NASCAR, CHARLOTTE KEEPING EYE ON HURRICANE MATTHEW

RELATED: Truex discusses weather's impact on game plan | Weather updates


NASCAR officials said they are closely monitoring the track of Hurricane Matthew ahead of Saturday night's race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

No decision has been made that would potentially alter the status of Saturday night's Bank of America 500 (7 p.m. ET, NBC, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), the fourth event in the 10-race Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup playoffs.


Weather outlooks for Thursday's on-track activity are encouraging, but rain is currently forecast Friday and early Saturday, according to the National Weather Service. The next race in the XFINITY Series Chase -- the Drive for the Cure 300 Presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC -- is scheduled for Friday (8 p.m. ET, NBCSN, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

As of noon ET Thursday, Matthew was a Category 4 hurricane lashing the Bahamas and threatening landfall on Florida's Eastern coastline. Hurricane warnings stretched from just north of Miami to southern South Carolina.

Charlotte Motor Speedway is located in Concord, North Carolina, roughly 200 miles inland. The latest proposed track for the storm projects a looping course away from North Carolina, which could spare the state from the brunt of its damage.

The looming hurricane leaves teams plotting strategies for Thursday's on-track action, particularly the first afternoon practice.

"I feel like we're going to race Saturday night, but you never know with the weather," Martin Truex Jr. said. "We're definitely going to do a little race trim (Thursday), which is uncharacteristic for our group."


Daytona International Speedway, located in the heart of the storm's potential route, faces a more imminent hurricane threat. The 2.5-mile track closed its track tour and ticketing operations Thursday and Friday in advance of the worsening weather in Daytona Beach, Florida.

The National Weather Service's Thursday morning forecast for Daytona and its vicinity called Matthew the strongest hurricane to affect Florida's eastern central region in decades.

"We are working closely with local officials here in Volusia County and throughout the region to monitor Hurricane Matthew and to ensure that our facility is as secured as possible," track officials said in a statement. "While it is too early to predict the effect and exact path of the storm, our team has prepared extensively for weather systems such as this and our emergency safety procedures are in place."

Atlanta Motor Speedway is doing its part to help with the relief efforts. The 1.54-mile Georgia track has opened its campgrounds as a free-of-charge refuge for storm evacuees.

Cain: For breast cancer survivors, Charlotte is 'their race'

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The good vibes were easy to feel as one pink shirt after another crowded around the Charlotte Motor Speedway Victory Lane and pit road, where NASCAR stars mingled with breast cancer survivors and their families.

Six-time Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson joined United States soccer legend Mia Hamm greeting people and ultimately delivering encouraging words to the crowd of nearly 500 gathered to kick off October's Breast Cancer Awareness campaign.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina -- for whom Johnson and Hamm are "ambassadors" -- along with the track brought everyone together to paint the speedway's pit wall pink in a visible reminder of this disease that has affected so many people on some level.

"The NASCAR industry has always been so supportive of these kind of causes and teams have adopted the pink color for October for years," the No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet driver Johnson explained between posing for photos, painting the pit wall pink and delivering an inspiring message to those attending. "We have pink trim on our hats and it's been on race cars. The support has been there. It's important to be a part of this and raise awareness.

"The great thing is if you detect it early there really is something you can do about it. And this event also raises awareness for kids so they grow up knowing it's a priority. As a father (of two young girls), that's definitely something on my radar."

Drivers Elliott Sadler, Blake Koch and Jeb Burton were also among the sport's stars there generously offering a friendly smile or gentle hug to survivors and greeting others who came to show support for family members and friends. These drivers are all too familiar with the devastating effects of this disease because their mothers have fought through diagnosis and treatment.

Being trackside with so many people who care was a transformative event for so many patients, who for at least one morning could take a deep breath and replace their pain and worry with the feeling of gratitude and hope.

And that is the whole reason behind this. Drivers who spend their weekends so tense and focused were at the track last Wednesday able to show how much they genuinely care, just in taking the time to be there, posing for a photo or sharing a paintbrush dripping pink.

"This is very personal to me and my family," said XFINITY Series Chase participant Sadler. "To see what our NASCAR community does for breast cancer awareness, for all the pink race cars, the uniforms, the pink trophies, the pink pace car and Charlotte Motor Speedway taking it a step further today. Look at all the breast cancer survivors we have here today. To paint the wall means so much to people affected by it.

"This is by far my mom's favorite race of the year, by far all because we get to run a pink car. I have an amazing sponsor, OneMain Financial, that lets me run a pink car for this race giving up their colors. What I've learned from my mom and other breast cancer survivors, this is their race. They've been through so much, this is a celebration of life, a time to forget about the bad and cherish the good. And that is a neat concept and a neat way to look at it."

Driver Jeb Burton's mother Tabitha is another breast cancer patient. She and I were diagnosed at similar times and have been supportive of one another while going through painful treatment and navigating the reality of this disease.

"She went through a lot and it's definitely hit home for us," said Burton who will drive the No. 98 Biagi-DenBeste Ford in Friday's XFINITY Series race at Charlotte. "This is a great cause and I'm thankful to be out here and paint the wall pink. Hopefully we can find a cure soon."


That is certainly the hope behind the easy smiles and loving hugs we all shared that day.

RELATED: Battling cancer, NASCAR.com writer finds strength in numbers

In the year since I finished my own harsh chemotherapy and radiation, I have lost a half dozen "chemo" friends to this disease. Some I was still too sick to attend their funerals.

The NASCAR community suffered incredibly sad losses to cancer in the last year including 10-year old Elijah Aschbrenner to Epithelioid Sarcoma cancer last November and Scott Zipadelli's 19-year old step-daughter Torie Costa to the disease (Rhabdomyosarcoma) last Christmas Day. Steve Byrnes, a popular broadcaster and my friend, passed away from cancer in April 2015; and another friend, longtime NASCAR journalist Bob Margolis, lost his three-time cancer battle just weeks ago.

Sherry Pollex, the longtime girlfriend of Sprint Cup Series points leader Martin Truex Jr., has battled ovarian cancer for the past two years.

Today, one of my dear friends is having breast cancer surgery. The follow-up and treatment of the disease afterward remains unknown at this point. Her children attend middle school with my daughter. And she was one of the people who immediately and lovingly cared for me and for my children when I was too sick to function during my own chemo. She brought dinner and comfort to us even when I was too sick to answer the door.

And now her diagnosis feels like a punch in the gut, such a cruel twist.

It's my turn to be her source of strength and optimism. So many people cared when I was at my sickest. And now it's an opportunity for me to be there for them.

I am aware like I've never been before. This disease has a way of humbling you and simultaneously motivating you to be a better person. It opens your mind to think more broadly, to act more swiftly. To realize you can care more.

When I left Charlotte last week after the event at the track I was full of gratitude, it was as if I had received a present for my soul. And judging by the smiles, hugs, even tears shared among the group, it was widespread feeling and greatly appreciated. 

"These amazing women, their stories and their fight, honoring them and their families and obviously the women that have passed, too," Hamm said of her time at the speedway. "It's important to continue telling their story of hope and determination and really empowering these women that are here to be proactive in their health. That's one of the reasons I feel so strongly to be a Blue Cross Blue Shield ambassador. It's really about empowering them to take care of themselves."


"This is one of the wonderful things that all the hard work I did in my career was able to do -- to inspire people. And in the end you pass it off to this incredible (NASCAR) race that millions of people will be watching to help spread the message of continued work and awareness for breast cancer."

By the end of the morning, it was truly, truly difficult to tell who was being motivated and who was doing the motivating.

And what an incredibly positive feeling to carry on.

Furniture Row Racing, Maaco team up for sponsorship

Martin Truex Jr. will return to the site of his history-making Coca-Cola 600 win with the same car, but with a new sponsor on board.

Furniture Row Racing announced Thursday that Maaco has signed on as a sponsor of its No. 78 Toyota entries in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The partnership with the auto painting and collision repair company starts with Saturday night's Bank of America 500 (7 p.m. ET, NBC, PRN, SiriusXM) at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

"This has been such a great season for Furniture Row Racing, bringing on new partners," Truex said. "This is just another step in that direction."

Truex has a career-best four Sprint Cup victories this season, kicked off by the most dominant win in Coca-Cola 600 history at Charlotte in May. Truex won the Coors Light Pole Award and led 392 of the 400 laps.

Truex said during his media availability Thursday that the Colorado-based team will use the same car from their Memorial Day romp this weekend.

Unifirst, Hendrick Motorsports strike 8-year sponsorship agreement

CONCORD, N.C. -- UniFirst and 11-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champions Hendrick Motorsports have reached an eight-year agreement that will make the workwear and textile service company a primary sponsor of the No. 5 Chevrolet SS driven by Kasey Kahne. The contract runs through the year 2023.

As the new Official Workwear Provider of Hendrick Motorsports, UniFirst will be a two-race primary sponsor in both 2016 and 2017, with the relationship increasing to three primary races annually from 2018-2023. In addition, UniFirst will be a full-season associate sponsor of the No. 5 team.

UniFirst will make its Sprint Cup Series primary sponsorship debut later this season with back-to-back races Oct. 23 at Talladega Superspeedway and Oct. 30 at Martinsville Speedway.

"UniFirst is excited to be a primary sponsor of Kasey and Hendrick Motorsports," said Adam Soreff, director of marketing and communications for UniFirst. "This partnership is a great opportunity for our company because Hendrick Motorsports is one of the premier -- and most highly respected -- teams in professional auto racing. UniFirst's broad customer base, which includes 300,000 business locations across North America, employs thousands of enthusiastic NASCAR fans, so this relationship is a natural fit. We're extremely proud to have the UniFirst brand represented in such a dynamic atmosphere."

UniFirst is one of North America's largest workwear and textile service companies, providing managed uniform, protective clothing, custom corporate image apparel, and ancillary facility services programs to businesses in virtually all industries. As part of the new relationship, UniFirst will supply work clothing and uniforms to Hendrick Motorsports and sister company Hendrick Automotive Group, which is the largest privately held retail automotive organization in the United States.

"When a sponsor feels strongly enough to commit for eight years, it sends a clear message," said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. "There's tremendous excitement about the opportunities our team and our sport present for UniFirst. They have a reputation for world-class service, the highest quality products and services, and having incredible people. We share a similar mindset and culture, and we're looking forward to working together across our entire organization."

Since joining Hendrick Motorsports in 2012, Kahne, 36, has earned three Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup berths and five race wins with the No. 5 team. The Enumclaw, Washington, native has 17 career victories, 27 pole positions and 166 top-10 finishes in NASCAR’s top division.

"UniFirst will be a great addition to our partners at Hendrick Motorsports," Kahne said. "They're a reliable company that we've worked with at Kasey Kahne Racing for a long time, so I was happy to hear they are coming on board. I'm looking forward to having them as part of the No. 5 team and working with them in the years to come."

No. 48 team remains optimistic despite recent blunders

RELATED: Johnson loses lead at Dover after costly pit road penalty

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Despite a cumulative 208 laps led throughout the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup's first three races, Jimmie Johnson remains frustratingly winless thanks to a string of costly mistakes during the playoff's first round.


To be more precise, pit road mistakes.


Albeit frustrating, it has been highly motivating.


The Chase opener at Chicagoland Speedway saw the dominant No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet atop the leaderboard for 118 circuits -- a race high -- in the 270-lap event. A pit road speeding penalty changed everything, though, preventing "Six-Time" from reaching Victory Lane.


During the race, Johnson could be heard bellowing "No! No!" on the team radio when he learned of the penalty. After rallying to a disappointing 12th-place finish, Johnson admitted post-race that he was "dumbfounded" by the penalty.


Fast forward to two weeks later at Dover International Speedway, Johnson again served a pass-through after NASCAR tagged the team with having crew members over the wall too soon. Following the gaffe, Johnson -- who had led for 90 laps -- ended the day eighth.


Chris Krieg, head coach of the Nos. 48 and 88 pit crew teams, has refused to let these playoff errors lessen the morale of his championship-contending team.


"In athletics you're going to have negative things happen and you have the ability to either stand back up and put your chin up and get 'em next time or you can choose to go in the corner and run from it," an upbeat Krieg said Wednesday at the Nos. 48 and 88 shop in Charlotte, North Carolina.

"Our guys are standing up and they're working harder than they ever had. And we will absolutely bounce back."


Saturday's Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway (7 p.m. ET, NBC, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) is the team's chance to put the hard work to practice at a track where Johnson has collected seven wins.


"Our goal is just to be consistent and give our car and our driver the best ability to finish a race well and win a race," Krieg said. "(We want to) go out there and be consistent and clean and smooth and if we can do that, we'll have a good ending to the race."


Wednesday, Krieg also welcomed five new pit crew members during Hendrick's second-annual pit crew signing day. The group joining the four-car organization are: TJ Semke, Mason Harris, Austin Holland, Timmy Hall and Dylan Intemann.

Gus the Bandit strikes again, claims Charlotte Motor Speedway as victim

He gone done it again.


Gus the Irish Setter Landscaping Bandit was back at work Tuesday night, fertilizing the infield grass at Charlotte Motor Speedway, free of charge.


Thanks to those giant security/regular track lights atop the CMS stands, Gus' owner, Dale Earnhardt Jr., was able to catch the outlaw red-pawed.

Gus fertilized the lawn @CLTMotorSpdwy tonight. pic.twitter.com/hkdfxdhwH1

— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) October 5, 2016

As we all know -- or if you need an updated briefing on this high-priority case -- this isn't the first time Gus' clock has struck "2."

Last year, Gus introduced himself to the world by ... leaving Martin Truex Jr. a present in his bus.


RELATED: Junior's new puppy poops in Truex's bus


And then some "unnamed" pooch found out Joey Logano had to fifth-wheel it with Junior, Truex and their respective lady friends on the flight to Phoenix and took a stand (squat?) in protest.

When u realize "Dammit he's Tweeting a picture. There's gonna be like eight blogs posted tomorrow about this." #NASCAR (h/t @DaleJr) pic.twitter.com/TYSFWkjiuk

— nascarcasm (@nascarcasm) October 5, 2016

Of course we blogged about it. Gotta bring awareness to this heightened threat of future landscaping vandalism. Gus the Bandit must be stopped.

Championship winning crew chief returns to Sprint Cup

CONCORD, N.C. -- Team leadership at Circle Sport-Leavine Family Racing has announced that Todd Parrott will assume crew chief duties for the No. 95 entry in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for the remainder of the 2016 season. Dave Winston will move to a race engineer role within the organization.

"Todd brings a depth of knowledge to our team and I'm excited to have him on top of the pit box at all of our races for the remainder of 2016," said Jeremy Lange, VP of CSLFR. "Todd has been calling the races while Ty Dillon has been in the car and we're pleased to be able to continue our alliance with Richard Childress Racing and use their resources to help our growing team."

Parrott has more than 20 years of experience in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series garage and won a championship with driver Dale Jarrett in 1999.