Home Blog Page 1211

Types of Compensation Available in Car Accident Cases: Understanding Your Rights

By
SM
-
Photo by Michael Jin on Unsplash

Navigating the aftermath of a car accident can feel like trudging through a maze without a map. Amid the physical pain and emotional turmoil, grappling with insurance claims and legal battles adds an extra layer of stress. However, understanding your rights and the types of compensation available can shine a light on your path to recovery. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the various forms of compensation you might be entitled to after a car accident, helping you make informed decisions about your next steps. Let’s embark on this journey together, breaking down complex legal concepts into conversational, digestible chunks.

1. Medical Expenses

One of the most immediate concerns after a car accident is the cost of medical care. Compensation for medical expenses covers a broad spectrum, including emergency room visits, hospital stays, surgeries, medications, physical therapy, and any ongoing medical treatments. The goal is to ensure that you’re not out of pocket for the medical care necessary to recover from your injuries. It’s important to keep detailed records of all your medical expenses, as this documentation will be crucial when seeking compensation.

2. Lost Wages and Earning Capacity

If your injuries prevent you from working, either temporarily or permanently, you may be eligible for compensation for lost wages. This includes not only the income you’ve already missed out on but also the money you would have been able to earn in the future had the accident not occurred. Engaging a car accident lawyer can be pivotal at this stage. They can help calculate your lost earnings accurately, including potential career advancements and opportunities you’ve had to forego due to your injuries.

3. Pain and Suffering

Pain and suffering compensation acknowledges the physical pain and emotional distress you’ve endured as a result of the accident. This category is somewhat subjective and can vary significantly from one case to the next. Factors such as the severity of your injuries, the duration of your recovery, and the impact on your daily life all play a role in determining the amount. While it’s harder to quantify than medical bills or lost wages, your pain and suffering are no less real, and you deserve compensation for these intangible losses.

4. Property Damage

Apart from injuries, car accidents often result in significant damage to your vehicle and other personal property. Compensation for property damage aims to restore or replace your damaged belongings. This can range from minor repairs to your car to total replacement if it’s deemed a total loss. It’s essential to have an accurate assessment of the damage and the costs associated with repairs or replacement to ensure you receive fair compensation.

5. Loss of Consortium

Loss of consortium compensation is relevant if your injuries affect your relationship with your spouse or partner. This type of compensation recognizes the loss of companionship, affection, and support that can result from serious injuries. While it may seem difficult to put a price on such personal aspects of your life, this compensation aims to acknowledge the impact of your injuries on your closest relationships.

6. Punitive Damages

In cases where the at-fault party’s actions were particularly reckless or malicious, you might be entitled to punitive damages. Unlike other forms of compensation that aim to make the victim whole, punitive damages are designed to punish the wrongdoer and deter similar conduct in the future. These are not awarded in every case and are subject to specific legal standards that vary by jurisdiction. Your attorney can advise you on whether seeking punitive damages is a viable option in your case.

7. Rehabilitation Costs

Recovery from a car accident often requires more than just immediate medical treatment; it might also necessitate comprehensive rehabilitation services. This can include physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and psychological counseling to help you cope with trauma. Compensation for rehabilitation costs ensures that you can access these crucial services without worrying about the financial burden, facilitating a more holistic recovery process.

8. Legal Fees and Expenses

Navigating a car accident claim or lawsuit comes with its own set of costs, including legal fees, court costs, and expenses related to gathering evidence (such as expert witness fees). In many cases, you can seek compensation for these expenses as part of your claim. This ensures that the financial cost of seeking justice does not fall solely on your shoulders, making the legal process more accessible.

9. Future Medical Expenses

Some injuries sustained in car accidents have long-term or even lifelong implications, requiring ongoing medical care. Future medical expenses compensation takes into account the cost of surgeries, treatments, medications, and any other medical needs you may have down the line. Estimating these costs accurately requires expert medical and financial testimony, highlighting the importance of a comprehensive legal strategy.

10. Emotional Distress

Similar to pain and suffering, compensation for emotional distress acknowledges the psychological impact of the car accident. This can include anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other mental health issues arising from the trauma of the accident. Proving emotional distress often requires detailed personal testimony and sometimes expert psychological evaluation, underscoring the importance of compassionate and competent legal representation.

Conclusion

Understanding the various types of compensation available in car accident cases empowers you to advocate for your rights and ensure you receive the full spectrum of compensation you deserve. Each type of compensation addresses a different aspect of the harm you’ve suffered, from tangible losses like medical expenses and lost wages to intangible ones like pain, suffering, and emotional distress.

Navigating this complex legal terrain can be daunting, which is why partnering with an experienced car accident lawyer is invaluable. They can guide you through the process, advocate on your behalf, and help you secure the maximum compensation possible. 

As you move forward, keep detailed records, seek the support you need, and don’t hesitate to assert your rights. With the right knowledge and support, you can navigate the aftermath of a car accident with confidence and dignity, paving the way for a brighter, more secure future.

Best Ways to Deal with Car Windshield Scratches

By
SM
-
Photo by Frames For Your Heart on Unsplash

Imagine driving down the highway, enjoying the rare absence of traffic, with a good song on the radio, and a tranquil morning drive to work. Everything seems perfect until you realize that the windshield you have meticulously kept spotless now bears a scratch. Maybe even more than one, tarnishing your vehicle’s appearance and posing a potential hazard for accidents.

Scratches on the windshield are a common occurrence, easily acquired through various means.

Causes of Scratches on the Windshield

One of the most common reasons for scratches on a windshield is the continued use of worn-out wipers. As the wiper blades age and are left neglected, their surface can harden, leading to potential scratches, particularly when the glass is dry. Similarly, scratches can also occur if a small object, such as a pebble, gets trapped between the blades. 

Road debris, such as rocks and pebbles, can also be a cause when they fly off the road and onto your windshield. This happens mostly when driving behind trucks and lorries, as they often trap rocks on the road. 

Improper cleaning can result in deep scratches if you’re not careful enough. Using a rough or soiled cloth to clean your windshield can occasionally result in scratches. A soft microfiber or cotton cloth is the most effective method for safe and proper cleaning. 

By being aware of these common causes of scratches, you can take preventive measures to better protect your windshield from scratches and avoid paying more for auto glass scratch repairs.

How to Deal with Windshield Scratches

  1. Evaluate the Severity. Assess the scratches on your windshield to gauge their depth and scope. Some scratches may be superficial, while others could be deeper. If you pass a fingernail over the scratch and your nail catches while doing so, it likely indicates a deep scratch. Conversely, surface scratches would typically feel smooth to the touch. 
  1. Try DIY methods for Surface Scratches. The internet is a handy source for all sorts of do-it-yourself techniques, such as using toothpaste or baking soda to repair scratches. While these DIY techniques can be effective remedies for minor scratches, it’s crucial to understand their potential risks and limitations. To achieve the best results and minimize any potential hazard, we highly recommend seeking professional guidance for addressing more significant damage to your windshield. 
  1. Consult a Professional for Deep Scratches: Deep and extensive scratches need the touch of a more experienced hand. Most professionals offer services like a complete windshield replacement, which would be done in severe cases. 

Techniques to Remove Scratches Yourself

Usually, minor scratches can be easily removed. There are many different techniques for such tasks, with some being more effective than others. Some of the most effective techniques are outlined below. 

  1. Use a Polishing Compound: Many automotive part retailers stock professional-grade polishing compounds, which are designed to eliminate windshield scratches, much like toothpaste. However, these compounds are typically more abrasive and need careful application. 

For minor scratches, slightly gentler glass polishing compounds are excellent for restoring a windshield. Simply apply it without pressure using a polishing pad or a lint-free towel. Repeat the process as needed until the desired results are attained. 

  1. Use an Orbital Polisher: You can use the same type of polisher and buffer that car dealers use for vehicle paint, along with a gentle polishing compound, to eliminate scratches from a windshield.  This method operates similarly to manual application but is significantly quicker and demands less exertion. Nevertheless, caution is still necessary when using a polishing machine, as prolonged use or excessive pressure can potentially cause glass surfaces to become burned or etched.
  1. Buff the Scratch with Toothpaste: A toothpaste without gel works as the best mild buffing compound, making it suitable for addressing minor windshield nicks and scratches. Before buffing, ensure that the windshield is clean and thoroughly dry. Apply toothpaste to the affected area using a fiber cloth and work it in a circular motion. This will smooth the area around the scratch, providing an even and restored look. 
  1. Seal it With Clear Nail Polish: People often use clear nail polish to seal minor scratches, preventing them from further deterioration over time. To apply, simply coat the scratch with nail polish, allowing it to dry and harden. Once completely cured, the nail polish acts as a semi-permanent filler, guarding against the erosion of dirt, grime, and water on the treated scratch.
  1. Call a Professional Windshield Repair Service: An Auto Glass Repair Service will focus on windshield replacement and repair, offering solutions for even the most serious issues. Many of these companies offer mobile services, enabling them to address your windshield needs while you’re at work or attending to other matters. 

Before reaching out to an auto glass repair professional, it is wise to consult your automotive insurance provider. Your current policy may cover such services, potentially saving you both time and money while addressing safety concerns brought about by windshield defects. 

Windshield scratches may be common and sometimes just a minor inconvenience. However, if left unchecked, they can develop into major cracks that can shatter your windshield and lead to accidents. At most, it’s best to have a professional deal with multiple scratches. However, if it’s just a minor scratch, DIY methods are often enough to remedy the issue. 

NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Daytona

By
Jeffrey Boswell
-
Photo by Mike Biskupskil for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. William Byron: Byron took the lead on lap 199 and held on for the win as Ross Chastain and Austin Cindric crashed as they approached the start/finish line.

“It was an awesome day for Hendrick Motorsports,” Byron said. “I won in the No. 24 car that Jeff Gordon made famous. And Jimmie Johnson actually qualified for the Daytona 500. Just a few laps into the race, he was two laps down. So I guess you can say Jimmie’s doing much better than he was driving an Indy car.”

2. Alex Bowman: Bowman took second in the Daytona, giving Hendrick Motorsports a 1-2 finish.

“As Hannibal Smith of the ‘A-Team’ often said after foiling the plans of the enemies,” Bowman said, “‘I love it when a plan comes together.’ That’s also what Hendrick Motorsports said after me and William Byron worked together to cause a wreck and foil the plans of all the other contenders.”

3. Christopher Bell: Bell started second and finished third in the Daytona 500.

“Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson served as Grand Marshal for Monday’s race,” Bell said. “I think what he should have said was ‘If you hear what The Rock is saying, then drivers, start your engines.’

4. Joey Logano: Logano started on the pole and led a race-high 45 laps before his day ended as a casualty of the Lap 191 “Big One.” He finished 32nd.

“With Kevin Harvick now in the broadcasters’ booth,” Logano said, “my car now sports the Hunt Brothers Pizza in-car camera. And I always want to see what’s going on behind me, unless I recently ate some Hunt Brothers Pizza.”

5. Corey LaJoie: LaJoie grabbed an unlikely fourth in the Daytona 500.

“This was a great day for Spire Motorsports and Chili’s,” LaJoie said. “We didn’t win the race, so I guess dousing myself in champagne is out of the question. So with Chili’s in mind, my celebration will consist of taking a dump…..of Chili’s molten chocolate cake on my head.”

6. Bubba Wallace: Wallace finished sixth at Daytona.

“I think if the final lap would have been under green,” Wallace said, “I think we had a good chance to win. That would have been a career-defining moment. I dream of driving a car into victory lane; my co-car owner Michael Jordan actually drove an NBA team into the ground in real life.”

7. Ross Chastain: Chastain had the lead when green flag racing resumed after a massive Lap 191 melee necessitated a red flag.

“I was totally ready to smash a watermelon,” Chastain said. “The drivers collected in that accident were ready to smash a steel chair, over the head of Alex Bowman.”

8. A.J. Allmendinger: Allmendinger overcame early-lap trouble at Daytona and methodically picked his way to a sixth-place finish in the 500.

“I think Netflix’s ‘NASCAR: Full Speed’ series gives fans a great look inside the lives of drivers,” Allmendinger said. “So they get to see that we say the ‘F’ word way more than we pretend not to.”

9. Chase Elliott: Elliott took Stage 1 and survived Lap 191’s “Big One” on his way to a 14th-place finish in the Daytona 500.

“I think all my fans can agree,” Elliott said, “that my right foot is best on the floorboard as opposed to a snowboard.”

10. Ryan Blaney: Blaney was a factor at Daytona until a huge Lap 191 accident KO’d his chances for a 500 win. He finished 30th.

“I’m the defending Cup champion,” Blaney said. “That makes me the hunted, and not the hunter. It makes sense because my car was ‘shot’ after the race.”

ARCA Menards Series Graduates Dominate Daytona

By
Official Release
-

TEMPERANCE, Mich. (February 20, 2024) – As the series’ slogan “We Build Champions” suggests, graduates of the ARCA Menards Series platform dominated NASCAR national series races at Daytona International Speedway, winning the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Fresh from Florida 250, the NASCAR Xfinity Series United Rentals 300, and the NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500.

Nick Sanchez started the weekend off with his first-ever NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series win on Friday, out-dueling his former Rev Racing teammate Rajah Caruth, nine-time ARCA Menards Series winner Corey Heim, and 2020 champion Bret Holmes to earn his first career Trucks win. It was also the first series victory for team owner Max Siegel and the Rev Racing organization.

Sanchez won four times in the ARCA Menards Series including three on the way to the 2022 series championship.

Driving for Richard Childress Racing, Austin Hill won for the season-opening race for third consecutive time in NASCAR Xfinity Series competition at Daytona with his victory on Sunday night. It is the seventh career Xfinity Series win for Hill, who has five career wins in the ARCA Menards Series East and finished third in the 2015 standings.

Hill held off a furious late-race charge by 2018 ARCA Menards Series champion Sheldon Creed, who finished second in his first race for Joe Gibbs Racing.

The driver who won the 2015 ARCA Menards Series East championship, William Byron, scored the victory earlier in the day in the Daytona 500. The victory was Byron’s first at Daytona and the eleventh in his Cup Series career. Byron finished just ahead of his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Alex Bowman, himself a seven-time Cup winner and the 2012 ARCA Menards Series rookie of the year driving for team owners Kerry Scherer and Briggs Cunningham.

The rest of the top five at Daytona was also made up of ARCA Menards Series platform graduates. Three-time series winner Christopher Bell was third, followed by three-time ARCA Menards Series and six-time ARCA Menards East winner Corey LaJoie, with six-time East winner Bubba Wallace finishing in fifth.

Gus Dean kicked off the 2024 ARCA Menards Series season by winning the 61st Annual Daytona ARCA 200. The race, originally scheduled for Saturday, was moved to Friday night due to expected incoming inclement weather.

The next race for the ARCA Menards Series is the General Tire 150 at Phoenix Raceway, set for Friday, March 8. The race will be a combination race with the ARCA Menards Series West and will be the West season opener. It will be televised live on FS1 starting at 8 pm ET and broadcast on select affiliates of the MRN Radio network nationwide. ARCARacing.com will have live Timing & Scoring data from all on-track activities, and @ARCA_Racing on X (formerly Twitter) will have up-to-the-minute updates.

About ARCA

The Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA), founded in 1953 by John and Mildred Marcum in Toledo, Ohio, and acquired by NASCAR in April 2018, is the leading grassroots stock car sanctioning body in the United States. Bridging the gap between NASCAR’s top three national touring series and weekly racing all across the country, the organization administers more than 100 events annually, including the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, ARCA Menards Series West, plus weekly racing at Toledo and Flat Rock Speedways. For more information about ARCA visit www.arcaracing.com, or follow ARCA on Facebook (@ARCARacing) and Twitter (@ARCA_Racing).

NBC Sports, INDYCAR Unveil 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Race Broadcast Start Times

By
Official Release
-

INDIANAPOLIS (Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024) – NBC Sports and INDYCAR announced Feb. 20 the race broadcast start times for the 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule, headlined by the 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 26, with coverage beginning at 11 a.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.

The 2024 season kicks off on NBC and Peacock with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding at noon ET Sunday, March 10.

“I can’t wait for the 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season to begin, and what a way to kick things off in St. Petersburg again on NBC,” said reigning series champion Alex Palou of Chip Ganassi Racing. “We’ll be returning with our two goals in focus – winning the Indianapolis 500 and winning the championship – and I know our entire team is counting down the days until we have a chance to put all our hard work and preparation this offseason to the test.”

Highlights of NBC Sports’ 2024 INDYCAR coverage schedule include:

  • Indianapolis 500 qualifying coverage from IMS airing on NBC and Peacock at 3 p.m. ET Sunday, May 19 to determine the starting grid for “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”
  • The $1 Million Challenge made-for-TV exhibition race at 12:30 p.m. ET Sunday, March 24 on NBC and Peacock at The Thermal Club outside of Palm Springs, California.
  • The return of the Milwaukee Mile at Wisconsin State Fair Park for the first time in nearly a decade (2015) with a doubleheader Aug. 31-Sept. 1. Exclusive coverage starts at 6 p.m. ET on Saturday, Aug. 31 on Peacock, with the second race at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 1 on USA Network and Peacock.
  • The season finale for the first time at Nashville Superspeedway, determining the 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion at 3 p.m. ET Sunday, Sept. 15 on NBC and Peacock.

Peacock once again will provide comprehensive streaming coverage of the 2024 season, including the exclusive presentation of the Streets of Toronto for the third consecutive year at 1 p.m. ET Sunday, July 21.

Throughout the season, Peacock will present over 120 hours of coverage, including nearly exclusive coverage of every qualifying and practice session in 2024. Additionally, coverage surrounding the 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500, all INDY NXT by Firestone races, race day warmups and full-event race replays will be available on the platform. Click here for more details.

“The 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season is going to bring quite a bit of change to the schedule, changes that should be exciting for our fans watching the broadcasts and in-person,” said 2023 Indianapolis 500 winner Josef Newgarden of Team Penske. “New races at The Thermal Club and The Milwaukee Mile bring new venues to the schedule, and crowning a champion in my hometown, Nashville, will be must-see television. The Indianapolis 500 is always thrilling, and when you combine it all together, you get a schedule that fans will not want to miss.”

NBC Sports’ 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES coverage schedule:

DateRace/TrackNetwork/PlatformTime (ET)
Sun., March 10Streets of St. PetersburgNBC, PeacockNoon
Sun., March 24The Thermal ClubNBC, Peacock12:30 p.m.
Sun., April 21Streets of Long BeachUSA Network, Peacock3 p.m.
Sun., April 28Barber Motorsports ParkNBC, PeacockTBD
Sat., May 11Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Road Course)NBC, Peacock3 p.m.
Sun., May 19Indianapolis 500 QualifyingNBC, Peacock3 p.m.
Sun., May 26108th Indianapolis 500NBC, Peacock11 a.m.
Sun., June 2Streets of DetroitUSA Network, PeacockNoon
Sun., June 9Road AmericaNBC, Peacock3:30 p.m.
Sun., June 23WeatherTech Raceway Laguna SecaUSA Network, Peacock6 p.m.
Sun., July 7Mid-Ohio Sports Car CourseNBC, Peacock1:30 p.m.
Sat., July 13Iowa Speedway – Race 1NBC, Peacock8 p.m.
Sun., July 14Iowa Speedway – Race 2NBC, PeacockNoon
Sun., July 21Streets of TorontoPeacock1 p.m.
Sat., Aug. 17World Wide Technology RacewayUSA Network, Peacock6 p.m.
Sun., Aug. 25Portland International RacewayUSA Network, Peacock3 p.m.
Sat., Aug. 31Milwaukee Mile – Race 1Peacock6 p.m.
Sun., Sept. 1Milwaukee Mile – Race 2USA Network, Peacock2:30 p.m.
Sun., Sept. 15Nashville SuperspeedwayNBC, Peacock3 p.m.
Note: Dates, times and networks/platforms are subject to change

Travis Pastrana on a rollercoaster Extreme E debut at the Desert X Prix

By
Official Release
-
FEBRUARY 18: Travis Pastrana (USA) LEGACY MOTOR CLUB (LEGACY M.C.) during the Saudi Arabia on February 18, 2024. (Photo by Sam Bagnall / LAT Images)

20 February 2024, London: He may have only turned the wheel of an ODYSSEY 21 in anger for the first time on the morning of Free Practice for the Desert X Prix, but off-road racing legend Travis Pastrana made quite the impression on his Extreme E debut.

Partnering Gray Leadbetter at LEGACY MOTOR CLUB IN ASSOCIATION WITH JIMMIE JOHNSON (LEGACY M.C.) while Johnson was competing in the Daytona 500, Pastrana put on a show in Rounds 1 and 2 of Season 4.

Despite being a late arrival into Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, not to mention recovering from a recent knee replacement operation, Pastrana showed the potential of the LEGACY M.C. outfit with two gutsy displays in the opening X Prix of the championship, as well as supporting the exceptional development of Leadbetter in what was also her maiden Extreme E weekend.

Although unable to reach a Grand Final at the Desert X Prix, not to mention defeat long-time adversary Mattias Ekström (we’ll get to that!), Pastrana revelled in his first Extreme E event. Here’s the thoughts of the man himself reflecting on LEGACY M.C.’s first-ever X Prix in the series.

Extreme E: Welcome to Extreme E, Travis! Can you tell us about the moment you got the call to come and join the series in Saudi Arabia?
Travis Pastrana: I got the call from Jimmie not too long ago, actually. He said, ‘hey, I really want to do something off-road and something in Extreme E, and there might be an opportunity to join’. We’re fairly good friends, but we’re either doing something together or our lives are years apart and we are in different worlds. So when he called, I figured that means that it’s serious and to count me in. I said that if you can make it happen I’ve got that weekend off. Well, I was meant to be on family vacation, but I said I’ll go!

Because the big picture of this, for LEGACY M.C. in particular, is huge for motorsport and it’s huge for off-road in general.

XE: What did you know of Extreme E beforehand as well as the drivers that compete in it?
TP: I’m a huge fan of racing. I come across as a little goofy sometimes, but I’m just like a kid in a candy shop when I go to races. I knew Jimmie wasn’t going to do this without a proper team and they’ve exceeded everyone’s hope.

It is a very friendly paddock, too. It is the first time I have gotten to spend time with a few of them, especially some of the women drivers, while some I know from competing in Nitrocross. The two drivers that I don’t get to race a lot of the time are Johan Kristofferson and Mattias Ekström and I have to say that going up against Ekström was kind of the cherry on top for me to compete – maybe that was the sweetener!

XE: The series has a pioneering gender-equal racing format, which is unique in motorsport. What are your thoughts on that aspect to the championship?
TP: There is no reason why a woman cannot be better than a male driver in cars. It’s not a physical thing, it’s an experience thing. As a father with two girls I think it’s awesome – there’s so many opportunities to get girls into karts and buggies, and it brings the whole family closer instead of what used to happen in motocross – where the fathers and the sons would go, and now it’s the fathers, daughters, mums and sons, too. Everyone is coming together across motorsport, however Extreme E is the first series to really show that.

In one of the races I was second trying to close Mikaela [Åhlin-Kottulinsky] down and I could not get near her. There has definitely been a massive improvement from the first year of Extreme E to now, four seasons in, regarding the pace of the women drivers, which has been astronomical. More women are now not only getting the chance to race in Extreme E, but test themselves in other cars and championships, boosting their skills on a track and off-road – that’s cool.

XE: How quickly were you able to get dialled into the LEGACY M.C. ODYSSEY 21 and the series’ racing format?
TP: There’s so much to contend with in this championship and that’s undoubtedly where drivers like Ekström and Kristofferson, and the teams that are winning, are dialled in on those processes and make limited mistakes. From my perspective, driving the car on the second lap is about as good in a vehicle as I’m going to get in anything, and the last few seconds of a lap come from not necessarily taking chances, but being willing to go and to drive on the edge. I was driving on two wheels for half of the track!

A big thing, though, was not crashing the car for Jimmie. He hasn’t said that out loud, but you don’t want a big shunt in your opening weekend competing in this series. Nevertheless, in Round 2 we were close to the Grand Final, and so I turned up a little bit of the risk – within reason, of course. We knew what we had to do and the risk was going to be the pay-out. It was close. We had a shot as a team to be in there and we were gutted to just miss out.

XE: What did you make of Gray’s Extreme E debut?
TP: Her progress has been incredible. In Round 1, as soon as Kevin Hansen passed her, she didn’t panic and just put her foot down in the dust – she turned in some of the fastest sectors from the women all day. That takes guts.

And then in Round 2, it took Kristofferson a lap to get around her. I mean he’s arguably the best driver in this discipline in the entire world. I’ve jumped in everything in terms of racing, so getting into a new vehicle or an ODYSSEY 21 isn’t an excuse because I’ve seen most things, but Gray is just 19. She’s so new. She’s done a lot, of course, but is still learning. I am so proud of her and how well she’s done on her first weekend in the series.

XE: Do you think the appetite for Extreme E in the US will grow as result of LEGACY M.C. joining the series?
TP: A big reason that I’m over here now is that I feel that this series is helping off-road racing to grow, and it’s helping bridge the gap for electric. My Dad’s generation would say that if it doesn’t make noise and burn gas, it’s difficult. However, there is so much quality in the field in Extreme E, and now we have the likes of Jimmie Johnson involved, so its building momentum.

What the series has going for it, too, is a lot of great racing. The Round 1 Grand Final was exceptional – it was one of the best races I’ve ever seen in my whole life. When people see the racing as good as it is, that helps a lot in terms of converting people to electric and sustainable racing. From there, they can then see it’s way faster than they first thought. Green technologies and power aside, we have to show that it can be as exciting or more exciting than what people may know. That last part is key and then people will be hooked.

There is definitely a gap to be bridged in motorsport. Extreme H and hydrogen development is also going to be a great thing going forward. My kids don’t want to touch anything with gas. They love electric bikes because they can go out in anyone’s back yard if they have an acre and run around – even when they are at a barbeque or something like that. I couldn’t do that as a kid because the bikes were too loud, so the change is coming.

XE: On reflection, how would you sum up your Extreme E debut?
TP: It’s exceeded my expectations. As far as the excitement in the ODYSSEY 21 goes, you can really race and you have a big desert or terrain to really do it in, of course, rather than a narrower circuit. It challenges the car and it challenges the drivers. It is a really cool championship.

XE: Would you like to give it another go this season (and beyond!)?
TP: Absolutely! I really hope to have another opportunity to do this again this year with a knee that can get in and out of the car – and also to come back with a little more knowledge!

I was also so close to ticking off that bucket list item of beating Mattias [Ekström]. We were just 0.6s off in that last Redemption Race and so I would absolutely love another shot at it.

To learn more about Extreme E, visit – www.Extreme-E.com

Multi-car pileup in closing laps of Daytona 500

By
Tucker White
-
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - FEBRUARY 19: Daniel Suarez, driver of the #99 Freeway Insurance Chevrolet, Brad Keselowski, driver of the #6 Castrol Edge Ford, Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, Todd Gilliland, driver of the #38 gener8tor Ford, Chase Briscoe, driver of the #14 Mahindra Tractors Ford, and Daniel Hemric, driver of the #31 Cirkul Chevrolet, spin after an on-track incident during the NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 19, 2024, in Daytona Beach, Florida. Photo: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

With the laps winding down in the Daytona 500, the pushing, shoving and tight-quarter action that defines restrictor plate racing led to the inevitable big one.

“Speedway racing again,” Joey Logano said. “It’s a lot of fun until this happens.”

As the field zoomed down the backstretch at Daytona International Speedway, Brad Keselowski moved from the outside line to the bottom to overtake race leader Ross Chastain. Meanwhile, Alex Bowman and William Byron, who spent the previous laps on the bottom line, got shuffled up to the middle line and worked their way up to the front. The last bump wasn’t squared up and Byron’s car wiggled, hooked Keselowski and triggered a 23-car pileup at the entrance of Turn 3.

It capped off a miserable Speedweeks for the reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion who wrecked his primary car, Thursday, in the Bluegreen Vacations Duels.

“You’re kind of always watching when you’re in there and especially if you’re on top you can kind of watch and see how well their pushes are and it just looked like the 48 kind of got the 24 out of shape and just happened to get the 6 in the right-rear and unfortunately we were in the top lane,” Blaney said.

After the initial hit, he grabbed his wrist.

“I had my initial wreck and then my wheel grabbed something,” he said. “I usually let go of the wheel, but I didn’t think I needed to and it just tweaked it a little bit. It’s all good.”

He and Logano led a combined 57 of 200 laps and were in position to deliver Team Penske its second Daytona 500 victory. On the back of a ninth-month stretch of marquee victories for Roger Penske.

“It’s part of it,” Logano said. “You’re pushing and shoving there at the end. We had the cars that could take it and were doing really well. I had Blaney behind me. I thought, ‘Man, if I could pick one, that’s the one I want. I’m in a great position here’ and just had to find the right opportunity to slip the 1 again because the 6 wasn’t working with us, so I felt if I could keep the 12 with me I’m gonna be in a decent spot, but it just didn’t work out.

For Keselowski, the winningest active plate racer in the Cup Series (seven), he remains winless in his 15th attempt to win NASCAR’s crown jewel.

“It’s just one of those deals,” he said. “We were mixed up in the middle of the soup most of the race. We executed really well in the final stage and put ourselves in position, but that’s just the way Daytona goes.”

Byron and Bowman, whose drafting triggered the wreck, finished first and second.

“Yeah, I feel really bad about that because I feel like that was — things were getting really intense with the pushes, and I felt like it was getting to the point where I couldn’t handle all the pushes, and you just try to get through those moments,” he said.

RFK Advance | Atlanta I

By
Official Release
-

Atlanta Event Info:
Date: Sunday, Feb. 25
Time: 2:30 p.m. ET
Series: NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Location: Hampton, Georgia
Format: 200 Laps, Stages: 60-100-100
TV: FOX
Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90)

Weekend Schedule:
Saturday: 11:30 a.m. ET, Qualifying (FS1, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Sunday: 3 p.m. ET, Race (FOX, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Pace Laps:

  • Atlanta Motor Speedway hosts race No. 2 on the NASCAR Cup Series season this weekend, marking two-straight Speedway races to kick off the 2024 campaign.
  • Jack Roush has 13 wins all-time in Atlanta including six in the Cup Series.
  • Both RFK drivers in Brad Keselowski and Chris Buescher led laps in both Atlanta races a season ago, with Keselowski finishing a close second in the spring event in 2023.

6 Team Info:
Crew Chief: Matt McCall
Partner: King’s Hawaiian

17 Team Info:
Crew Chief: Scott Graves
Partner: BuildSubmarines.com

Keselowski at Atlanta Motor Speedway
Starts: 18
Wins: 2 (2017, 2019)
Top-10s: 11
Poles: —

  • Keselowski makes his 19th Cup start at Atlanta this weekend where he is a two-time winner with an average finish of 13.9.
  • Keselowski won at the now Superspeedway first in 2017 after starting fifth and again in 2019.
  • Most recently, he led laps in each of the Atlanta races a season ago – a combined 66 laps – finishing second last spring after starting fourth. Last fall he finished sixth in a race shortened by rain.
  • Overall he’s led laps in 10 different Atlanta races and finished top-10 11 times.
  • He carries an average starting position of 14.9 into the weekend with a career-best effort of P2 in 2014. Overall he has six top-10 starts, including a P4 starting spot last spring.
  • He also made eight Xfinity Series starts with six top-10s including two P2 finishes. He also made four Truck starts.

Buescher at Atlanta Motor Speedway
Starts: 11
Wins: —
Top-10s: 3
Poles: —

  • Buescher makes his 12th Cup start in Atlanta where he has three top-10s and a best finish of seventh (twice – 2021, 2022). He also finished ninth in 2019.
  • Last season he was leading laps in the spring and was caught up in an incident under 100 laps shy of the finish. He finished 15th in the fall race after also leading 39 laps.
  • Buescher has an average qualifying position of 18.9 with a career-best effort of seventh last spring.
  • He also finish fourth in the Xfinity Series in 2015.

RFK Historically at Atlanta
Cup Wins: 6 (Mark Martin, 1991, 1994; Kurt Busch, 2002; Carl Edwards, 2005, 2005, 2008)

  • RFK at Atlanta: RFK has 277 starts at AMS in NASCAR’s three major touring series totaling 13 wins, 60 top fives, 114 top-10s and nine poles while leading 3,264 laps and turning over 106,000 miles.
  • AMS/RFK History: RFK competed in its first NASCAR event at AMS on March 20, 1988, finishing 31st after getting involved in an early crash. Just three years later the organization claimed its first win there in the fall of ‘91 with the No. 6 Ford. RFK won its first of seven NXS races at the track in the spring of ’97. The team’s top outing at AMS came in the fall of 2005, when the organization placed four cars inside the top seven, with three cars finishing in the top five including race winner Carl Edwards. Altogether, in the two races at AMS in 2005, RFK posted six top-five finishes and two wins.
  • Spring Forward: All but one of RFK’s Cup wins at AMS came in the fall, with the only spring win coming in 2005. Three of RFK’s seven NXS wins came in the fall.

RFK Atlanta Wins

1991-2 Martin Cup

1994-2 Martin Cup

1997-1 Martin NXS

1998-2 Martin NXS

2000-1 Martin NXS

2002-2 Busch Cup

2005-1 Edwards Cup

2005-1 Edwards NXS

2005-2 Edwards Cup

2008-1 Kenseth NXS

2008-2 Edwards Cup

2011 Edwards NXS

2012 Stenhouse NXS

Last Time Out & Where They Stand
Daytona: All three of RFK Fords were unfortunately caught up in incidents in the Monday running of the Daytona 500. Buescher led the group with a 18th-place finish, with David Ragan finishing 20th in the No. 60 Ford, and Keselowski 33rd.

Points Standings (17: 21st, 6: 31st): Buescher sits 21st through the first race in the points season, with Keselowski in 31st.

By the Numbers at Atlanta

Race Win T5 T10 Pole Laps Led AvSt AvFn Miles
196 6 39 75 4 57683 2193 17.7 17.8 86524.5
56 7 19 31 5 10362 961 10.8 11.3 15543
25 0 2 8 0 2988 110 12.6 17.3 4482
277 13 60 114 9 71033 3264 15.7 16.2 106549.5

FINAL PREPARATIONS UNDERWAY FOR AMBETTER HEALTH 400 NASCAR WEEKEND IN ATLANTA

By
Official Release
-

HAMPTON, Ga. — It’s race week in Atlanta and final preparations are being completed at Atlanta Motor Speedway for the Ambetter Health 400 weekend.

Colorful banners and flags are being hung, the speedway’s racing surface is getting a fresh coat of paint, and all corners of the facility are being readied to welcome thousands of NASCAR fans.

Guests will not only be in awe of the usual sights and sounds that coincide with NASCAR weekend at AMS; they’ll also enjoy new upgrades to the fan experience that they’ll be able to see and hear during their stay.

Newly constructed entrances at gates 12, 13, and 14 have been completed just in time for the Ambetter Health 400 weekend. These all-new entryways not only sport a fresh new look – they’ve also been designed to ease guests’ entrance to the facility, which means less time waiting in line and more time spent having fun.

Once inside, fans will hear the difference in an all-new sound system utilized by the speedway’s public address system. More than 175 modern speakers and subwoofers have been installed for the grandstand seating areas and along the concourse ahead of this weekend’s race. With higher fidelity and enhanced clarity of sound, fans are sure to agree that this enhancement is music to their ears.

Final preparations will be complete in time for the first arrivals of race weekend guests on Wednesday when exterior campgrounds open to fans staying at the speedway. Thousands will come from near and far to experience the spectacle of NASCAR at one the sport’s most exciting venues, with stars like Chase Elliott, defending Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney, and defending Ambetter Health 400 winner Joey Logano all duking it out to score an early season victory and an all-but-assured playoff berth. Best of all, the action on the track isn’t the only thing that will be heating up; weather forecasts call for warm weather and sunshine to accompany NASCAR’s spring visit to the ATL.

Tickets and camping accommodations for the Feb. 23-25 Ambetter Health 400 NASCAR weekend are available at www.AtlantaMotorSpeedway.com.

About the Ambetter Health 400 weekend:

Atlanta’s spring NASCAR weekend is headlined by the Ambetter Health 400 on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, with intense, superspeedway pack racing and high stakes with a spot in the NASCAR playoffs on the line.

The race weekend also features the tenth year of Atlanta’s same-day NASCAR doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. The thrills of the Fr8 208 and RAPTOR King of Tough 250 races both happen in one action-packed day that race fans look forward to every year.

More information on the Feb. 23-25, 2024, Ambetter Health 400 weekend and ticket availability can be found online at AtlantaMotorSpeedway.com.

Follow Atlanta Motor Speedway:

Keep track of all of Atlanta Motor Speedway’s events by following on Twitter, Instagram, and become a Facebook fan. Keep up with all the latest news and information with the Atlanta Motor Speedway mobile app.

HaasTooling.com Racing: Ryan Preece Atlanta Advance

By
Official Release
-

RYAN PREECE
Atlanta Advance
No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

● Event: Ambetter Health 400 (Round 2 of 36)
● Time/Date: 3 p.m. EST on Sunday, Feb. 25
● Location: Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia
● Layout: 1.54-mile oval
● Laps/Miles: 260 laps/400 miles
● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 60 laps / Stage 2: 100 laps / Final Stage: 100 laps
● TV/Radio: FOX / PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Ryan Preece finished 23rd in the season-opening Daytona 500, held Monday after persistent rain postponed The Great American Race to the President’s Day holiday. Preece overcame adversity early when on lap six he was tagged by another car in the left-rear quarter panel, turning Preece across the frontstretch grass and toward pit road. Preece deftly kept his No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang from hitting the wall, and after a trip to pit road for four fresh Goodyear tires, Preece returned to the race.

● Despite his Daytona 500 result, Preece still left Daytona a winner. The Stewart-Haas Racing driver won on Tuesday night prior to the Daytona 500, taking the checkered flag at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway in the 50-lap Tour-type Modified feature at the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing. Preece took the lead on lap 16 from Craig Lutz and maintained the top spot the rest of the way, even as Ron Silk, winner of the prior two Tour-type Modified races at New Smyrna, closed in during the waning laps. The victory was Preece’s 13th World Series win.

● Atlanta Motor Speedway has been around since 1960, but the Atlanta track Preece and his NASCAR Cup Series brethren will compete on this Sunday is only two years old. The 1.54-mile oval was reconfigured after the final race of the 2021 season. The banking was increased from 24 degrees to 28 degrees and the track was narrowed from 55-feet wide to 40-feet wide, and it was all covered in fresh asphalt. The goal of the reconstruction was to recreate the kind of pack-style racing seen at the behemoth, 2.5-mile Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway and the even bigger 2.66-mile Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. Drivers competed on the new layout for the first time in March 2022 and the Ambetter Health 400 will be the fifth Cup Series race on the revamped track.

● The Ambetter Health 400 will mark Preece’s seventh NASCAR Cup Series start at Atlanta, the last two of which came last year. His first four starts came on the old configuration, where his best finish was 25th, earned twice – March 2021 and July 2021. Preece logged his best Atlanta result in his most recent start at the track – 24th last July.

● Outside of the NASCAR Cup Series, Preece has three other Atlanta starts. He ran two NASCAR Xfinity Series races at the track, each on the old layout, with his best result being seventh in February 2019. Last March, Preece competed in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Atlanta, where he also finished seventh.

● Back with Preece and the No. 41 Ford Mustang at Daytona for the second weekend in a row is HaasTooling.com, the cutting tool division of Haas Automation. HaasTooling.com allows CNC machinists to purchase high-quality cutting tools at great prices. Haas cutting tools are sold exclusively online at HaasTooling.com and shipped directly to end users. Haas Automation, founded in 1983, is America’s leading builder of CNC machine tools. The company manufactures a complete line of vertical and horizontal machining centers, turning centers, rotaries and indexers, and automation solutions.

Ryan Preece, Driver of the No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang

How much does the racing at Atlanta emulate the racing you just experienced at Daytona?

“I would say Atlanta versus Daytona, they’re the same but they’re different. They’re different because Atlanta is still a mile-and-a-half, so we’re restricted on horsepower, we’re wide open like a superspeedway, but the runs happen twice as fast. Handling is, by far, way more important than it would be at Daytona. Not only that, it’s a lot tighter of a corner, so when you’re going into turn three and you’re three-wide and four-wide, it gets tight really quick.”

Did Daytona provide some understanding of how you think the racing will be at Atlanta?

“Right now, it’s about trying to understand where your aero balance is and how much the body has changed and what you need to do to adapt to that. I feel like Daytona has given us a good idea that our tools are really close, but it’s about trying to have an understanding of what you need to change going into Atlanta and how much different your car is going to be.”

Single-car qualifying is all the track time you’ll have at Atlanta prior to Sunday’s race. How do you prepare for the race when you know so little about how your car will perform?

“You go into it completely blind. There’s nothing like showing up at a racetrack and going green and not really having an understanding of where you’re going to be. I guess that really just emphasizes how close the tools you’re using are as far as making sure your car drives well. But, yeah, we’re going to be completely blind.”

Is competing at Atlanta mentally taxing?

“Well, it’s different than it used to be, for sure. It’s not like the old Atlanta where you had balanced shifts and you were trying to take care of your tires. Now, it’s about positioning yourself in the right lane, and potentially you can see handling becoming an issue and people trying to hang onto the draft. It’s going to be very mentally taxing, so hopefully our cars are really fast. That fixes everything.”

What do you need in your racecar to be fast at Atlanta?

“You need downforce, you need horsepower, really you need everything. Ultimately, if someone asks me that question, I’d say you need the total package. If you don’t have a lot of horsepower, or a really good-handling racecar because it has plenty of horsepower but a lot of drag, you could potentially struggle.”

Daytona and Talladega races are known to be a crapshoot, where there are so many things out of your control. Is that also the case at Atlanta, or are you still able to make a little bit of your own luck at Atlanta?

“I feel like at Atlanta you can control your destiny a little more. Yeah, you’re going to have to have track position, but if you have a really good-handling racecar at Atlanta, you’re going to have a good day. At Daytona, sometimes it’s just luck of the draw.”

How much has changed for you and Stewart-Haas this year compared to previous years now that Kevin Harvick has moved to the FOX broadcast booth and is no longer your teammate?

“We have four drivers with four completely different personalities. I’m different from Chase (Briscoe) and Noah (Gragson) and Josh (Berry), as they are different from me, so I feel like there are certain traits that I have that push them, as well as certain traits they have that push me. So, I feel like it complements each other as well. At Stewart Haas, we hear everybody, and as you heard Tony (Stewart) say, mediocrity isn’t acceptable. I’m a racecar driver. I’m somebody who’s very passionate about what I do. And I do it outside the Cup Series and I don’t accept mediocrity. I know, within our 41 team, we didn’t have the year we wanted, but we set some of the foundation that we needed going into this year, and now we’re going to go do what we need to do. As a racecar driver, to have a long-lasting career, you need to win races, and I’m sick of talking about not winning.”

No. 41 HaasTooling.com Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Ryan Preece

Hometown: Berlin, Connecticut

Crew Chief: Chad Johnston

Hometown: Cayuga, Indiana

Car Chief: Jeremy West

Hometown: Gardena, California

Engineer: Marc Hendricksen

Hometown: Clinton, New Jersey

Spotter: Tony Raines

Hometown: LaPorte, Indiana

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Devin Lester

Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia

Rear Tire Changer: Kevin Teaf

Hometown: Tallahassee, Florida

Tire Carrier: Chad Emmons

Hometown: Tyler, Texas

Jack Man: Kapil Fletcher

Hometown: Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

Fuel Man: Dwayne Moore

Hometown: Griffin, Georgia

Road Crew Members

Front End Mechanic: Joe Zanolini

Hometown: Sybertsville, Pennsylvania

Interior Mechanic: Robert Dalby

Hometown: Anaheim, California

Tire Specialist: Matt Ridgeway

Hometown: Carrollton, Georgia

Engine Tuner: Jimmy Fife

Hometown: Orange County, California

Transporter Co-Driver: David Rodrigues

Hometown: Santa Clarita, California

Transporter Co-Driver: Charlie Schleyer

Hometown: Youngsville, Pennsylvania

1...1,2101,2111,212...6,734Page 1,211 of 6,734