Ricky Stenhouse Jr. channels Marshawn Lynch: ‘I’m just here so I won’t get fined’

By Jerry BonkowskiJan 28, 2015, 10:06 AM EST
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Other than the fact that they both love football, it’s hard to draw any comparison between NASCAR driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch.

But for a few seconds Wednesday morning during Roush Fenway Racing’s presentation on Day 3 of the NASCAR Media Tour, Stenhouse did his best to channel Lynch.

“I’m just here so I won’t get fined,” Stenhouse quipped when asked how his third full-time season in Sprint Cup will go in 2015, drawing a big laugh from the 200-plus assembled journalists in attendance.

Lynch showed up at Tuesday’s Super Bowl Media Day in Phoenix reportedly under the threat of a $500,000 fine from the league if he skipped the session. He was posed 29 questions and answered each one in some variation on the same theme: “I’m here so I won’t get fined.”

NBC will televise the big game, with kickoff slated for 6:30 p.m. ET.

Stenhouse has a new crew chief, with Nick Sandler replacing Mike Kelley. Sandler was previously the team engineer for Carl Edwards, who left for Joe Gibbs Racing in 2015.

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Steve Torrence takes NHRA points lead with Gatornationals victory

NHRA Gainesville Steve Torrence
Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Associated PressSep 27, 2020, 7:15 PM EDT
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GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Two-time defending NHRA Top Fuel champion Steve Torrence took the points lead Sunday in the AMALIE Motor Oil Gatornationals, beating his father, Billy, in the final round at Gainesville Raceway.

Torrence had a 3.809-second run at 322.11 mph to win for the third time this year and 39th overall. He is now on track for another championship despite missing the season opener.

“We’ve got some good momentum and to be in the points lead, it’s a testament to how hard these guys work,” Steve Torrence said after the NHRA Gainesville victory. “We’ve just got to stay focused and concentrate on what the task at hand is, and that’s trying to win a championship. These guys give me an unbelievable race car and you just try not to screw it up.”

Ron Capps won in Funny Car, Alex Laughlin in Pro Stock and Matt Smith in Pro Stock Motorcycle.

Capps raced to his second win this year and 66th overall, beating Tim Wilkerson with a 3.937 at 323.12 in a Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat.

Laughlin topped Aaron Stanfield with a 7.068 at 204.76 in a Chevrolet Camaro for his first win this season and fourth in his career. Smith rode to his first victory in 2020 and 25th overall, topping Andrew Hines with a 6.843 at 196.99 on an EBR.