Speedway Digest Staff - Results from #60

NASCAR and NMPA Hall of Fame member Waddell Wilson received another jewel in his career crown Sunday when he was named the 2022 recipient of the prestigious Wood Brothers Award of Excellence.

The award was determined by members of the beloved Wood family and presented during the National Motorsports Press Association’s Hall of Fame induction ceremonies at the Great Wolf Lodge. It honors crew members, crew chiefs, engine builders and race engineers that offer outstanding contributions to NASCAR through on-track success. Previous recipients are eight-time NASCAR Cup championship crew chief Dale Inman, NASCAR innovator Leonard Wood and NASCAR Cup championship crew chief Harry Hyde.

A Western North Carolina native, Wilson graduated from Nashville (Tenn.) Auto Diesel College before joining the famed Holman-Moody racing operation in Charlotte, N.C. He initially gained recognition for building the engine Fireball Roberts used to win the 1963 Southern 500. His potent engines were favored by Fred Lorenzen and the drivers they powered to victory included David Pearson, Buddy Baker, Bobby Allison, Cale Yarborough, and Darrell Waltrip.  

Wilson’s engines recorded 109 victories and 123 poles. While in the dual role of engine builder and crew chief, Wilson guided three cars to victory lane in the Daytona 500: 1980 with Baker and 1983-84 with Yarborough. The Oldsmobile known as the “Grey Ghost” that Wilson assembled for Baker still possesses the record for the fastest ever Daytona 500 with an average speed of 177.602 mph.

In 1982, an engine built by Wilson allowed Benny Parsons to become the first NASCAR Cup driver to break the 200-mph barrier in qualifying when he posted a 200.176-mph lap during Winston 500-time trials at Talladega.

During Wilson’s years as a crew chief, he directed his drivers to 22 victories and 32 poles.

Wilson retired from racing full time in 2000, but remained active in the sport in various capacities, including serving as a consultant for Jerico Performance Products.

Wilson and his wife, Barbara, have four children – Gary, Greg, Lisa, and Freddie – who all followed in their father’s footsteps by working in motorsports.

NMPA PR

Kurt Busch, who was twice voted a quarter winner, was announced Sunday as the overall National Motorsports Press Association Pocono Spirit Award for 2022.

Busch accepted the honor during the NMPA awards luncheon at the Great Wolf Lodge.

The NMPA press membership recognized the 2004 NASCAR Cup Series champion by being voted the first quarter winner for his work with the nonprofit program Veteran Tickets Foundation (Vet Tix). Busch began donating race tickets in 2019 and encourages others in the industry to allow military service members and veterans to attend NASCAR races.

In the fourth quarter, Busch was selected for his spirit and leadership through a concussion that ended his full-time NASCAR career and work with the “Window of Hope” program.

Busch was injured at Pocono Raceway in July and did not return to competition in 2022. But he continued to support his team, 23XI Racing, and show others the importance of making your health a priority.

The “Window of Hope” program came to life in 2019 after Busch received a fan letter. In Oct., NASCAR drivers in the Xfinity Series and Cup Series ran pink window nets at the Charlotte Roval to bring awareness to breast cancer. Afterward, the window nets were autographed and auctioned off through the NASCAR Foundation, with proceeds benefiting Atrium Health Levine Cancer Institute’s Project PINK.

Other quarterly winners were NHRA competitor Dom Lagana and IMSA competitor Robert Wickens.

Established in 1992 and supported by Pocono Raceway, the NMPA Pocono Spirit Award is designed to recognize character and achievement in the face of adversity, sportsmanship and contributions to motor sports. It is also meant to acknowledge competitors who have overcome illness or tragedy to return to racing.

NMPA PR

Doug Rice of the Performance Racing Network (PRN) is the 2022 recipient of the Joe Littlejohn Award for service to the National Motorsports Press Association, announced Sunday by president Kelly Crandall.

Not only is Rice a member of the NMPA, but he has continually made himself available to serve where needed, including emceeing events during the annual convention. Additionally, Rice has always been there for support or advice to other members.

Rice co-anchors race broadcasts for PRN but is also the company’s president and general manager. He has covered the sport since 1980

“When I was elected president of the NMPA, one of the first things I began to think about was the Joe Littlejohn Award, and it was a quick and easy decision of who would be the recipient,” Crandall said. “Doug has been an incredible asset to the NMPA, whether serving on the board of directors and being actively involved as a member or helping during the convention events.

“Doug has also been one of my biggest supporters in this role, which has meant a lot. He’s offered advice and ideas to the NMPA, and there was no doubt that he deserves this long overdue honor.”

The Joe Littlejohn Award is presented each year to the person or persons, or an organization, in recognition of outstanding service to the NMPA.

The award is named for the former Spartanburg, S.C. track owner, who was also a competitor in the sport. Littlejohn is credited with two career NASCAR starts but raced extensively before the formation of NASCAR.

NMPA PR

Amanda Ellis has been named the 2022 winner of the Ken Patterson Helping Others Award from the National Motorsports Press Association, as announced Sunday during the annual awards convention.

Ellis is the Sr. Director of Racing Communications at NASCAR. Since 2010, Ellis has been a familiar face to those in the industry and inside the media center.

Among her many responsibilities, Ellis is one of the go-to individuals at NASCAR communications for the media. An ally to all, Ellis is always willing to help or take in feedback. Ellis is also there to provide pertinent information or answer questions and requests during the week.

On race weekend, Ellis serves as a liaison between the garage and the media. Ellis can be found coordinating press conferences and trying to keep order to make sure all are accommodated as best as possible with post-race media interviews.

The Ken Patterson Helping Others Award is presented annually and voted on by the NMPA membership. It recognizes a public relations representative in the motorsports industry “who has exhibited the kind, generous qualities that Patterson always demonstrated.”

It is the first time Ellis has received the award.

Ellis previously worked in public relations for Bobby Hamilton Racing and as an account manager for Ricky Carmichael / Monster Energy.

In addition to the award, Talladega Superspeedway will donate $1,000 in the winner’s name to the Kenneth Patterson Education Trust Fund.

NMPA PR

Ross Chastain had a breakthrough 2022 season in the NASCAR Cup Series, including thrilling many with his last-lap move at Martinsville Speedway. As a result, he has been named the Richard Petty Driver of the Year by the National Motorsports Press Association.

Chastain was voted the recipient of the award by the press membership, taking the honor over new two-time series champion Joey Logano. It was a one-vote difference.

The Trackhouse Racing driver scored his first career win in March at Circuit of the Americas after a frantic final lap duel with AJ Allmendinger and Alex Bowman. It was also the first win for Trackhouse Racing. A month later, Chastain picked up his second win, also making the winning pass on the last lap, at Talladega Superspeedway.

A watermelon farmer from Florida, Chastain turned heads all year with his never-say-die attitude and not being afraid to ruffle a few feathers. It was a season highlighted by an improbable run to the Championship 4, which came after Chastain made a video game move on the last lap at Martinsville, where he rode the wall from Turn 3 to the start/finish line to gain five positions.

Chastain finished second in the championship to Logano.

Other drivers receiving multiple votes were Erica Enders (NHRA), Ron Capps (NHRA), Max Verstappen (Formula 1), and Chase Elliott (NASCAR).

The award was announced Sunday, Jan. 22, during the annual NMPA convention and award luncheon held at Great Wolf Lodge.

The Richard Petty Driver of the Year has been presented annually since 1969 to recognize the season’s most outstanding driver. It is named in honor of the seven-time NASCAR premier series champion.

NMPA PR

The 2023 season will see Coltman Farms Racing expand upon their flourishing influence in pavement racing by supporting Kody King.
 

As King prepares to defend his championship at Hawkeye Downs Speedway and chase a title in the Big 8 Late Model Series, he will do so with Coltman Farms Racing logos adorning the hood and quarter panels of his new car supplied by Pathfinder Chassis.
 

The opportunity to represent Brett Coltman on pavement racing, combined with the speed of the Pathfinder Chassis, has King excited about the idea of representing the Coltman Farms Racing brand in victory lane on several occasions in 2023. 
 

“It feels great to have [Brett] come aboard,” King said. “I’m just really grateful for the opportunity Brett has given me and I can’t thank him enough for believing in me. It’s really exciting to be an ambassador for Coltman Farms Racing as they continue to expand into asphalt racing.”
 

Sponsoring King’s family operation is the latest chapter in what has been a busy year for Coltman’s team.
 

Having already found success with driver Kenny Collins and crew chief Dwayne Frady, Coltman formally broke into asphalt racing late in 2022 by sponsoring MPM Marketing clients Boo Boo Dalton and Michael Faulk during the prestigious ValleyStar Credit Union 300 at Martinsville Speedway. 
 

Coltman said it made too much sense for him to assist King as part of his plan to further expand into pavement racing, adding that King has both the talent and composure he wants out of a driver representing his brand. 
 

“We are excited to partner with Kody and expand our presence in the motorsports world,” Coltman said. “I had the opportunity to meet and follow Kody last year when he was with Lee Faulk Racing. He has a lot of talent for such a young kid, and we look forward to working with him and watching him progress in his racing career.”
 

Now that he has Coltman Farms Racing sponsorship for 2023, King is more motivated than ever to pick up from where he left off at Hawkeye Downs. 
 

Earning a championship at his home track was one of King’s proudest moments as a driver in his young career. He has every intention of adding another Hawkeye Downs title and a Big 8 Late Model Series championship to his growing resume, with King adding that doing so with Coltman Farms Racing sponsorship would make those triumphs even more special. 
 

“To be able to represent Coltman Farms Racing on asphalt here in the Midwest is amazing,” King said. “Having someone out there who believes in me, and my team is great, so hopefully we’ll be in for a great season.”
 

King will formally kick off his new partnership with Coltman Farms Racing on April 22 when the Big 8 Late Model Series heads to Rockford Speedway for the 46^th annual Spring Classic. 
 

Kody King would like to thank his parents, grandparents, fans, and supporters along with MPM Marketing and all his partners.

MPM PR

When the green flag drops on the 61st Running of the Rolex 24 Hour At Daytona next Saturday (live coverage on NBC, 1:30 PM), The Heart of Racing (HOR) will start the 2023 IMSA championship from the front row of the GTD PRO field with the No. 23 Aston Martin Vantage GT3. 

The sister No. 27 Heart of Racing Aston Martin Vantage will start the race from the fourth row of the GTD class as a robust field of 61 GTD and Prototype machines are slated to start the race. 

The two team entries earned their grid positions in a hectic 15-minute qualifying session on Sunday afternoon at Daytona International Speedway to close out the three-day Roar Before the 24 test weekend. 

Ross Gunn turned his best time of the weekend in the No. 23 Aston Martin with a 1:46.824-second lap, which led the session until the final moments when Gunn’s quickest time was eclipsed by just over a tenth of a second on the 3.56-mile circuit. The front row start marks the best-ever qualifying result for HOR at Daytona International Speedway. 

2022 IMSA GTD Champion Roman De Angelis piloted the No. 27 Aston Martin GTD entry for the session, placing it in the top half of the grid with a fourth-row starting spot for the iconic 24-hour race. 

The Aston Martin has had a competitive and consistent pace throughout the weekend over the course of five practice sessions ahead of qualifying.

The 61st running of the Rolex 24 At Daytona International Speedway weekend will start on Thursday, January 26th, with five practice sessions before Saturday's main event. With live coverage on NBC, the famous 24-hour race will take the green flag at 1:40 PM ET. 

No. 23 Heart of Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Driver Quotes:

Ross Gunn: "It's nice to qualify in the front of the grid. Of course a qualifying session for a 24-hour race doesn’t promise much so we still have a lot of work to do. I think we can work on setup a little bit for the race, and hopefully, we'll be able to fight for some good results." 

Alex Riberas: "First, I'd like to say I'm super excited to be in Daytona for this special event. This is my seventh Rolex 24, and I feel like each year I learn something more. This year I feel very confident with the car and the team because are definitely showing up to compete and ready to fight to the end to get that precious watch.”

David Pittard: "I'm excited to be here for the first time with The Heart of Racing, but it’s my second time here in the Aston Martin Vantage. It's great to be here with an IMSA team that has had so much experience and it shows. We've worked on many improvements during the sessions on Friday and Saturday and the balance of the car feels really good. With a competitive lineup like ours in the car, we are ready to make the most out of the 24 hours with a nice clean car so I think we have a good shot at the win." 

No. 27 Heart of Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Rolex 24 Driver Quotes:

Roman De Angelis: "Qualifying went really well, we're in the top half of the grid which is really important and a great place to start for the Rolex 24; hopefully far enough forward to dodge the chaos at the beginning. The car delivered a solid qualifying lap, and Ross did a really nice job qualifying second in GTD PRO. Both HOR cars are competitive this year so we'll see what happens in the race."

Marco Sorensen: "I think practice went quite steady; we tried a lot of things with the car to make it the best possible for race day. Roman did a great job in qualifying and now we can shift our focus to the race next weekend."

Darren Turner: "Being back in Daytona with The Heart of Racing has been great and it’s great to have the hard work that’s been put into the setup of the car start to pay off. It feels a lot different from what we had last year and is a leap in the right direction. With a bit more tweaking with test sessions this week, I think we will be in a perfect position for the main event."

Ian James: "We had a good Roar with very valuable practice time to getting ready for the race. It's always a game of luck, but this year we feel more prepared than we ever have leading into the Rolex 24."

Heart of Racing PR

Jr III (“Junior-Three”) Racing finished fifth in Race 2 of the VP Racing SportsCar Challenge after taking the series first-ever pole and then finishing on the podium in Race 1 on Saturday, Bijoy Garg once again got back behind the wheel of the the No. 3 S2 Cyber Ligier JS P320 for the second 45-minute sprint race of the weekend. 

The Saturday outing marked Garg’s first- ever sports car start, as he impressed with his speed to earn the pole award. The race didn’t start as hoped for, as the California native got loose going into turn one and spun. Rejoining the field last in the order, Garg quickly caught up to his fellow LMP3 class runners after just three laps as he pushed forward through the field to score a well-fought podium in his first IMSA start. 

Looking to continue that momentum in Sunday’s race, Garg started on the front row once again based on his second-fastest qualifying lap. Garg kept the No. 3 LMP3 within podium contention until a bobble in the Le Mans Chicane on lap 14 looped him around. Returning to the race unscathed, Garg rejoined the field in fifth for the final 10 laps of the race. Once again he had good pace, focusing forward to net the second fastest lap of the race with a 1:46.22-second flyer around the fabled Daytona roval. 

“Going into the race, I knew it was going to be a long one, and I had to keep my head down,” said Garg. “I feel like we accomplished a lot over the weekend. I learned a lot about the car and the track. Our results didn’t match our pace today; but overall I felt like the Jr III Racing crew guys gave me a fast car all weekend.”

Jr III Racing Team Owner, Billy Glavin was pleased with the effort and preparation from the team for their first VPSC weekend as they supported Garg’s IMSA debut. 

“I think for the first weekend in the VP Racing SportsCar Challenge, it went pretty well, all things considered,” said Glavin. “I think Bijoy will be a bit more settled in the car for Sebring, and be a bit more comfortable with the format of the races. I believe we can translate our pace from Daytona to more races this season and we definitely have the potential to get some more wins.” 

Round 2 of the VP Racing SportsCar Challenge will be staged at Sebring International Raceway on March 11-12. Jr III Racing will also kick off its IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship campaign the following weekend with the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring.

JR III PR

USC quarterback Caleb Williams amassed a highlight reel of amazing plays inside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in 2022. His first Coliseum highlight of 2023 will be waving the green flag for NASCAR’s first race of its 75^th anniversary season.

The 2022 Heisman Trophy winner has been named the Honorary Starter for the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum on Sunday, Feb. 5. He’s the latest addition to a star-studded event that includes racing from the top drivers and cars of the NASCAR Cup Series, and performances by hip hop icons Cypress Hill and Wiz Khalifa.

The season-opening exhibition airs live on FOX, with the main event beginning at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT.

In December, Williams became the eighth player in USC’s storied history to win the Heisman Trophy. He led the nation with 42 touchdown passes and threw for 4,537 yards for a team that won 11 games. Moreover, Williams’ elusiveness made him a threat on the run, as he rushed for 442 yards and six TDs, while also creating opportunities for his teammates as he scrambled out of the pocket.

Now Williams will create the memory of a lifetime participating in NASCAR’s highly anticipated return to the LA Memorial Coliseum.

The sanctioning body announced earlier this month that 27 cars will compete in the 150-lap Clash main event. Up to 40 NASCAR Cup Series drivers will attempt to qualify for that main event via four heat races and two last-chance qualifiers that will determine the final field of 27.

Practice and qualifying begin at 3 p.m. PT on Saturday, Feb. 4. Heat races begin at 2 p.m. PT on Sunday, Feb. 5, followed by the Cypress Hill performance.

And then shortly after 5 p.m. PT, Williams will wave the green flag for the main event, which features a special mid-race performance by Wiz Khalifa.  

Tickets for the 2023 Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum begin at $65, and kids 12-and-under are $10. Fans who want to take their race-day experience to the next level can upgrade to the Ally Pre-Race Party, which includes brunch, a drink ticket for Busch & Coca-Cola products, exclusive entertainment, a pre-race track walk and a special appearance from driver Alex Bowman.  Fans are encouraged to get their tickets now while supplies last by visiting www.nascarclash.com. It’s one of the many anticipated events taking place this year as a part of the venue’s centennial anniversary celebration – “Coliseum Forever.”

College students can experience the Busch Light Clash from The Coca-Cola Torch Party Porch for just $40. This standing-room-only general admission section, located on the Coliseum’s peristyle steps, provides college students with up-close access to all the musical entertainment, driver introductions and racing action. College students can take advantage of this exclusive offer by visiting www.nascarclash.com/student.

NASCAR PR