NASCAR announced today the inductees who will comprise the NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2019. The five-person group – the 10th since the inception of the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2010 – consists of Davey Allison, Alan Kulwicki, Jeff Gordon, Roger Penske and Jack Roush. In addition, NASCAR announced that Jim Hunter earned the 2019 Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR. The distinguished group will be honored during the NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Feb. 1, 2019.
The NASCAR Hall of Fame Voting Panel met today in a closed session at the Charlotte Convention Center to debate and vote upon the 20 nominees for the induction class of 2019 and the five nominees for the Landmark Award.
One will never see two races, on the same track, that are so different. It’s always true in some ways. The Monster Energy All-Star Race is short. The Coca-Cola 600 is long. This time, when the 600 takes the green flag late Sunday afternoon, the cars will be different, too.
Vastly different.
Kevin Harvick won the All-Star Race. He may well win the 600. At the moment, there appears to be no format Harvick cannot conquer. His Ford is “freaky fast,” regardless of whether or not Jimmy John’s is delivering that week.
Harvick’s domination of the ending didn’t negate the approval most fans voiced after the race. More often, a crackerjack ending leads them to overlook the stagnant laps leading up to it. When the going got tough, the tough became preoccupied with one another, and Harvick escaped.
On Saturday, June 16, Darlington Raceway will give race fans a unique opportunity to drive their personal vehicles on the high banks of the Lady in Black, and in turn, support our service members and veterans.
For a $30 cash donation per car, Darlington Raceway will allow fans to take three laps around the famed 1.366-mile egg-shaped oval. The Track Drive is scheduled for 2 p.m. – 5 p.m. on June 16.
The first time I saw The Winston was one of the better ones. It was in 1992, the first contested at night. Lights at superspeedways are now taken for granted, but 26 years ago, whether they could work was an issue of considerable doubt. A 1.5-mile track requires lots of illumination, and all sorts of high-tech precautions had to be taken in order to eliminate glare.
The doubt disappeared after Dale Earnhardt, Kyle Petty and Davey Allison all crashed on the final lap, in two installments, and Allison’s celebration of victory took place at a nearby hospital.
Today doubt would have appeared. At the time, it seemed as if Humpy Wheeler had just invented pizza.
Credit: 355216(Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images)
Martin Truex Jr. will be aiming for a three-peat at Kansas Speedway, a track where he suffered a few misfortunes over the years but rebounded with a vengeance last season scoring both wins at the 1.5-mile oval.
“Winning three straight at Kansas would be pretty special,” Truex said. “We’ve been so good there the past three or four years but also had some heartbreakers after having the best car and not winning. Getting those two last year meant a lot. It was gratifying to get the job done but still feel the track owes us a few more.”
No, I don’t know what to make of it. The Reuters report that NASCAR is up for sale doesn’t surprise me, but I didn’t see it coming, at least not in close range.
One of the principles ingrained in me over many years of trial and error is:
When a rumor spreads widely, and no one will deny it, it’s usually true.
NASCAR® and Camping World have expanded their agreement to provide Gander Outdoors naming rights to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Beginning in 2019, the national series will be rebranded as the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series.
Camping World originally became title sponsor of the Truck Series in 2009. In 2014, NASCAR and Camping World signed a landmark seven-year agreement, continuing the partnership through 2022. This newly expanded agreement provides official NASCAR status and naming rights to Camping World’s partner brand, Gander Outdoors. The remaining years on the deal are still intact.
I have nodded off watching at least one Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race this year. Maybe two. It was probably at least as much a result of me being tired as it was a reflection on the race.
Not all races are exciting. All races are interesting, though. It takes close attention to appreciate fully any sporting event. Most fans who don’t find sports interesting are fans who aren’t interested.
I saw lots of posts, mostly on Facebook, to the effect that Joey Logano’s victory on Sunday at Talladega Speedway was “the worst race there I’ve ever seen,” and “boring as hell,” and “I’d rather watch golf,” which really ticked off golf fans.
Former NASCAR driver and ARCA team owner James Hylton and his son were killed early Saturday when the vehicle hauling their race car back from Talladega Superspeedway crashed on I-85 in Franklin County, Ga.
The Georgia State Patrol and the Franklin County Coroner’s office told WSPA in Spartanburg, S.C., that James Harvey Hylton, 83, and his son James Harvey Hylton Jr., 61, both of Inman, S.C., died at the accident scene. They were passengers in the vehicle. The vehicle’s driver, who was not identified, was taken to Greenville (S.C.) Memorial Hospital by ambulance.
