Want to visit the NASCAR Hall of Fame for free ??

 

 

   For the first time since its 2010 opening, the NASCAR Hall of Fame will offer fans unlimited access to the attraction ... for FREE.

   On Saturday, Feb. 1, fans will be admitted into the Hall for free as part of NASCAR Fan Appreciation Day -- a full day of special activities that includes autograph and Q&A sessions with current drivers and NASCAR Hall of Famers.

   "Our sport is unique in many ways, starting with our fans -- the most loyal fans in all of sports," said NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France. "Any successes we have start with our fans, which is why we always look for opportunities to 'give back.' "

   Dale Earnhardt Jr., Denny Hamlin and Greg Biffle headline a group of more than 20 NASCAR national series drivers scheduled to interact with fans during this first-of-its-kind event in uptown Charlotte. Several NASCAR Hall of Famers, including Class of 2014 inductees Jack Ingram, Dale Jarrett and Maurice Petty, will also be on hand.  

   Fans will have free access to the Hall on a first-come, first-served basis in lieu of needing a ticket. However, fans need to secure free tickets for the driver autograph sessions in advance at nascarhall.com, where they can also find schedules and details about NASCAR Fan Appreciation Day.

    Several new exhibits will be on display, including a revamped Glory Road; newly rewrapped Gen-6 racing simulators; a Champions exhibit honoring Jimmie Johnson, Austin Dillon and Matt Crafton; and a Memorable Moments exhibit highlighting recent significant NASCAR milestones. In addition, fans will be among the first to see the new Hall of Honor exhibit featuring artifacts from the Class of 2014, which will open Thursday, Jan. 30.

Did you know there is actually a 'NASCAR Car Wash' ?

 

   NASCAR not only likes sponsored cars but clean ones as well.

   A business with a name tied to high-speed auto racing is scheduled to open this month in Elmwood Park, Ill., hoping to attract lots of cars to looking for a speedy wash.

   Dean Tomich runs the day-to-day operations of NASCAR Car Wash, headquartered in Joliet. The company has other NASCAR Car Washes in Illinois and Michigan and is planning to expand into other states.

   Read more here.
  

Dave Burns and Mike Massaro to join NBC Sports' NASCAR team

   The team which will bring NASCAR telecasts back to NBC in 2015 is close to being finalized. 

   Dave Burns and Mike Massaro, both members of ESPN/ABC’s NASCAR broadcast team, will make the move to NBC Sports in 2015, The Observer and ThatsRacin.com have learned. 

   Burns is expected to become part of NBC’s pit road reporting team in NASCAR while Massaro is expected to become an in-studio host, sources said. Burns currently serves in a similar role with ESPN as does Massaro, who has hosted the show “NASCAR Now” and worked pit road during race telecasts. Burns worked with NBC when the network previously broadcast NASCAR events. 

   Earlier this week, NBC completed its lineup for its broadcast booth with the announcement current crew chief Steve Letarte will join driver-turned-analyst Jeff Burton and play-by-play announcer Rick Allen for NASCAR broadcasts. 

   A spokesman for ESPN declined to comment. A spokesman for NBC also declined comment.

Speeds from the abbreviated Sprint Cup preseason test at Daytona

   Final speeds from Friday's rain-shortened preseason test at Daytona International Speedway (with car number, driver, car make and speed):

   1. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 195.109 mph
   2. (33) Brian Scott, Chevrolet, 194.582
   3. (27) Matt Crafton, Chevrolet, 194.342
   4. (43) Aric Almirola, Ford, 193.828
   5. (42) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 193.411
   6. (13) Casey Mears, Chevrolet, 193.353
   7. (41) Kurt Busch, Chevrolet, 193.249
   8. (88) Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, 193.116
   9. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 193.071
   10. (10) Danica Patrick, Chevrolet, 193.063
   11. (48) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 193.021
   12. (4) Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 192.988
   13. (1) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, 192.934
   14. (5) Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, 192.893
   15. (15) Clint Bowyer, Toyota, 192.682
   16. (26) Cole Whitt, Toyota, 192.480
   17. (31) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, 192.448
   18. (22) Joey Logano, Ford, 192.201
   19. (20) Matt Kenseth, Toyota, 192.189
   20. (2) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 192.102
   21. (18) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 191.857
   22. (9) Marcos Ambrose, Ford, 191.693
   23. (21) Trevor Bayne, Ford, 191.657
   24. (51) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 191.628
   25. (24) Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 191.274
   26. (16) Greg Biffle, Ford, 191.225
   27. (7) Michael Annett, Chevrolet, 191.160
   28. (14) Mark Martin, Chevrolet, 191.050
   29. (52) Bobby Labonte, Chevrolet,  190.828
   30. (55) Michael Waltrip, Toyota, 190.706
   32. (17) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ford, 190.070
   33. (30) Parker Kligerman, Toyota, 190.018
   34. (95) Michael McDowell, Ford, 189.865
   35. (77) Dave Blaney, Ford, 189.553
   36. (99) Carl Edwards, Ford, 189.482
   37. (40) Landon Cassill, Chevrolet, 188.399
   38. (93) Ryan Truex, Toyota, 187.986
   39. (32) Reed Sorenson, Ford, 187.727
   40. (87) Joe Nemecheck, Toyota, 185.399

Two things will drive Jeff Burton's work in TV: Enthusiasm and facts

 

 

   On Friday at Daytona International Speedway, Jeff Burton and Steve Letarte were asked how their approach will change to races once both move to NBC Sports and the broadcast booth and what they will add the broadcast and how.

   Burton's answer provided an interesting insight into what race fans should expect to hear once the 2015 season gets underway.

   "I think Steve and I both have a passion for this sport. It's something that we've both grown up with doing. It's not something you walk away from. That's the thing, I can't speak for Steve, but I feel like he feels the same way I do. We don't want to walk away from the sport. This is another opportunity in the sport, to bring our enthusiasm to the broadcast and hopefully bring our knowledge," Burton said.

   "Steve has worked with some of the best drivers in our sport. I've driven for some of the best car owners in our sport. I think we bring a unique perspective, as every broadcaster does. But ultimately it's about enthusiasm, excitement and facts, honestly facts. When we're talking, we need to be talking accurately. When we're talking, people are assuming what we're saying is factual, and we've got to make sure it is because I think that's a disservice to our race fans if we don't know what we're talking about. 

   "Bringing truth to it and making sure we do it with enthusiasm and excitement, which I don't think that's going to be a problem, that really to me is what it's about."
 

Dale Jr.: 'It's a tough deal to go through' losing crew chief Steve Letarte

 

 

  Thursday night, Sprint Cup Series driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. spoke with Claire B. Lang of SiriusXM Satellite Radio about the decision of his crew chief, Steve Letarte, to leave the team at the end of the 2014 season and move to the NBC Sports broadcast booth.

   Here are Earnhardt's comments on the situation:

   "It's a tough deal to go through. Steve has really put the team in a difficult situation because we all enjoy working with him so much. It has been rewarding for me personally to work with him and something you'd love to continue to do but he has an opportunity - he's a family man - and he has the opportunity to be with his family more with this position he's been offered at NBC. So, I am happy for him as a person and as a friend to have that opportunity and something that he's excited about and something he wants to try to go do. I've been able to be in the discussion with him about this for several months so it's something I've been able to wrap my brain around. I know a lot of people out there are finding out about this today and it's a bit of a shock.

   "I look at it as an opportunity to work with Steve for another season. I enjoy doing that, so I look at it as an opportunity to work with him one more year before he goes off and does his deal. I feel really, really confident the team can run well all season and he's going to stay dedicated. He's that kind of a guy. He's a professional and we're going to have an opportunity to continue to try to improve on what we've been doing. We'll cross the bridge on who's the next crew chief when we need to. We haven't even had those discussions yet."

Fans will determine the starting lineup for Sprint Unlimited

 

   For the second year in a row, fans will decide upon a number of competition elements for the Sprint Unlimited at Daytona, the 75-lap, non-points race that kicks off the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series racing season on Saturday, Feb. 15.
 

   Starting today, fans can cast their votes to set the overall format and determine key racing elements. Fans will set the number of laps in each of the three segments, while also voting on how drivers will line up at the start of the race and how they will line up for the restart of the final segment.

 

   Fans can submit their votes within the official NASCAR app, NASCAR MOBILE, or at NASCAR.com/SprintUnlimited.

 

   Voting is unlimited and all votes cast through NASCAR MOBILE will count twice. The voting window for the race format will close on Saturday, February 15 at 6 p.m. ET, while voting for the starting order and final segment restart order will close at various times during the race broadcast.

   Voting Categories:

• Race Format: Number of laps in each race segment (Voting ends at 6 p.m. ET on Saturday, February 15)
  • Option A: 30 laps/35 laps/10 laps
  • Option B: 30 laps/30 laps/15 laps
  • Option C: 30 laps/25 laps/20 laps

 

• Starting Order: How drivers will line up to start the race (Voting ends at 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, February 15)
  • Option A: Most Career Poles (most to least)
  • Option B: 2013 Driver Points Standings
  • Option C: Final Practice Speeds (fastest to slowest times)

 

• Restart Order for Final Segment: How drivers will line up for the final segment (Voting ends at the conclusion of the second segment)
  • Option A: Fastest lap in the race (first and second segments both count)
  • Option B: Most laps led (first and second segments both count)
  • Option C: Mandatory pit stop (drivers lineup how they come off pit road)