Message from Larry

October 31, 2014

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This weekend all the NASCAR action is at Texas Motor Speedway. It’s a very fast 1.5-mile track. It’s also the second of only three races in this Eliminator Round of the Chase. There are eight Chase drivers left but after next weekend there will be only four who qualify for the championship race at Homestead on Nov. 16.

When I look at the eight remaining Chase drivers, all of them, except maybe Carl Edwards who seems to still be off a bit on these type tracks, have a chance of pulling into Victory Lane at Texas Motor Speedway.

One thing I think I’ve seen as a constant this year is at a track like this, if you want to be that driver spraying champagne all over your team at the end of the race, you are going to need to beat either Kevin Harvick or the two Team Penske drivers of Brad Keselowski or Joey Logano. Like I mentioned Wednesday, two of those three drivers are already in a must-win situation, and that’s Kevin along with Brad. They are in a pretty deep hole and need to dig their way out of it. This weekend at Texas Motor Speedway might just be what they need.

Don’t forget that this is our final 500-mile race of the year. That means some sleepless nights and some nail-biting by the engine folks. The speeds will be at their greatest late in the race and, as you know, that puts a lot of pressure on those power plants. We know we will probably have our fair share of cautions while at the same time we know there will be our fair share of long green-flag runs.

We also know that tires will be very important at Texas so when the opportunity presents itself, these drivers will want new Goodyear tires any time they can get them. It’s hard to believe we only have three races left this season. Two races remain in this Eliminator Round, and then on Nov. 16 at Homestead, four drivers will have a shot at all the marbles — the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup championship.

With Dale Earnhardt Jr. no longer in the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Chase hunt and with him taking a win off the board for the remaining eight drivers in the Chase, there is no doubt it makes a difference in the Chase scenario. There are only two races left in this Eliminator Round — this weekend at Texas and next weekend at Phoenix.

Having a non-Chase driver win Sunday at Martinsville like Dale Jr. did opens the box more for two drivers to make the final four on their points. Now sure, Hendrick Motorsports would have been thrilled to have Jeff Gordon win last Sunday because that would have guaranteed him a spot in the finals. However, a Hendrick car did win which is great for the company, but Jeff finished second which is a great start for the No. 24 in this round.

I’ll be the first to admit that this deep into the Chase, I am actually starting to change my philosophy a bit on what it would take to win the 2014 championship. I originally said and believed you simply had to win to make something happen here. I’m starting to change my stance based on what I am seeing.

Look how consistent Ryan Newman and Matt Kenseth are week in and week out during this Chase. Of our eight remaining Chase drivers and after Sunday’s Martinsville race, Ryan is second in the points with Matt only two spots back in fourth. So if you can have three solid finishes in this Eliminator Round, then you stand a real good chance of moving onto the final four at Homestead on Nov. 16.

There are two guys I had in my final four Homestead bracket who are in jeopardy of even making it, and they areKevin Harvick and Brad Keselowski. I think both are going to have to win either this weekend or next weekend at Phoenix if they want to be a player at Homestead in the championship race.

Larry Mac [/ut_three_fourths_last]

21 NASCAR Winston Cup Pole Positions as Crew Chief

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Generally regarded as one of the greatest Crew Chiefs in NASCAR history, Larry McReynolds’ career spans the last 39 years, during which time he has guided a number of the sport’s top drivers to the pinnacle of racing, as well as having served as a world-wide ambassador to motorsports through his work as a television commentator, motivational speaker and philanthropist. Since his first win at Watkins Glenn in 1988 with Ricky Rudd, Larry’s ability to develop, motivate and lead teams to success at the sport’s highest level has set him apart. Over the course of his 17 year career as a Crew Chief, Larry had the opportunity to work with NASCAR greats Ernie Irvan, Dale Earnhardt Sr., and Davey Allison, whose now famous #28 Texaco Ford captured 11 wins and 3 poles in a single season under Larry’s watchful eye.

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Perhaps, however, the greatest and most well documented accomplishment of Larry’s career as Crew Chief came in 1998, when Larry guided Dale Earnhardt Sr. to his first and only Daytona 500 victory. All-in-all, Larry and his teams finished in the Top-10 in an incredible 47% of the races in which they competed, amassing 23 victories (including two Daytona 500 victories and back-to-back Winston All Star race wins), and 21 poles. Today, Larry McReynolds serves the sport of NASCAR as lead analyst for the Sprint Cup Series on Fox, Fox Sports 1, and TNT, as well as team owner of Larry McReynolds Racing, a recently developed team that seeks to build sponsorships and opportunities for some of the sports most promising young drivers, including Larry’s son Brandon McReynolds.

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23 NASCAR WINSTON CUP WINS AS CREW CHIEF

Achievements

NASCAR Crew Chief Highlights:

  • 23 NASCAR Winston Cup Victories
  • 21 NASCAR Winston Cup Pole Positions
  • 2 Daytona 500 Wins (1992 & 1998)
  • 2 Consecutive NASCAR All-Star Race Wins (1991 & 1992)
  • 122 Top-5 NASCAR Winston Cup Finishes
  • 209 Top-10 NASCAR Winston Cup Finishes

Crew Chief Awards:

  • 5-Time Consecutive Copenhagen/Skoal All Pro Crew Chief Award Recipient (1991 – 1995)
  • UAW GM Teamwork Award of Excellence Recipient (1998)

Hall of Fame Inductions:

  • 2008 Inductee to the Oceanside Rotary Club Hall of Fame in Daytona Beach Florida
  • 2013 Inductee to the Alabama Auto Racing Pioneers Hall of Fame

 

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Partnerships

partnershiplogosAs one of the sport’s most visible and respected television commentators, as well as a NASCAR team owner, Larry McReynolds is uniquely positioned to deliver partners with the media assets and deliverables necessary to achieve a variety of corporate goals and objectives. Whether it be increased brand awareness, enhanced consumer loyalty, customer hospitality and appreciation, or employee incentives, Larry McReynolds’ popularity amongst motorsports fans worldwide, may be leveraged to reinforce and build upon a partners’ existing marketing efforts to provide an aggressive return-on-investment. From traditional marketing efforts to experiential on-track opportunities, numerous partnership opportunities are available to fit any budget, including:

  • Television and Radio Commercials
  • Social Media Promotions
  • On-Track Corporate Sponsorship and Brand Development
  • Corporate Appearances and Trade Show Events
  • Motivational Speaking
  • At-Race Hospitality

For additional information on corporate partnerships and availability Contact Us

 

Photos

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Visit Larry McReynolds Racing

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Connect with Larry Mac

You can write to Larry at the following address: