Buck Named Sprint Cup Managing Director

Former Touring Director Elevated To Top National Series Post

Richard Buck at the NASCAR Night of Champions Touring Series
Awards in Charlotte.  (Getty Images)

NASCAR has named Richard Buck, a NASCAR executive with a wealth of diverse experience in motorsports, as NASCAR Sprint Cup Series managing director. Buck will serve in the role held the past 12 years by John Darby, who will remain at NASCAR as managing director, competition. Buck and NASCAR’s two other national series managing directors – Wayne Auton (NASCAR Nationwide Series) and Chad Little (NASCAR Camping World Truck Series) – now will report directly to Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president, competition and racing development.

Buck currently serves as vice president, racing operations for the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA), a role he will maintain through the 2014 Rolex 24 At Daytona (Jan. 25-26), at which time he will assume his new position. In addition to his role with IMSA, Buck has been serving as the managing director of NASCAR’s Touring Series, the all-important grassroots racing program that has developed numerous top-flight NASCAR drivers over the years.

”Richard Buck has demonstrated a deep and unique knowledge of motorsports, and his versatility and innovative approach to competition should serve the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series garage extremely well,” said Mike Helton, NASCAR president. “His wide range of expertise will be of great benefit to our premier series. NASCAR is in the midst of exciting change in the Competition area, and Buck will be instrumental in providing us with fresh insights and implementing many of the changes in the years ahead.”

“I’m eager and ready to pursue this unique opportunity to serve as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series managing director,” said Buck. “I appreciate the faith that NASCAR’s management team has entrusted in me for this role. As we prepare to launch the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, I’m thrilled to expand my role in the sport of NASCAR, and I look forward to helping the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition team continue to produce the best racing in the world.”

Dale Jr. Meets the Media at Daytona Testing (2)

Interview Part 2 of 8

Dale Earnhardt Jr. met with members of the media at Daytona International Speedway and discussed the departure of Steve Letarte as crew chief in 2015, his outlook for the 2014 season and other topics.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. - Testing at Daytona

Question: Obviously with Steve (Letarte) just leaving, can you talk about your thoughts, and how long have you known, and what you think about the situation?

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Yeah, it's definitely a unique situation. He actually included me in on the discussion before the end of last year, and I had a pretty good understanding, whether he knew or not, what he was going to do. I had a pretty good understanding what his decision was going to be when I left Homestead.

So I've had time to really wrap my brain around it. It was hard because we are such good friends, and I really do enjoy working with him a lot. But at the same time I'm happy for him because it gives him the opportunity to spend time with his family. It's something that's really important to him, and the way these races are broadcast and how they're presented to the fans is a big part of how the sport remains healthy, and I think that he's going to be incredible in that role. I think that he'll I think that he'll be really good.

I'm excited for him because I know he's really looking forward to it. You can tell when he talks about it how genuinely enthused he is about the opportunity.

And at the same time, you know, I'm not worried about this season and how focused we may be. I know that he's really good at separating things and keeping things compartmentalized, as Jeff Gordon likes to say about Steve.

I know that we're going to be fine as far as how we'll compete this year and how dedicated and how we might move through the process of the season. I expect us to do nothing less than improve on what we've been doing and steadily keep moving toward our goals.

But it's definitely going to be emotional and difficult at times, just because we really enjoy working together. But I'm excited about the year. I'm excited about our chances as a team. We've got a great group of guys. Steve is a great crew chief that's going to get us a good opportunity to try to win some races.

And I think that the team, just based on the personalities and how well we all get along and mesh and how much fun we really had last year, I think that everybody can buckle down and do their jobs, and I think we can do well.

Waltrip, Holmes, and Staropoli on Bill McAnally Racing Roster

A two time Daytona 500 winner
Michael Waltrip

Michael Waltrip, Eric Holmes and Patrick Staropoli, will join driver Brandon McReynolds to compete for Bill McAnally Racing in select series events in 2014.

Waltrip, a two-time Daytona 500 winner, is slated to race in two series events in 2014. It will mark his fifth straight season of competing in a BMR entry. The co-owner of Michael Waltrip Racing has one victory in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West, at Pikes Peak International Raceway in Colorado in 1997.

Holmes, a three-time champion in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West, is scheduled to compete in select series events for BMR in 2014. In addition to winning series titles in 2006, 2008 and 2010; Holmes has 17 wins and 13 poles in 102 starts.

Patrick Staropoli

Staropoli will return to run five races for BMR in 2014. Staropoli, 24, of Plantation, Fla., had one top-five and two top-10 finishes in two starts for the team in 2013, which followed his winning the PEAK Stock Car Dream Challenge.

BMR has a long history of success in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West. The team won five series championships – in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2008 and 2010 – and its multi-car teams have combined for a record 50 series wins.