SM Staff

With Mother’s Day weekend right around the corner, Chris Buescher’s mother Donna reflected on the exciting year that her son has had so far, running so well that he is in contention for the NASCAR XFINITY Series championship, as well as getting an opportunity to race with the best in the Sprint Cup Series.

For the second straight year, the Verizon IndyCar Series will kick off the month of May in Indianapolis with the Augie's List Grand Prix of Indianapolis. The event takes place on the Indianapolis 2.439 mile road course, the same facility that will host the Indianapolis 500 on the oval later this month.

AJ Foyt Racing announced on Tuesday, May 5 that 2011 Indianapolis 500 Pole Sitter Alex Tagliani will drive the No. 48 Al-Fe Heat Treating Honda-powered Dallara for AJ Foyt Racing in the Indianapolis 500 later this month. Tagliani will join AJ Foyt Racing full-time drivers Takuma Sato and Jack Hawksworth.

Over the course of the weekend, Chevrolet unveiled their brand new superspeedway aerodynamic kit that combines a reduction of drag to increase speed while maintaining a significant amount of downforce.

Schmidt Peterson Motorsports announced that Conor Daly will receive primary sponsorship from Smithfield Foods on his No. 43 entry for the Indianapolis 500. Founded in 1936, Smithfield Foods is the world's largest provider of high-quality pork products.

Chip Ganassi Racing announced that Sage Karam will receive sponsorship from Ivy Tech Community College on his No. 8 Chevrolet. Ivy Tech marks an addition to the sponsorship already received from Comfort Revolution and Big Machine Records.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway announced that 2008 Olympic Games Gold Medalist Nastia Luikin will serve as the grand marshal for the Indianapolis 500.

In spite of the stereotype of many sports fans, including race fans, as having room to improve as far as wellness, fitness and healthy eating, NASCAR as a sanctioning body has taken that effort to heart and has made great strides in its own wellness efforts.

Under the guise of unusually good weather, as well as a new qualifying format, here is what was surprising and not surprising in the 46th annual Geico 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.

Reduced drag and increased engine performance equal speed on the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval, and Honda Performance Development COO and vice president Steve Eriksen believes its Verizon IndyCar Series entries in the 99th Indianapolis 500 Mile Race will have all three with its superspeedway aerodynamic bodywork platform and 2.2-liter, twin-turbocharged V-6 engine.