2017 NXS Season Review - Justin Allgaier

via NASCAR.com

For the second straight year, Justin Allgaier, driver of the No. 7 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports, finished third in the NASCAR Xfinity Series standings. Here is a look back on his season.

It took just four weeks into the season for Allgaier to find Victory Lane, accomplishing the feat at Phoenix Raceway. It was his first win since 2012. Also, Allgaier claimed the first $100,000 Dash 4 Cash bonus and earned a berth in the playoffs. A second-place finish at Richmond in late April awarded Allgaier his second Dash 4 Cash bonus in three races.

In September, it was a home state victory for Allgaier at Chicagoland Speedway. The win was momentum for the playoffs, which began a week later, as well as the first time he had won multiple races in a season.

An infraction found after Phoenix left Allgaier without crew chief Jason Burdett for the title race. But he had seven-time Cup Series champion crew chief Chad Knaus to help the team out. Allgaier finished 12th in the race and third in the championship hunt of the final four drivers.

Overall, Allgaier had one of his best seasons with a 13.0 average finish, 17 top 10s and 10 top-five finishes. He also led Xfinity Series regulars with 495 laps led.

2017 MENCS Season Review - Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

via NASCAR.com

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., driver of the No. 17 Ford for Roush Fenway Racing, finished 13th in the 2017 Monster Energy Series standings. Here are the highlights from his fifth full year at NASCAR's top level -- his best yet.

Four top-10 finishes in the 2017 season's first nine races gave us all an inkling that this might be a fantastic season for Stenhouse. But the pole at Talladega -- just the second of his career -- for the GEICO 500 really got everyone's attention.

Stenhouse converted the pole position into a trip to Victory Lane at Talladega. Although he only led the first 13 laps and the last one, it was enough for Stenhouse's first Monster Energy Series victory.

Stenhouse added his personality and expertise to the Fox Sports analysis during the NASCAR XFINITY Series Pocono Green 250 in June as drivers took over the race's broadcast. Stenhouse served as a pit road reporter, as did Ryan Blaney and Erik Jones.

Stenhouse claimed his second career Cup Series victory at the circuit's other superspeedway, Daytona. This time his race-winning pass came in overtime, surging past David Ragan for the win.

On the strength of two superspeedway wins, Stenhouse joined the Monster Energy Series Playoffs for the first time in his career. He finished the season 13th in the standings and ended the season with three top-12 finishes in his last four races following his Round of 12 elimination.

Danica Patrick and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. end their 5-year relationship

Associated Press

Danica Patrick and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. have ended their nearly five-year relationship.

A spokeswoman for Patrick confirmed to The Associated Press on Monday that the race car drivers "are no longer in a relationship."

Patrick didn't attend the season-ending awards ceremony last month in Las Vegas with Stenhouse, who was honored for making NASCAR's playoffs in 2017. That led to speculation about the status of the most prolific couple in motorsports.

Patrick and Stenhouse announced they were dating in early 2013. She is retiring as a full-time driver and hopes to end her career next year by racing in both the Daytona 500 and the Indianapolis 500. It's an outgoing celebration she has dubbed the "Danica Double."

Field set for 'The Clash' at Daytona

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – NASCAR fans get a double-dose of racing action to open the 2018 season on Sunday, February 11, with The Advance Auto Parts Clash at Daytona International Speedway capping a day that starts with Coors Light Pole Award qualifying for the 60th Annual Daytona 500.

A star-studded lineup of elite drivers will battle in the 75-lap event which airs live on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio at 3 pm ET. The annual preseason race will be run in two segments, with a competition caution at lap 25 separating the segments.

"A double-header, featuring The Clash and Daytona 500 qualifying, is a great way to start the 2018 season," said Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer. "The urgency created by the non-points race sets a tone for the season, providing a strong preview of the competition we expect will be a mainstay all year long."

"For four decades, the Advance Auto Parts Clash has been a staple of the Speedweeks lineup," Daytona International Speedway President Chip Wile said. "The event has a rich history and serves as a preview to the Can-Am Duel qualifying races and the DAYTONA 500. Combining the Advance Auto Parts Clash and DAYTONA 500 Qualifying on the same day will deliver race fans a full day of NASCAR action."

Consistent with the eligibility criteria used to determine last year’s Clash field, there is no pre-determined number of cars. The exclusive field is limited to drivers who were 2017 Coors Light Pole Award winners, former Clash race winners, former Daytona 500 pole winners who competed full-time in 2017 and drivers who qualified for the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.

Eligible drivers are: 

2017 Coors Light Pole Award winners (14)

·        Ryan Blaney, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chase Elliott, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Erik Jones, Matt Kenseth, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Martin Truex Jr.

Former Daytona 500 Coors Light Pole Award Winners (3)

·        Austin Dillon, Jimmie Johnson, Danica Patrick

2017 Playoff Drivers (3)

·        Kasey Kahne, Jamie McMurray, Ryan Newman

Peltier wins Snowball Derby pole

Preston Peltier turned a lap of 16.319 seconds which edged Bubba Pollard for the top spot during time trials on Friday for the 50th Annual Snowball Derby at Five Flags Speedway.

“I wasn’t expecting to get the pole, but this is easily the best car I’ve had,” said the 40-year-old Peltier, whose best Derby finish was a seventh in 2015. “We’ve only had the car for four weeks.”

The field for Sunday’s 300-lap race will total 37 cars. The top 30 drivers from Friday’s time trials punched their tickets, three earned their way in on the strength of provisionals, leaving four available positions to be determined in this afternoon’s last-chance race.

NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch, who arrived in Pensacola on Friday, qualified 15th on Friday and was visibly frustrated with his No. 51.

In addition to Busch, defending Derby champion Christian Eckes, 17, qualified with a lap of 16.660 seconds, which was not good enough to make the field.

However, Eckes utilized his past champion’s provisional to guarantee himself a shot at becoming the first repeat winner since Cup driver Erik Jones completed the feat in 2012-2013.

Bubba Pollard, a longtime fan favorite at the famed half-mile asphalt oval, will start outside of Peltier on the front row after his fast lap of 16.344 seconds. The 30 year old from Senoia, Georgia, has 100 late model wins in his decorated career, but has never hoisted the Tom Dawson trophy.