. –DONNIE ALLISON BEST SEASON THE 1968 NASCAR CUP Series season saw Allison win at Bristol in April, Charlotte in May and Daytona in July.

He posted 10 top-10 finishes in 19 starts while driving Banjo Matthews’ No. 27 Ford.

His best start was second on the short track in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina.

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RECORD-SETTER ALL BUT ONE OF Allison’s 10 NASCAR victories came on superspeedways. His average start was 9.4, and his average finish was 16.7.

He could adapt to any type of race car, which was proven by his performance in the Indianapolis 500 where he finished fourth in 1970 and sixth in 1971.

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KNOWN FOR ALWAYS A TOUGH competitor in anything he drove, Allison developed a reputation for using his talent to get the most out of his race cars. He was also known for being able to adapt to any type of car on any type of race track, large or small.

BY BEN WHITE | PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

RACE REWIND

1978: Hat Trick for Cale Drivers Cale Yarborough and Bobby Allison proved they were the top championship contenders during the 1978 NASCAR Cup Series campaign, winning a combined 15 of 29 races throughout the season.

With back-to-back championship efforts behind him at the start of 1978, Cale Yarborough was poised to become the first driver in NASCAR’s then 29-year history to win three consecutive Cup Series titles.

The Timmonsville, South Carolina, resident was in his sixth season with team owner Junior Johnson and had built a strong, winning relationship with the team from Ingle Hollow, North Carolina.

Fellow drivers had a difficult time keeping Yarborough out of Victory Lane, as he won 10 times on short tracks, road courses and superspeedways. His closest rival, 1978 Daytona 500 winner Bobby Allison, only scored half as many victories before finishing second in the point standings. Allison, driving a Ford owned

by Bud Moore, logged 14 top-five finishes but couldn’t find the consistency to go head-to-head with Yarborough.

Yarborough’s biggest triumph of the season came on Sept. 4 in the prestigious Southern 500 at his home track, Darlington Raceway. It was his fourth of five-career victories in the Labor Day classic at the legendary egg-shaped South Carolina track.

Darrel Waltrip won six times for DiGard Racing but failed to finish nine races. David Pearson and Wood Brothers Racing found the win column only four times, while Richard Petty went winless with a newly designed Dodge Magnum that he eventually parked and fielded Chevrolets for the first time in his career.

Yarborough held the record for consecutive championships until seven-time Cup Series titlist Jimmie Johnson logged his fourth championship in a row with Hendrick Motorsports in 2009.

1978 BEST DRIVER CALE YARBOROUGH, DRIVING Junior Johnson’s potent Chevrolet, logged 10 victories and secured his third consecutive NASCAR Cup Series championship. His consistent 23 topfive finishes throughout the 30-race season paved the way for an incredible season of success. Yarborough’s talent, coupled with cars provided by crew chief Tim Brewer and the No. 11 crew, meant only needing to start the season finale at California’s Ontario Motor Speedway to earn the title.

YARBOROUGH

ALLISON

SEASON RECAP DATE CIRCUIT January 22 Riverside International Raceway February 19 Daytona International Speedway February 26 Richmond Raceway March 5 Rockingham Speedway March 19 Atlanta Motor Speedway April 2 Bristol Motor Speedway April 9 Darlington Raceway April 16 North Wilkesboro Speedway April 23 Martinsville Speedway May 14 Talladega Superspeedway May 21 Dover International Speedway May 28 Charlotte Motor Speedway June 3 Fairgrounds Speedway – Nashville June 11 Riverside International Raceway June 18 Michigan International Speedway July 4 Daytona International Speedway July 15 Fairgrounds Speedway – Nashville July 30 Pocono Raceway August 6 Talladega Superspeedway August 20 Michigan International Speedway August 26 Bristol Motor Speedway September 4 Darlington Raceway September 10 Richmond Raceway September 17 Dover International Speedway September 24 Martinsville Speedway October 1 North Wilkesboro Speedway October 8 Charlotte Motor Speedway October 22 Rockingham Speedway November 5 Atlanta Motor Speedway November 19 Ontario Motor Speedway

WINNER Cale Yarborough Bobby Allison Benny Parsons David Pearson Bobby Allison Darrell Waltrip Benny Parsons Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Cale Yarborough David Pearson Darrell Waltrip Cale Yarborough Benny Parsons Cale Yarborough David Pearson Cale Yarborough Darrell Waltrip Lennie Pond David Pearson Cale Yarborough Cale Yarborough Darrell Waltrip Bobby Allison Cale Yarborough Cale Yarborough Bobby Allison Cale Yarborough Donnie Allison Bobby Allison

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BEST RACE AT THE 2.66-MILE TALLADEGA Superspeedway in Alabama, Lennie Pond drove car owner Harry Ranier’s No. 54 Oldsmobile to the surprise victory of the season. A crowd of 60,000 strong enjoyed 67 lead changes among eight drivers. Pond, of Ettrick, Virginia, was ahead of second-place Donnie Allison by a mere two car lengths as they crossed under the checkered flag. Pond led a total of 22 laps in the 188-lap event, including the final four.

TOP CARS CALE YARBOROUGH’S No. 11 Chevrolet Monte Carlo owned by Junior Johnson won 10 Cup Series races and claimed the 1978 championship.

DARRELL WALTRIP’S No. 88 DiGard Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo topped six premier series races and finished third in the point standings.

POLE POSITION MAG.COM

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BET YOU DIDN’T KNOW

200

BUSCH EYES HISTORIC NUMBER

D

uring the course of his legendary racing career, Richard Petty won a record 200 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races. It’s a statistic many believe will never be equaled.

However, heading into the month of May, Kyle Busch had won 187 races across NASCAR’s three national touring series.

He had 46 wins in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, 91 in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and 50 in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

Many pundits claim that comparing Busch’s total number of victories across three series to Petty’s wins in only the premier series is like comparing apples to oranges. But it’s still an incredible number that will only continue to climb as the 33-year-old Busch is just entering the prime of his career.

Milestone Moment for ‘Bubba’ When Darrell “Bubba” Wallace Jr. topped the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event on Oct. 26, 2013, at Martinsville Speedway, he became the first African-American driver to win a NASCAR national series race since Wendell Scott’s triumph at Speedway Park in Jacksonville, Florida, on Dec. 1, 1963.

“It was huge,” Wallace Jr. said about that victory. “That was an impactful and historical win for a lot of people. There are a lot of variables that go into where I’m at today and that is right up there at the top. Without that win, who knows if I would have been back in the truck again in 2014.

I think that win kept me in the seat and we were able to win four more the following year.”

HOW DO YOU USE MAPLE SYRUP? I use maple syrup in a variety of ways. I use it when seasoning food, I use it when baking cakes, I use it as a topping and many more! –Brayden Dimarco 4 ways I use maple syrup. 1. In my Maple Glazed Brown Sugar Bacon. 2. In my Maple Bourbon Chipotle BBQ sauce. 3. On my pancakes of course! 4. In my Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie. –Ashley Elizabeth

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A UNIQUE SPONSOR

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iberty University – the world’s largest Christian university – is among the primary sponsors of the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro driven by Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series rookie William Byron.

“I think it’s really special to have Liberty,” Byron said about the school in Lynchburg, Virginia. “They’ve obviously shown their commitment to the sport and they’ve

supported me through each series I’ve been through, ever since late models. I got out of Legend Cars and they were the reason I was able to get into late models and race with JRM. It’s been good and awesome to have them on the car.”

A 20-year-old native of Charlotte, North Carolina, Byron is currently enrolled in online classes at Liberty University, majoring in business communication.

GOING IN CIRCLES NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver Cody Coughlin is breaking a long family tradition by racing in circles instead of a straight line.

The 22-year-old driver from Delaware, Ohio, is a third-generation member of the legendary Coughlin drag racing family. It all began in the late 1950s with Coughlin’s grandfather, Jeg Coughlin, and continued with his father, uncles and cousins.

All told, the Coughlins have won 24 drag racing championships and more than 100 individual titles.

The family also owns and operates JEGS High Performance, one of the world’s largest mail order speed equipment businesses.

Cody Coughlin briefly raced Jr. Dragsters, but he fell in love with NASCAR racing while attending the 2008 Daytona 500. He redirected his career and made his Truck Series debut in 2015.

BY KEITH WALTZ | PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

Breakfast of Champions Rise and shine; it’s time for breakfast!

See how these seven NASCAR drivers indulge for the first meal of the day: DARRELL WALLACE JR., MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES DRIVER: Even if it’s a bowl of cereal, or maybe some corn flakes or something, I’m just grabbing something and going.

I’ll have some apple juice, but just something quick.

We’re always moving or going somewhere. In the South, you really can’t go wrong with Bojangles’ for breakfast, either.

LANDON CASSILL, MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES DRIVER: All of my diet is pretty much plants and vegetables, and fruits and vegetables. So for breakfast, a lot of times we’ll make like overnight oats or something like that and put some fruit in it, with almond milk or some sort of oatmeal.

TREVOR BAYNE, MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES DRIVER: Half a cup of oats with two tablespoons of almond butter, a banana, strawberries, blueberries and blackberries.

On other days, it’s two boiled eggs, toast and avocado.

ARIC ALMIROLA, MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES DRIVER: My favorite breakfast is three eggs – scrambled – with avocado on toast and with a piece or two of Smithfield’s butcher’s cut bacon on top of that. My favorite beverage with breakfast is coffee.

JIMMIE JOHNSON, MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES DRIVER: I eat a whole grain tortilla with avocado slices and salsa.

ELLIOTT SADLER, NASCAR XFINITY SERIES DRIVER: I’ve got to have protein in every meal. I’ll eat some oatmeal, I’ll do some bananas, I’ll eat some eggs every once in a while. They’re kind of the main three things. The first thing I’ll have is a very cold, cold bottle of water to get my metabolism going. It’s a lot different than what I ate 20 years ago, I promise you.

BRETT MOFFITT, NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES DRIVER: I’m actually probably the pickiest eater you’ll ever meet. I eat a lot of the same foods as everybody. For breakfast, I normally do some type of egg and cheese on a bagel, and I drink coffee. I need energy.

BY JARED TURNER

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NASCAR ROOTS

PRESENTED BY

TRIPS OF A LIFETIME

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Go-Karts Teach the Craft of Racing

W

hen Daniel Hemric was 5 years old growing up in Kannapolis, North Carolina, he discovered a small go-kart track at Concord Motorsports Park just a few miles from home.

Raised in a racing family, young Daniel wanted to try his hand at karting. His parents were agreeable, so karting he went.

“We had a little go-kart with a little five-horsepower motor and went to the race track for the first time, and it’s like I’ve been going every weekend since,” said Hemric, now a second-year NASCAR Xfinity Series driver.

Hemric jumped in a full-fledged go-kart for the first time in 1996. Over the next seven or eight years, he competed almost every weekend – usually multiple times a weekend – in “probably somewhere north of 600 races or so.” About a third of the time, he won.

Hemric’s first go-kart race at the state level was at Charlotte Motor Speedway on a dirt track designed especially for karting. He went on to compete nationally from 1998 through the early 2000s before eventually graduating to Bandolero cars.

Hemric – now considered one of NASCAR’s most promising young drivers – credits his experiences in go-karts for helping prepare him for a future in racing.

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“At that age, you’re learning the craft of racing,” said Hemric, who qualified for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship 4 last season as a first-year driver with Richard Childress Racing. “You’re learning the craft of being competitive, and as you go, that literally is the footprint of your career. You’re learning flags, you’re learning race procedure; all that stuff is something you obviously carry with you the rest of your life, and as you go, you do it off of just knowing it and doing it forever.

“But it was learning what meant what, how to be aggressive and not be aggressive. In go-kart racing, things happen very, very fast, and it just teaches you a lot about the game of just being prepared, and that follows through to everything.”

Hemric imagines his career might have taken a much different trajectory without his background in karting.

“Being in a go-kart teaches you how to be aggressive, and it taught me how to jump right into the next thing and not have the fear of getting upside down or getting hurt or any of that stuff,” said Hemric, who recalls being thrown from a sans-seat belt go-kart on more than one occasion. “It just allowed me to jump in and adapt and not have any emotion tied to my thinking, I guess, and it just let me do my thing.”

orever etched in Daniel Hemric’s memory from his karting days are two trips that he and his family took for him to race at Daytona Municipal Stadium, which was located near the fabled 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway and featured an oval track.

“You’d go down there and it was the best of the best,” Hemric recalled. “There were always 90 to 100-plus go-karts per class. And I remember going there the very first time, and we had to rent a van because we didn’t have a car, a truck or a trailer – nothing capable of getting us from North Carolina to Daytona without breaking down. So we rented a van that hauled our go-kart, and all of the family just piled into this van, and here we go down to Daytona. We actually ended up sitting on the pole the first year, and ended up getting crashed coming to the checkered flag.”

The next year, he won that same race.

“I think that was in 2000 or 2001,” Hemric said. “We had one go-kart, one set of tires, one motor, no truck, no trailer, the motor builder had to rebuild the motor right after that race for the next day. We didn’t have another motor or anything to put in, and it was really cool. It was kind of a moment where I guess we were the underdog story of that time, and we were able to seize that moment. It was pretty special.”

BY JARED TURNER | PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES

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3Q

WITH NASCAR DRIVER

Sonoma Raceway’s Cheese Collection: Wine and cheese are the heart and soul of California’s Sonoma Valley, which includes Sonoma Raceway.

In addition to a wide selection of wine, Sonoma Raceway gives NASCAR fans the opportunity to enjoy cheeses from local creameries such as Laura Chenel and Vella Cheese Co., along with delicious selections from neighboring counties.

Harrison Burton

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arrison Burton is known for being the son of legendary racer Jeff Burton, but the 17-year-old high school student is ready to blaze his own trail. Fresh off a NASCAR K&N Pro Series East championship, Burton is defending his title while also running select NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races for Kyle Busch Motorsports.

What’s it like to go to school during the week and race on the weekends?

I’m really busy. The hard balance is: How do I be a kid, too, right? I have school and I have a racing career. All of that is very deadline oriented. It’s very easy to stay on task because if you don’t, you face the consequences. In racing, if you don’t stay on task, your performance drops. In school, you get bad grades.

Now, I have those two kind of balanced. But how do I go be a kid? How do I go to prom, and how do I do all of the stuff that I want to do?

What do you need to do in the Truck Series to get into Victory Lane?

It’s in the small details. I have the basics – I can drive and hit my marks. Then, there comes the effects of the series you’re racing in and who you’re racing against. I can pull up next to someone and know how much room they’re going to give me in a Late Model. I know all this stuff about every single person. But now, in the Truck Series, I’ve hardly raced half of the people in there. I need to learn everyone else and learn my own trucks. But we’re knocking on the door.

As you move up the ranks, how much do you rely on your dad?

I used to rely on my dad a ton; and he used to walk me through everything when I was younger. Now, he’s starting to back off some. He’s turning more into a dad than a coach, which is nice for both of us. I rely on him a ton still and ask him a ton of questions before we go places because he’s really knowledgeable.

He wants to be a dad and let me figure it out because he’s not going to come to every race. I can’t rely on him for my whole life.

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POLE POSITION 2018

Terminology Pole Position: In addition to being the name of this publication, pole position is one of the most coveted prizes during a NASCAR race weekend. The pole position is the No. 1 starting spot for the race and it is earned by the fastest driver during the final round of time trials.

BY JOSEPH WOLKIN | PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES