Nationwide is on Dale Junior's side (even more)

   Nationwide Insurance announced Friday it has expanded its three-year relationship with Hendrick Motorsports to become the majority sponsor of driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the No. 88 Chevrolet team beginning with the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season.

   In May, Nationwide announced it would become a part-time primary sponsor of Earnhardt's team but has now increased its sponsorship to 21 Sprint Cup Series events, including the Daytona 500, for each of the next three seasons.

   Nationwide is also sponsoring Earnhardt's No. 88 Chevrolet in Saturday night's Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond International Raceway.

   The extra races became available when current sponsor National Guard announced it was discontinuing its motorsports sponsorships in NASCAR and IndyCar next season.

   “Representing the National Guard and its 'Citizen Soldiers' is an extraordinary honor and source of pride for our entire organization. Communication is ongoing with regard to the future of the sponsorship, which is contracted through the 2015 season," HMS said in a statement.  

NASCAR, Xfinity sign 10-year deal to rebrand Nationwide Series

NASCAR and communications company Comcast announced a 10-year partnership Wednesday that will rebrand the Nationwide Series as the Xfinity Series.

Xfinity is the third title sponsor in the history of NASCAR’s secondary circuit. Originally called the
Grand National Series, it was known as the Busch Series from 1986-2006, before Nationwide took over in 2007. Nationwide Insurance announced in 2013 it wouldn’t renew its contract with NASCAR.

Xfinity is Comcast’s residential service brand, including video and high-speed Internet.

“We’re trying to embrace technology and innovation wherever we can to either lower costs or make the experience for our fans a better one,” said NASCAR CEO Brian France at the announcement, which took place at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in uptown Charlotte.

Financial terms of the deal weren’t announced. The new new goes into effect for NASCAR’s 2015 season. -- David Scott

Is NASCAR team owner Michael Waltrip ready to put on his dancing shoes?

 

   According to the New York Daily News, Michael Waltrip Racing co-owner Michael Waltrip will take part in season No. 19 of ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” when it debuts on Sept. 15.

   Among the other participants are runner Lolo Jones, comedian Tommy Chong and “Duck Dynasty” star Sadie Robinson.

   A MWR team spokesman said he was not at liberty to comment on the report at this time.

   To ready the full story at the Daily News go here.

 

Humpy Wheeler statement on the death of former motorcycle racer Don Tilley

   H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler, former longtime president of Charlotte Motor Speedway and now a racing consultant, issued the following statement Sunday regarding the death of former motorcycle racer Don Tilley:

   "Don was one of the best motorcycle dirt track racers back in the fifties along with the legendary national champion Buck Brigance. Don raced for me on my dirt tracks back in the sixties when the Hayes Brothers out of Tennessee were so strong," Wheeler said.

   "Don turned his racing prowess into one for business and built one of the biggest Harley Davidson dealerships in the Southeast. He was always around the NASCAR garage area because most of the 

racing folk bought their cycles from him."

 

   To read more on the death of Tilley, go here.

 

Statement from Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris regarding Tony Stewart

   Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris, whose store chain sponsors Tony Stewart's No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, released the following statement on Saturday regarding Stewart's return to the race track:

   "Today our thoughts are with our friend and fishing buddy Tony Stewart as he prepares to return to racing after what has been a difficult time in his life. Our hearts go out to him and to the family and friends of Kevin Ward Jr., who died in the tragic sprint car event accident on Aug. 9.

   "I was able to spend time with Tony last week and it made my heart ache to see him so devastated by this accident.

   "Like many other race fans, I love Tony's passion and skill on the track and to watch this fierce competitor compete. But the off-track Tony Stewart is the man that I have come to respect. Time and time again, I've witnessed Tony's quiet generosity and compassion as he gives to others. By personally supporting numerous programs like Catch-A-Dream Foundation and Victory Junction, Tony has given many ailing children a chance to experience outdoor sports and have fun opportunities they might not otherwise have.

   "His love of racing goes far beyond his work behind the wheel. It is common for Tony to sign autographs for each and every race fan for hours on end. Behind the scenes, Tony continually steps in to help junior drivers get started in racing because he cares about the sport and its fans.

   "What started as a sponsorship discussion between Tony and I 15 years ago has turned into a long and special friendship. It's a friendship that has given me the opportunity to get to know one of the most compassionate and kind-hearted individuals I have ever met. 

   "On behalf of the Bass Pro Family, and as Tony's friend, we are proud to stand by him as he returns this weekend to the sport he loves so much."

Roger Penske: 'Right decision' made on Chase waiver for Tony Stewart

   Although he was far removed from Atlanta Motor Speedway on Friday, NASCAR and IndyCar team owner Roger Penske was asked during a media availability at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., of his reaction to NASCAR's decision to give Tony Stewart a waiver to qualify for the Chase should he win one of the last two races of the Sprint Cup Series regular season.

    Here was Penske's answer: 

    “Tony is so rock solid in the sport, he's meant so much to NASCAR for so many years, and to me Mike Helton and (Brian) France (Jr.) and the sanctioning body have made the right decision. Obviously they've left open the opportunity if there was a situation that's come up that's not normal, they can make that decision.  But I'm not part of that decision making, but I felt for Tony and certainly for the Ward family for the last number of weeks," Penske said.

    “I'm glad to see him come out. I think his words and thoughts today that he said personally and wrote personally were from the heart and means a lot to me and means a lot to the people in the garage area and certainly means a lot to his fans."

Traveling to cover NASCAR is hard. So is losing one of your 'road family'

   Traveling the country covering NASCAR races for The Charlotte Observer sounds like a glamorous job and admittedly when I first started it in 1998, it was for me. My family and I never did a lot of extensive traveling as I was growing up, so getting to explore other parts of the country was fun. Over the next 16 years, however, those same trips start to get a little monotonous and more of a grind. 

   Along the way, most sportswriters in similar situations will tell you that you find the opportunity to meet wonderful new people and develop new friendships - sort of a 'road family.' You may only see them once or twice a year, depending on races, but when you meet again it's like you were just down the street for a while and require a quick 'catching up' session.

   My time in New Hampshire over the years has been much like that. Since 1998 when I first started covering NASCAR races for The Observer, I have stayed at the Bayside Inn in Alton Bay, N.H., for New Hampshire race weekends. It's north of the track - away from the traffic woes - and on beautiful Lake Winnipesaukee. My colleagues David Poole and Tom Higgins, before me, stayed there as well. 

   I learned this week that owner Stephen Rogers passed away unexpectedly from a stroke. Steve was a laugh hardy, always pat you on your back kind of guy. He and his family - wife, Raquel and daughter Ashley - treated us 'NASCAR folks' like an extended part of their family. We had cookouts, shared dinners, went boating and watched their small family-owned inn develop into one of the most beautiful marvels on the lake. I've watched Ashley grow up in front of my eyes to the smart, beautiful college student she is today. I was there for the introduction to their new puppy Tequila and there years later when he passed away.

   My heart is heavy this week - it seems it's been that way for a while, between a tragedy at a race track in my native upstate New York to family issues back in Charlotte. Living on the road is rough and losing one of the few parts of it that make it special even tougher. 

   My prayers are with Stephen's wife and daughter. They were the BEST hosts - and are the best 'road family' a weary traveler could have. They all made us feel special, not just someone renting a room. And for Steve - who was sort of a local icon in the community (sometimes for good reasons and sometimes bad lol) - Lake Winnipesaukee won't be the same without you.