“Summer’s Five Things” is a daily column for NASCAR fans to catch up on the most recent, relevant, and need-to-know news and information in the sport! While mostly focused on NASCAR, this column may also feature other interesting and exciting moments from the world of motorsports. Enjoy!
- Todd Gilliland gives his take on the incident with Noah Gragson
After Kyle Busch Motorsports teammate Noah Gragson dove into Todd Gilliland’s inside on the final corner of the final lap at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park in an attempt take the lead, the two made contact and crashed, handing the lead to Justin Haley.
18-year-old Gilliland was so irritated with Gragson, 20, that he said after the race he wanted to go fight him, but knew that he couldn’t considering they are, well, teammates.
While Gragson was apologetic and took responsibility for the event afterwards, it was hardly any consolation to a driver who was potentially headed towards his first Camping World Truck Series victory.
However, as is normally the case, cooler heads prevailed. Gilliland called into “The Late Shift” on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio to discuss his take on the incident now that he had had time to sleep on it.
“I’d say there’s definitely blame on both sides,” said Gilliland. “…It sucks that it was a teammate and for the win and all that stuff but there’s really nothing we can do now except … really try and take the positives away from it. We were in contention for a win, at a road course which — I wouldn’t say I’m bad at road courses. I know I can compete at road courses, but we definitely expect to be more competitive at ovals. There’s tons of positives.
“I feel like I never should have even let him get to me,” Gilliland continued. “We were so much faster than everyone and just kinda everything came together perfect.”
Gilliland went on to say that Gragson and him have texted briefly but the real chance to talk will be in the competition meeting later today.
2. Second day of a two-day organizational test at Richmond Raceway
Yesterday at Richmond Raceway, several Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series teams took to the track for the first of a two-day organizational test.
One car from each race team is allowed to participate.
Those who tested yesterday and are expected to test again today include:
- Justin Allgaier (XFINITY Series driver for JR Motorsports)
- Aric Almirola (Stewart-Haas Racing)
- Ryan Blaney (Team Penske)
- Chris Buescher (JTG Daugherty Racing)
- Cole Custer (XFINITY Series driver for Stewart-Haas Racing)
- Austin Dillon (Richard Childress Racing)
- Ty Dillon (Germain Racing)
- Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing)
- Jimmie Johnson (Hendrick Motorsports)
- Matt Kenseth (Roush Fenway Racing)
- Kyle Larson (Chip Ganassi Racing)
- Paul Menard (Wood Brothers Racing)
- David Ragan (Front Row Motorsports)
- Bubba Wallace (Richard Petty Motorsports)
Testing will continue today from 9:00AM to 5:00PM ET and is open to the public from 11:00AM to 5:00PM ET.
Fans who have purchased a DC Solar FanGrounds pass for the upcoming race weekend in September will receive a hard hat tour of the infield, which has recently undergone a $30 million “reimagination” and modernization.
For the first time in the Virginia track’s history, Richmond Raceway will host a playoff race for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR XFINITY Series. The XFINITY Series race will run on September 21st while the Cup Series will be on track September 22nd.
- Could NASCAR one day return to Nashville?
There are multiple tracks that fans often bring up that they would like to see NASCAR return to: North Wilkesboro Speedway, Rockingham Speedway, Greenville-Pickens …
While it’s highly unlikely that most NASCAR tracks of days gone by are going to return to the schedule, there is one that Speedway Motorsports Inc. — owner of eight tracks on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series schedule — sees some real potential for.
According to Autoweek.com’s Matt Weaver, SMI President and CEO Marcus Smith has met with the owner of Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville, Tony Formosa, to discuss how they could work together to get NASCAR back to “Music City”.
SMI lost a bid to lease the track from the city to longtime track operator Formosa.
The track would require at least $20 million in renovations, including SAFER barriers, if they wanted to meet NASCAR’s standards for hosting a race, with an even higher price tag if they wanted to host a Cup Series date.
Any changes to the racetrack would require approval from the city of Nashville, and that in and of itself may pose a challenge. The city was recently awarded the chance to build a Major League Soccer stadium and the racetrack is currently in the middle of the debate as to where it should be located.
Despite these obstacles, the fairgrounds has a lot that is going for it. The longest operating track in the United States, Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville already has an infield tunnel, lots of parking, and hosts one of the biggest short track races in the country: The All-American 400 Super Late Model race. In other words, it has the infrastructure to once again host a national series event.
While it certainly will take a lot of work and convincing to put this racetrack back on at least one of NASCAR’s national series’ schedules, Smith, SMI, and the Formosas seem at least willing to discuss it. Time will tell if those words get put into actions.
- Tony Stewart wins in his own sprint car series
If you thought Tony Stewart retiring from full-time NASCAR competition meant he was stepping away from racing entirely, you thought wrong.
And the 47-year-old driver is still kicking butt and taking names at sprint car races across the country, including in his very own series.
On Sunday night at BAPS Motor Speedway in York Haven, Pennsylvania, Stewart earned his first win of the season, and third of his career, in the Arctic Cat All Star Circuit of Champions, a series he has owned since 2015.
https://twitter.com/ASCoC/status/1033890617187856384
The three-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion won the $5,000.00 prize after taking the lead on lap 18, holding off Cale Conley and Lance Dewease en route to the victory.
Current Chip Ganassi Racing driver Kyle Larson was in the race, too, but a mechanical issue forced him to retire from the race early.
- Two more Darlington throwback paint schemes announced
It’s almost here!
The “throwback weekend” at Darlington Raceway is this weekend, and the remaining throwback paint schemes for teams that are participating are still rolling in.
First off, Tyler Reddick and sponsor Old Milwaukee will be paying homage to Tim Richmond in this weekend’s XFINITY Series race, with the iconic red and gold paint scheme adorning the No. 9 JR Motorsports Chevrolet.
“Everything I had heard about Tim Richmond, which a lot of it goes off of the stories I’ve heard from people close to me in the garage, is that he was a guy that when he came up was one of the most talented drivers out here and that he was always really good at trying to have fun and be himself,” Reddick said in a statement. “He was about having fun and enjoying himself and winning races at the same time. I feel like he sometimes just flew under the radar a little bit and I feel like there is a connection there to how I try to go about my life, which makes it that much more special to be running this throwback scheme to him in Darlington.”
Timmy Hill will also be donning a throwback paint scheme in the XFINITY Series race on Saturday, honoring the late Benny Parsons in the No. 72 car.
Reddick has only one career start at Darlington Raceway, driving for Chip Ganassi Racing last season. He finished 16th. The 22-year-old driver has earned two top fives and 12 top 10s in 23 races this season with JR Motorsports.
Hill has five starts at Darlington Raceway between the Cup Series and the XFINITY Series. His best result was a 16th-place effort in the XFINITY Series in 2012 while driving for Rick Ware.
Parsons made 38 starts at Darlington Raceway in his career, from 1970 through 1988. He earned one career victory at the track in 1978, and finished in the top 10 in over 50 percent of his Darlington starts.
Parsons passed away in 2007 at the age of 65 after a battle with lung cancer.
Richmond took the green flag in Darlington 12 times over the course of his career, spanning from 1981 to 1986. He won from the pole in his final start at the track and earned five top-five finishes.
Richmond passed away in 1989 at the age of 34 due to complications from HIV/AIDS.
For a quick recap of the throwback paint schemes scheduled to run this weekend in the Bojangles’ Southern 500 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series event …
The VFW Sport Clips Help A Hero 200 (NXS) will air Saturday, September 1st at 3:30PM ET on NBC.
The Bojangles’ Southern 500 (MENCS) will air Sunday, September 2nd at 6:00PM ET on NBCSN.
Radio coverage can be heard on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).
~~
If you would like to receive “Five Things” in your inbox, or just connect with me, you may send me an e-mail at [email protected].
You can also follow me on Twitter and Instagram.
Summer’s Five Things: What You Need To Know For August 28, 2018
“Summer’s Five Things” is a daily column for NASCAR fans to catch up on the most recent, relevant, and need-to-know news and information in the sport! While mostly focused on NASCAR, this column may also feature other interesting and exciting moments from the world of motorsports. Enjoy!
After Kyle Busch Motorsports teammate Noah Gragson dove into Todd Gilliland’s inside on the final corner of the final lap at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park in an attempt take the lead, the two made contact and crashed, handing the lead to Justin Haley.
18-year-old Gilliland was so irritated with Gragson, 20, that he said after the race he wanted to go fight him, but knew that he couldn’t considering they are, well, teammates.
While Gragson was apologetic and took responsibility for the event afterwards, it was hardly any consolation to a driver who was potentially headed towards his first Camping World Truck Series victory.
However, as is normally the case, cooler heads prevailed. Gilliland called into “The Late Shift” on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio to discuss his take on the incident now that he had had time to sleep on it.
“I’d say there’s definitely blame on both sides,” said Gilliland. “…It sucks that it was a teammate and for the win and all that stuff but there’s really nothing we can do now except … really try and take the positives away from it. We were in contention for a win, at a road course which — I wouldn’t say I’m bad at road courses. I know I can compete at road courses, but we definitely expect to be more competitive at ovals. There’s tons of positives.
“I feel like I never should have even let him get to me,” Gilliland continued. “We were so much faster than everyone and just kinda everything came together perfect.”
Gilliland went on to say that Gragson and him have texted briefly but the real chance to talk will be in the competition meeting later today.
2. Second day of a two-day organizational test at Richmond Raceway
Yesterday at Richmond Raceway, several Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series teams took to the track for the first of a two-day organizational test.
One car from each race team is allowed to participate.
Those who tested yesterday and are expected to test again today include:
Testing will continue today from 9:00AM to 5:00PM ET and is open to the public from 11:00AM to 5:00PM ET.
Fans who have purchased a DC Solar FanGrounds pass for the upcoming race weekend in September will receive a hard hat tour of the infield, which has recently undergone a $30 million “reimagination” and modernization.
For the first time in the Virginia track’s history, Richmond Raceway will host a playoff race for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR XFINITY Series. The XFINITY Series race will run on September 21st while the Cup Series will be on track September 22nd.
There are multiple tracks that fans often bring up that they would like to see NASCAR return to: North Wilkesboro Speedway, Rockingham Speedway, Greenville-Pickens …
While it’s highly unlikely that most NASCAR tracks of days gone by are going to return to the schedule, there is one that Speedway Motorsports Inc. — owner of eight tracks on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series schedule — sees some real potential for.
According to Autoweek.com’s Matt Weaver, SMI President and CEO Marcus Smith has met with the owner of Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville, Tony Formosa, to discuss how they could work together to get NASCAR back to “Music City”.
SMI lost a bid to lease the track from the city to longtime track operator Formosa.
The track would require at least $20 million in renovations, including SAFER barriers, if they wanted to meet NASCAR’s standards for hosting a race, with an even higher price tag if they wanted to host a Cup Series date.
Any changes to the racetrack would require approval from the city of Nashville, and that in and of itself may pose a challenge. The city was recently awarded the chance to build a Major League Soccer stadium and the racetrack is currently in the middle of the debate as to where it should be located.
Despite these obstacles, the fairgrounds has a lot that is going for it. The longest operating track in the United States, Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville already has an infield tunnel, lots of parking, and hosts one of the biggest short track races in the country: The All-American 400 Super Late Model race. In other words, it has the infrastructure to once again host a national series event.
While it certainly will take a lot of work and convincing to put this racetrack back on at least one of NASCAR’s national series’ schedules, Smith, SMI, and the Formosas seem at least willing to discuss it. Time will tell if those words get put into actions.
If you thought Tony Stewart retiring from full-time NASCAR competition meant he was stepping away from racing entirely, you thought wrong.
And the 47-year-old driver is still kicking butt and taking names at sprint car races across the country, including in his very own series.
On Sunday night at BAPS Motor Speedway in York Haven, Pennsylvania, Stewart earned his first win of the season, and third of his career, in the Arctic Cat All Star Circuit of Champions, a series he has owned since 2015.
https://twitter.com/ASCoC/status/1033890617187856384
The three-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion won the $5,000.00 prize after taking the lead on lap 18, holding off Cale Conley and Lance Dewease en route to the victory.
Current Chip Ganassi Racing driver Kyle Larson was in the race, too, but a mechanical issue forced him to retire from the race early.
It’s almost here!
The “throwback weekend” at Darlington Raceway is this weekend, and the remaining throwback paint schemes for teams that are participating are still rolling in.
First off, Tyler Reddick and sponsor Old Milwaukee will be paying homage to Tim Richmond in this weekend’s XFINITY Series race, with the iconic red and gold paint scheme adorning the No. 9 JR Motorsports Chevrolet.
“Everything I had heard about Tim Richmond, which a lot of it goes off of the stories I’ve heard from people close to me in the garage, is that he was a guy that when he came up was one of the most talented drivers out here and that he was always really good at trying to have fun and be himself,” Reddick said in a statement. “He was about having fun and enjoying himself and winning races at the same time. I feel like he sometimes just flew under the radar a little bit and I feel like there is a connection there to how I try to go about my life, which makes it that much more special to be running this throwback scheme to him in Darlington.”
Timmy Hill will also be donning a throwback paint scheme in the XFINITY Series race on Saturday, honoring the late Benny Parsons in the No. 72 car.
Reddick has only one career start at Darlington Raceway, driving for Chip Ganassi Racing last season. He finished 16th. The 22-year-old driver has earned two top fives and 12 top 10s in 23 races this season with JR Motorsports.
Hill has five starts at Darlington Raceway between the Cup Series and the XFINITY Series. His best result was a 16th-place effort in the XFINITY Series in 2012 while driving for Rick Ware.
Parsons made 38 starts at Darlington Raceway in his career, from 1970 through 1988. He earned one career victory at the track in 1978, and finished in the top 10 in over 50 percent of his Darlington starts.
Parsons passed away in 2007 at the age of 65 after a battle with lung cancer.
Richmond took the green flag in Darlington 12 times over the course of his career, spanning from 1981 to 1986. He won from the pole in his final start at the track and earned five top-five finishes.
Richmond passed away in 1989 at the age of 34 due to complications from HIV/AIDS.
For a quick recap of the throwback paint schemes scheduled to run this weekend in the Bojangles’ Southern 500 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series event …
The VFW Sport Clips Help A Hero 200 (NXS) will air Saturday, September 1st at 3:30PM ET on NBC.
The Bojangles’ Southern 500 (MENCS) will air Sunday, September 2nd at 6:00PM ET on NBCSN.
Radio coverage can be heard on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).
~~
If you would like to receive “Five Things” in your inbox, or just connect with me, you may send me an e-mail at [email protected].
You can also follow me on Twitter and Instagram.