Kelly Crandall

Austin Dillon shows hockey and NASCAR don’t mix well

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NASCAR’s Cup Series doesn’t race in the rain and Austin Dillon recently demonstrated race cars don’t do well on ice, either.

Dillon spent Friday in Michigan visiting Dow employees and participating in various events at the Dow Event Center in Saginaw ahead of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) game for the Saginaw Spirit.

Dow is one of the sponsors on Dillon’s No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet.

WSGW reported that Dow had rewarded its employees for 485 days of operating incident-free with no safety related issues by giving them the chance to meet Dillon and attend the hockey game. Dillon signed autographs in addition to getting to drop the ceremony first puck.

The two-time NASCAR champion also got to take a drive, well, slide around the ice.

Here are more photos from the event:

Martinsville offering fans opportunity to take home grandfather clock

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Owning a Martinsville Speedway grandfather clock is no longer exclusive to NASCAR drivers who win at the famed track.

For the April 2 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race, any fan who purchases the “Grandfather Clock Ticket Package” will receive a six-inch commemorative replica of the iconic grandfather clock. The ticket package is $70 and includes a race ticket in select seating locations throughout the half-mile speedway as well as a voucher to be redeemed at the track to receive the clock.

The ticket package is available for purchase while supplies last or until Jan. 31.

“Collectibles are as much a part of our sport as the drivers and cars and this is one you can’t get anywhere else,” Martinsville Speedway President Clay Campbell said in a track release. “I think it’s something that NASCAR fans will want to add to their collections; something that is one of the most recognizable things not just at Martinsville but in all of racing.”

This is the second promotion Martinsville Speedway is offering fans when it comes to taking home a grandfather clock. The track previously announced that any individual who purchases a ticket for the STP 500 before March 29 will be entered into the “Fans 500” sweepstakes.

Of those entered, one ticket holder will be chosen to receive the same grandfather clock trophy Martinsville Speedway race winners do.

“The fans are the reason we are able to do what we love, and this is a way to say thank you for their support for 70 years now,” Campbell said. “The grandfather clock is the most iconic trophy in all of motorsports and fans are constantly talking about it and telling me they’d like to have one. Now, they have that chance.”

The first grandfather clock was handed out in 1964 to Fred Lorenzen and has been a tradition since.

The 2017 season also marks a 70th anniversary celebration for Martinsville Speedway.

Davey Allison’s legacy lives on through family and friends

Kelly Crandall / NBC Sports
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CHARLOTTE — The four of them sat on a makeshift stage at the NASCAR Hall of Fame and were ready, if not appearing a bit apprehensive, to turn around.

There was the son who lost his father before the age of 2, Robbie Allison. Next to him sat his grandfather, 1983 Cup champion Bobby Allison. Then came a former crew chief and a close friend of both Allisons, Larry McReynolds. Finally, another friend, and son of a famous car owner, Lorin Ranier.

But the group did turn and watch as a car cover was removed. With it went the butterflies, replaced by broad smiles and a rush of memories at the sight of the No. 28 Ford Thunderbird driven by Davey Allison in his rookie Cup Series season for Ranier-Lundy Racing. The car proudly taking its place with the rest of those deemed iconic enough to be on Glory Road.

“It was just such a great feeling,” Bobby Allison said of seeing the car. “I was really bonded with the car all the way through. I had driven for that team (Ranier Racing) earlier and then (Davey) got in the car, and it was the black-and-white deal and evolved from that into the black Havoline special, the Texaco star. Just so many good things about it. The good wins that he had. Just made me feel great.”

Pride emanated from all four individuals throughout the event. Especially Bobby, who not only raised Davey with his late wife, Judy, but raced against him from 1985-88. Bobby took a few trips up Glory Road to get a good look at the car and shared his favorite memories of Davey with those who asked. Or at least the ones he can remember.

Bobby carries around a picture in his pocket of the 1988 Daytona 500 that he won with Davey finishing second to remind himself that, “Yeah, that did happen.” (Bobby lost his memory of the win in a crash at Pocono Raceway a few months later.)

Robbie Allison has his own brief memories of his father, who won 19 Cup races in 191 starts, including the 1992 Daytona 500, before his untimely passing in a July 1993 helicopter crash. Robbie, like many others, also repeatedly has heard how his father was destined to become a champion.

Davey, Robbie said, “definitely was as good a father as he was a racer.”

With his car now displayed in the Hall of Fame, it provides Robbie and the others a chance to explain why Davey was as good as many say.

“You have to think about how he grew up,” said Ranier, who shared a picture of the two from when they were teenagers. “His father was an iconic driver, and Davey took advantage of his position, meaning he wasn’t just floating around saying, ‘Hey, Bobby Allison’s my dad, and I can do whatever I want.’ He went and worked his ass off and learned and understood why his dad won races.

“He knew why (Bobby) won and then he just kind of adopted that to himself. Also, too, (Davey) kind of saw the mistakes that his dad made, and he tried not to do that. He had a really cool upbringing to become a great driver, and he was talented. So you mix all that together.”

RICHMOND, VA ? March 7, 1993: Bobby Allison (L) joins his son, Davey Allison, in victory lane at Richmond International Raceway after Davey won the Pontiac Excitement 400 NASCAR Cup race. It would be the younger Allison?s final Cup victory. (Photo by ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images)
RICHMOND, VA March 7, 1993: Bobby Allison (L) joins his son, Davey Allison, in victory lane at Richmond International Raceway after Davey won the Pontiac Excitement 400 NASCAR Cup race. It would be the younger Allison’s final Cup victory. (Photo by ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images)

McReynolds knew Davey as well as anyone.

The two were friendly long before McReynolds became his crew chief and their relationship went far beyond the NASCAR garage. Davey and his wife, Liz, were close friends with McReynolds and his wife, Linda. Robbie Allison and Larry’s son Brandon were born a few months apart and later baptized together. The Allisons were named Brandon’s godparents and the McReynolds the same for Robbie.

Friday, Larry showed up at the Hall of Fame proudly wearing a leather jacket that had been given to Davey’s team many years ago. McReynolds shared the sentiment that Davey was not only talented but a student of the sport.

“He lived, ate and slept racing,” McReynolds said. “I said it at his funeral that we miss him, we’re grieving, but if there’s anybody that’s left this earth that had his priorities in order, Davey Allison was that guy. He enjoyed getting away and doing a little bit of hunting and fishing, but for the most part, especially during the racing season, he would live, sleep, and eat these race cars pretty much from the beginning of February to the middle of November and even during the offseason. It was never good enough, and that’s rubbed off on me.”

The allure of Davey Allison also came in how he was described as a genuinely kind-hearted person off the track.

“It’s funny because when people think about Bobby back in the day, Bobby was a very popular driver, he won like Most Popular Driver (six) times,” Ranier said. “People liked Bobby, but they loved Davey. You know what I mean? They just loved him.”

As did all those in attendance. The group of four along with those who accompanied them were the last ones to leave the Hall of Fame after taking one last look at the car. They did so sharing a common hope for the future.

To McReynolds, Davey Allison’s car being in the Hall of Fame is hopefully just another rung in the ladder. He deserves Ranier said, to climb that ladder to induction into the Hall of Fame. It would give him a permanent place in the Hall alongside his father Bobby, who continues to wait for that day.

“Oh yes,” Bobby said of wanting Davey in the Hall of Fame. “Yes. There’s so many good guys out there, but Davey accomplished so much in that short period of time. Including the Daytona win, the wins around the other big tracks around the country. I’d love to see him in there.”

Social roundup: A NASCAR snow day

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The start of the NASCAR season is still over a month away but there was a different kind of excitement taking over NASCAR nation Saturday.

Snow!

A winter storm blanketed some of the East Coast, including parts of North Carolina inhabited by NASCAR drivers, crew chiefs, and many others. Which means it didn’t take long for snow day pictures to start surfacing on social media.

Side note: Props to Logano and company for including one of the partners on his No. 22 Ford, Coca-Cola.

 

While most of the NASCAR community was enjoying the snow, a few did escape to warmer parts to take care of some important business: Getting married.

Also tying the knot is 2004 Cup champion Kurt Busch and Ashley Van Metre.

PHOTOS: The 18 new cars on Glory Road at the NASCAR Hall of Fame

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When visitors walk into the NASCAR Hall of Fame for the first time in 2017, there will be a noticeable difference greeting them.

Glory Road, situated in the Great Hall, has undergone a makeover. The exhibit serves two purposes in highlighting memorable cars from NASCAR’s history as well as the different degrees of banking they raced.

The unveiling of a new Glory Road marks its third generation since the Hall of Fame opened in 2010. Featuring 18 cars under the theme of ICONS, they were chosen based on the consideration of being an iconic car, an iconic driver, or an iconic race. It starts with Marshall Teague and ends with 2015 Cup Series champion Kyle Busch.

Here’s a tour of Glory Road: ICONS

1952 Hudson Hornet driven by Marshall Teague

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An owner/driver, Teague won three consecutive manufacturers championships for Hudson Motor Company after they began supplying him with cars in addition to developing performance parts for him.

“I feel the Hudson is the best car for my purpose, and, if any other car was better, I would drive that car,” Teague said. “It’s as simple as that!”

1957 Ford Fairlane driven by NASCAR Hall of Famer Fireball Roberts

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Roberts drove this car to eight premier series victories, including three in a row at North Wilkesboro, Langhorne Speedway and Southern States Fairgrounds.

“Fireball wouldn’t mess with you at all,” Marvin Panch, a Ford teammate, said. “You could trust him on the racetrack. You always knew right where he’d go. It was a pleasure to race him.”

1964 Plymouth Belvedere driven by NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty

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Considered his breakout year, Petty earned his first of seven wins in the 1964 Daytona 500 and first of seven championships in a HEMI-powered Plymouth tuned by brother Maurice Petty. The Daytona 500 was the first of nine victories for Petty that season.

“In all my career, I had never had a car that was faster than anybody else … until then,” Petty said.

1966 Ford Galaxie driven by NASCAR Hall of Famer Wendell Scott

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The 1966 season was the best of Scott’s career as he earned 17 top-10 finishes and finished sixth in points.

“I never set out to blaze any trails or be a pioneer,” Scott said. “I’ve always said the only race I care about is the race on the track.”

1966 Dodge Charger driven by NASCAR Hall of Famer David Pearson

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Paired with mechanic Cotton Owens, Pearson went to victory lane 15 times in 1966 including four straight at Hickory, Columbia, Greenville-Pickens, and Bowman Gray Stadium. Pearson also won the championship with the car, which ushered in a new era of race cars because of the aerodynamic advantage it had with a sloped-back roofline.

“The aerodynamics were the key to that body design … the air went over the car,” Donnie Owens, crew member and son of Cotton Owens, said. “And with that sloped roof and short rear deck lid, you couldn’t draft behind it. NASCAR put the first spoiler ever on it to keep the back end on the ground.”

1939 Chevrolet Coupe driven by NASCAR Hall of Famer Richie Evans

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It was with this car, which he ran on short tracks throughout the Northeast in the early 1970s, that Evans’ career took off. While he changed cars throughout the years, Evans kept his iconic orange paint scheme and No. 61 while winning a record-setting nine (including eight straight from 1978-1985) NASCAR championships.

“Richie was a racer’s racer,” said Ray Evernham. “He could build his own cars and really understood them. He was certainly way ahead of his time on a lot of things, especially tires. He’d mount dozens of tires for the big races, and then he’d settle on exactly what he wanted.”

1976 Chevrolet Monte Carlo driven by NASCAR Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip

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Nicknamed “Bertha,” this car became synonymous with Waltrip from 1976-1980. During that time, Waltrip won 25 times and earned two Coca-Cola 600 wins (1978, 1979).

“That thing had a wheelbase of 116 inches and was 64 inches wide,” crew chief Buddy Parrott said. “It really shouldn’t have worked. But we busted our butt working on the weight distribution, and you couldn’t knock it off the track on the short tracks. It worked good on the big tracks, too. It handled really good.”

1978 Ford Thunderbird driven by NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Allison

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The 1978 season saw Allison paired with owner Bud Moore, and they won their second race together, the Daytona 500. This particular chassis was used in four races at Richmond, where Allison earned two wins and two runner-up finishes.

“The car handled really good … the crew responded well to my requests on what I thought would make the car better,” Allison said. “Bud (Moore) was really good to work with, and he respected my requests. His engines were reliable, and we won 14 races in three seasons.”

1982 Oldsmobile Omega driven by Sam Ard

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In what is now the Xfinity Series, Ard was one of its most successful drivers. He won 22 races between 1982 and 1983 was crowned champion in ’83 and ’84.

“Sam Ard was one of the greatest competitors I ever raced against,” Jack Ingram said. “When I saw that white No. 00 come into the track, I knew I was in for a tough race. And everybody else knew it, too.”

1987 Ford Thunderbird driven by Davey Allison

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In his first full season at Harry Rainier Racing, Allison earned five poles and two wins on his way to winning rookie of the year. When Robert Yates took over the team in 1989, Allison remained the driver and went on to win the 1992 Daytona 500.

“From the time I was a little boy, it wasn’t, ‘I’m Bobby Allison’s son, and I’m going to be a race car driver,’ it was, ‘I’m Davey Allison, and I’m going to be a race car driver,'” Allison said.

1989 Ford Thunderbird driven by Neil Bonnett

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After driving for Wood Brothers Racing early in his career, Bonnett reunited with the team for the 1989 and 1990 seasons. He earned nine wins and five poles driving for Hall of Famers Leonard and Glen Wood.

“Glen Wood calling (in 1979) with two of the biggest shocks in one sentence that I’ve experienced,” Bonnett recalled. “He said, ‘David Pearson has quit the team, and will you drive for the Wood Brothers?'”

1991 Oldsmobile Cutlass driven by Harry Gant

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The green No. 33 went to victory lane a total of 18 times with Gant behind the wheel. That includes five times during the 1991 season. That same season, Gant earned the nickname “Mr. September” when he won four consecutive races at Darlington, Richmond, Dover and Martinsville.

“(Martinsville) was the hardest one of the four to win,” Gant said. “I had to pass more cars today than I have in the others.”

1992 Ford Thunderbird driven by NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott

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The 1992 season was memorable for many reasons, including its season finale at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Elliott won the race, his fifth of the season but came up 10 points short of Alan Kulwicki in the championship fight.

“I did all I could do,” Elliott said. “I went out there and won the race (Atlanta).”

1995 Chevrolet Silverado driven by Mike Skinner

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The 1995 season was the inaugural season for the Camping World Truck Series and saw Skinner win eight times on his way to claiming the championship. Skinner also won the inaugural race at Phoenix and put on his most dominating performance at Portland International Raceway when he won the pole and the race after leading every lap.

“I was a driver who wasn’t getting any younger when the opportunity to drive this truck for Richard Childress Racing came along,” Skinner said. “I became more focused than at any other time in my life … When we started looking outside the box, we were unstoppable.”

1999 Chevrolet Monte Carlo driven by NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt

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After becoming the first owner to roll out a limited-edition paint scheme in 1995, Richard Childress and his team brought out this car, featuring a throwback Wrangler scheme, for The Winston in ’99.

“It was awesome to be able to represent Wrangler again,” crew member Chocolate Myers said. “When Earnhardt came on board in 1984, he brought Wrangler and that ‘One Tough Customer’ thing with him. Everybody was excited to be running that paint scheme.”

2005 Chevrolet Monte Carlo driven by Jeff Gordon

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It was February 2005 when Gordon won his third Daytona 500 in what turned out to be his final win at Daytona International Speedway. He went on to win a total of four races in 2005.

“It felt very rewarding on many levels because of it being a spectacular finish, having to really maneuver around … going from first to third or fourth, back up to first,” Gordon said. “Definitely getting beside that No. 8 car (Dale Earnhardt Jr.) and pulling ahead of him was amazing.”

2013 Chevrolet SS driven by Jimmie Johnson

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Johnson started the 2013 season by winning his second Daytona 500, the first of six wins that season. He also earned three poles and scored 24 top-10 finishes on his way to winning his sixth Cup Series championship.

“The Daytona 500 is a career-winning race,” Johnson said. “It defines careers for drivers, crew members, crew chiefs and race teams. It has that power.”

2015 Toyota Camry driven by Kyle Busch

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After missing the first 11 races of the season following a broken right leg and fractured left foot in a crash during the Xfinity Series race at Daytona, Busch rebounded to win his first championship. Overall, Busch earned five wins on the season.

“This is just a dream come true and my family, my wife, my son – to have him this year and to have everything we’ve gone through this year, to be in this moment (in victory lane at Homestead-Miami Speedway) – I don’t know know what else to say, but this is so special,” Busch said.