Chase Elliott Wins At Texas, Dawsonville Celebrates...

((HT: NASCAR on ESPN))

Chase Elliott has the pedigree with his father- one of the most popular drivers in the circuit in "Wild Bill from Dawsonville"- and he passed Kevin Harvick with a handful of laps to go (15) for the win in only his 6th start in the Nationwide Series.

And that makes him the second-youngest winner in the history of the series...
Here's the end of the race...


Not bad for the senior from King's Ridge Christian School...

He becomes the youngest winner at Texas Motor Speedway and adds to his resume from the truck series win he had last season in Canada. The race had 15 lead changes and puts Chase at the top of the points standings.

The series heads to Darlington next weekend...

And it meant that the Dawsonville Pool Room got to fire up the siren in the town square...

Post by Dawsonville Pool Room.

NASCAR Fines Piquet, Junior For Instagram Slur

((HT: NASCAR their own selves))

Nelson Piquet Jr. has been fined $10,000, is required to participate in sensitivity training as directed by NASCAR, and was placed on indefinite probation for violating the sanctioning body’s Code of Conduct policy.

On September 25, Piquet violated Sections 7-5 (Code of Conduct) and 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing) of the 2013 NASCAR rule book by posting an anti-gay slur on Instagram. Piquet commented on a photo that fellow Nationwide Series driver Parker Kligerman posted of himself, and he used a three-letter slur as a one-word description of Kligerman.

You can pretty much guess what the word was...
The post was subsequently deleted...

“Nelson Piquet Jr. recently communicated an offensive and derogatory term that cannot be tolerated in our sport,” said Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR senior vice president of racing operations. “NASCAR’s Code of Conduct explicitly spells out in the 2013 rule book our position regarding the use of disparaging terms. We expect our entire industry to abide by this Code.”

Piquet apologized rather quickly...

"I sincerely apologize to everyone for my poor choice of words last week. I did not mean to hurt or offend anyone."

"This has been a cultural learning experience that will make me a more sensitive person moving forward."

Turner Scott Motorsports said in a statement it had addressed the issue with Piquet, who understood the team does not tolerate such remarks.

"TSM expects those associated with the team to uphold professional standards that we can all be proud of. Nelson has assured the team that he has learned his lesson and he knows what it means to represent TSM."

It's not the first time this season that Piquet was drawn attention to himself...
Witness the place-kicking event that he had with Brian Scott...
((HT: NASCAR))

NASCAR Heading Back To NBC, Leaving ESPN and Turner

The last time we saw NASCAR on NBC was this...


Tripp Mickle and John Ourand over at Sports Business Journal started this story this morning...

ESPN and Turner Sports will be out of the NASCAR business after next season, according to several sources. NASCAR is planning a press conference later today to announce that Fox and NBC will share rights to the sport starting in 2015. Financial terms of NBC’s deal and its broadcast plans aren’t known, but the network had been pitching NASCAR on returning the Sprint Cup series to broadcast TV and could air races on Sunday afternoons on NBC prior to "Sunday Night Football." NBC also picked up rights to the second half of the Nationwide Series. It’s unclear if those races will be on NBC or NBC Sports Network

NBC has now, officially, signed a 10-year deal with NASCAR through the 2024 season for 20 Sprint Cup races and 19 Nationwide events. It's not known where the remaining "Summer Series" 6-race grouping will air since that negotiation is still in play. The exclusivity window for negotiation ended July 14th, so it was all hands on deck for spending (what is reported in some circles) as up to 50-percent more in fees than what went down in the last deal...

Seven NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events will be carried on NBC annually, with the remaining 13 airing on NBC Sports Network... or "NBCSN" as branding calls it these days...

ESPN threw in the towel this afternoon and will stop after 34 years of covering the sport live:

Statement from John Skipper, President of ESPN:

“ESPN has enjoyed a long and mutually beneficial relationship with NASCAR. We have tremendous respect for the France family, the drivers and all in the sport and wish them well. We will continue to serve NASCAR fans through SportsCenter and our other news platforms as we continue to enhance our industry-leading collection of quality assets.
“We are looking forward to the start of our Sprint Cup season and will continue with our deep commitment to the highest quality coverage.”

Turner Broadcasting President of Sales, Distribution & Sports David Levy said in another press release: "Turner Sports is proud of the partnership we've built with NASCAR over the past 31 years and the role our company has played in helping to grow the sport. We think NASCAR is an attractive property, but we are disciplined in our approach to negotiating sports rights and could not come up with a business model that was financially prudent for our company."

NBC can now pair the NASCAR package with their five-ringed circus coverage complete with cross-promotion and all the bells and whistles that go with it- which could justify their rate increase for the rights fees...

NBC will find ways to make their money back, but the larger issue could be the ratings- which were the lowest in their era for broadcast

Kurt And Cole Finish Fourth At Daytona

As a follow-up to our story from earlier this week, Kurt Busch got the okay from Nationwide car owner James Finch and Rick Hendrick to revisit one of the best paint schemes in NASCAR history- the City Chevrolet car driven by Cole Trickle in the "Days of Thunder"- for the Nationwide race last night...

Here's some of the highlights...
((HT: NASCAR.com))

We're glad to see that everyone had a sense of humor about bringing attention to a serious cause...

Now if only Busch could have put Russ Wheeler in the wall for the win...

Kurt Busch Channels Cole Trickle And It Is Awesome...

Gotta love owners with a sense of humor...

Jerry Bonkowski at Motor Sports Talk has the story of the weekend from Daytona...

Remember Cole Trickle...???
((HT: Movieclips.com))


Kurt Busch certainly does...
This weekend, the City Chevrolet will be working for the Hendrick teams pit...

And Busch, Hendrick, and crew chief Nick Harrison recited a scene or two for the AFFDC...


Busch is raising awareness for the Armed Forces Foundation "Help Save Our Troops" campaign this weekend.

And the HQ hopes he wins...

Here's the car thanks to @kurtbusch

DEVELOPING: Jason Leffler Life Flighted From Bridgeport Speedway, Condition Critical (UPDATE: Leffler Dies, Cause Of Death Revealed)

((HT: Bridgeport Speedway))

Nationwide Series racer Jason Leffler has been injured badly in a winged sprint car accident at Bridgeport Speedway in New Jersey. Leffler has been life flighted to a local hospital and the New Jersey State Police, who oversee motorsports, have cancelled the remainder of the program for the evening...

Reports from the area around 9:40 PM have Leffler's car still on the race track awaiting New Jersey State Patrol investigators.

The Speedway Facebook page says:

Racing has been postponed at Bridgeport Speedway due to an accident in a 410 Sprint Car heat race that involved Jason Leffler

After The Whistle has this picture of Leffler's car...

Leffler is currently listed as in critical condition...

2245 UPDATE: NBC Philadelphia is reporting that Leffler died as a result of his injuries...

A NASCAR driver is dead after a crash at a local speedway, according to a law enforcement source.

Officials say 37-year-old Jason Leffler crashed during a sprint car race at the Bridgeport Speedway in Swedesboro, Gloucester County, New Jersey on Wednesday. Leffler had to be extricated from his vehicle and was taken by medevac to Cooper Trauma Center where he later died from his injuries.

He was pronounced dead at 9:02 PM as a result of the accident...

Fans of the sport will remember the rivalry that he had with James Buescher in 2010...
Here was the Nashville incident...
((HT: NASCAR on ESPN))


NASCAR released a statement:

"NASCAR extends its thoughts, prayers and deepest sympathies to the family of Jason Leffler who passed away earlier this evening. For more than a decade, Jason was a fierce competitor in our sport and he will be missed.”

Leffler was taking part in "Night of Wings," a 25-lap event for sprint cars with a $7,000 prize money.

Racers are starting to post their reactions:

"My heart goes out to @JasonLeffler family. He was a great guy. So friendly and a hell of a racecar driver. So saddened by this. #Restinpeace," tweeted AJ Allmendinger.

Joey Logano said in a post, "Extremely sad to hear about @JasonLeffler. spent a lot of time racing with him. Gone way too soon. Prayers to his entire family."

Jeff Burton: My thoughts and prayers are with Jason's family and friends. Breaks my heart thinking of his little boy

Clint Bowyer: So sad to hear about @JasonLeffler. Was a wheel man and a fun fun person to be around. #LEFturn

INDYCAR added their statement for the one-time Indy 500 driver:

INDYCAR extends its deepest sympathies and condolences to the family of Jason Leffler for their tragic loss. Jason was a USAC champion who made three INDYCAR starts, including the 2000 Indianapolis 500. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family during this difficult time.

Here's Thursday morning's report...
((HT: MyFoxPhilly))
Philadelphia News, Weather and Sports from WTXF FOX 29

The Delaware County (PA) Medical Examiner is saying that Leffler's cause of death was blunt force trauma to the neck when his car hit the wall.

Former Team Manager Arrested For Cobb Racing Hauler Theft

((HT: Catchfence.com))

The Cobb hauler is what people need to keep an eye on

The Rowan County (NC) Sheriff's Office arrested NASCAR driver Mike Harmon and Sheila Rae Rice for felony larceny and breaking and entering in connection with the theft of the hauler of NCTS driver Jennifer Jo Cobb- valued at $279,000.

Harmon, a driver and team owner primarily in the Nationwide Series, has worked with Cobb in the past. He used to be her team manager in the Nationwide Series when Cobb ran both there and in the truck series.

Harmon posted $10,000 bond late Wednesday evening as did Rice.

The hauler is still missing with a North Carolina Tag# DT-74479 (if the plates are still on it).

On Saturday around 3:00 am, the team transporter was stolen from the team’s race shop in the Charlotte suburb of Mooresville.

“It is my sole concern to get the transporter back so that we can make Friday night’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway,” said Cobb in a statement released this afternoon through her team. “We are working with other teams right now to borrow the necessary items in the event our hauler and its contents are not returned. We are pleased with the diligent work that the Rowan County Sheriff’s Department has shown in solving this crime.”

Here's the surveillance tape of the theft...
((HT: WBTV-TV))


"I've been around for a long time, but I've never stolen so much as a piece of bubble gum and to be arrested for a felony is ridiculous," Harmon told WBTV. "I did not take her hauler, I've not been to her shop and how they convince the law to put a warrant out on me, I don't know," he said.

Any information on the whereabouts of the stolen property can be directed to the lead investigator, Detective Carl Dangerfield at 704-216-8711

Okay, So Who Won At Talladega Saturday...

((HT: NASCAR on ESPN))

The HQ will just show you the video of the finish first and let you come up with an answer...


Initial crossing of the finish line gave it to Kasey Kahne, but NASCAR ruled that Regan Smith had the lead at the time of the caution from the wreck that happened behind all the leaders...

"I was thinking 'Man, I hope we got it," Smith admitted. "I'm pretty sure we got it when the flag came out and I saw the lights come on.' I knew we were ahead. I don't know if it's vindication, but I definitely wanted to win and it certainly wipes that bad memory away."

What Smith was referring to was this from 2008...


The race was delayed three hours by rain and slowed by seven cautions. NASCAR cut the race distance by 10 laps because of darkness.

And don't think there won't be more of this Sunday and that the speedway won't think about installing lights from this moment forward...

Nelson Piquet Junior Goes Up The Middle (UPDATED WIth Arrests)

((HT: LP2008/NASCAR/NASCARImages/ESPN))

And the HQ doesn't necessarily mean in a good way...

Piquet and Brian Scott got into it in the race last night in Richmond and it ended only in the way that makes live television live television...

In a pit crew fight...
Evidence below...


In the Richmond Times-Dispatch newspaper this morning, we now know that there have been arrests involving pit crew members as a carryover from the incident on TV.

Michael Scearce, was charged with two misdemeanor counts of assault. Thomas Costello was charged with one misdemeanor count of assault. The two were charged and released early this morning. Both are on the Scott crew.

From the Times-Dispatch:

"One of the two adult male victims has a shoulder injury," Toney said.

“Henrico Police are investigating a verbal argument that started in the infield area of RIR that escalated into a physical altercation near the Driver/Owner Lot,” Lt. Linda Toney said in a news release. “The assault occurred at approximately 11:15 p.m.”

Here's their mugshot, thanks to the Henrico Division of Police...

Gen 6 Gets Their First Big Wreck At Daytona

And it was at the end of the Nationwide race...

Evidence below...
((HT: NASCAR on ESPN))


Regan Smith was dancing with Brad Keselowski and, by the time it was over Kyle Larson went airborne and lost the entire front of his car. Larson, Michael Annett, and eight others were involved in the final lap wreck. There was a 13-car wreck that caused the green-white-checkered after the race had been red flagged..

Tony Stewart survived the melee and won the 300-miler...

Six fans are listed as injured, two of them are considered in critical condition and the damage to the grandstand came from Larson's engine and the fluids coming form other cars involved in the wreck

"The engine came right through the fence, injuring about six people," said a Daytona International Speedway supervisor, speaking under the condition of anonymity to yahoo!Sports.

Here's the NASCAR version of what went down..
((HT: NASCAR.com))

More when we know more...

Danica Patrick Derailed By Shoe In Montreal

((HT: ESPN/youtube/NASCAR))

And it had nothing to do with Nikita Krushchev...

Danica Patrick was in contention at the Nationwide event in Montreal at Circuit Jacques Villeneuve, but then someone hurled an extra zapato on the track ahead of time...


In replay, she even got to cuss over her broken axle...


Justin Allgaier passed Villeneuve on a green-white-checkered situation to get the win- much to Villeneuve's dismay in the post-race when he blocked Allgaier's progress in celebration...

Kevin Harvick Doesn't Dig Amber Cope's Driving

((HT: NASCAR Media/ESPN))

Amber Cope is one of the twin nieces of Daytona race winner Derrike Cope. She was driving in her second Nationwide Series race and got caught up in the battle between eventual race-winner Brad Keselowski and Kevin Harvick Saturday at Loudon.

Harvick was leading with 22 laps to go when he got stuck behind Cope allowing Keselowski to pass...

Here's Harvick's thoughts on Cope's driving skills once the race was done...


Amber didn't back down, as seen on her and her sister's Twitter feed...

"Way to go tough guy. I bet if u take a moment in your arrogance u will realize your fault @keselowski figured it out."

She even went as far as calling Harvick an "ass." The HQ thinks this may not be over at all... there's plenty of season left...

Kurt Busch And Justin Allgaier Have A Discussion (And Then Busch Discusses Driving With A Reporter)

((HT: NASCARImages/ESPN))

Kurt Busch is on probation with NASCAR, so when he and Allgaier got into it on the 200 laps of the Saturday Dover race it naturally would lead to extra-curricular discussions...

Evidence below...


Busch finished fourth and Allgaier finished fifth... and the HQ doesn't think this is close to being over...

UPDATE: It wasn't...

Cameras from SPEED were rolling after their interview when Busch went after Sporting News scribe Bob Pockrass for asking a question about his approach since he's on probation...

It wasn't pretty...
((HT: SPEED/NASCARImages))

NASCAR Talking To Danica

((HT: ESPN on ABC/NASCAR))

Here's what happened after the Nationwide race Saturday...


So, now it appears that the guys in the truck are going to speak to the JR Motorsports driver after her attempt to rub out Sam Hornish, Junior...

As you saw, Hornish apologized after the race (whether Patrick believed it or not) and still got put in the wall for his efforts as, apparently, he had a tire going down.

So much for remembering their Indy days...

Eric McClure transported to hospital after bad crash

It always happens at Talladega. Sometimes its in the Truck race, sometimes the ARCA race, sometimes the Nationwide and usually the Sprint Cup race.

On Saturday, it was at the Nationwide race. Specifically, the Aarons 312.

Eric McClure was part of a pack of cars that went every way, including sidelways late in the race. McClure's car hit the safety wall.

It hit hard. Very hard.

Reportedly, McClure was conscious and speaking, but he was hauled off on a stretcher and flown to the hospital via helicopter.

If we find out an update, we will post it here.

In the meantime, here's the video:

Danica's Daytona Experience Doesn't Start Well...

((HT: NASCAR/ESPN))

It's not cool when a teammate does it to you...

And that's what JR Motorsports' Cole Whitt did on Lap 49 of the Saturday race at Daytona. Danica Patrick started on the pole and got some seat time with owner Dale Earnhardt, Junior in draft behind her for the first few laps.

But as is the want of the race and the track, she sorted drivers out and shuffled them every which-a-way. Patrick was no different drifting as far back as the mid-20's in the pack.

And, then, depression set in, thanks to Whitt...

Here's the spin out from and the aftermath...


Sufficed to say that in-car communication had to be bleeped and edited for content... thanks, MotorSportsCentral and TSN2

Danica, Shawna... Shawna, Danica...

((HT: ESPN/NASCAR))

For the first time since Shawna Robinson picked up the pole at Atlanta MOtor Speedway in 1994, Danica Patrick knocked Sam Hornish, Junior off the top spot for the Nationwide Series race at Daytona.

Here's your analysis from the desk...


She is scheduled to drive 10 Sprint Cup races for Stewart-Haas Racing and run every Nationwide race for JR Motorsports ths year- talk about having a split ownership loyalty...

She makes her Sprint Cup debut in the Daytona 500 after eating the wall at 180-miles per hour in the Twin 150's races Thursday afternoon.

She has three top-10 finishes in 25 Nationwide races over two years, so now that she's up front it'll be interesting to see who plays ball with her and if she has any friends on the track - AT ANY TIME...

Jus' sayin...

DEVELOPING: Okay, it's official... Danica To NASCAR

((HT: GoDaddy.com/youtube))

The worst kept secret in NASCAR isn't a secret anymore...

Danica Patrick is racing a full-time Nationwide schedule and some Sprint Cup races in the No. 7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet in 2012.

"We are pleased Danica Patrick has chosen to race full time in NASCAR in 2012," NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France said in a statement. "She has demonstrated a strong desire to compete and NASCAR provides the best opportunity to race against the top drivers in the world with the largest and most loyal fan base in motorsports on a week-to-week basis."

Here's some of the Q-and-A... for the really important stuff, like Daytona...


Here's CNBC's Darren Rovell talking about Danica's economic impact...
((HT: ESPN))