Autoblog

Ford debuts Fusion NASCAR racer that edges closer to stock [w/video]

Jeffrey N. Ross — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 17:32:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Ford, Design/Style, Racing

The sixth-generation NASCAR Sprint Cup racecar, which will make its competition debut at the 2013 Daytona 500 this weekend, marks the closest thing to a "stock car" that the sport has seen in more than 20 years. No longer using just stickers to distinguish the different brands, the image above shows the lengths NASCAR and automakers went in order to create a racecar design that more closely resembles the individual cars they represent.

Ford, one of the more open and vocal OEMs regarding the Gen6 car's development, is giving us a closer look at its racing version of the Fusion with a pretty revealing side-by-side comparison with last years' racer (click above for an expanded view). Aside from the more realistic front end and production-like body lines, the overall shape, dimensions and proportions have also been designed to give the racecar a more stock appearance. Most of the new racer was designed by the Ford Design Center, which the automaker says was the first time it has been so involved in the design process since the 1960s. Of course, one area the Sprint Cup Fusion really differs from the production Fusion is its Ford Racing 5.8-liter V8 producing around 850 hp. Can you say Fusion SVT?

Scroll down for a quick video from Ford Racing showing a production Fusion morph into a Cup car.

Continue reading Ford debuts Fusion NASCAR racer that edges closer to stock [w/video]

Ford debuts Fusion NASCAR racer that edges closer to stock [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 Feb 2013 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NASCAR Sprint Cup crowns winner as Dodge bows out of series [spoilers]

Zach Bowman — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 16:33:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Dodge, Racing

Dodge is leaving NASCAR on a high note. The automaker snagged the 2012 Sprint Cup series championship on Sunday when Penske and Brad Keselowski took the checkered flag at the Ford EcoBoost 400 at the Homestead-Miami Speedway. The championship win marks the fifth such title for Dodge and the company's first since 1975. That last championship victory came at the hands of none other than Richard Petty.

That's a long time, but Penske has been waiting a spell for its first series win, too. The team first entered the NASCAR Sprint Cup series in 1972 but never quite managed to seal the deal. In 1993, Rusty Wallace brought the team as close as it ever came: second place. But after overcoming a few mechanical issues early in the season, Keselowski and Penske stayed consistent enough to see themselves seeded fourth in the Chase. After taking the checkers at Chicagoland, Keselowski became an early favorite for the win, and his performance at Homestead-Miami sealed the deal. Check out the full press release below for more information.

Continue reading NASCAR Sprint Cup crowns winner as Dodge bows out of series [spoilers]

NASCAR Sprint Cup crowns winner as Dodge bows out of series [spoilers] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 19 Nov 2012 16:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Ontario racetrack green-lit, hopes to woo NASCAR

George Kennedy — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 10:59:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Government/Legal, Canada, Racing

You may think that NASCAR is exclusively an American sport, but it has quite a following in Canada, too. How do we know that? Well, aside from knowing a few fans who count themselves among our neighbors to the north, it seems that a project has been green-lighted to build a NASCAR-minded speedway in Fort Erie, Ontario.

According to reports, the $400-million project will see the construction of a new Canadian Motor Speedway, a one-mile banked oval track with spectator capacity of over 65,000, including 60,000 grandstand seats, 5,000 club chairs and 80 suites. Though it is unclear if the track will eventually join the NASCAR calendar, a mile-long oval circuit is a pretty solid indicator of the kind of racing intended for this location. Another not-so-subtle indicator of investors' hopes for the facility? The designer is four-time NASCAR champ Jeff Gordon.

Lest you think the facility is only for turnin' left, the plan also includes a 2.5-mile road course. According to Canadian Motor Speedway executive director Azhar Mohammed, "This will be a world class facility that will attract visitors from all over North America. We are very anxious to begin the next steps in seeing the speedway become a reality."

While there were some appeals against the project, they were all rejected by Ontario Municipal Board. The project will provide jobs, and eventually tourism to an area that was forced to close its slots and live horse racing recently. We look forward to seeing how this track plays into the motorsport community at large.

As the Toronto Star notes, NASCAR's Nationwide series has already announced that it will stop racing in Montreal, so the Canadian Motor Speedway could conceivably make a play for the event if it doesn't go to Mosport as rumored.

Construction for the facility is expected to take just 18 months.

New Ontario racetrack green-lit, hopes to woo NASCAR originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 09 Nov 2012 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dodge pulling out of NASCAR *UPDATE

Chris Tutor — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Videos, Dodge, Ford

After 11 years of competing in NASCAR, Dodge is reportedly once again pulling out of the racing series. Penske Racing, the only team running under the Dodge banner in 2012, announced in March it was switching to Ford for the 2013 season. On Monday, Penske Racing said it would also switch from Dodge engines to Roush-Yates Ford engines for 2013.

In March, Dodge rolled out its Sprint Cup Charger it planned to campaign in 2013, but NASCAR.com says it did not take part in a tire test at Martinsville Speedway this week.

This is not Dodge's first time leaving NASCAR. The company left the series in 1977 and returned in 2001. It has won 50+ races since then, and could still add to that tally before the end of the 2012 season. NASCAR.com reports that an official statement from Chrysler confirming its departure is expected later today.

*UPDATE: Chrysler has confirmed it is leaving NASCAR. Scroll down to read the official notice and watch a video of executive Ralph Gilles addressing the pullout.

Continue reading Dodge pulling out of NASCAR *UPDATE

Dodge pulling out of NASCAR *UPDATE originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 07 Aug 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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U.S. Army ends decade-long NASCAR sponsorship

Chris Tutor — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 08:44:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Government/Legal, Marketing/Advertising

If you question why the Army National Guard has been spending your tax money on a NASCAR team, apparently you're not alone. Minnesota Representative Betty McCollum (D) is wondering aloud why the U.S. Armed Forces has spent nearly $20 million over the past couple of years sponsoring the Stewart-Haas Racing team. That relationship is reportedly coming to an end now, however, as the Army has declined to renew sponsorship for next season.

At first, it might seem NASCAR's core audience and the pool of potential Army recruits would have big overlap. But according to a Marketplace report, Senator McCollum says she was told by the Guard themselves that the NASCAR sponsorship deal has brought in some 24,800 interested recruits. But of that group, only 20 were actually qualified to join the Guard. And of that same group, exactly zero joined. McCollum says her goal is to get Congress to limit what the Army can spend its ad dollars on, and sports sponsorships will not be on her approved list.

Stewart-Haas Racing currently fields teams for Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman. Danica Patrick was to come on board next season, but those plans could be jeopardized by the loss of such a huge sponsor.

U.S. Army ends decade-long NASCAR sponsorship originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 13 Jul 2012 08:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford Racing unveils first livery of 2013 Fusion stock car

Noah Joseph — Tue, 22 May 2012 19:20:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Sedan, Ford, Racing

What's a fresh face worth? A lot when you're talking about NASCAR. Because the styling is about all that links a stock car to the production vehicle it's made to mirror. And for Ford, the latest is the new Fusion.

The Blue Oval automaker unveiled the race car "based" on the new Fusion back in January. But at the Roush Fenway Fan Day in Concord, North Carolina, this coming Thursday, fans will get their first chance to see the new stock car in full race livery.

The paint scheme in question bears the red and white colors of Motorcraft, Ford's spare parts division, as it will be raced by the Wood Brothers team in this year's Sprint Cup. But if you can't wait that long and aren't going to be near Concord this week, you can check out the full-size clay mock-up put together by the Ford Design Center in Dearborn in the pair of high-resolution images below.

Ford Racing unveils first livery of 2013 Fusion stock car originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 22 May 2012 19:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Stock car racing comes to.... Antarctica?!

Zach Bowman — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 17:31:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, South America, Racing

Argentina has apparently brought stock car racing to Antarctica for the very first time. The Asociacion Corredores Turismo Carretera recently teamed up with the Argentina Air Force and the interior ministry to bring one racer to the frozen continent. Hugo Mazzacane, vice president of the racing organization, piloted the car down 3,937 feet of runway in temperatures of four degrees below zero, Fahrenheit. We aren't exactly sure of the motivations behind the stunt, but our Google Translator informs us that the trip had something to do with bringing renewed passports to those already stationed on Antarctica.

Then again, if you have to ask why, you probably shouldn't be anywhere near motorsports in the first place. There's no indication as to what kind of preparations were taken to ensure that the car could perform in the cold or what kind of driving suit Mazzacane had to don in order to keep from freezing himself out of the cockpit. Still, looks like a fun time to us.

Stock car racing comes to.... Antarctica?! originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 23 Sep 2011 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A woman shows you how to build a proper circle track racer

Aaron Richardson — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 19:29:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Coupe, Videos, Chevrolet, Racing

Jeri Ellsworth on building a race car - Click above to view video after the jump

Jeri Ellsworth is a certified renaissance woman. A high school and college dropout, she's a self-taught computer programmer and an ace welder and circle track race car builder. She has also started her own race car building business while her peers were at prom and went on to open a chain of computer shops.

More recently, Ellsworth has taken to YouTube to show aspiring NASCAR-types how a street stock racer should be built. Ellsworth is extremely careful and meticulous, knocking out some seriously pretty welds on her way to completing a 1981 Chevrolet Camaro racer.

Her work (and plumber's crack), looks to be enough to ~~impress~~ embarrass all of her male peers, both in the garage and on the race track. To check out Ellsworth's skill, hit up the video after the jump. It's the first in a series, so if you like what you see, we urge to watch 'em all.

Continue reading A woman shows you how to build a proper circle track racer

A woman shows you how to build a proper circle track racer originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NASCAR could test fuel injection as early as July

Chris Shunk — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Technology

Chances are that just about every car you've ever owned featured some form of fuel injection, but the long-standard engine tech remains foreign territory in NASCAR. The sport has used carburetors since the racing series began in 1949, but that looks set to change later this year.

NASCAR reports on its website that fuel injection testing could happen as soon as July 7 at Kentucky Speedway. The date has been singled out due to the fact that this is the first time the Cup Series has raced there, and NASCAR has given racing teams an extra four hours of testing on the Thursday before the race.

Danny Lawrence, chief engine builder for Earnhardt-Childress Racing Engines, is hoping NASCAR comes up with specifications so the teams can prepare, adding "I know they're working on it really hard, and hopefully, they'll have it figured out in a few days."

NASCAR is working with McLaren and Freescale Semiconductor to develop and manufacture engine control units to manage fuel and ignition systems. A wiring harness has reportedly already been developed, and the fuel-injector specification will be the next step. Teams are still wondering at this point if they'll receive a specification for the fuel injection system or if NASCAR will provide systems that everyone must use. Hat tip to Pawager!

[Source: NASCAR | Image: Todd Warshaw/Getty]

NASCAR could test fuel injection as early as July originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dodge slaps new Charger nose on NASCAR body

Noah Joseph — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 14:27:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Dodge, Racing

2011 Dodge Charger stock car - Click above for high-res image

Boy, they ain't kiddin' when they call a stock car a stock car. You can call it a Ford, a Chevy, a Dodge or even a Toyota... they all look pretty much identical. Except the nose. That's where on "manufacturer" differentiates its cars from the others and lets you know what's sittin' under the hood.

For Dodge's part, they label theirs as a Charger. And with NASCAR introducing a slightly lower nose on the Sprint Cup racers for next season, Dodge found a perfect opportunity to bring the look of their stock cars in line with the new production Charger. The work was carried out in conjunction with Penske Racing, one of only two teams racing Dodge engines this season.

You can check out the solitary image of the 2011 Dodge Charger stock car - whose new mug our own John Neff likens to the grimace that follows a sip of unsweetened lemonade - by clicking here or on the image above, and the statement after the jump, but don't blink or you just might miss it.

[Source: Dodge]

Continue reading Dodge slaps new Charger nose on NASCAR body

Dodge slaps new Charger nose on NASCAR body originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 08 Nov 2010 14:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Michael Waltrip Racing innovates, NASCAR style

Zach Bowman — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 14:56:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Technology, Toyota, Racing

Michael Waltrip Racing Shop Tour - Click above for high-res image gallery

From most vantage points, the drivetrain in the NASCAR Car of Tomorrow seems to have its origins somewhere just after the discovery of fire. Under the hood is a pushrod V8 with 350 cubic inches of displacement, using the same architecture first outlined in the early 1950s. In its current form, ye olde mill is now delivering somewhere between 800 and 900 horsepower, and the small-block is still fed by the same Holley 4150 carburetor anyone can pick up from the local parts store. Behind the engine is a similarly crude four-speed manual transmission built to take repeated abuse. And little else. It sends power to a Ford nine-inch rear end - a design which, compared to the engine, is brand-spanking new. It was introduced in 1957.

If we're talking weaponry metaphors, the average NASCAR racer is a Louisville slugger wrapped in barbed wire compared to the Predator drone of your average Formula One or WRC beater. Or at least it looks that way from a cursory glance. But make no mistake, this is still big dollar racing, and the teams lapping Charlotte Motor Speedway or Talladega are still doing everything in their power to beat the rules at every turn and make their car faster than the rest of the pack. That means dabbling in advanced metallurgy, fiddling with fluid dynamics and finding out how to make their 3,450-pound behemoth faster than their competitors with the same kit.

It's an odd crossroads that fuses new and old tech, and a recent trip to Michael Waltrip Racing had us checking our NASCAR prejudices at the door.

Gallery: Michael Waltrip Racing Shop Tour

Continue reading Michael Waltrip Racing innovates, NASCAR style

Michael Waltrip Racing innovates, NASCAR style originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Jul 2010 14:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NASCAR Hall of Fame opens in Charlotte

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 12 May 2010 14:31:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Celebrities, Racing

NASCAR Hall of Fame Opening Day - Click above for high-res image gallery

Even though you hear less and less about it with each evolution of the Car of Tomorrow and huge new ad deal, much of NASCAR's current allure is tied to the romance of good ol' boys in (genuine) stock cars with big engines and even bigger personalities gunning around raggedy tracks for the win. Those pioneers of the sport have finally been honored with the opening of the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina.

From a total of 25 nominees, the inaugural class of inductees were Bill France, Sr., Bill France, Jr., Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt and Junior Johnson. They're the first to hang in the 150,000-square foot hall along with 60 years of NASCAR exhibits, simulators, video screens and memorabilia, an institution that the city of Charlotte calls "the most technologically advanced Hall of Fame in all of professional sports." Take that, Canton and Cooperstown!

Gallery: NASCAR Hall of Fame opening day

[Source: Sports Illustrated | Image: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images]

NASCAR Hall of Fame opens in Charlotte originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 12 May 2010 14:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NASCAR turns right, headed to Road America in 2010

Chris Shunk — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 16:56:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports

Some motorsports fans take issue with the fact that the vast majority of NASCAR tracks are little more than a series of left turns. This is for you, roundy-round jokers. The official sport of the South is mixing in some right turns and working the brakes a bit more in 2010 with a pair of road courses. The first race, a June 20 Sprint Cup affair at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California, was already on the books, and now the truck racing series has added a second road course on June 19. The Nationwide Truck Series race will be held at Road America near Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, where a scenic 4.04 mile, 14 turn course awaits tailgate-loving NASCAR drivers.

We joke about NASCAR and right turns, but Wisconsin native Paul Menard thinks the biggest challenge will come courtesy of the brake pedal. "Braking will be the hardest aspect. Strategy will play a big part in this race." NASCAR hasn't run a national cup race at Road America since way back in1956, back when race cars ~~used carburetors~~ weren't as fast. Racing Road America will likely be a challenge for drivers who participate in both NASCAR Series, as a trip from Wisconsin to California inside of 24 hours sandwiched between a pair of tough races doesn't sound at all easy to us.

Whether you love NASCAR or you can't stand it, we're thinking middle America's racing sport of choice deserves hats off for mixing it up a bit this year.

[Source: NASCAR | Image: Road America]

NASCAR turns right, headed to Road America in 2010 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 Dec 2009 16:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Officially Official: Danica Patrick joining NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2010

Chris Paukert — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 13:29:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Chevrolet, Celebrities

Danica Patrick No. 7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet - Click above for high-res image gallery

The "Will she, won't she" debate is over - Danica Patrick is headed for closed-wheel racing in 2010. Patrick will race a partial schedule in next year's National Nationwide series in the No. 7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet, and she will also participate in one ARCA race. As a driver on the No. 7 team, she will be signed through 2011 to the JR Motorsports team that's owned by Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Rick Hendrick, Kelley Earnhardt and Tony Eury, Jr. through 2011.

This bit of news is not to say that Danica is eschewing her open-wheel career - she will also continue to race her similarly day-glo green Andretti Autosport IndyCar, also in full GoDaddy.com regalia. The NASCAR events that she will race in will be interlaced with her IndyCar schedule, before, during, and after the open-wheel season.

Danica's first stock car race will be a February 6 ARCA race in Daytona, the day before the Super Bowl. As usual, her primary sponsors will feature Patrick in a slate of new commercials during the big NFL game, and we're willing to bet that they'll have a bit of NASCAR flavor. High-res gallery of her new ride below, official press release after the jump.

Gallery: Danica Patrick NASCAR

[Source: GoDaddy.com]

Continue reading Officially Official: Danica Patrick joining NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2010

Officially Official: Danica Patrick joining NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2010 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 08 Dec 2009 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dodge Challenger NASCAR Nationwide Series racer unveiled

Alex Nunez — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 12:24:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Dodge

2010 Dodge Challenger New Nationwide Series racer - Click above for a high-res image gallery

NASCAR's rollout of its new Nationwide Series race car design has garnered buzz already with the introduction of the first-ever Mustang-branded stocker, and it got another shot in the arm yesterday at Talladega when Chrysler pulled the wraps off its brand-new Dodge Challenger Nationwide racer. We personally love the fact that the Challenger NNS car retains the same general front-end look as the production street car -- partially restoring an element that's been missing from stock cars for years now. The new Nationwide Mustang and Challenger will join their yet-to-be-unveiled counterparts from Chevy and Toyota (don't hold your breath for a Nationwide Camaro) in four races on the 2010 Nationwide Series calendar: Daytona in July, then later dates at Michigan, Richmond, and Lowe's Motor Speedway. The new car designs are expected to be fully adopted for the 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series season. This process mimics the way NASCAR rolled out the Car of Tomorrow in the top-tier Sprint Cup series. Check out Dodge's official press release after the jump, and have a closer look at the new Dodge Challenger Nationwide car in the gallery below. As soon as Chrysler PR uploads photos that show more than just the car's front end (come on, guys...), we'll update the gallery.

UPDATE: NASCAR.com has shots of all four new NNS cars. The Chevy and Toyota retain Impala and Camry branding.

Gallery: 2010 Dodge Challenger NASCAR Nationwide Series Car

[Source: Dodge Motorsports]

Continue reading Dodge Challenger NASCAR Nationwide Series racer unveiled

Dodge Challenger NASCAR Nationwide Series racer unveiled originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 31 Oct 2009 12:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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"Victimized" F1 driver Nelson Piquet Jr. reportedly headed to NASCAR truck series

Noah Joseph — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Rumormill

Crashing in Formula One is taken pretty seriously. Especially if you did it on purpose. Which goes a long way towards explaining why the motorsport community is calling for the blood of Nelson Piquet Jr. The disgraced Renault driver was, in the end, the perpetrator of the so-called Crashgate affair. But while his boss and manager Flavio Briatore was kicked out of Formula One (and any involvement in any FIA-sanctioned racing series) as a result, and technical director Pat Symonds received a five-year ban. For his part, Piquet walked as part of the whistle-blower deal brokered with the FIA. So it may be a little hard to appreciate the young driver's standpoint that he's suffered the most out of the affair.

On this side of the Atlantic, however, stock cars crash all the time. It's just part of the spectacle. So while Piquet, Jr. may have a hard time finding a race seat in Formula One or any other Euro-centric racing series, he may - like Juan Pablo Montoya, Jacques Villeneuve and Scott Speed, to name just a few - try his hand at stock car racing. Well, stock truck racing, more specifically.

According to new reports, Piquet is scheduled to test a Toyota Tundra race truck fielded by the Red Horse team in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series over the next couple of weeks. The report, originating from Brazil's Globo television, further suggests that Piquet has a strategy in place to spend one year in trucks and another year in the second-tier Nationwide Series before graduating to the top-tier Sprint Cup in 2012. The question is, how will American racing drivers - and just as importantly, American racing fans - greet the embattled grand prix driver?

[Sources: AutoWeek and Autosport | Image: Robert Cianflone/Getty]

"Victimized" F1 driver Nelson Piquet Jr. reportedly headed to NASCAR truck series originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 Oct 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BREAKING: Ford Mustang, Dodge Challenger reportedly headed to NASCAR in 2010

Damon Lavrinc — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 12:56:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, GM, Toyota

Whether or not you're a fan of NASCAR, the simple fact remains that none of the cars bear much resemblance to their factory counterparts, and it's not like the "Fusions" and "Chargers" are particularly sexy, either. So in an attempt to boost the series' viewers and souvenir sales, Fox Sports is reporting that Ford and Chrysler plan to introduce Mustang- and Challenger -bodied racers into the Nationwide series next year.

The new designs are due to be submitted for approval on June 26, and the 2010 NASCAR competitors are reportedly going to be visually closer to stock than anything we've seen since the new "aero-matched" cars began rolling out earlier this decade. Unfortunately, the new Mustang and Challenger cars will still be far removed from their stock siblings, and General Motors has apparently decided not to join its domestic rivals and produce a Camaro shell. Both GM and Toyota will reportedly run their current Impala and Camry bodies, respectively.

[Source: Fox Sports via Cars]

BREAKING: Ford Mustang, Dodge Challenger reportedly headed to NASCAR in 2010 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 15 Jun 2009 12:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jewish racer describes antisemitism in NASCAR

Noah Joseph — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 10:28:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc.

Jon Denning, right. Photo courtesy of jondenning.com

The other day I came across "Before the Thunder Rolls: Devotions for NASCAR Fans", a Christian prayer book written by a former NASCAR chaplain. It brought to light for me the degree to which stock car racing and Southern Baptist Christianity intersect. Drivers of Catholic background like Juan Pablo Montoya, Jacques Villeneuve and Dario Franchitti may be making inroads into the sport, but that's of little consolation to Jon Denning.

The budding Jewish racing driver from New Jersey says he's encountered a surprising degree of antisemitism during his climb up the NASCAR ladder. The 20-year-old driver, currently on a visit to Israel, races in the lower-level Whelen All-American Series. He has won seven races in his career and was ranked among the top 500 aspiring stock car drivers before his sponsorship ran dry. Over the course of his experience so far, Denning has described an alarming degree of racism and bigotry in NASCAR, and was even told by colleagues that if he accepted Jesus he'd have better luck on the racetrack. Ouch. Although NASCAR has a diversity program in place, Denning has been refused three times, having been told the program is only for women, Hispanics and African-Americans.

[Source: Jewish Telegraphic Agency via Winding Road]

Jewish racer describes antisemitism in NASCAR originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 Jan 2008 10:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Off to the oval in the sky: NASCAR's Bill France passes

Damon Lavrinc — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 07:15:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports

The man that moved NASCAR into the 21st century and into the lives of more fans than his father ever could have imagined, lost his eight-year battle with cancer yesterday at the age of 74. Bill France Jr. took the reigns from Bill Sr. in 1976, and in the ensuing three decades transformed the once beleaguered sport into one of the most popular forms of entertainment in the U.S.

Several automotive news outlets have penned some compelling obits for the "ultimate general manager," who will be sorely missed by his family and friends. They've done a far better job than we can, so we'd ask you to check their stories out here, here and here.

[Source: NASCAR]

Off to the oval in the sky: NASCAR's Bill France passes originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 05 Jun 2007 07:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Petty and Earnhardt get wax treatment

Dan Roth — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 09:54:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Etc.

Only in Vegas. Madame Tussaud's unveiled their latest ghastly likenesses; we're not sure if the fact that the subjects are still alive makes it more creepy. The work is uncanny in its accuracy and lifelike look, and if you're in Vegas, Tussaud's is a veritable family attraction. The reason for the paraffin-ization of the left-turning legends was the kickoff of this weekend's races at Las Vegas's own Motor Speedway. The flesh and blood Petty and Earnhardt were on hand for the debut of their inanimate doppelgangers at the Neon Garage, though we're not sure if they'll be paying any visits to the exhibit's permanent home at the Venetian. They could roam the exhibit halls and catch glimpses of such luminaries as John Holmes (we're not sure if it's all of "Wad," or a partial model) Siegfried and Roy (before or after the mauling, again, not sure), and of course Fat Elvis. Good times, good times. Now, where's that buffet...

[Source: TCC]

Petty and Earnhardt get wax treatment originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 Mar 2007 09:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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