ROAR! - Weekly Racing Magazine - July 10, 2020

GOOD TO GO! HOW IS NASCAR HANDLING COVID?

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JIMMIE JOHNSON CLEARED TO RACE AGAIN

I

n this week’s episode of Out of the Groove, host and creator Eric Estepp takes us through all the big stories of the week, and this week had several noteworthy announcements coming out of the sport. The big one, of course, was Jimmie Johnson being cleared to return to regular racing after his close brush with coronavirus.

Eric takes us through the timeline, and walks us through NASCAR’s handling of the situation.

But the most exciting news of the week had to

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ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: JULY 10, 2020

be the reveal of the new 2020 schedule following the pandemic cancellations. Rather than racing at Watkins Glen later this fall, all NASCAR series will now be headed to the Daytona road course.

What’s the history behind this move, and what will it mean for the drivers? Eric takes us through it.

But that’s not all. Eric also has the rundown on the rest of the big events happening this week in NASCAR, and you can find it all in this week’s episode of Out of the Groove!

5 THINGS TO WATCH

5

THINGS TO WATCH AT KENTUCKY THE DOUBLE-DIPPER AT THE TRICKY TRIANGLE Historically, the NASCAR Cup Series race at Kentucky Speedway has been a Saturday night affair. That changes this weekend when NASCAR’s premier division will tour the challenging 1.5-mile layout on Sunday afternoon in the heat of the day. Speaking of heat, Kevin Harvick couldn’t be on any more of a hot streak, as he’s finished no worse than second in the last three races. Will Harvick keep his momentum going this weekend or will someone else rise up? Following are five storylines to watch for in the Quaker State 400 Presented by Walmart.

BY JA RED TURNER

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ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: JULY 10, 2020

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5 THINGS TO WATCH

5

HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS’ ATTEMPT TO REBOUND

T

he opening weeks of the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season were an encouraging time for Hendrick Motorsports, which won two of the first eight races courtesy of a victory from Alex Bowman (Auto Club Speedway) and Chase Elliott (Charlotte Motor Speedway). But in the eight races that have taken place since Elliott’s victory at Charlotte, the organization founded by NASCAR Hall of Famer Rick Hendrick has cooled off considerably and been completely absent from Victory Lane. Will the Hendrick bunch regain its footing this weekend at Kentucky? If history means anything, it’s unlikely. No Hendrick driver — including retired four-time champion Jeff Gordon and seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson — has ever won in the Bluegrass State. In fact, it wasn’t until last year — in the Cup Series’ ninth visit to Kentucky — that a Chevrolet driver finally prevailed here, thanks to Chip Ganassi Racing’s Kurt Busch.

Perhaps Hendrick can put one of its Chevrolets in Victory Lane this weekend, but don’t count on it.

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ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: JULY 10, 2020

5 THINGS TO WATCH

4

AN EXTRA-MOTIVATED DENNY HAMLIN

A

lthough enjoying one of the best seasons of his NASCAR Cup Series career, Denny Hamlin had little to celebrate last weekend at Indianapolis after a tire failure on his No. 11 Toyota with seven laps to go sent him hard into the wall just as he appeared to be pulling way to an almost certain victory. This was the second time in 2020 that Hamlin has given up a win in the closing laps, with the first one coming in late May at Bristol where a mistake sent his race-leading Joe Gibbs Racing car into the wall and then into a spin with 12 laps remaining. Although Hamlin has no reason to be concerned in light of the fact that he and Kevin Harvick lead the series in victories with four apiece this season, anyone who knows Hamlin knows he won’t soon forget his Brickyard disappointment, which he took the time to send a heartfelt tweet about late Sunday night.

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ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: JULY 10, 2020

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RED-HOT STEWARTHAAS RACING

o matter how you spin it, Stewart-Haas Racing is on a roll. Since NASCAR returned to action following a nearly two-month layoff for the COVID-19 pandemic, SHR’s Kevin Harvick has led the NASCAR Cup Series in victories with four, while SHR’s other drivers have enjoyed some fine outings as well. SHR’s best overall performance of 2020 arguably came this past weekend at Indianapolis, where Harvick won for the second consecutive year and teammates Aric Almirola and Cole Custer finished third and fifth, respectively. Almirola, despite having not won a race in 2020, has recorded an impressive five consecutive topfive finishes. Custer, a rookie, is meanwhile coming to Kentucky fresh off a finish at Indy that was his career-best in NASCAR’s top division.

Although SHR is winless in the nine NASCAR Cup Series races contested at Kentucky, it wouldn’t come as a shock to anyone if one of the organization’s drivers broke through on Sunday afternoon.

ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: JULY 10, 2020

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5 THINGS TO WATCH

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KENTUCKY CONQUERORS

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ine NASCAR Cup Series races run at Kentucky Speedway have produced a total of just five different winners. That’s because three of those winners have been to Victory Lane in the Bluegrass State multiple times. Chief among them is three-time Kentucky winner Brad Keselowski (2012, 2014 and 2016), followed by two-time Kentucky winners Kyle Busch (2011 and 2015) and Martin Truex Jr. (2017 and 2018). It goes without saying, therefore, that Keselowski, Busch and Truex are the favorites this weekend. A good dark horse pick, however, is another Busch — Kyle’s older brother, Kurt — who edged Kyle last year at Kentucky in an epic last-lap sibling duel to the checkered flag. Last year’s narrow loss to his brother combined with the fact that he’s winless in 2020 should provide extra incentive this weekend for Kyle Busch, whose inability to find his way to Victory Lane this year as the reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion has been one of the biggest head-scratchers of 2020.

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ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: JULY 10, 2020

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5 THINGS TO WATCH

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A RISING TIDE OF SUPPORT FOR BUBBA

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ast month at Talladega Superspeedway, the entire field of NASCAR Cup Series drivers rallied around Bubba Wallace — the Cup Series’ only African-American driver — after it appeared that Wallace was the victim of a hate crime when a noose was found in his garage stall. Although NASCAR and the FBI later found that the noose — which was a garage door pull rope fashioned in the likeness of a noose — had been in that garage stall since last fall and therefore didn’t constitute a hate crime, the outpouring of support that Wallace received from his peers was momentous and invoked powerful emotions from most all who witnessed it.

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ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: JULY 10, 2020

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RECAPPING JIMMIE JOHNSON’S NASCAR CAREER

■■ Jimmie Johnson won his fourth career All-Star Race in 2013.

THE STAR OF STARS JOHNSON BECAME ALL-TIME ALL-STAR RACE WINS LEADER IN 2013

BY JA RED TURNER

J

immie Johnson has 83 career points-paying wins in NASCAR’s premier series. Not included among them but still of great significance are Johnson’s four victories in the NASCAR All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

The first of Johnson’s All-Star triumphs came in 2003, just his second full season at the Cup level. The Hendrick Motorsports driver prevailed in the All-Star Race for the second time in 2006.

Later, following a five-year All-Star drought, Johnson returned to Victory Lane in the prestigious exhibition race, which now pays $1 million to win. Johnson took home his fourth and most recent All-Star Race trophy in 2013 to become only the second back-toback winner of the event and the first since the late Davey Allison in 1991 and 1992.

Perhaps even more noteworthy, however, was the fact that Johnson became the all-time wins leader in All-Star Races, breaking the tie he previously held with Jeff Gordon and the late Dale Earnhardt.

Asked after his record-breaking fourth All-Star win about how he believed he measured up to Earnhardt and Gordon, Johnson

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ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: JULY 10, 2020

downplayed the comparisons.

“That’s a tough question, honestly,” the now seven-time champion driver said after leading the final 10 laps on the way to his 2013 All-Star victory.

“Truthfully, I don’t think it’s a question that I’m to answer.

I still have a lot of years left in my career, and that’s something that the public, the mass, that’s what other people come up with. I don’t think it’s right for me to sit here and say, ‘Hey, I’m this guy, I’m the guy,’ or anything in between.

“Very proud of what I’ve accomplished, but I still feel like there’s a lot left I can do in this sport, and I’ll work hard to do that. When I’m old and sit in a rocking chair, hopefully, people think highly of what I’ve done and give me a tip of the hat.”

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16 AUSTIN DILLON

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17 ERIK JONES

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18 TYLER REDDICK

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ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: JULY 10, 2020

WINS

POLES

TOP 5

TOP 10

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

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NOAH GRAGSON

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3

HARRISON BURTON

450

4

AUSTIN CINDRIC

552

5

JUSTIN HALEY

485

6

BRANDON JONES

384

7

ROSS CHASTAIN

549

8

JUSTIN ALLGAIER

459

9

MICHAEL ANNETT

414

10 RYAN SIEG

362

11 RILEY HERBST

339

12 MYATT SNIDER

301

13 BRANDON BROWN

297

14 ALEX LABBE

266

15 JEREMY CLEMENTS

261

16 JESSE LITTLE

251

17 JOSH WILLIAMS

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19 JOE GRAF JR.

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20 CHAD FINCHUM

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21 VINNIE MILLER

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29 KYLE WEATHERMAN

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30 RAY BLACK JR.

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31 KODY VANDERWAL

82

32 JEB BURTON

79

33 J.J. YELEY

78

ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: JULY 10, 2020

WINS

POLES

TOP 5

TOP 10

5 0 8 11 2 0 8 10 2 0 7 10 1 0 8 10 1 0 5 9 1 1 4 7 0 0 5 12 0 0 2 6 0 0 2 6 0 0 2 5 0 0 2 7 0 2 2 4 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 3 0 0 1 3 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 5 0 0 1 5 1 0 3 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 BLUE AREAS HIGHLIGHT PLAYOFF QUALIFIERS

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AUSTIN HILL

253

3

BEN RHODES

202

4

SHELDON CREED

189

5

TODD GILLILAND

187

6

CHRISTIAN ECKES

179

7

ZANE SMITH

177

8

TYLER ANKRUM

174

9

BRETT MOFFITT

170

10 JOHNNY SAUTER

168

11 DEREK KRAUS

159

12 STEWART FRIESEN

148

13 TANNER GRAY

142

14 MATT CRAFTON

137

15 RAPHAEL LESSARD

119

16 TY MAJESKI

114

17 CODIE ROHRBAUGH

91

18 JORDAN ANDERSON

89

19 SPENCER BOYD

82

20 CORY ROPER

81

21 AUSTIN SELF

77

22 TATE FOGLEMAN

70

23 SPENCER DAVIS

86

24 NATALIE DECKER

58

25 KORBIN FORRISTER

58

26 ANGELA RUCH

58

27 TIMMY HILL

39

28 BAYLEY CURREY

37

29 CLAY GREENFIELD

32

30 JENNIFER COBB

31

31 TYLER HILL

30

32 BRYAN DAUZAT

29

33 JASON WHITE

27

WINS

POLES

TOP 5

TOP 10

2 0 2 2 0 0 3 6 0 0 2 4 0 0 2 4 0 0 2 4 0 0 1 2 0 0 2 3 0 0 1 2 0 0 1 3 0 2 2 4 0 0 1 3 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 BLUE AREAS HIGHLIGHT PLAYOFF QUALIFIERS

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ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: JULY 10, 2020 5/15/2020 8:30:21 AM

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BY THE NUMBER

CAR NO.

95

BY K EITH WA LTZ

N

ASCAR Cup Series rookie Christopher Bell and three-time series champion and NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee Darrell Waltrip have one thing in common: Both drivers made their NASCAR Cup Series debuts in cars numbered 95.

Waltrip’s first start came on May 7, 1972, at Talladega Superspeedway. Driving his own No. 95 Mercury, Waltrip finished 38th after a blown engine ended his day. Bell made his Cup Series

■■ 1972 – Darrell Waltrip (ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images photo)

debut in this year’s Daytona 500 aboard the No. 95 Toyota fielded by Leavine Family Racing. He finished 21st after being eliminated in a crash.

A car carrying No. 95 has never won a NASCAR Cup Series race, but overall statistics show cars with that number have recorded 57 top-10 finishes in slightly more than 500 starts.

Waltrip ran 35 races and had 18-top results in his No. 95 before switching to No. 17 prior to the 1975 season.

Freddie Farmer, a California racer who made only five NASCAR Cup Series starts, was the first driver to use No. 95 when he finished 22nd in the 1951 Southern 500, driving a 1951 Nash.

Leavine Family Racing has been the caretaker of No. 95 since making its NASCAR Cup Series debut in 2011. Michael McDowell (100 starts), Matt DiBenedetto (36), Scott Speed (27) and Kasey Kahne (25) are among those who have driven the No 95 LFR entry.

■■ 2020 – Christopher Bell (Getty Images photo)

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ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: JULY 10, 2020

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DRIVER Q&A

MAKING HIS NAME COLBY HOWARD ADJUSTS TO XFINITY SERIES LIFE

BY JOSEPH WOLK IN

Colby Howard might not be a household name in NASCAR just yet, but that’s why the XFINITY Series is known for its slogan, “Names are made here.” The South Carolina driver is settling in with JD Motorsports and Gary Keller, earning a pair of top 20s as he looks to gain momentum for the second half of his rookie year. ▶ WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION WHEN YOU FOUND OUT YOU WOULD COMPETE IN THE XFINITY SERIES? “When I first found out I would be competing in the XFINITY Series, it was unbelievable, I didn’t think things like this would happen as fast as it did. I am proud to be a part of this JD Motorsports with Gary Keller team. They are a fun group, and I know that I can learn so much from them.” ▶ WHAT HAS THE START OF THE SEASON BEEN LIKE FOR YOU? “The start of the season started out kind of rough, but the last few races have really been great runs. I got my first top-20, and then the next race at Atlanta, we got a top 15.” ▶ WITH MORE RACES COMES EXPERIENCE, SO WHAT DO YOU FEEL YOU’VE IMPROVED ON THUS FAR? 0 2 8

ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: JULY 10, 2020

■■ XFINITY Series rookie Colby Howard

“I think I’ve improved a lot with my 1.5mile tracks. I struggled with them badly, but I feel I’ve gotten a lot more comfortable with the car and hopefully, they continue to get better.” ▶ WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR? “My goals for the rest of the year are to just have clean runs and finish the races. I’d really like to have some more top 20s as well.”

IN THE HOTSEAT

IN THE HOT SEAT Keegan Leahy

BY ROB TIONGSON

0 3 0

Throughout the season, Rob Tiongson interviews various drivers in the world of NASCAR. Today, he talks with Keegan Leahy, a driver in the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series. ▶▶ You’re leading the points with wins at Daytona and Indianapolis and consistent top-five finishes after nine races. What’s been the keys to your successful, strong start with this season?

It’s impossible to accomplish what I have so far this year without the support of everyone around me. My working group at Coanda Simsport, as well as Denny Hamlin Racing and VRS DirectForce Pro provide the manhours and resources needed to compete at a high level.

I’ve been lucky to be surrounded by the best in the world at what they do, and they bring out the best in me. ▶▶ You’ve been contending for the championship since your rookie season in 2018. How special would it be for you to win it, not only for Denny Hamlin Racing, but for yourself?

I’ve always thought scientifically about things, and I know if I keep giving myself the opportunity to seal the deal, eventually, it’ll happen. I’m not one to get overly excited about things, but I have a feeling I’d surprise myself with how much emotion I’d show if I won it all. ▶▶ Which drivers are you friends with or keep in contact with during the season?

I’ve developed a great relationship with my friend and on-track rival Nathan Lyon, who shares my interest and passion in meteorology and storm chasing. I also have spent time (in the real world) with esports crew chief Matt Bontempi and my fellow competitor Jarl Teien. Of course, I’m great friends with the guys I work with as well. To name a few: Bobby Zalenski, Chris Shearburn, and Mitchell DeJong (who will be a big name in eNASCAR in the future).

ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: JULY 10, 2020

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SPOTLIGHT

RECORD RACK ANNOUNCES THE 2020 BUCKS FOR THE BRAVE

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portsman’s Choice® brand of wildlife feeds, otherwise known as Record Rack®, is beyond proud to be organizing and hosting their fifth Bucks for the Brave event in Batesville, Texas. You might be asking yourself, what’s in Batesville, Texas? The answer is simple, it is home to the one and only Trinity Oaks Thumbtack Ranch, which is the location for the annual Bucks for the Brave Heroes Hunt in November. Trinity Oaks plays a HUGE role in the success and overall mission of this event. Take a look at some of the 2019 highlights below. ▶▶ What is Bucks for the Brave?

With the kick-off being none other than America’s birthday, today is the first day that you can start nominating your heroes for this event. There will be eight winners total; each a veteran from the following branch, Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard, and then a retired law enforcement officer, retired firefighter and retired EMT. There is more information below on how to nominate and contest information. ▶▶ 2019 Winners of the Bucks for the Brave Hunt The winners, which will be announced on October 9th, will be

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ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: JULY 10, 2020

flown into San Antonio to start their five-day trip at the Trinity Oaks Thumbtack Ranch.

These veterans and retired first responders will have the opportunity of a lifetime to hunt several different kinds of ranch-raised animals. One of the coolest things that Trinity Oaks does is distribute the protein collected through hunts to local homeless shelters, soup kitchens, children’s homes, and area churches who minister to the poor as well as sending dried or smoked meats overseas for our troops to enjoy. This event was developed by the folks at Record Rack® to support heroes, share their stories, and unite us all in honoring and recognizing their service to our great nation.

There aren’t many of us that can understand the sacrifices made by the men and women that have served on the front lines in our armed forces and as first responders. However, we can help share their stories and celebrate their victories.

Record Rack is on the search for heroes in your community that you want to nominate for the Bucks for the Brave initiative. You will be able to

SPOTLIGHT find more information at the bottom of this article! ▶▶ Your Mission The mission is to simply honor and recognize the heroes in your life! It just takes a minute to nominate any retired first responder or veteran (no longer serving in any of the following fields: Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marines, Navy, Law Enforcement, Firefighter and EMT. You can see more of their frequently asked questions by hopping over to their website. ▶▶ The Heroes to be Awarded Nominees will be contacted to verify eligibility (see official rules and regulations) and avail-

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ability to attend the hunt scheduled for November 11-15, 2020. One hero from each category will be selected by a committee made up of contest partners, Veterans, and Retired First Responders. These 8 heroes will be the Grand Prize Winners that are announced on October 9, 2020. ▶▶ How to Nominate a Hero Now the fun part! In order to nominate your hero, you need to submit a photo along with a short essay as to why this Hero should be chosen to win. All nominations must be submitted by September 13th.

This contest allows you to nominate Veterans (no longer serving), Retired Firefighters, Law Enforcement Retirees, and retired EMTs to win the hunting experience of a lifetime. This all-inclusive hunt will take place Veteran’s Day Weekend, November 11-15, 2020, at Trinity Oak’s Thumbtack Ranch in Batesville, Texas.

ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: JULY 10, 2020

SPOTLIGHT

â–śâ–ś Please join Cowboy Lifestyle Network as we support such a great cause in honoring those who have served. We are so excited to be partnered with a great company and organization that is dedicated to giving back to those who put their lives on the line at one time or another. Please share and nominate away! You can find the nomination link here.

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ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: JULY 10, 2020

LADIES & GENTLEMEN, (RE )START YOUR ENGINES! We know it’s been a rough year and you’re probably ready to hit the road.

Whether you’re looking to rev up the fun or shift down and relax, Kentucky State Parks offer a variety of outdoor adventures and nature escapes in beautiful surroundings.

Accommodations from rustic campsites and private cottages to resort parks give you lots of choices, plus 13 nationally recognized state park golf courses get you out on the links to soak up incredible views.

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n one of the most unusual, exciting NASCAR Cup Series seasons in recent memory, the race to the Playoffs features a unique highlight – Daytona’s road course. Sure, there’s the knowledge of the remaining regular season races in August with Michigan kicking off the action and Daytona International Speedway wrapping things up.

However, it’s the Cup Series’ race date of Aug. 16 that carries as much anticipation and excitement for a “new” Daytona race since the first nighttime Cup race back on October 17, 1998.

As a young race fan during the 1998 season, I recall the excitement, anticipation, and curiosity surrounding that first night race at “The World Center of Racing.” While the 400-miler at Daytona was postponed to a rare autumn weekend due to the Florida wildfires, the buzz and electricity of the great unknown lingered all the way to the green flag of that incredible race.

ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: JULY 10, 2020

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DAYTONA ROAD COURSE ■■ Watkins Glen will not host a Cup Series race in 2020.

From the special paint schemes to the flash bulbs illuminating the grandstands, it was a night to remember in ’98.

Those brilliant MUSCO lights made it seem like it was a daytime race…if you didn’t look up.

Fast forward to 2020, a year that’s certainly been filled with uncertainty, caution, and moments in which all of us look for hope. By all means, it is an incredible feat watching NASCAR’s return, even when we’ve been reminded of the COVID-19 pandemic in more ways than one.

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Certainly, it’s difficult knowing this will be the first Cup season without a race weekend at Watkins Glen International since 1985, but it’s for understandable reasons.

All told, it was quite a nice surprise and delight to learn about NASCAR’s debut weekend at the iconic Daytona International Speedway’s 3.56-mile road course. It’s like a fantasy track that’s become reality that evokes the same intrigue as the first Charlotte ROVAL races of 2018.

For many years, I’ve pondered about the prospects of NASCAR taking on this challenging and unique road course that mixes technical, precise corners with superspeedway action. While the Charlotte ROVAL features high speed action, it also behaves a bit like a short track with close quarters, paint trading action.

How will the first NASCAR Cup race at the Daytona road course be like? Will we see passing? Will this concept truly work?

All in all, this has the makings to be one of the most exciting

ROAR! WEEKLY RACING MAGAZINE: JULY 10, 2020

DAYTONA ROAD COURSE Cup races of all-time. If there’s one thing that’s made this year quite memorable, it’s the fact that we’ve seen drivers and teams making the best of these “show up and race” weekends.

Moreover, it’s the fact that we may see a bit of superspeedway drama with road course savvy. It’ll be interesting to see if the draft becomes a factor on the familiar NASCAR layout, especially after the drivers get past the infield road course corners.

Indeed, it’ll be a wonder to watch these racers muscle their way off Turn 6 and head into NASCAR’s Turns 1 and 2. Before all of that, just imagine how these drivers will pump hard on their brakes as they head into the course’s actual first corner, a known trouble spot for IMSA’s Rolex 24 at Daytona.

Above all, let’s get past the possibility of IMSA or road course ringers wanting to drive a special one-off during that weekend.

It’s the fact that drivers and teams get that chance to win yet again at Daytona, the birthplace of speed.

As most of us remain home and doing our best to physical distance during the pandemic, NASCAR’s taking on a new challenge that may best resemble “real life” driving to new fans.

It’s one of my beliefs that if the sport desires a new fanbase, it has to be quite comparable to actual everyday driving.

Sure, I may not be able to floor it with my Ford Explorer unless NASCAR wants to start an SUV Series. But if I had a Ford Mustang, and preferably a Shelby GT500 edition, it’d be something to see the pros in a “stock car” version of my everyday ride taking on the twists and turns that remind me of my drives here in Austin, Texas.

Ultimately, the one factor that has me most intrigued and ready for the Daytona road course race weekend is the fact that NASCAR may welcome even more new fans. What better place to have a special road course race than Daytona?

Today’s generation of fans may not understand what’s under the hood of their ride or if it’s best to have synthetic motor oil for their engines. Ultimately, watching these incredible machines being pushed to the limits by these sensational drivers at Daytona’s road course will be a true summertime delight!

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