Tag Archives: NASCAR Hall of Fame

Busch, Patrick Look Forward to Ford Power

Posted on by

January 24 2017: during the Charlotte Motor Speedway Media Tour at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C. .
Photo – HHP/Andrew Coppley

Stewart-Haas Racing drivers Kurt Busch and Danica Patrick discussed their team’s move from Chevrolet to Ford during the 35th Annual NASCAR Media Tour hosted by Charlotte Motor Speedway on Tuesday at the Charlotte Convention Center.

Busch, who won Ford’s most recent Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship while with Roush Fenway Racing in 2004, drove Dodges for Team Penske from 2006-’11. Busch piloted Chevrolets for Phoenix Racing, Furniture Row Racing and Stewart-Haas prior to his return to Ford, the manufacturer with whom he entered the series in 2000.

“It is a special homecoming feeling to head back to work with Ford and to have them (work) with our power and bodies at Stewart-Haas Racing,” Busch said. “It really feels neat to come back to a place where I’ve seen the faces before and the structure has been polished. There’s more depth with Ford Performance. The whole gang is ready and willing to help in all areas and directions.”

Patrick has driven Chevrolets since she debuted in NASCAR’s top series in 2012. SHR’s manufacturer switch, Patrick said, should benefit her team.

“The goal is to do better all the time,” said Patrick, who finished 24th in points in 2015 and ‘16. “Hopefully some of the things that have changed within our team, the big one being changing over to Ford, will open up some opportunities and possibilities and just pure potential for the team and we can improve. Hopefully there’s more room to improve now.

“That’s exciting to me. I’m optimistic and hopefully it will be something that makes a difference.”

Charlotte Motor Speedway

William Byron Ready to Take on XFINITY Series

Posted on by

January 24 2017: during the Charlotte Motor Speedway Media Tour at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C.
Photo – HHP/Andrew Coppley

Tuesday afternoon’s portion of the 35th Annual NASCAR Media Tour hosted by Charlotte Motor Speedway kicked off with JR Motorsports driver and NASCAR XFINITY Series rookie William Byron. The Charlotte, North Carolina, native won seven Camping World Truck Series last year and led the field for 22 percent of all the laps he ran in 2016, justifying his progression to the XFINITY Series. Continue reading →

Drivers Sound Off on Format Enhancements

Posted on by

January 24 2017: during the Charlotte Motor Speedway Media Tour at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C.
Photo – HHP/Jim Fluharty

Tuesday morning’s portion of the 35th Annual NASCAR Media Tour hosted by Charlotte Motor Speedway saw four Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers discuss the three-stage race format enhancements announced on Monday.

Seven-time and defending series champion Jimmie Johnson and Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott believe the three-stage format will make each race more dramatic for drivers, teams and fans. Continue reading →

NASCAR Hall of Fame Enshrines Distinguished Class of 2017

Posted on by

CHARLOTTE, NC – JANUARY 20: The living members of the NASCAR Hall of Fame gather as a group at the conclusion of the 2017 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at NASCAR Hall of Fame on January 20, 2017 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Photo by Mike Comer/Getty Images

The enshrinement of three car owners of paramount importance to stock car racing, a driver who proved a prolific winner in NASCAR’s top-two series and a former Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion who would become one of the most beloved storytellers in the history of the sport highlighted Friday night’s induction of the Class of 2017 into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

Not only did the emotional proceedings usher one of NASCAR’s first car owners, Raymond Parks, into the Hall. Also recognized were the ongoing accomplishments of two owners – Richard Childress and Rick Hendrick – whose efforts have helped to produce a pair of seven-time champions.

Friday night also brought the induction of driver Mark Martin, who won 40 races in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, another 49 in the NASCAR XFINITY Series and who finished second in the championship standings at NASCAR’s highest level no less than five times. Continue reading →

From Small Beginnings, Rick Hendrick Reached Pinnacle of Success in Business and NASCAR

Posted on by

HOMESTEAD, FL – NOVEMBER 17: Jimmie Johnson (C), driver of the #48 Lowe’s/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet, poses with team owner Rick Hendrick (L) and crew chief Chad Knaus (R) in Champions Victory Lane with their six trophies after the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 17, 2013 in Homestead, Florida. Photo – Robert Laberge/Getty Images

It’s said reaching the top is the easy part; staying there is more difficult.

For Rick Hendrick, the climb up the mountain required a decade of hard work culminating in Hendrick Motorsports capturing its first NASCAR premier series championship in 1995.

Two decades later, Hendrick’s Chevrolet team remains stock car racing’s platinum standard: a record 12 NASCAR premier series titles – including Jimmie Johnson’s record-matching seventh crown in 2016 – and 245 victories with 16 different drivers.

“It just seems like yesterday we didn’t think we’d even make it through our first year (1984) and now we’ve won 12 of these things, and it’s hard to do,” said Hendrick following Johnson’s title-winning victory last November at Homestead-Miami Speedway in south Florida.

The 67-year-old Hendrick will reach yet another career milestone on Friday when he’s inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame (8 p.m. ET on NBCSN). The Class of 2017 includes fellow team owner Richard Childress, former Hendrick Motorsports drivers Mark Martin and Benny Parsons and pioneer car owner Raymond Parks. Continue reading →