Tony Stewart will be happy when you stop asking how he feels

 

 

   Speedweeks was NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Tony Stewart's first time back in the car since breaking two bones in his right leg last summer in a dirt track race.

   Obviously, along the way Stewart has been asked how his leg has felt. Stewart was asked yet again on Friday at Phoenix International Raceway.

   Here was his response:

   “I’ll be honest, I’ll be more happy when everybody quits asking me how I feel. I’m not 100 percent. I’m not going to be 100 percent for a while. It was fine. There wasn’t any drama, same as we said for the shootout, same as we said for the qualifying race and same as we said after the (Daytona) 500," he said.

   "I appreciate everybody checking on me, but it’s not going to change in a week. It wasn’t a big drama, everything is fine.  Everything is fine in the car this week so far. Hopefully, we will be able to talk a year from now about how far we have come.”
 

NASCAR supports veto of Arizona anti-gay bill

   NASCAR issued the following statement on Wednesday night: 

   "We are pleased with Arizona Governor Jan Brewer’s veto of SB1062. NASCAR actively strives to promote diversity and inclusion throughout the motorsports industry. NASCAR has a zero tolerance policy against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, race, gender, national origin, age, color, disability, religion, or other factors which deny the essential humanity of all people."

   NASCAR's Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Mexico series will compete this weekend at Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale, Ariz.


  

The NFL's Redskins congratulate Daytona 500 winner Dale Earnhardt Jr.

   Dale Earnhardt Jr. won his second Daytona 500 on Sunday night and his favorite NFL team couldn't be more proud. LB Ryan Kerrigan, LB Nick Barnett and NT Chris Neild give their shout-outs to Junior as representatives of the Washington Redskins.

The 2014 Daytona 500 was NOT a primetime TV hit

   According to updated fast national ratings from The Nielsen Company, the Sunday night rain-delayed completion of the 2014 Daytona 500 on Fox - which began about 8:30 p.m. ET - drew an average of 9.3 million viewers.

   Dale Earnhardt Jr. captured his second career Daytona 500 victory in the event.

   The audience number is 44 percent lower than the 2013 Daytona 500, which was run on schedule in the afternoon (16.7 million viewers).

   The audience number is also 32 percent lower than the 2012 Daytona 500, which was also rain-delayed and run in primetime on Monday night (13.7 million viewers).

   The top five ranked markets were: Greensboro, N.C. (17.5 rating/26 share), Orlando, Fla. (13.2/21), Greenville, S.C. (13.0/20), Richmond, Va. (12.0/18) and Jacksonville, Fla. (11.8/18).

   The 2014 Daytona 500 experienced nearly a 6.5 hour rain delay, the longest in the event's history. In 2012, the reschedule primetime event received advance promotion since NASCAR rescheduled the event well in advance.

   NASCAR did see big year-to-year increases in discussion of the 2014 race on digital and social platforms, as well as a record traffic day on NASCAR.com.


 

Video highlights: Dale Earnhardt Jr. wins the 2014 Daytona 500

   After a 6 1/2 hour rain delay, Dale Earnhardt Jr. holds off Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski on Sunday night for his second win in the Daytona 500.

Sneak peak of Jimmie Johnson's new Chevrolet commercial

   A new Chevrolet commercial that will air Sunday during the Daytona 500 featuring six-time Sprint Cup series champion Jimmie Johnson.

   "Are you ready to see how #TheNew breed of motorsports will push the limits of what's possible between man and machine?"

NASCAR releases list of 20 nominees for Hall of Fame induction

   Following are the 20 nominees for induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, listed alphabetically:

    Buddy Baker, won 19 times in NASCAR’s premier (now Sprint Cup) series, including the Daytona 500 and Southern 500

    Red Byron, first NASCAR premier series champion, in 1949

    Richard Childress, 11-time car owner champion in NASCAR’s three national series
    Jerry Cook, six-time NASCAR Modified champion

    Bill Elliott, 1988 premier series champion, two-time Daytona 500 winner and 16-time Most Popular Driver

    Ray Fox, legendary engine builder and owner of cars driven by Buck Baker, Junior Johnson and others

    Rick Hendrick, 14-time car owner champion in NASCAR’s three national series

    Bobby Isaac, 1970 NASCAR premier series champion

    Terry Labonte, Two-time NASCAR premier series champion

    Fred Lorenzen, 26 wins and winner of the Daytona 500 and World 600

    Raymond Parks, NASCAR’s first champion car owner

    Benny Parsons, 1973 NASCAR premier series champion  

    Larry Phillips, only five-time NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national champion

    Wendell Scott, NASCAR trailblazer was the first African-American NASCAR premier series race winner, and first to be nominated for induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

    O. Bruton Smith, builder of Charlotte Motor Speedway and architect of Speedway Motorsports Inc.

    Mike Stefanik, winner of record-tying nine NASCAR championships

    Curtis Turner, early personality, called the "Babe Ruth of stock car racing"

    Joe Weatherly, two-time NASCAR premier series champion

    Rex White, 1960 NASCAR premier series champion

    Robert Yates, won NASCAR premier series championship as both an engine builder and owner

 

   The five nominees for the inaugural Landmark Award are as follows…
    
   H. Clay Earles, founder of Martinsville Speedway

    Anne Bledsoe France, helped build the sport with husband Bill France Sr. Affectionately known as "Annie B.," she is the first woman to be nominated for induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

    Raymond Parks, NASCAR’s first champion car owner

    Ralph Seagraves, formed groundbreaking Winston-NASCAR partnership as executive with R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company

    Ken Squier, legendary radio and television broadcaster; inaugural winner / namesake of Squier-Hall Award for NASCAR Media Excellence

 

Tony Stewart issues a Danica Patrick-Richard Petty racing challenge

 

   During the first of two PRN Fast Talk Shows at Outback Steakhouse in Daytona with Doug Rice and Mark Garrow, Tony Stewart made it very clear how he feels about the negative remarks Richard Petty made recently about Danica Patrick. 

   “I told her she should challenge Richard to a heads up race,” said Stewart. “I think that would pretty much settle it once and for all, maybe get him to shut up a little bit too. He drove in an era when he had cars that were superior to what everybody else was running a lot. I think he forgets that, that NASCAR has changed a lot since he was a driver and how hard it really is now.” 

   Stewart added, “I will supply the cars, I don’t care. If he wants to race her I’ll make sure they have exactly the same set-up in the car and give him a chance. He can drive one of my 14 cars I don’t care.” 

   It was then suggested if Patrick ever won a race that she should ask Petty to autograph the checkered flag. Stewart, however, had another suggestion. “If I were her I’d take it over and cram it up his (bleep)…If it were me, that’s just me.” 

   To hear the audio, go here.

Is demand for Daytona 500 tickets at an all-time low ?

  

    According to at least one measure, demand for Daytona 500 tickets this season on the secondary ticket market is at an all-time low. 

   Data from SeatGeek, an entertainment ticket search engine, indicates the average ticket price for Sunday's 500 has fallen more than 30 percent in the last month, from a peak of $238 per ticket on Jan. 20 to $161 with four days remaining before the race.

 

   More findings from an analysis of ticket data from SeatGeek:

 

   - This year's average ticket price ($161) is down 18 percent from the 2013 Daytona 500, which drew an average of $197 per ticket on the resale market. In prior years, the race drew average ticket prices of $191 in 2012 and $203 in 2011.

 

   - As of Wednesday, the race is not close to being sold out. All of the cheapest seats have been sold (prices started at $32 per ticket), and those are up for sale on the secondary market starting at more than twice face value ($75 per ticket), but you can still find plenty of face value tickets at the online box office as low as $65 each in Turn 2, Lund and Allison seating areas. For the most part, all tower and box seating near the finish line is sold out, but aside from those areas, you can find tickets from the box office anywhere around the track.

 

   - Even in seating areas that have sold out, there are deals to be had on the secondary market. Campbell Box seats at the finish line had been going for about $450 apiece in late January, but they can be had Wednesday for $199 per ticket. Sprint Tower seats (only available from the box office as part of an $1,800 package including food and beverage, parking, gifts, celebrity appearances and VIP pre-race access) that were commanding $700 and up per ticket a month ago now start at around $300 each.

 

   All the latest information on pricing and availability for the Daytona 500 can be found on SeatGeek's event page for the race here.

Uptown Charlotte will light up Tuesday night in honor of Dale Earnhardt

  

 

    The Charlotte skyline will illuminate with 45,730 blue LED lights atop the Duke Energy Building in honor of Dale Earnhardt on Feb. 18, 2014. 
   The light presentation at the 786-foot-tall Duke Energy Building, as well as the annual Candlelight Tribute at Dale Earnhardt Inc. in Mooresville, N.C., is presented by The Dale Earnhardt Foundation. 
   Earnhardt was killed in a last-lap wreck in the 2001 Daytona 500. 
   The foundation's mission is to "Continue The Legend" that sustains Earnhardt's lifelong commitment to children, education and environmental/wildlife preservation. 
   The candlelight tribute with open showroom is held from 6-8 p.m. ET at Dale Earnhardt Inc. 

The No. 3 will lead the way in the 2014 Daytona 500

  

   DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The No. 3 has found its way to Victory Lane at Daytona again.

   It’s a significant milestone in NASCAR, even if it’s for winning a pole rather than a race.

   And it marks a grand debut for rookie Austin Dillon, who is piloting the No. 3 for his grandfather and team owner, Richard Childress.

   Prior to Sunday, the No. 3’s lone trip to Victory Lane at Daytona International Speedway in a Sprint Cup Series race was Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s lone win in the Daytona 500 to kick off the 1998 season.

   After Earnhardt was killed in a last-lap wreck of the 2001 Daytona 500, Childress mothballed the No. 3, even though he used it for teams in the Nationwide and Trucks series.

   With the fulltime debut of Dillon this season in the Cup series, Childress announced last December he would bring back the No. 3.

   Dillon’s average lap speed of 196.019 mph barely eclipsed that of Martin Truex Jr., who will start alongside Dillon on the front row.

   Dillon and Truex are the only two drivers whose positions are locked in for next Sunday’s Daytona 500.

Video: Yes, the pace car caught fire at Daytona

   NASCAR: Before the start of the final 20-lap final segment of Saturday night's Sprint Unlimited at Daytona International Speedway, the pace car is forced to pull over after it catches fire. No one was injured. 

 

   Chevrolet issued a statement Sunday morning attributing the fire to the trunk area which housed a purpose-built auxiliary electrical kit to operate the car’s caution lights during the race.

 

Hendrick engines run into trouble during Saturday practice

  

 

   Three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers utilizing engines from Hendrick Motorsports saw their engines blow up during practice on Saturday at Daytona International Speedway.

   Engines in the cars of Bobby Labonte, Tony Stewart and Danica Patrick all had to be replaced. All three drivers will start from the rear of their respective Thursday qualifying race regardless of how they qualify on Sunday for the Feb. 23 Daytona 500.

   All three will also have to start the Daytona 500 from the rear of the field.

   A fourth car with a Hendrick engine, belonging to driver Justin Allgaier, developed an oil line problem during the practice session.

   “It was a concern when Tony blew up, and then we did,” Patrick said. “It’s something we’re doing in our family, I guess, and we need to figure it out. I’m sure the Hendrick teams are wondering what is going on.”

   A Hendrick spokesman said there appeared to be a common problem in the "bottom end" of the engines.


  

Tony Stewart talks about first day back at the track

 

 

   Smoke has risen.

   NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drive Tony Stewart took his first laps in his No. 14 Chevrolet on Friday night since he broke two bones in his right leg in a dirt track racing accident last August.

   After participating in Friday's practice session for the Sprint Unlimited, Stewart spoke to the media.

   Q: How did it feel?
   "It felt good. The great thing is there is zero percentage of pain in the car. That was nice. We will see what it feels like at 9 o’clock tonight, but so far so good. That is better than I was hoping for, honestly. I thought we would have some kind of ache, pain of some kind that would bother us. It was like putting on an old pair of shoes again."

   Q: At what point were you smiling?
   "When we hit the end of pit road leaving. That is way too long to wait to get back in a race car that is for sure."

   Q: Is it a relief or are you just overjoyed?
   “Well a little of both. I think once we got the relief of knowing we weren’t hurting anywhere then it was just joy of being back out there again. It didn’t feel like I had been gone seven months when we started running. It was today though, every five minutes I was looking at the clock from 3 o’clock on going ‘is it 4:30 yet’ because I wanted to get dressed at 4:30 and come in. That is a long time to be staring at the clock for an hour and a half. That is small compared to the seven months.”

   Q: You got in the car about 18 minutes early, which seems early for you.
   “I told them don’t get too excited that is not going to be a habit. So I’m logging courtesy minutes so if that way I’m late for practice I got that credit."

   Q: After you get your helmet on what is going through your mind? What are you thinking?
   "Just waiting. I didn’t want to wait anymore to be honest. The biggest thing was going in there, as soon as I got in the car, I’ve sat in that car three times now. I still had to move the mirror when I got in there one more time. We just wanted to give ourselves a couple of minutes so we weren’t thrashing at the last second if there was something we needed to move. Sure enough I had to move my mirror.”

   Q: Was the walk to the car any different? Were you anxious; were you excited, just normal or typical?
   "I just put one foot in front of the other like I do every time I got to the car."

NASCAR legend and Fox Sports analyst Darrell Waltrip has surgery

  

 

   NASCAR Hall of Fame and Fox Sports TV analyst Darrell Waltrip under a minor surgical procedure on Thursday and could miss Saturday night's broadcast of the Sprint Unlimited at Daytona International Speedway. Waltrip will not participate in coverage of Friday's Sprint Unlimited practice sessions at Daytona.

   Fox Sports provided the following statement on Thursday night to The Charlotte Observer:

   "Darrell Waltrip underwent a minor surgical procedure today near his home in Tennessee and is resting comfortably. We wish him a speedy recovery and his on-air status is day to day."

Has former NASCAR champ Brad Keselowski really been muzzled?

   There have been many headlines on stories of late asking whether former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion has been "muzzled" by the sport, or in some fashion  not as outspoken as he has been in the past.  

   I asked Keselowski during Thursday's Daytona 500 Media Day if he felt that assessment were true and if it were, what would be the reason. Here is his response, along with some follow-up questions:

   “I don’t have a muzzle on my face right now, but maybe I should have. I’m in an increasingly difficult position as a champion of this sport to try to convey the very strong situation and the health of this sport, which, although it could always be better is not terrible. And also my own personal agenda to be a champion that moves this sport forward. I think the most significant way I can answer that question is I think quite a few back channels have opened up within NASCAR over the last six to eight months that have given me the ability to not have to go to the media to get something done," Keselowski said. "That fits my personal and professional agenda, and out of respect for that I think it maybe creates a situation where what might look like a muzzle to you or to the outside is perhaps more a moment of opportunity I just don’t want to piss away.”

   Do you feel that's the benefit of becoming a champion? "Either that or just being so damn annoying that people start listening to you – one of the two.”

   Do you feel by being outspoken may have opened some doors, but were there misktakes?
"Are there things I could do better? Absolutely, but the mistakes is what builds your character and helps you become the person that you are and that you can learn from, so they’re only a mistake if you don’t grow and learn from them."

   Why do you feel these back channels have opened up? "I don’t know why channels are the way they are. That’s probably a better question for someone else, but I do feel like this sport has grown a lot over the last year in the sense of new people, new hires, and a new level of transparency that will serve it for years to come. It’s not really fair for me to answer why it has been the way it has, but from my perspective it certainly has gotten better.”

Jimmie Johnson's biggest regret in racing? Hint: It involves the No. 3

  

 

    What is six-time Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson's biggest regret of his racing career?

    Not having the opportunity to "get spun out or crashed" by Dale Earnhardt Sr.

    Johnson touched on that topic and more in a wide-ranging interview with Fox NFL Sunday host Curt Menefee, which will air Friday, Feb. 14, at 7:30 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1.

    Johnson is the first auto racing personality featured on Fox Sports 1’s signature interview show, which has included past sit-downs with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, Denver Broncos legend John Elway and former NBA star and now TV analyst Charles Barkley.

    Among the many topics covered in the Johnson interview; he recounts a critical moment in his relationship with crew chief Chad Knaus, his place in NASCAR history and one of his greatest regrets … involving Dale Earnhardt.

    Here is an excerpt of part of Johnson's interview discussing the late seven-time NASCAR champion:

    Johnson: "That’s one regret I have. Again, Richard (Petty) was too far removed for me to say that I had a chance to drive with him on the track. But Dale (Earnhardt), that could have happened. And I so regret that I'll never have that chance to honestly get spun out or crashed by him. That opportunity will never be there for me."

    Menefee: "Really?"

    Johnson: "I mean every kid, especially my generation, that black No. 3, the black No. 3, you know, that's what you wanted to be and race against. And knowing Jeff Gordon as I do and watching him race with Dale all those years and then talking about it with Jeff now there's some really cool experiences there that I would have loved to have had."

Entry list for 2014 Sprint Unlimited

Entry Veh # Driver Owner Crew Chief Mfg

1. 1 Jamie McMurray Felix Sabates Keith Rodden  Chevrolet

2. 2 Brad Keselowski Roger Penske Paul Wolfe  Ford

3. 4 Kevin Harvick Tony Stewart Rodney Childers  Chevrolet

4. 9 Marcos Ambrose Richard Petty Drew Blickensderfer  Ford

5. 10 Danica Patrick Tony Stewart Tony Gibson  Chevrolet

6. 11 Denny Hamlin J D Gibbs Darian Grubb  Toyota

7. 14 Tony Stewart Margaret Haas Chad Johnston  Chevrolet

8. 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr John Henry Michael Kelley  Ford

9. 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Dave Rogers  Toyota

10. 20 Matt Kenseth Joe Gibbs Jason Ratcliff  Toyota

11. 22 Joey Logano Walter Czarnecki Todd Gordon  Ford

12. 24 Jeff Gordon Rick Hendrick Alan Gustafson  Chevrolet

13. 31 Ryan Newman Richard Childress Luke Lambert  Chevrolet

 

14. 32 Terry Labonte Frank Stoddard Jr Daniel Stillman  Ford

15. 41 Kurt Busch Gene Haas Daniel Knost  Chevrolet

16. 48 Jimmie Johnson Jeff Gordon Chad Knaus  Chevrolet

17. 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr Rick Hendrick Steve Letarte  Chevrolet

18. 99 Carl Edwards Jack Roush James Fennig  Ford

NBC set to launch new weekly NASCAR TV show on Feb. 24

 

 

  NBC Sports Network will debut its new, weekly NASCAR TV show "NASCAR America" on Monday, Feb. 24, the day after the 2014 Daytona 500.

   The 30-minute show will debut at 5 p.m. ET and return each week at the same time and place. "NASCAR America" will cover the sport from all angles, delivering news, highlights and access to NASCAR’s dynamic stars and personalities. Each episode will include in-depth access to the drivers, crew chiefs and team owners that are integral to the sport, opinions and analysis from NASCAR’s most prominent personalities, and exclusive looks inside the high-tech race shops and storied racing venues that dot the country.

   Originating from NBC Sports Group’s International Broadcast Center in Stamford, Conn., as well as a new NBC Sports’ studio located in the racing hotbed of Charlotte, "NASCAR America's" primary host is Rick Allen. Allen, who will usher in NBC Sports’ live coverage of NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series racing as lead announcer in July 2015, will interact daily with NBC Sports motorsports reporters Marty Snider and Kelly Stavast. Snider and Stavast, both based in Charlotte, will operate on location throughout the country to deliver the latest news and features on NASCAR’s drivers and race teams. NBC Sports Group’s IndyCar and Formula One play-by-play voice Leigh Diffey will also serve as host.

   Alongside Allen in the studio will be a constant rotation of guest analysts offering fresh perspectives and insights. Guest analysts throughout February and March include NBC Sports NASCAR analyst Jeff Burton, Sprint Cup Champion Bobby Labonte, Kyle Petty, Ken Schrader, and crew chief Frank Stoddard. Future guest analysts, which will include former and current drivers and crew chiefs, NASCAR executives, and even prominent fans such as NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams, will be announced at a later date. 

   “The excitement and energy that the NBC Sports team is pouring into all the great ideas and concepts for NASCAR America has me convinced that this show will be special for race fans,” said Burton. “I’m looking forward to contributing to NASCAR America, and watching it as well.”  

Charlotte Bobcats will honor six-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson

  

 

   The Charlotte Bobcats announced that the team’s game against the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday, Feb. 11, will be presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina and the evening will  be highlighted by an in-game presentation recognizing six-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson of Hendrick Motorsports.

   As part of Blue Cross and Blue Shield Night, every fan that shows their BCBSNC insurance card at the box office within 2 hours of tip-off will receive a discounted ticket to the game: $35 lower-level seats and $10 upper-level seats. In recognition of Johnson’s success, the Bobcats will play a video tribute highlighting Johnson’s 2013 achievements and he will be honored with an on-court presentation by the team.

   “We are thrilled to recognize Jimmie Johnson and Hendrick Motorsports on their championship,” said Bobcats Sports & Entertainment President & COO Fred Whitfield. “He and his team continue to work hard to maintain a certain level of success on and off the track.

   "The work Jimmie Johnson, Hendrick Motorsports and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina do throughout our community is phenomenal and we are proud to partner with such great organizations who continue to be a strong presence throughout the Carolinas.”

Jimmie Johnson won the 2013 NASCAR title and the offseason, too

 

 

   NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson was referenced in more than 6,000 news media stories this offseason.

   When comparing the size of the audience generated by the news media coverage to the cost of reaching the same audience through traditional advertising, the mentions of Johnson's name drew an estimated exposure value in excess of $10 million. 

   According to research conducted by Joyce Julius & Associates, Inc., which specializes in measuring the scope of sponsorships across all forms of media, Danica Patrick actually was referenced in about 700 more media stories appearing on television, print and the Internet than Johnson this past off season. However, the estimated audience of Patrick's media coverage was smaller than Johnson's, and as a result, she amassed slightly less estimated exposure value ($9.8 million) from her coverage. 

   The Joyce Julius study began the day after the NASCAR Banquet last December and concluded this past Monday following the Super Bowl.

15-year-old Gray Gaulding's NASCAR career takes off

 

 

   Team release

 

   Kernersville, N.C. (February 7, 2014) – NTS Motorsports announced the addition of 15 year-old NASCAR Next driver Gray Gaulding to their lineup in 2014. Gaulding will make his debut in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) in eight races and will compete alongside Brennan Newberry in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East (NKNPSE) full-time. 

 

   Virginia native Gaulding, has set NASCAR records as the youngest winner and pole sitter in NASCAR K&N Pro Series competition. With primary sponsorship from Gemini Southern, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts and TruMoo Chocolate Milk, Gaulding hopes to claim the NKNPSE championship and contend for victories in the NCWTS. As a NASCAR Next driver, Gaulding has claimed one win, 11 top-10’s and five top-5’s in 18 NKNPSE starts in 2013.

 

   “Signing with a competitive and successful team like NTS Motorsports is a tremendous opportunity for me,” stated Gaulding. “With our new sponsorship from Gemini Southern and continued support from Krispy Kreme Doughnuts and TruMoo Chocolate Milk, I am eager to return to the NKNPSE to build upon our success in 2013 and go after the championship. I look forward to achieving my goal of competing in the NCWTS and capturing the “Youngest Race Winner” title in that series as well.”

 

   Gaulding will turn 16 years old on Monday.

 

   As Newberry enters his third season driving in the NCWTS, he is primed to use that experience to compete for the NKNPSE championship in the No. 24 Chevy Impala, where he is a three time pole award winner.  Winning the Keystone Light Pole Award at Daytona International Speedway in the opening NCWTS race in 2013, is the momentum the 23 year-old driver will bring into each one of his 12 NCWTS races this season. 

 

   Dwayne Gaulding has moved into the role of Vice President of Operations at NTS Motorsports. As such, he is excited to reshape the organization into a competitive powerhouse in the NCWTS and NKNPSE. “Taking on the role of VP of Operations is a big commitment that comes with very important responsibilities,” states Gaulding. “The people we at NTS Motorsports have put in place are what will make this team successful. As a preacher once stated, ‘it’s not the building that makes up the church, it’s the people.” 

   NTS Motorsports will compete full-time in the NCWTS with the No. 24 and No. 20 Chevrolet Silverado trucks. Newberry has been confirmed for 12 races, with the remaining 10 races to be filled by an unannounced driver. Gaulding will make his NCWTS debut at Martinsville Speedway on March 29th and will compete in an additional seven races in the series. The remaining fourteen races will be filled in by an additional driver to be announced. Gaulding will pilot the No. 20 entry in the full NKNPSE season. 

How much money is on the line in this year's Daytona 500?

  

   The purse for the 56th running of the Daytona 500 is $19,784,864.00

   Here's how it shapes up:

   Top 10 Total Posted Awards by position:

   1st - $1,454,600

   2nd - $1,071,125

   3rd - $780,225

   4th - $633,975

   5th - $510,700

   6th - $409,150

   7th - $368,650

   8th - $344,150

   9th - $332,100

   10th - $322,200

   Total Posted Awards include Racing Purse, Television Awards, Special Plans listed herein, Qualifying Awards, Manufacturer Contingency Awards and Special Awards, and a prorated share of season-end Point Fund Award. Actual pay-outs are determined by recipient eligibility, receipt of Television and Ancillary revenues, and are also subject to change based on the outcome of any penalties, protest, appeals, or reviews by NASCAR Supervisory Officials in accordance with the Rule Book. The timing and payment of certain awards such as Point Fund Awards, Manufacturer Contingency Awards and Special Awards, Net Ancillary Rights Income, and Plans are governed by separate agreements. All Posted Awards won by a driver and/or any other eligible competitor of a particular team shall be paid by NASCAR to the team owner. The team owner, and not NASCAR, shall be solely responsible for the distribution of such prize money to the driver and/or other eligible competitor(s), and the sole recourse of such driver or other competitor(s) shall be against the team owner.

   Racing Purse Breakdown (by race finishing position):

   Total $1,949,077

   1st-$300,425

   2nd-$196,475

   3rd-$105,475

   4th-$97,375

   5th-$77,450

   6th-$47,450

   7th-$41,450

   8th-$39,950

   9th-$39,425

   10th-$39,025

   11th-$38,875

   12th-$37,375

   13th-$36,375

   14th-$35,375

   15th-$34,375

   16th-$33,375

   17th-$32,850

   18th-$32,550

   19th-$32,275

   20th-$32,025

   21st-$31,750

   22nd-$31,250

   23rd-$30,750

   24th-$30,250

   25th-$29,650

   26th-$29,250

   27th-$28,500

   28th-$28,000

   29th-$27,525

   30th-$27,325

   31st-$27,125

   32nd-$26,925

   33rd-$26,725

   34th-$26,525

   35th-$26,325

   36th-$26,130

   37th-$25,922

   38th-$25,700

   39th-$24,700

   40th-$23,700

   41st-$22,700

   42nd-$21,700

   43rd-$20,700

   Television Awards Breakdown (by race finishing position):

   Total $13,555,560

   1st-$1,034,425

   2nd-$864,750

   3rd-$669,250

   4th-$533,750

   5th-$430,250

   6th-$361,700

   7th-$327,200

   8th-$304,200

   9th-$292,675

   10th-$281,175

   11th-$271,875

   12th-$269,475

   13th-$266,050

   14th-$264,050

   15th-$263,950

   16th-$263,850

   17th-$263,750

   18th-$263,650

   19th-$263,500

   20th-$263,400

   21st-$263,300

   22nd-$263,200

   23rd-$263,075

   24th-$262,925

   25th-$262,825

   26th-$262,725

   27th-$262,625

   28th-$262,525

   29th-$262,425

   30th-$262,150

   31st-$261,900

   32nd-$261,650

   33rd-$261,400

   34th-$261,125

   35th-$260,875

   36th-$260,625

   37th-$260,345

   38th-$231,990

   39th-$228,990

   40th-$225,990

   41st-$222,990

   42nd-$219,990

   43rd-$216,990