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Top Five for Jr III Racing in Season Opener at Daytona

Chris Green | ChrisGreenPhoto.com

Daytona Beach, Fla. (22 January 2022) – Jr III Racing kicked off the 2022 IMSA Prototype Challenge (IPC) season with a top five finish at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday. The No. 3 Jr III Racing Ligier JS P320 of Courtney Crone and Terry Olson gained six positions to round out the top five in fifth. The three-hour race marked the first round of the 2022 championship, and the only endurance event of the season.

With rain falling at the race start, the team elected for rain tires as Olson suited up. Starting on the eighth row, Olson took the green flag in the No. 3 Ligier and quickly made up ground, gaining 11 positions as the field navigated the tricky conditions.

As the rain cleared and the track began to dry, Olson settled into green flag pace, clicking off 32 laps before he brought the No. 3 Ligier to pit lane from third for fuel and a driver change to Crone. A strategy call by engineer Scott Heckert kept the No. 3 Jr III Racing Ligier JS P320 on rain tires as the track began to dry.

Crone returned to the course in sixth with just under two hours remaining on the race clock. Crone maintained her position as she pushed the No. 3, looking for moisture on track to keep the tires cool and maintain her pace. As the second full course caution appeared, Crone dove into pit lane to make the switch to slick tires.

Consistency was key as Crone took over the fifth sport and maintained the position through the final restart of the race. The conditions once again got complicated as light rain fell with 30 minutes on the clock. Crone kept cool and focused, navigating through competitors sliding off course in front of the No. 3 Ligier to contest the final 17 laps and come across the line in fifth.

The fifth place finish is Crone’s career best IPC result and Olson’s third top-five finish with Jr III Racing.

“Wow, what a way to start a season!” said Olson. “I saw the opportunity on the first restart to make up a bunch of ground so I decided to act on it. That decision proved to be the best decision because it put us in a good position for Courtney (Crone) to take over. She did a stellar job and I am so proud to be her teammate. The entire Jr III Racing team did a phenomenal job and executed perfectly in the pits. A great team effort and just the beginning for us.”

“It was a great day and even better to be able to take home a solid result,” said Crone. “This is my best result in IMSA Prototype Challenge ever and I am happy to have done it with Terry (Olson) and the Jr III Racing team. The track conditions were ever changing and hard to navigate but I put my head down and focused on what I needed to do. A big thank you to my team Jr III Racing, my teammate Terry Olson, and all of my supporters that helped me get here. Without Cusick Motorsports, Gnarly Jerky, Myobrace, Lohla Sport, and Bob Simmons Dealerships I wouldn’t have been able to be in this position.”

The one-man entry of Ari Balogh in the No. 30 Airbnb Ligier JS P320 was on track for a podium finish before a late race penalty thwarted the result. Balogh crossed the checkered flag after three-hours of racing tenth overall but claimed a second place finish in the Bronze Cup.

The IMSA Prototype Challenge will enter a 15 week hiatus with the next event at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on May 13-15th. Jr III Racing will be back in competition with the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship at Sebring International Raceway for the historic Sebring 12 Hour.

How to win on the pokies?

Casino Pokies – like other types of gambling, they can be profitable, but it should be borne in mind that the amount of winnings primarily depends on the case, and spinning slots only makes sense in new online casinos in Australia that are licensed in accordance with the standards. The license does not have to be issued by the state where the gambling site is registered, and one more point that you need to pay attention to is the presence of payments already made in the history of the company itself.

Preparatory stage

Before you start, decide on the amount that you are ready to pour into your gaming account, set a clear rule for yourself that if you lose, you will pause, maybe even change the environment, get distracted by another activity. And then you should turn to your intuition, and identify the mistakes made, reconsider the chosen strategy.

When registering at a Roo Casino, you should pay attention to the types of games and the history of issuing winnings by the machine. Unfortunately, many users think that if the device has recently issued a jackpot, then you should not expect happiness from it in the near future, and this is one of the worst mistakes of beginners. Keep in mind that according to the theory of probability, the percentage of luck is constant throughout the game, but you will learn exactly how to increase your chances if you study all the material offered.

Calculation algorithm

The jackpot is formed on the basis of funds spent by other players, and the slot itself takes a certain percentage, that is, the main amount still goes to the general bank. It’s pretty sad when you exit the slot and the next player hits the jackpot in just two spins, so it’s worth evaluating which limit the machine is more likely to start giving out winnings.

Any machine obeys the pre-installed software and also evaluates the actions previously performed on it. If you have not yet studied this or that slot, it is recommended to start playing 10 bets (some play 20), evaluate the result, in case of loss, a good strategy would be to increase the bet and play another 10-20 spins. It may happen that your score is even, and even if the total amount of winnings is zero, you will get considerable pleasure from the fact that you did not lose.

In practice, the following tactic has proved its effectiveness: raise the bet to the first loss, as soon as this happens, start again from the minimum bets and so on until the next peak, the algorithms of some slots “warm-up”, that is, at the maximum bets, access to a serious multiplier is opened, catch this moment “take yours”, after which you can change the device.

Pyramid Technique

Let’s delve a little into human psychology, inexperienced players who do not know how to control their emotions, if they notice that they are starting to win, they rapidly increase the stakes until they become a victim of unjustified risk and lose everything. A slot machine is a robot, against which it is also desirable to play: dry and without emotions. The proposed method is simple, for example, you bet $2 per spin, make the second $2.5, the third $3, and so on up to a certain limit, let’s say up to a maximum of 10, now start reducing the step again to two. Using this technique, you will not let the device take over and make you uncontrollable. You can recoup both on the classics and on the new ones, but if a new slot has been recently launched, it would be nice to test it at the minimum stakes and only then increase it.

What to look for when choosing a slot?

  • Balance on the device;
  • Number of plus lines;
  • The return percentage is specified in the settings;
  • Paytable;
  • The amount of jackpots, the history of their receipt;
  • Dispersion, volatility of slots;
  • Reviews of other players about a particular brand.

Casino policy, cashback, bonuses

Each room has its own system for attracting and retaining players. Always follow the news and promotions, both at the initial stages, and in the case of veterans, there are special bonuses, for example, with a deposit of 100 bucks, some systems give out a 150% cashback that can be wagered for a certain period of time. For promoting a profile, a certain number of free spins can serve as a gift, that is, you play for free, and the chances of winning are the same as when using real money. Don’t forget the loyalty policy, higher-level players are entitled to more freebies.

Secure your success

Your bankroll is the money you can afford to put aside for gambling. You should never play on the last savings, and even more so take loans from banks. Gambling is made for fun, for gamblers, in self-respecting casinos like Casino Moons you can often find calls for “smart play” and even offers to participate in special self-restriction programs.

Suppose you allocated $500 for entertainment, after working out your strategies, in one day you managed to hit a decent win, you not only doubled but also increased your bank. It is desirable to put most of the funds for withdrawal, and from the remaining 25% on the same day, allocate 25% for playing without tension, you simply choose any pokies and place any bets within these 25%. As a result, you will not only get another chance to increase your capital, but you will also be able to get acquainted with the slots that you were skeptical about, and regardless of the result, be sure to end the gaming session with a smile on your face. , and stay in the fat plus. The success of gambling is always measured in the long term.

Is it all about mathematics?

Some people only stick to rough math and that’s fundamentally wrong. Let’s remember situations when married couples played loto with only one combination all their lives, and suddenly they were lucky, one day they became millionaires, playing only one combination, while others bought 10 tickets every week and never guessed the message number. Judging by the numbers, it is likely that the mentioned couple was many times smaller, but it was they who managed to hit the big jackpot.

Mankind has not yet learned all the secrets of the universe, scientists cannot explain some phenomena, and are not able to decipher such a phenomenon as intuition. Others call this sensation the sixth sense, others believe that intuition is a super-sense, which is based on the coordinated work of the other five senses, that is, thanks to this person, it is measured in the flow of a “super state”. Sometimes you may feel that today is “Your Day” and it’s time to challenge fortune.

As long as you don’t play the chances of winning

If you dream of easy money, while doing nothing for this, it is quite obvious that it is close to impossible. If you start spinning the spins, then in each stance you have from 10% to 20% chance to win, and up to 5% chance to hit the jackpot (depending on the settings of the machine). Distribute your media wisely, always play with a fresh head, limit your time to a game session. It is not difficult to win at pokies, but you can really feel yourself “on a horse” only after crediting a large amount to your account. Luck is a nice bonus to entertainment, build on this pleasure and you will always have fun.

Cadillac Racing races to pole in qualifying session for qualifying race

Tristan Vautier leads DPi field with quickest lap in No. 5 Mustang Sampling entry

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 22, 2022) – In a qualifying session for Rolex 24 At Daytona qualifying, drivers of the five Cadillac DPi-V.Rs stood out.

Tristan Vautier drove the No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R to the pole position in the 15-minute prelude to the 100-minute qualifying race Jan. 23 that will determine the pole winner and set the field for the 60th anniversary of the twice-around-the-clock race.

The fourth-year JDC-Miller MotorSports driver recorded the quickest lap on the 3.56-mile Daytona International Speedway road course at 1 minute, 34.034 seconds.

“It was still really cold. It was still damp on the curbs and stuff, so it was important to work the tires to get them up to temp quick,” Vautier said. “There was quite a lot of traffic with 15 cars, so you knew you had to put a lap in because there was a chance of a red flag, which actually happened. When I got to the Bus Stop, I knew the lap was good and I was thinking, ‘Don’t mess this up! You just have one corner to go.’ The car felt great.

“The team has been working really hard. We made a step last year at Petit Le Mans, and it seems to be helping here.”
A Cadillac DPi-V.R claimed three of the four spots on the grid. Alex Lynn drove the No. 02 Cadillac Accessories Cadillac DPi-V.R to a best lap of 1:34.259 and will start third in the car campaigned by Chip Ganassi Racing. Tristan Nunez, who registered a best lap of 1:34.440 in the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R for reigning DPi team champion Action Express Racing, will start fourth.

Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson drove the No. 48 Ally Cadillac DPi-V.R for Action Express Racing to fifth place at 1:34.941. Renger van der Zande was sitting second with 5 minutes left in the session, but hard braking entering Turn 5 caused the No. 01 V-Performance Academy Cadillac DPi-V.R to nose into the tire barrier. Van der Zande was uninjured, but by bringing out a red flag he lost his quickest lap.

The 100-minute qualifying race airs live at 2 p.m. ET on Peacock and IMSA Radio. A Cadillac DPi-V.R has won the Rolex 24 pole three times since the latest iteration of the Prototype class was established in 2017.

Cadillac Racing results with starting position and best lap time:

No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R (JDC-Miller MotorSports)
Tristan Vautier, Richard Westbrook, Loic Duval, Ben Keating
Starting: 1st … Best lap time: 1:34.034
Tristan Vautier: “The lap I did felt good so I knew it would be tough to improve. It’s good and important for us to validate our speed, but it’s early. This is qualifying for a qualifying race. There is a lot of work ahead. Although we are happy, we don’t have much time to celebrate with another practice very soon. The celebration is for the win and not the qualifying for the qualifying race. We are really focused. IMSA has a good handle on the BoP in DPi; the teams know it and it’s the last year of these cars so everyone is pushing really hard from the get-go. I’m pushing hard and having fun. It’s the last year for DPi so as a driver I’m always giving it all, but I know I have to do well and I’m really trying to give my best and earn my spot in LMDh. I want to shine. We have a good team and good teammates.”

No. 02 Cadillac Accessories Cadillac DPi-V.R (Chip Ganassi Racing)
Earl Bamber, Alex Lynn, Marcus Ericsson, Kevin Magnussen
Starting: 3rd … Best lap time: 1:34.259
Alex Lynn: “I’m satisfied, I wouldn’t say happy. I think the car was really tight and the field was super tight, so a couple of improvements from my side probably would have made the difference. But I’m sure every driver could say that. Overall, a good start.”

No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R (Action Express Racing)
Pipo Derani, Tristan Nunez, Mike Conway
Starting: 4th … Best lap time: 1:34.440
Tristan Nunez: “I think the toughest part was all of the traffic. Having the first pit box is good if you have an issue during the race you can right to the garage. During qualifying it means you have to start behind every DPi and P2 car. It was tough to get some temperature in the tires while trying to maintain a gap to the cars in front. I am pretty happy with that being my first qualifying run in the Whelen Cadillac. Now I have the confidence knowing what the car can do in flat out qualifying.”

No. 48 Ally Cadillac DPi-V.R (Action Express Racing)
Jimmie Johnson, Mike Rockenfeller, Kamui Kobayashi, Jose Maria Lopez
Starting: 5th … Best lap time: 1:34.941
Jimmie Johnson: “The damp, cold conditions are kind of tough with these light cars. As much as I was nervous about it, I was happy to get some experience doing it. I ended up running my fastest lap I’ve ever run around here. I am happy to see my progression. Happy that the team keeps giving me these opportunities to learn. Starting fifth for the qualifying race. We will go for more tomorrow.”

No. 01 V-Performance Academy Cadillac DPi-V.R (Chip Ganassi Racing)
Renger van der Zande, Sebastien Bourdais, Scott Dixon, Alex Palou
Starting: 10th … Best lap time: 1:38.593 *

*- quickest lap disallowed for creating a red flag by going off course
Renger van der Zande: “I got stuck in a wall basically in Turn 5. Turn 1, 2 and 3 was really good, but I braked too late for Turn 5. Overall, the car felt really nice. I don’t think it’s drama, but it is a bit of drama.”
Cadillac Racing high-resolution racing photos are available for editorial use.

About Cadillac
A leading luxury auto brand since 1902, Cadillac is growing globally, driven by an expanding product portfolio that features distinctive design and technology. More information on Cadillac appears at www.cadillac.com. Cadillac’s media website with information, images and video can be found at media.cadillac.com.

NASCAR Hall of Fame welcomes Dale Earnhardt Jr., Mike Stefanik and Red Farmer

(Photo by Mike Comer/Getty Images)

January 21, 2022
By Reid Spencer
NASCAR Wire Service

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — At first glance—aside from sharing the profession of “race car driver” — Dale Earnhardt Jr., Mike Stefanik and Red Farmer couldn’t be more different from one another.

A perennial Most Popular Driver at NASCAR’s highest level of competition, Earnhardt holds two Daytona 500 wins among his 26 career victories.

More than that, as a driver, team owner and television analyst, Earnhardt has transcended both the sport of stock car racing and his own legacy as the son of seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Dale Earnhardt.

Stefanik, a hard-nosed New Englander, drove modifieds with a relentless tenacity that carried him to seven Whelen Modified Tour titles. Stefanik, who died in 2019 at age 61 from injuries sustained in the crash of a private plane, also collected two championships in what was then the Busch North Series.

The patriarch of the Alabama gang, Farmer accumulated innumerable victories—estimated between 700 and 900—at short tracks located primarily in the Deep South. At age 89, he still competes on the one-third mile dirt oval at the Talladega Short Track across the highway from NASCAR’s biggest superspeedway.

Despite their varying backgrounds and diverse racing pursuits, Earnhardt, Stefanik and Farmer now share one monumental achievement in common—after all three entered the NASCAR Hall of Fame during an induction ceremony at the Charlotte Convention Center on Friday night.

The climax of the ceremony was the induction of Earnhardt, who has made an indelible mark on a sport he was born to. Earnhardt joined his father, a member of the inaugural class of 2010 in the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

Earnhardt’s wife Amy performed the induction of her husband.

“My eyes are already watering,” Earnhardt said as the start to his acceptance speech. “…To join Dad in the Hall of Fame is probably as good as it’s going to get…

“I was a mechanic at a dealership. That was my destiny, or so I thought. I changed the oil in thousands of cars.”

From those inauspicious beginnings, however, Earnhardt followed his father into the NASCAR Xfinity Series, where he won back-to-back championships in 1998 and 1999, and then into NASCAR’s premier division, where he drove first for family-owned Dale Earnhardt Inc. and then for Hendrick Motorsports.

Earnhardt acknowledged the importance of uncle Tony Eury Sr., his crew chief; his sister Kelley Earnhardt Miller, who spurred the growth of JR Motorsports and Earnhardt’s broadcasting career; team owner Rick Hendrick; and Steve Letarte, his crew chief at that organization.

Key to his personal life, Earnhardt said, was wife Amy. “How do you explain someone who makes every day of your life better?” he said.

NASCAR Hall of Fame crew chief Ray Evernham opened the inductions by ushering Stefanik into the Hall. Stefanik’s wife Julie, who served as her husband’s spotter throughout his career, accepted the induction.

“This is a huge honor, and I know Michael would have been very humbled,” Julie Stefanik said of her husband, who set Whelen Modified Tour records for victories (74) and poles (48).

“He was more than just a racer to us. He was a beloved husband, father, brother and friend. And in his honor, I’ll have a Jack and diet (Stefanik’s favorite drink).”

Stefanik and fellow modified driver and mentor Richie Evans are the only drivers to win nine NASCAR championships. All of Evans’ titles came on the Modified Tour.

Three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart inducted his close friend and hunting and fishing buddy Charles “Red” Farmer.

“He doesn’t know how to be quiet in a deer stand—I can tell you that,” Stewart said. “But his stats speak for themselves. He’s a racer’s racer and he deserves to be in the NASCAR Hall of Fame.”

Born in Nashville and starting his racing career in Florida, Farmer nevertheless considers Hueytown, Alabama his hometown, in part because of his association with fellow Alabama Gang members Bobby and Donnie Allison. Farmer has been racing for 75 of his 89 years.

“It’s something that gets in your blood, and you can’t get it out,” Farmer said in a “fireside chat” at the induction dinner before the official ceremony.

Though Farmer raced 36 times in the Cup Series over a 23-year span, with a best finish of fourth (twice) at Middle Georgia Raceway in Macon and Talladega Superspeedway, he routinely turned down full-time Cup offers in less-than-competitive equipment.

“I was not going to be an also-ran,” said Farmer, who preferred to win races and championships on the short tracks. That didn’t prevent him, however, from winning the Modified title in 1956.

The NASCAR Hall is the 10th hall of fame to honor Farmer.

“If these Hall of Fames were a Christmas tree with all the ornaments around it, this NASCAR award would be the gold star on top of that Christmas tree,” Farmer said during his induction speech.

As part of the Friday night program, the late Bob Jenkins was recognized with the Squier-Hall Award for NASCAR Media Excellence for his pioneering work in television and radio broadcasting.

The late Ralph Seagraves was honored with the 2021 Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR. As an executive with R.J. Reynolds, Seagraves was instrumental in bring the Winston sponsorship to NASCAR’s foremost series, as well as to the grassroots racing NASCAR supported.

Guidelines to Follow after a Car Accident

For professionals, the monotonous working week gets intercepted by the weekend. This could be a perfect way of enjoying the weekend is embarking on a long drive. In most countries, summer is the best time for a long drive. It is also a time when you will get traffic at its peak. However, enjoying the drive is all you need. In all these situations, you cannot lose sight of the chances of an accident. Be it major or minor; accidents do occur in crowded places. If you want to stay safe, you cannot drive rashly. Instead, you have to drive defensively. Even after taking precautions, incidents do occur that leave you with injuries. These car accidents are overwhelming at times. Hence, there are a few things you have to keep in mind to avoid the possibility of this mistake. 

What to do when the accident involves a third party? 

Car accidents are a traumatizing experience that throws people in a loop. No matter how careful you stay, accidents do take place. The incident leads to anxiety and depression. What must you do to rectify the immediate feeling following an accident? If the accident was because of the other driver’s fault, you must communicate with your lawyer as fast as possible. Following this, the car insurance claim is the second most vital step. Along with this, there are some specific areas that you must comprehend. These are listed below: 

•    Do not leave the accident spot: State laws compel individuals to stay at the accident spot and park their vehicle immediately. Irrespective of your country, this law applies to every state. Despite whether the incident resulted in death, injury, or property loss, you have to park your vehicle immediately. If you do not do so and leave the spot, you may face penalties. 

•    Call the police: Do not feel like you need to be afraid to call the police. Some people feel that the cops will harass them even if they are not at fault. However, you have to report the incident to the police as fast as possible. Irrespective of damages and injuries, the FIR needs to be filed immediately. You can use the document as evidence of your role. It is crucial when making car insurance claims. 

•    Stay patient: It is natural to get angry when it is not your fault. It is a disappointing experience; you have to stay calm and composed. Remember that dealing with these issues requires a stable mind. In such a situation, the first thing you have to do is contact your lawyer. Help them with a comprehensive picture of the entire incident and ask for their help. The individual may analyze car accident injuries, gather evidence, study the accident scenario, and a lot more. 

•    Note down data: Before leaving the accident spot, you must note down every information to use it favorably later. Make videos, take pictures, study the accident scene, and note contact details and names of the other parties. If you think that the other party is responsible for the incident, you must have every data of their car number, model, car driver’s name, phone number, and address with you. 

In all these steps, only a lawyer can help you in the proper settlement of the case.

NASCAR Hall of Fame honors 2021 inductees Dale Earnhart Jr., Red Farmer and Mike Stefanik

Photo by Ted Seminara for SpeedwayMedia.com.

The NASCAR Hall of Fame continued its tradition of paying tribute to the sport’s past Saturday night with the induction of Dale Earnhardt Jr., Charles “Red” Farmer and the late Mike Stefanik.

The evening’s ceremony was a unique glimpse into the history of the sport and how each of these drivers contributed to the growth of NASCAR and secured their place in its history.

Renowned crew chief, Ray Evernham, a 2018 Hall of Fame inductee, opened up the ceremony, saying, “This is our house, this is our house where our legends live.” He then invited Stefanik’s wife, Julie, to the stage to accept the NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee ring.

“This is a huge honor, and I know Michael would have been very humbled,” Julie Stefanik said. She spoke of his 38 years in the sport and her appreciation of all the people who had helped and influenced him during those years, saying, “I can’t even begin to name names and won’t even try in fear of leaving someone out.”

She spoke at length about her husband’s career but ended by saying, “He was more than just a racer to us. He was a beloved husband, father, son, brother and friend and he will be missed forever.

Stefanik’s accomplishments include being at the top of the list for all-time NASCAR championships with nine, a position he shares with only one other driver, 2012 Hall of Fame inductee, Richie Evans. Julie Stefanik named Evans as someone who was a mentor to her husband and a good friend. In 2003, Stefanik was named one of the Modified Tour’s 10 Greatest Drivers and he holds the all-time series record in wins, poles, top fives and top 10s.

Tony Stewart, a three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and good friend, inducted Farmer. He described him as “a racer’s racer,” saying, “he deserves to be in the NASCAR Hall of Fame.”

Farmer began by humorously saying, I’m gonna take a little time here tonight. I hope you all had something to drink and been to the bathroom ‘cause I got 75 years of racing I need to talk about.”

It was a theme that would be prevalent throughout his speech as he regaled the audience with stories. His entertaining story-telling even prompted Dale Earnhardt Jr. to say, “I think I got my first guest for this year’s Dale Jr. Download. I don’t know what you’re doing in February, Red, but I need you to come on and tell some stories, buddy.”

Farmer named Ralph Moody as someone who helped him tremendously during his career and spoke of their first meeting when he was new to racing and searching for direction.

During his speech, he noted that the NASCAR Hall of Fame was the 10th hall of fame to honor him.

“If these Hall of Fames were a Christmas tree with all the ornaments around it, this NASCAR award,” Farmer said, “would be the gold star on top of that Christmas tree.”

Farmer has been racing for 75 years and at the age of 89, continues to race. He was a member of the Alabama Gang and was named one of the 50 Greatest Drivers in NASCAR’s first 50 years in 1998. His exact win count is unknown but estimates put it at over 700.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. was inducted by his wife, Amy. After congratulating the other inductees, Earnhardt reflected on his humble beginnings.  

“I was a mechanic at a dealership. That was my destiny, or so I thought.”

He couldn’t have been more wrong.

As a driver, his accomplishments include 26 Cup Series wins, two Daytona 500 wins, two Xfinity Series championships and being voted the most popular driver for 15 consecutive years. He has also won three Xfinity Series championships as a team owner of JR Motorsports with 58 race wins. Now working as a television analyst, he has continued his influence and cemented his legacy off the track.

Earnhardt began by thanking everyone involved in NASCAR, “anyone who has ever invested their time in this sport to make it great.” He went on to say, “However if I were to single just one person out of that group somebody who embodies NASCAR and has also been an incredible friend to me and mentor, it’s Mike Helton.”

He also mentioned others who had played significant roles during his career, including Gary Hargett, who taught him humility when he first began racing late models. “He taught me how to treat people,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “He called me out when I was making mistakes. Gary never shouted. Gary never got angry. But, he was a guy who held me accountable.”

Tony Eury Sr. was, without doubt, a key factor in Earnhardt’s growth in the sport. When Dale Earnhardt asked Eury who should drive Dale Earnhard Inc.’s Xfinity Series car, Eury suggested that his father let Dale Jr. drive it.

He also gave credit to his sister Kelley Earnhardt Miller, Rick Hendrick, Steve Letarte, and his fans.

“Junior Nation has always had my back. When I stumbled you guys were right there ready to lift me back up. And man, there were times when I absolutely needed you and you never let me down. We won together and we lost together. And because so, you should know that I don’t go into this Hall of Fame alone. I go with you and I go because of you.”

But most importantly, the person who made his life complete, his wife, Amy.

“How do you explain someone who makes every day of your life better?” Earnhardt said.

The night would not have been complete without Earnhardt acknowledging the significance of joining his father as an inductee. It was a proud and humbling experience to join his father, Dale Earnhardt, who was a member of the inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame class of 2010.

“To join Dad in the Hall of Fame is probably as good as it’s going to get.”

During the Hall of Fame ceremony, the late Bob Jenkins was awarded the Squier-Hall Award for NASCAR Media Excellence for his work in television and radio broadcasting. Also recognized was the late Ralph Seagraves as the recipient of the 2021 Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR. Seagraves was an executive with R.J. Reynolds and influential in bringing the Winston sponsorship to NASCAR.

*All photos by Ted Seminara

NFL’s Antonio Williams Joins fgrACCEL, Continues Investment with Joe Graf Jr. in 2022

NFL’s Antonio Williams Joins fgrACCEL, Continues Investment with Joe Graf Jr. in 2022

MOORESVILLE, N.C.: National Football League (NFL) player and Buffalo Bills running back Antonio Williams burst onto the NASCAR scene last February in a strategic partnership with NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Joe Graf Jr.

On Friday, Williams expanded his involvement in NASCAR. He has expanded his investment into Graf’s racing platform – in addition to joining fgrACCEL, a full-service sports marketing and management agency where Williams will serve as director of business development.

A friendship that was sparked through fgrACCEL’s Nate Blasdell, Williams will continue to work with Graf to expand his current relationships in the sport, while also working to continue bringing new interest to not only Graf but the growing list of fgrACCEL clients.

Williams, 24, will be heavily involved in fgrACCEL’s day-to-day business interactions, while also planning to increase his at-track presence throughout the season, including attending next month’s season-opener at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.

Williams is also the managing partner of Ancient World Gaming, a professional eSports and Entertainment team.

“Antonio has already been an incredible asset to our team and will showcase even more with his new position at fgrACCEL,” said April Wiesner, chief operating officer at fgrACCEL.

“He brings the same drive, dedication and passion to everything he does, whether that’s on the football field, in the creation of his eSports team Ancient World Gaming or to business development at fgrACCEL. I’m thrilled to see him step into a bigger role overall with the organization.”

Despite his additional responsibilities with fgrACCEL, Williams reiterated his focus on assisting Graf to achieve the pinnacle of the sport by competing in the NASCAR Cup Series in the near future.

“Last year being my first year involved with NASCAR was more than I expected,” said Williams. “What Joe showed was the potential he has and with our new partners in Ford, Stewart-Haas Racing and Roush Yates, I know we will be in the position to be even more competitive this year.

“Expanding my footprint into the sport with my new duties at fgrACCEL will only continue to accelerate my knowledge of the multiple sectors within the sport. We are opening new doors this year not only for Joe – but the other members of the fgrACCEL team and I look forward to seeing the success of everyone throughout the 2022 season.”

For Graf who is entering his third season of Xfinity Series competition at Bobby Dotter’s SS GreenLight Racing team, his relationship with Williams is priceless.

“Antonio has done so much for me as a competitor both on and off the track,” said Joe Graf Jr. “He has not only been a huge investor into my career, but we have become incredible friends. His leadership and vision for 2022 will not only be beneficial for me but for the other members of the fgrACCEL team too.

“He is devoted to increasing a new commitment to fgrACCEL, but also continue building that bond that we share and be at my side as much as he can. He’s not just an investor or a friend, he is family.”

For more on Antonio Williams like him on Facebook (Antonio Williams), follow him on Twitter (@A_B_Williams26) and Instagram (@antonio_williams35).

For more on Joe Graf Jr. visit JoeGrafRacing.com, like him on Facebook (Joe Graf Jr.), follow him on TikTok (@JoeGrafJr), (Twitter (@JoeGrafJr) and Instagram (@joegrafjr).

For more on fgrACCEL. visit fgrACCEL.com, like them on Facebook (fgrACCEL), (Twitter (@fgrACCEL) and Instagram (@fgrACCEL).

For more on SS GreenLight Racing, please like them on Facebook (SS GreenLight Racing) and follow them on Twitter (@SSGLR0717) and visit their website at SSGreenLight.com.

About SS Green Light Racing:

As one of the most tenured teams in all of NASCAR, SS GreenLight Racing led by team owner and former driver Bobby Dotter has been a mainstay in the sport fielding entries in either the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series or the Xfinity Series competition since 2001.

SS GreenLight Racing will continue with a two-car program in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2022.

Speedway Motorsports’ Marcus Smith Shares Vision For Revitalized North Wilkesboro Speedway

Smith was guest speaker at the Wilkes County Chamber of Commerce 75th Membership Celebration, where he shared conceptual renderings for the historic property

NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C. (Jan. 21, 2022) – Speedway Motorsports President and CEO Marcus Smith shared his vision for the future of North Wilkesboro Speedway during the Wilkes County Chamber of Commerce 75th Membership Celebration Thursday night.

Earmarked within the North Carolina state budget that was passed in November was $18 million toward infrastructure improvements at the historic 0.625-mile facility. That money, Smith said, will go a long way toward modernizing the iconic venue to bring motorsports, concerts and other entertainment options to the Wilkes County region.

“The future of North Wilkesboro Speedway is bright,” Smith told a group of 250 people gathered for the event. “There is a great opportunity to revive this fantastic venue to be, not just a race track, but a place that can host lots of events, a place that people will come to from far away and enjoy the community, enjoy the region and enjoy special events.”

Thanks to the efforts of local volunteer groups, cleanup around the 75-year-old race track began several months ago and attention can now turn to prioritizing the necessary upgrades and refurbishment projects to reopen North Wilkesboro Speedway. Smith highlighted his vision for the property through a series of renderings that showcased not only a return to racing, but also alternative uses like serving as a concert venue.

“Water, sewer, electricity, roads, connectivity – those are a lot of the building blocks that we need to get done,” Smith said. “We want to keep the character of the property, celebrate the history, but, of course, make it safe, convenient and enjoyable for everyone who comes to visit.

“In the car world, I would call it a resto-mod. It’s going to look old, but it’s going to work new. When you think about nostalgic opportunities, this is one of those one-in-a-million opportunities.

“Our hope is to celebrate the history and look forward to the future. North Wilkesboro Speedway is an amazing, historic place for NASCAR. It’s almost like Fenway Park is to baseball. I think, with this money from the state and the American Rescue Plan, we can make some dreams a reality at North Wilkesboro Speedway.”

Smith noted the “real possibility” of bringing a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event. “We specifically – and I’ll thank Marcus Lemonis, the CEO of Camping World for his voice of support – we specifically think it’s a real possibility to bring back NASCAR and the Camping World Truck Series to North Wilkesboro Speedway,” he said. “Those races are nationally televised events, and it’s a national NASCAR touring series. We have a number of those (races) in our portfolio, and I would love to see one of those here.”

Seeing renderings of the re-envisioned speedway and hearing Smith’s ideas for the future of the property was welcome news to lifelong residents, community leaders and business owners.

“This means everything to anybody that lives in Wilkes County,” said Terri Parsons, widow of NASCAR legend Benny Parsons and a longtime advocate of revitalizing the facility. “By the speedway coming back, this has just turned a lightbulb on in this whole community again. You can see by the attendance tonight, everybody in the town, everybody in the county supports it and wants to see something come alive out there.”

“I’m very excited to hear the ideas that are coming from Speedway Motorsports,” said Rep. Jeffrey Elmore, whose district includes Wilkes County. “This track is a symbol of our community. He (Smith) used the word ‘hope.’ It’s very exciting to see the vision that he’s putting forth and how it’s tying to the past and looking to the future.”

Smith also used the opportunity to thank the community for its efforts – from cleanup crews to business and political leaders – to help return the legendary facility to its former glory.

“Bringing back races, bringing back special events, bringing back tourism, creating a very special place where the community can gather, it’s exciting,” he said. “When you think about nostalgic opportunities, this is one of those one-in-a-million opportunities.

“I think there’s a bright future ahead for North Wilkesboro Speedway. It wouldn’t happen without the amazing community support that’s in this room as well as the people who have been out at the speedway to help us bring the speedway back. Anybody might have said this place is too far gone, but this community rallied and brought it to a place where we can rebuild it and it can be a fantastic jewel.”

About Speedway Motorsports:

Speedway Motorsports is a leading marketer, promoter and sponsor of motorsports entertainment in the United States. The company, through its subsidiaries, owns and operates the following premier facilities: Atlanta Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Dover Motor Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Nashville Superspeedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Sonoma Raceway, Texas Motor Speedway and Kentucky Speedway. Speedway Motorsports provides souvenir merchandising services through its SMI Properties subsidiaries; manufactures and distributes smaller-scale, modified racing cars and parts through its U.S. Legend Cars International subsidiary; and produces and broadcasts syndicated motorsports programming to radio stations nationwide through its Performance Racing Network subsidiary.

Young American Jak Crawford Moves to PREMA Racing for 2022 FIA F3 campaign

Jak Crawford #52 Team Motopark, during round eight of the EuroFormula Open series at Circuit Barcelona Catalunya on Oct 22-24, 2021. // SI202110240530 // Usage for editorial use only //

16-year old set to begin 2022 with hectic 15-race Formula Regional Asian Championship

HOUSTON (21 January 2022) – American Formula 1 hopeful Jak Crawford is set for his second full season in the competitive FIA Formula 3 championship in 2022, joining the premier PREMA Racing team for the series that competes on seven Grand Prix weekends.

Crawford, who will turn 17 on May 2, returns to the category as part of his program for the Red Bull Junior team, following in the footsteps of current Driver World Champion and Red Bull driver Max Verstappen – a former Junior Team driver.

Crawford’s 2021 F3 campaign saw the Texas native soak in a full season of new tracks as he took on the unique challenge that the three-race weekend formats presented. Having a season of racing as part of the Formula 1 events under his belt, the promising results that Crawford delivered in the second half of the year could provide the foundation for a breakout season in 2022.

Any rust from the off-season layoff will quickly be shaken off, with Crawford making his debut in the Formula Regional Asian Championship, with a hectic 15-race schedule over the course of five-consecutive weekends – all in the United Arab Emirates. The championship will give Crawford a strong start to the 2022 season as he looks to build on the opportunity to race with the powerhouse PREMA squad.

Crawford will drive for Abu Dabhi Racing PREMA when the series begins this Friday with a three-race weekend at the Yas Marina Circuit, home of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Action then shifts to the Dubai Autodrome, which hosts races on three-straight weekends. The championship returns to Yas Marina Circuit for the concluding Round 5 on Feb. 17-20. The series will carry FIA Super License points for the top finishers. Each of the three-race weekends will have the top-10 finishers from Race 1 reversed for Race 2.

“I’m very excited to be joining PREMA for a second season of FIA F3 as well as contesting the Formula Regional Asian Championship with them,” Crawford said. “I am very much looking forward to building on what I learned last year in my rookie season, and hoping to emulate the success that other drivers have had with the team in the past. FIA F3 will be the main focus for me this year and I am eager to get the season underway.”

The FIA F3 campaign begins March 17-19 in Sakhir. The season continues April 21-23 at Imola; May 19-21 at Barcelona; June 30-July 2 at Silverstone; July 7-9 at Spelberg, Austria’s Red Bull Ring; July 28-30 at Budapest; August 25-27 at Spa Francorchamps; Sept. 1-3 at Zandvoort; and closes at Monza on Sept., 8-10.

Each weekend will hold two races for the F3 competitors. Crawford ran the full Formula 3 season in 2021. The youngest driver in the series, he placed second in the opening race of the Spa Francorchamps weekend, and also scored points in all three races at Zandvoort. He kept pushing at every opportunity, even ending the year with a pass on the final lap of the season to take fifth at Russia’s Sochi circuit.

Missing the opening two races of the Euroformula Open campaign, Crawford celebrated his 16th birthday with a sixth-place finish to wrap up the Portimao weekend. Although missing an additional two rounds (six races) due to FIA F3 schedule conflicts, he finished third in the season championship, within striking distance of second. Crawford won eight of 16 races in the No. 52 Team Motopark Dallara, winning two of the three races in four of his five full weekends. He won the pole in four out of five qualifying attempts, and scored 12 fastest race laps.

Hemric set for Daytona 500 return with Kaulig Racing

Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images.

Kaulig Racing took to social media to announce that Daniel Hemric will be driving the No. 16 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in the 64th running of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway scheduled for February 20.

Hemric, the reigning NASCAR Xfinity Series champion from Kannapolis, North Carolina, is coming off his breakout season to date in NASCAR, where he drove the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Supra to the 2021 Xfinity Series championship and his first career victory across NASCAR’s top three national touring series after edging the 2020 Xfinity champion Austin Cindric in a thrilling final lap battle at Phoenix Raceway. He also earned 15 top-five results and 21 top-10 results en route to the title as he became the first competitor to achieve a first victory and championship in the same event.

This season, he is set to pilot Kaulig Racing’s No. 11 Chevrolet Camaro as a full-time Xfinity Series competitor in a quest to defend his series championship. Alex Yontz will be remaining in the Xfinity circuit to serve as Hemric’s crew chief.

In addition, Hemric will be serving as one of three competitors in Kaulig Racing’s No. 16 “all-star” entry throughout the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season alongside fellow Xfinity competitors AJ Allmendinger and Noah Gragson. Matt Swiderski will be serving as crew chief for the No. 16 team that will be making its first appearance in the Busch Light Clash at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on February 6 with Allmendinger scheduled to compete.

The No. 16 entry will be one of two full-time Cup entries for Kaulig Racing this upcoming season as Justin Haley will be driving the No. 31 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 on a full-time basis led by veteran crew chief Trent Owens.

The 2022 Daytona 500 will mark Hemric’s second career start in NASCAR’s prestigious crown-jewel events to commence a new season of racing. He made his 500 debut in 2019 with Richard Childress Racing, where he finished 34th after being eliminated in a late multi-car incident. The season opener at Daytona will also mark Hemric’s first start in NASCAR’s premier series since the 2019 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, where Hemric finished 12th in RCR’s No. 8 entry and captured the Cup Rookie-of-the-Year title.

Kaulig Racing is coming off one of its successful seasons to date, where the team tallied nine victories in the Xfinity circuit made between AJ Allmendinger, Jeb Burton and Justin Haley as Allmendinger made the Championship Round at Phoenix in November before settling in fourth place in the 2021 Xfinity drivers’ standings. In addition, the team achieved its first victory in the Cup Series with Allmendinger at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course in August following an overtime, two-lap shootout.

Hemric is scheduled to make his Daytona 500 return with Kaulig Racing at Daytona International Speedway on February 20 with the race scheduled to commence at 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX.