A vision of NASCAR in 2025?

  

    This editorial cartoon by Henry Payne of The Detroit News depicts what NASCAR racing may be in the year 2025.

   A 25-year newspaper veteran, the Pulitzer Prize-nominated satirist produces 12 cartoons a week for The News and United Feature Syndicate. Payne is also a contributor to National Review, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Post, and other national publications.

Text of New Jersey State Police early findings of Jason Leffler accident

   Troopers Release Early Findings in Fatal Race Crash Involving Jason Leffler

   West Trenton, N.J. – Because of the media attention and high volume of calls regarding the results of the investigation into the crash that claimed the life of racecar driver Jason Leffler, we are supplying an early summary of the findings.  These facts have been substantially vetted even though the full investigative report remains open for some minor additions.  The facts we have established to this point are outlined below.

   Bridgeport Speedway, Jason Leffler Crash:  June 12, 2013, 2025 hours

   On June 12,  2013, Jason Leffler was operating a 2013 Maxim chassis,  410 Spring Car in a heat race at Bridgeport Speedway.  Leffler was in the second position completing his fifth lap when his vehicle sustained a mechanical failure in turn four.  Race vehicles were averaging 135 mph and reaching speeds of up to 150 mph in the straight-aways at this event.

   Evidence discovered on the track in turn 4 indicated a tortion stop located on the left side of the vehicle came off and allowed the tortion bar and arm to slide out of its housing.  As the tortion bar slid out, the tortion arm became lodged between the inboard flange of the right front wheel and the right steering arm.  As a result of this mechanical failure, Leffler’s front suspension failed and his steering became locked.  Leffler lost directional control of his vehicle as he exited turn 4.  His vehicle rotated clockwise approximately 180 degrees and struck the outside concrete hub rail with the left side of the vehicle.  Leffler’s vehicle sustained a lateral impact with the wall then overturned and continued in a south east direction before coming to final uncontrolled rest upright facing north.  Leffler remained in his vehicle and sustained fatal blunt force injuries as a result of the crash.  Post Mortem examination confirmed that Jason Leffler died as a result of blunt force neck injuries.

Danica Patrick vs. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

NASCAR's rookie of the year award is based upon a points system separate from overall NASCAR Sprint Cup standings with candidates effectively racing against each other. Only their best 17 finishes are counted with bonuses added on a sliding scale for top 10 overall finishes; end of season series points ranking and the judgment of a special panel on overall on- and off-track performance.

 

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is the current leader having scored 160 points. Danica Patrick is four points behind with Timmy Hill, who has competed in eight races, third.

 

On paper, there is little to differentiate Stenhouse, driver of the No. 17 Roush Fenway Racing Ford and Patrick, who competes in the No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet. Patrick has the edge in best finish – eighth at Daytona after becoming the first female pole winner in Daytona 500 history – while Stenhouse scores on consistency.

 

Stenhouse is still in pursuit of his first top-10 finish but edges Patrick in top 15s by a five to three count. The two-time NASCAR Nationwide Series champion has 10 lead lap finishes – including the most recent three races – to Patrick’s four. Stenhouse, whose best qualifying position is third at Kansas, has led three races for a total of 29 laps to Patrick’s one for five laps.

Global RallyCross to return to Charlotte Motor Speedway this fall

   Global RallyCross, one of the fastest-growing forms of motorsports and features aspects of circuit racing, off-road racing and rally competition, will return to Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday, Sept. 22. 

   The Charlotte event is one of a nine-race scheduled confirmed for the 2013 season.

    The series is made up of four Global X Games events and five GRC events to total nine rounds that will culminate in the crowning of both a driver's champion and manufacturer's champion.
 
   The 2013 championship features live broadcasts on ABC, ESPN or ESPN2 available in over 198 countries. With more than 15 hours of primetime live content on major networks, the telecast package comprises the most expansive television coverage that the sport of rallycross has ever seen.
 
   The series' star drivers include Ken Block, Brian Deegan, Travis Pastrana, Scott Speed and 2011 and 2012 GRC Champion Tanner Foust.


The 2013 Global Rallycross schedule:

April 21	GRC at X Games: Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil
May 19	GRC at X Games: Barcelona, Spain
June 29 & 30	GRC at X Games: Munich, Germany*
July 11	New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Loudon NH
July 20	Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol TN
Aug 04	GRC at X Games: Irwindale Speedway, CA
Aug 10	Atlanta Motor Speedway, Atlanta, GA
Sept 22	Charlotte Motor Speedway, Charlotte, NC
Nov 07	Las Vegas, NV
*Barcelona rainout makeup race on June 29

ISC approves renovations to Daytona International Speedway

   International Speedway Corporation has approved funding to redevelop the frontstretch of Daytona International Speedway to enhance the overall experience for its fans, marketing partners and the motorsports industry. The multi-year project will break ground on July 5 and is targeted for completion in January 2016, in time for the 54th Rolex 24 At Daytona and the 58th Daytona 500.

   “We are truly creating history with this unprecedented endeavor,” said ISC’s Chief Executive Officer Lesa France Kennedy. “I commend the board’s decision to move forward on our plan to redevelop the Company’s signature motorsports facility, thereby shaping the vision of Daytona for the next 50 years. 

   "This significant private investment is a strategic use of our capital that will ensure the long-term viability of the iconic speedway, and when completed, will contribute favorably to the Company's revenues, as well as to our community and the sport as a whole.”

   The redevelopment is expected to cost between $375 million to $400 million, excluding capitalized interest. Total expenditures incurred for the redevelopment through May 31, 2013 were approximately $15 million. The Company expects to fund the redevelopment from cash on hand, cash from its operations and may use borrowings on its credit facility for a limited period of time to even out cash flow. 

   The vision for the redevelopment of the Daytona International Speedway frontstretch places an emphasis on enhancing the complete fan experience, beginning with five expanded and redesigned fan entrances, or injectors, along International Speedway Boulevard. Each injector would lead directly to a series of escalators and elevators that would transport fans to any of three different concourse levels, each featuring spacious and strategically-placed social "neighborhoods" along the nearly mile-long frontstretch.

   A total of 11 neighborhoods, each measuring the size of a football field, will enable fans to meet and socialize during events without ever missing any on-track action, thanks to an open-sightline design throughout each concourse and dozens of added video screens in every neighborhood.

   Every seat in the Speedway frontstretch will be replaced with wider and more comfortable seating, with more restrooms and concession stands throughout the facility. At the conclusion of the redevelopment, DIS will be comprised of approximately 101,000 permanent seats with the potential to increase permanent seating to 125,000.  

   Following an unsuccessful bid for a public/private partnership with the State of Florida during the most recent legislative session, the company was forced to reduce the scale of its redevelopment plan. In 2014, the company intends to pursue incentives including those currently available to all other major sports venues in Florida. ISC will reevaluate additional potential amenities based on the outcome of those efforts. Construction for the redevelopment project will begin after the 2013 Coke Zero 400 NASCAR weekend. 

David Ragan is truckin' this week

  Before David Ragan climbs into his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car for Sunday's race at Sonoma Raceway, he's going to climb into the driver's seat of the 18-wheeler that will carry that race car 2,700 miles from North Carolina to California.

   The driver of the No. 34 Ford will be at the wheel of the team's 80-foot, 80,000-pound transporter early Tuesday morning when it pulls out of the Front Row Motorsports race shop for the cross-country trip. Team truck driver Mike Smith, the rig's primary operator throughout the season, will accompany Ragan and split the seat time during the 42-hour journey.

   "I've always had a fascination with big trucks," Ragan said. "I wanted to get my CDL (commercial driver's license), so I got that a little while ago. And I thought it would be fun to take a trip across the country on the open roads and see everything, and at the same time get to spend some time with my truck driver."
 
   Smith had his doubts when Ragan first told him he wanted to drive the hauler to one of the race venues, much less the farthest one on the Sprint Cup Series map.

   "At first, he didn't really believe me," Ragan said. "But I showed him my license and told him I'd been driving the transporter for my late model team a little. Now, I think he's excited.  It's going to be something different and something fun. Although he's probably going to sleep with one eye open just to make sure I'm not driving too crazy."

   The 27-year-old Ragan, who has been racing within NASCAR's top three series since he was 18, received his commercial learner's permit last year and earned his full provisional CDL several months ago.

   "I was surprised when he said he wanted to do it, but it should be neat," truck driver Smith said. "I think he's the first driver to ever do this. But we're going to have a good time and he's going to be just fine behind the wheel."

Jason Leffler funeral services, charity fund announced

   Charlie Dean Leffler Charity Fund Established
   Funeral Services for Jason Leffler Announced

   CORNELIUS, N.C. (June 15, 2013) - In honor of NASCAR driver Jason Leffler, who lost his life in a racing accident this week, a trust fund has been established for his five-year-old son, Charlie Dean. This trust will serve as the official Leffler Family fund, with all monies going directly to Charlie's needs. Turner Scott Motorsports co-owner Harry Scott Jr., former Braun Racing owner Todd Braun and Steve Overholser, CFO of Great Clips, will serve as trustees.

   Donations can be made to The Charlie Dean Leffler Discretionary Trust at:  
   The Charlie Dean Leffler Discretionary Trust
   c/o SunTrust Bank
   232 Williamson Road
   Mooresville, NC 28117

   A celebration of Jason Leffler's life will be held on Wednesday, June 19. The service will be at Grace Covenant Church, located at 17301 Statesville Road in Cornelius, N.C. at 1:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Charlie Dean Leffler Discretionary Trust.