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Prior to the beginning of last year’s season, Stewart-Haas Racing knocked the NASCAR industry on its rear end when they announced their switch from Chevrolet to Ford for the 2017 season. With the ongoing and never-ending discussions of whether and perhaps when Dodge will return to the sport – the real question becomes where would they fit in?
The answer could be a ‘mic drop’ type bombshell when and if it happens.
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NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O’Donnell responded to Brad Keselowski’s Saturday comments following a wreck at Kentucky Speedway, saying he was “a little disappointed” in the remarks from the 2012 series champion.
Keselowski, after a wreck that ended his night early, told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio he was “frustrated” after his early exit.
“I am probably as much frustrated with myself as I am frustrated with the situation and frustrated with the sport that we can’t design a better car than this that you can race without having to do everything on the restart,” he said at the time. “That is all part of it I guess. It is where we are right now.”
“I was a little disappointed in the comment for sure,” O’Donnell told hosts Mike Bagley and Pete Pistone. “Brad’s a leader in our sport. I understand it was heat of the moment, but definitely disappointing to see that.”
The Generation-6 stock car was introduced for the 2013 season, with key improvements from its predecessor in the way of brand identity, safety enhancements and total weight.
NASCAR has experimented with different rules packages since the introduction in an effort to produce the best side-by-side racing. Currently, the 2017 rules package focuses on a further reduction of downforce (namely a smaller spoiler) and additional safety enhancements.
“My immediate (feedback) is Brad Keselowski had input on this rules package,” O’Donnell said. “I think he was frustrated, he had a tough night. The cars are supposed to be hard to drive. These are the best drivers in the world.
“I chalk that up with frustration, heat of the moment. But, yeah, we always work on improve the racing. We are working, as we always do, with the industry to put together what could be that future car, but that’s down the road. That’s years in the making.”
Later, Keselowski backed off his initial statements, sending a message on social media following Saturday’s race.
I lost “Truth and Grace” after wrecking out today so I wrote a Follow up on my post wreck comments- pic.twitter.com/LmORJArdjp
— Brad Keselowski (@keselowski) July 9, 2017
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series teams are revving up for their longest race of the season in the Coca Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 28th at 6 pm ET. Television coverage is on FOX at 5:30 pm ET with radio coverage on PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Fourth Stage Implemented for Coca-Cola 600
Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway will feature a fourth stage. Each stage will last 100 laps. Stage 1 will end on lap 100, Stage 2 on lap 200, Stage 3 on lap 300 and Stage 4 on lap 400. Continue reading
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NASCAR today announced the 2018 schedule for all three of its national series, and the lineup includes an array of changes to the tracks that make up the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.
NASCAR will add a second short track to the playoff slate, as the 0.75-mile Richmond International Raceway hosts the second playoff race for the first time. In a surprising twist, Charlotte Motor Speedway serves as the first cutoff race, but it won’t be the 1.5-mile layout. For the first time, NASCAR will run on the Charlotte road course oval – a.k.a. the roval – marking the first time the playoffs will see a road-course layout among its ten races. Continue reading
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More Moments, More Excitement Set for a Crown Jewel of NASCAR
NASCAR today announced the addition of a fourth stage to the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, an update that will provide fans with yet another opportunity for a memorable moment in a season already filled with them. The four stages in the 400-lap race will be uniformly set at 100 laps apiece.
The Coca-Cola 600 has a storied legacy of history-making moments, from career-first victories for the likes of David Pearson and Jeff Gordon, to record-setting runs like Martin Truex Jr.’s breathtaking performance in last year’s edition. Continue reading