Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers on the track during testing at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on January 31, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
NASCAR announced it will move its post-race inspection to the track immediately following each national race for the 2019 season. If a vehicle fails post-race inspection, it will be disqualified, resulting in a last-place finish and the loss of all benefits from the win/finish, as well as any stage points. All other vehicles will move up in the finishing order under this scenario. It’s an attempt to speed up the scoring process.
NASCAR will inspect the first- and second-place vehicles, as well as a random vehicle, after each race. Previously, full post-race inspections were delayed since they took place at the NASCAR Research & Development Center in Concord, NC. This delayed the results and interfered with sponsors and their promotion of participation.
The disqualification procedure will be implemented for all three NASCAR national series, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series.
“We cannot allow inspection and penalties to continue to be a prolonged storyline, claimed Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president of competition and racing development. “Race vehicles are expected to adhere to the rule book from the opening of the garage to the checkered flag.”
NASCAR also disclosed other 2019 competition and personnel updates:
O’Donnell announced that the “Generation 7” car in the Monster Energy Series is scheduled to make its debut for the 2021 season and will be designed to allegedly demonstrate new technologies and elements of future production vehicles.
“There is a great deal of interest from our current and potential manufacturer partners to make the cars look even more like they do on the street,” O’Donnell said. Presumably better decals are in process to support this farce.
The NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series will feature the “Triple Truck Challenge” this season, a make money program that takes place at three consecutive races – Texas (June 7), Iowa (June 15) and Gateway (June 22). All drivers earning series points are eligible and drivers who win one of the three races receive a $50,000 bonus. Winning two races nets a driver $150,000 total ($50,000 per race plus a $50,000 bonus), while winning all three races results in a $500,000 total prize ($50,000 per race win, $50,000 bonus for winning twice, plus a $300,000 bonus for sweeping the Challenge races). Monster Energy Series and Xfinity Series drivers are not eligible to compete in the three races of the program.
- NASCAR has imposed series-specific inspectors. Each national series will have a dedicated team of officials who will specialize in inspections for their respective garages.
- Qualifying procedures across all three national series remain the same for 2019, with the exception that the first round of ‘group qualifying’ for short track and intermediate tracks will shorten to 10 minutes in length (previously 15) and the breaks between sessions will be five minutes long (previously seven).
- The national series driver participation guidelines remain mostly unchanged from 2018. Drivers with more than five years of full-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series experience are eligible for a maximum of seven NASCAR Xfinity Series starts and five NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series starts. Drivers who elect to accumulate Monster Energy Series points are not eligible to compete in any Dash 4 Cash or Triple Truck Challenge races, or the final eight races in either the Xfinity Series or the Gander Outdoors Truck Series. In addition, drivers who earn points in the Xfinity Series are ineligible to compete in Triple Truck Challenge races and the Championship race for the Gander Outdoors Truck Series.
Ben Kennedy has been elevated to managing director of racing operations and international development. He previously served as general manager of the Gander Outdoors Truck Series. His new responsibilities will include initiatives aimed at growing the sport, including managing NASCAR’s growth on the international scene.
NASCAR introduced the assistant directors for each series – Kip Childress (Monster Energy Series), Seth Kramlich (Xfinity Series) and Jesse Dollevoet (Gander Outdoors Truck Series).
The 2019 NASCAR season begins with “Speedweeks” at Daytona International Speedway. The 10 days of activity in Florida culminates with the 61st running of the Daytona 500 on Sunday 17 February at 2:30 p.m. ET (FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the stock car motorsports in the United States. NASCAR consists of three national series (Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series NASCAR Xfinity Series, and NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series), three regional series, one local grassroots series, three international series and the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA). The International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the largest U.S. sports car series.
Based in Daytona Beach, FL, with offices in eight cities in North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe.
For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (‘NASCAR’).
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
NASCAR ‘Shocked’ at Cheating. Changes 2019 Season Rules
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers on the track during testing at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on January 31, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
NASCAR announced it will move its post-race inspection to the track immediately following each national race for the 2019 season. If a vehicle fails post-race inspection, it will be disqualified, resulting in a last-place finish and the loss of all benefits from the win/finish, as well as any stage points. All other vehicles will move up in the finishing order under this scenario. It’s an attempt to speed up the scoring process.
NASCAR will inspect the first- and second-place vehicles, as well as a random vehicle, after each race. Previously, full post-race inspections were delayed since they took place at the NASCAR Research & Development Center in Concord, NC. This delayed the results and interfered with sponsors and their promotion of participation.
The disqualification procedure will be implemented for all three NASCAR national series, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series.
“We cannot allow inspection and penalties to continue to be a prolonged storyline, claimed Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president of competition and racing development. “Race vehicles are expected to adhere to the rule book from the opening of the garage to the checkered flag.”
NASCAR also disclosed other 2019 competition and personnel updates:
O’Donnell announced that the “Generation 7” car in the Monster Energy Series is scheduled to make its debut for the 2021 season and will be designed to allegedly demonstrate new technologies and elements of future production vehicles.
“There is a great deal of interest from our current and potential manufacturer partners to make the cars look even more like they do on the street,” O’Donnell said. Presumably better decals are in process to support this farce.
The NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series will feature the “Triple Truck Challenge” this season, a make money program that takes place at three consecutive races – Texas (June 7), Iowa (June 15) and Gateway (June 22). All drivers earning series points are eligible and drivers who win one of the three races receive a $50,000 bonus. Winning two races nets a driver $150,000 total ($50,000 per race plus a $50,000 bonus), while winning all three races results in a $500,000 total prize ($50,000 per race win, $50,000 bonus for winning twice, plus a $300,000 bonus for sweeping the Challenge races). Monster Energy Series and Xfinity Series drivers are not eligible to compete in the three races of the program.
Ben Kennedy has been elevated to managing director of racing operations and international development. He previously served as general manager of the Gander Outdoors Truck Series. His new responsibilities will include initiatives aimed at growing the sport, including managing NASCAR’s growth on the international scene.
NASCAR introduced the assistant directors for each series – Kip Childress (Monster Energy Series), Seth Kramlich (Xfinity Series) and Jesse Dollevoet (Gander Outdoors Truck Series).
The 2019 NASCAR season begins with “Speedweeks” at Daytona International Speedway. The 10 days of activity in Florida culminates with the 61st running of the Daytona 500 on Sunday 17 February at 2:30 p.m. ET (FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the stock car motorsports in the United States. NASCAR consists of three national series (Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series NASCAR Xfinity Series, and NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series), three regional series, one local grassroots series, three international series and the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA). The International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the largest U.S. sports car series.
Based in Daytona Beach, FL, with offices in eight cities in North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe.
For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (‘NASCAR’).
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.