Tag Archives: Daytona 500

Bristol Brings Back Positive Vibes for Montoya

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Photo – IndyCar Media

Juan Pablo Montoya got a warm welcome on his return to Bristol Motor Speedway, even if it was just to announce his sponsor for the upcoming Indianapolis 500.

Montoya will compete for Team Penske in the May spectacle with Fitzgerald Glider Kits as his sponsor, the same company that holds the entitlement for Saturday’s NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Bristol.

But when asked about his first trio around BMS in a stock car, Montoya waxed nostalgic.

“I love this place,” Montoya told the NASCAR Wire Service. “Because for me, the biggest problem I had with a stock car was it had no grip.  Here, with the banking, it made up a lot of grip. I always ran really well here. This was a fun place for me.”

Asked whether the relationship with Penske and Fitzgerald Glider Kits might lead to a return to NASCAR racing in a one-off situation, Montoya shrugged and smiled.

“I don’t know,” he said. “They tell me go here, I go there. I mean they say, ‘Jump,’ I say ‘How high?’”

In general, however, Montoya thinks cross-pollination between racing series is a good thing. In the Indy 500 he’ll compete against Fernando Alonso, a rival in Formula One from 2001 through 2006.

“I think it would be nice for motorsports to do a little more of that, because it’s just going to create a little more interest overall,” said Montoya, who doesn’t have a full-time IndyCar ride this season. “It is something that it would be nice to see all motorsports to be able to see top drivers jump from one to the other just for one race.

“I was lucky enough to be in all the top series in the world, and being able to win in all of them and everything. I’ve been very blessed in that point of view.”

Montoya, however, wasn’t immune from some good-natured ribbing that also recalled his NASCAR days. Fitzgerald Glider Kits founder Tom Fitzgerald Sr. introduced Montoya as “Mr. Jet Dryer,” a reference to the driver’s fiery collision with track-drying equipment under caution during the 2012 Daytona 500.

“I wasn’t going to do that,” quipped Fitzgerald, “but I couldn’t resist.”

Kyle Busch: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

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Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 Interstate Batteries Toyota, signs autographs for fans ahead of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on April 9, 2017 in Fort Worth, Texas. Photo – Sean Gardner/Getty Images

When it comes to having a high-profile, ultra competitive driver like Kyle Busch in the sport, fans can expect to have a variety of headlines focused on the individual.  NASCAR fans have seen the younger Busch brother grow from a highly sought after teenage hot shoe through an adored underdog.  Two years ago, fans watched his comeback from an injury resulting in the 2015 Monster Energy NASCAR championship and then mature to a veteran industry leader, spokesman, and father.

Along the way, fans have glimpsed three very different personalities of the complex young man known as ‘Rowdy.’ Continue reading →

‘FORD’-ging Ahead

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Photo – Getty Images

Early last year without so much as a whisper of rumor or comment, Ford and Stewart Haas Racing dropped a bombshell announcing they were partnering together for the 2017 season.  This left most race fans and those within the NASCAR community wondering what kind of impact that was going to have on their sport.  The first seven races of the season have shown positive signs of moving ahead in the right direction. Continue reading →

A.J. Foyt Honored with Spirit of Ford Award

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Edsel B. Ford II presents A.J. Foyt with the Spirit of Ford Award. Photo – Courtesy of Ford Motor Company

A.J. Foyt, one of the most legendary American drivers in history, was presented with the prestigious Spirit of Ford Award in a ceremony at the Road Racing Driver’s Club dinner last evening.

The Spirit of Ford Award is Ford Motor Company’s highest honor in auto racing, recognizing lifetime achievement and contribution to the industry both on and off the race track. Foyt becomes the 26th recipient, joining an international list of honorees from all forms of racing and racing media. Continue reading →

Red-hot Kyle Larson Goes for Second Consecutive Win

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Kyle Larson, driver of the #42 Target Chevrolet, applies the winners sticker in victory lane with his son, Owen, after winning the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway on March 26, 2017 in Fontana, California. Photo – Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images

…and Fifth straight top-two finish at Martinsville

After running out of gas with the lead on the final lap of the Daytona 500 and finishing runner-up in the three subsequent races, Kyle Larson finally got his first win of the season.

The No. 42 Chevrolet driver led a race-high 110 laps on his way to Victory Lane in last Sunday’s Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California. Continue reading →