“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!
- Today’s On-Track Schedule at Watkins Glen International
The weekend at Watkins Glen International begins today, but with this being another “enhanced” (meaning “shorter”) weekend for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, the only national series on track today is the NASCAR XFINITY Series.
NXS will have two practice sessions today:
- 12:35PM – 1:25PM ET (not televised)
- 2:05PM – 3:25PM ET (not televised
There will also be four press conferences in the morning:
- Bubba Wallace @ 10:15AM ET
- Joey Logano @ 11:15AM ET
- AJ Allmendinger @ 11:30AM ET
- Christopher Bell @ 11:45AM ET
NASCAR.com will have a live stream of these drivers’ media availability if you would like to tune in.
- Bowman Signs Contract Extension With Hendrick Motorsports, Nationwide Increases Sponsorship
Despite Hendrick Motorsports’ unprecedented struggles this season, the future looks bright for one Alex Bowman.
Hendrick Motorsports, Nationwide, and Bowman announced a continued partnership on Thursday, with Bowman signed with the team through 2020 and Nationwide increasing their majority sponsorship from 19 to 20 races in 2019 and 2020.
“Having this kind of support is incredible,” Bowman said. “From Nationwide and our other partners to Mr. Hendrick, (crew chief) Greg (Ives) and all my teammates, I feel very fortunate to be in such an awesome position. We have an opportunity to have a lot of success together. To hear a sponsor like Nationwide and a team like Hendrick Motorsports say I’m their guy gives me a ton of confidence and motivation to go out there and deliver results.”
Bowman first drove for HMS in 2016, serving as the replacement driver on the No. 88 Chevrolet while then-driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. recovered from a concussion. Bowman previously drove for BK Racing and Tommy Baldwin Racing in 2014 and 2015 respectively. He had also made multiple starts for Earnhardt’s NXS team, JR Motorsports in 2014 and 2016.
Earnhardt returned to competition in 2017, and Bowman remained with HMS, serving as their simulation driver while he waited for a spot to open up.
And it did. Earnhardt retired from full-time racing at the end of 2017, opening up the seat for Bowman.
“Alex has the talent to win races and compete for championships,” said team owner Rick Hendrick. “He and Greg (Ives) are clicking, and we have a lot of confidence in what they will accomplish together. From our driver and team to our sponsors, we have an exciting No. 88 program that’s set for the foreseeable future.”
After 21 races this season, Bowman has earned two top-five and eight top-10 finishes, and won the pole for the season-opening Daytona 500. He is currently the last driver above the playoffs cutoff line, holding a 56-point advantage over 17th-place Ricky Stenhouse Jr. with five races remaining in the regular season.
- Road Racing Ace Katherine Legge Will Make XFINITY Series Debut
It may be easier to name a series that Katherine Legge hasn’t competed in. A native of Guilford, Englad, Legge has competed in CART, the Verizon IndyCar Series (including two starts in the Indianapolis 500), Formula E, the American Le Mans Series, and her full-time gig this season in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
Now, Legge will be adding another series to her résumé with the NASCAR XFINITY Series.
Legge will compete in the Mid-Ohio Challenge at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on August 11, 2018, and the Johnsonville 180 at Road America on August 25, 2018, driving the No. 15 Chevrolet for JD Motorsports.
The 38-year-old driver has previous experience at both tracks in other racing series. Legge has seven starts at Road America amongst CART, IMSA, and ALMS with her best result a third place in an ALMS race there in 2013.
She has one prior start at Mid-Ohio in IMSA, where she finished second earlier this season with Michael Shank Racing.
- Clay Campbell Comments On A Possible Night Race for Martinsville Speedway
When lights were installed at Martinsville Speedway last year, they hadn’t even been used yet before fans started asking when the track would get a night race in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.
Last year’s fall race at Martinsville Speedway — the race where Chase Elliott and Denny Hamlin came to blows — ended under the lights, though this was a result of the race running late rather than a planned effort by NASCAR and the track to have a night race.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CP1NDDuBNNY
Unfortunately, as track president Clay Campbell said in a video posted to Martinsville Speedway’s Twitter page, it will be at least 2020 before the track sees a night race in the premier series, and even then there will be challenges in doing so.
The track’s first official night race was the Valley Star 300 for the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series back in September of last year, and the series is scheduled to return again for another night race on September 29th.
- Weather Could Impact This Weekend’s Race At Watkins Glen International
Though most of Saturday and Sunday is expected to remain dry for the NASCAR XFINITY Series and Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races this weekend, it is possible that scattered thunderstorms could pop up in the area, according to AccuWeather.
Today’s NXS practice sessions are the most likely on-track activities to for rain to affect the weekend, to the point where there are flooding concerns in the area and motorists are asked to be cautions and not drive though high water.
Unlike most tracks on the schedule, rain doesn’t necessarily mean that the race will be stopped. Instead, teams will be allowed to switch to slick tires (you will likely hear them referred to as “rain tires”) at their discretion depending upon the conditions.
If rain is falling before the race starts, teams will be required to take the green flag with slick tires.
NXS will take the green flag around 3:00PM ET on Saturday, while MENCS will start around 2:30PM ET on Sunday.
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If you would like to receive this column in your inbox, or if you want to connect with me, you may send an e-mail to [email protected].
You can also follow me on Twitter and Instagram.
Summer’s Five Things: What You Need To Know For August 3, 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!
The weekend at Watkins Glen International begins today, but with this being another “enhanced” (meaning “shorter”) weekend for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, the only national series on track today is the NASCAR XFINITY Series.
NXS will have two practice sessions today:
There will also be four press conferences in the morning:
NASCAR.com will have a live stream of these drivers’ media availability if you would like to tune in.
Despite Hendrick Motorsports’ unprecedented struggles this season, the future looks bright for one Alex Bowman.
Hendrick Motorsports, Nationwide, and Bowman announced a continued partnership on Thursday, with Bowman signed with the team through 2020 and Nationwide increasing their majority sponsorship from 19 to 20 races in 2019 and 2020.
“Having this kind of support is incredible,” Bowman said. “From Nationwide and our other partners to Mr. Hendrick, (crew chief) Greg (Ives) and all my teammates, I feel very fortunate to be in such an awesome position. We have an opportunity to have a lot of success together. To hear a sponsor like Nationwide and a team like Hendrick Motorsports say I’m their guy gives me a ton of confidence and motivation to go out there and deliver results.”
Bowman first drove for HMS in 2016, serving as the replacement driver on the No. 88 Chevrolet while then-driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. recovered from a concussion. Bowman previously drove for BK Racing and Tommy Baldwin Racing in 2014 and 2015 respectively. He had also made multiple starts for Earnhardt’s NXS team, JR Motorsports in 2014 and 2016.
Earnhardt returned to competition in 2017, and Bowman remained with HMS, serving as their simulation driver while he waited for a spot to open up.
And it did. Earnhardt retired from full-time racing at the end of 2017, opening up the seat for Bowman.
“Alex has the talent to win races and compete for championships,” said team owner Rick Hendrick. “He and Greg (Ives) are clicking, and we have a lot of confidence in what they will accomplish together. From our driver and team to our sponsors, we have an exciting No. 88 program that’s set for the foreseeable future.”
After 21 races this season, Bowman has earned two top-five and eight top-10 finishes, and won the pole for the season-opening Daytona 500. He is currently the last driver above the playoffs cutoff line, holding a 56-point advantage over 17th-place Ricky Stenhouse Jr. with five races remaining in the regular season.
It may be easier to name a series that Katherine Legge hasn’t competed in. A native of Guilford, Englad, Legge has competed in CART, the Verizon IndyCar Series (including two starts in the Indianapolis 500), Formula E, the American Le Mans Series, and her full-time gig this season in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
Now, Legge will be adding another series to her résumé with the NASCAR XFINITY Series.
Legge will compete in the Mid-Ohio Challenge at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on August 11, 2018, and the Johnsonville 180 at Road America on August 25, 2018, driving the No. 15 Chevrolet for JD Motorsports.
The 38-year-old driver has previous experience at both tracks in other racing series. Legge has seven starts at Road America amongst CART, IMSA, and ALMS with her best result a third place in an ALMS race there in 2013.
She has one prior start at Mid-Ohio in IMSA, where she finished second earlier this season with Michael Shank Racing.
When lights were installed at Martinsville Speedway last year, they hadn’t even been used yet before fans started asking when the track would get a night race in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.
Last year’s fall race at Martinsville Speedway — the race where Chase Elliott and Denny Hamlin came to blows — ended under the lights, though this was a result of the race running late rather than a planned effort by NASCAR and the track to have a night race.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CP1NDDuBNNY
Unfortunately, as track president Clay Campbell said in a video posted to Martinsville Speedway’s Twitter page, it will be at least 2020 before the track sees a night race in the premier series, and even then there will be challenges in doing so.
The track’s first official night race was the Valley Star 300 for the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series back in September of last year, and the series is scheduled to return again for another night race on September 29th.
Though most of Saturday and Sunday is expected to remain dry for the NASCAR XFINITY Series and Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races this weekend, it is possible that scattered thunderstorms could pop up in the area, according to AccuWeather.
Today’s NXS practice sessions are the most likely on-track activities to for rain to affect the weekend, to the point where there are flooding concerns in the area and motorists are asked to be cautions and not drive though high water.
Unlike most tracks on the schedule, rain doesn’t necessarily mean that the race will be stopped. Instead, teams will be allowed to switch to slick tires (you will likely hear them referred to as “rain tires”) at their discretion depending upon the conditions.
If rain is falling before the race starts, teams will be required to take the green flag with slick tires.
NXS will take the green flag around 3:00PM ET on Saturday, while MENCS will start around 2:30PM ET on Sunday.
~~
If you would like to receive this column in your inbox, or if you want to connect with me, you may send an e-mail to [email protected].
You can also follow me on Twitter and Instagram.