SM Staff

There was a time when Brian Vickers was on top of the mountain. In 2003 at the age of 19, Vickers has hired by Hendrick Motorsports to replace Ricky Hendrick behind the wheel of the #5 GMAC Chevrolet. In August of that year Vickers would get his first taste of victory in the Kroger 200 at Indianapolis Raceway Park holding off Jason Keller by 2.296 seconds.

Have you ever wanted to learn how to build your own engines? That is exactly what Forster Fry wants to teach you to do. Fry is a former NASCAR engine builder, formerly employed by Richard Childress Racing and former owner of Fry Racing Cylinder Heads, and was inspired to start an engine school right in the heart of racing.

The Gen 6 race car that has been brought before us may not bring every single NASCAR fan back into the sport, but it is a good start. Like Lance Armstrong's confession to performance enhancing, it might be too late, but it is a never late than never scenario.

Kasey Kahne enters his second full season with Hendrick Motorsports and the anticipation level is very high for this team. Kahne came on strong in the second half of the 2012 season and finished the year with a pair of wins, 19 top ten finishes and a healthy average finish ratio of 13.

The reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup champions have been very busy prepping their team for the 2013 title defense. There's only one major change from last year: the manufacturer. The decal located on the front nose of the car has been changed from Dodge to Ford.

Pete Rondeau has loved racing since he was old enough to hold a wrench working on his father’s car. Now he is continuing his passion in a brand new way, with his recent promotion to Director of Competition at Furniture Row Racing.

Technology has become synonymous with racing. We see it in the changes NASCAR has made in the cars over the years, in the tech process, communications, even the “world’s biggest television” that Bruton Smith installed on the backstretch at Charlotte Motor Speedway just a couple of seasons ago. Why wouldn’t we expect to see it in track drying process?

Let's face it, this team had a disappointing season in 2012. Their best efforts all season long only netted three top ten finishes along with an average finish ratio of 20.0. In addition there were often highly noticeable horsepower problems that hampered McMurray's presence on the speed charts. Adding to the frustration was an announcement that said Bass Pro Shops, the team's longtime primary sponsor of 18 races, was departing to join Stewart-Haas Racing.

Jarett Andretti may have a famous racing last name and racing in his blood, but for now he is simply enjoying the ride. And for this third-generation driver, grandson of Aldo and son of John Andretti, the ride not only includes pursuing a college education but also racing sprint cars for the company owned by second cousin Michael Andretti.

Young and new faces will also be featured in the Truck Series this season as part of a youth movement striking in NASCAR. These are just some of the interesting things that are raising questions about what’s to come in the Truck Series this season.