NASCAR MAKES MODIFICATIONS TO NATIONAL SERIES QUALIFYING

Enhancements Made To Help Make An Exciting Format Even Better

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. March 12, 2014 – NASCAR notified its teams this afternoon that effective immediately the following modifications apply to all elements of its national series qualifying including the breaks:

• One cool down unit connected through either the left side or right side hood flap/cowl flap is allowed to cool the engine
• The hood must continue to remain closed
• Plugging in the generator will not be allowed
• Two crew members will be allowed over the wall to support the car and driver
• No cool down laps will be permitted

NASCAR instituted a new group qualifying format for its three national series in January and has continued to evaluate the process through the first three races of the season. The new format has been well-received by fans, competitors, race tracks and other key stakeholders. NASCAR believes that the modifications announced today should help make the qualifying even better and more compelling.

“The qualifying is new to all of us and as we have said over the past several weeks, we are looking at it from all aspects,” said Robin Pemberton, vice president of competition and racing development. “Following discussions, both internally and with others in the garage area, we moved quickly to make a few revisions that will be effective starting with our two national series events at Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend. We believe this will only enhance and improve what has demonstrated to be an exciting form of qualifying for our fans, competitors and others involved with the sport. Moving forward we will continue to look at it and address anything else that we may need to as the season unfolds.”

Fans can tune in to the following NASCAR racing action this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway:

Friday, March 14

4:30 p.m. ET, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying, FOX Sports 1, PRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Saturday, March 15

10 a.m. ET – NASCAR Nationwide Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying, ESPN2

2 p.m. ET – NASCAR Nationwide Series Race, ESPN2, PRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Sunday, March 16

1 p.m. ET – NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race, FOX, PRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Credit: NASCAR

Credit Photo: NASCAR

 

SUNOCO ROOKIES ROLL INTO VEGAS ON A ROLL

Elliott is another driver who has never made a national series start in the desert

March 06, 2014 – With two races already in the books, the large NASCAR Nationwide Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year class continues to impress. The group is headlined by Ty Dillon, Dylan Kwasniewski and Chase Elliott, who are all within four points of each other for rookie of the year honors.

After a 10th-place showing at Phoenix and a seventh the previous week in Daytona, Dillon leads the rookie standings with 26 points. He currently sits fourth in the overall standings, 12 points behind leader Regan Smith. Dillon is the only one of the three to have a Nationwide start under his belt, finishing 11th last year.

Kwasniewski finished in the same spot in the field in which he started at Phoenix – 13th. The weekend before, he finished eighth. Although he has never made a national series start at the 1.5-mile track, he’s posted two runner-up finishes in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West at the facility’s Bullring. Kwasniewski arrives in Vegas four points behind Dillon in the rookie race (tied with Elliott) and fifth in the championship standings (-17).

Elliott is another driver who has never made a national series start in the desert, but he continues to grow with the more starts he’s able to get under his belt. In Saturday’s Nationwide Phoenix race he placed ninth (the highest-finishing rookie in the field) one week after finishing 15th in Daytona. He’s currently eight in the championship standings (-29).

NASCAR