Category: Racing

Kevin Harvick on why he’s OK with NASCAR not testing for coronavirus at the track

NASCAR will have health screenings but not on-site COVID-19 testing when it returns to racing.

When NASCAR resumes competition Sunday after a 10-week hiatus because of the global coronavirus pandemic, a variety of health and safety precautions will be taken and rules seriously enforced with up to a $50,000 fine from the governing body for breaking them.

Race day will have a completely different look to it without fans in the grandstands, limited personnel at the race tracks and health screenings, including temperature checks, for those entering and exiting the venue.

However, on-site testing is not among the protocols put in place for the first four races — two at Darlington Raceway followed by two at Charlotte Motor Speedway — NASCAR has confirmed in its return.

Although most of the sports world is on hold because of the COVID-19 outbreak, NASCAR will join UFC as two of the only organizations able to host competitions right now. But in the week leading up to UFC 249 on Saturday, 300 people were tested for the novel coronavirus, president Dana White said via ESPN, and one fighter and his two cornermen tested positive.

But NASCAR not having on-site coronavirus testing for drivers and other team members doesn’t bother Kevin Harvick.

The No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford driver explained Thursday during a conference call with reporters why he’s comfortable with the health screenings NASCAR will be doing, even if that means no testing. Comparing NASCAR to UFC or other contact sports, Harvick said:

“Well, I’m not gonna get punched in the face by anybody else or be put in a head lock or be directly in contact with any of my other competitors. So I think it’s a drastically different situation.

“And I think when you look at the guidelines of entry and exit and temperature checks during the week and all the logs and things of where people are and who they have interaction with, I think we have done what we need to do from what fits our sport the best. So it’s just a much different situation than other sports that actually have human to human contact and have to be in each other’s face and things of that nature.”

NASCAR’s COVID-19 regulations include rosters being limited to 16 people per car — including the driver, team owner, crew chief, spotter and hauler driver — and social distancing measures have been put into place to limit interactions. Personal protective equipment, like masks, is also required.

With races confirmed so far only for Darlington and Charlotte, both tracks are within driving distance from NASCAR’s base in Charlotte, allowing each event to be a one-day trip. And those traveling to races have been asked to keep a log of the people they interact with each race day, just in case someone does test positive and needs to identify who they’ve come into contact with.

About the lack of testing at this point, NASCAR vice president of racing operations John Bobo said during a media teleconference on April 30:

“Those tests remain in short supply. Getting results can take two to three days. Really those tests should be targeted for people most in need.”

In an attempt to ensure everyone’s safety at the track as much as possible, Harvick also emphasized “that there’s a personal responsibility that comes with each one of us” to be cautious and follow the rules put in place. He continued:

“I think our sport is much different than other sports as far as the interaction between the competitors and the way that things function. So with every driver and every person in that garage being treated like they have the virus and being compartmentalized and doing the things that it takes to keep our sport safe, it’s not a locker room full of guys that are getting ready to go throw a ball around or have to have that interaction with each other on a weekly basis. …

“I think our sport has done a good job to prepare us for this. We’ve got 40 guys that need to make sure that they take it seriously from a driver’s side and a whole garage that will do the same. I think we’ll do that.”

Although there won’t be on-site testing, NASCAR told For The Win its medical liaisons will help team members if they need or think they need to be tested.

In terms of possibly being exposed to the virus or unknowingly spreading it, Harvick continued:

“The actual goal [for] everybody is to, obviously, not have anybody test positive for it. But I think with the way that everything is laid out, if somebody is tested positive for it, I think there’s a good plan in place to know where they’ve been, who they’ve been in contact with and the precautions that have been put in place to kind of build those walls. So that if it does happen, you have a good firewall built of trying to keep the people who have been exposed to it quarantined, and the procedures that have been put in place are there to be able to deal with that. So I think it’s something that could happen.

“I don’t know that it’s definitely not a make or break situation. I think building in the possibility of that happening and the plans and in the procedures and understanding that that could happen before we get started was built into everything. So I can’t tell you whether it’s going to happen or not. But I can tell you that the plan is in place in case it does happen to make sure that we take the precautions that we need to keep it from spreading as much as possible.”

After missing eight races this spring because of the COVID-19 outbreak, NASCAR makes its return Sunday at Darlington Raceway for the Real Heroes 400 (3:30 p.m. ET, FOX). The next race will be Wednesday the 20th at Darlington, followed by two races at Charlotte, including the Coca-Cola 600.

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Brad Keselowski warns against NASCAR drivers having ‘false sense of confidence’ in return

Keselowski explained why he has little to no trust in his fellow drivers afters NASCAR’s 10-week hiatus.

NASCAR drivers haven’t competed on a real track in a real race since early March, and, as the sport returns Sunday after missing eight races because of the coronavirus pandemic, the first time drivers climb into their seats behind the wheel will be at the beginning of the race at Darlington Raceway.

But the sport’s return comes with complications and several adjustments that will make the event quite different from a traditional race day. In the first four races NASCAR announced for its return, there will be no practice or qualifying — with an exception for the latter at the Coca-Cola 600.

And since the stateside COVID-19 outbreak began months ago, drivers haven’t been behind the wheel of their stock cars or had the chance to run some test laps.

Understandably, that makes Brad Keselowski a little nervous. While the 2012 Cup Series champ spoke with NBC Sports on Wednesday, Mike Tirico asked how much trust he has in his fellow, rusty drivers.

Keselowski said: “Very little to none.”

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But he also explained how the NASCAR world’s pivot to iRacing during the coronavirus-related hiatus may hinder drivers on the track when they initially return for the first of four races in two weeks.

The No. 2 Team Penske Ford driver told Tirico:

“There’s been a lot of talk about how NASCAR pivoted into e-racing, and if you followed the iRacing series that NASCAR had, they had some good success with that, ratings and so forth. But the reality is it’s not the same.

“The tactics are not the same. It looks pretty good, the graphics are pretty cool, but the way the cars drive is not the same. The way the race slows is not the same. Everything about it is much, much different.

“So the problem with that is if you’ve had success with some of the simulators or the internet events, you build almost a false sense of confidence. And that false sense of confidence, when you get on the real race track, can be a big problem. So there’s a lot of drivers that have been putting a lot of time behind the simulator, and I’m not sure that’s a good thing.”

And the famously formidable nature of Darlington’s 1.366-mile track certainly doesn’t help anything. Keselowski said if drivers had to pick the most challenging track to resume competition on — and do it without practice or qualifying — Darlington would be among the most difficult.

Several drivers, such as Jimmie Johnson, Clint Bowyer and William Byron, previously explained to For The Win how realistic iRacing is compared with real life, from the traction on the track to how quickly their tires wear out. But no matter how much time they spend with a simulator, they often say nothing replaces being in an actual car.

NASCAR’s first race back following its season suspension because of the coronavirus pandemic is Sunday, May 17 at Darlington Raceway (3:30 p.m. ET, FOX). The race’s official name is The Real Heroes 400.

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Answering 15 questions about NASCAR’s return to racing during the COVID-19 crisis

Everything you need to know about NASCAR coming back during the coronavirus pandemic.

NASCAR is back. For the first time since early March, NASCAR is hitting the race track again after missing eight races because of the global COVID-19 pandemic.

The premier Cup Series last real-life race — not the virtual ones NASCAR drivers have been competing in thanks to iRacing during the coronavirus hiatus — was March 8 at Phoenix Raceway, and its next one is scheduled for Sunday at Darlington Raceway.

But several factors were considered in order for NASCAR to actually come back. Health and safety precautions had to be established, the schedule needed to be played around with and the governing body had to find nearby tracks to race at. There are a lot of moving pieces, and it’s all fairly complicated — especially as the plan for the rest of the season remains fluid.

So we’re here to break down everything you need to know about NASCAR’s return and answer the biggest questions about how all this is going to work.

The NASCAR Cup Series is returning to the track starting with these four races:

Sunday, May 17: Darlington Raceway, 3:30 p.m. ET (FOX)
Wednesday, May 20: Darlington Raceway, 7 p.m. ET (FS1)
Sunday, May 24: Coca-Cola 600, Charlotte Motor Speedway, 6 p.m. ET (FOX)
Wednesday, May 27: Charlotte Motor Speedway, 8 p.m. ET (FS1)

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1. How did NASCAR decide on returning to the track at Darlington Raceway and Charlotte Motor Speedway?

North Carolina and South Carolina are among the states allowing NASCAR to compete. And with the sport based in Charlotte, both tracks are within driving distance and close enough to make each race a one-day show.

2. Are they true race weekends?

No, that’s the point of one-day events. The amount of time team members will spend in these communities is minimized, and there is no need for hotels, rental cars or any other necessities that could force them to be in contact with others.

3. What about practices and qualifying?

For these first four events in NASCAR’s return, there will be no practices, and the only race with a qualifying session will be the Coca-Cola 600.

(AP Photo/Mike McCarn)

4. So how will the starting lineups be determined without qualifying?

Without qualifying for the two Darlington races and the second Charlotte race, NASCAR is employing a type of lottery. So for Sunday’s Darlington race, the starting lineup will be determined through a combination of owner points and a random draw with cars being broken into groups of 12.

Teams ranked Nos. 1-12 in owner points will participate in a random drawing for the top-12 starting spots. Based on the current owner points, Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano, Chase Elliott, Alex Bowman, Jimmie Johnson, Ryan Blaney, Matt Kenseth, Aric Almirola, Matt DiBenedetto, Brad Keselowski, Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch respectively round out the top-12 teams.

There will be a random draw for those in positions Nos. 13-24 and then Nos. 25-36 for the corresponding starting spots. And then teams ranked Nos. 37-40 will round out the field in order of owner points.

For the second Darlington race on May 20 and the second Charlotte race May 27, the starting lineup will be based on the previous race’s results — sort of. The top-20 finishers from the last race will be inverted to make up the front half of the starting lineup, while positions 21-40 will start in their same finishing order.

Qualifying will only take place at Charlotte for the Coca-Cola 600 on May 24.

5. Why Wednesday races?

For years, drivers and fans have been begging for midweek events, especially in the summer, and now they’re finally getting their wish. With NASCAR insisting on and doing everything in its power to have a full, 36-race season, midweek races became a necessity.

And now, NASCAR will be able to knock out four races — half the number that had been postponed — in two weeks, as it looks to the future to figure out how the remainder of the schedule will look.

6. Will fans be allowed to attend?

Of course not. At least for these first four races, no fans will be allowed at the track, and NASCAR said there will be “strict limits” for who will be permitted at the venue.

(AP Photo/Terry Renna)

7. Is there a limit to the number of people allowed per team?

Yes, team rosters are limited to 16 people per car, including the driver, team owner, crew chief, spotter and hauler driver.

8. What other precautions will be taken to keep drivers, team members and others at the track as safe as possible?

There are a variety of steps NASCAR is taking to help keep those in attendance as safe as possible. Those include requiring the use of personal protective equipment, like masks, during the whole event and health screenings, like having their temperature taken, when entering and exiting the track.

NASCAR also said the garage and hauler areas will be more spread out, and a minimum of six feet is required between haulers and race cars. Additionally, at-track workspaces (and those using them) will be kept separated unless absolutely necessary, and “if a group of people works closely, that group will have little to no interaction with other groups.”

The governing body is taking these safety measures seriously and will fine team members up to $50,000 for breaking the rules.

9. Were these races already on the schedule or are they new?

Aside from the Coca-Cola 600, all these races are new additions to the schedule and are not races later in the season that have been bumped up. So Darlington is getting two extra races this season while Charlotte is getting one, and, at this point, both tracks will host three total races in 2020.

10. Has NASCAR confirmed any races on the 2020 schedule beyond May 27 at Charlotte?

No, in NASCAR’s return to the track, it has only confirmed the two races at Darlington and two two at Charlotte.

A visit to Kansas Speedway is up next on the original season schedule on May 31, but there is no official word yet about whether or not that will be the next race.

Brad Keselowski after winning the 2018 Southern 500. (Adam Hagy-USA TODAY Sports)

11. Is the Southern 500 in the playoffs in September still on?

As of now, yes, the Southern 500 was not impacted by the revised schedule and is still set to kick off NASCAR’s playoffs on September 6.

12. Is Charlotte’s playoff “roval” race still on?

As of now, yes, Charlotte’s playoff race on the half-road course, half-oval track (or “roval”) was not impacted by the revised schedule and is still set to be the second elimination race of the playoffs.

13. Have any changes been made to NASCAR’s playoff schedule?

No, as of now, the 10-race, 16-driver playoffs in the fall are still expected to happen as scheduled.

14. If NASCAR added three races to the schedule, does that mean it has to eliminate some?

Yes, as For The Win previously explained, three of the four announced races are new, rather than being shifted up from another date on the 36-race schedule. And because of that, NASCAR needed to ditch three races.

Last week, NASCAR utilized the term “realignment” in explaining how it’s moving the schedule around.

So the Chicagoland Speedway race in June was “realigned” to Darlington on May 17, and Sonoma Raceway’s June race was “realigned” to Charlotte on May 27. Additionally, Richmond Raceway’s spring race, which was supposed to be in April will not be made up and was “realigned” to Darlington on May 20.

15. What’s the deal with the XFINITY Series and Truck Series?

The second- and third-tier NASCAR national series are back too. When NASCAR announced its return and four subsequent dates, the XFINITY and Truck series were in there too.

The XFINITY Series will race Tuesday, May 19 at Darlington (8 p.m. ET, FS1) and Monday, May 25 at Charlotte (7:30 p.m. ET, FS1). The Truck Series will, for now, only race on Tuesday, May 26 at Charlotte (8 p.m. ET, FS1).

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Matt Kenseth opens up to Dale Earnhardt Jr. about his nerves coming back to NASCAR

“I’m already a little anxious about that first lap at Darlington,” the 48-year-old driver told Dale Jr.

For the first time since November 2018, Matt Kenseth will be behind the wheel competing in a NASCAR Cup Series race. But the 48-year-old veteran will be jumping in a car he’s never raced before, working with a new crew chief and spotter and doing it all with no qualifying, practice or test laps.

“How would you like to be one of those suckers lined up around me?” Kenseth joked on this week’s episode of the Dale Jr. Download podcast about possibly being a wildcard. “You think I’m nervous?”

Kenseth will make his 2020 Cup Series debut Sunday at Darlington Raceway for NASCAR’s return to the track after missing eight events this spring because of the global COVID-19 crisis. He’ll race full-time for the rest of the season in the No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet, replacing Kyle Larson, who was fired last month after using the N-word during a virtual iRacing event.

Away from NASCAR for about 18 months, the 2003 Cup Series champ explained on Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s podcast that when the team called him about taking over the ride full-time, he discussed the commitment with his wife, Katie, and how it might affect their four daughters, all of whom are under the age of 11.

He said that had this opportunity been presented to him in February, his answer “almost for sure” would have even no.

But between being quarantined at home with not much to do and the No. 42 team’s strong performances in the first four races of the season, Kenseth said the timing was perfect, adding that he wouldn’t have agreed to come back if he had doubts about being able to “put 100 percent effort in.”

“I’m pretty excited,” the two-time Daytona 500 winner said. “This is as excited as I’ve been to go racing in as long as I can remember, to be honest with you. I’m looking forward to getting back to the track.”

Kenseth continued on the Dale Jr. Download:

“This just kind of came up out of nowhere, and honestly, it’s like one of those things you think about it for a little bit, talked to Katie a lot about it, and just seemed like the right deal at the right time for me. It’s a competitive car. I think they’ve got a great team over there. …

“Usually when you make a driver change or a crew chief change or all that, it’s almost always performance-related, right? So to have that opportunity to get in a car that’s currently running well — I know you’re already part way into the season and all that — but it’s currently running well and really, they just needed a driver. I just thought it was a good opportunity for me to take another stab at it.”

The last time Kenseth was in a Cup car, he was driving for Roush Fenway Racing. To help guide a rebuilding team, he split the ride with former No. 6 Ford driver Trevor Bayne that season, earning two top-10 finishes in 15 races.

But this time around, he’s getting into a car that showed some speed early in the NASCAR season. Through the first four races before the schedule was postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic, Larson and the No. 42 team had three top-10 finishes, most recently coming in fourth at Phoenix Raceway in early March.

And Kenseth wants to pick up right where the team left off.

Although he said nothing replaces practice or test laps in a car, he’s utilizing all the resources available to him, from talking to new teammate Kurt Busch, analyzing data from past races, watching film, reading through notes from last year’s Darlington race and talking with his crew chief, Chad Johnston.

When Earnhardt asked what his goals are for this 2020 stint, Kenseth said:

“I hope to be competitive. Obviously, it’s going to be a steep learning curve, you know, it sounds like the first six races there’s not going to be any practice. And never driving for this team and a different spotter, crew chief, equipment, car, steering, fit — you know all the things that go into that to make you feel confident and make you feel comfortable and to be able to help you relay information. So it’s going to be pretty interesting.

“I’m already a little anxious about that first lap at Darlington. But I mean, really, my goals aren’t any different than what they used to be. I’d say I adjusted my goals in 2018 just because I knew there were probably some things we had to change and things like that. But every other I really raced, my goals haven’t really been that different. It’s just be the best I can be. You go out, and you hope you can put everything together and figure out how to win.”

Kenseth has 39 career Cup victories in 18 full-time seasons, dating back to 2000 when he edged out Earnhardt for rookie of the year.

His last full-time NASCAR season was in 2017 with Joe Gibbs Racing — he won the penultimate race of the season at Phoenix Raceway — before he was replaced by Erik Jones, who is 24 years Kenseth’s junior.

He told Dale Jr. and podcast co-host Mike Davis that he never found an opportunity he deemed the “right fit” after that season, so he decided to walk away. But he said he doesn’t think he “was every totally at peace with the whole situation” of how this full-time career in NASCAR seemingly ended.

And he doesn’t like to use the word “retired” because, as he sees it, he’s clearly not done racing. Last summer, he even won a super late model race in Wisconsin.

“I actually never used the R-word. Like everybody’s saying — I don’t really read much of what people say, but people will be like, ‘Oh, he’s coming out of retirement for the second time.’ I was like, ‘Well, I never went into retirement. I wasn’t currently racing, but I never really retired.”

But he was quick to admit he does miss racing. Kenseth continued on Earnhardt’s podcast:

“Yes, there’s a lot of things I missed about it. It’s not the things that everybody would think. I really missed the camaraderie. I really miss being part of a team, part of a unit, a group, that is trying to go out and beat the best teams and beat the best teams that build stock cars, to try to be the best you can be and be part of that link in that chain.

“So it takes everybody doing their job at a high level to be able to be successful at this sport or be able to win. So I really miss being part of the group, the interaction with your team, just the little things, going to the shop. That’s what I miss the most.”

NASCAR’s (and Kenseth’s) first race back is Sunday, May 17 at Darlington Raceway at 3:30 p.m. ET (FOX).

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Why F1 star Sebastian Vettel says he and Ferrari are breaking up

Sebastian Vettel is done with Ferrari after the 2020 F1 season.

In a virtual press conference last month, Formula One star Sebastian Vettel said there would be “no discussion” about the possibility of him retiring at the end of the 2020 season. He is, however, ditching Ferrari.

Releasing a statement Tuesday, Ferrari confirmed reports that it and the four-time F1 world champion have mutually agreed to part ways at the end of the season, which is currently paused because of the global COVID-19 pandemic and is not expected to return until July at the earliest. Vettel’s current contract is up at the end of the current season.

The German driver will turn 33 years old in July, and without a ride for next season, his future in the sport remains in limbo — even if he was previously adamant about not retiring. Depending on how other free-agent pieces move around, there could be a place for Vettel with McLaren, Renault or even Red Bull, but his inability to reach a deal with Ferrari could also leave him without a job.

In a statement released with Ferrari, Vettel explained how, despite being in contract talks for a while, the last few months have given him a chance to reflect on his career and future. He said in full:

“My relationship with Scuderia Ferrari will finish at the end of 2020. In order to get the best possible results in this sport, it’s vital for all parties to work in perfect harmony. The team and I have realised that there is no longer a common desire to stay together beyond the end of this season. Financial matters have played no part in this joint decision. That’s not the way I think when it comes to making certain choices and it never will be.

What’s been happening in these past few months has led many of us to reflect on what are our real priorities in life. One needs to use one’s imagination and to adopt a new approach to a situation that has changed. I myself will take the time I need to reflect on what really matters when it comes to my future.

Scuderia Ferrari occupies a special place in Formula 1 and I hope it gets all the success it deserves. Finally, I want to thank the whole Ferrari family and above all its “tifosi” all around the world, for the support they have given me over the years. My immediate goal is to finish my long stint with Ferrari, in the hope of sharing some more beautiful moments together, to add to all those we have enjoyed so far.”

In his first five years with Ferrari, Vettel earned 14 grand prix victories, making him the third-most successful driver for the team. The 2020 season, when it starts, now will be his sixth and final year with the team.

In part, Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto said in the statement:

“This is a decision taken jointly by ourselves and Sebastian, one which both parties feel is for the best. It was not an easy decision to reach, given Sebastian’s worth as a driver and as a person. There was no specific reason that led to this decision, apart from the common and amicable belief that the time had come to go our separate ways in order to reach our respective objectives.”

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NASCAR’s latest schedule changes eliminate 3 races in 2020 due to COVID-19

NASCAR added three races to the schedule to help its return to racing. But that meant three others had to go.

NASCAR announced Friday what it described as a “realignment” for its already revised Cup Series schedule as the result of the global COVID-19 outbreak, which initially led to the postponement of eight races this spring.

Simply put, NASCAR’s return to racing later this month features three new races added to the schedule. So in turn, three races in the future needed to be eliminated to equal the total 36 it usually runs.

Because of that, Chicagoland Speedway, Sonoma Raceway and Richmond Raceway each lost one race this season. Richmond typically hosts two Cup Series races per year, so while the spring race originally scheduled for April will not be made up, NASCAR’s visit to the short track in September is still on. However, Chicagoland and Sonoma lost their lone races of the season.

In a statement Friday, the governing body said:

“Due to the current pandemic, NASCAR has faced several difficult decisions, including realigning race dates from several race tracks. These decisions were made following thorough collaboration with local and state government officials from across the country, including the areas of the affected race tracks. We thank all our fans for their support, and we look forward to our return to racing.”

NASCAR’s last race in 2020 was in early March at Phoenix Raceway right before the sports world shut down because of the coronavirus outbreak.

But it’s returning to the real-life race track — as opposed to the virtual track drivers have been competing on while the COVID-19 crisis put the season on hold — later this month, starting with four planned races, three of which were added to the schedule.

Sonoma Raceway (USA TODAY Sports)

After an eight-race hiatus, the Cup Series’ first race back is Sunday, May 17 at Darlington Raceway. The second event will be Wednesday the 20th also at the 1.366-mile South Carolina track, which normally only has one race a season, the Southern 500 at the end of the summer (and still on NASCAR’s schedule).

Following Darlington, the next two races will be at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The first one will be the iconic Coca-Cola 600 — it will be on Memorial Day Weekend for the 60th straight season – while the second was added to the schedule and will be on the following Wednesday.

Because Darlington received two extra races and Charlotte got one, NASCAR needed to eliminate three races somewhere else.

As NASCAR explained, the Chicagoland race was “realigned” to Darlington on May 17, Richmond’s spring race was “realigned” to Darlington on May 20, and Sonoma’s race was “realigned” to Charlotte on May 27.

Several factors were considered for NASCAR to come back, such as being able to drive to tracks for one-day trips and which states are willing to allow racing to actually take place, like North Carolina and South Carolina. Those components will likely also impact the governing body’s moves beyond the four initial races announced as part of its return.

Although no additional race dates beyond May 27 have been confirmed, NASCAR has been adamant about doing everything in its power to race a full 36-race season. The next race currently on the regular schedule is at Kansas Speedway on May 31.

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How Dale Earnhardt Jr. preserved an abandoned NASCAR track for use in iRacing

Dale Jr. loves North Wilkesboro Speedway, so he worked to preserve it… virtually.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. loves North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Carolina, despite its dilapidated condition and desperate need for a makeover.

The abandoned .625-mile track is about 80 miles north of Charlotte, and the NASCAR Cup Series hasn’t competed at it since 1996. Although some people in NASCAR would like the sport to return to it some day, the condition the track is in makes that highly unlikely. Even a 2019 feature by The Athletic about Earnhardt’s involvement with the track described it as “closer to being condemned than anything else.”

But Earnhardt found a way to preserve it — just virtually thanks to iRacing’s technology — and documented the process of cleaning the track up.

In addition to gathering the necessary data for iRacing, the final product was a 15-minute short documentary from Dale Jr.’s company Dirty Mo Media called Bringing Back Wilkesboro.

Since the global COVID-19 outbreak, iRacing has largely been in NASCAR’s spotlight with racing moving online. And the exhibition eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series is headed to none other than North Wilkesboro to race on the virtual track, which debuts on iRacing on Saturday.

It’s all thanks to this project. But it probably wouldn’t be possible without Earnhardt, who pushed for the track to be scanned and immortalized in the virtual racing world.

“It won’t be here much longer as it continues to decay,” Dale Jr. says in the film. “If we can take a scan of the surface, the walls, we can go back to whenever we want and recreate the race track as it was in any year, and it’ll be there forever for us to enjoy.”

The problem was for iRacing to gather enough data to create a simulated version of the track, the weeds growing out of the surface needed to be removed.

In the film, Earnhardt specifically mentions how this tweet helped ignite the track’s virtual preservation:

While Earnhardt and several others cleaned up the track so it could be laser scanned and added to the iRacing world, Dirty Mo Media filmed the work and created the documentary about the process. According to the short film, more than a dozen people, Earnhardt included, used 18 trimmers, 11 blowers and two track sweepers to clear the surface.

The documentary premiered Thursday on Dale Jr.’s Twitch page, and it’s also available to watch on YouTube.

The seventh and presumably final eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series event is the North Wilkesboro 160 on Saturday at 3 p.m. ET on FOX and FS1. Earnhardt is among the expected participants.

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NASCAR could fine team members up to $50,000 for breaking COVID-19 safety rules at races

NASCAR is returning during the coronavirus crisis, but not without some strict safety protocols.

As NASCAR prepares to return later this month to the real-life race track — as opposed to the virtual track drivers have been competing on while the COVID-19 crisis put the season on hold — it outlined some strict health and safety protocols put in place to protect the few people actually allowed at the track, along with anyone they may come into contact with.

Of course, spectators won’t be in the stands. But NASCAR is requiring those who are allowed to attend to practice social distancing and wear personal protective equipment like masks. Teams are also limited to 16 people per car roster, and there will also be health screenings for people when they enter and exit the track, along with during the event.

And just in case anyone doesn’t take these new rules seriously, the governing body is ready to fine people not complying up to $50,000.

NASCAR updated its rules Wednesday regarding members’ conduct to include, via RACER:

“[F]ailure to comply with NASCAR’s COVID-19 Event Protocol Guidelines and/or instructions from NASCAR including screenings, social distancing, compartmentalization, and use of required personal protective equipment, etc.”

As NBC Sports noted, the penalty for breaking these rules will lead to a fine between $10,000 and $50,000 for the Cup Series, between $5,000 and $25,000 for the second-tier XFINITY Series and between $2,500 and $12,500 for the third-tier Truck Series. (The latter two series are also returning to racing with an adjusted schedule.)

After eight Cup Series races have been postponed, NASCAR is planning its return for Sunday, May 17 at Darlington Raceway in South Carolina. Reworking the schedule, that event is followed by a mid-week, second race at Darlington and then two races at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the first of which is the Coca-Cola 600.

In addition to implementing safety measures at the track, NASCAR significantly modify both its season and individual weekend schedules.

To put on a race but limit travel and exposure to others, it’s ensuring that every race is a one-day show. Both tracks are within driving distance from NASCAR’s home base in Charlotte — so no flights, hotels, engaging with the community, etc. — and there won’t be practices or qualifying (except the latter for the Coke 600).

North Carolina and South Carolina are also allowing NASCAR to race, and that will be a factor in determining how the rest of the schedule will look after these first four races, three of which are new to the schedule, adding another layer of complexity to the return of racing.

The first NASCAR event following the season’s coronavirus-related suspension is a nameless 400-mile race at Darlington on Sunday, May 17 at 3:30 p.m. ET. The next one is Wednesday the 20th also at Darlington at 7:30 p.m. ET.

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NASCAR president Steve Phelps says revised racing schedule is ’99 percent’ done

NASCAR’s return now means some tracks will have to lose a race later on.

NASCAR is on its way back, despite the global COVID-19 pandemic, with cars scheduled to hit the track at Darlington Raceway on Sunday, May 17 for the first time since early March when the season was postponed. And fans (of NASCAR and sports in general) are pumped for the return of some type of athletic competition.

But there are a number of complex issues related to the coronavirus’ impact on racing and NASCAR’s nine-month schedule, ranging from the strict health and safety measures that will be in place for the few people actually allowed at the track to the logistics of trying to fit a full slate of 36 races in after eight have been postponed because of the coronavirus outbreak.

However, NASCAR president Steve Phelps said this week on Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s podcast that the reworked schedule is “99 percent of the way done.” And that means the governing body has already tentatively figured out which tracks will lose or gain races this season.

For right now, the NASCAR Cup Series’ revised schedule opens with four races: Two at Darlington followed by two at Charlotte Motor Speedway, including the Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day Weekend.

On this week’s episode of the Dale Jr. Download, Phelps explained:

“We would like to announce a full schedule. The reasons why we can’t do that — part of that has to do with we don’t know if we can get into that particular state or not. So we know we’re good in the state of South Carolina. We know we’re good in the state of North Carolina. So that’s kind of where we stopped just to put a flag in the ground and say, ‘Hey, we’re going to move forward with these first four races.'”

North Carolina and South Carolina are permitting NASCAR to race and re-open their shops, and with the sport based in Charlotte, both tracks are within driving distance to make each trip as short as possible. Additionally, there won’t be practice for these races, nor will there be qualifying outside of the Coca-Cola 600.

But these two tracks also complicate things.

Normally, the Cup Series would have one race, the Southern 500, per season at Darlington, and it’s one of NASCAR’s “crown jewel” events. There also traditionally would be two races at the Charlotte track: The Coke 600 (also a “crown jewel”) and a playoff race on the half-road course, half-oval known as the roval.

Both the Southern 500 in September and the roval race in October remain on the schedule as planned currently. So by handing Darlington two additional races and giving Charlotte a third, NASCAR will have to drop three other race dates from the schedule — and that number could increase, depending on the direction the COVID-19 outbreak in the U.S. takes.

Phelps continued on the Dale Jr. Download:

“What we’re determining right now is, obviously, the number of events in Darlington for this year, when the season started, we had one. Now, we have three, so we had to figure out where those races are coming from.

“So we have some idea. But we’re trying to figure out what that looks like because if you have two additional Darlingtons and one additional Charlotte Motor Speedway [race], they have to come from some race track. So is that coming from a race track with two events that will now have one? Those are the things we’re trying to work through right now.”

NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer, Steve O’Donnell, was a little firmer. In a conference call with reporters Thursday, he said: “Those decisions have been made,” but NASCAR isn’t prepared to make anything public.

There are several contributing factors for figuring out which races could be eliminated, including sponsorship obligations and whether the tracks are owned by either NASCAR or Speedway Motorsports.

But the point is that some tracks are going to lose a race, and although the situation is fluid, it sounds like NASCAR has determined which ones.

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Kyle Larson is returning to the dirt track after being fired by NASCAR team

Kyle Larson is set to compete in an upcoming World of Outlaws sprint car race.

Three weeks after Kyle Larson was fired by his NASCAR team, Chip Ganassi Racing, for using a racist slur, the 27-year-old driver is returning to the race track.

Larson will compete Friday in the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series at Knoxville Raceway in Iowa, NBC Sports reported Tuesday. It will be the sprint car series’ first race since early February with several events on the schedule being postponed or canceled because of the global coronavirus pandemic.

Without real-life racing, drivers moved online to the virtual iRacing world. And during a virtual event on Sunday, April 12, Larson used the N-word on his radio, and it was heard by not only those competing but also by fans watching the livestream.

By Monday after the clip made its way around the internet, both NASCAR and Ganassi suspended Larson indefinitely, and after Larson’s sponsors ended their relationships with him, the team announced Tuesday that it fired him.

On April 27, news broke that 48-year-old veteran Matt Kenseth is replacing Larson in the No. 42 Chevrolet for the rest of the Cup Series season, which plans to resume competition (without fans) at Darlington Raceway on May 17.

Since sharing a video apology the day after using the slur, Larson has not posted anything to his Twitter or Instagram pages about the incident or anything else.

Additionally, NASCAR is also requiring Larson to complete sensitivity training before returning. NASCAR told For The Win that the organization doesn’t comment on the sensitivity training process when a driver is in it and will confirm the person’s completion of it when the driver has been reinstated.

The World of Outlaws said in a statement last month that Larson — who loves dirt track racing and is also a sprint car team owner and multi-race winner — would be able to return to racing after finishing “a sensitivity training course within 30 days of the date of the infraction.” And the series said he fufilled those retirements “to our satisfaction,” RACER‘s Kelly Crandall reported Tuesday.

Tuesday, the World of Outlaws also announced 16 sprint car and late model races through mid-June, starting with Friday’s race at Knoxville. Although spectators are not allowed yet, fans can stream it via DIRTVision.

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