XFINITY Series happy hour cancelled due to rain and lightning

• Due to rain and lightning at the track, NASCAR XFINITY Series final practice at Daytona has been canceled.

• NASCAR was able to get in some XFINITY Series action today. Erik Jones was fastest during a weather-shortened opening practice with a speed of 193.353 MPH. That session was cut short due to lightning at the track.
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Qualifying is scheduled for 2:10pm ET on Friday.

Both Sprint Cup practices rained out on Thursday At Daytona

Both Practices for the Coke Zero 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway were rained out on Thursday.

The first was scheduled to run from 3:00-3:55pm ET and Happy Hour (final) practice was scheduled for 5:00-5:55pm ET.

NASCAR has scheduled one Sprint Cup Series practice from 9:45-10:30am ET, which will air on NBCSN.

Qualifying is scheduled of 4:10pm ET on Friday.

50th Running At Daytona Has XFINITY Series Excited To Return

The World Center of Racing is nestled in Daytona Beach, Florida and the 2.5-miles of asphalt banked at 31 degrees in the turns welcomes the NASCAR XFINITY Series for the 50th series race at Daytona -- the Subway Firecracker 250 Powered by Coca-Cola.

The series has competed at Daytona International Speedway 49 times producing 36 different pole winners; led by Joe Nemechek with five. Also during those 49 races, the series has witnessed 25 different drivers enjoying the spoils of victory, led by Dale Earnhardt and Tony Stewart with seven wins each.

With 14 races in the books this season, the series has seen 10 different winners and six different pole winners. Chase Elliott, the 2014 series champ, won the season-opener at Daytona, and will return to defend his win in the JR Motorsports No. 88 Chevrolet Camaro.

The series started racing two events per season at Daytona in 2002, and since then only one driver has been able to sweep both races - Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 2003. Elliott is looking to become the second driver in the series to sweep both races at Daytona this weekend, joining his car owner.

Elliott has made five starts at Daytona, posting one win (2016 season opener), two top fives and an average finish of 13.4.

From Jayski.

First Sprint Cup Daytona practice rained out

First practice for the Coke Zero 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway was rained out on Thursday.

The practice was scheduled to run from 3:00-3:55pm ET. Happy Hour (final) practice is scheduled for 5:00-5:55pm ET.

Erik Jones leads shortened first XFINITY practice at Daytona

Erik Jones was fastest during a weather-shortened opening practice at Daytona International Speedway with a speed of 193.353 MPH.

David Ragan was second, followed by Ty Dillon, Brandon Jones, Justin Marks, Brennan Poole, Darrell Wallace, Jr., Joey Logano, Justin Allgaier and Aric Almirola.

Just 29 drivers were able to complete a lap during the session, which was cut short by lightning near the track.

The full session results are below.

Griffin gets strong start in GMSP debut, but night ends early for Vatterott / DHT Chevy

WRIGHT CITY, MO- Racing at a new track is a daunting task, but by watching 17 year-old Jake Griffin, you’d never know he had never raced at Gateway Motorsports Park. When the track opened for first practice Saturday morning, it was Griffin’s first chance to turn competitive laps at the 1.25 mile track in and the #63 Vatterott Educational Centers / Dirty Hand Tools / Jefferson’s Chevy. After making great progress in the two practice sessions, mechanical trouble ended the team’s night early in the Drivin' For Lineman 200.

“You never want to have mechanical trouble,” says Griffin, “but you really don’t want to have it in front of the hometown crowd.”

MB Motorsports is the only Missouri based NASCAR team, so when the Camping World Truck Series comes to Gateway Motorsports Park, it gets to race in front of friends, family and fans.

"Not only is the team's fan base here in St. Louis, but so many of our sponsors are, too," adds Griffin. "We had guests from Vatterott, Excel Bottling / Ski Soda, Back Auto Auction, Jefferson's Restaurant with us at the track, which was great. We also did a contest on Twitter with Dirty Hand Tools, so even though our night ended early, we had a lot of fun and were able to get our marketing partners some exposure."

Jake Griffin will return to the #63 MB Motorsports Chevy on August 17th at Bristol Motor Speedway in the UNOH 200. "Bristol is one of the tracks you always dream of racing at," according to Griffin. "So this is going to be really special." Griffin will also drive for the team in the season finale at Homestead - Miami on November 18th.

"Jake's only 17 years-old, but you'd never know it racing with him," notes team owner Mike Mittler. "He'll turn 18 just two days before we go to Homestead, so he'll get a chance to race on his biggest track yet as a birthday present."

Joe Gibbs Racing announces sponsorship partnership with DeWalt

Joe Gibbs Racing announced Thursday that DeWalt has added four races to it's 2016 sponsorship for Matt Kenseth and for "majority" of races in 2017.

In addition, DeWalt will add six races of sponsorship in the NASCAR XFINITY Series with drivers Erik Jones and Daniel Suarez.

DEWALT Tools will support two cars this weekend Daytona International Speedway with Kenseth (Sprint Cup Series) and Jones (XFINITY Series).

DEWALT Tools will sponsor Kenseth at Chicagoland, Dover, Kansas and Homestead-Miami in the Sprint Cup Series in 2016.

NASCAR to honor victims of Orlando tragedy at Daytona

Following the recent attack in the Orlando community, where 49 people were murdered and 53 injured on June 12, NASCAR has shared plans to remember the victims of this tragedy during the race weekend at Daytona International Speedway.

The #ORLANDOUNITED decal shown below will be placed on the A-Post of all cars in the NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

Townley, Gallagher penalized post-Gateway

NASCAR penalized drivers John Wes Townley and Spencer Gallagher on Wednesday for their roles in an incident in Saturday night's Camping World Truck Series race at Gateway Motorsports Park.

 

After a review of the on-track altercation and ensuing physical quarrel in the Drivin for Linemen 200, competition officials fined Townley $15,000 and assessed Gallagher a $12,500 fine. Both of the drivers have been placed on probation until Dec. 31. 

 

The two drivers collided in the 145 of 200 laps Saturday night, with Gallagher's GMS Racing No. 23 Chevrolet sending Townley's No. 05 Athenian Motorsports Chevy for a spin in Turn 1. The two made contact again 10 laps later in the same turn, leaving both trucks with heavy damage after impact with the outside retaining wall.

 

After both drivers exited their trucks unhurt, a brief verbal spat escalated to a wrestling match on the track with Townley landing a smattering of punches before the two were separated. Gallagher finished 22nd and Townley 23rd in the 32-truck field.

 

Among other penalties announced Wednesday, the teams of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Matt Kenseth received written warnings for failing pre-qualifying inspection at Sonoma Raceway.

 

The Joe Gibbs Racing No. 20 Toyota team for Kenseth was issued a warning for failing two trips through the Laser Inspection Station (LIS) before Coors Light Pole Qualifying. The Hendrick Motorsports No. 88 Chevrolet team of Earnhardt failed body template inspection twice before Friday's Sonoma qualifying.

NASCAR Release.