Jones, who has switched to Richard Petty Motorsports for the 2021 campaign after being dropped by Joe Gibbs Racing, fell foul of the single engine rule. The regulations state that if the engine in the nominated primary car is changed after the qualifying Duel races, the driver must start at the rear of the field
Month: February 2021
Erik Jones and Martin Truex Jr are the latest NASCAR Cup drivers to be hit with a penalty before the Daytona 500, taking the number of drivers penalised to eight. Jones, who has switched to Richard Petty Motorsports for the 2021 campaign after being dropped by Joe Gibbs Racing, fell foul of the single engine
As automotive companies are increasingly distancing themselves from internal combustion engines in favour of hybrid or fully electric powertrains, NASCAR has found itself in a quandary over its use of V8 engines whilst trying to maintain relevance to potential new OEMs entering the series. Since Dodge withdrew from the Cup Series at the end of
NASCAR president Steve Phelps says he would “surprised” if a new OEM opted to enter the top level of stock car racing without provision for an electric hybrid system. As automotive companies are increasingly distancing themselves from internal combustion engines in favour of hybrid or fully electric powertrains, NASCAR has found itself in a quandary
The team owned by seven-time Indycar champion and four-time Indianapolis 500 winner AJ Foyt has managed just three top-five finishes in the past three seasons, having managed none at all in 2018. Four-time series champion Sebastien Bourdais, who finished fourth at St. Petersburg in the final appearance of a three-race deal, has been signed to
AJ Foyt Racing is now “pulling in the same direction” after a period of turbulence for the IndyCar outfit, according to team president Larry Foyt. The team owned by seven-time Indycar champion and four-time Indianapolis 500 winner AJ Foyt has managed just three top-five finishes in the past three seasons, having managed none at all
Ott Tanak threw down the gauntlet to his World Rally Championship rivals by cruising to a 33.4 second victory on today’s Otepaa Winter Rally, a warmup for Arctic Rally Finland. Despite fresh snow making for “pretty demanding” conditions, the 2019 WRC champion set fastest times on all eight special stages in the Estonian event to
The 62-year-old, who famously won the Daytona 500 in 1990 after a puncture on the last lap denied Dale Earnhardt a maiden victory in the event, will drive a chartered Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet Camaro for one last entry in the 200-lap race. Since stepping back from a full-time programme in 1999, Cope has made
One-time Daytona 500 winner Derrike Cope says the NASCAR Cup regulars will “know I am there” in his final competition appearance on Sunday, 10 years after his last Daytona start. The 62-year-old, who famously won the Daytona 500 in 1990 after a puncture on the last lap denied Dale Earnhardt a maiden victory in the
The 2021 NASCAR Cup season gets underway this weekend, with Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin hoping to secure a historic third consecutive victory in the jewel-in-the-crown Daytona 500. A fourth win would put Hamlin, who won the 2016 event before doubling up in 2019 and 2020, level on wins with three-time Cup champion Cale
Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher have both won seven Formula 1 world championships, but only one man has conquered NASCAR’s Daytona 500 seven times – Richard Petty. Four decades on, TOM HOWARD revisits The King’s record-setting final win in 1981 The 2021 NASCAR Cup season gets underway this weekend, with Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny
Esapekka Lappi says that he would be happy to perform test and development duties for a World Rally Championship manufacturer team as a means to earn a seat for 2022. The 2016 WRC2 champion is currently without a seat in the WRC following his departure from the M-Sport Ford squad in December. Following his title
Hendrick Motorsports driver Bowman, who has moved across to the #48 Chevrolet Camaro to replace seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson, claimed his second pole for the event in qualifying on Wednesday night and will become the first driver in history to start four successive 500s from the front row. Team-mate William Byron was due to start
Alex Bowman will lead the field to green in this weekend’s NASCAR Cup season-opening Daytona 500. Here’s how and when you can watch the race. Hendrick Motorsports driver Bowman, who has moved across to the #48 Chevrolet Camaro to replace seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson, claimed his second pole for the event in qualifying on Wednesday
Speaking ahead of this weekend’s Cup Series-opening Daytona 500, Wilson said the potential new team owners “come from the business world” and that they are both “well-funded” and “credible”. He added that they’ve been attracted by NASCAR’s Next-Gen car, scheduled to roll out in 2022, which offers substantial savings for owners as it is based
Toyota Racing’s NASCAR chief David Wilson has revealed he’s in talks with two potential new team owners that are not currently involved in America’s premier stock car racing series. Speaking ahead of this weekend’s Cup Series-opening Daytona 500, Wilson said the potential new team owners “come from the business world” and that they are both
Larson was competing in an online race in April last year with fellow drivers from the American stock car scene when he uttered the n-word, believing he had lost communication with his virtual spotter. Immediately, key sponsors withdrew their backing of the Chip Ganassi Racing driver, and he was fired by the team the following
Kyle Larson “did 10 times” what was expected of him during his suspension from NASCAR after using a racial slur in an i-Racing event, according to new boss Rick Hendrick. Larson was competing in an online race in April last year with fellow drivers from the American stock car scene when he uttered the n-word,
Stewart-Haas Ford driver Almirola held off a fast-approaching Christopher Bell (Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota) to secure third on the grid in the first race, while 2018 Daytona 500 winner Dillon (Richard Childress Chevrolet) passed Bubba Wallace’s 23XI Toyota on the final lap of the second race to secure fourth on the grid. Exiting Turn 4
Aric Almirola and Austin Dillon claimed victories in the two 150-mile Duel races that set the grid for Sunday’s Daytona 500, which formally begins the NASCAR Cup season. Stewart-Haas Ford driver Almirola held off a fast-approaching Christopher Bell (Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota) to secure third on the grid in the first race, while 2018 Daytona
The 47-year-old Briton, who raced for Mercedes and Opel in the DTM, will continue his relationship with a team for which he has driven Nissan, Porsche and BMW machinery in an advisory and ambassadorial role. Dumbreck first drove for Falken in a round of the VLN long-distance championship, now the NLS, on the Nurburgring-Nordschleife in
DTM race winner Peter Dumbreck is standing down from the Falken Motorsports team’s Nurburgring 24 Hours line-up after 14 consecutive appearances in the German enduro. The 47-year-old Briton, who raced for Mercedes and Opel in the DTM, will continue his relationship with a team for which he has driven Nissan, Porsche and BMW machinery in
Kimball, who raced full-time for Foyt last year, will join the squad’s 2021 full-timers Sebastien Bourdais and Dalton Kellett to drive the #11 Tresiba car for the Indy Grand Prix on 15 May and the 105th running of the Indianapolis 500 on 30 May. Novo Nordisk, which has sponsored Kimball since his 2009 debut in
Charlie Kimball will rejoin AJ Foyt Racing for his 11th attempt at the Indianapolis 500, to be held on 30 May, and the Indianapolis GP. Kimball, who raced full-time for Foyt last year, will join the squad’s 2021 full-timers Sebastien Bourdais and Dalton Kellett to drive the #11 Tresiba car for the Indy Grand Prix
Former World Rallycross champion and double DTM title-winner Mattias Ekstrom will return to the World Rally Championship for the Arctic Rally Finland later this month, driving a Skoda Fabia R5. The 2016 World RX champion is contesting selected events in preparation for his 2021 programme with the ABT Cupra team in the new Extreme E
Last May, Binotto revealed Ferrari was evaluating a possible entry to IndyCar, as imminent F1 budget caps reduced potential outlets for current staff members’ expertise. But in December, Italian sources suggested that Ferrari’s evaluation was over and the decision had been made to not enter US open-wheel racing after all. IndyCar Series and Indianapolis Motor
Ferrari Formula 1 team principal Mattia Binotto says the Scuderia has ended talks over an engine supply deal with IndyCar, but series bosses remain optimistic of landing a third manufacturer. Last May, Binotto revealed Ferrari was evaluating a possible entry to IndyCar, as imminent F1 budget caps reduced potential outlets for current staff members’ expertise.
In a change from the traditional multi-segment format to qualifying for the curtain-raiser, each car on the 44-strong entry list was permitted to run a single timed lap on the oval to decide the order, with the session also being run at night for the first time. Ricky Stenhouse Jr had set the early benchmark
Alex Bowman claimed a second Daytona 500 pole position in qualifying for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup season-opener, with team-mate William Byron securing a second Hendrick Motorsports front-row in three years. In a change from the traditional multi-segment format to qualifying for the curtain-raiser, each car on the 44-strong entry list was permitted to run a single
Heading onto the final tour of the 35-lap Speedweeks curtain-raiser building up to the Daytona 500, Blaney had snatched the lead away from Hendrick Motorsports’ Elliott in the infield of the 14-turn course and tried to use his seven-lap fresher tyres to pull away from the reigning Cup champion. However, Blaney locked up and ran