“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!
**We apologize for the unexpected hiatus of “Five Things”. We appreciate you visiting Kickin’ The Tires and expect “Five Things” to continue uninterrupted.**
- Crew Chief Change at JR Motorsports
JR Motorsports driver Michael Annett will have a new crew chief beginning in this weekend’s NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Watkins Glen International.
Travis Mack, who was released as Kasey Kahne’s crew chief in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series earlier this season, will assume the new role beginning this weekend, replacing current crew chief Jason Stockert.
Stockert has been with JRM since 2017 and will be moved into another role within the company.
“I’m very grateful to be able to return to JR Motorsports,” said Mack. “To have been here previously as car chief and now to come back as a crew chief is a tremendous opportunity. I can’t thank Dale Jr. and Kelley enough for that. I’m looking forward to getting started with the No. 5 team this weekend.
Mack has previously been an employee of JRM and their Cup-affiliated team Hendrick Motorsports, with tenure going back to 2004. He was the car chief for Chase Elliott when he won the XFINITY Series championship in 2014 and was Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s car chief in 2017.
In 19 races so far this season, Annett has yet to earn a top-10 finish, with his best result of the year so far coming in the Daytona race earlier this month where he finished 11th. With seven races left in the regular season, Annett is 40 points below the cutoff line.
- TV Ratings Down For Pocono, But There Is Some Good News …
The Gander Outdoors 400 at Pocono Raceway on Sunday earned a 1.8 overnight TV rating, down from last year’s 2.0.
Despite the decrease, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race was still the highest rated sporting event of the weekend.
Compare that to IndyCar’s race from Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, which earned a .09 overnight TV rating. IndyCar’s race was on CNBC while the Cup Series was on NBCSN.
- Rain or Shine at NASCAR Road Courses … Expect Rules Changes
It is not uncommon to see a windshield wiper on NASCAR stock cars at road course events, regardless of whether or not there is any rain in the forecast. Earlier this season, the forecast for the race at Sonoma Raceway — one of two road course races on the Cup Series schedule — was near perfect with no rain in sight, yet most of the cars on track still had windshield wipers.
Scott Miller, NASCAR’s senior vice president of competition, said it is likely that a change will be made in this area for the 2019 season.
“We’ve typically let them run the wiper blade whether it was dry or whether it was not,” Miller said during an appearance on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. “Ironically, that’s on our list for 2019 rules and we will tell them when they can and when they can’t run the windshield wiper blade.
“If we see anything this weekend that is completely outlandish, we will probably react to that. Typically they’ve been able to run the blade whenever they want to and we’re definitely looking at that.”
On-track activity is scheduled for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday this weekend at Watkins Glen International. Currently, Friday calls for scattered thunderstorms with a 60% chance of rain. Saturday and Sunday both currently have a 20% chance of rain.
- Championship-Winning ARCA Racing Team Ceases Operations
It’s no secret that racing is a tough, humbling business. The highest of highs and the lowest of lows are frequent and usually not that far apart.
This is now the case for Mason Mitchell Motorsports, a team that came storming into the ARCA Racing Series in 2014, winning the driver and owner championship in their first season of competition with owner/driver Mason Mitchell. The team announced on Monday they would be ceasing operations effective immediately.
Mitchell won one race in 2014 and, since then, the team has captured six more victories amongst four different drivers: Mitchell, Justin Haley, Austin Wayne Self, and Gus Dean.
32 different drivers have competed for MMM since the team’s inception.
“I would like to thank all of our fans, sponsors, drivers, past and present employees for your support and hard work over the years,” Owner Mason Mitchell stated. “We accomplished a lot in one of the most well-known national touring series in the country. I appreciate all of the friendships over the last five years. This isn’t a goodbye, more so a see you later.”
Four drivers have raced for MMM so far in 2018: Mitchell, Blaine Perkins, Ryan Repko, and Max Tullman. Tullman earned the team’s best finish this year, with a sixth-place run at Daytona and Talladega.
https://twitter.com/MMM_Race/status/1023901100305522690
- Jimmie Johnson Not Throwing Very Far Back With Darlington Paint Scheme
Darlington Raceway has made a yearly tradition of “throwback weekend” for the last few years, giving teams, drivers, and fans the opportunity to recall some of their most fond individuals and moments in NASCAR history.
Apparently for Jimmie Johnson and Hendrick Motorsports, they don’t have to look very far back to feel nostalgic.
The No. 48 team will run a paint scheme identical to what Johnson was driving when he earned Hendrick Motorsports’ 200th victory …
…”way” back in 2012.
Now, in fairness, that victory was at Darlington Raceway and in our minute-by-minute world, six years certainly does seem like a long time ago.
With that said, the black and white paint scheme is not the traditional blue Lowe’s color that fans are accustomed to seeing on the No. 48 car, so in that regard it at the very least is a “special” paint scheme.
Johnson has three career victories at Darlington Raceway, with the 2012 win being the most recent. His average finish at the track is 10.5.
So far in 2018, the No. 48 team has earned only two top fives and seven top 10s in 21 races.
~~
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 July 31, 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!
**We apologize for the unexpected hiatus of “Five Things”. We appreciate you visiting Kickin’ The Tires and expect “Five Things” to continue uninterrupted.**
JR Motorsports driver Michael Annett will have a new crew chief beginning in this weekend’s NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Watkins Glen International.
Travis Mack, who was released as Kasey Kahne’s crew chief in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series earlier this season, will assume the new role beginning this weekend, replacing current crew chief Jason Stockert.
Stockert has been with JRM since 2017 and will be moved into another role within the company.
“I’m very grateful to be able to return to JR Motorsports,” said Mack. “To have been here previously as car chief and now to come back as a crew chief is a tremendous opportunity. I can’t thank Dale Jr. and Kelley enough for that. I’m looking forward to getting started with the No. 5 team this weekend.
Mack has previously been an employee of JRM and their Cup-affiliated team Hendrick Motorsports, with tenure going back to 2004. He was the car chief for Chase Elliott when he won the XFINITY Series championship in 2014 and was Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s car chief in 2017.
In 19 races so far this season, Annett has yet to earn a top-10 finish, with his best result of the year so far coming in the Daytona race earlier this month where he finished 11th. With seven races left in the regular season, Annett is 40 points below the cutoff line.
The Gander Outdoors 400 at Pocono Raceway on Sunday earned a 1.8 overnight TV rating, down from last year’s 2.0.
Despite the decrease, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race was still the highest rated sporting event of the weekend.
Compare that to IndyCar’s race from Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, which earned a .09 overnight TV rating. IndyCar’s race was on CNBC while the Cup Series was on NBCSN.
It is not uncommon to see a windshield wiper on NASCAR stock cars at road course events, regardless of whether or not there is any rain in the forecast. Earlier this season, the forecast for the race at Sonoma Raceway — one of two road course races on the Cup Series schedule — was near perfect with no rain in sight, yet most of the cars on track still had windshield wipers.
Scott Miller, NASCAR’s senior vice president of competition, said it is likely that a change will be made in this area for the 2019 season.
“We’ve typically let them run the wiper blade whether it was dry or whether it was not,” Miller said during an appearance on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. “Ironically, that’s on our list for 2019 rules and we will tell them when they can and when they can’t run the windshield wiper blade.
“If we see anything this weekend that is completely outlandish, we will probably react to that. Typically they’ve been able to run the blade whenever they want to and we’re definitely looking at that.”
On-track activity is scheduled for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday this weekend at Watkins Glen International. Currently, Friday calls for scattered thunderstorms with a 60% chance of rain. Saturday and Sunday both currently have a 20% chance of rain.
It’s no secret that racing is a tough, humbling business. The highest of highs and the lowest of lows are frequent and usually not that far apart.
This is now the case for Mason Mitchell Motorsports, a team that came storming into the ARCA Racing Series in 2014, winning the driver and owner championship in their first season of competition with owner/driver Mason Mitchell. The team announced on Monday they would be ceasing operations effective immediately.
Mitchell won one race in 2014 and, since then, the team has captured six more victories amongst four different drivers: Mitchell, Justin Haley, Austin Wayne Self, and Gus Dean.
32 different drivers have competed for MMM since the team’s inception.
“I would like to thank all of our fans, sponsors, drivers, past and present employees for your support and hard work over the years,” Owner Mason Mitchell stated. “We accomplished a lot in one of the most well-known national touring series in the country. I appreciate all of the friendships over the last five years. This isn’t a goodbye, more so a see you later.”
Four drivers have raced for MMM so far in 2018: Mitchell, Blaine Perkins, Ryan Repko, and Max Tullman. Tullman earned the team’s best finish this year, with a sixth-place run at Daytona and Talladega.
https://twitter.com/MMM_Race/status/1023901100305522690
Darlington Raceway has made a yearly tradition of “throwback weekend” for the last few years, giving teams, drivers, and fans the opportunity to recall some of their most fond individuals and moments in NASCAR history.
Apparently for Jimmie Johnson and Hendrick Motorsports, they don’t have to look very far back to feel nostalgic.
The No. 48 team will run a paint scheme identical to what Johnson was driving when he earned Hendrick Motorsports’ 200th victory …
…”way” back in 2012.
Now, in fairness, that victory was at Darlington Raceway and in our minute-by-minute world, six years certainly does seem like a long time ago.
With that said, the black and white paint scheme is not the traditional blue Lowe’s color that fans are accustomed to seeing on the No. 48 car, so in that regard it at the very least is a “special” paint scheme.
Johnson has three career victories at Darlington Raceway, with the 2012 win being the most recent. His average finish at the track is 10.5.
So far in 2018, the No. 48 team has earned only two top fives and seven top 10s in 21 races.
~~
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.