“Five Things” is a daily column for NASCAR fans to get a recap of everything that happened the day before — such as races, practice sessions, memorable social media moments, and more! While mostly focused on NASCAR, this column may also feature other interesting and exciting moments from the world of motorsports. Enjoy!
- On-track activity? On a Tuesday?!
That’s right, ladies and gents (or boys and girls as Erik Jones has been known to say), the Eldora Dirt Derby week is here and that means your normally scheduled NASCAR programming is a bit different this time around.
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will have two practice sessions today — one from 7:05-7:55 PM ET and another from 9:05-9:55 PM ET. While neither practice session will be televised, live timing and scoring will be available on NASCAR.com.
This will allow drivers and teams to prepare for the 150-lap main event on Wednesday night, the only dirt track race in any of NASCAR’s three national series.
2. Testing Continues On The Roval
From the small dirt track in Ohio to the twisting, winding turns of Charlotte Motor Speedway’s new “Roval”, testing continues in preparation for the first race on the circuit, which will occur on September 30.
16 drivers previously tested on the course on June 10, a session which saw drivers shortcutting the chicane rather than driving through it as expected. Bubba Wallace crashed in the same area of the racetrack, forcing NASCAR to make the necessary adjustments for drivers to slow down and run the designated course.
The test session will run from 9:00 a.m. ET to 5:00 p.m. ET later today and is free to the public. Food and drink will be available for purchase along with other entertainment options such as live music and games.
Fans who show up to the test session will also be given a free voucher for the Bojangles’ Summer Shootout later this evening, including an autograph session with some of the NASCAR drivers.
Drivers expected to participate in the test later today include the following:
- AJ Allmendinger
- Alex Bowman
- Aric Almirola
- Austin Dillon
- Chris Buescher
- Clint Bowyer
- Erik Jones
- Jamie McMurray
- Joey Logano
- Kyle Busch
- Ryan Blaney
- Trevor Bayne
- Ty Dillon
- William Byron
You can also watch the test session on NASCAR.com.
3. Johnny Sauter In For GMS Racing This Weekend
The NASCAR XFINITY Series is sharing a weekend with the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, and GMS Racing will have Johnny Sauter behind the wheel this weekend for the XFINITY Series race.
Sauter will be racing in place of Spencer Gallagher, who competed last weekend in Kentucky Speedway, finishing 20th.
Following Gallagher’s first career win at Talladega Superspeedway earlier this season, the 28-year-old driver was suspended indefinitely for violating NASCAR’s substance abuse policy. He has since completed NASCAR’s Road to Recovery Program and returned behind the wheel of GMS Racing’s No. 23 car for the first time since then last weekend in Kentucky.
Sauter — a Camping World Truck Series championship contender — was previously scheduled to race at NHMS when it was at the time unknown whether or not Gallagher would be reinstated.
Sauter has competed in six races at NHMS in the XFINITY Series. His best finish was sixth in 2006.
4. If Something Seems “Off” This Weekend During The NBC Broadcast …
With NBC taking over the NASCAR broadcasts the last couple of weeks, you may be expecting to see Rick Allen, Jeff Burton, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the booth with Steve Letarte calling the race from the pit box, along with the regular cast of pit reporters.
Not this week.
As the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series heads to New Hampshire Motor Speedway, the booth will feature familiar faces in different places.
NBC has decided to go without a play-by-play announcer, and instead will leave Burton, Earnhardt, and Letarte in the broadcast booth … “unsupervised” (dun, dun, dun …).
Allen, meanwhile, will be on pit road, listening to the “Race Team Broadcast” try to call the race without him.
The slightly altered broadcast can be seen on NBCSN at 2 p.m. ET.
5. Well, It’s Not a Cape, But …
Almirola traded his firesuit for an apron yesterday, as he visited Bojangles’ to promote the upcoming Bojangles’ Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway later this year.
The race will take place on Sunday, September 2. Denny Hamlin won the race last season, with Almirola finishing in 20th while he was still with Richard Petty Motorsports. Almirola moved to Stewart-Haas Racing for the 2018 season.
Almirola has made six career starts at Darlington Raceway. His best finish was 11th in 2015.
Five Things You Need To Know Today: July 17, 2018
“Five Things” is a daily column for NASCAR fans to get a recap of everything that happened the day before — such as races, practice sessions, memorable social media moments, and more! While mostly focused on NASCAR, this column may also feature other interesting and exciting moments from the world of motorsports. Enjoy!
That’s right, ladies and gents (or boys and girls as Erik Jones has been known to say), the Eldora Dirt Derby week is here and that means your normally scheduled NASCAR programming is a bit different this time around.
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will have two practice sessions today — one from 7:05-7:55 PM ET and another from 9:05-9:55 PM ET. While neither practice session will be televised, live timing and scoring will be available on NASCAR.com.
This will allow drivers and teams to prepare for the 150-lap main event on Wednesday night, the only dirt track race in any of NASCAR’s three national series.
2. Testing Continues On The Roval
From the small dirt track in Ohio to the twisting, winding turns of Charlotte Motor Speedway’s new “Roval”, testing continues in preparation for the first race on the circuit, which will occur on September 30.
16 drivers previously tested on the course on June 10, a session which saw drivers shortcutting the chicane rather than driving through it as expected. Bubba Wallace crashed in the same area of the racetrack, forcing NASCAR to make the necessary adjustments for drivers to slow down and run the designated course.
The test session will run from 9:00 a.m. ET to 5:00 p.m. ET later today and is free to the public. Food and drink will be available for purchase along with other entertainment options such as live music and games.
Fans who show up to the test session will also be given a free voucher for the Bojangles’ Summer Shootout later this evening, including an autograph session with some of the NASCAR drivers.
Drivers expected to participate in the test later today include the following:
You can also watch the test session on NASCAR.com.
3. Johnny Sauter In For GMS Racing This Weekend
The NASCAR XFINITY Series is sharing a weekend with the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, and GMS Racing will have Johnny Sauter behind the wheel this weekend for the XFINITY Series race.
Sauter will be racing in place of Spencer Gallagher, who competed last weekend in Kentucky Speedway, finishing 20th.
Following Gallagher’s first career win at Talladega Superspeedway earlier this season, the 28-year-old driver was suspended indefinitely for violating NASCAR’s substance abuse policy. He has since completed NASCAR’s Road to Recovery Program and returned behind the wheel of GMS Racing’s No. 23 car for the first time since then last weekend in Kentucky.
Sauter — a Camping World Truck Series championship contender — was previously scheduled to race at NHMS when it was at the time unknown whether or not Gallagher would be reinstated.
Sauter has competed in six races at NHMS in the XFINITY Series. His best finish was sixth in 2006.
4. If Something Seems “Off” This Weekend During The NBC Broadcast …
With NBC taking over the NASCAR broadcasts the last couple of weeks, you may be expecting to see Rick Allen, Jeff Burton, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the booth with Steve Letarte calling the race from the pit box, along with the regular cast of pit reporters.
Not this week.
As the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series heads to New Hampshire Motor Speedway, the booth will feature familiar faces in different places.
NBC has decided to go without a play-by-play announcer, and instead will leave Burton, Earnhardt, and Letarte in the broadcast booth … “unsupervised” (dun, dun, dun …).
Allen, meanwhile, will be on pit road, listening to the “Race Team Broadcast” try to call the race without him.
The slightly altered broadcast can be seen on NBCSN at 2 p.m. ET.
5. Well, It’s Not a Cape, But …
Almirola traded his firesuit for an apron yesterday, as he visited Bojangles’ to promote the upcoming Bojangles’ Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway later this year.
The race will take place on Sunday, September 2. Denny Hamlin won the race last season, with Almirola finishing in 20th while he was still with Richard Petty Motorsports. Almirola moved to Stewart-Haas Racing for the 2018 season.
Almirola has made six career starts at Darlington Raceway. His best finish was 11th in 2015.