By Jerry Bonkowski It may be a while before many fans grasp the significance or importance of NASCAR’s new charter system, which was announced Feb. 9. To put it simply, the charter system is arguably one of the biggest achievements the sport has ever seen. Not just because of what was accomplished, but it actually was the closest uniting between NASCAR officials and team owners since the sanctioning body was founded in the late 1940s. Fans are still trying to figure out what the charter system is all about and how it will impact them. Frankly, it won’t impact fans very much…

By Aaron Burns Daniel Suarez, a 24-year-old native of Monterrey, Mexico, claimed top rookie honors after earning three poles and 18 top-10 finishes. With some of the series’ best equipment, Suarez is primed for a breakout year. Suarez wasn’t sure what to expect when he first climbed into his orange No. 18 ARRIS Toyota at Daytona Int’l Speedway last season. He came from the NASCAR Mexico Series ranks, where Suarez did everything but win a championship in four years of racing. Suarez managed to post 10 wins in 58 starts from 2011-14. His three victories in NASCAR K&N Pro Series East during…

Dale Earnhardt was determined to follow the driving career of his father, 1956 NASCAR Sportsman champion Ralph Earnhardt. The seemingly impossible career path he set in motion is one of the greatest success stories in all of professional sports. BIRTHDATE ▪ April 29, 1951 BIRTHPLACE ▪ Kannapolis, N.C. NOTABLE SPONSORS ▪ Wrangler Jeans ▪ GM Goodwrench CHAMPION SAVVY THE INTIMIDATOR DETERMINED VICTORIOUS FOCUSED While racing on some of North Carolina’s most noted short tracks following his father’s death in 1973, Earnhardt struggled mightily to fund his racing operation. He often borrowed money from a local bank on Thursday to race that weekend.…

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Owner: Rick Hendrick Team: Hendrick Motorsports Sponsors: Nationwide, Axalta, TaxSlayer.com Manufacturer: Chevrolet Crew chief: Greg Ives Entering his second season with crew chief Greg Ives, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has reason to set the bar high in 2016. Despite recording his worst points finish in three years – 12th – the Hendrick Motorsports driver’s position in the final standings wasn’t indicative of his performance. In his first campaign with Ives – a former XFINITY Series crew chief and race engineer for Jimmie Johnson – Earnhardt scored three wins and amassed more top fives (16) and top 10s (22) than he…