Archive for April, 2018

BLANEY WINS AT TEXAS!

Posted on: April 9th, 2018
Location: post

THIRD CONSECUTIVE XFINITY WIN FOR TEAM PENSKE

FORT WORTH, TX, April 9, 2018 – Ryan Blaney took the No. 22 Team Penske Ford Mustang to Victory Lane on Saturday, winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series My Bariatric Solutions 300 at Texas Motor Speedway. Blaney won for the first time at Texas, making it three in a row for “The Captain” (Roger Penske) and Team Penske, following teammates Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano’s victories at ISM Raceway (Phoenix) and Auto Club Speedway (Fontana).

“It was just a really fast race car,” Blaney remarked in Victory Lane. “That is three in a row for this team with three different drivers. That says a lot about Brian’s (Wilson) work that he has done and the whole team to bring fast race cars to the tracks lately. Hopefully we can keep this up. It was definitely a fun day.”

“Congratulations to Ryan, Roger, Ford Performance, and to everyone at Team Penske,” said Doug Yates, President and CEO of Roush Yates Engines. “Sweeping the poles on Friday and Saturday was a great start to the weekend in Texas, marking our 100th Xfinity pole. Ryan drove an impressive race on Saturday to win the third consecutive Xfinity race for Team Penske. The entire Ford Performance program has started off strong this year and Roush Yates (Engines) is honored to be a part of this winning organization.”

After two rain delay qualifying sessions between NXS and Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS), it was the Ford teams that swept the pole positions in both series. Blaney secured the NXS pole, while Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kurt Busch took the pole position in the MENCS.

Starting the NXS race from the pole, the No. 22 dominated Stage 1 with the power of the Ford FR9 Carb engine to lead all 45 laps. Blaney went on to lead a race day high 132 laps (198 miles) and win by an impressive margin of 2.327 seconds over No. 20 Christopher Bell. This was Blaney’s seventh NXS career win.

Three Ford Mustangs finished in the top-10, following Blaney was the No. 00 Cole Custer in fourth and Team Penske teammate Austin Cindric No.12 in ninth. In addition, Custer qualified for the Dash 4 Cash program ($100,000 event) at Bristol Motor Speedway (April 14th).

“It is pretty amazing,” commented Custer. “To be able to compete, it is a really awesome thing that Xfinity does for the series. You get to race hard and race for a lot of money. We are going to get after it. It will be fun to go to Bristol. We have been good there in the past and I am looking forward to going there and try to win $100,000 for our team. That would be pretty awesome.”
In a hard fought MENCS race Sunday, five Ford’s finished in the top-10; Kevin Harvick P2 (Stage 1 winner), Blaney P5, Logano P6, Busch P7 and Clint Bowyer P9.
The Ford Performance teams will build on this momentum heading into Bristol this weekend.

*Pictures courtesy of NASCAR Media

TALLADEGA | FORD and RESTRICTOR PLATE TRACKS

Posted on: April 27th, 2018
Location: post

MOORESVILLE, NC, April 27, 2018 – Ford has been the King of the Restrictor Plate Tracks in recent years and comes into this weekend’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series event having won five straight and six of the last seven races run at Talladega Superspeedway. Overall, Ford has won 16 of the last 29 races at Daytona and Talladega, including its first sweep of the four events in the 2017 season. Here’s a closer look at some of those results through the years.

 

 FORD IN THE MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES AT TALLADEGA

  • Ford has 26 all-time series wins at Talladega, including 8 of the last 11.
  • Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, David Ragan, Kevin Harvick and Clint Bowyer all have series wins at Talladega.
  • NASCAR Hall of Famer Bud Moore helped Buddy Baker win three straight series races (1975-76), becoming the first to do that in Talladega history.

 FORD IN THE NASCAR XFINITY SERIES AT TALLADEGA

  • Ford has 6 series wins at Talladega
  • The first Ford victory in the series was by Chad Little, who currently works for NASCAR, in 1995.
  • Mark Martin, David Ragan and Joey Logano have MENCS and NXS wins at Talladega with Ford.

FORD LEADS THE RESTRICTOR PLATE PACK

Even though Ford saw its seven-race restrictor plate winning streak come to an end in the Daytona 500, a race in which Aric Almirola was half-a-lap away from victory, no manufacturer has dominated the restrictor plate tracks of Daytona and Talladega in recent years more than Ford.

  • The Blue Oval has won 16 of the last 29 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series events at Daytona and Talladega combined.
  • Ford is coming off its first restrictor plate season sweep after winning all four events in 2017.
  • Ford has won five straight MENCS events at Talladega.
  • In addition, Ford has won six of the last seven and eight of the last 11 at the track.
  • Eight different drivers have taken a Fusion to Victory Lane since 2011 and here is the complete list:

DATE – DRIVER (RACE)

  • Feb. 20, 2011 – Trevor Bayne (Daytona 500, Daytona International Speedway)
  • July 2, 2011 – David Ragan (Coke Zero 400, Daytona International Speedway)
  • Feb. 27, 2012 – Matt Kenseth (Daytona 500, Daytona International Speedway)
  • Oct. 7, 2012 – Matt Kenseth (Good Sam 500, Talladega Superspeedway)
  • May 5, 2013 – David Ragan (Aaron’s 399, Talladega Superspeedway)
  • July 6, 2014 – Aric Almirola (Coke Zero 400, Daytona International Speedway)
  • Oct. 19, 2014 – Brad Keselowski (Geico 500, Talladega Superspeedway)
  • Feb. 22, 2015 – Joey Logano (Daytona 500, Daytona International Speedway)
  • Oct. 25, 2015 – Joey Logano (CampingWorld.com 500, Talladega Superspeedway)
  • May 1, 2016 – Brad Keselowski (Geico 500, Talladega Superspeedway)
  • July 2, 2016 – Brad Keselowski (Coke Zero 400, Daytona International Speedway)
  • Oct. 23, 2016 – Joey Logano (Hellman’s 500, Talladega Superspeedway)
  • Feb. 26, 2017 – Kurt Busch (Daytona 500, Daytona International Speedway)
  • May 7, 2017 – Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (Geico 500, Talladega Superspeedway)
  • July 1, 2017 – Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (Coke Zero 400, Daytona International Speedway)
  • Oct. 15, 2017 – Brad Keselowski (Alabama 500, Talladega Superspeedway)

TEAM PENSKE ROLLING AT TALLADEGA

Team Penske drivers Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski have combined to win 5 of the last 7 MENCS races at Talladega Superspeedway with Keselowski winning three times and Logano twice.  Keselowski won the Playoff race last Fall, making him the winningest active driver at the track with five while Logano won in back-to-back seasons (2015-16).

STENHOUSE WINS FIRST CUP RACE

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. passed Kyle Busch on the final lap and to win the first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race of his career and give Ford a sweep of this event weekend at Talladega one year ago.  In a race that saw eight caution flags, including a red flag that lasted nearly 27 minutes after an 18-car accident, Stenhouse found himself on the outside of the front row with Busch for an overtime restart. Busch jumped out to the lead, but Stenhouse got a run and then used that momentum to dart to the inside and make the decisive pass. The win capped off a weekend that saw Stenhouse win the pole and Ford capture both races after Aric Almirola won the NASCAR XFINITY Series race on Saturday.

WINNING IN THE CLUTCH

Needing a win to advance in the Playoffs, Brad Keselowski did exactly that in winning the Geico 500 on Oct. 19, 2014. The win was Keselowski’s sixth of the season, most for any driver in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season and enabled him to move into the next round. Keselowski got a push from Penske teammate Joey Logano on the final green-white-checker restart and held off Matt Kenseth for the win.

ROUND OF 12 SWEEP

Joey Logano made history in 2015 when he came to Talladega Superspeedway and completed a three-race Round of 12 sweep by surviving a green-white-checker finish to win the CampingWorld.com 500. Logano became the first driver to sweep an entire round in only the second year of the format and won for the sixth time in 2015. In order to do it, he had to survive an aborted green-white-checker restart and then the official restart after it was determined by NASCAR that the original attempt had not gone green before an accident back in the pack occurred. The cars lined up again and shortly after Logano passed the start-finish line, a multi-car wrecked ensued that involved Kevin Harvick, who was having engine issues which brought the caution out and gave Logano the win.

 BAKER PROVIDES MOORE SUCCESS

The first time Ford went to victory lane at Talladega Superspeedway was May 4, 1975 when Buddy Baker, driving for Hall of Fame car owner Bud Moore, held off David Pearson on the final lap. The win was Baker’s ninth career victory and came after he took the lead with 18 laps to go. One of the key decisions in getting Baker to the checkered flag first came when his team opted for two tires on its final pit stop of the day while Pearson and the Wood Brothers decided on gas only.  Even though Pearson steadily gained ground on the final lap, Baker was able to hold on by half a car length to win. That started a streak which saw Baker and Moore win three straight Talladega races.

DAVEY ALLISON’S FIRST WIN

Ford has had many milestone moments at Talladega Superspeedway, including the first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series win for the late Davey Allison, who won the Winston 500 on May 3, 1987. The race came down to a restart with 10 laps to go in which Allison found himself behind Dale Earnhardt in the outside lane. Earnhardt bolted to the lead when the green flew, and Allison tucked in right behind him through turns one and two.  As they came off the second corner, Allison went to the inside and easily passed Earnhardt for what proved to be the winning pass. Terry Labonte ended up finishing second with Earnhardt third.  Allison went on to win 19 NSCS races, including three at Talladega.

ROBERT YATES RACING’S FINAL WIN

When Dale Jarrett won the UAW-Ford 500 on Oct. 2, 2005 it ended up being the final trip to victory lane for Robert Yates Racing. This race came down to a green-white-checker restart, where Jarrett was positioned fourth.  He was still in that spot when they came around to start the final lap, but quickly moved to the outside as Tony Stewart grabbed the lead on the inside lane. The two drivers battled side-by-side down the backstretch before Jarrett powered his way in front.  Seconds after getting the lead, Kyle Petty was involved in a single-car accident that brought out the caution as the cars entered turn three. Jarrett was declared the winner after NASCAR verified that he was in front at the time the yellow flag was thrown. The win was RYR’s 57th triumph in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and came six years after the team won its only championship with Jarrett in 1999.

DAVID RAGAN’S SURPRISE VICTORY

And then there was David Ragan, who became the 11th driver to win a NASCAR Nationwide and Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway when he took the checkered flag in the 2013 Aaron’s 499. The win was his second series victory and first for Front Row Motorsports, and it ended in typical Talladega fashion. As the cars came to the white flag it was Carl Edwards in the lead while Ragan was fifth and tucked in the middle lane behind Aric Almirola. When Almirola moved to the high side, it enabled Ragan and teammate David Gilliland to work together and push their way forward. The duo was behind Edwards off turn two, but they made their move to the inside on the backstretch and made what proved to be the decisive pass.

FORD’S MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP WINNERS AT TALLADEGA

  • 1975 – Buddy Baker*
  • 1976 – Buddy Baker (1)
  • 1979 – Bobby Allison (1)
  • 1983 – Dale Earnhardt (2)
  • 1985 – Bill Elliott and Cale Yarborough
  • 1987 – Davey Allison and Bill Elliott
  • 1989 – Davey Allison and Terry Labonte
  • 1992 – Davey Allison (1)
  • 1994 – Jimmy Spencer (2)
  • 1995 – Mark Martin (1)
  • 1997 – Mark Martin (1)
  • 1998 – Dale Jarrett (2)
  • 2005 – Dale Jarrett (2)
  • 2009 – Jamie McMurray (2)
  • 2012 – Matt Kenseth (2)
  • 2013 – David Ragan (1)
  • 2014 – Brad Keselowski (2)
  • 2015 – Joey Logano (2)
  • 2016 – Brad Keselowski (1)
  • 2016 – Joey Logano (2)
  • 2017 – Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (1) and Brad Keselowski (2)

*Denotes season sweep

 

*Content and images courtesy of Ford Performance

RYE MERCHANDISE

Posted on: April 27th, 2018
Location: post

New Roush Yates Engines’ merchandise has been delivered and is ready for you to check out at the RYE SHOP.

 

MATT KENSETH RETURNS TO ROUSH FENWAY RACING

Posted on: April 25th, 2018
Location: post

CONCORD, NC, April 25, 2018 – NASCAR champion Matt Kenseth will return home to the organization where he began his NASCAR career, piloting Roush Fenway Racing’s flagship No. 6 Ford Fusion. Kenseth will share the No. 6 ride with current driver Trevor Bayne for a part of the remaining 2018 season.

Kenseth will also have a new sponsor, with the team announcing a multi-year partnership with Wyndham Rewards®, the award-winning loyalty program of Wyndham Hotel Group, as a new primary sponsor on the No. 6.

“It’s a great feeling to return to where it all started for me in the Cup Series,” said Kenseth. “There aren’t many people who have been more influential in my racing career than Jack Roush and Mark Martin. For them to believe in me today means almost as much as it did when they believed in me the first time, 20 years ago. I’m excited to get to the shop, get back to work, and help Roush Fenway return to prominence in the NASCAR Cup Series.”

Kenseth piloted Jack Roush’s No. 17 Ford for 13 seasons and brought home the team’s first Cup championship in 2003 as well as its historic 300th victory with a 2012 Daytona 500 win. One of the most accomplished drivers of NASCAR’s modern era, Kenseth boasts 39 NASCAR Cup victories. He is one of only six drivers in the sport’s 75-year history to win a Cup Championship, the Cup Rookie of the Year Award and the Daytona 500 and Talladega 500.

“We are very pleased to welcome Matt back to Roush Fenway,” said team co-owner Jack Roush. “Matt is one of the guys who really put us on the map of the racing landscape. He’s one of the most talented drivers to ever sit inside a race car and his will to win, drive and determination have always embodied what we strive for as an organization.”

JACK ROUSH | NASCAR HALL OF FAME NOMINEE

Posted on: April 19th, 2018
Location: post

Racer – Champion – Pioneer

MOORESVILLE, NC, April 19, 2018 – Jack Roush’s two passions in life have always been racing and aviation. In a career that spans over 50 years, Roush has taken his two passions and turned them into the iconic American dream.
Roush the quintessential entrepreneur, champion race car owner, and pioneer of engineering services was born in the small town of Covington, Kentucky and grew up not far away in Manchester, Ohio. Earning a mathematics degree with a minor in physics from Berea College (he later received a master’s in scientific mathematics from Eastern Michigan University). Faced with a decision at graduation to work for Ford Motor Co. or Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, he decided to move to Dearborn, Michigan to work for Ford, where his legendary story began.
Ford and Roush have a long and successful relationship, spanning over 50 years. It was at Ford Motor Co. where Roush was first introduced to the Ford employee race team called “The Fastbacks”, known for their drag racing. Roush became even more passionate about racing and competition, taking his passion for racing one step further, in 1970, he partnered with Wayne Gapp in a racing venture that would see the duo win three national Pro Stock championships, one each in the NHRA, IHRA and AHRA Pro Stock drag racing series.

In the mid-1970’s, Roush decided to start his first engineering business and formed Jack Roush Performance Engineering in 1976. His reputation in the world of high-performance engine building kept him rooted in the sport of racing; producing engines for numerous teams throughout the early 80’s.

In 1984, Roush was asked by Ford to develop a car for the SCCA Trans-Am and IMSA Camel GT racing series. He took on this new opportunity and won the 1985 manufacturer’s championship for Lincoln-Mercury in addition to winning an unprecedented 119 races and 24 national championships between the two series.

Roush went onto launch his first NASCAR Cup team with driver Mark Martin (NASCAR Hall of Famer) in 1988. Roush and Martin claimed their first NASCAR Cup victory at North Carolina Motor Speedway in 1989, creating one of the sports’ most famed partnerships. Partnering with Fenway Sports Group (FSG), Roush transformed Roush Fenway Racing into one of the most successful teams in the history of professional sports, achieving 325 NASCAR wins and eight NASCAR championships to date.
Over the course of Roush’s 30-year career in NASCAR,19 different drivers have won races under his leadership; 2003 Cup Champion and two-time Daytona 500 winner Matt Kenseth, as well as 2004 Cup Champion, Kurt Busch and two-time NASCAR Champion Greg Biffle to name just a few.
In 2003, Roush joined forces with Robert Yates (NASCAR Hall of Famer) to form Roush Yates Engines. Roush Yates Engines, the exclusive NASCAR Cup and Xfinity engine builder, as well as IMSA and FIA series engine builder for Ford Performance. Designing, developing and manufacturing high-performance engines for the elite teams of Roush Fenway Racing, Team Penske, Wood Brothers, Stewart-Haas Racing, Front Row Motorsports, Go Fas Racing and Ford Chip Ganassi Racing.

“Happy Birthday and congratulations to one of my heroes, mentors and a great friend to our family on the NASCAR Hall of Fame nomination,” said Doug Yates, President and CEO of Roush Yates Engines. “Jack has been a champion and icon in the sport of racing for over 50 years, accomplishing achievements we can only hope to reach. It is my honor to be your partner and to call you my friend.”
For almost 50 years Roush has been committed to winning on and off the track. As a direct result of Roush’s hard work, drive and dedication he has turned his love of racing into 43 championships, more than 500 race wins in drag racing, sports car and stock car racing, 1,000 top-5 and over 2,000 top-10 finishes, while leading over 57,000 laps and turning well over a million miles.
As an advocate for the sport of auto racing, Roush advanced the safety of the cars. He brought together his knowledge of aviation and aerodynamics to determine how the changes to car designs in the 1990’s affected their aerodynamics and used this research to create the roof flaps which gave the cars more downforce to keep them on the ground in case of an accident. Roush is one of today’s professional sports’ premiere owners and champions for the sport of racing.

As a racer and champion, Jack Roush has taken his two passions, cars and aviation, and turned them into his life’s’ work. Creating six organizations; Roush Industries, Roush Performance, Roush Clean Tech, Roush Fenway Racing, Roush Assembly Solutions and Roush Yates Engines.

As chairman of the board of Roush Enterprises, Inc., which employs more than 4,000 people and operates facilities across North America, Europe and Asia, Roush has taken his winning record on the track and applied it to the boardroom to become one of the most successful automotive entrepreneurs of the modern era.

The NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2019 Voting is now open at https://www.nascar.com/halloffame

To learn more about Roush Fenway Raceway go to http://www.roushfenway.com

 

*Photography courtesy of ROUSH Automotive Collection & NASCAR Media

NEW FORD MUSTANG HEADED TO THE TRACK IN 2019

Posted on: April 17th, 2018
Location: post

MOORESVILLE, NC, April 17, 2018 – The Ford Mustang, the World’s Best-Selling Sports Coupe for third straight year will enter the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in 2019. The New Ford Mustang is ready to run.

“We’re combining America’s favorite sports car with America’s top stock car racing series,” said Mark Rushbrook, global director, Ford Performance Motorsports. “Mustang always has been about affordable performance, which can be traced to innovations we’ve made competing in racing, like NASCAR. Mustang is a perfect fit for our racing heritage today and tomorrow.”

Mustang has competed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series since 2011, winning championships in all but one season. It has taken Team Penske to four owner’s championships in the last five years and carried Ricky Stenhouse Jr. to consecutive driver’s championships in 2011 and 2012.

This will be Ford’s fourth different Cup model in NASCAR’s modern era (1972-present), following Thunderbird, Taurus and Fusion.

“This announcement makes me very happy,” said Edsel B. Ford II, a member of Ford Motor Company’s board of directors. “Mustang is a car that is woven into the fabric of our country, and it’s only right that we put it on the track in NASCAR’s most visible series. I can’t wait.” Ford has six organizations and 13 teams in its NASCAR lineup, including Roush Fenway Racing, Team Penske, Wood Brothers Racing, Stewart-Haas Racing, Front Row Motorsports and Go Fas Racing.

Mustang is still going through initial testing and will be formally submitted to NASCAR for approval this summer. A public unveiling of the finished product will soon follow. The first series points race for Mustang will be the Daytona 500 on Feb. 17, 2019. PONY UP!

*Story courtesy of Ford Performance

FORD CHIP GANASSI RACING EARNS DOUBLE PODIUM AT LONG BEACH

Posted on: April 16th, 2018
Location: post

LONG BEACH, CA, April 16, 2018 – Ford Chip Ganassi Racing battled to a double-podium finish on the streets of Long Beach at the BUBBA® burger Grand Prix this past Saturday.

The No. 67 and No. 66 Ford GTs finished p2-3 with drivers Ryan Briscoe and Dirk Müller in the drivers’ seats.

“It was just crazy,” Richard Westbrook, co-driver of the No. 67 said. “I hope everyone enjoyed watching it. As a driver, it was really difficult out there. It was such a shallow line and if you put one wheel six inches off your normal line, you were in bad shape. Lots of people hit the wall out there. There was just no grip off line. I think the conditions on the track helped us out a bit. We didn’t have the fastest car and we just kept our heads down, had a good pit stop and good strategy. We always fight to win but I’m delighted to get second.”

It was Westbrook and Briscoe’s second-consecutive second-place finish at the event.

In a dramatic last lap qualifying effort Friday, Joey Hand co-driver of the No.66 clocked a 1:16.869 lap, a new track record, to top the GTLM standings.

“I think the whole weekend went pretty good,” said Hand, who earned the pole on his last lap in qualifying. “To win the pole like that, that was one of my favorite qualifying sessions ever. We were quick. The (No. 66) crew did a great job tuning the car. We got hit from behind on lap one and that hurt us throughout the race, but we still had a pretty quick car. All in all, I think it was a good day for us. It was a good points day. We just have to keep collecting points. The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship series rewards consistency and that’s what we have to keep doing. Mid-Ohio (the next race on the schedule) is a track we really like and Dirk and I have done well there before, so we’ll move on and try to just keep collecting points.”

Briscoe/Westbrook continue to lead the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GT Le Mans standings with 95 points and FCGR teammates Hand/Müller are in third with 84 points. Ford (97 points) leads all manufactures by 4 points.

The Ford GTs and Ford Mustang GT4 head to Mid-Ohio on May 4-6, for the first running of Mid-Ohio SportsCar Showdown.

14 CHAMPIONSHIPS – 324 WINS – 287 POLES!

 

*Photos courtesy of Ford Performance

FORD GTs ARE READY FOR LONG BEACH STREET CIRCUIT RACE

Posted on: April 13th, 2018
Location: post

MOORESVILLE, NC, April 13, 2018 – When it comes to street racing there’s no place better than Long Beach, California. The narrow city streets, tight curves and close door to door racing offers a radically different race than any other on the IMSA road race schedule.

“Anything can happen at Long Beach,” Ryan Briscoe, co-driver of the No. 67 said. “Strategy is just as important as running clean. That’s something we can count on. Our crew chief has always thought out all of our options, so it’s up to us to race smart and bring it home in one piece.”

The Ford Chip Ganassi Racing (FCGR) teams will strap into the Ford GTs for the third IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship race of the season on Saturday. Looking for the teams second podium finish at Long Beach in two years, co-drivers Joey Hand and Dirk Müller will pilot the No. 66, while FCGR teammates and points leaders Briscoe and Richard Westbrook in the No. 67 Ford GT will line up for practice and qualifying on Friday.

Don’t miss a minute of the action, because no one can predict what will happen in this no holds bar 100-minute sprint race in downtown Long Beach.

 

NASCAR ANNOUNCES 2018 MENCS ALL-STAR RACE RULES & FORMAT PACKAGE

Posted on: April 12th, 2018
Location: post

MOORESVILLE, NC, April 12, 2018 – NASCAR and Charlotte Motor Speedway today announced the format and competition package for the Saturday, May 19th Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race, both tailored to achieve one goal – the best possible race for the fans.

For the first time, Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series cars will implement the competition package used in last season’s successful NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which saw record numbers in leaders, lead changes and green flag passes for the lead.

Each car will be fitted with aero ducts, a six-inch-high spoiler with two 12-inch ears, a restrictor plate and the 2014 style splitter. Working in concert, these additions create a unique aerodynamic effect, the results of which received high praise from fans and competitors following last year’s Xfinity race at Indianapolis.

“NASCAR is committed to innovation and will always work to improve the racing product for every series and venue,” said Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer. “The yearly Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race is an opportunity to see your favorite drivers compete under a unique and exciting format and rules package.”

The format for the annual non-points event  roll out like this:

Weekend passes for the Monster Energy All-Star Race are now available at  www.CharlotteMotorSpeedway.com/tickets

LOGANO & FORD IN VICTORY LANE AT TALLADEGA!

Posted on: April 30th, 2018
Location: post

SIX STRAIGHT TALLADEGA WINS FOR TEAM FORD

LINCOLN, AL, April 30, 2018 – Joey Logano took the blue oval to Victory Lane for the third time in his career at Talladega Superspeedway. The No. 22, with the horsepower of the Ford FR9 EFI engine, drove the Ford Fusion across the finish line to win the sixth consecutive race at the superspeedway for Ford Performance and 108th Cup win for Team Penske.

“It was a great car, very fast,” said Logano in Victory Lane. “The Fords dominated today. I am so proud to be in a Blue Oval with Roush Yates (Engines) motors under the hood. That is a huge deal. A big part of our victory today. Teamwork was a big part of it as well. It is always exciting to win at a superspeedway, especially Talladega because you never know you’ve got it until you cross the line.”
“Congratulations to Joey, Roger and Team Penske,” said Doug Yates, President and CEO of Roush Yates Engines. “I’m very proud of our team at Roush Yates (Engines). They did a great job responding to the restrictor plate change this weekend. To have two Stewart-Haas cars sitting on the front row and six Fords in the top-10 at the end of the race is a testament to all the hard work and dedication of our entire team. This was a big day for us. It marked our 325th win and we could not be happier to be marking this milestone here at Talladega with Ford Performance.”
Two Fords started from the front row in the Geico 500 on Sunday. After a decisive second round of qualifying on Saturday, Kevin Harvick won the pole and fellow Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Kurt Busch in P2. Harvick covered the 2.66-mile distance in 49.247 seconds (194.448 mph) to earn his second Talladega pole and the 22nd of his career.
Sunday was a day controlled by the combined Ford Performance teams. Six different Ford Fusions led a total of 126 out of the 188-lap race; winner Logano (70), Stage 1 winner Brad Keselowski (21), Kevin Harvick (12), Stage 2 winner Paul Menard (8), Matt DiBenedetto (6), Kurt Busch (5) and 2017 winner, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (4).

Logano leveraged the horsepower of the Ford FR9 engine to take the lead after a late race restart on lap 18. He was able to hold off a hard charging Busch, in the last lap of the race to win with a margin of victory of only .127 of a second.
Six Fords would finish the day in top-10; led by Logano, Busch finished 2nd with SHR teammate Harvick in 4th. In addition, Stenhouse Jr. from Roush Fenway Racing finished 5th, David Ragan from Front Row Motorsports 6th and after coming from the back of the field Aric Almirola finished a strong 7th. Ford now has 27 all-time series wins at Talladega, including 9 of the last 11.

The Ford Performance teams will build on this momentum heading into Dover this weekend. Reference the full 2018 schedule on www.roushyates.com.

14 CHAMPIONSHIPS – 325 WINS – 289 POLES!

*Images courtesy of NASCAR Media