With what NASCAR refers to as its “silly season” rapidly approaching, it’s time to make predictions on where the top drivers in the sport will be running in 2021. These are just some of my initial big predictions/thoughts, but things will change rapidly once the 48 machine’s new driver is announced.
Bubba Wallace to Hendrick Motorsports (#88)
Let’s start this one out with a bang; everyone wants to know who will replace Jimmie Johnson? Erik Jones, Kyle Larson, Tyler Reddick, and Corey Lajoie were all viewed as contenders for this ride, but one guy stood out above the rest, Bubba Wallace. In no way is Bubba more talented than any of those four drivers. He is more marketable, though, and he is currently one of the biggest stars in the sport with his social justice stances. Bubba would bring an influx of sponsorship and notoriety with him to Hendrick, and it would make sense to add him. Though, I think Alex Bowman takes the prestigious 48 because of his success and fit within Hendrick Motorsports, and Bubba takes the ride known for one of the most marketable drivers in the history of the sport.
Erik Jones to Chip Ganassi Racing (#42)
Jones has a chance to lock this ride down rather quickly. Jones has been an inconsistent driver at the top level, but when he is on, he is very competitive. As a former winner and consistent playoff fixture, he fits the bill of what the team looks for in its drivers. Jones could easily be the guy to lock down the 48, but more than likely, he goes to a spot where he can stay competitive and partner up with a legend, Kurt Busch.
Chase Briscoe to Stewart Haas Racing (#14)
Briscoe’s scenario is a tough one. I could see him sticking in Xfinity for another year, but, let’s be honest, he is ready for the cup. Briscoe has been a force to be reckoned with all season and is ready for top-level competition. His racing style is eerily similar to that of Tony Stewart, and that would be poetic for him to pilot his old number. If Briscoe doesn’t land here, watch out for Kyle Larson.
Corey Lajoie to Richard Petty Motorsports (#43)
This ride is similar to the Hendrick scenario. Marketability wins, and that’s evident with Lajoie. Lajoie is a rising star who deserves a shot with better machinery. RPM isn’t a top tier team, but Lajoie could open some eyes and get to learn from the King, so it would be a no brainer for him. As for RPM, Daniel Suarez could be the guy here if Lajoie doesn’t get it.
Clint Bowyer to Fox Sports
This one is something I see truly brewing. Bowyer got to do some more commentary work progressively over the past few seasons. He has been phenomenal. The knowledge he has, combined with the comedic timing he holds, makes him a tour de force in the booth. He and Gordon have great chemistry, and he could slot in with Mike Joy and him to form an entertaining booth for the long term future.
Kyle Larson to Go Fas Racing (#32)
This one is a little strange. Larson seems like a way too talented driver for this ride on the surface, but if you dive into it, it makes sense. With Aric Almirola needing another big year next year to keep the ten car, and potentially openings emerging next year, Larson could take his shot to get back in the sport at a lower-tier team for a year. Go Fas Racing is a partner of Stewart Haas, and maybe this is how Larson can quietly reacclimatize to the sport without controversy and be groomed for a ride at SHR.
The course has been a bit bumpy, but NASCAR’s return to action can earn a proper salute during Wednesday’s All-Star exhibition.
Even when all is well, the art of the “All-Star Game” was becoming an endangered species.
The NFL’s Pro Bowl has been on life support for years, perhaps sustained by the concept of “hate-watching” normally reserved for reality shows. Winter showcases like the NBA and NHL have become increasingly gimmick-filled (via the “Elam Ending” and a divisional 3-on-3 tournament respectively) and are often remembered more for the weekend events that accompany them. MLB’s Midsummer Classic remains a tradition despite dilution via interleague play and free agency.
As for NASCAR, their upcoming exhibition showcase might be one of the brightest and most important nights in the circuit’s history.
Wednesday night will mark the 36th annual NASCAR All-Star event and the first at Bristol Motor Speedway(7 p.m. ET, FS1). It will be a celebration of racing and competition like no other, with a grand prize of $1 million due to the winning team. NASCAR is also set to welcome 30,000 of their closest friends to partake, as that limited number will be welcomed into the Tennessee-based stadium. Those who enter will witness just how far NASCAR has come in one of the most turbulent times in the country’s history.
The fact NASCAR is even able to stage such an event is a win on its own. Other leagues have not only scrapped their 2020 All-Star proceedings, but some are even willing to ditch the potential stagings in 2021 to complete modern seasons (the NHL, eager to not only finish this season but also play a full 82-game slate next year, seems most likely to do so). NASCAR is now holding an event that could be deemed “non-essential”, a race where only a large bag of cash is on the line.
Leading up to a fun event like the All-Star Race, NASCAR, its personnel, and its fans have had serious discussions that have perhaps avoided them for years. Current events seek racial justice and equality across the nation could’ve been swept under the rug, giving the drivers a chance to “shut up and drive”, if you will. NASCAR could’ve continued to simply frown upon continued usage of the Confederate flag, an emblem whose true, racist intentions and meanings have become more clear and well-known in recent years. It could’ve let Bubba Wallace, a rare African-American driver on the circuit, exist in an island setting, if only for keeping things “comfortable”.
But it simply refused to do so.
Not everything about NASCAR’s return and its desire for education and welcoming has been perfect. Their premature labeling of a hate crime against Wallace at the Talladega event was a (self-admitted) flaw in what was otherwise a right move to call in FBI investigators. When national protests against systemic racism began to rise across the nation, NASCAR addressed them and supported the endgame at a time when everyone would be watching: just prior to the green flag at Atlanta Motor Speedway’s 500-mile event in June.
Time will tell just how effective this new outlook will be. Inviting a select few thousand to Bristol could perhaps serve as a good barometer. But going into the All-Star proceedings, it certainly appears that NASCAR is in a far better place and holds a much better future than it did when COVID-19 forced a two-month pause back in March. The sense of unity and family was perhaps best displayed after the aforementioned Talladega incident. Even if the noose was determined to not be a hate crime against Wallace, the mere thought of a threat brought the community together. Prior to the 500-mile race’s invocation and national anthem, drivers pushed Wallace’s No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet to the front of the field and let the world know that such hatred would not be tolerated on their watch.
“I want the weekend to be remembered by…I guess a good word would be ‘unity’, everyone coming together and showing support,” the Talladega winner Ryan Blaney remarked after the race. “I hate focusing on the bad things because that’s what gets a rise out of people But I feel like what everyone has said the last day has really shown that it’s not going to be tolerated anymore. We’re all going to stand behind the people who are mistreated. That just shows what a family we are. We’re competitors all on the racetrack, but at the end of the day, we’re one big traveling family. We’re going to support anybody who we compete with. If they get threatened in a way, we’re going to have their back.”
(Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
“I don’t want (Talladega) to be remembered as a terrible day or a bad day in NASCAR,” he continued. “I want it to be remembered as there was an incident and we all overcame it together, showed that we were not going to take it anymore, man. I’m getting sick of this (stuff). It’s not something that he should deal with.”
Speaking of operating during the ongoing health crisis, NASCAR’s ongoing efforts have allowed a grieving nation a rare semblance of normality. Along with golf, auto racing is perhaps the easiest sport adhere to social distancing mandates. It’s safe to say that NASCAR has taken advantage of the scenario
Even if they were only visiting while waiting for their usual favorites to return, a sports-starved nation has turned to NASCAR in this time of (admittedly small in the grand scheme of things) need. Things have, again, failed to be entirely clean. Several crew members of Stewart-Haas Racing were revealed to have tested positive, as did seven-time series champion Jimmie Johnson (who missed one race before testing negative twice in a 24-hour span to earn clearance to return).
But drivers have repeatedly stated that they feel safe in this process and hope such procedures will continue as the season continues to run through November.
“If any organization or sanction was to be ready for a challenge like this, I knew it would be NASCAR,” veteran Clint Bowyer said of the current health protocols. “We are a group that travels together and takes care of each other and looks after one another. Everybody knows everybody and in a time like this when you really have to hunker down and watch each other’s backs we do a good job of that and I think it shows.”
“I feel safe at the racetrack and I know my peers do as well. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. I feel like that is a good example of what we have going on. I think we are doing a good job with it.”
(Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
With so much change for the better, it’s almost forgivable to forget that there’s actual racing to discuss. The efforts to compact race weekends into single-day endeavors have eliminated concepts perhaps taken for granted, like practice and qualifying. But, in the eyes of some fans and observers, the quick transition from hauler to track has allowed teams and drivers to truly test their mettle and perhaps create a more equalized environment with everyone testing out the asphalt for the first time.
Wednesday could be a look into the future from both a social and racing standpoint. The All-Star has long been an experimental ground for NASCAR’s endeavors, and Wednesday will be no exception. Cosmetically, the competing machines will have their traditional “door” numbers aligned to the right and underglow light perhaps inspired by the early films of the Fast and the Furious franchise will paint Bristol all different colors. Speaking of the Bristol visit, a track that routinely sees post-race confrontations that violate every semblance of social distancing, this will be the first time that NASCAR holds the All-Star Race at a venue outside their Charlotte hub. Restarts will also enjoy a bit of a makeover, as the “choose cone” rule will see driver debate their position either on the leaderboard or on the asphalt.
“The choose cone kind of puts the fate in your own hands. If we can execute it well, that’s my main thing,” an excited Matt DiBenedetto said of the innovation. “I’m excited about the fact of being able to choose where you restart and maybe jump a couple of rows and if you want to go in the row that’s not preferred, but you can pick up a couple of lanes or whatever, that’s kind of cool and exciting. Hopefully, we execute it well and it goes smoothly because it would be really nice for a lot of other places.”
The Cup Series season will run through November, but with the return several other professional leagues on the horizon, the All-Star event will perhaps be the last time that NASCAR will be at the forefront of the American sports fan’s imagination. But the aura behind Wednesday is anything but that of a “last dance”. Instead, it’s a celebration, a celebration of what NASCAR was and continues to be…a circuit of close, no-holds-barred racing at one of its most volatile tracks. It can also provide a glimpse into the future and create a tremendous scale for just how far the organization has come in just a few weeks.
Such an outlook is apparent among the association’s most notable names.
“I enjoy this sport. I love this sport. I am proud of this sport and proud to be a part of this sport. It has always been fun for me over the years to sell this sport to the fans or whatever the case may be,” said Bowyer, driver of the No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford and a part-time commentator for Fox Sports. “A lot of things you are seeing right now, the All-Star race, things that we have wanted to do with our sport for a long time. (These are) opportunities that we wouldn’t have been able to take because of courage or business or a lot of reasons that we wouldn’t have been able to go to those measures that we were able to because of COVID.”
“There is no handbook that comes with (this situation). You have to create it and you have to learn from your mistakes quickly and put them to use. (We) certainly have done that with NASCAR.”
Racial integration is something that has been a fixture in our nation’s history for the longest time. In terms of sports, it was not easy. Barriers had to be broken down for African Americans to earn the opportunity to compete at the highest level in their respective sports.
Now, as the national climate changes, a traditionally caucasian dominated sport has found it’s newest star in trailblazer, Bubba Wallace.
Tiger Woods was a star golfer from a young age. From putting against Bob Hope on the Mike Douglas Show, his stardom has only blossomed. Yes, there have been many bumps in the road with injuries and controversy, but Tiger has done something that Bubba has begun to emulate.
Breaking into a white-dominated sport and having success. Tiger was able to do it and do it in a big way by becoming one of the best to ever do it.
Bubba has yet to win a race yet, but whilst driving the number 43 machine for the king, Richard Petty, he has had success. With a handful of top tens in the cup series, Bubba has continued to develop as a racer.
Although he hasn’t had substantial on-track success, off the track he has brought in a new fan base to the sport. African Americans are seeing Bubba as an inspiration and hopefully will flock to racing.
Right now, Bubba is not on the Tiger Woods level of success in terms of accomplishments. However, he could be soon. The notoriety Bubba has gained has made him a household name in mainstream media. He’s dominating the All-Star fan vote and becoming a serious merchandise seller. This revenue could lead some more successful teams with top tier machines to give Bubba a shot.
A team like Hendrick Motorsports could tap Bubba to replace Jimmie Johnson, in what would be a huge move. Or, even another top team like Stewart Haas or Chip Ganassi Racing could give him a shot. Despite significant on track success, Bubba is making a huge impact. Bubba is helping NASCAR make great strides in their continued mission to preach diversity and inclusion in racing as they truly modernize and adapt to society.
NASCAR was one of the first professional sports leagues to return following COVID-19. The desperate longing for sports and gambling has driven diehard sports fans to all forms of sports. Soccer has become a little more recognized by some that had ignored it in favor of NBA or MLB during the early summer.
The AFL and KBO have gained more mainstream notoriety in recent weeks as their fan bases expand to the United States. The sport that’s had the most successful return, NASCAR. NASCAR has experienced a reinvigoration in terms of both public image and ratings.
New Eyes On NASCAR
In the last few weeks since their return, over the span of 11 races, including some primetime week races, some races on FS1, and the usual summer dip, NASCAR has had an average of 3.08 million viewers per race.
In terms of comparison against pass races this time last year, the numbers are higher even if they’re on FS1. Publicly NASCAR being back also turned eyes to the sport with the uproar of the Black Lives Matter Movement and allowed them to take a vocal stance in support of the movement. More eyes are tuning into the sport, and more money is being spent on merchandise than before.
With that said, is it sustainable? As the NBA and MLB attempt to navigate their returns, those same fans that gravitated to NASCAR in the absence of sports may return to watching the more familiar sports. Not only that but as coronavirus spikes in the south, that’s not good for NASCAR, which has most team shops primarily based in North Carolina. Now, Jimmie Johnson has been diagnosed with COVID, and that could also spark some worries as the first case they’ve had since their return.
Still, with sports like MLB struggling to return and missing out on an opportune time to gain mainstream attention and the NBA trying to navigate the new normal, eyes will still be on the sport for now. At least for now, a sport that was deemed by some to be on the ropes just a short time ago has experienced a rejuvenation.
Some would say that recent revelations make Monday’s walk for Bubba Wallace null and void, but the NASCAR community sent a brilliant message.
NASCAR has every right to feel uncomfortable and awkward right now. Having said that, no odometer can measure how much it beats the alternative.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation concluded on Tuesday that a rope fashioned into a noose in the garage area of Talladega Superspeedway was not a hate crime against Bubba Wallace, the lone African-American driver on the NASCAR Cup Series circuit. The rope, found in his No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet’s garage stall, was labeled a garage door pull and had been in place since last October’s Cup weekend at least (Paul Menard and his No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford occupied the stall at that time).
This announcement came two days after NASCAR labeled it a noose and had called the FBI in to investigate the incident and a little over 24 hours after drivers stood behind Wallace at the rescheduled GEICO 500 on Monday afternoon at Talladega. In a show of solidarity, Wallace’s competitors pushed the No. 43 to the front of the field and embraced him after the invocation and national anthem.
Feeling validated, a vocal subsection of the NASCAR fanbase and beyond has been quick to label Wallace a liar in the wake of the FBI’s report. Common taunts have compared Wallace to disgraced actor Jussie Smollett, who was indicted on six counts of making false police reports in a hate crime hoax in Chicago. Others are eager to write Monday’s happenings, a show of unity capped off by a thrilling finish won by Wallace’s close friend Ryan Blaney, off as a humiliating day that saw NASCAR give in to supposed political causes.
At this point, it’s hard to call either case true.
If it isn’t apparent by now, it’s fair to admit that this situation was not handled perfectly. Perhaps NASCAR could’ve waited until the FBI investigation was completed before putting out a statement. NASCAR has handled current events very well. They could’ve kept their proceedings in a bubble, sticking to sports in a time when fans and viewers desperately try to cling to that concept. Instead, they bestowed a message of support to change and demonstrations with a message to fans and drivers that was hard to miss: prior to the start of the Fold of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway two weeks ago. NASCAR President Steve Phelps addressed the nation’s spurs for change immediately before the cars took the green flag…a point where many viewers would undoubtedly be watching. The Confederate flag, a popular accessory among the predominantly-southeastern fanbase, was also banned from raceday vicinities.
But a rare condemnation of going too fast has now opened Wallace to a new round of criticism, adding to a former batch that was, obviously unfairly, directed toward the 26-year-old for the color of his skin. Wallace has every right to remain frustrated, especially in these tenuous times in our nation. That frustration was seen when Wallace appeared on CNN on Tuesday night. While Wallace backed NASCAR, he reiterated his belief to Don Lemon that he believes that, its 2019 prescience accounted for, what he saw in his stall was a noose. (UPDATE: Wallace posted on Twitter on Wednesday that he was “relieved…that the investigation that this wasn’t what we feated it was”)
Those who shift the blame toward Wallace have perhaps never walked a mile in his shoes. During the Talladega proceedings, apologists of the Confederate flag stood outside the track (as well as flying a banner bearing the flag over the track) and waved the symbol created to represent a secession from the United States of America in defiance of NASCAR’s ban. A combination of Confederate flag apologists attempting to disturb the peace and a series of African-American deaths by hanging (seen by some as lynching) vindicated NASCAR’s decision to do their due diligence and vindicates a frustration that Wallace’s competitors can’t have. No evidence points to Wallace being the one who started the incident. NASCAR President Steve Phelps clarified in a Tuesday conference call that Wallace and his team “had nothing to do with this”. Yet, he’s going to be the one who bears the brunt of criticism toward this issue.
Even if the FBI determined that no hate crime was apparent (NASCAR is continuing its own investigation for the time being), it’s naive to say that Wallace hasn’t faced opposition for his speaking out. It should be understandable why the mere thought, the mere image of a noose, its purpose notwithstanding, had an effect on Wallace, who is only the seventh African-American driver to compete at the Cup Series level. Such dedication toward a flag created for the primary purpose of preserving the institution of slavery defied any idea that Wallace has faced no obstacles in his quest for equality.
That’s where Monday came in.
Perfection is rare to achieve in any form of sports. Sports’ mere status in our society has been pushed down a few notches during this period. Even as some leagues attempt to make a comeback, some participants are turning down an opportunity to do so to focus on social justice. But the display at Talladega showed how sports can, at the very least, play a part in an ongoing healing process, one this country is in desperate need of.
Tensions were understandably high when the green flag was ready to wave. But faced with the mere thought of a threat toward one of their own, the NASCAR community came together. The effects of Monday’s event will be felt for a long time. Drivers, crews, and management alike made it clear: mess with one, you mess with all.
(Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
“(Monday) to me as a sport was one of the most important days we’ve had. It’s one of the most kind of indelible print on my mind until the day I die, seeing the support that Bubba had from not just the drivers but all the crews, all the officials who were down in pit road, anyone who was part of that footprint. Everyone wanted to show their support for a family member of NASCAR. We are one big family. We are one large community and everyone’s belief is that someone was attacking a member of our family.”
“It turned out that that was not the case, but at the time that’s what our industry thought, so drivers, crew, our officials, everyone supported Bubba Wallace and the 43 team, and that was a very powerful image in not just the history of our sport but I think in all sports.”
Several drivers also expressed no regrets toward the display. Jimmie Johnson, one of the primary organizers of the display, reiterated his support for Wallace. Rookie Tyler Reddick did the same.
With Wallace inadvertently subjected to more scrutiny, having his back becomes more important than ever. With their display and support thereafter, drivers made it clear that they would rise up for Wallace at the slightest sign of trouble.
“I support him 100 percent. I’m always going to be behind him,” Blaney said after his Monday victory. “If you run afoul to Bubba, you run afoul to me. (He’s) just a great person and a great family he comes from that makes him who he is today.”
“It was just an honor to be a part of that. Not only the drivers, but the crew members and the fans that were in attendance as well, NASCAR. That’s something I think everyone will remember for a long time. It showed how much we support not only Darrell. That was the main reason we were doing it, to support Darrell. But everybody that has been oppressed not only for the past two weeks but for a long time.”
Despite responding well to recent events, it’s clear that things won’t be a green-white-checkered sprint, but rather a marathon more akin to the Coca-Cola 600. There’s going to be some bumps in the road, but Wallace and NASCAR are trying to do the right thing, go for equality.
It’s a good sign that no one in the NASCAR garage was intentionally harmful, but this misstep does not eliminate the injustices and instances of racism seen on a daily basis. The process needs work, but NASCAR and Wallace are doing their part to ensure that the fight against systemic racism rages on even when its no longer trending.
Mistakes have been made in this process. But if one of them produces unity, it’s certainly hard to argue the merits against it.
The FBI declared that no hate crime was committed against Bubba Wallace in the Talladega garage. NASCAR will continue its own investigation.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has declared that NASCAR Cup Series drivers Bubba Wallace was not the target of a hate crime during the circuit’s weekend proceedings at Talladega Superspeedway.
NASCAR previously announced that a noose was found in Wallace’s garage stall after the GEICO 500 event was postponed due to inclement weather. Wallace is the only African-American driver in NASCAR’s premier series and is the driver of the No. 43 Chevrolet for Richard Petty Motorsports. A crew member found the noose in the stall and reported it to NASCAR.
The FBI investigation concluded that the alleged noose was a garage door pull rope that was fashioned in a noose-like knot. Photographic evidence revealed that the rope was there when Paul Menard’s No. 21 Wood Brothers Ford team occupied the stall during last October’s Cup Series race at Talladega.
“The FBI has completed its investigation at Talladega Superspeedway and determined that Bubba Wallace was not the target of a hate crime,” a Tuesday statement from NASCAR reads. “We appreciate the FBI’s quick and thorough investigation and are thankful to learn that this was not an intentional, racist act against Bubba. We remain steadfast in our commitment to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all who love racing.”
With Sunday’s race postponed to Monday afternoon, drivers rose up in support of Wallace. Prior to the invocation and national anthem, they pushed his No. 43 Chevrolet to the front of the field. Wallace has previously spoken in support of the national protests and demonstrations against systemic racism and police brutality against African-Americans. He was also one of many drivers who advocated for a ban against spectators brandishing Confederate flag imagery, which NASCAR enacted earlier this month.
NASCAR President Steve Phelps briefly addressed the media in a conference call after the statement’s release but did not take questions. He revealed that while the federal investigation has concluded, NASCAR would continue its own inquiry into the incident.
“For us at NASCAR, this is the best result we could hope for,” Phelps said. “It was disturbing to hear that it was thought that one of our own had committed this heinous act. It is fantastic to hear from the FBI definitively that there was not a hate crime.”
Phelps further clarified that neither Wallace nor his team should be blamed for the outcome of the investigation. In another conference call held hours before Monday’s race, Phelps revealed that he was the one who informed Wallace of the situation.
“I want to be clear about the 43 team. The 43 team had nothing to do with this,” he said. “The evidence is very clear that the noose that was in that garage had been in the garage previously. The last race we had had there in October, that noose was present, and it was. The fact that it was not found until a member of the 43 team came there is something that is a fact. We had not been back to the garage. It was a quick one-day show. The crew member went back in there. He looked and saw the noose, brought it to the attention of his crew chief, who then went to the NASCAR series director Jay Fabian, and we launched this investigation.”
“To be clear, we would do this again. Of the evidence that we had, it was clear that we needed to look into this.”
Wallace and Richard Petty Motorsports have not yet commented on the developments. This marks his third year driving the No. 43 Chevrolet on a full-time basis. The 26-year-old has earned 12 wins in NASCAR’s lower-tier national series (the Xfinity and Gander RV & Outdoor Truck Series) and currently sits in 21st place in the Cup Series standings. He finished 14th on Monday afternoon.
An eventful afternoon of NASCAR Cup Series racing at Talladega Superspeedway ended with Ryan Blaney taking the win by a minuscule margin.
Blaney, Ryan Blaney.
Deja vu descended upon Talladega Superspeedway on Monday afternoon, as the No. 12 Team Penske Ford won its second consecutive event, the GEICO 500 at the NASCAR Cup Series’ longest track. Much like his win in last October’s postseason thriller, Blaney’s margin of victory was 0.007 seconds. This time, he held off Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in a finish that came down to the literal final line.
Blaney’s victory was his first since the aforementioned playoff race from last October and the fourth win of his Cup Series career. He has been one of the circuits hottest drivers since it returned from the coronavirus-induced pause five weeks ago, as Monday’s posting was his sixth finish in the top four over the last seven races.
“The past month and a half has been really good for us,” Blaney said in a postrace Zoom conference. “We’ve had some really good runs. We’ve had really fast cars, had a chance to win I feel like every race the last month and a half. It just really hasn’t fallen our way. We just haven’t been in the right place at the right time or not been quite fast enough.”
“(It’s) nice to finally break through, get the first one of the year. Hopefully, this opens the floodgates here and we can get on a roll. This team has been awesome. They’ve been so much fun to work with all year.”
The thrilling finish was the finishing touch of an emotional visit to Talladega. Before the race, the NASCAR community stood in support of Bubba Wallace, the driver of the No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet. After the race’s postponement from its original date on Sunday, NASCAR revealed that a noose had been found in the garage stall of Wallace, the only African-American driver on the circuit.
Shortly before the green flag flew, drivers and crew members stood alongside Wallace as his car was wheeled to the front of the field. With team owner and NASCAR legend Richard Petty by his side, the racing community stood behind the No. 43 pair during the invocation and national anthem. Each of Wallace’s 39 competitors then embraced him, starting with his close friend Blaney. The two have been racing alongside each other since they were each 10 years old.
“I think it’s great that everyone rose up, Bubba included, and really came together,” Blaney said of the prerace demonstration. “I don’t want it to be remembered as a terrible day or a bad day in NASCAR. I want it to be remembered as there was an incident and we all overcame it together, showed that we were not going to take it anymore.”
“You may not like each other all the time, may tick each other off on the racetrack from time to time. (But) at the end of the day we’re going to support each other. What really got me was when we got Bubba’s car to the front there, he had to take a little bit to pause and compose himself because it was a very emotional moment for him. I think it was emotional for him because everyone was supporting him. It’s just something different that I couldn’t personally be a part of because I’ve never been in Bubba’s position, but I’m going to support him the best I can.”
Under a new technical rules package, competitive racing dominated the day. Monday’s race featured 177 passes for the lead under green flag conditions, with 19 drivers leading at least one lap. A tightly-packed battle for the lead was set to be altered by fuel mileage, but Jimmie Johnson’s spin on the penultimate lap set up a two-lap overtime finish. Several cars pitted for precious fuel, but Blaney stayed out to pace the field alongside Kevin Harvick.
Harvick got off to a quick restart thanks to a push from Chris Buescher, but the field narrowed up as a get-together in the penultimate turn took out several cars. As the lead pack reached the start/finish line for the final time, Blaney took the lead and made contact with Erik Jones and John Hunter Nemechek. Further chaos erupted as the field completed the final lap, but Blaney was able to narrowly steal the victory away from Stenhouse. A spinning Aric Almirola finished the race backward but came home in a respectable third-place while Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Denny Hamlin and Jones respectively rounded out the top five.
Blaney’s win was his first under new crew chief Todd Gordon and the fifth win for Team Penske this season (teammates Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano have two each). He also becomes the first driver to win consecutive Talladega events since Jeff Gordon swept the yearly couple in 2007.
The Cup Series will return to Talladega for a playoff event in October.
Halfway through its regular season, Cup proceedings now turn to a weekend doubleheader at Pocono Raceway, the first of its kind. The Pennsylvania landmark, known as the “Tricky Triangle” will run the Pocono Organics 325 on Saturday (3:30 p.m. ET, Fox) and will immediately follow it up with the Pocono 350 on Sunday (4 p.m. ET, FS1). Entries from each of NASCAR’s lower-tier national series will precede each event.
Race Notes
Toward the end of the first of two 60-lap stages, the event was stalled by a 57-minute rain delay. Rookie Tyler Reddick won the stage, becoming the first freshman to do so since Daniel Suarez at Watkins Glen’s 2017 event. A late stop for fuel relegated Reddick to the 20th position, but he departs Talladega as the holder of the final playoff spot.
Monday’s event welcomed 5,000 fans to Talladega, which normally draws crowds of about 175,000.
Wallace was in contention for most of the day and even led a lap, but low fuel forced him to pit during the Johnson-induced caution. He would finish 14th and be applauded by the crowd that was admitted.
Nemechek was the top finishing rookie, overcoming a spin at lap 96 of 188 to come home eighth.
Chase Elliott briefly took the standings’ points lead from Harvick, but a crash at lap 135 ended his day. He was one of four drivers whose day ended due to crash damage, joining Brennan Poole, Joey Gase, and Austin Dillon. Matt Kenseth’s rear hub issues relegated him to a last-place posting in 40th.
NASCAR competitors came together to support Wallace, pushing his No. 43 car to the front after a noose was found in his garage stall.
A racist act at Talladega Superspeedway meant to create division instead brought the NASCAR community closer than ever to protect one of their own.
Hours after the postponement of Sunday’s GEICO 500, NASCAR announced that a noose was found in the garage stall of Bubba Wallace, the only African-American driver on the circuit. Prior to the event’s rescheduled start on Monday afternoon, Wallace’s competitors made it clear that such racism would not be tolerated.
Wallace’s No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet was pushed to the front of the field as drivers and crews literally stood behind him in a show of support. Standing alongside Wallace was NASCAR legend and team owner Richard Petty. The seven-time champion and winner of a Cup Series record 200 races has avoided coming to the track for safety concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic, but came to Talladega in support of the current driver of his iconic No. 43.
After the invocation and national anthem, each of the 39 other drivers competing in Monday’s race hugged Wallace before taking to their own cars. Wallace began the race in the 24th position, placed via a random draw earlier in the week. Additionally, the Talladega infield bore the stenciled message “#IStandWithBubba”.
NASCAR President Steve Phelps addressed the media about the incident about two hours before the green flag waved at Talladega. Phelps confirmed that NASCAR is working in conjunction with the FBI to find the perpetrator.
“This is a difficult time for our sport. We are going to react swiftly,” Phelps said. “We’re going to use all the means, resources at our disposal and those of the FBI to make sure this person or persons are caught swiftly and severely.”
Phelps said that the perpetrator will be “unequivocally” banned from the sport when discovered.
“They will be banned from this sport for life. There is no room for this at all. We won’t tolerate it. They won’t be here. I don’t care who they are, they will not be here.”
As protests and demonstrations against systemic racism have risen throughout the country, Wallace has been one of the most prevalent voices advocating for change. He was a driving voice behind NASCAR’s ban of the Confederate battle flag and his car at Martinsville Speedway bore the “#BlackLivesMatter” slogan.
Martin Truex Jr. won the first two stages, but Kevin Harvick led all but three of the final 108 laps to win NASCAR’s yearly visit to Atlanta.
Time will tell when Trae Young and Matt Ryan are allowed to provide the Atlanta area some clutch fourth quarter antics again. Kevin Harvick was more than happy to fill the quota on Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
The driver of the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Ford led all but three of the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500’s final 108 circuits en route to his second win of the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series campaign. His second win of season, both coming during NASCAR’s ongoing return from the coronavirus-induced pause, has now afforded him a 48-point cushion in the Cup Series points standings.
Harvick previously won The Real Heroes 400 last month at Darlington Raceway.
Atlanta has always been a special place for Harvick. The 1.5-mile oval played host to Harvick’s first Cup Series victory back in 2001. Then driving the No. 29 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing, it was only his third start in NASCAR’s premier division after replacing the late Dale Earnhardt Sr. in his rebranded No. 3 car. Harvick held off Jeff Gordon by .006 seconds to secure the emotional win.
No such dramatics were needed on Sunday. After leading 46 laps during the opening stage, Harvick retook the top spot from Kyle Busch on a semi-permanent basis at the onset of the third stage. The three-lap mercy was granted only when Harvick made his final pit stop on lap 269 of 325, forcing him to briefly relinquish the lead to Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano. He would retake first place after the two fellow Fords made their own stops for service and faced little resistance en route to victory lane with a 3.527-margin over the aforementioned Busch.
Harvick commemorated his latest win as he did his first, wielding three fingers from his car as he made a victory lap around the track to pay tribute to Earnhardt. The seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion passed away in a crash on the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500. Overall, Harvick has now won three races at Atlanta, the second coming in March 2017.
The newest Atlanta triumph was historic in several ways. For one thing, it came as Harvick’s crew chief, Rodney Childers, celebrated his 44th birthday. They have been paired up since they each joined Stewart-Haas Racing in 2014. Together, they have finished the final standings’ top three in all but one of their six full seasons, the first of which ended with the Cup Series title.
Additionally, Harvick’s 51st Cup Series victory earns him sole possession of 12th-place on the circuit’s all-time wins list. He was previously tied with NASCAR Hall of Famers Ned Jarrett and Junior Johnson.
Martin Truex Jr. won the first two stages of the race, his first pair of the season. He finished third after a hard-fought battle with his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Busch, while Blaney and another Gibbs Toyota, that of Denny Hamlin, rounded out the top five.
The NASCAR Cup Series will quickly return to action, as series travels to Martinsville Speedway for the Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500 on Wednesday night (7 p.m. ET, FS1). Martinsville’s starting lineup will be determined by a tiered draw based on car owner points.
Race Notes
Prior to the start of Sunday’s race, NASCAR addressed the ongoing nationwide protests against systematic racism and police brutality against African-Americans. With each of the 40 participating cars stopped at the start/finish line, NASCAR President Steve Phelps addressed both drivers and fans about the current events, encouraging action in fighting racism. “Our country is in pain and people are justifiably angry, demanding to be heard,” Phelps said. “The black community and all people of color have suffered in our country, and it has taken far too long for us to hear their demands for change. Our sport must do better. Our country must do better.”
After Phelps’ speech, several renowned drivers appeared in a video urging fans to take action in the battle for justice and equality.
Bubba Wallace, the only African-American driver on the Cup Series level, was seen sporting a shirt bearing the words “I Can’t Breathe” and an American flag face mask during the prerace ceremonies. The shirt’s words refer to Eric Garner and George Floyd, African-American victims of police brutality six years apart. Members of Wallace’s No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet crew were also seen holding the shirts.
After finishing 21st on Sunday, Wallace appeared to faint during separate interviews with Fox Sports’ Jamie Little, an apparent result of exhaustion and dehydration. Wallace was later examined and released from the infield care center.
Kurt Busch (brother of Kyle) was forced serve a pass-through penalty on pit road after his No. 1 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet failed prerace inspection three times. Busch lost a lap, but earned it back prior to a competition caution on lap 25. He would go on to recover and finish sixth.
In addition to the competition caution, only four other yellow flags came out on Sunday. Two signaled the end of the first two stages, while the others accounted for separate spins from Front Row Motorsports teammates John Hunter Nemechek (lap 96) and Michael McDowell (lap 203).
B.J. McLeod (clutch) and Timmy Hill (electrical) were the only two cars that failed to finish the race.
Jimmie Johnson, Daniel Suarez, and Ty Dillon were among the NASCAR names to speak about the country’s continued anti-racism protests.
NASCAR drivers have begun to speak in support of the nationwide protests against systematic racism that have sparked by the deaths of African-Americans as a result of police brutality. Demonstrations have been held in major American cities after video emerged of a white Minneapolis police officer kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, an 46-year-old African-American man.
Ty Dillon was the first driver to break the circuit’s silence via an Instagram post shared shortly before Sunday’s Cup Series event at Bristol Motor Speedway. In his post, the driver of the No. 13 Germain Racing Chevrolet speaks about white privilege and urges those reading to combat racism through faith.
Dillon, 28, further explained to Michelle R. Martinelli of USA Today that his own privilege and Christian faith also played a major role in his decision to speak out.
“For me to be a white male, I wouldn’t know what it’s like to have the hurt and pain of racism throughout my life or affect my family. I wouldn’t know that. I’m not educated on that level because of the way I was born,” Dillon told Martinelli. “But I do know what pain feels like, and I’ve been through pain in my life. And to see the faces of people protesting who are hurt and have been going through this for 400 years and things haven’t changed, I’m so for protesting. Things need to be changed, and we don’t need to stay silent. I think that’s why I wanted to just post and say something about the fact that I don’t want to be seen as someone who’s silent.”
“I’m a Christian man, and my family is Christian. And, to me, I just want to stand with those who are hurt. And in the body of Christ, color doesn’t matter. We’re all brothers and sisters, and none of us are OK if there’s a part of our family that’s hurt.”
Charlotte, the hub of NASCAR, has been one of the cities where demonstrations and protests have been held. Dillon grew up in Lewisville, NC, just over an hour’s drive away.
More drivers began to speak out in support of peaceful demonstrations after Sunday’s race. Two-time Xfinity Series champion and current Cup rookie Tyler Reddick shared a sketch of Floyd accompanied by several tags of support including “#BlackLivesMatter” and “#SystematicRacism”. Daniel Suarez, a Monterrey, Mexico native, was the first driver to acknowledge the death of Floyd last Wednesday. NASCAR brass got involved through a Twitter post from executive vice president Steve O’Donnell.
“I’ll never understand what it feels like to be black,” O’Donnell’s post reads. “but [sic] I’ll do my very best to not add to the pain/anger-support those who feel it & raise kids that don’t contribute to it-I promise I’ll call you out when you say something that crosses a line-Don’t care who you are-Every [sic] time.
Seven-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson expressed his support after the race.
“The circumstances are just crazy and unacceptable,” he said in a press conference hosted on Zoom. “I am for protesting, peaceful protesting. I hope there’s more of that tonight. I know there are concerns, especially in the Charlotte area, near my home, that they will be protesting tonight. The message needs to be clear, but I think being peaceful is really the right way to send the message here. I hope everybody stays safe.”
NASCAR has been no stranger to controversies involving racism. During the circuit’s coronavirus-induced pause, Cup Series star Kyle Larson used a racial slur in a virtual racing event streamed on Twitch. He was subsequently suspended from racing in the No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet and was later suspended indefinitely by NASCAR and ordered to complete sensitivity training before his outright firing. NASCAR has also attempted to discourage its predominantly white, Southern fanbase from displaying the Confederate flag during events.
In 2004, NASCAR introduced the Drive for Diversity initiative to help minority individuals advance in a variety of roles throughout the sports. Only seven African-American drivers have partaken in a Cup Series event, including active full-time driver Bubba Wallace.
Wallace, the driver of the No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet, called for unity prior to Sunday’s race on his Twitter account, sharing a video of Michigan Sheriff Chris Swanson joining protestors in a peaceful demonstration.
“To the ones that believe we’re trying to throw black vs white at them.. open your eyes..It’s right vs wrong,” Wallace wrote in his tweet.
