Patrick Quiets The Critics In Kansas

Danica Patrick silenced her critics – for a week, at least – with a career-high seventh-place finish Saturday night in the 5-hour Energy 400 at Kansas Speedway.

The finish was no fluke. The Stewart Haas Racing driver was solid throughout the weekend, practicing near the top of the leaderboard, qualifying ninth and racing as high as third before settling for a seventh-place showing at the drop of the checkered flag.

The finished topped her previous career high of eighth, recording in the 2013 Daytona 500, and was clearly her strongest outing yet in a non-restrictor-plate race. The most noteworthy moment of her night came on lap 172, when Patrick passed both Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and boss Tony Stewart with a gutsy, fourth-turn maneuver that brought the fans to their feet and moved her from fifth place to third in the running order.

“When I was fifth, I was thinking… `I feel faster than them,’ recalled Patrick. “They got caught up in traffic in (Turns) 3 and 4, checked-up and I got underneath them.

“But when I was running third, I was honestly trying not to think about the fact that I was running third. (I concentrated on) the fact that `I’ve been looking at that car in front of me the whole race and I need to go pass that car.’ When you think about it car by car, it’s a little bit more calming,” she said. “The last thing you want to do is get excited, start overdriving and make mistakes.”

Surprisingly, Patrick said the Earnhardt/Stewart pass was not even the highlight of her evening.

“Honestly, the most rewarding part of my night was when I drove around the outside of the No. 48 on a restart,” she admitted. “I say that with all the respect in the world. It’s a big deal because he is Jimmie Johnson. Aside from that, I was really just proud that we stayed up front all day. That was the biggest thing.”

Patrick indeed ran among the leaders throughout the night, falling outside the Top-10 only briefly after her final green-flag pit stop with 30 laps remaining.

“You know you’re going to go up and down (in the standings) a little bit, and we sure enough did that,” she said. “But we more than held our own through the whole race.”

Patrick gave high marks to crew chief Tony Gibson and her GoDaddy Chevrolet team, saying, “I’m extremely proud of this crew for building a new car that was just awesome. It was so good on restarts and long runs (with) tires getting old. They built a great (car) and we’ve got more of these coming. That’s the even better news. Hard work pays off and they definitely put the hard work into it.”

She also credited Stewart Haas Racing teammate Kevin Harvick for some pre-qualifying tips that helped her find speed on the tricky, 1.5-mile Kansas layout.

“It definitely paid off in qualifying, for sure,” she said. “And in the race, too. That’s (why) I was really excited about having Kevin and Kurt (Busch) come to the team, and having Tony (Stewart) back full-time. I was able to get little tidbits from those guys and fast-forward my learning curve, instead of having to learn it all myself.

“It’s really cool when you have teammates that are unconditional like that and want to help you,” she said. “When everyone is better -- and we all get better -- it pumps the team up. Everybody wants it even more.”

While a frequent target of the critics in her still-young NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career, Patrick said nights like she enjoyed Saturday go a long way toward bolstering her self-confidence.

“I have always believed in myself,” she said. “I’ve always believed that in the right situation, I can do it. And those little moments -- like when you drive by Jimmie Johnson on the outside -- make me really proud of myself. Little moments like that give me a little bit more confidence.

“I guarantee you we’re going work even harder now,” she said. “We’re going to work harder because we love where we’re at, and this is what we work for.

“When you taste (success), you don’t want to let it go.”

Busch Scores Again In Kansas Truck Race

Kyle Busch dominated Friday night’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series SFP 250 at Kansas Speedway, starting from the pole and leading a race-high 104 laps en route to a three-second victory over defending series champion Matt Crafton.

“Kansas? I'm a winner at Kansas?” asked an incredulous Busch in Victory Lane, after finally conquering a  track that has yielded an average finish of 23rd and four DNFs in Busch’s Sprint Cup Series starts.

The race was caution-plagued, with nine cautions for a total of 46 laps. It featured 15 lead changes among six different drivers, and the win was Busch’s 37^th in 117 career Truck starts, raising his lifetime winning percentage to a hefty 32%. He has now won his last three Truck Series races, after scoring in the season-opener at Daytona International Speedway and the 2013 finale at Homestead Miami Speedway. He has also visited Victory Lane in seven of his last 11 Truck starts.

Point leader Peters (L) crashed early.

Busch’s crew chief, Eric Phillips, claimed his 29^th career Truck Series victory, making him the winningest crew chief in the history of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

Point leader Timothy Peters was involved in a first-lap crash and finished nine laps down in 14^th place, forfeiting the championship lead to Crafton by eight points.

Matt Crafton, Joey Logano, Austin Dillon and Taylor Malsam completed the Top-5, with Malsam equalling his career-best finish in his first start of the year for Turner Scott Motorsports. Jeb Burton, German Quiroga, Ron Hornaday Jr., Joe Nemechek and rookie Mason Mingus completed the Top-10.

While Options Exist, Biffle Insists Return To RFR Imminent

Greg Biffle admitted Friday that he has options to race for other teams in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. He insisted, however, that he has no intention of exercising those options.

The Washington native is in the final season of his current contract at Roush Fenway Racing, and has been negotiating a new deal with the team for a number of weeks. Asked if a departure from Roush Fenway Racing is possible at season’s end, Biffle answered without hesitation.

"No, not a bit," he said.  "Absolutely, 100-percent no.

“Ultimately, I’ve got options (to race elsewhere),” he admitted. “This isn’t the only place, you know. I'm going to have a job. (But) is it a distraction? No."

Biffle said talks are ongoing toward a new contract, as well as a matching pact with sponsor 3M. 

"We have a great relationship and they're very happy with the program," he said. "This is a big deal for them. They've got a lot of business units inside 3M (and it’s good to have) all these sponsors in the garage part of one company.”

While many outside the team obsess about the contract status of both Biffle and teammate Carl Edwards, Biffle said he is fully focused on making his car faster, winning races and contending for a championship.

"My concentration is coming here and figuring out how we get this car as fast as we can get it, qualify up front and try to win this race," he said.  "That's my focus.” 

Busch Finalizing Preparations For Indy/Charlotte Double

Just two weeks from attempting to win the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 in the same day, Kurt Busch says the magnitude of that effort is finally beginning to hit home.

“The excitement is building up,” admitted the 2004 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion. “It’s been great all this month. I have a chance to win (at Indy) with an Andretti Autosport car and I’ve got a chance to win the Coke 600 with a Stewart-Haas car.”

Busch said that while the logistics involved with practicing, qualifying and racing in both events has been daunting, the schedules for the two events have meshed well.

“We have a pretty straightforward schedule on the IndyCar side,” he revealed. “It’s very different than our scheduled practices in stock car land. (At Indy), the track is hot every day from 12:00 to 6:00 p.m. So I’m on call every day from 12 to 6 pm. Andretti Autosport has their sequence of when we’re going to go out on the track, and that’s been given to me, (so) we have our practice sessions planned out already.

“It’s neat to know where we’ll be and what needs to be done on both sides of the garage area. But Mother Nature is ultimately in change. She is dishing out a bit more chance of rain early in the week, and then it’s cool with very consistent conditions Friday and Saturday of next week.”

He said his Indy effort will begin “on Thursday to Friday of next week. We’re going to go through our paces next week and most of the practice runs are in race trim for the Indy 500.” He said he hopes to be fast from the outset, avoiding “Bump Day” worries by remaining in the top half of the practice field.

“We don’t want to be part of Bump Day; in that lower half, or lower third of the field. It is (all about) following Andretti Autosport’s lead, even if we had a threat of having to qualify in. Andretti Autosport has done a tremendous job in allowing me to roll as a rookie, feel the comfort level each time we go out in the car and not overstep anything that’s asked (of) me as a newbie.

“I’ll be leaning on every bit of experience from them, but it would be nice not to have to worry about getting bumped out.”

Busch said he was pleasantly surprised by “the open arms and the feel in the paddock of the IndyCar guys, team owners, sponsors and the drivers. It’s been an amazing welcome to (their) garage area.”

While much attention has been paid to his IndyCar shakedown runs, Busch is cognizant that the Indianapolis 500 is less than half of the total challenge he’ll face.

“At the end of the day, there still is a… 600-mile event where I’ll be driving the Haas-Automation Chevy,” he said. “They’re rooting me on (at Indy), but I still have my job to do when I show up (in Charlotte). There still has to be a lot of focus around the stock car side of this.”

Busch said he has spoken with Stewart Haas Racing co-owner Tony Stewart – himself a former IRL champion – in an attempt to learn everything he can in advance of the 500.

“He said the IndyCars have less horsepower,” said Busch. “They have less pick-up, acceleration -- and even though the cars weigh 1500 pounds -- don’t accelerate like stock cars do. So you have to look ahead, you have to anticipate (and) you have to digest what’s happening in front of you when guys get side-by-side.”

While winning both races is obviously his goal, Busch said finishing all 1,100 mile will make a successful day, in his mind.

“I’d love to finish in the top half of the field at Indy,” he said. “I’d love to stay out of trouble all day and just experience it all. But once this week gets further down the road -- with the comfort level I will gain -- I’ll want more. But right now, it’s a matter of just finishing both races. Eleven hundred miles is tough to do.”

Busch has ramped-up his already demanding physical training regimen in anticipation of the Indy/Charlotte double, focusing on upper-body strength.

“My hands have been very sore after each of the practice sessions, just from the death grip on the wheel,” he laughed. “I need to relax more and let the car come to me, instead of me forcing the car. It’s just getting comfortable with the driver controls and knowing where everything is around me.

“I’ve bulked up a little bit just with muscle mass. I’ve gained about three pounds. It’s been a slight difference.”

Johnson Insists "We Will Win Races"

Despite being held winless through the first 10 races of the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, Jimmie Johnson said he and his Lowes Chevrolet team are not reaching for the panic button.

“Until we are not locked in (to the Chase), there is nothing to worry about,” said Johnson today at Kansas Speedway. “Where we sit in points right now, we are locked in. Of course we want to win. We want to win every race we go to. We have been in the ballpark and have been very close to victory a couple of times and it got away. 

“Yes, there have been some poor performances (and) we are trying to raise that,” he said. “I don’t think we are where we want to be as a team right now, but we have had a few looks at wins and I know we will get a few more.  We just need to capitalize on that. 

Despite a Chase format that placed an increased emphasis on winning. Johnson insisted that the game has not changed.

“Points still matter,” he said. “There is a bigger window to make the Chase today than there was last year. Last year was 12 (qualifiers), this year it’s 16. I don’t think there is anything to stress out about yet.”

Johnson said he and his team are determined to improve their on-track performance, which includes four finishes outside the Top-20, and acknowledged some testiness in his on-track communication with crew chief Chad Knaus in recent weeks

“Chad doesn’t have an outbound filter,” said Johnson. “When he hits the button, or when he speaks, there is nothing slowing down his honest opinion.  (After) 13 years of working with him, it’s family. That stuff doesn’t bother me. Chad isn’t happy unless we are winning races.

“Everything is there,” he insisted. “We just need to own this new rules package and find the No. 48 set-up in it. That is what we are searching for. Some tracks we have been close, others not so much. But our drive to compete… hasn’t changed one bit. We are still as hungry as we have ever been.”

Johnson also said it is difficult to meet the high expectations set by fans and fellow competitors for a six-time championship-winning team.

“Successful teams can sometimes be their own worst enemy with expectations that are set in respect,” he said. “We have been through dry spells before. A 10-12 race dry spell isn’t a very long one. If we didn’t have any looks at wins this year, I would have a much different opinion. I still feel that we are extremely competitive and I feel I’m a better race car driver today than I was last year. I keep learning more and experiencing more and add that to my repertoire of things to do. 

“I know we will win our fair share of races.  We will make Chases and certainly be a threat for championships. Our team is as strong as it has ever been.”

Kansas Lottery Renews Speedway Partnership

Kansas Speedway and Kansas Lottery officials have announced a multi-year renewal of their partnership, which has been in place since Kansas Speedway opened in 2001.

  

The partnership means the Kansas Lottery will remain the entitlement sponsor of the NASCAR Nationwide Series race (Kansas Lottery 300), which returns to Kansas Speedway on Oct. 4, and the Kansas Lottery will continue as the “Official Lottery of Kansas Speedway.”  

“I’m excited that we are able to continue our partnership with the Kansas Lottery,” said Kansas Speedway President Patrick Warren. “The Lottery has been a tremendous supporter of ours and their continued sponsorship of Kansas Speedway and as the entitlement partner on our NASCAR Nationwide Series race is incredible. It’s going to be a great year at Kansas Speedway and I’m glad that the Kansas Lottery will be a part of it.” 

“The Kansas Lottery has partnered with Kansas Speedway since the beginning,” said Kansas Lottery Executive Director Terry Presta. “Besides the great visibility the partnership affords us, our players really appreciate being able to win once-in-a-lifetime VIP racing experiences at Kansas Speedway in our second-chance drawings.”  

Tickets for Kansas Speedway’s 2014 events are currently on sale. To purchase season tickets or single event tickets, call 866-460-RACE (7223) or visit www.kansasspeedway.com.  Season ticket holders receive a TrackPass for each NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race day that allows access to the infield for the Kansas Army National Guard Pre-Race activities, including the pre-race concert and driver introductions.

Eli Gold Headed To Alabama Sports Hall Of Fame

Veteran Motor Racing Network broadcaster Eli Gold will be honored next week with induction into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame.

In addition to being one of the most recognizable announcers in MRN’s award-winning lineup of motor sports professionals, Gold has been the play-by-play voice of University of Alabama football since 1988.

“This is an unbelievable honor,” Gold said.  “I proudly accept it, but I also accept it on behalf of the men and women who have – over the years – allowed me to follow my dreams … from the Crimson Tide Sports Network; to the Motor Racing Network; to my NHL, NFL, baseball and tennis employers.  Without their confidence in hiring me, this honor would never have happened.  I am forever indebted to them.”

Gold – a native of Brooklyn, N.Y. – started in sports broadcasting in 1972.  In a career now spanning five decades, he’s done play-by-play for a number of hockey teams including the Birmingham Bulls, St. Louis Blues and Nashville Predators; as well as a four-year stint as play-by-play announcer for the Birmingham Barons baseball team.

Gold joined MRN in 1976 and today, anchors the network’s exclusive radio coverage of the inaugural TUDOR United SportsCar Championship.  He’s also the host of “NASCAR Live,” a weekly look inside the world of stock car racing that airs each Tuesday from 7 to 8 p.m. (ET) and is streamed live at www.MRN.com.

In his role as the voice of Crimson Tide football, Gold has been named Alabama Sportscaster of the Year four times.

Other inductees in the 2014 Hall of Fame class are:

Ruthie Bolton (basketball), Red Cochran (posthumously, football), Bill Cody (football), Travis Grant (basketball), Walter Jones (football), David Magadan (baseball) and Major Ogilvie (football).

The induction ceremony for the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2014 will take place on Saturday, May 17, in Birmingham.

Random Thoughts From The Plains Of Kansas

A few random thoughts while waiting out a Thursday afternoon rain delay at Kansas Speedway…

Pay attention!

Hamlin No Darkhorse: If you were surprised by Denny Hamlin’s victory in Sunday’s Aaron’s 499 at Talladega Superspeedway, it’s because you haven’t been paying attention. Despite being a lukewarm 12^th in points earned in 2014, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver has been virtually unstoppable in restrictor plate races. Hamlin began his season with a win in the non-point Sprint Unlimited at Daytona International Speedway, before prevailing in his Budweiser Dual Qualifier. He finished a close second behind winner Dale Earnhardt, Jr. in the Daytona 500, before winning Sunday at Talladega.

With an average finish of 1.25 in restrictor plate events this season, Hamlin and his Fed Ex Toyota team are surely looking forward to Saturday night, July 5, when the Sprint Cup Series returns to Daytona for the Coke Zero 400.

So, who ya got in that one?

Maybe this weekend...

Pretty Payday: NASCAR Wire Service reporter Reid Spencer pointed out earlier this week that Hamlin took home $303,315 for his win at Talladega. Or 649,493,145.65 in Dogecoin. You decide.

Tell The Truth: Who predicted Matt Kenseth to be the only Joe Gibbs Racing Sprint Cup Series driver yet to visit Victory Lane in 2014? A seven-time winner and title contender last season, Kenseth has just three Top-5 finishes in 10 starts this year, with a best showing of fourth at Fontana and Darlington. Kenseth is a two-time winner here at Kansas Speedway, however, and could easily grab the brass ring this weekend in the Land of Dorothy Gale.

Busch League: While Kenseth’s numbers at Kansas Speedway are solid, teammate Kyle Busch has struggled mightily. Busch’s average finish in 13 career Sprint Cup starts here is a woeful 23.3, making Kansas by far his worst statistical track.

Ryan Blaney

Calling All Blaney-acs: Ryan Blaney makes his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut Sunday in the No. 12 SKF Ford for Team Penske. Blaney, the son of Sprint Cup veteran Dave Blaney, has some experience at the Kansas track, finishing third in Camping World Truck Series action here a year ago and claiming an 11^th-place Nationwide Series finish in 2012. Papa Dave is also on this weekend’s entry list, but has struggled to qualify in 2014, missing eight of the 10 races to date for Randy Humphrey Racing.

Bad News For Jimmie: Defending NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson has now gone 10 races without a win at the start of the 2014 campaign, tying for the third-longest drought to start a season in his 13-year career. In each of the three prior seasons when Johnson went 10 races (or more) without a win, he failed to win the championship.

And GOOD News For Jimmie: In the opening 10 races of this season, Johnson has four finishes outside the Top-20. That’s the most since 2009, when Johnson also finished 20^th or worse four times in his first 10 starts. For the record, the Hendrick Motorsports driver rebounded from that shaky start to win the 2009 Cup Series championship.

Townley Adds 12 NNS Races With Athenian Motorsports

Athenian Motorsports announced today they will compete in a total of 13 NASCAR Nationwide Series races this season with John Wes Townley driving their No. 25 Zaxby’s Toyota Camry.

Townley comes off a 13^th-place finish in the team’s Nationwide Series debut at Talladega Superspeedway last Saturday.

Athenian Motorsports will run Townley at both Charlotte Motor Speedway races, Kentucky Speedway, Daytona Int’l Speedway, Chicagoland, Indianapolis, Bristol, Richmond, Kansas, Texas, Phoenix and the 2014 season finale at Homestead Miami Speedway.

“We had a good run at Talladega,” said Townley. “We pulled off a Top-15 finish in our first time out as a team. Finishing 13th is great for any Nationwide team, and for one just starting out, I think we did pretty well. We just wanted to get out there and earn some respect as a team and I think we did that. 

“Our next 12 races will help us learn and grow as a team and be bettered prepared for running the full 2015 NASCAR Nationwide Series schedule.” 

Townley will continue to compete full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck and ARCA Racing presented by Menards Series in 2014.

Francis Penalized For Qualifying Miscue

Kenny Francis, crew chief for Kasey Kahne’s No. 5 Farmer’s Insurance Chevrolet team that competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, has been penalized for rules violations committed during qualifying May 3 at Talladega Superspeedway. 

The infraction is a P3 level penalty and violates Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and 12-4.3(A)1-c (unapproved added weight and/or weight affixed improperly) of the 2014 rule book. The infraction reportedly occurred when a frame rail end-cap came loose and allowed 25 pounds of aluminum ballast to fall out of the car and onto the race track. The infraction was discovered in post-qualifying inspection, and Francis has been fined $25,000. 

Earnhardt: "I Should Have Put On A Better Effort"

This just in: Dale Earnhardt, Jr. is human.

With a day to reflect on the finish of the Aaron’s 499 at Talladega Superspeedway, Earnhardt says he regrets riding in the back of the pack Sunday, avoiding possible crashes and settling for a lackluster, 26^th-place finish.

“I let a lot of people down,” said Earnhardt on his “Dirty Mo Radio” program at dalejr.com. “(I’m) just real disappointed in how we finished, disappointed in how I ran the race… disappointed in a lot of things.”

After the checkered flag fell Sunday, the Hendrick Motorsports driver admitted languishing in the rear of the field down the stretch, believing there was not enough time remaining to race his way to Victory Lane. “We’ve already got a win,” said Earnhardt at the time, “(and) I’ve been in too many late-race wrecks. I didn’t want to be no part of it.”

Now, Earnhardt says he regrets that decision, calling Sunday, “not a good day.

“I had plenty of race car,” he said. “We got ourselves some track position, actually got into the lead and were able to hold the lead pretty easily. I felt everything was working out like we planned, and we were going to be up there in the Top-5 the rest of the day. Trying to win the race was going to be on our mind the rest of the (way), but we didn’t feel like we could make it on fuel. We gave up the lead and a couple of them guys gambled and made it work.

“(For) 20 laps, there was really nowhere to go and no point sitting in the back,” he recalled. “They ended up wrecking a couple of times, but at the end, I didn’t do what I needed to do. The last 10 laps of the race -- when I should have been up there getting a little more aggressive and finding spots and positions -- I didn’t do what I was supposed to do.”

Earnhardt’s decision – right or wrong – was clearly one borne of frustration. No driver enjoys giving up a hard-fought lead late in the race, even when pitting for tires and fuel is clearly the correct thing to do. No driver envies the prospect of fighting tooth-and-nail to regain ground he had fought for – and won – just a few laps earlier. In the end, however, there is no excuse for giving less than a 100-percent effort, at any time.

If you’re running out of laps, you keep plugging to the bitter end. If your outside-line run stalls out, you organize another one. And another. If you cannot win, you adjust your goals, lower your standards and race your guts out for second place, or third.

Quitting should never be an option, for any of us.

After all, there’s only one man allowed to run-up the white flag in NASCAR, and that’s the man in the flag stand. Junior lost track of that fact Sunday, falling victim to the frailty of human emotions and momentarily checking his competitive spirit at the door.

“I know a lot of people are disappointed,” said Earnhardt. “I’m disappointed that they’re disappointed. I should have put on a better effort for the people who come out and watch us race and, obviously, for my crew.

“I feel like I let a lot of people down, and I just have got to live with that. That’s a decision I made and that’s how it works. I hate it all coming out like that, and I learned… some pretty hard lessons today.

“Hopefully, we won’t ever have a repeat of that again.’’

MWR Signs Bowyer, Pattie, 5-hour Energy To Extensions

Michael Waltrip Racing has signed multi-year contract extensions with sponsor 5-hour ENERGY, driver Clint Bowyer and crew chief Brian Pattie to race its No. 15 Toyota Camry in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series, beginning in 2015.

The trio joined MWR in 2012 and has scored three wins and earned two Chase berths, including a runner-up finish in 2012.  

“This is big news for all of us,” said Bowyer, an eight-time winner in NASCAR Sprint Cup competition. “It creates great stability and excitement about what the next few years can bring. MWR is my racing home and continuing this relationship with 5-hour ENERGY was a high priority. It’s time to put the paperwork in a drawer and focus on winning.”

“Since the first day 5-hour ENERGY, Clint and Brian showed up at MWR, we have been a contender for wins and championships. I am so thankful that we get to continue and add to what we have built,” said co-owner Michael Waltrip. “I am most happy for the employees of MWR who are the foundation of everything we do.”

The familiar red, black and yellow brand colors of 5-hour ENERGY will adorn the No. 15 in 24 NASCAR Sprint Cup events each year starting in 2015. Additional primary partners on the No. 15 include PEAK and AAA Mid-Atlantic. 

“We have clearly aligned ourselves with one of the most competitive and energetic drivers in racing and we felt it was really important for us to continue the equity we have built over the past three years,” said Scott Henderson, president of 5-hour ENERGY. “We love Clint, the people at MWR and the sport of NASCAR. The extension decision was also based on our racing program’s success with our sales team and all of our participating retailers.”

Bowyer celebrates his 300^th career Sprint Cup Series start Sunday at Kansas Speedway.

Malsam Returns With Turner Scott Motorsports

Tayler Malsam will be behind the wheel of the Turner Scott Motorsports No. 32 Outerwall Inc. Chevrolet Silverado in12 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races through the remainder of the 2014 season, beginning this weekend at Kansas Speedway. The 25-year-old made his NCWTS debut in 2008 and competed full time in 2009, where he garnered 10 Top-10 finishes and ranked 12th in driver points. 

A native of Seattle, Washington, Malsam began racing go-karts at the age of 16 and quickly progressed to the ARCA Racing Series, where he ran a full season as a Penske Development Driver. While competing in the NCWTS for Kyle Busch Motorsports in 2010, Malsam got a midseason opportunity to advance to the NASCAR Nationwide Series with Braun Racing, where he ran 11 events for the now-Turner Scott Motorsports team. Malsam embarked on his first full-time NNS season in 2012 with TriStar Motorsports and ranked 15th in the Driver Point Standings. Currently, Malsam is competing in sprint cars and will balance both racing schedules throughout the 2014 season. 

"It's great to be back in the NASCAR garage and back on track with the Truck Series," said Malsam. "I can't thank Outerwall and Turner Scott Motorsports enough for their support and for giving me this opportunity. Mike (Hillman Jr.) is an accomplished crew chief and I think, together, we can get the Outerwall Chevy Silverado in victory lane this season." 

Malsam will be under the direction of two-time NCWTS championship-winning crew chief Mike Hillman Jr. throughout the 12 races. In 2013, Hillman directed the No. 4 truck and claimed one victory, seven pole awards and finished the season in fifth place in the NCWTS Driver Point Standings. Hillman and Malsam will team up for the following races: 

5/9, Kansas Speedway	8/16, Michigan International Speedway
5/16, Charlotte Motor Speedway	9/12, Chicagoland Speedway
6/6, Texas Motor Speedway	9/27, Las Vegas Motor Speedway
6/14, Gateway Motorsports Park	10/18, Talladega Superspeedway
6/26, Kentucky Speedway	10/31, Texas Motor Speedway
7/12, Iowa Speedway	11/14, Homestead-Miami Speedway

Cautious Earnhardt Settles For 26th At Talladega

“You know they're going to crash..." 

The meek may indeed inherit the earth, but they won’t win races at Talladega Superspeedway.

Case in point? Dale Earnhardt, Jr., who played it safe late in Sunday’s Aaron’s 499 en route to a disappointing, 26^th-place finish.

Earnhardt had a strong car Sunday, leading 26 laps and running among the leaders throughout the event. He was at the head of the class when David Gilliland’s blown engine put the field under caution on lap 151, and ducked onto pit road in search of tires and a much-needed splash of fuel. He restarted 13^th, but soon fell to the back of the pack, never to be heard from again.

As the laps wound down, the packed Talladega grandstands braced for a patented, late-race Earnhardt charge. He did mount a brief assault in the outside lane, but when Josh Wise slid into the three-wide line and slowed his roll, Earnhardt shockingly elected to throw in his cards.

“We had an opportunity to get a run, we took it; but we got blocked by the No. 98,” he recalled. “And with two (laps) to go, you’re not going to get another run.”

So while Denny Hamlin, Greg Biffle and Clint Bowyer battled for the victory, NASCAR’s perennial Most Popular Driver languished in the back, leaving fans to wonder what had become of the driver who dominated Talladega so often in the past.

"We came out too far behind," said Earnhardt of his final pit call. "It's hard to drive up through there. The track is three-wide forever (and) I just didn't feel confident we could do it without getting in a crash.

"...and I can't afford to wreck anymore here."

“You know they're going to crash and I can't afford to wreck anymore here,” he said, recalling the October 2012 Talladega crash that sidelined him for two races with a severe concussion. “You've got to pick your battles, and I felt like we were better off not getting in a wreck. Them other guys were way more  aggressive... so I just sat there and watched the wrecks until the end of the race.”

With a win already in hand and a spot in the 2014 Chase essentially secured, Earnhardt can perhaps be forgiven for saving his car – and his health – for another day. It’s not, however, what his loyal legions of fans expect, especially at a track where his legendary father once drove from 18^th to first in the final three circuits.

There is little comparison between Earnhardt the elder and his stock car driving son, and that’s fine. “Junior” is a kinder, gentler soul, more introspective and less aggressive, both on and off the race track. And Sunday, he showed a side of himself that the Old Man rarely (if ever) displayed; a willingness to accept defeat and live to fight another day.

“We’ve already got a win,” said Earnhardt afterward, “(and) I’ve been in too many late-race wrecks. I didn’t want to be no part of it. There were three or four (crashes) we dodged pretty good, so we’ve got a car in one piece.

”We’ll go to Daytona and do it a little bit different, where we aren’t pitting and giving up all that track position at the end.”

Drivers Say Talladega Qualifying Will Be Unpredictable

With Sprint Cup Series qualifying less than 24 hours away at Talladega Superspeedway, there is no clear consensus in the garage area regarding what might occur.

“I don’t know what is going to exactly happen,” admitted six-time series champion Jimmie Johnson today. “But to win the pole, you’re going to have to go out there and race.

“The run that you can get on a group that it a football field or two ahead of you is so dramatic. A 10 or 12-car line won’t be as fast as somebody who falls way back in the pack and has a chance to pull up into the pack over a lap or two. That’s what every driver is going to try to do.

“Setting that up is going to be tough,” he admitted, “because everybody is going to be trying it; and if you see someone behind you coming (fast), why stay on the gas to help them? So, bailing out of the gas, breaking up the pack, and things like that are all possible.

“It’s going to be exciting, for sure.”

Johnson said he is still trying to determine the risk versus reward of qualifying en masse.

“I’m trying to come to grips with where I take a large risk,” he said. “We’re just not sure right now what to expect. We wanted to come here with a plan in place on how to qualify, but our opinion seems to change every 15 minutes.”

Teammate Dale Earnhardt, Jr. was equally cryptic, saying, “I just don’t know (what will happen). The guy that gets the pole is going to have to hit it just right.  I’m not sure what our approach is, yet. We’ve got some conversations to have between Steve (Letarte) and our teammates, and feel out everybody’s opinion (on) what they want to do.

Earnhardt also said he is not willing to take major chances tomorrow in search of a prime starting spot.

“We built a brand new race car, so our willingness to take risks is going to be pretty limited,” he said. “It doesn’t matter where you start, other than just picking (a stall) on pit road.” 

Team Penske driver and two-time 2014 winner Joey Logano had a more succinct prediction for tomorrow’s qualifying session, saying, “Somebody’s going to wreck a wreck car. In fact, it’ll probably be more than one.”

Nationwide To Back Earnhardt In New, Three-Year Deal

Nationwide Insurance has signed a new, three-year sponsorship with driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team, beginning in 2015.

Nationwide Insurance will serve as a primary partner for 12 Sprint Cup races next season and 13 events in both 2016 and 2017. The company also will be an associate-level sponsor of the No. 88 car throughout all three seasons.

“The Earnhardt family has trusted Nationwide for their insurance needs for more than 35 years, and Dale Jr. has a positive impact on our brand’s reputation and brings pride to Nationwide members and our associates,” said Matt Jauchius, chief marketing officer for Nationwide Insurance. “Expanding that relationship to incorporate the prestigious operations at Hendrick Motorsports and collaborating with Rick Hendrick and his team is a great fit for Nationwide Insurance.”

Hendrick Motorsports will work with Nationwide Insurance to support consumer, business and employee offerings in the auto, home, life and classic car insurance and retirement categories. NASCAR fans can immediately benefit through insurance discounts offered via the free JR Nation fan club. Membership is available by visiting www.jrnation.com.

“Nationwide is always top of mind when you think of companies that truly leverage the power of NASCAR,” said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. “We’re proud to welcome them to the No. 88 team and grow their relationship with Dale Jr. Working together, we’ll build another program that moves the needle for their business. The opportunities are endless.”

Earnhardt, 39, is a two-time Nationwide Series champion and has 20 career points-paying victories in the Sprint Cup Series. The Kannapolis, N.C., native has earned three consecutive Chase for the Sprint Cup berths and is NASCAR's 11-time most popular driver as voted by fans. In 2014, he won his second Daytona 500 and currently is fifth in the standings.

“I’ve always enjoyed working with Nationwide and really believe in their products and services,” said Earnhardt, who Nationwide Insurance has featured in national advertising since 2009. “It’ll be fun to work with them in a new way, and I know everyone on the team is looking forward to the partnership. They’ve invested in our sport and built a strong reputation with NASCAR fans, and this opens up doors to do even more great things.”

Ambrose: "I Was Just Trying To Stand Up For Myself"

Marcos Ambrose has kept a low profile since his post-race dustup with Casey Mears Saturday night at Richmond International Raceway. The Richard Petty Motorsports driver was fined $25,000 by NASCAR and placed on probation until May 28 for his role in the fracas, which saw him land a stiff right hook to Mears’ eye.

Ambrose spoke publicly for the first time about the incident today at Charlotte Motor Speedway, calling the altercation “quite impromptu. 

“I was walking past (Mears’) car after he’d finished the race,” Ambrose recalled. “I was actually heading over to have a chat with David Gilliland, just to say, `we’re all good’ after we got into each other a couple of times. Some words were said and I was confused why Casey was so annoyed at me.

“Once he put his hands on me and started pushing me around, I was just trying to stand up for myself and my country and my family and my reputation. I threw a punch… to get him out of the way and let him know that I didn’t respect him not giving me my space. 

“A wiser man would have walked away a little bit earlier and not got himself in that situation,” admitted Ambrose. “I could tell it was not going well and I should have (walked away). We spoke for maybe a minute and a half before he started shoving me around, and I should have walked away a lot sooner. Next time, I might scamper into the race hauler or back to the plane and have a sleep on things. 

”But I don’t apologize for my actions,” he said. “I was just standing up for myself and my team and my family; letting people know that you can’t get in my private space like that and expect not to have any consequences.”

Ambrose said he and Mears have spoken “more than once” since the incident, and “I honestly believe we’ll enjoy having a beer with each other. I think we have a mutual respect for each other. I like Casey a lot.  I didn’t have any beef with him after the race, but emotions just got out of hand. We both recognize that if we had our time (to cool off), it wouldn’t happen again. But now it has (and) you can’t take back what has happened.

“I’m not carrying anything forward.  He has to decide what he wants to do, but if we get ourselves in a pub somewhere, I’d buy him a beer no problem.”

Ambrose also denied media reports that he had been struck by one of Mears’ crewmembers during the fracas, saying, “I did not get punched. I was able to duck and weave and get out of trouble. I haven’t seen the (TV) footage, so I’m not even sure it was a swing. I know there was aggression by the people out there, and I’ve got no problem with it. I really don’t. Casey’s team was standing up behind Casey and my team stands up behind me. That’s just what we do.”

Ambrose said high emotions are a normal part of the sport, even when they lead to an occasional bout of fisticuffs.

“Adrenaline is part of what we do,” he explained. “It was an emotional race. A lot of drivers got into each other and there was a lot of action up and down the grid. I think you (saw) the passion that drivers have and the commitment we have to try to win these races.

“That passion got out of hand,” Ambrose said. “It got out of control pretty quick.  It was a beef between myself and Casey.  Unfortunately, it got put on national TV and three-and-a-half million people saw it.”