NEW MEXICO MAY 2016 VOL #1 ISSUE #1 new mexico R E P O R T Report 58TH ANNUAL daYTONA 500 TRICKS OF THE TRADE ABQ DRAGWAY NASCAR HISTORY OFF SEASON MOVES 2 NMMotorsportsReport.com new mexico MAY 2016 VOLUME 1 ISSUE 1 R E P O R T Denny Hamlin wins the 58th Daytona 500 by .010 over Martin Truex. Story by David Swope Publisher RaDine William, LLC Editor Dominic Aragon Design & Layout David Lansa DL Graphic Design NASCAR’s off-season moves. Photographers Story by Dominic Aragon Getty Images Corey Ringo David Swope Editorial Contributors Dominic Aragon Jim Costa Lyle Greenburg David Swope Publication Sponsors ABQ Dragway ABQ Dragway, A Family Affair Car Crafters form the first green light. NAPA Auto Parts Story by Lyle Greenburg Unser Racing Museum Yearwood Performance NM Motorsports Report copyright 2016®. All contents of this magazine are copyrighted by NM Motorsports Report, alls rights reserved. Reproduction of any articles, advertisement or material from this issue is forbidden without permission of the publisher. Publisher assumes no responsibility and is not to be held liable for errors beyond the cost of the space occupied by advertisers. Proposed legislation may limit your options “hot rodding” your car. Story by Jim Costa NMMotorsportsReport.com • 3 RStory by David SwopeI S I N G DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.—Daytona Inter- qualifying races (the Can- national Speedway started a $400 million Am Duels) finalize the line- reimagining, dubbed “Daytona Rising” in July up for the Great American of 2013. The project was completed before the Race on the Thursday be- 2016 Rolex 24 at Daytona and was on full dis- fore Sunday’s Main Event. play for this year’s Daytona 500. Daytona’s festival of Five expanded and redesigned entrances, or racing, also known as “injectors,” lead fans to a series of escalators Speedweeks, lived up to and elevators, transporting them to three differ- the hype. The 58th running ent concourse levels. Each level features spa- produced the closest fin- cious social areas, or “neighborhoods,” along ish in the history of the the nearly mile-long front stretch. event—a margin of vic- tory of .010 seconds with Daytona International Speedway now has Denny Hamlin edging out approximately 101,500 permanent, wider Martin Truex Jr. Denny Hamlin wins the 58th Daytona 500 by .010 over Martin Truex. and more comfortable seats, twice as many restrooms and three times as many The 2016 Sprint Unlimited concession stands. In addition, the speedway was won by Denny Hamlin for his third victory “I didn’t win this race to qualify myself for the now features over 60 luxury suites with in the non-points season opener. That vic- fourth starting position, but with our teammate trackside views and a completely revamped tory, coupled with victories in 2006 and 2014, having trouble there at the end of the race, hospitality experience for corporate guests. served notice that he would be a contender they’ll have to go to a backup car, it looks,” for his first Daytona 500 victory—more on that Busch said post-race. “We’ll get a chance to Joie Chitwood III, president of Daytona later. start on the front row. That’s pretty cool,” International Speedway, oversaw the construction. Qualifying for the Daytona 500 returned to The 58th running of the Daytona 500 started a “single” car qualifying and concluded with with tremendous fanfare and Florida Georgia “The IFC has 12 race tracks including Daytona Sprint Cup Rookie, Chase Elliott putting the Line entertaining the sold-out capacity crowd and all additional 11 track presidents are here No. 24 on the pole for the second consecutive estimated at over 100,000 strong. Driver in- working and learning lessons from Daytona year. troductions and pre-race ceremonies created Rising and how these lessons can be applied an electric atmosphere. Both his father, Bill to their tracks,” Chitwood said. Jeff Gordon watched from the FOX Sports Elliott, and team owner owner, Rick Hendrick, booth as Elliott and his former Hendrick Chev- greeted Chase Elliott before he led the field to Daytona Rising is modeled on NFL Stadiums rolet lead the field. Matt Kenseth qualified on the green flag. and modern features that are found there. the outside of the front row for Joe Gibbs Rac- Daytona Rising is more than just a track; it is ing. All that was left was the Can-Am Duels to Chase Elliott led the first three laps before NASCAR’s newest stadium. decide third on back. Dale Earnhardt Jr. took the lead on cheers of the sold-out crowd. The 500 had six caution Chitwood described the social media additions The Duels were held on Thursday night, periods for a total of 31 yellow flag laps and to Daytona International Speedway. February 18th. The significance of that date to the BIG crash never came. NASCAR fans was the passing of Dale Earn- “If we designed this property even five years hardt Sr. in 2001. His son did not disappoint on Fan favorites Chase Elliott, Dale Earnhardt Jr. ago, it would look completely different that that night, leading 43 of 60 laps and winning and Danica Patrick all failed to finish. There it does today,” he said. “Social media is Duel No. 1. were 20 lead changes among 15 drivers with extremely important because today people the final lead change coming out of turn four attend social events that include sports. “It’s real special,” Earnhardt Jr. said reflecting on the final lap. on the victory and the significance of the date. “We have areas for people to congregate, The closest finish in Daytona 500 history was areas to be connected, Wi-Fi because people “I try not to make too big a deal. I like people to a .010 margin of victory with Denny Hamlin want to engage with family, friends and people remember dad, talk about dad. It really warms coming from the third position on the track in their social network throughout the event.” my heart to see the stuff on social media. leaving turn 4 heading to the checkered flag. That’s probably my best way to gauge the re- NASCAR is the only professional sport that action to a day like this,” JGR cars were in positions 1, 3, 4 & 5 with starts a new season with its version of the an alliance Toyota for Furniture Row sitting Super Bowl, The Daytona 500. The Sprint Kyle Busch won Duel No. 2, solidifying the in second. Toyota had the field covered that Unlimited, held one week before the 500, is a fourth starting position for the Sprint Cup De- afternoon and would go on the claim its first pre-season, all-star race held in Daytona. Two fending Champion. Daytona 500 victory. 4 NMMotorsportsReport.com Kevin Harvick made a move to the high side as Coach Joe Gibbs has won three Super Bowls, momentum built coming out of turn four. Denny and now, two Daytona 500s. Coach compared Hamlin moved up to both capture the momentum the two. and block Harvick. “I will say this: it’s exactly the same when Kenseth had to make a decision to either stay it comes to people, because you win with with Truex on the bottom or go to the top with people. In football that’s the case. Denny and Hamlin. Kenseth’s move to the high side overshot Mike will tell you, it’s our people. So that part the “freight train” that Harvick started and sent of it doesn’t change. Most people never get him into a third lane, higher than Hamlin. Hamlin to have a dream in life. I’ve had two from an crossed over Kenseth and with a little contact got occupational standpoint. I’m probably one of Kenseth loose. the most blessed guys in the world. I thank the NEW MEXICO Lord for that.” Hamlin’s momentum and bump drafting from Har- OWNED AND vick put him in the lead by inches over Truex. I was lucky enough to witness greatness, humility and humanity with my experience at OPERATED “Wish I would have crowded him up the track a the Daytona 500, and across the street after little bit more late down the frontstretch,” Truex the race. With only 10 people in the restaurant, 1017theteam.com commented following the race. Joe Gibbs and his team celebrated their vic- tory at Stake and Shake. ESPNRadio1017theteam It was unclear to the human eye who won until the computer displayed Hamlin the winner on the They could have gone anywhere but they big screen around the track. chose to go there. I asked Coach “Why Stake @1017theteam and Shake?” A photo finish victory for Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota and Denny Hamlin capped a historic Day- “After we won with Dale Jarrett 23 years ago, tona 500. we did not know where to go once we left the media center. We were new to the sport, after “It’s the pinnacle of my career, for sure,” Hamlin all, it was the second Daytona 500 we entered. said. “I haven’t got a championship yet. This is So we just came across the street to Stake obviously the biggest win for myself. It’s just the and Shake. circumstances, J.D. Gibbs, who found me about 12, 13 years ago, it’s his birthday today, he’s been “We came here tonight because it only so pivotal to myself and my team and supporting seemed right to remember where we had me for the past 11 years.” come from.” NMMotorsportsReport.com • 5 off-season moves Story by Dominic Aragon The NASCAR off-season provides the opportunity for drivers to explore options, move up (or down) to other series, and join other teams.