Monday
Mar152021
MARCH 17, 2021
Monday, March 15, 2021 at 11:00AM 
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Martin Truex Jr. (No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota) overcame an early-race brush with the wall and took the lead on the final restart with 25 laps remaining to earn his first victory of 2021 and first in 31 career starts at Phoenix Raceway. Truex held off Joey Logano (No. 22 Penske Racing Ford) by a convincing 1.698 seconds for the win in the Instacart 500. NASCAR's 2017 Cup Series champion, Truex took the race lead from the outside on a bold restart move — pulling away in the closing laps of a spirited race that featured 22 lead changes. Truex, 40, of New Jersey, is now the fifth different winner in as many NASCAR Cup Series races this season, joining Michael McDowell, Christopher Bell, William Byron and Kyle Larson, who have also earned spots in the playoffs. Watch a 15-minute "Race Rewind" video here. (Thanks to Holly Cain/NASCAR Wire Service)
Martin Truex Jr. (No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota) overcame an early-race brush with the wall and took the lead on the final restart with 25 laps remaining to earn his first victory of 2021 and first in 31 career starts at Phoenix Raceway. Truex held off Joey Logano (No. 22 Penske Racing Ford) by a convincing 1.698 seconds for the win in the Instacart 500. NASCAR's 2017 Cup Series champion, Truex took the race lead from the outside on a bold restart move — pulling away in the closing laps of a spirited race that featured 22 lead changes. Truex, 40, of New Jersey, is now the fifth different winner in as many NASCAR Cup Series races this season, joining Michael McDowell, Christopher Bell, William Byron and Kyle Larson, who have also earned spots in the playoffs. Watch a 15-minute "Race Rewind" video here. (Thanks to Holly Cain/NASCAR Wire Service)
(BMW)
The 2021 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season will be the fourth for the BMW M8 GTE, with the 2020 season having been the most successful to date. This season, BMW Team RLL is focusing exclusively on the four races that compose the Michelin Endurance Cup and began the season with a third-place finish at the Rolex 24 At Daytona. The driver lineup for the 69th edition of the Mobil 1 12-hours of Sebring will be anchored by the four 2020 full-season drivers, Connor De Philippi and Bruno Spengler in the No. 25 MOTUL BMW M8 GTE, and John Edwards and Jesse Krohn in the No. 24 MOTUL BMW M8 GTE. Rolex 24 co-drivers Philipp Eng and Augusto Farfus will rejoin the team in the No. 25 and No. 24 M8 GTE cars, respectively. Bill Auberlen, the BMW race veteran and all-time IMSA win leader, Robby Foley and Australian Aidan Read will co-drive the No. 96 Turner Motorsport BMW M6 GT3 in the GT Daytona class. “It’s hard to believe it’s our 12th year racing at Sebring with BMW Team RLL,” stated Bobby Rahal, Team Principal. “Sebring holds a special place for me personally having gone there with my father for many years and then, of course, I started racing there in 1976, culminating with a win in 1987. Sebring has always been very important to me personally and professionally. With BMW Team RLL, we have had pretty decent performances over the years with two wins in a row back in 2011-2012. We’ve qualified well and were second in 2018, third and fourth last year. We’ve always been pretty strong in Sebring and so I expect that to be the case again this year. Like any endurance race, staying out of trouble is key. Last year we were hit by a GTD car when we were leading close to the finish so that was extremely disappointing because I think we had the race in the bag. I look forward to a good race and hopefully Sebring will be the scene of another victory for BMW Team RLL.” The 69th Annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Advance Auto Parts will take the green flag at 10:10 a.m. on Saturday, March 20th. Live race coverage begins at 10 a.m. on NBCSN and moves to the NBC Sports App at noon, before returning to NBCSN at 7 p.m. for the concluding hours. The entire telecast also streams on TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold.
The 2021 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season will be the fourth for the BMW M8 GTE, with the 2020 season having been the most successful to date. This season, BMW Team RLL is focusing exclusively on the four races that compose the Michelin Endurance Cup and began the season with a third-place finish at the Rolex 24 At Daytona. The driver lineup for the 69th edition of the Mobil 1 12-hours of Sebring will be anchored by the four 2020 full-season drivers, Connor De Philippi and Bruno Spengler in the No. 25 MOTUL BMW M8 GTE, and John Edwards and Jesse Krohn in the No. 24 MOTUL BMW M8 GTE. Rolex 24 co-drivers Philipp Eng and Augusto Farfus will rejoin the team in the No. 25 and No. 24 M8 GTE cars, respectively. Bill Auberlen, the BMW race veteran and all-time IMSA win leader, Robby Foley and Australian Aidan Read will co-drive the No. 96 Turner Motorsport BMW M6 GT3 in the GT Daytona class. “It’s hard to believe it’s our 12th year racing at Sebring with BMW Team RLL,” stated Bobby Rahal, Team Principal. “Sebring holds a special place for me personally having gone there with my father for many years and then, of course, I started racing there in 1976, culminating with a win in 1987. Sebring has always been very important to me personally and professionally. With BMW Team RLL, we have had pretty decent performances over the years with two wins in a row back in 2011-2012. We’ve qualified well and were second in 2018, third and fourth last year. We’ve always been pretty strong in Sebring and so I expect that to be the case again this year. Like any endurance race, staying out of trouble is key. Last year we were hit by a GTD car when we were leading close to the finish so that was extremely disappointing because I think we had the race in the bag. I look forward to a good race and hopefully Sebring will be the scene of another victory for BMW Team RLL.” The 69th Annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Advance Auto Parts will take the green flag at 10:10 a.m. on Saturday, March 20th. Live race coverage begins at 10 a.m. on NBCSN and moves to the NBC Sports App at noon, before returning to NBCSN at 7 p.m. for the concluding hours. The entire telecast also streams on TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold.
(Alpine photos)
The Alpine A480 will compete in the six-round WEC season beginning with the first race at Spa-Francorchamps in May. The Gibson-powered A480 is a re-badged version of the Oreca-built Rebellion R-13 fielded by the Swiss watchmaker until its exit from motorsport at the end of 2020. The Renault-owned brand is continuing its partnership with the Signatech team, which took three LMP2 class wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, including two in a row in 2018-19. Nicolas Lapierre, who was a part of Signatech Alpine squad during each of its three Le Mans successes, will reunite with the team after a one-year absence alongside Andre Negrao and fellow Frenchman Matthieu Vaxiviere. Alpine intends to develop the car throughout the year with the French chassis builder, as it goes up against Hypercar entries from Toyota and Glickenhaus.
The Alpine A480 will compete in the six-round WEC season beginning with the first race at Spa-Francorchamps in May. The Gibson-powered A480 is a re-badged version of the Oreca-built Rebellion R-13 fielded by the Swiss watchmaker until its exit from motorsport at the end of 2020. The Renault-owned brand is continuing its partnership with the Signatech team, which took three LMP2 class wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, including two in a row in 2018-19. Nicolas Lapierre, who was a part of Signatech Alpine squad during each of its three Le Mans successes, will reunite with the team after a one-year absence alongside Andre Negrao and fellow Frenchman Matthieu Vaxiviere. Alpine intends to develop the car throughout the year with the French chassis builder, as it goes up against Hypercar entries from Toyota and Glickenhaus.
(Mecum Auction images)
The most recognizable Ford Bronco in the world and the first “super car” of off-road racing — piloted by one of the most diverse and successful drivers in motorsports history — will be offered for sale to the public for the very first time this May. The famed 1969 Ford Bronco Baja 1000 Racer known as "Big Oly" — still owned by Parnelli Jones — is slated to cross the Mecum auction block at the company’s 34th annual Original Spring Classic auction May 14-22 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis. Big Oly is best known for conquering the Baja 1000 course twice in back-to-back victories, and its offering at auction will be another historic moment for the winning Bronco as it crosses the block from Jones’ private collection, along with a handful of other impressive vehicles — including a Formula One Race Car — and a selection of cherished memorabilia items from Jones’ personal office. The entire Parnelli Jones Collection will join approximately 2,000 other vehicles and a large assemblage of Road Art offerings for the annual auction, which stands as Mecum’s flagship event and one of the auction house’s largest. Portions of the auction will be broadcast on NBC Sports Network.
The most recognizable Ford Bronco in the world and the first “super car” of off-road racing — piloted by one of the most diverse and successful drivers in motorsports history — will be offered for sale to the public for the very first time this May. The famed 1969 Ford Bronco Baja 1000 Racer known as "Big Oly" — still owned by Parnelli Jones — is slated to cross the Mecum auction block at the company’s 34th annual Original Spring Classic auction May 14-22 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis. Big Oly is best known for conquering the Baja 1000 course twice in back-to-back victories, and its offering at auction will be another historic moment for the winning Bronco as it crosses the block from Jones’ private collection, along with a handful of other impressive vehicles — including a Formula One Race Car — and a selection of cherished memorabilia items from Jones’ personal office. The entire Parnelli Jones Collection will join approximately 2,000 other vehicles and a large assemblage of Road Art offerings for the annual auction, which stands as Mecum’s flagship event and one of the auction house’s largest. Portions of the auction will be broadcast on NBC Sports Network.
