JACK ARUTE'S WIND TUNNEL

This is the final Episode in Season Two So it was time to get some opinions from a couple of the sports insiders in regards to NASCAR’s three Premier Level Series.

For more than a dozen years Vince Welch has patrolled the pits as a reporter and more importantly is the anchor of Fox Television’s Camping World Truck Series coverage. He drops in to review the 2022  Truck campaign and some of the key stories around the season. Vince also shares his thoughts about the trucks moving forward into 2023 and talks about some “truckers” that bear watching.

Adam Alexander is all over Fox’s NASCAR Coverage, Anchoring Fox Television’s Xfinity schedule as well as hosting NASCAR Race Hub and Raceday all season long. When Adam. Steps into the old wind tunnel, You’ll hear his take on BOTH the Xfinity and the Cup Series seasons.

And while most of NASCAR’s action be it at the top or in a region or weekly has wound down, Wind Tunnel visits with  NASCAR’s Jusan Hamilton. You may recall that Jusan became the first African American to run NASCAR’s Race control for this past year’s Daytona 500. Hamilton and his team just completed a 3-day Combine for  13 drivers that showcased their talents but also taught them some new skills as they pursue their dream of rising to the top.

It was the epicenter of attention for Race fans. Three races over 3 days to crown NASCAR’s Premier level Champions. This week’s Episode of Wind Tunnel focuses  on NASCAR’s Championship weekend at Phoenix Raceway where Zane Smith, Ty Gibbs and Joey Logano all realized their lifelong dreams capturing  a championship.

Wind Tunnel takes you inside the Press room after each of the Championship events and hear the thoughts of the drivers that took down NASCAR Premier Championships. 

You will hear from Camping World Truck Series Champ Zane Smith who finally on his third attempt took home the Truck Title. 

 You also hear from Joe Gibbs Racing’s young phenom, Ty Gibbs that took home the Xfinity honors despite having to deal with his actions from Martinsville and has his moment of joy turn to sorrow when his father passed away that evening.

And of course you will hear from Joey Logano who captured his 2nd NASCAR Cup Series Championship  

Also, you will hear from Jimmie Johnson who announced his return to NASCAR as part owner of Petty GMS Racing and a part time return to the cockpit of a Cup Series car

It has come down to a final weekend in the Dessert. It is Championship Weekend for NASCAR’s Premier divisions…Trucks, Xfinity and Cup at Phoenix Raceway!

It has been a long and winding journey to a title and 4 drivers from each series now will race head to head. The Championship 4 in the Truck Series have been prepping for a couple of weeks and kick off this weekend’s action. NASCAR on Fox’s Phil Parsons drops in this week to set up that Championship.

Mike Joy is the undisputed voice of NASCAR. I’ll check in with Mike and we will unpack the Championships in Xfinity in Cup. Of course, he will also weigh in on some of the things we all saw at Martinsville.

In addition, you will hear highlights from Martinsville where teammates were not teammates and where video games intersected reality.

Santino Ferrucci grew up in Connecticut and went to Europe in hopes of landing a ride in Formula One. When That didn’t work out, he came back stateside and joined Dale Coyne Racing’s Indy Car operation.  His driving wowed all that watched but was relegated to a part time substitute role for the last 2 seasons.

That all is about to change. Ferrucci drops in to share his expectations now that he’s signed with AJ Foyt Racing for the full 2023 Season.

Taking this week’s Advance Auto Parts Victory Lap is Mady Stichal that decided 5 years ago that she wanted to drive a race car. And, drive she does!

A regular at Alaska Raceway, Mady competes in 4 different classes at Alaska Raceway and on off week’s twists it up on dirt. 

 When Kyle Petty was just 18, he scored an ARCA 300 win at Daytona in his very first time behind a race car. After a successful career in CUP, KP is part of NBCs NASCAR coverage and lately he has disagreed with some of NASCAR’s decisions…specifically the 1 week suspension of Bubba Wallace after he intentionally crashed Kyle Larson at Las Vegas.

You will hear all that as well as highlights from NASCAR’s “Triple Header” Homestead weekend on this week’s Wind Tunnel

This week Jack introduces you to two individuals at opposite end of the racing spectrum. One just captured the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series National Rookie of the year honors and the other has logged more than 50 years in the sport rising from a wrench turner for legends like Butch Lindley , Bill Elliott and even Richard Petty to now command a racing enterprise that includes, Dirt and asphalt late models, Trucks, a chassis company as well as a two car NASCAR Cup Series operation.  

Canadian Steve Bernier has been wheeling dirt modifieds for more than a dozen years but when Autodrome Granby and RPM Speedway joined NASCAR’s Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series this season, this veteran earned National Rookie of The year honors. Bernier and Autodrome Granby and RPM President Domini Lussier plays translator for the French Canadian and they explain how this anomaly came about.

Mike Beam has spent more than 50 years in the NASCAR World from wrench tuner to his present spot as GMS and Petty GMS Racing, Beam swings by and reflects upon his career as well as sharing his “dinosaur” philosophy.

Jack also takes a look at Kurt Bush’s decision to step away from racing full time in Cup. Jack will  look at his legacy in the sport. 

All that plus the action both on and off the track from Las Vegas last weekend on this week’s Wind Tunnel.

This week’s Wind Tunnel takes you inside one of Honda’s flagship teams, behind the scenes in a pursuit of one of racing’s most unique trophies and analysis of a team’s attempt to manipulate a race’s outcome.

When the Bank of America Roval 400 went to overtime, it set up n exciting finish that catapulted Christopher Bell into the Round of 8. It also set up a desperation laden final 2 laps for SHR’s Chase Briscoe who needed to gain several spots to knock Kyle Larsen out of his transfer spot. As Briscoe carved through the field on new tires, his teammate, Cole Custer slowed on the backstretch which resulted in several of the spots Chase was pursuing to slow as well. A post race analysis of Custer’s actions resulted in $200,000 in fines as well as hefty points penalty. In a rare departure for normal Wind Tunnel episodes, Jack breaks down the situation and offers his opinion on the optics as well as the actions.

Meyer Shank Racing finished off their 2022 IMAS Campaign the same way that they started it….by Winning! They kicked off the year taking the Rolex 24 and capped a Championship campaign by taking the top honors at the Petit LeMans 2 weeks ago. MSR’s  Michael Shank drops in and we talk about the team’s IMSA success as well as a review of their IndyCar efforts.

Jack checks  in with Peyton Sellers. Sellers and Layne Riggs took the Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series National Championship right down to the final races at Dominion Speedway and only after a post season audit did Sellers discover that he had lost the title that he left Dominion thinking that he had won.

But Sellers found a silver lining to that cloud when he took the top honors after 15 years of trying  at MARTINSVILLE Speedway’s Valley Star 300 adding a Grandfather clock to his Trophy Case.  Sellers takes this week’s Advance Auto Parts Victory lap and we talk about the roller coaster ride of emotions those 7 days created.

All that as well as a recap of the NASCAR Playoffs stop at Charlotte Motor Speedway’s Roval on this week’s Wind Tunnel.

Of all the assorted NASCAR Championships, the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series National Title may have the most expansive geographic reach.

It takes a commitment to winning.

There are 46 weekly operated short tracks that operate under the NASCAR Banner. Every weekend thousands pack their grandstands to cheer on their neighbors. 

These drivers are “heroes that fans can not only see but touch and not only touch but know!”

There are 5 national championships in the NASCAR Advance Weekly Series standings and in this week’s episode Jack visits with 3 of them to give you a glimpse of the passion and commitment that it takes to succeed at the highest level.

Austin Paul calls the Adams County Speedway in Iowa home. Austin scored 8 wins, 15 top 5’s and never finished out of the top 10  in his modified to take the Division 3 title over Bobby Ozman of Irwindale Speedway.

Tim Devos used his 2022 campaign at the Berlin Raceway to not only score the Division 2 National Championship but  he also surpassed 104 career wins at the Michigan Track  tying the great Bob Senneker for 2nd on the rack’s all time win list 

And then there is the Division 1 National Title holder. All summer long Peyton Sellers and Layne Riggs engaged in a torrid battle for Late Model supremacy. Their tussle came down to the final weekend and a pair of 60 lap races at Dominion Speedway. Sellers was chasing Layne Riggs and struck first. Winning the  1st 60 lapper but then Riggs parlayed  a 7th and a 2nd to win his first National Crown.

It is a Champion’s Celebration that you are part of on Wind Tunnel.

Across every racing platform, there has been a wave of young, fearless and “balls to the walls” drivers. They challenge the old guard. This Week’s Wind Tunnel shines a spotlight on two that have taken on NASCAR’s “Old Guard”.

Ty Gibbs burst onto the NASCAR Premier Level Scene one year ago when he took the win in his very first Xfinity start. Since then, his meteoric rise has been stuff of legends. During his stop inside the Wind Tunnel, this phenom recounts his season and why he doesn’t let pressures get to him.

The path to stardom for watermelon farmer Ross Chastain has been a winding one. His 1st Cuo win came this season and  his playoff run is in full swing.   When Chastain drops in to the Wind Tunnel he shares his “take no prisoners” philosophy and how he sees his season.   

If you are a dirt track Modified fan you will enjoy this week’s Advance Auto Parts Victory Lap. Craig Von Dohren is Grandview Speedway’s winningest driver and is considered  the king of the Pennsylvania dirt modified “Posse”. He shares his passion for dirt racing and “Modifieds in the Mud.”

All that and the weekly Wind Tunnel racing update on this Episode of Jack Arute’s Wind Tunnel!

There is little debate that this year’s IndyCar Championship chase was a nailbiter right down to the final checkered flag in Laguna.

At age 41, Team Penske’s Will Power captured his 2nd Series Title and when he visits on this Episode, he will share his thoughts about why this time was different.

As tight as the IndyCar tile chase was, it was the opposite in the IndyLights Series

23 year old Linus Lundqvist just had to show up at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca to win the Indy Lights title Nobody else was even close to overtaking him for the series points lead When the Swede drops in and you will get his take on his future.

Taking the Advance Auto Parts Victory Lap this week is a driver who was forced to shelf his racing career during the Pandemic. After 2 years Alex Brock returned to the short track scene and  returned to winning. And last weekend wrapped up the Virginia late Model Title at the Dominion Speedway. He swings by and to talk about the silver lining that his forced hiatus to his racing created.

All that and a look at last weekend’s racing action on this episode of Wind Tunnel.

It was a soap opera that had been percolating for several months, in fact speculation started as an undercurrent when Longtime Busch and JGR partner M&M Mars announced last season that this would be their final season in NASCAR.

That sponsor announcement  started a journey that ended Tuesday with the 2 time Cup Champion’s announcement that he was joining Richard Childress Racing in 2023. 

But there remains several  issues yet to be resolved.

On this week's Wind Tunnel we will attempt to unpack the obvious and not so obvious ramifications of Kyle Busch's move.

The Athletic’s Jordan Bianchi was one of the first to break the story.

Jack and Jordan will explore the event’s timeline, the “domino effect” as well Richard Childress’s comparison of Busch to Dale Earnhardt, Sr. 

Bob Pockrass has a reputation for breaking news. His work on Fox has become such a reliable source that many of us follow the leads that he uncovers first.

Jack will visit with Bob and get his take on what this move by Kyle means for Toyota, JGR , Tyler Redick and Richard Childress Racing.

And Lenny Batycki of Performance Racing Network and their Short track show AT THE TRACK will take this week’s Victory Lap when he and Jack trace the short track implications. KBM Motorsports has been then launching pad for many aspiring young short trackers and 

Batycki will weigh in on what if anything changes there.

All that and a comprehensive recap of the weekend’s racing events on this week’s Episode.

This week’s Wind Tunnel guest list includes a sophomore IndyCar driver that has snared three wins as part of Team Penske’s 3-car juggernaut. He is Scott McLaughlin who dominated the Australian Supercar Series prior to joining Penske’s IndyCar effort. I think you will enjoy Scott’s review of his season, how he gained confidence and overcame rookie jitters to establish himself as one of the Top Dogs in IndyCar.

This week’s Advance Auto Parts Victory Lap is a departure from the  normal short tracker guests. After a lifetime behind the wheel that included 2 Xfinity Championships Randy LaJoie has been at the forefront of safety and revolutionized the design and manufacture of racing seats. And, along the way, is credited with saving thousands of short track drivers from serious injury and even death. You don’t want to miss Randy’s free wheeling and honest recounting of his journey.

And with the NASCAR Playoffs under way, Jeff Burton drops in to break down the 16 driver playoff roster. Darlington proved to be unkind to a number of playoff drivers and saw a non playoff drive, Erik Jones, take the iconic number 43  back to Darlington’s Victory Lane. Burton and Jack will react to Darlington as well as what seems to be an undercurrent of discontent regarding some issues with the NextGen Car.

All that plus a recap of NASCAR’s Darlington outing and IndyCar’s Portland Grand Prix.

Michael Shank and his partner Jim Meyer captured the 2021 Indianapolis 500 and this year’s Rolex 24 for a rare “racing double”.

Shank examines his his team’s  IndyCar and IMSA seasons and  breaks down the challenges that motorsports ownership presents in 2022. 

When AJ Allmendinger joined Kaulig Racing, his NASCAR career was rejuvenated. His visit will take listeners behind the scenes at Kaulig and explains why he embraces the Kaulig way. He also reveals how his signature win phrase “Let’s Go!” came about.

Ricky Bly is having a season that short trackers dream about. He has 10 Late Model Sportsman wins spread across New Hampshire’s NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly track of Monadnock, Claremont and Lee USA Speedways. When he visits with Jack, Ricky shares why he never considered chasing championships and why this season is different. 

All that and a review of last week’s racing in this week’s Episode of “Jack Arute’s Wind Tunnel”

After more than two decades of chasing IndyCar wins and Indy 500s, Ryan Hunter Reay stepped away and spent time racing SRX and Sports Cars. When he steps into the Wind Tunnel RHR shares his thoughts about his career and why this season was fulfilling for him.

At age 19, Michigan’s Evan Shotko has already made his mark in the Late Model world. This season has seen the teen prevail in some of the Series’ most prestigious events including a 7 day span where wins at Jennerstown Speedway and his home track, Berlin Raceway, earned him more than $40,000. He and Jack unpack this magical season and talk about what is still on his list of goals for 2022.

When Justin Marks announced he formation of TrackHouse Racing 20 months ago, no one could have imagined the team’s success. Except Justin Marks. When he and Jack sit down, they drill into TrackHouse’s commitment to disruption, the NASCAR Cup Playoffs, the team’s Project 91 and what’s on the horizon for the culture changing operation. 

All that and a review of last week’s racing action awaits you in this week’s Episode of “Jack Arute’s Wind Tunnel”

After a quick 1 week summer break Wind Tunnel is back with an eclectic guest lineup.

Dalton Kellett stops by as he and the rest of the IndyCar brigade get ready to tackle the Worldwide Technology Raceway this weekend outside of St. Louis. Kellett is part of AJ Foyt’s 2 car operation and when he’s not driving, this Canadian is on “Tik Tok” and other social media platforms encouraging youngsters to embrace the STEM curriculum.

15 year old Katie Hettinger  has already found her way into the record books at Hickory Motor Speedway. Her 5 late Model Wins at Hickory make her the winningest female driver in the track’s 75 year History! Jack checks in with Katie and gets the dope on what’s next for this young lady.

The acronym TRD stands for “Toyota Racing Development”. TRD’s David Wilson drops in and  explains why Toyota was the first OEM to jump headlong into driver development. 

He’ll also share his thoughts on Toyota, Ford and Chevy’s collaboration in the NEXTGen Cup car as well as why the upcoming NEXTgen engine package will offer OEM’s some leeway in spotlighting their individual technologies.

All that plus a recap of the past weekend’s racing action.

Over the past 18 months Jack has  tried to take you behind the scenes of American Motorsports and this week promises to be no different.

In addition to recapping all last weekend’s action, Jack’s  guests this week will also provide you with some insight and thoughts that  will showcase their passion for their specific aspect of the sport. 

The Late Model Scene in NASCAR calls the Old Dominion state of Virginia home. From the Valleydale 300 at the Martinsville Speedway to three amazing  NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series tracks, Dominion, South Boston and Larry Law’s Langley Speedway.

Langley recently hosted their Hampton Heat 200  round two of a 3-race triple crown series and Jared Fryar took home the honors. Jack checks  in with Jared to find out why Virginia is such a center of speed for the Late Models. He will also talk with Fryar about his 2022 goals both on and off the track.

Tony Kanaan is the 2013 Indianapolis 500 Champion. It culminated a lifelong pursuit and came when TK had all but resigned himself to leaving that title off his resume’

When he found himself in the hunt for this year’s 500 Win, More than 300,000 Indy Fans lustily cheered him on. Jack and TK co-host SiriusXM’s Brick by Brick IndyCar program weekly, so when they visited this week, there was nothing held back.

This Sunday marks the return of IndyCars to the Streets of Nashville for the Big Machine Grand Prix. Last year the race had everything you would want from a street course event but the one thing that stood out was the fact that the course ran across the Korean Ward Veteran’s Bridge! A “Money Shot” unrivaled in street races.  Tony Cotman was the master architect for the Nashville layout and he drops in to talk about changes he’s made to the course and what possessed him to include a Bridge crossing in the layout.

This week’s collection of guests weigh in on some interesting topics that have been in the news lately.

During his IndyCar career he was known as “The Thrill From West Hill”.  Paul Tracy checks in and gives his take on year 2 of the SRX Series. Tracy also examines the 2022 IndyCar season thus far as well as his opinions on the continued dispute between Alex Palou and Chip Ganassi which resulted in the filing of a lawsuit this week.

Jennerstown Speedway joined NASCAR this season and their General Manager Bill Hribar checks in to update how this NASCAR affiliation has gone. We also talk about Jennerstown’s win the Advance My Track Challenge that resulted in a check for $50,000 from Advance. You’ll learn from Bill what the money is earmarked for and how the entire town will benefit. Hribar also shares how Inflation and supply chain challenges have impacted short track racing.

Jack had the chance to visit with NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott a few weeks ago and I’ll bring that wide ranging conversation to you. In it, Awesome Bill from Dawsonville updates you on his racing these days, but most importantly offers up his opinions about NASCAR today and where it is headed tomorrow.

This week’s Wind Tunnel guest list includes a dirt tracker named Jaylen Hardbarger, who  in just his second season racing on the Salina Highbank Speedway is leading that track’s pure stock division and finds himself the leader of the Advance Auto Parts Weekly Racing National Standings in Division IV…And he is doing it driving the same car that his grandfather wheeled while Justin was a youngster.

Marco Andretti stepped away from a full time IndyCar ride 2 years ago saying that he wanted to have some fun and sample other racing disciplines. Jack caught up with Marco at the Stafford Speedway SRX event and they talked about his decision and what his racing life is like since then. 

And NASCAR’s Senior VP Ben Kennedy…the latest member of the France Family Dynasty drops in to share his thoughts with Jack on NASCAR’s new direction. They unpack the progress of the NextGen car as well as some of NASCAR’s social initiatives.

They also talk about how his experience behind the wheel as well as his current late Model team ownership shapes his perspective.

In this week’s Episode, Jack visits with three drivers in three different stages in their career.

After 21 years in NASCAR’s premier level Cup series, Newman left Cup and entered semiretirement. It is a  semiretirement because while he spends much of his time on his farm and raising his two daughters, The Rocket Man as he is called also runs some “one off” short track events and is chasing this year’s SRX Championship. Jack got a chance to sit down with Newman when SRX was at his family’s Stafford Motor Speedway in Connecticut and let’s just say, that visit is THE most unusual and humorous interviews that has ever done for Wind Tunnel.

This week’s Advance Auto Parts Victory Lap travels out to Monroe Washington and spotlights a 17 year old driver, Haley Constance who is pursuing her dream to become a national Late Model Champion and hones her craft at the Evergreen Speedway.

And Will Power drops by and we unpack his newfound approach to his IndyCar career. The terror from Toowoomba shares an honest self-evaluation of his IndyCar career, as well as his future goals behind the wheel. He also opens up about what life might be whenever he decides to hang up the helmet.

This week’s guest list reflects all stages of a racer’s career.

Taking the Advance Auto Parts Victory Lap is a 14 year old short tracker who jumped this season from Bandoleros at Larry Law’s Langley Speedway into a full bodied Late Model Stock car….Ryley Music.

Ryley and I chat about that transition and explore his relationship with Virginia Late Model ace Butterbean Queen.

Rahal Letterman Lannigan Racing’s IndyCar effort has NOT panned out the way that most thought it would. The full time addition of  Christian Lungaard and Jack Harvey was thought to be a lynch pin for the team but so far this year it has not happened.

I visit with Jack Harvey and he takes you behind the curtain at RLL and shares an honest and intimate assessment of their struggles.

And Finally, Team Penske Mustang driver Joey Logano drops in and we cover a myriad of topics from his penchant for winning on 1st time venues to how marriage and fatherhood have effected his race craft to his away from the track passion for old cars and his impact on the TV media production industry with his CLUTCH STUDIO Facility.

All that and your weekly motorsports update this week on Jack Arute’s Wind Tunnel.

This Episode’s guests have enjoyed trips to Victory Lane in their most recent outing. 

And they share their paths to winning and outlooks for the future.

He scored his first career Cup win two weeks ago. He’s Daniel Suarez. When he and Jack chat this week Daniel reflects back on his drive on California’s Sonoma Road Course as well as revealing who was behind the “Taco Piñata” that went with him to Victory Lane.

Ben Byrne started his career wheeling enduro cars and now finds himself atop the New Hampshire short track Whitcomb 5 Modified Series. Ben traces his racing career from the first time he showed up at Monadnock Speedway to drive and Enduro event to his recent Modified win at Claremont Speedway

Josef Newgarden has scored wins on a street course (Long Beach) an oval (Texas) and a permanent road course (Road America) this season. That accomplishment earned him a $1 Million People Ready Force For Good bonus. When he checks in Newgarden explains how he failed to realize that he earned the award until his post-race cool down lap. He also shares his strategy for the 2nd half of this season.