UPDATE: Kyle Busch’s qualifying time was disallowed after he failed post-qualifying inspection for an issue with the rear end of the car, rewarding Kurt Busch the pole and moving everyone forward one position. The defending champion will start 40th on Sunday; no further penalties are expected. Kyle Busch captured his first career pole at the Atlanta …
Surprising names topped both the third and fourth Sprint Cup Series practices on Wednesday. Michael McDowell, who needs to race his way into the Daytona 500 by finishing as the highest open driver in Thursday’s Can-Am Duels, laid down a lap of 200.17 mph during a first practice that included a lot of drafting. The …
On Monday, NASCAR announced the eligibility criteria for this year’s Sprint Unlimited, scheduled for Feb. 13. While winning a pole during the previous season will get you into the race, it’s not the only way into the 75-lap show. Regardless of circumstances, 25 cars will start the 187.5-mile race. The first criteria to qualify for …
For Ryan Newman and Richard Childress Racing, 2015 was likely approached as a year in which the team only needed a little bit more to get over the hump. After all, Newman was just a half-second away from winning the 2014 Ford EcoBoost 400, and with it, the Sprint Cup Series championship. Given that mentality, …
And that’s a wrap for the 2015 season. Kyle Busch made potentially the most amazing comeback in NASCAR history. After missing the first 11 races, Busch grabbed four consecutive checkered flags and earned enough points to make himself Chase eligible. Once he secured his spot, Busch kept his nose clean and was able to advance to …
And then there were four. After waiting all afternoon and into the evening for weather to clear, Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the rain-shortened race at Phoenix. It was Junior’s third win of the season, keeping a potential Chase driver from winning his way into the championship race at Homestead. The final four drivers heading into …
And then there were two… races that is. Despite the fact that there are three races in the Eliminator Round, by virtue of non-Chaser Jimmie Johnson‘s win last weekend, two drivers at most will make it to the championship race based on wins. It’s possible that three drivers could make it in on points if another non-Chaser …
Who’s in the headline? – Jimmie Johnson saved his best for last Sunday and spoiled Brad Keselowski‘s party as the laps wound down. Johnson led six laps during the event, including the final four to steal the win from Keselowski, who led 312 of the posted 334 laps of the event. Johnson proved, once again, …
Once again, Martinsville Speedway lived up to its reputation. Short tempers? Check. Payback? Check. Lots and lots of contact? Check. Matt Kenseth – once thought to be one of the most even-tempered drivers in the garage area – wrecked Joey Logano while several laps down at Martinsville Speedway. Though he claimed it was unintentional, NASCAR …
Everyone sort of expected Talladega Superspeedway to shake up the standings but I don’t think anyone expected the dramatic, forced ending that occurred in the final laps of the race. Even after NASCAR announced that it would be reducing the number of green-white-checkered attempts from three to one days before the event Sunday’s ultimate ending at …
ONE: Joey Logano Sweeps the Contender Round Heading into the Chase, it was clear only one driver stood a real chance at stealing a title away from red-hot Joe Gibbs Racing: Joey Logano. The Team Penske driver won two of the final five races during the regular season and slotted in fourth when the Chase …
A crazy finish at Talladega is certainly no surprise. It’s just what happens at restrictor-plate tracks. What was a surprise was just the way that it was wild this time. Yes, there was the predicted accidents, but then the second restart when we thought there would only be one, and then many questioning if Kevin …
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