“I think we’re going to treat that just as we did Kyle Busch”, NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France said Wednesday during a radio interview.
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Vickers, 32, has been sidelined since last March due to blood clots, running only two races during the 2015 season for Michael Waltrip Racing and the No. 55.
For the Daytona 500, teams and drivers will have to adopt a new point structure as well as qualifying process. “The last five or six years of my life have been like on a roller-coaster, to say the least”, Vickers said.
Edwards wouldn’t be a major upset to win the 500, but given his streaky past in NASCAR’s biggest race, he’s definitely a sleeper.
Looking to end the frustration and confusion that comes when caution flags come out late in its races, NASCAR announced Thursday that it is shifting to an unlimited green-white-checkered finish protocol and establishing an “overtime line” to determine the victor. If the race leader passes the overtime line on the first lap under green before a caution, it’s considered a completed last lap and the resulting positions are counted.
This season will see 36 cars – called charters, or vehicle franchises – guaranteed a spot in every race regardless of qualifying times. But until the leader passes the line, there is no limit to the number of restarts the race can have. “NASCAR has pressed the reset button on the ownership structure and we hope it takes the sport in a positive direction”, the team said after the announcement.
On paper the move of FRR to Toyota should make what was a strong team past year even better. Additionally, Charter teams will get a great share of revenue (NASCAR is under a 10-year, 4.4 billion television contract).
Vickers was granted dispensation by NASCAR to participate in the Unlimited in Stewart’s absence.
O’Donnell said that Brian Vickers, whose Cup career has been beset by pulmonary problems in recent years, has been medically cleared to compete but has not been presented to the series as Stewart’s replacement. He also missed 25 races during the 2010 season when clots were discovered in his legs and lungs.
Stewart-Haas Racing will officially announce the driver of the No. 14 during a press conference on Friday, Feb. 12. But you still have to compete at a high level over a number of events.
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“New Smyrna will be a good opportunity to get a jump start on the season with and be that much more ready for our West race at Irwindale next month”, said Gilliland, who won the West finale past year at Phoenix. said. The non-points race covers 75 laps and is the first stock auto competition of 2016 at Daytona International Speedway.
