Moving Starke County Forward Healthy Challenge Series Begins Saturday

Posted on Author WKVI
 
 

This year’s Moving Starke County Forward summer challenge is about ready to begin.

The kick-off event for the NASCAR-themed Healthy Challenge Series is set for this Saturday, May 2 at Wythogan Park at 10 a.m. Participants will start the Healthy Challenge Series by walking the pace lap around the park after the sign-up process.

Residents are urged to log steps that could include walking, biking, running, swimming, or hiking for a chance to win some NASCAR prizes. Steps or miles will be recorded every two weeks to reach a certain goal during that time. The first goal will be the Daytona 250. Participants are encouraged to log activity totaling 250 miles by May 16. Details on how to report those steps will be released this week. A different goal will be released shortly before the first deadline.

Continue reading →

INTERVIEW: Michael McDowell

Posted on Author WKVI
Michael McDowell
Michael McDowell

Michael McDowell is filling the seat of the No. 22 Ford for Team Penske at Kentucky Speedway tonight.  He’s qualified well and hopes to keep the car out front like many of the other drivers have this season.  He talks about his work with one of the top teams in the NASCAR Nationwide Series in this Behind the Wheel interview:

Michael McDowell Behind the Wheel

Keselowski Collects First Win in Chase, Wins Second Consecutive Race

Posted on Author WKVI
nscs_checkered_091414
Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 Miller Lite Ford, takes the checkered flag to win the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series MyAFibStory.com 400 at Chicagoland Speedway on September 14, 2014 in Joliet, Illinois. Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/NASCAR via Getty Images

He battled back from outside the top ten twice on the day to capture the first win in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup in the MyAFibStory.com 400 at Chicagoland Speedway. This was his second consecutive win and fifth win on the season.

Keselowski now moves into the second round in the Chase grid called the contender round. He and 11 others will make the move after the race at Dover International Speedway two weeks from now.

Here’s how the rest of the Chase drivers did in the race:

Continue reading →

Keselowski Gets Win at Richmond, Chase Field Set

Posted on Author WKVI
Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 Miller Lite Ford, celebrates with a burnout after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond International Raceway on September 6, 2014 in Richmond, Virginia. Photo by Rainier Ehrhardt/Getty Images
Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 Miller Lite Ford, celebrates with a burnout after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond International Raceway on September 6, 2014 in Richmond, Virginia. Photo by Rainier Ehrhardt/Getty Images

From the green flag to the checkered flag, Brad Keselowski and the No. 2 team had the car to beat at Richmond International Raceway. The car was fast on the track and the pit crew members got Keselowski out of pit road first on every pit stop. To say it was a dominant performance by the Team Penske group may be an understatement.

Keselowski, who had the pole for the race, led 383 out of the available 400 laps in the race to win his fourth race this season. He is the first driver to win that many races this season and has gained the top seed entering NASCAR’s post season next week in Chicago. He captured the 400th win for owner Roger Penske.

Continue reading →

Logano Logs Third Win

Posted on Author WKVI
Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 23, 2014 in Bristol, Tennessee. Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images
Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 23, 2014 in Bristol, Tennessee. Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images

It’s been quite a season for Team Penske’s Joey Logano. He joined the team in 2013 and got one win in his inaugural season and this year he’s got three wins to his name. He collected his third win Saturday night in the Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

He was able to lead the second highest amount of laps with 76 with taking the lead for the last time on lap 456 when he got by Matt Kenseth who didn’t pit after the last caution. Starting fifth, Logano was able to run at the front throughout the entire race and keep track position after each pit stop.

This was Logano’s first win at Bristol Motor Speedway and the sixth in his Sprint Cup career. He joins his teammate, Brad Keselowski, plus Jeff Gordon, Dale Earhardt, Jr., and Jimmie Johnson in getting three wins on the season to lock into the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

Continue reading →

Blaney Wins in Wild Finish at Bristol

Posted on Author WKVI
Ryan Blaney, driver of the #22 Discount Tire Ford, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series Food City 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 22, 2014 in Bristol, Tennessee. Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images
Ryan Blaney, driver of the #22 Discount Tire Ford, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series Food City 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 22, 2014 in Bristol, Tennessee. Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images

It was short track racing at its finest Friday night for the Food City 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Ryan Blaney was able to take his No. 22 Ford for Team Penske to the front of the field beating a dominant Kyle Busch on the last restart of the race to claim his first victory of 2014.

The way in which it happened was nothing short of amazing. Just a few laps prior to the checkered flag, Blaney was racing Kyle Larson for position on the track. Blaney was working on Larson on the inside when Blaney got loose. He slid up the racetrack and bumped Larson into the wall. Larson went spinning off of turn two and collected Dylan Kwaniewski. Blaney was able to continue on the race.

Continue reading →

Ryan Blaney to Race Partial Cup Schedule for Wood Brothers Racing

Posted on Author WKVI
RyanBlaney02A-300x224
Ryan Blaney is ready to run 12 races in the NSCS in 2015. Photo provided

In a technical alliance with Team Penske, Wood Brothers Racing officials announced Thursday that Ryan Blaney, 20, will race in 12 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races for Wood Brothers Racing in 2015.

Blaney will drive the iconic No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford beginning with the Daytona 500. Las Vegas, Texas, Talladega, Charlotte, Michigan, Indianapolis, and other tracks will accompany the schedule.

Continue reading →

INTERVIEW: Ryan Blaney

Posted on Author WKVI
Ryan Blaney
Ryan Blaney

It’s Ryan Blaney’s first time in a Hertz sponsored No. 22 for Team Penske in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and it’s his first time racing at Chicagoland Speedway.  He sounds pretty confident for tonight’s race.  He was in the top ten in practice on Friday and the team is building on more.  Listen to what he has to say about the track, what he expects for the race and about the Penske Files.

Ryan Blaney Behind the Wheel

Keselowski Sweeps at New Hampshire Motor Speedway

Posted on Author WKVI
Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 Redds Ford, takes the checkered flag to win the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Camping World RV Sales 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on July 13, 2014 in Loudon, New Hampshire. Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/NASCAR via Getty Images
Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 Redds Ford, takes the checkered flag to win the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Camping World RV Sales 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on July 13, 2014 in Loudon, New Hampshire. Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/NASCAR via Getty Images

It was about Team Penske’s Brad Keselowski all Sunday long. When he wasn’t leading, he was battling for the lead and took care of the field after restarting outside the top ten on several occasions after pit stops. He controlled the Camping World RV Sales 301 Sunday afternoon and took home the trophy – and the lobster – at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

He also won the Nationwide Series race, the Sta-Green 200, Saturday afternoon.

Continue reading →

Brad Keselowski Gets Win at Kentucky Speedway

Posted on Author WKVI
Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 Miller Lite Ford, celebrates with a burnout after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Quaker State 400 presented by Advance Auto Parts at Kentucky Speedway on June 28, 2014 in Sparta, Kentucky. Photo by Todd Warshaw/Getty Images
Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 Miller Lite Ford, celebrates with a burnout after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Quaker State 400 presented by Advance Auto Parts at Kentucky Speedway on June 28, 2014 in Sparta, Kentucky. Photo by Todd Warshaw/Getty Images

Brad Keselowski had a car that was unbeatable. It started out of the gate on the pole and finished in the winning position Saturday night in the Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. He led 199 out of the 267 laps in the race.

As he celebrated in Victory Lane with his crew, a champagne bottle exploded in Keselowski’s right hand which required a trip to the infield care center. That wasn’t about to cork his night. He returned to Victory Lane four stitches later to continue the celebration.

Continue reading →

Ryan Blaney is Looking Forward to Another Double-Duty Weekend

Posted on Author WKVI
Ryan Blaney
Ryan Blaney

NASCAR driver Ryan Blaney had a pretty good showing at Kansas Speedway in two different series last weekend and he’s going for the double again this weekend.

Blaney raced in his first Sprint Cup Series race on Saturday night where he had a strong finish in the No. 12 SKF Ford for Team Penske in the Sprint Cup Series. It wasn’t the finish he was looking for in the Cup car rolling in 27th at the line, but he brought the car back to the garage in one piece.

Continue reading →

Race Teams Welcome Sponsors for 2014 Season

Posted on Author WKVI

It’s been a busy off season for teams and owners as sponsorships get into line for the upcoming season.

It was announced Tuesday that Love’s Travel Stops will expand its partnership with Front Row Motorsports. The primary sponsorship is slated for 14 races in the 2014 season, which is a significant increase. from last season. The sponsor will be on David Gilliand’s No 38 at the season-opening Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway and for 13 other races in the season.

Continue reading →

Montoya Performs Well in IndyCar Test

Posted on Author WKVI

It had been since the year 2000 when he last placed his foot on the gas pedal in an IndyCar, but Juan Pablo Montoya returned to the sport in fast fashion during an IndyCar test Monday at Sebring International Raceway.

The newest addition to Team Penske drove the No. 2 Dallara/Chevrolet for 20 laps and was just less than half-a-second behind teammate Will Power’s top time in the morning session. In the afternoon session, the former NASCAR driver was able to surpass the fast lap time established by Power before the day’s testing ended.

Continue reading →