Day one of preparation for Sunday’s Southern 500 on NBC is in the books.
Here is a look at the cars and the facial hair that’s taking the “Lady in Black” back in time this weekend.
The Cars
https://twitter.com/dustinlong/status/639848255141117952/photo/1
AJ Allmendinger, a former teammate of late-IndyCar driver Justin Wilson, will have Wilson’s name on his roof for the rest of the Sprint Cup season.
The Drivers
ARCA announced Saturday that Sioux Chief Manufacturing will be the entitlement sponsor of its 10-race ARCA Menards Series Showdown in 2020.
Sioux Chief Manufacturing is a Missouri company that designs and manufactures rough plumbing products, parts, and accessories for residential, commercial, industrial and government applications
Sioux Chief has been involved in ARCA since 2015 as a race event sponsor and special awards program sponsor and sponsored ARCA’s former Short Track Challenge.
As part of the deal, a newly increased point fund, combined with race purses, owner plan, and contingency awards, will offer teams a chance to compete for a share of over $920,000 in posted awards throughout the series.
The Sioux Chief Showdown will bring together the best drivers from the ARCA Menards Series, the ARCA Menards Series East and ARCA Menards Series West, formerly known as the NASCAR K&N Pro Series. Those events, held on oval tracks 1.25-miles in length and under and road courses, offer drivers who may not be able or eligible to run the full 20-race ARCA Menards Series schedule the opportunity to run for a championship. Combined with the overall ARCA Menards Series championship, and the East and West championships, drivers will have four separate championships to compete for in 2020.
The announcement was made at the Performance Racing Industry Trade Show in Indianapolis. Also present was promoter Bob Sargent of Track Enterprises, who announced that the ARCA Menards Series East would compete at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway on May 2.
The Tennessean reported this week that the Nashville Fairgrounds was negotiating with Sargent to promote at least three races at the short track in 2020. Sargent’s involvement in the track comes after Nashville’s Fair Board voted to terminate its agreement with Formosa Productions to run the track over outstanding debt.
The ARCA Menards Series has competed at the Fairgrounds the last five seasons. The ARCA Menards Series East, formerly known as the K&N Pro Series East, competed there from 2007-08.
Bob Sargent announces Nashville Fairgrounds will host ARCA Menards Series East race May 2. pic.twitter.com/QLg1oUco6k
— ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) December 14, 2019
GMS Racing has announced its full-time driver-crew chief lineup for the 2020 Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series season and number assignments for its trucks:
– Chad Norris has been named crew chief for Brett Moffitt and the No. 23 Chevrolet team. Moffitt drove the No. 24 in his first season with the team. Norris has been with GMS Racing for two years and directed the effort that delivered the team its 2018 Xfinity Series win at Talladega.
– Chad Walter will lead Tyler Ankrum and the No. 26 team. 2020 will be Ankrum’s first season with GMS Racing. Walter served as an engineer for Ankrum this season at DGR-Crosley. Walter has five wins and 42 top fives in 208 Xfinity Series starts as crew chief.
– Kevin “Bono” Manion is paired with Zane Smith on the No. 21 Chevrolet. 2020 will be Smith’s first full-time Trucks season after competing part-time for JR Motorsports in the Xfinity Series. Manion has 24 wins as crew chief across all three national series since 2003. He led Martin Truex Jr. to his two Xfinity Series titles.
– Jeff Stankiewicz will remain as the crew chief for the No. 2 team piloted by Sheldon Creed.
NASCAR’s Champion’s week is now behind us and we are firmly in the offseason.
Well, sort of.
The NASCAR world never really stops, which is evident simply due to the continued announcements for the 2020 season.
But with Joey Logano testing the Next Gen car at Phoenix earlier this week and Dale Earnhardt Jr. helping clean up North Wilkesboro Speedway for iRacing, it’s been anything but quiet.
Here’s a look at what else happened in the NASCAR community this week.
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Someone needs to check in on Jimmie Johnson, he could be in his own version of Mr. Mom.
I’m not sure how other households are doing this cold & flu season but half of my squad is down…
— Jimmie Johnson (@JimmieJohnson) December 13, 2019
Chris Buescher is home again.
The 2015 Xfinity Series champion is back at Roush Fenway Racing for the 2020 Cup season and he’s got the firesuits and cars to prove it.
Sup, 2020.@Chris_Buescher | @roushfenway pic.twitter.com/RjZYeADq2q
— No. 17 Team (@17RoushTeam) December 12, 2019
Brad Keselowski recently became father to a second daughter.
He’s now learning some important life lessons.
Today’s epiphany
When you have your first child-
you start to understand your parents.When you have your second child- you learn to appreciate them.
— Brad Keselowski (@keselowski) December 12, 2019
Former Front Row Motorsports driver Matt Tifft is now off the market after getting married to his fiance, Jordan. Now they’re on their honeymoon.
12.7.2019 💒 pic.twitter.com/tOwbWDw7ti
— Matt Tifft (@matt_tifft) December 9, 2019
Honeymoon time! pic.twitter.com/zGX9r4lmM9
— Matt Tifft (@matt_tifft) December 11, 2019
Matt DiBenedetto showed off one of the perks of being a Wood Brothers Racing employee.
Christmas came early!! This is all too freakin cool 🥳 pic.twitter.com/St3TAEpCrh
— Matt DiBenedetto (@mattdracing) December 13, 2019
Ryan Blaney and Bubba Wallace went somewhere warm to start their holiday.
So it begins. pic.twitter.com/hgkKiTCzws
— Ryan Blaney (@Blaney) December 8, 2019
Xfinity Series driver Joey Gase and his wife Caitlin are now parents to twin boys
The babies were born on Wednesday. Their names are Jace and Carson.
More: Brad and Paige Keselowski welcome second daughter
Caitlin and I would like to introduce Jace and Carson Gase! They were born yesterday afternoon. Carson is 4lbs 11 oz and Jace is 4lbs 7oz. Mom and babies are all doing well! pic.twitter.com/UklaKRuNMy
— Joey Gase Racing (@JoeyGaseRacing) December 12, 2019