Author: Mike Haag

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service “New Kids on the Track” really are new FORT WORTH, Texas – A large banner on the broadcast center at Texas Motor Speedway loudly touts the “New Kids on the Track,” an homage to the 20-somethings who will propel the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series into the future. Pictured on the banner are likenesses of Daniel Suarez, Bubba Wallace, Ryan Blaney, Chase Elliott, Erik Jones, William Byron and Alex Bowman, who collectively make up more than 15 percent of a typical Cup series starting field. Clearly, the slogan derives from the Boston-based boy band…

By Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service FORT WORTH, Texas – Obviously proud of the fact he’s won half of the races in the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup season – three of six – Kevin Harvick acknowledged Friday morning at Texas Motor Speedway that just being at the Fort Worth track buoyed his already-good mojo. Yes, he’s had an incredible run to open the season, but it was actually his win last November in the Texas playoff race that Harvick considers the start of his current success. “It all started or a lot of it started right here in the fall…

FORT WORTH, Texas – Texas Motor Speedway officials have announced that Anheuser-Busch has signed a multi-year partnership with the track for the naming rights of the Restart Bar, the venue’s latest fan amenity that is making its debut this weekend at the O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 NASCAR doubleheader. The official announcement was made on Friday morning during a special media sneak preview of the Busch Restart Bar featuring 2014 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 4 Busch Beer Ford for Stewart-Haas Racing; Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage and Anheuser-Busch Senior Manager of Experiential Marketing Doug…

By Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service FORT WORTH, Texas – Xfinity Series championship leader Elliott Sadler joked several times during Friday’s press conference that he was just glad to come into the Texas Motor Speedway media center and speak formally with the gathered NASCAR press – an opportunity he has looked forward to as the championship points leader. Sadler joined fellow Xfinity racers Christopher Bell, Justin Allgaier and Garrett Smithley, a 26-year old Georgia native, who proudly noted that Friday’s presser was the first ever in his Xfinity career. “Pretty cool,’’ Smithley said smiling. “I’ll be a big dork. I’ve…

Courtesy of the NHRA LAS VEGAS – Using the momentum of last season’s first career NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Top Fuel win and sixth-place finish, Clay Millican is setting an impressive pace to open the 2018 season. The Top Fuel fan favorite has posted two No. 1 qualifiers, setting the E.T. world record with an incredible run of 3.628 to open the season, advanced to two semifinals and currently sits third in points. While it is still early in the season, Millican, who has also gone 335.23 mph in 2018, feels nothing but good vibes in his 10,000-horsepower…

Courtesy of TMS Media Relations FORT WORTH, Texas – It’s safe to say that Jimmie Johnson is letting his stature as the reigning O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 race winner get to his head. Well, his bobble-head. The seven-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion’s life-sized version bobblehead joined former Texas Motor Speedway Bobblehead Series driversKevin Harvick, Tony Stewart,Danica Patrick and Graham Rahal for a little smack talk session at The Speedway Club at TMS. The video parody – with voiceovers from Texas Motor Speedway’s multitalented media relations department – provides a little levity ahead of this weekend’s O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 doubleheader NASCAR weekend. Johnson’s bobblehead, sponsored…

By Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service Big names hunt for first win at Texas When one driver dominates a venue as Jimmie Johnson has done at this week’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race stop, Texas Motor Speedway, it’s easy to forget how many of the sport’s very best have not donned that Texas winner’s cowboy hat. Yet. Reigning Cup champion Martin Truex Jr. and former title-winner Brad Keselowski top the A-list of names still working for that first celebration in Texas’ one-of-a-kind Victory Lane. Of the drivers taking the green flag in Sunday’s O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 (2 p.m.…

Courtesy of Texas Motor Speedway Media Relations FORT WORTH, Texas – Thirty Seconds To Mars lead singer Jared Leto continued his cross-country journey known as “Mars Across America” with a pit stop at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. Leto is visiting unique destinations that showcase the title subject of the band’s upcoming album, AMERICA, and Wednesday’s slice of Americana featured NASCAR and “The Great American Speedway.” Leto hitched a ride from a 7-Eleven in neighboring Northlake on Highway 114 to the speedway with visiting NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Tyler Reddick of JR Motorsports. Reddick picked up Leto in…

Courtesy of Texas Motor Speedway Media Relations FORT WORTH, Texas – Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers “Bubba” Wallace Jr. and Ryan Blaney are best of friends off the track, so why not on the world’s largest television known as “Big Hoss” at Texas Motor Speedway? Wallace Jr. and Blaney will make their truly “big screen” debuts in the next installment of the ever-popular “Head Over Body” video series featuring the heads of racing stars in scenes from popular movies. The video will make its debut during this weekend’s O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 NASCAR doubleheader on Big Hoss, but Texas…

Courtesy of the NHRA LAS VEGAS – A year after getting his first NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series four-wide racing victory, Funny Car standout Ron Capps hopes the debut of the biggest spectacle in drag racing on the West Coast will lead to similar results. In 2017, Capps won the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway in Charlotte, leaving him comfortable and confident for this weekend’s 19th annual DENSO Spark Plugs NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, which marks the first four-wide race in Las Vegas. Sensing the massive anticipation brewing for this unique…