Two-time champion Red Byron laid the foundation for future NASCAR titlists

By Holly Cain
NASCAR Wire Service

Robert "Red" Byron was a true NASCAR original – the sport’s first crowned champion (NASCAR Modified Series) and first Strictly Stock Series (the current-day Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series) title winner – and now he will join the NASCAR Hall of Fame, a nod to his historic achievements and the exciting foundation he helped establish for the sport.

Byron’s racing career will be formally honored as he is inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame during its Friday, Jan. 19 ceremony in Charlotte, N.C. joining a fittingly accomplished class that also includes the late engine builder/team owner Robert Yates, Camping World Truck Series champion Ron Hornaday Jr., championship crew chief Ray Evernham and pioneering broadcaster Ken Squier.

Byron, who passed away in 1960 at the age of 45, was the sport’s first champion, and bona fide head-turner. He answered his 1948 Modified Series title in 1948 with that historical Strictly Stock crown a year later winning two of the eight Strictly Stock races that season en route to that championship in a car owned by another NASCAR Hall of Famer, Raymond Parks.

Like many others of his era, Byron’s story and his contributions to the sport are even more incredible considering his service to his country long before he thought about a checkered flag.

He served in the United States Army Air Corps in the Pacific during World War II. Assigned to Alaska’s Aleutian Islands, Byron suffered a severe injury to his left leg while flying in a combat mission during the war and later had to wear a specially created steel leg brace while racing. A version of the brace, which had to be attached to the clutch pedal of his race cars, is mounted in one of his cars displayed in the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

It hardly slowed Byron down. The Virginia native-turned Anniston, Ala. resident had nine top-10 finishes in 15 starts, winning a pair of races and a pair of pole positions in three years of Strictly Stock competition.

He won on the Daytona Beach, Fla. road course in 1948 – earning one of the most iconic checkered flags in NASCAR history - and he answered the victory at another of the sport’s most storied facilities, Martinsville (Va.) Speedway months later.

He was recognized in 1998 as one of NASCAR’s all-time Top 50 drivers for his historic efforts.

"In so many ways he was the perfect first champion," the late NASCAR Chairman Bill France Jr. once said of Byron. "A guy who loved racing so much, he refused to give it up. And he loved his country so much he gave it all he had."

Following his stock car career, the former flight engineer turned his focus to developing a sports car to race in the famed 24 Hours of LeMans in France, however Byron died of a heart attack while finalizing details for the effort.

Cody Coughlin joins 2018 lineup for GMS Racing

STATESVILLE, N.C. – Adding to the 2018 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) lineup, GMS Racing officials announced today the addition of Cody Coughlin to the Statesville-based team. Climbing back behind the wheel of a Chevrolet for the first time since 2013 in Late Models, Coughlin will drive the No. 2 JEGS Chevrolet Silverado for his second full-time NCWTS season.

With 35 NCWTS starts under his belt already, including his first full-time season last year, Coughlin is poised to have his best NCWTS season yet. Ending 2017 with a career-best finish of third at ISM Raceway (formerly Phoenix Raceway), the 22-year-old has momentum on his side heading into his second full-time season.

“I couldn’t be more excited to join the GMS Racing family,” said Coughlin, “as well as be back running for Chevrolet. GMS is a team that has proven to be one of the teams to beat every time they unload at the race track and now I have the same opportunity. I can’t thank GMS Racing, Maury Gallagher and Mike Beam enough for this chance. I think we have the right tools and personnel in place with the No.2 team to run up front and contend for race wins every weekend.”

Looking to add veteran knowledge to Coughlin’s sophomore campaign, crew chief Jerry Baxter will call the shots atop the box this year for the No. 2 team. After a successful start with GMS Racing in 2017, including a win at the NCWTS season opener at Daytona International Speedway, Baxter’s distinguished career includes 10 wins, seven pole awards, 43 top-five and 78 top-10 finishes in 139 NCWTS starts.

“I’m more than ready to get the 2018 season underway,” said Baxter. “Last year we raced against Cody every weekend, so I have an idea of the type of driver he is. It will be even better to be able to work with him now firsthand. We have a good group of hard-working guys on the No. 2 that will definitely put us in the position to run well every time we’re at the track.”

Wood Brothers Racing leases charter

Paul Menard will have a guaranteed spot for the 2018 NASCAR Cup season as the Wood Brothers have worked a partnership with Archie St. Hilaire to run the charter they leased from St. Hilaire, the owner of Go Fas Racing, for 2017.

Charters can only be leased once every five years, so St. Hilaire personally has done a deal to remain the owner of the charter but have the Wood Brothers run it. Go Fas Racing has not announced where it will get a charter from for 2018, but the team plans on having one.

Wood Brothers Racing can use the same charter it leased last year from Go Fas Racing because the partnership formed with Go Fas owner Archie St. Hilaire has resulted in the charter now being co-owned by St. Hilaire and the Wood Brothers. The same charter can’t be leased more than once in five years.

On-track Debut Of Chevy Camero For 2018 Cup Season Highlights Goodyear Tire Test

FORT WORTH, Texas -- Reigning Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion Martin Truex Jr. (No. 78 Furniture Row Toyota) was joined by Chase Elliott (No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet), Ryan Blaney (No. 12 Menard's Ford) and Aric Almirola (No. 10 Smithfield Ford) for the opening day of a two-day Goodyear Tire test session at Texas Motor Speedway on Tuesday.

With the driver contingent representing each manufacturer in the Monster Energy Cup Series - Chevrolet, Toyota and Ford - they tested tire compounds on the high-banked, 1.5-mile oval that was repaved and re-profiled last year. The re-profiling reduced the banking in Turns 1 & 2 from the original 24 degrees to 20 while Turns 3 & 4 remained the same. Temperatures were in the low 40s with fog in the morning before warming into the high 50s with sunshine in the early afternoon. The drivers were scheduled to test from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday with the same schedule expected for Wednesday.

"I haven't been a part of a tire test in a long time so it's neat to feel all the different compounds and builds that they bring out here," Blaney said. "Whether they start off a run different or whether they fall off more, it's really neat to see and it's really good to know they're working really hard to make the best tire for each race track. We will be able to tell, but that will just keep getting better and better as the track gets hotter."

"It's a Goodyear tire test so trying to figure out what tire we need to bring back here in the spring (for the O'Reilly 500) and to be able to put on the best show possible," Truex Jr. added. "It really felt like both races here last year with the repave were pretty good and really competitive so hopefully we will be able to find a tire that will get that second groove coming in a little bit earlier especially coming in on Turns 1 and 2 and help the racing a little bit, but so far so good, so far it's been going good."

The Highlight

The test session was highlighted by the historic on-track debut of the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, which will be the manufacturer's new entry in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series beginning this season.

Chase Elliott drew the honor of turning the first laps of the Camaro ZL1, which will make its competition debut in February during Speed Weeks at Daytona International Speedway that will be highlighted by the Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 18. The Camaro ZL1 will replace the Chevy SS, which registered 71 victories since its 2013 debut in NASCAR's premier series.

The Camaro ZL1's primary objective for Chevrolet is current-day relevance, in the showroom and on the speedways. From a consumer standpoint, the Camaro represents a more visible model than its predecessor. The low-volume SS, a V8-powered, four-door sedan based on the Australian-built Holden Commodore, ends its public production run this year.

"Yeah, as far as the feel goes, it is so hard to tell," said Elliott, when asked about the difference between the SS and the Camaro after the morning test session. "I have a hard time feeling much of anything I'm going so fast.  I'm guessing anyways, but no, I think until we get into situations where we are racing and we get some more general analysis of hey, the Chevrolets are better or the Chevys are qualifying better or the Chevys are racing better, I think until we get those generalizations of exactly how we stack up, it's going to be hard to just make a 'guesstimation' of how the thing drives and say it's better or worse. It's hard for me to tell out there by myself.

"But, the car looks great. I don't know from a manufacturer standpoint, from the public eyes standpoint, I don't know how you could not identify the Camaro with the Camaro on the street. It looks the same. I think that is something to be very proud of from Chevrolet. The work they did on that and the thought process behind it. It is the same car, it looks just like it. I think job well done from that standpoint."

What They Are Saying
"I think it's felt different as the offseason went on and I've got to do different things. It's kind of sunk in more, but it's not completely there yet to be honest with you. I mean just today, to see my new uniform with the champion logo on it, it's another thing that's new to me and feels really cool. There's a lot more things, I guess, along the way. A lot more days for it to settle in, but it's been an amazing feeling of accomplishment and hopefully it will continue to sink in as we go on." - Martin Truex Jr. on his accomplishment of winning the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series crown sinking in during the offseason.

"Yeah, for sure, I mean look, as I've said before, I'm going to be me. I'm not as active as a lot of people are on Twitter. I think that is just because that is the way my personality is. I'm not going to jump out of the box of my personality to appease other people, never have been that way and I'm not going to be that way." - Chase Elliott on his approach of gaining new fans.

"Is it my favorite number? Yes, it is. Has it always been my favorite number? Yes, it has been. So, all those things are great. I'm very lucky and honored to carry the number that I've carried for a number of years before this year, so it's like getting back home to me from that sense, but no, I don't think it's going to make me go any faster or slower. I wish it did make us go faster. I would love that, but unfortunately numbers don't." - Chase Elliott on returning to the No. 9, the same number his father Bill ran during his NASCAR Hall of Fame career, beginning this season.

"Yeah, it's been, for me, behind the wheel it's really hard to tell what changes are when you are out there by yourself.  I think the changes will probably become more apparent, hopefully, when we get to say Atlanta (Motor Speedway) or get to some of the tracks that the changes are going to become important at. Out there making laps, it is so hard to tell. I think until we get into those situations and kind of get some races under our belt as not only an organization, but as a manufacturer as a whole to see exactly how we stack up, I think it will be tough to say until then." - Chase Elliott on his initial laps in the new Camaro ZL1 model.
"That's something about life, the only constant is change so for me I haven't really put much thought about getting in the 10 car and it being in somebody's else's car. When I get in the car, the only thing I see is the windshield and 39 other drivers that I've beaten or want to beat. So for me, I've driven the sport's most iconic car for the last six years so if you want to talk about it from that aspect, there's been more pressure driving that (Richard) Petty blue 43 car than I think I'll ever have driving a black-and-white 10 car, so I haven't really put that much thought into it." - Aric Almirola on replacing Danica Patrick in the No. 10 entry for Stewart-Haas Racing.

"We are all at zero points again right now, so the goal remains the same and the pressure is going to be there but definitely optimistic. I feel like we are in a good place and hopefully we can be competitive for years to come." - Martin Truex Jr. on coming into the 2018 season as the defending Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion.
"I mean I think it's circumstantial. I think in life in general you can't let people run over you and let them get away with it otherwise they are just going to keep doing it. I think that is just a part of life. If you let somebody control you too much they are probably going to take advantage of you as it goes on and that happens in work places every day. It happens in racing. I'm sure it happens in football, baseball, basketball, the whole deal." - Chase Elliott on choosing his battles on track.

"You see all their trophies in their trophy case and their championship trophies, it's very evident why. Just the attention to detail, the amount of people pulling in the same direction - it's incredible to see first-hand - so knowing I've had to race against that the last six years has been disheartening but I'm glad I get to be a part of it finally. I'm excited about 2018 and the opportunity to out there and perform at a high level." - Aric Almirola on his initial impressions on joining Stewart-Haas Racing in 2018 in the No. 10 car.- - -

Ryan Blaney informed NASCAR fans via Twitter on Monday that he is going to spend lunch with them in the grandstands at the start/finish line during the break. Texas Motor Speedway loved the idea so much of Blaney connecting with these passionate NASCAR fans that the speedway is planning to provide free pizza for everyone at that time. Fans can access the grandstands for the test through Gate 4, which also has ample parking in front. The event is free to the public.

"I think it's really cool that fans come out for test sessions and you know, to go out of their way during the week, when most of them are working," Blaney said. "Whether they take off work or call in sick or whatever and come watch us for a couple of hours, that's really cool. I noticed that there were a lot of people here today so I said that I was just going to hang out up there for lunch tomorrow and meet some folks and sign some autographs or whatever they wanted, just trying to show some appreciation."

"Then (Texas Motor Speedway President) Eddie (Gossage) told me there's going to be pizza there so that's good, it works out for everybody. I get to eat pizza and the fans do too so that will be cool. I'm hoping we get a good amount of people there and hopefully they have a good time watching us and then hang out for about 45 minutes of so."

Notebook: Chase Elliott, an avid University of Georgia football fan, attended Monday night's College Football Playoff National Championship thriller in which his Bulldogs lost to SEC rival Alabama, 26-23, in overtime at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. "Yeah, it was a great experience," Elliott said despite the outcome. "As a long-time Georgia fan, I haven't had a ton to cheer for since probably early 2000. A few high spots here and there, but I think that is something that is great about being loyal to a team you are not always going to have your day, as Corey Smith says in his song. But I think that you stick with them long enough and you trust in the process that they are doing and it makes you proud to be a fan when they do have their day. I believe they will some time. I'm excited to keep watching. It's not going to run me off from pulling for them again next year." . . . Ryan Blaney, who grew out his hair and mustache throughout the 2017 season, will have a new look soon for 2018 besides moving from the Wood Brothers to Penske Racing. Blaney said that he plans cut his locks as well as shave his mustache on Friday. "I don't know man, I thought it looked good," Blaney said. "I went on a cruise and I had a mustache for a cruise, so I just decided to keep it and decided to keep it for this test too, but it will all get cleaned up Friday. I actually have an appointment to shave this and cut my hair off. That will definitely let me know that season is about here and you have to start looking like a professional and not a homeless person." . . . NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott was on hand at the test with his son, Chase.

2017 NXS Season Review - Justin Allgaier

via NASCAR.com

For the second straight year, Justin Allgaier, driver of the No. 7 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports, finished third in the NASCAR Xfinity Series standings. Here is a look back on his season.

It took just four weeks into the season for Allgaier to find Victory Lane, accomplishing the feat at Phoenix Raceway. It was his first win since 2012. Also, Allgaier claimed the first $100,000 Dash 4 Cash bonus and earned a berth in the playoffs. A second-place finish at Richmond in late April awarded Allgaier his second Dash 4 Cash bonus in three races.

In September, it was a home state victory for Allgaier at Chicagoland Speedway. The win was momentum for the playoffs, which began a week later, as well as the first time he had won multiple races in a season.

An infraction found after Phoenix left Allgaier without crew chief Jason Burdett for the title race. But he had seven-time Cup Series champion crew chief Chad Knaus to help the team out. Allgaier finished 12th in the race and third in the championship hunt of the final four drivers.

Overall, Allgaier had one of his best seasons with a 13.0 average finish, 17 top 10s and 10 top-five finishes. He also led Xfinity Series regulars with 495 laps led.

2017 MENCS Season Review - Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

via NASCAR.com

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., driver of the No. 17 Ford for Roush Fenway Racing, finished 13th in the 2017 Monster Energy Series standings. Here are the highlights from his fifth full year at NASCAR's top level -- his best yet.

Four top-10 finishes in the 2017 season's first nine races gave us all an inkling that this might be a fantastic season for Stenhouse. But the pole at Talladega -- just the second of his career -- for the GEICO 500 really got everyone's attention.

Stenhouse converted the pole position into a trip to Victory Lane at Talladega. Although he only led the first 13 laps and the last one, it was enough for Stenhouse's first Monster Energy Series victory.

Stenhouse added his personality and expertise to the Fox Sports analysis during the NASCAR XFINITY Series Pocono Green 250 in June as drivers took over the race's broadcast. Stenhouse served as a pit road reporter, as did Ryan Blaney and Erik Jones.

Stenhouse claimed his second career Cup Series victory at the circuit's other superspeedway, Daytona. This time his race-winning pass came in overtime, surging past David Ragan for the win.

On the strength of two superspeedway wins, Stenhouse joined the Monster Energy Series Playoffs for the first time in his career. He finished the season 13th in the standings and ended the season with three top-12 finishes in his last four races following his Round of 12 elimination.

Danica Patrick and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. end their 5-year relationship

Associated Press

Danica Patrick and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. have ended their nearly five-year relationship.

A spokeswoman for Patrick confirmed to The Associated Press on Monday that the race car drivers "are no longer in a relationship."

Patrick didn't attend the season-ending awards ceremony last month in Las Vegas with Stenhouse, who was honored for making NASCAR's playoffs in 2017. That led to speculation about the status of the most prolific couple in motorsports.

Patrick and Stenhouse announced they were dating in early 2013. She is retiring as a full-time driver and hopes to end her career next year by racing in both the Daytona 500 and the Indianapolis 500. It's an outgoing celebration she has dubbed the "Danica Double."

Field set for 'The Clash' at Daytona

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – NASCAR fans get a double-dose of racing action to open the 2018 season on Sunday, February 11, with The Advance Auto Parts Clash at Daytona International Speedway capping a day that starts with Coors Light Pole Award qualifying for the 60th Annual Daytona 500.

A star-studded lineup of elite drivers will battle in the 75-lap event which airs live on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio at 3 pm ET. The annual preseason race will be run in two segments, with a competition caution at lap 25 separating the segments.

"A double-header, featuring The Clash and Daytona 500 qualifying, is a great way to start the 2018 season," said Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer. "The urgency created by the non-points race sets a tone for the season, providing a strong preview of the competition we expect will be a mainstay all year long."

"For four decades, the Advance Auto Parts Clash has been a staple of the Speedweeks lineup," Daytona International Speedway President Chip Wile said. "The event has a rich history and serves as a preview to the Can-Am Duel qualifying races and the DAYTONA 500. Combining the Advance Auto Parts Clash and DAYTONA 500 Qualifying on the same day will deliver race fans a full day of NASCAR action."

Consistent with the eligibility criteria used to determine last year’s Clash field, there is no pre-determined number of cars. The exclusive field is limited to drivers who were 2017 Coors Light Pole Award winners, former Clash race winners, former Daytona 500 pole winners who competed full-time in 2017 and drivers who qualified for the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.

Eligible drivers are: 

2017 Coors Light Pole Award winners (14)

·        Ryan Blaney, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chase Elliott, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Erik Jones, Matt Kenseth, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Martin Truex Jr.

Former Daytona 500 Coors Light Pole Award Winners (3)

·        Austin Dillon, Jimmie Johnson, Danica Patrick

2017 Playoff Drivers (3)

·        Kasey Kahne, Jamie McMurray, Ryan Newman

Peltier wins Snowball Derby pole

Preston Peltier turned a lap of 16.319 seconds which edged Bubba Pollard for the top spot during time trials on Friday for the 50th Annual Snowball Derby at Five Flags Speedway.

“I wasn’t expecting to get the pole, but this is easily the best car I’ve had,” said the 40-year-old Peltier, whose best Derby finish was a seventh in 2015. “We’ve only had the car for four weeks.”

The field for Sunday’s 300-lap race will total 37 cars. The top 30 drivers from Friday’s time trials punched their tickets, three earned their way in on the strength of provisionals, leaving four available positions to be determined in this afternoon’s last-chance race.

NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch, who arrived in Pensacola on Friday, qualified 15th on Friday and was visibly frustrated with his No. 51.

In addition to Busch, defending Derby champion Christian Eckes, 17, qualified with a lap of 16.660 seconds, which was not good enough to make the field.

However, Eckes utilized his past champion’s provisional to guarantee himself a shot at becoming the first repeat winner since Cup driver Erik Jones completed the feat in 2012-2013.

Bubba Pollard, a longtime fan favorite at the famed half-mile asphalt oval, will start outside of Peltier on the front row after his fast lap of 16.344 seconds. The 30 year old from Senoia, Georgia, has 100 late model wins in his decorated career, but has never hoisted the Tom Dawson trophy.