What’s the word for Chip Ganassi? Clean language on team radios

NASCAR and IndyCar team owner Chip Ganassi prides himself in running a clean and professional racing operation.

That extends to language on his race team’s radio communications. With conversations between drivers, crew chiefs, spotters and others on the team freely available to fans with scanner radios, the onus is on everyone in the team to keep their language clean and above board.

“I have always found that the drivers I respect the most are the guys that win races and win championships,” Ganassi said Friday at Sonoma Raceway. “If you look at the guys that win races and win championships, nine times out of 10 those are the calmer, succinct communicators on the radio.

“They don’t get into a lot of poor language or obscenities. The guys that win on a regular basis or the guys that win championships don’t feel the need to do that. I think that probably should tell you something.”

When asked if he has ever had to take a driver aside and discuss their language with them, Ganassi concurred and then added a laugh for emphasis.

“Sure,” he said. “Let’s just say that now that the scanner traffic is more in the public domain I’m glad that certain driver’s aren’t with us anymore.  I’ll say that much.”

Follow @gillesrobson

Sprint Cup using new Goodyear tire at Sonoma

The Sprint Cup Series will be using a new tire code this weekend for the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway. The code will be used on all four tires.

Compared to the tires used at Sonoma last year, this tire features a decrease in tread gauge (thickness). With all NASCAR road courses, teams will not run inner liners in their tires at Sonoma.

Team will be given five sets of tires for practice/qualifying and five for the race.

Tire Code: D-4678 (same on all four tire positions)

Tire Circumference: 88.66 in. (2,252 mm)

Minimum Recommended Inflation: Left Front — 22 psi; Right Front — 20 psi; Left Rear — 17 psi; Right Rear — 17 psi

Goodyear will have its wet weather radials (D-4215) present at the track in case NASCAR determines it necessary to use them. The rain tires have not been used since the Xfinity Series ran them at Road America in 2014.

Teams are allowed up to three sets of “wets” for practice/qualifying and up to three sets for the race.

FedEx reveals fan chosen paint scheme for Denny Hamlin at Sonoma

The people have spoken.

Last month, FedEx announced an online vote to determine Denny Hamlin‘s paint scheme for Sunday’s race at Sonoma Raceway. Fans were given three choices and the winning look was shown off today in San Francisco.

The vote was part of the sponsor’s “FedEx Cares” initiative. For each vote, FedEx would donate $1 – up to $55,000 — to the five charitable organizations that will be on Hamlin’s car: the USO, Safe Kids Worldwide, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, JA Worldwide and Urban League.

The winning car was “#FedExCares3” and was revealed in the shadow of the Golden Gate Bridge.

 

FedExVerified account‏@FedEx

Revealed! Fans voted & we're excited to unveil the #FedExCares @RaceSonoma paint scheme today in San Francisco!

 

Verified accountView image on Twitter

Kansas will perform prior to Southern 500

Just like last year, Darlington Raceway is making sure the throwback weekend surrounding the Southern 500 has the proper soundtrack.

As a follow-up to Grand Funk Railroad’s pre-race concert last year, Darlington has announced that Kansas, the band responsible for the songs “Carry on Wayward Son” and “Dust in the Wind,” will perform before the Sept. 4 race.

Among Kansas’ achievements are eight gold albums and three sextuple-Platinum albums. Their first album, the self-titled “Kansas,” was released in 1974. That year, the Southern 500 was won by Cale Yarborough as he lapped the entire field.

“Kansas was an iconic band in that era whose hit songs you can still hear on classic rock stations to this day,” said track president Chip Wile in a press release. “We’re excited for them to perform for our fans and give the Bojangles’ Southern 500 pre-race ceremonies a nostalgic feel as we celebrate the history and heritage of NASCAR on Labor Day weekend.”

The band will perform on a stage on the frontstretch. In addition to a general race ticket, a pre-race access pass may be purchased for an additional $45. This pass will not only give fans stage front access for the concert, but will also include an up close view of the Sprint Cup Series stars as they are introduced to the crowd. Supplies are limited.

The Southern 500 can be seen on Sept. 4 on NBC.

Watch LIVE: NASCAR America at 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN

Today’s episode of NASCAR America airs from 6 – 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

Mike Massaro hosts with Parker Kligerman in Stamford, Connecticut. They are joined by Steve Letarte and Kyle Petty from Burton’s Garage.

Today’s episode gives you a final preview of the race weekend at Sonoma Raceway, one of two road courses the Sprint Cup Series visits.

We also bring you a look at Denny Hamlin‘s ride through San Francisco.

Also included:

• Four drivers with road-course victories will be seeking their first win of 2016 and a potential playoff spot at Sonoma.  Tune in for the breakdown by Parker, Kyle and Steve on which drivers will overcome the 12 twists and turns of the Sonoma road course.

• Parker Kligerman jumps into the simulator to show us the kind of challenges a driver faces at Sonoma, including various passing techniques.

• How would you compare a Modified to a Sprint Cup car?  Some may say they sound unlike any other car you’ve heard; the smell, unique in itself; and the feel you get as they fly by is indescribable.

• Before the Cup series heads to Daytona this year, it makes a stop at Sonoma Raceway in California.  The Golden State has been making an impact on NASCAR for well over 60 years. Eli Gold takes us through the racing history of the nation’s 31^st state.

If you’re not near a TV, you can watch online or on the NBC Sports app via at the NASCAR stream on NBC Sports.

If you plan to stream the show on your laptop or portable device, be sure to have your username and password from your cable/satellite/telco provider handy so your subscription can be verified.

Once you enter that information, you’ll have access to the stream.

Click here at 6 p.m. ET to watch live via the stream.

Friday schedule at Sonoma Raceway

The Sprint Cup Series is back on track today after a week off. Teams will practice for the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway.

Here today’s schedule with TV information.

All times are Eastern.

11:30 a.m. – 9 p.m. – Sprint Cup garage open

3 – 4:55 p.m – Sprint Cup practice (Fox Sports 1)

6:30 – 7:55 p.m. – Final Sprint Cup practice (Fox Sports 1)

Erik Jones makes return to Truck series at Gateway

Thanks to a scheduling conflict for part-time driver Cody Coughlin, defending Camping World Truck Series champion Erik Joneswill make his first start of the season in the series this weekend at Gateway Motorsports Park.

Jones will start in the No. 51 Toyota due to Coughlin, Kyle Busch Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing agreeing Coughlin should devote his weekend to his championship efforts in the CRA Super Series (Super Late Model) and CRA/JEGS All-Star Tour (Pro Late Model).

The Drivin’ for Linemen 200 would have been Coughlin’s fourth of 11 scheduled starts this season. Instead Jones, a full-time driver in the Xfinity Series, will be in a truck for the first time since clinching the title at Homestead-Miami Speedway last November.

It will be Jones’ third start at Gateway. However, the 20-year-old failed to finish in his first two starts due to a crash and an electrical problem.

“It’s a place I took a liking to after making my first laps there in 2014,” Jones said in a press release. “We were really fast there the last two years, just didn’t have good endings. It’s always tough to pass there, so you need to qualify well and keep good track position if you are going to get a win.”

Jones did earn the pole at Gateway last year and led 84 laps before he dropped out of the race after 145 laps.

If Jones earns a win Saturday, it would be the 50th for Kyle Busch Motorsports. Of the 49 it has so far, Jones has been responsible for seven of them.

Jones is currently seventh in the Xfinity Series standings after earning two wins so far this season.