The Chase is finally here and Fan4Racing went behind the scenes at Chicagoland – huge thanks to NASCAR.
It all starts here…my all-access pass for the first race of the Chase.
To kick-off the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, the Sweet Sixteen teams went to the Windy City to celebrate the beginning of a ten-race playoff that will crown their 2014 champion at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November.
Joey Logano answers questions from the media on the Chase Media Day Photo – Fan4Racing
Chase Media Day on Thursday, gave those who write about NASCAR, their first chance to interview the top-sixteen drivers qualifying to compete for the Sprint Cup title. For Fan4Racing, the first driver interviewed was Joey Logano, ranked sixth with the reseeding for the Chase.
Here are a few quotes from some past Sprint Cup champion interviews from the Chase Media Day:
Brad Keselowski – 2012 Champion:
“The Contender bracket – That one scares the sh*t out of me,” said Keselowski. “Kansas and Talladega are just two tracks where… they’ve been wreckfests the last two years. and the only way you can really feel comfortable with that bracket is if you can go to Charlotte and win the race. I think that bracket is going to break some hearts.”
Jimmie Johnson – Six-Time Champion:
“I think certain tracks promote an upset,” said Johnson. “But once we get into this thing and it gets clicking along, I think there will be a couple that will separate themselves and can find their way through the grid right through to Homestead.”
Jeff Gordon – Four-Time Champion:
“I think consistency is still going to pay off certainly,in the first couple segments” said Gordon. “What it’s going to take to move on to Homestead is a little bit different than what it’s going to take to move from the first one to the second or the second one to the third one. I don’t think any of us have a strategy or a formula that’s perfect, it’s going to be push hard, race hard every week, race to win every weekend, but be smart. I really don’t see our strategy changing a whole lot.”
After all sixteen driver interviews were complete, the next event was the NASCAR Chase Grid Live with all the Chase contenders arriving on Chicago’s famous double decker tour bus.
And now, it’s on to the first race of the Chase at Chicagoland Speedway on Sunday, September 14. With the Media Center serving as homebase, Fan4Racing went behind the scenes at the track beginning with a two-lap ride in the pace car with Brett Bodine all the way to Victory Lane with Brad Keselowski and Team Penske – the first Ford Team to ever win a Sprint Cup race at Chicagoland.
Let’s start with the Pace Car Ride with Brett Bodine and cruising through the Sprint Cup Series garage and pit road on race day.
Then it was down the Red Carpet to the Driver’s Meeting. One of the highlights was spending a couple moments chatting with Chicagoland’s Racing Hero and one of NASCAR’s Hall of Fame 2015 inductees, Fred Lorenzen. But there were a few other sightings as well.
Getting closer to the start of the highly anticipated first race of the Chase, the next activity is Driver Introductions and Fan4Racing was back stage.
And now it’s time for the MyAFibStory.com 400 to start the Chase for the Sprint Cup.
This video and photos taken during the race are by a friend, Casey Simpson and was taken during the race from behind Pit Road. It’s a pit stop by the No. 88 pit crew.
After the race it’s off to Victory Lane to celebrate Brad Keselowski’s win and the first to advance to the Contender’s Round of the Chase for the Sprint Cup.
Just outside the Media Center is a tribute to a fallen Chicago Policeman Herman Stallworth.
Overall the behind the scenes experience was fantastic! Look for more insights with Media Day interviews with the Sweet Sixteen and post race interviews from the Media Center from Kyle Larson, Jeff Gordon, race winner Brad Keselowski and Roger Penske.
And now it’s on to the next race of the Chase at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
*This post was submitted by a NASCAR sponsored program