NASCAR Atlanta Motor Speedway

189 posts

JJ Yeley Joins AM Racing for Daytona Truck Series Opener

Photo – Rey Del Rio/Getty Images

Officials from AM Racing (@AMRacingNASCAR) announced today that NASCAR veteran driver JJ Yeley will pilot the team’s No. 22 Toyota Tundra for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) season-opening NextEra Energy Resources 250 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway on Friday night, February 24th.
Yeley, a native of Phoenix, Ariz. will make his 23rd career NCWTS start and first since last March’s race at Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway. In Yeley’s previous 22 starts, the two-time USAC Sprint Car champion has one start at the “World Center of Racing” in 2010 resulting in tenth place finish.

The partnership for now is a one-race agreement with industry veteran Rick Ren serving as crew chief.

Yeley’s efforts will be backed by Legrand and Superior Essex. Continue reading

Dale Jr Surprisingly Excited about Phoenix Testing

Monster Energy NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. (L) laughs with crew members in the garage during NASCAR testing at Phoenix International Raceway on January 31, 2017 in Avondale, Arizona.
Photo – Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images

Last Tuesday, Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers headed west to Phoenix International Raceway for testing. Among the teams showing up was Dale Earnhardt Jr, driver of the No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports.

This was Earnhardt’s first time behind the wheel of his race car since taking time off for concussion-like symptoms that sidelined him late last season. So test day at Phoenix was, perhaps no so surprisingly, exciting from that perspective and his team was happy to have him back in the No. 88. Continue reading

Stock Car Racing’s ‘Nice Guy Champion,’ Emmy-Winning Broadcaster Benny Parsons Enters NASCAR Hall of Fame

1973: Benny Parsons inside his L. G. DeWitt-owned Chevrolet at a NASCAR Cup race. Parsons finished in the top-ten in 21 of 28 races and won the Volunteer 500 at the Bristol (TN) Motor Speedway on his way to winning the NASCAR Cup championship.
Photo by ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images

A single word defined the late Benny Parsons: Beloved.

It mattered not whether you were fellow competitor, race fan or television viewer. Parsons was more than just a top premier series driver or broadcaster.

To race with him – or just to meet him – Parsons had the aura of being the best friend you wished you had.

Parsons became the NASCAR premier series champion in 1973. He won 21 times, a resume that included the 1975 Daytona 500.

“Benny didn’t win a lot of races – some thought he wasn’t ruthless enough – but few drivers won more friends and fans,” wrote Larry Woody in a 2014 Racin’ Today story.

“Ten minutes and you bonded with him,” said Rick Hendrick, whose Chevrolets Parsons drove in 1987.

Parsons, who died in 2007 at age 65, will be inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina on Friday (8 p.m. ET on NBCSN). His fellow inductees among the Class of 2017 include Hendrick, Richard Childress, Mark Martin and Raymond Parks. Continue reading