Author: Mike Haag

By John Sturbin FORT WORTH, Texas – Reigning NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Johnny Sauter captured Friday night’s JAG Metals 350 Driving Hurricane Harvey Relief at Texas Motor Speedway to punch his ticket into the Championship 4 for a second consecutive year. Next up, diaper duty? “Oh yeah. I’m used to it,” said Sauter, who celebrated the birth of his fourth child and third daughter, Alice, on Wednesday. “I’ve now got four kids aged 7, 6, 2 and brand new. Everybody’s healthy, and I’ve been blessed.” Sauter drove like a man possessed around TMS’ high-banked, 1.5-mile oval, holding off Austin…

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service FORT WORTH, Tex. – It was a case of déjà vu for Johnny Sauter on Friday night at Texas Motor Speedway. Now the defending NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion hopes history repeats itself two weeks hence, when he races for his second straight title at Homestead-Miami Speedway. After taking over the lead on Lap 135 of 147 of the JAG Metals 350 Driving Hurricane Harvey Relief, when John Hunter Nemechek ran out of gas while leading at the end of a cycle of green-flag pit stops, Sauter kept fellow Round of 6…

FORT WORTH, Texas – There will always be a special connection between NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Texas Motor Speedway. Earnhardt Jr., who is retiring at the end of the racing season, will make his final appearance at TMS in his No. 88 Justice League Chevrolet on Sunday at the AAA Texas 500. “Dale Earnhardt Jr. is forever linked with Texas Motor Speedway,” Gossage said. “He won his first XFINITY Series race here back in 1998 and he won his first Cup Series career race in 2000. It would be an amazing thing for him to win here in…

Courtesy of Texas Motor Speedway Media Relations FORT WORTH, Texas – As NASCAR superstar Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s final season is coming to a close, Texas Motor Speedway is celebrating his career at the world-class motorsports venue with a “Junior Achievement” photo gallery that his highlighted by his first career wins in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup and XFINITY Series. The photo gallery below features 41 images dating to his first visit in 1998 to his most recent in April for the O’Reilly Auto Parts 500. Earnhardt Jr., who will make his final start at Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday, Nov.…

Courtesy of Richard Petty Motorsports FORT WORTH, Texas – Click n’ Close™, a division of Mid America Mortgage, Inc., has entered into official partnership agreements with the sanctioning body, NASCAR, and one of the most iconic race teams in the sport, Richard Petty Motorsports. The collaborations designate Click n’ Close as the “Official Mortgage Provider of NASCAR®” in addition to becoming a partner of Richard Petty Motorsports. The announcement was made on Friday during a news conference at Texas Motor Speedway. Click n’ Close is Mid America Mortgage’s new digital mortgage approval and closing platform that provides home buyers with…

Courtesy of Texas Motor Speedway Media Relations FORT WORTH, Texas – From the concession stands to “Big Hoss,” Texas Motor Speedway will celebrate Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s final race in the Lone Star State during this weekend’s AAA Texas 500 NASCAR playoff tripleheader. The most unique tribute for NASCAR’s most popular driver, who is set to retire at the conclusion of the season, comes best served warm with salt and dipping sauces. Levy Restaurants has created the “JR88” pretzel that features two four-ounce soft pretzels shaped into Earnhardt Jr.’s iconic No. 88. The specialty concession item, only available at this weekend’s…

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service MARTINSVILLE, Va. – The sun went down, the new lights came on, and all hell broke loose at Martinsville Speedway. In a wild overtime finish that took Sunday’s First Data 500 to 505 laps at the .526-mile short track, Kyle Busch beat Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series leader Martin Truex Jr. to the stripe by .141 seconds to take the checkered flag and earn a spot in the Nov. 19 Championship 4 race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. As Busch crossed the finish line, a multi-car wreck behind him scrambled the running order and left a…

Courtesy of the NHRA LAS VEGAS – Top Fuel veteran Terry McMillen piloted his dragster to his first career victory Sunday at the 17th annual NHRA Toyota Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Eddie Krawiec (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also earned victories in their respective categories at the fifth of six playoff events during the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Countdown to the Championship. McMillen raced to his first winner’s circle with a pass of 3.870-seconds at 253.99 in his AMALIE Motor Oil XTERMIGATOR after Brittany Force…

Courtesy of the NHRA GLENDORA, Calif. – NHRA announced today that the Pro Stock Car category will feature 16-car fields at all 24 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series national events in 2018. NHRA came to this decision after a collaborative and productive meeting with several Pro Stock drivers and teams. The group discussed a few initiatives that would serve as alternatives to NHRA’s previous decision to run 8-car fields at nine national events. One of the ideas from the meeting involved the possibility of including a new engine platform that NHRA’s Tech Department is evaluating. NHRA will continue to…

News, notes and photos courtesy of NASCAR Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Next Race: First Data 500 The Place: Martinsville Speedway The Date: Sunday, Oct. 29 The Time: 3 p.m. ET TV: NBCSN, 2:30 p.m. ET Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Distance: 263 miles (500 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 130), Stage 2 (Ends on lap 260), Final Stage (Ends on lap 500) Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Kicks Off Round of 8 The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs kicks off its Round of 8 at Martinsville Speedway with Sunday’s First Data 500 (3 p.m. ET…