NASCAR Cup Series

We start off the first offseason View from my Recliner by welcoming back Dale Earnhardt Jr. He completed a test at Darlington Raceway and was cleared by doctors and NASCAR to return to driving in the 2017 season.

The winning bidder for the Petty's Garage 2017 Ford Mustang GT will receive not only a one-of-a-kind customized, high-powered vehicle, he or she will own a labor of love from Richard "King of NASCAR" Petty himself.

DALE EARNHARDT, JR.: “Well, the test, I thought, couldn’t have gone any better. Darlington was a great host and NASCAR was really great to work with to put it together. I really appreciate them creating opportunities and rules for drivers in this type of situation to be able to get in a car.

Roush Fenway Racing has been recognized for outstanding achievement by the prestigious MarCom Awards. The team has been awarded a pair of MarCom Platinum Awards for its marketing and communications efforts in 2016.

Over the past 13 years, Starrett has been a long standing premier supplier to Roush Yates Engines, providing premium measuring tools including micrometers, calipers, tapes, levels, electronic gages, dial indicators, gage blocks and granite surface plates and custom engineered products. Starrett tools are made to the highest standard of quality and workmanship, earning Starrett the title of “World’s Greatest Toolmakers."

NASCAR's most popular driver will be back in the race car for the sport's biggest race this coming season.

Jimmie Johnson scored his seventh championship at the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship finale on Nov. 20 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. In doing so, he joined legends Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt, tying the record for most Cup championship titles.

Harry Scott, Jr. announced in a team meeting that HScott Motorsports would not field a NASCAR entry during the 2017 season. Below is Mr. Scott's statement: "Over the past several months I considered a number of options for moving forward with the team. Regrettably there are no viable sponsor/driver options immediately available to allow the team to participate in 2017."

Multi-platinum recording artist, actress and DAV Ambassador Jordin Sparks, whose faith-based film God Bless The Broken Road will be in theaters early 2017, will perform the National Anthem for the 59th annual DAYTONA 500 NASCAR premier series race at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday, Feb. 26 (TV – FOX, FOX Deportes; Radio – MRN Radio, SiriusXM).

To the surprise of absolutely nobody, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is still the most popular driver in NASCAR.