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Thursday, October 5, 2017

NASCAR National Series News & Notes -- Charlotte

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Next Race: Bank of America 500
The Place: Charlotte Motor Speedway
The Date: Sunday, Oct. 8
The Time: 2 p.m. ET
TV: NBC, 1 p.m. ET
Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio                   
Distance: 501 miles (334 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 90),
Stage 2 (Ends on lap 180), Final Stage (Ends on lap 334)

NASCAR XFINITY Series
Next Race: Drive for The Cure 300 Presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina
The Place: Charlotte Motor Speedway
The Date: Saturday, Oct. 7
The Time: 3 p.m. ET
TV: NBCSN, 2:30 p.m. ET
Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 300 miles (200 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 45),
Stage 2 (Ends on lap 90), Final Stage (Ends on lap 200)

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series 
Next Race: Fred’s 250 Powered by Coca-Cola
The Place: Talladega Superspeedway
The Date: Saturday, Oct.  14
The Time: 1 p.m. ET
TV: FOX, 12:30 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 250.04 miles (94 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 20),
Stage 2 (Ends on lap 40), Final Stage (Ends on lap 94)

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series

Round Of 12 Starts At Charlotte
The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs opens its Round of 12 with Sunday’s Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway (2 p.m. ET on NBC, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

The following drivers advanced following last weekend’s cutoff race at Dover: Martin Truex Jr. (enters Sunday’s race 51 points ahead of Ryan Blaney on the cutoff line), Kyle Busch (+33), Kyle Larson (+26), Brad Keselowski (+12), Jimmie Johnson (+9), Kevin Harvick (+7), Denny Hamlin (+5), Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (+2), Ryan Blaney (two points behind Stenhouse on the cutoff line), Chase Elliott (-4), Matt Kenseth (-5) and Jamie McMurray (-7).

Here’s the leaderboard as it stands entering the Round of 12:
Rank
Driver
Points
Race Wins
Playoff Points
Pts from Cutoff
1
Martin Truex Jr.
3059
-
59
-
2
Kyle Busch
3041
-
41
-
3
Kyle Larson
3034
-
34
-
4
Brad Keselowski
3020
-
20
-
5
Jimmie Johnson
3017
-
17
-
6
Kevin Harvick
3015
-
15
-
7
Denny Hamlin
3013
-
13
-
8
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
3010
-
10
-
9
Ryan Blaney
3008
-
8
-2
10
Chase Elliott
3006
-
6
-4
11
Matt Kenseth
3005
-
5
-5
12
Jamie McMurray
3003
-
3
-7

Jimmie Johnson is the defending race winner. The Playoffs drivers who have visited Victory Lane at Charlotte in the past are: Johnson (eight wins, track record), Harvick (three), Kenseth (two), McMurray (two), Keselowski (one), Truex (one).

Busch Goes For Third Consecutive Win And A Victory At All Active Tracks
If Kyle Busch wins Sunday’s Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, not only will he earn his third consecutive victory and an automatic berth in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Round of 8, but he’ll also become the first driver to boast a checkered flag at every active Cup track.

Despite never winning a points race at Charlotte, Busch has quality Loop Data stats at the 1.5-mile track. His average running position (9.7) and driver rating (105.6) ranks second best among active drivers at Charlotte. In 27 Queen City starts, Busch owns 11 top fives, 16 top 10s and a 15.0 average finish. He placed runner-up in this year’s Coca-Cola 600.

The last driver to record three consecutive victories was Joey Logano in 2015 when he won three straight playoff races in a sweep of the Round of 12. Busch also won three races in a row in 2015.

King Of Queen City: Johnson Attempts To Add To Record 8 Charlotte Wins
Jimmie Johnson will attempt to add to his record of eight Charlotte wins in Sunday’s Bank of America 500. The No. 48 Chevrolet driver has taken the checkered flag in the Queen City fall race four times, including last season.

In 32 career starts at Charlotte, Johnson also claims 15 top fives, 19 top 10s and a 12.7 average finish. He owns the top Charlotte driver rating (110.4) and average running position (8.0) of all Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers.

Johnson’s third-place finish at Dover last weekend marked his first top-five showing since his win at Dover in June.

Larson, Blaney, McMurray, Stenhouse Advance To Round Of 12 For First Time
The Round of 16 of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs was no problem for postseason first-timers Ryan Blaney and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Both drivers navigated their way into the Round of 12.

Chip Ganassi Racing teammates Kyle Larson and Jamie McMurray made it to the Round of 12 for their first time in their second and third Playoffs, respectively.

The Round of 12 will likely be much tougher. Larson sits 26 points above Blaney on the cutoff line, but Stenhouse only has a two-point edge over Blaney for the final transfer spot entering the Round of 12. McMurray starts the Round of 12 facing a seven-point deficit for the final transfer berth.

In eight career starts at Charlotte, Larson has one top five, two top 10s and a 19.8 average finish.

Blaney has never finished better than 14th at Charlotte in his five career races there, while Stenhouse owns a high finish of 13th in 11 Queen City appearances.

McMurray has had the most success at the 1.5-mile track. In 30 career starts, he claims two wins, seven top fives, 11 top 10s and a 16.2 average finish. He also won the non-points-paying All-Star Race at Charlotte in 2014.

Another Runner-Up For Elliott
Chase Elliott relinquished the lead to Kyle Busch just before the final go-around of last Sunday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Dover, finishing second despite leading a race-high 138 laps.

The finish marked the fifth runner-up of Elliott’s career. He continues to hunt down his first win.

Still, Elliott produced a strong Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Round of 16 with two runner-ups (one encumbered at Chicagoland) and an 11th-place finish. He advances to the Round of 12 opener sitting 10th on the Playoff leaderboard – a mere four points behind Ricky Stenhouse Jr. for the final transfer spot.

Plenty of notable drivers recorded more runner-ups than Elliott before their first win, including NASCAR Hall of Famers Bill Elliott (Chase’s father, eight runner-ups), Glenn Wood (six) and Mark Martin (six). NASCAR Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip logged four second-place showings before his first victory.

In four career starts at Charlotte, Elliott has a high finish of eighth. He crashed out of his last two races at the 1.5-mile track after starting both third. He led 103 laps in last year’s Bank of America 500.

A Spoiler At Charlotte?
As has been mentioned many times before, a driver doesn’t need to be a Playoffs contender to win a race. Many drivers who are not championship-eligible have won in the past at Charlotte. The group includes: Kasey Kahne (4), Clint Bowyer, Kurt Busch, Joey Logano and Austin Dillon.

NASCAR XFINITY Series

Round Of 12 Cutoff Race: Last Chance For Contenders To Move On In The Playoffs
As the Round of 12 of the NASCAR XFINITY Series Playoffs comes to a close this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway, time is of the essence for the 12 contenders to either win their way into the next round or score as many points as possible to secure a spot. Below is the current NASCAR XFINITY Series Playoff standings heading into this weekend for the Drive for the Cure 300 presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina this Saturday, October 7 at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Rank
Driver
Points
Leader
Cutoff
Race Wins
Stage Wins
Playoff Pts
1
Justin Allgaier
2,107
0
54
2
3
23
2
William Byron
2,104
-3
51
3
3
26
3
Elliott Sadler
2,094
-13
41
0
5
20
4
Cole Custer
2,093
-14
40
0
2
7
5
Daniel Hemric
2,090
-17
37
0
2
9
6
Brennan Poole
2,082
-25
29
0
0
6
7
Matt Tifft
2,067
-40
14
0
0
4
8
Ryan Reed
2,055
-52
2
1
0
5
9
Brendan Gaughan
2,053
-54
-2
0
1
3
10
Michael Annett
2,048
-59
-7
0
0
1
11
Blake Koch
2,043
-64
-12
0
2
5
12
Jeremy Clements
2,035
-72
-20
1
0
5

Playoff Contenders In Position To Advance To The Round Of 8
Eight drivers are currently in position to move on to the NASCAR XFINITY Series Playoffs Round of 8. Below is a quick look each driver’s performance at Charlotte and what they will need to do to advance this weekend.
Justin Allgaier (No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet) currently holds the Playoff standings lead with 2,107 Points; 54 points ahead of Brendan Gaughan in the first cutoff spot (ninth in the standings).  Allgaier can clinch a spot in the Round of 8 on points with 3 points and a new winner, otherwise he would clinch on points with 1 point scored.  He can also clinch a spot with a win this weekend. Allgaier has made 14 series starts at Charlotte, posting three top fives, eight top 10s and an average finish of 11.8.

William Byron (No. 9 JR Motorsports Chevrolet) is second in the Playoff standings following Dover with 2,104 points; 51 points ahead of Brendan Gaughan in the first cutoff spot (ninth in the standings). Byron can clinch a spot in the Round of 8 on points this weekend with 7 points and a new winner, otherwise he would clinch on points with 5 points. Byron can also clinch a spot in the next round with a win this weekend. Byron made his series track debut at Charlotte Motor Speedway earlier this season; he started 13th and finished 14th.

Elliott Sadler (No. 1 JR Motorsports Chevrolet) sits third in the Playoff standings with 2,094 points; 41 points ahead of Brendan Gaughan in the first cutoff spot (ninth in the standings). Sadler can clinch a spot in the Round of 8 this weekend on points with 17 points and a new winner, otherwise he would clinch on points with 15 points.  He can also advance with a win this weekend. Sadler has made 21 series starts at Charlotte, posting five top fives, nine top 10s and an average finish of 17.1.

Cole Custer (No. 00 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford) sits fourth in the Playoff standings with 2,093 points; 40 points ahead of Brendan Gaughan in the first cutoff spot (ninth in the standings). Custer can clinch a spot in the Round of 8 this weekend on points with 18 points and a new winner, otherwise he would clinch on points with 16 points. He can also advance to the next round with a win this weekend. Custer has made two series starts at Charlotte, posting one top five and two top 10s. His average finish at Charlotte is 5.5.

Daniel Hemric (No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet) is currently fifth in the Playoff standings following Dover with 2,090 points; 37 points ahead of Brendan Gaughan in the first cutoff spot (ninth in the standings). Hemric can clinch a spot in the Round of 8 this weekend on points with 21 points and a new winner, otherwise he would clinch on points with 19 points. Hemric can also advance to the next round with a win this weekend. Hemric made his series track debut at Charlotte earlier this season; he started fourth and finished 13th. 

Brennan Poole (No. 48 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet) is sixth in the Playoff standings with 2,082 points; 29 points ahead of Brendan Gaughan in the first cutoff spot (ninth in the standings). Poole can clinch a spot in the Round of 8 this weekend on points with 28 points and a new winner, otherwise he would clinch on points with 26 points. Poole can also clinch a spot in the next round with a win this weekend. Poole has made four starts at Charlotte, posting two top 10s and an average finish of 14.0.

Matt Tifft (No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota) is currently seventh in the Playoff standing with 2,067 points; just 14 points ahead of Brendan Gaughan in the first cutoff spot (ninth in the standings). Tifft can clinch a spot in the Round of 8 this weekend on points with 44 points and a new winner, otherwise he would clinch on points with 42 points.  Tifft can also advance to the next round with a win this weekend. Tifft has made two series starts at Charlotte posting one top 10 and an average finish of 17.0.

Ryan Reed (No. 16 Roush Fenway Racing Ford) is currently in the eighth and final transfer spot of the Round of 12 Playoff standings with 2,055 points; just two points ahead of Brendan Gaughan in the first cutoff spot (ninth in the standings). Reed’s best chance to clinch a spot in the Round of 8 this weekend is with a win. Otherwise, he can clinch a spot in the Round of 8 on points with 53 points.  He could also clinch on points with a new winner and help. Reed has made eight series starts at Charlotte posting an average finish of 13.9. 

Contenders Outside Playoff Cutoff And Looking In
Charlotte Motor Speedway is the host of the NASCAR XFINITY Series Playoff Round of 12 cutoff race, making this weekend an ‘all or nothing’ scenario for the following Playoff contenders that are currently outside the cutoff to advance to the next round. Below is a quick look at what they will need to do to advance to the Round of 8, and their series career performance at Charlotte.
Brendan Gaughan (No. 62 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet) is currently the first Playoff contender outside the cutoff to advance to the Round of 8, in ninth, with 2,053 points. Gaughan is only two points behind eighth-place Ryan Reed in the final transfer position.  Gaughan can advance with a win, but can only clinch on points with help. Gaughan has made 11 series starts at Charlotte posting one top five, three top 10s and an average finish of 14.4. He finished ninth at Charlotte earlier this season.

Michael Annett (No. 5 JR Motorsports Chevrolet) sits 10th in the NASCAR XFINITY Series Playoff standings with 2,048 points; seven points behind eighth-place Ryan Reed. Annett can advance to the Round of 8 with a win, but can only clinch on points with help. Annett has made 11 series starts at Charlotte posting two top 10s and an average finish of 20.0.

Blake Koch (No. 11 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet) is 11th in the NASCAR XFINITY Series Playoff standings with 2,043 points; 12 points behind eighth-place Ryan Reed in the final transfer position. Koch can advance to the Round of 8 with a win, but will need help to clinch on points.  Koch has made eight series starts at Charlotte posting an average finish of 23.9. Koch posted his career-best finish at Charlotte (12th) in last season’s Playoff race, ultimately advancing him to the next round.

Jeremy Clements (No. 51 Jeremy Clements Racing Chevrolet) is currently ranked 12th in the NASCAR XFINITY Series Playoff standings with 2,035 points; 20 points behind eighth-place Ryan Reed in the final transfer position. Clements is not out of it yet, he can advance with a win, and still could clinch on points with help. Clements has made 18 series starts at Charlotte posting an average finish of 21.8.

NASCAR Fitness Challenge At NASCAR Hall of Fame

Racing doesn’t end on the track as athletes from top teams in NASCAR will go head-to-head in the NASCAR Fitness Challenge powered by Lilly Diabetes for charity Wednesday on the NASCAR Hall of Fame Plaza. Among the more than 50 participants are NASCAR XFINITY Series driver Ryan Reed, Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver Michael McDowell, former Wake Forest University defensive lineman and current jack man at Joe Gibbs Racing Nate Bolling, as well as rear tire carrier on Germain Racing’s No. 13 and former Bowling Green linebacker Paul Swan.

NASCAR XFINITY Series Etc.:
Angela Ruch Returns: Angela Ruch is the only female competitor to make a start in the NASCAR XFINITY Series this season, and is returning this weekend to attempt to qualify for the Drive for the Cure 300 presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina at Charlotte Motor Speedway. It will be her third start of the season for B.J. McLeod Motorsports in the No. 78 Chevrolet. Though Ruch’s average finish is a 31.0, in each of her first two starts at Kentucky earlier this season she has posted positive place differentials of +10 and +3. Ruch is one of seven women all-time to compete at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the NASCAR XFINITY Series; the other six female competitors were Patty Moise, Danica Patrick, Johanna Long, Shawna Robinson, Jennifer Jo Cobb and Tammy Jo Kirk.
Sunoco Rookie of the Year Standings Update Following Dover: William Byron holds the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings lead with 286 points, and has a 40-point gap between himself and Daniel Hemric in second with 246 points. Cole Custer is currently third in the rookie standings with 229 points; followed by Matt Tifft (200), Spencer Gallagher (137) and Ben Kennedy (134). This weekend the rookies will showcase their skills at Charlotte where Custer leads the young pack with an average finish of 5.5; followed by Hemric (13.0), Byron (14.0), Tifft (17.0), Kennedy (25.0) and Gallagher (30.0).
Monster Energy Drivers To Watch For: This weekend there will be eight Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers attempting to qualify for the Drive for the Cure 300 presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina this Saturday at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio – Austin Dillon, Ty Dillon, Reed Sorenson, Daniel Suarez, Erik Jones, Ryan Blaney, Corey LaJoie, and Alex Bowman are all entered. Ryan Blaney will looking to make it two in a row after winning at Dover last weekend. The Drive for the Cure 300 will be Alex Bowman’s series season debut this weekend, and his team debut with Chip Ganassi Racing; driving the No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet.
NASCAR XFINITY Series Charlotte Quick Facts: Additional facts to get you all set for this weekend’s NASCAR XFINITY Series festivities at Charlotte Motor Speedway:

This Event
Race Name: Drive for the Cure 300 presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina
Date/Time: Saturday, October 7 at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Race Length: 200 Miles
Stages breaks: 45 / 90 / 200

NASCAR XFINITY Series at Charlotte Motor Speedway
No. of NXS Races at Charlotte: 71
No. of NXS Pole Winners at Charlotte: 46
Youngest NXS Charlotte Pole Winner: Chase Elliott (10/10/2014 - 18 years, 10 months, 12 days)
Oldest NXS Charlotte Pole Winner: Harry Gant (10/08/1988 - 48 years, 8 months, 28 days)
No. of NXS Charlotte Race Winners: 34
Youngest NXS Charlotte Winner: Kyle Busch (05/29/2004 - 19 years, 0 months, 27 days)
Oldest NXS Charlotte Winner: Harry Gant (10/05/1991 - 51 years, 8 months, 25 days)
NXS Charlotte Races Won from Pole (or 1st Starting Position): 11
Last NXS Charlotte Race Won from Pole (or 1st Starting Position): Austin Dillon (10/09/2015)
NXS Charlotte Race Record: Mark Martin 155.799 mph (05/25/1996)
NXS Charlotte Qualifying Record: Jimmie Johnson 187.735 mph (10/14/2005)

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series

The Rhodes To Victory
ThorSport Racing driver and 2017 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs contender Ben Rhodes captured his first career victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway when he won the Las Vegas 350.

The win was special for Rhodes. Not only was it his first career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory in 45 races, it also advanced him into the Round of 6 – furthering his shot at a championship this season.

Rhodes was the final driver into the 2017 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs – elbowing past Ryan Truex by inches. Now, Rhodes joins Kyle Busch Motorsports’ Christopher Bell as the only two drivers currently locked into the next round of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs.

Rhodes was happy about the win following Las Vegas, but knows it proved more to the rest of the Playoffs field.

"We proved tonight that we belong in the Playoffs after we were so close to getting into it from a couple of different times from wins. And then we got in by a tie and we’re proving we belong here. Now we’re going to the Round of 6 and we want to go to Homestead."
 
Briscoe Scores Stage Win At Las Vegas
Brad Keselowski Racing driver and Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender Chase Briscoe captured his second stage win of 2017 when he won Stage 1 of the Las Vegas 350 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Briscoe would go on to finish third in the race and sits fourth in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs standings through two Playoff races.

Briscoe’s third-place finish marked his seventh top five of the 2017 season and 11th top 10. He has yet to finish outside the top 25 all season.

Briscoe and ThorSport’s Grant Enfinger are tied atop the Sunoco Rookie of the Year points standings, 208-208.

Truex Takes Second Keystone Light Pole
Ryan Truex won the Keystone Light Pole at Las Vegas Motor Speedway – scoring his second pole in his last three NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races. His other pole was won at Chicagoland Speedway.

His two pole wins this season are the most poles he’s ever won in a single season of his NASCAR national series career.

Despite missing the 2017 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs, Truex remains a resilient driver and has finished top-20 or better in eight consecutive races.

Truex has put Hattori Racing on the map this season and will look to finish the 2017 season strong.

Playoffs Finishers At Las Vegas
With Ben Rhodes winning the Las Vegas 350 and Chase Briscoe scoring third in the race – here is how the entire 2017 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs field finished at Las Vegas Motor Speedway:

1st – Ben Rhodes
2nd – Christopher Bell
3rd – Chase Briscoe
4th – Austin Cindric
5th – Kaz Grala
7th – Matt Crafton
8th – John Hunter Nemechek
10th – Johnny Sauter

Following his 20th-place finish in the opening race of the Round of 8 at New Hampshire, John Hunter Nemechek rebounded at Las Vegas and scored an eighth-place finish. He still remains eighth in the Playoffs standings.

Reigning NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Johnny Sauter had some issues in the Las Vegas 350. He cut a tire and was caught speeding on pit road twice in the early stages of the race. He clawed back for a 10th-place finish and sits fourth in the Playoffs standings.

2017 NASCAR Playoffs Outlook Update: Post-Las Vegas
Following the second NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs race in the Round of 8 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, below is an updated Playoffs standings grid:

Rank
Driver
Points
Race Wins
Playoff Points
Pts from Cutoff
1
Christopher Bell
2152
1
47
-
2
Ben Rhodes
2105
1
13
-
3
Matt Crafton
2101
-
14
-
4
Johnny Sauter
2098
-
25
-
5
Chase Briscoe
2084
-
10
-
6
Austin Cindric
2082
-
7
-
7
Kaz Grala
2074
-
5
8
8
JH Nemechek
2068
-
14
14

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs By Round
The 2017 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs continued with the Round of 8 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last weekend.

The first cutoff race for 2017 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs will be next Saturday, October 14 at Talladega Superspeedway with the Fred’s 250 Powered by Coca-Cola (1 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Below is a look at the remaining NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs rounds and which tracks line up per round.

ROUND OF 8
Fred’s 250 Powered by Coca-Cola at Talladega Super Speedway
(Saturday, October 14 at 1 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

ROUND OF 6
Texas Roadhouse 200 at Martinsville Speedway
(Saturday, October 28 at 1 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

JAG Metals 350 at Texas Motor Speedway
(Friday, November 3 at 8 p.m. on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Lucas Oil 150 at Phoenix International Raceway
(Friday, November 10 at 8:30 p.m. on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

CHAMPIONSHIP 4
Ford EcoBoost 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway
(Friday, November 17 at 8 p.m. on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Dega Dance
Following the Las Vegas 350 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will close out the Round of 8 at Talladega Superspeedway for the Fred’s 250 Powered by Coca-Cola (Saturday, October 14 at 1 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

2017 Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender Grant Enfinger is the defending race winner, while 2017 Playoffs contenders Christopher Bell (sixth) and Johnny Sauter (seventh) both finished inside the top-10.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Etc.:
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Owner Standings Update: Kyle Busch Motorsports’ No. 4 Toyota Tundra leads ThorSport Racing’s No. 88 Toyota by 51 points in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series owner standings after 18 races this season. GMS Racing’s No. 21 Chevrolet Silverado (-54), Brad Keselowski Racing’s No. 19 Ford F-150 (-71) and GMS Racing’s No. 33 Chevrolet Silverado (-78) round out the top five.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Manufacturer Standings Update: Through 18 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races this season, Toyota leads Chevrolet by 33 points in the manufacturer standings, 673-640. Ford sits in third place with 570 points.

WATCH LIVE: Hendrick Motorsports reveals 2018 Daytona 500 Camaro paint schemes

Hendrick Motorsports will reveal the paint schemes for their 2018 Camaro entries for the Daytona 500 at 6:30pm ET on Thursday.

Watch the live stream below to see the reveal.

Wednesday, October 4, 2017

Helio Castroneves joins Team Penske's IMSA lineup

MOORESVILLE, NC -- Team Penske today announced that longtime winning INDYCAR driver Helio Castroneves will join the team’s new Acura Team Penske program that will begin racing in the 2018 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Castroneves will join previously-announced drivers Juan Pablo Montoya and Dane Cameron in racing one of two Acura ARX-05 Daytona Prototype International (DPi) entries next season. Acura Team Penske’s final full-time and endurance drivers will be announced at a later date.

Castroneves will officially return to sport car competition, joining fellow Team Penske drivers Montoya and Simon Pagenaud, at this weekend’s 20th Anniversary Motul Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta driving an ORECA-07.  The team will make its competition debut with the new Acura prototype sports cars at IMSA’s 2018 season-opening Rolex 24 race at Daytona in January.

In addition to his sport car duties, Castroneves is expected to continue to compete for Team Penske in next May’s Indianapolis 500 as the popular Brazilian driver continues his quest to become a four-time winner of the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”

“Helio has been a valuable member of Team Penske for almost 20 years and we are looking forward to sharing more success together,” said Roger Penske. “Competitors like Helio, Rick Mears and Mark Donohue are what have made Team Penske what it is today. This represents a new challenge for him and I know he is excited about the opportunity. Having established winning drivers like Helio and Juan, teaming up with young and talented racers that know the series like Dane Cameron, will help give our new sports car program a solid foundation as we head into the 2018 season.”

Castroneves will transition to the Team Penske sports car program after 18 successful seasons with the organization’s Verizon IndyCar Series team. Castroneves finished fourth in this year’s Championship standings, marking the 14th time in his career that he has finished inside the top-five in the season-ending rankings. Over the course of his 20-year INDYCAR career, Castroneves has produced 30 wins and 50 pole positions, including one win and three poles won in 2017.

Considered one of the all-time greats in INDYCAR history, Castroneves has earned more wins than any other driver in the history of Team Penske’s championship open-wheel racing program. He’s produced three victories in the Indianapolis 500, two of which came back-to-back in his first two starts at Indy in 2001 and 2002. He last won at Indianapolis in 2009 and he’s come remarkably close to earning a record-tying fourth Indy 500 win, finishing second two times over the last four seasons.

In addition to his remarkable INDYCAR success, Castroneves has also made five starts for Team Penske in sports car competition as he produced two poles, three podium finishes and a class victory in the 2008 Petit Le Mans event.

“I’ve been fortunate to achieve a lot of my personal goals with Team Penske over the years,” said Castroneves, who is also the longest-tenured driver in team history. “Helping Roger, the team and everyone with Acura start this program and build it from the ground up will be another big challenge and a great opportunity in my career. I am proud of everything we have accomplished together in INDYCAR and now I am focused on helping to develop the ARX-05 to try and win the 24 Hours of Daytona and the IMSA championship in 2018 with Acura.

“I’m also excited to get a chance to race again for Team Penske at the Indianapolis 500. That race is near and dear to my heart and trying to become the fourth four-time winner is something I really want to accomplish in my career.  We’ve come so close the last few years and with this team, I know we will have a great opportunity to try and make some history.”

The Acura ARX-05 [Acura Racing eXperimental, generation 5] is the latest in a line of endurance prototypes to be fielded by the company dating back to 1991, just five years after the 1986 launch of the Acura brand.  Based on the very successful ORECA 07 chassis, the new ARX-05 prototype features Acura-specific bodywork and utilizes the race-proven, production-based Acura AR35TT twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 engine. 

The multi-year program will be administered by Honda Performance Development, the racing arm for both Acura Motorsports and Honda Racing in North America.

Saturday, September 23, 2017

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series leader Christopher Bell sweeps stages in New Hampshire win

By Reid Spencer
NASCAR Wire Service

LOUDON, N.H. – In Christopher Bell’s dominating win in Saturday’s UNOH 175 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, the rich got richer.

The top seed in the series Playoffs, Bell won the first two stages of the opening postseason event and took the checkered flag 1.248 seconds ahead of runner-up Ryan Truex to notch his fifth victory of the season.

The win earned Bell automatic advancement into the second round of the Playoffs, gave him an additional seven playoff points to bring his series-leading total to 47 and widened his advantage over the seven drivers chasing him for the title, given that no other Playoff driver finished in the top five at the 1.058-mile track.

With all that said, the victory wasn’t a foregone conclusion for the driver of the No. 4 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota. Truex powered into the lead past Ben Rhodes after a restart on Lap 132, following a caution called when Kaz Grala knocked the Ford of Austin Cindric sideways in Turn 4 on Lap 126.

Bell patiently stalked Truex for 28 laps, as Truex positioned his no. 16 Toyota to block the line of the series leader. Finally, on Lap 160 of 175, Bell got a strong run off the second corner and buried his Tundra into Turn 3, shooting past Truex into the lead.

"He was doing a really good job of watching his mirror," Bell said of Truex’s effort. "I knew it was tough to pass all day, but our truck had been so good, we had been able to do it until we got to him.

"I kept trying to work down, and he kept blocking my air down and down and down. Finally, I got one run where I drove up in (Turns) 1 and 2 and then got a big run into 3."

In fact, Truex was surprised he was able to keep Bell behind him for 28 laps.

"When you’ve got the best truck in the field behind you, it makes it tougher," Truex said. "I did everything I could to hold him off. I was trying to take his lane and block and everything – I just didn’t have quite the grip he had.

"I didn’t know how this race would shake out. Every restart, I just gave it my all – a lot of three-wide stuff, probably (ticked) a few people off. But we’re trying to win races, and we’re getting closer."

Bell, who won for the first time at New Hampshire and the seventh time in his career, leaves the Magic Mile with a whopping 40-point lead over second-place Johnny Sauter, the defending series champion. Sauter finished ninth on Saturday after polesitter Noah Gragson spun in Turn 4 on lap 64 and caved in the right side of Sauter’s No. 21 Chevrolet between the front and rear tires.  

With the Playoff field to be trimmed from eight drivers to six at Talladega two races from now, John Hunter Nemechek and Chase Briscoe fell below the cut line. A rear gear failure sidelined Nemechek for 36 laps, and he finished 20th to drop to eighth in the standings.

Briscoe fought handling problems throughout the afternoon and finished 11th, dropping to seventh in points, three behind Grala, who came home 10th.

Non-Playoff drivers Todd Gilliland, Grant Enfinger and Stewart Friesen ran third fourth and fifth, while playoff contenders Matt Crafton, Rhodes and Cindric finished sixth, seventh and eighth, respectively.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race - UNOH 175

New Hampshire Motor Speedway

Loudon, New Hampshire

Saturday, September 23, 2017

               1. (2) Christopher Bell (P), Toyota, 175.
               2. (7) Ryan Truex, Toyota, 175.
               3. (5) Todd Gilliland, Toyota, 175.
               4. (8) Grant Enfinger #, Toyota, 175.
               5. (11) Stewart Friesen #, Chevrolet, 175.
               6. (10) Matt Crafton (P), Toyota, 175.
               7. (4) Ben Rhodes (P), Toyota, 175.
               8. (6) Austin Cindric (P) #, Ford, 175.
               9. (3) Johnny Sauter (P), Chevrolet, 175.
               10. (12) Kaz Grala (P) #, Chevrolet, 175.
               11. (9) Chase Briscoe (P) #, Ford, 175.
               12. (23) Cody Coughlin #, Toyota, 175.
               13. (13) Justin Haley #, Chevrolet, 175.
               14. (19) Austin Wayne Self, Chevrolet, 174.
               15. (1) Noah Gragson #, Toyota, 174.
               16. (16) TJ Bell, Chevrolet, 173.
               17. (21) Josh Reaume, Chevrolet, 169.
               18. (22) Wendell Chavous #, Chevrolet, 168.
               19. (27) Norm Benning, Chevrolet, Brakes, 144.
               20. (14) John H. Nemechek (P), Chevrolet, 139.
               21. (24) Jordan Anderson, Chevrolet, Electrical, 126.
               22. (15) Austin Hill, Ford, Brakes, 125.
               23. (20) Patrick Emerling, Chevrolet, Engine, 116.
               24. (29) Jennifer Jo Cobb, Chevrolet, Electrical, 27.
               25. (17) Gray Gaulding(i), Chevrolet, Brakes, 25.
               26. (18) Joe Nemechek, Chevrolet, Vibration, 11.
               27. (26) Camden Murphy, Chevrolet, Brakes, 8.
               28. (28) Mike Senica, Chevrolet, Rear Gear, 3.
               29. (25) Ray Ciccarelli, Chevrolet, Fuel Pump, 0.

Average Speed of Race Winner:  104.72 mph.
Time of Race:  01 Hrs, 46 Mins, 05 Secs. Margin of Victory:  1.248 Seconds.
Caution Flags:  5 for 24 laps.
Lead Changes:  8 among 5 drivers.
Lap Leaders:   N. Gragson # 1-24; C. Bell (P) 25; N. Gragson # 26-41; C. Bell (P) 42-58; M. Crafton (P) 59-75; C. Bell (P) 76-114; B. Rhodes (P) 115-131; R. Truex 132-159; C. Bell (P) 160-175.
Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led):  C. Bell (P) 4 times for 73 laps; N. Gragson # 2 times for 40 laps; R. Truex 1 time for 28 laps; B. Rhodes (P) 1 time for 17 laps; M. Crafton (P) 1 time for 17 laps.
Stage #1 Top Ten: 4,27,18,19,21,88,16,51,98,52
Stage #2 Top Ten: 4,88,16,98,33,52,27,51,24,21

Saturday, September 9, 2017

Brad Keselowski Bypasses Busch, Ices XFINITY Win at Richmond

NASCAR Wire Service

RICHMOND, Va. — In the long run, Brad Keselowski knew he had the superior car.

And that’s exactly what Keselowski got – a long run to close Friday night’s Virginia529 College Savings 250 at Richmond Raceway.

“When you can race with him (Busch), you know you’re having a good day, especially in this series,” Keselowski said after completing a spectacular celebratory burnout on the frontstretch. “When you race with Kyle, you race with the best. He and I may not always get along, but I have a lot of respect for his talent.”

After the second stage, which Keselowski won with a pass of Busch on the final circuit (Lap 150), the race ran without caution for the final 89 laps. Keselowski was driving a car with the new flange-fit composite body, which will be mandatory in the series by 2019.

“We weren’t quite where we wanted to be on the short runs, but good enough to be right there,” said Keselowski, who won for the second time this season, the fourth time at the .75-mile track and the 36th time in his career. “We just hung with him and got the long runs and we were able to pounce.

“That’s a testament to the team. (NBC Sports Analyst Jeff) Burton was asking me if it was the setup or the driver. I think it was both. I’m happy to get another win in this series. It’s a lot of fun and the first one in these new bodies. At least you know it isn’t an aero advantage. A great night at Richmond. I’m proud of my whole team.”

The cars of Keselowski and Busch were the clear class of the field, but behind them, series regular Elliott Sadler rolled home in fifth place and clinched the regular-season championship, along with the bonus of 15 playoff points that goes with it.

“We’re getting ourselves in playoff form,” said Sadler, who locked up the title with one race left in the regular season. “We’re fired up and ready to go.”

Making his last XFINITY start of the season, Busch had to settle for second.

“We just didn’t have long-run speed,” said Busch, who lost the lead for the final time in heavy traffic through Turns 1 and 2, after leading on five occasions for a total of 182 laps. “It”s tough to finish second, especially in the last go-round for the year.”

Ty Dillon ran third, followed by Daniel Hemric, Sadler, Christopher Bell, William Byron, Justin Allgaier and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Earnhardt’s No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet was the last car on the lead lap, thanks to the long green-flag run to finish the race — the same long run Keselowski was so glad to see.

Thursday, September 7, 2017

NASCAR National Series News & Notes -- Richmond

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Next Race: Federated Auto Parts 400
The Place: Richmond Raceway
The Date: Saturday, Sept. 9
The Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
TV: NBCSN, 7 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio                   
Distance: 300 miles (400 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 100),
Stage 2 (Ends on lap 200), Final Stage (Ends on lap 400)

NASCAR XFINITY Series
Next Race: Virginia529 College Savings 250
The Place: Richmond Raceway
The Date: Friday, Sept. 8
The Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
TV: NBCSN, 7 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 187.5 miles (250 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 75),
Stage 2 (Ends on lap 150), Final Stage (Ends on lap 250)

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series 
Next Race: Chicagoland 225 
The Place: Chicagoland Speedway
The Date: Friday, Sept. 15
The Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
TV: FS1, 8 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 225 miles (150 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 35),
Stage 2 (Ends on lap 70), Final Stage (Ends on lap 150)

Three’s A Crowd: A New Winner At Richmond Would Shake Up The Playoff Picture
The Playoffs are almost here as NASCAR concludes its regular season with Saturday’s Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond Raceway (7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Plenty of drama can unfold with the potential of a new winner making the Playoffs as just three points separate the trio of drivers currently holding on to the final postseason slots.

If there is no new winner, Chase Elliott, Matt Kenseth and Jamie McMurray would all make the playoffs on points. But if there’s a fresh face in Victory Lane, all three are in danger of missing the postseason. Elliott sits 14th on the playoff grid, a mere two points ahead of Kenseth and three points ahead of McMurray.

Elliott has struggled at Richmond throughout his young career. In four starts, he has a high finish of 12th and an average showing of 17.8.

Kenseth claims two wins, six top fives, 16 top 10s and a 16.1 average finish in 35 career starts at Richmond. He won the September race in 2015.

In 29 starts at Richmond, McMurray has posted three top fives, eight top 10s and a 19.2 average finish. He has finished no lower than 16th in his last eight starts there. Included in that stretch are three fourth-place finishes and five top-seven showings.

Truex Captures Regular Season Title At Richmond
Following his performance at Darlington, where he won the first two stages and finished eighth, Martin Truex Jr. captured the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series regular season championship. He’ll be formally crowned champion following Saturday’s race at Richmond.

Truex leads the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in points (107 more than second-place Kyle Busch), wins (4, Kyle Larson and Jimmie Johnson are second with 3), stage wins (17, Kyle Busch is second with 10) top 10s (17, Kevin Harvick is second with 16), playoff points 37 (Kyle Busch is second with 20), average running position (8.0, Kyle Busch is second with 8.7), driver rating (113.9, Kyle Busch is second with 107.3), fastest laps run (892, 15.6%; Busch is second with 727, 12.7%) and laps led (1,448, 20.7%; Busch is second with 1,311, 18.7%).

"It’s an honor to win the regular-season championship and a milestone for Martin and Furniture Row Racing," said Joe Garone, president of Furniture Row Racing. "At the end of the day, though, our sights are set on the long term-goal which is winning the championship at Homestead. We’ll use this regular season championship, and the bad luck the 78 team had at the end of tonight’s race, as a springboard to take us to that goal."

Logano A Favorite At Richmond?
Joey Logano’s lone win this season came at Richmond in April. The victory was encumbered after Logano failed inspection, so he must take the checkered flag in this weekend’s Federated Auto Parts 400 at the Northern Virginia track to make NASCAR’s Playoffs.

Logano has placed in the top 10 in his last eight races at Richmond. In 17 starts there, he claims two wins, six top fives, nine top 10s and a 12.5 average finish.

The No. 22 Ford driver has struggled since his April Richmond win. Since then, he’s registered only three top 10s in 16 starts.

The last driver to sweep Richmond was Jimmie Johnson in 2007.

Must-Win Race For Bowyer At Richmond
Clint Bowyer suffered an engine failure early in the Bojangles Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway that’s forced him out of Playoffs contention through points. He must win this weekend at Richmond to make the postseason.

Fortunately for Bowyer, Richmond is one of his top courses. In 23 starts at the .75-mile short track, he owns two wins, four top fives, 12 top 10s and a 12.9 average finish.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Gets Last Chance To Make Playoffs In Final Season
For Dale Earnhardt Jr. to make the Playoffs in his final season, he’ll have to win Saturday Richmond – a feat he’s achieved three times in his career (2000, 2004 and 2006), Still, it’s been 11 years since he last won at the .75-mile short track.

In addition to his three wins, Earnhardt has 10 top fives, 14 top 10s and a 13.7 average finish at Richmond.

The No. 88 Chevrolet driver enjoys running at Richmond because it has a similar setup to Myrtle Beach Speedway where he raced often growing up.

Denny The Defender: Hamlin Goes For Back-To-Back Wins
On Saturday, Denny Hamlin will not only try for his second consecutive win after taking the checkered flag last weekend at Darlington, he’ll attempt to visit Victory Lane in consecutive September Richmond races.

The Chesterfield, Virginia, native claims three wins, nine top fives, 13 top 10s and a 9.8 average finish at the .75-mile track. He has finished sixth or better in the last four races there. His 110.3 driver rating at Richmond ranks second among active drivers.

Hamlin has been one of the top-performing drivers in NASCAR this summer. Since the June Michigan race, he has finished fourth or better in eight of 11 races. Included in that stretch are two wins.

Jones Hits Groove, Will Try To Make Last-Ditch Playoff Push
Sunoco Rookie of the Year frontrunner Erik Jones has hit his groove recently. The 21-year-old Michigan native boasts five consecutive top-10 finishes and three straight top-five showings.

Jones will try to win his way into the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs at Richmond where he finished 38th due to a wreck in April. In four NASCAR XFINITY Series starts at the Virginia track, he has two top fives, including a runner-up performance this spring.

On the season, Jones claims four top fives, 10 top 10s and a 16.3 average finish. He leads Daniel Suarez by 12 points in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings.

NASCAR XFINITY Series

Two Races To Go And Plenty Of XFINITY Playoff Spots To Fight For
Following the 24th race of the 2017 NASCAR XFINITY Series season at Darlington Raceway, six drivers – William Byron, Justin Allgaier, Ryan Reed, Elliott Sadler, Brennan Poole and Daniel Hemric - have all clinched a spot in the postseason on either wins or points.

Though Jeremy Clements has a win, he has not yet clinched a Playoffs spot because he hasn’t clinched a top 20 spot in the standings. Clements is currently 18th in the standings, 101 points ahead of 21st, and can still possibly fall out of top 20 in the next two races.  If Clements was to fall out of the top 20 in the standings, even though he has a win, he would be ineligible for the postseason. Clements can lock himself into the top 20 and the playoffs with 17 points this weekend.  
Rank
Driver
Race Wins
Playoff Pts
Pts
Pts from Cutoff
1
William Byron
3
17

2
Justin Allgaier
1
8
3
Ryan Reed
1
5
4
Jeremy Clements
1
5
5
Elliott Sadler
0
5
6
Brennan Poole
0
0
7
Daniel Hemric
0
2
8
Cole Custer
0
0
590
123
9
Matt Tifft
0
0
558
91
10
Blake Koch
0
2
511
44
11
Michael Annett
0
0
490
23
12
Brendan Gaughan
0
1
487
20
13
Dakoda Armstrong
0
0
467
-20
14
Ross Chastain
0
0
432
-55
15
JJ Yeley
0
0
429
-58
16
Ryan Sieg
0
0
413
-74
17
Brandon Jones
0
0
388
-99

With two races to go and several NASCAR XFINITY Series playoff spots still up for grabs in Friday night’s Virginia529 College Savings 250 at Richmond Raceway (on NBCSN, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio at 7:30 p.m. ET) here are the clinch scenarios for this weekend.

Cole Custer (0 Wins, 590 Points, +316 Points Ahead of 21st) – Custer can clinch on points with 11 points and a new winner.  If there is a repeat winner, he would then clinch on points with eight points. He can also clinch a playoff spot with a win.

Custer has made two series starts at Richmond, posting one top 10 and an average finish of 9.5.

Matt Tifft (0 Wins, 558 Points, +284 Points Ahead of 21st) – Tifft can clinch on points with 43 points and a new winner.  If there is a repeat winner, he would then clinch on points with 40 points.  He can also clinch a playoff spot with a win.

Tifft has made two series starts at Richmond, posting a best finish of 14th earlier this season. His average finish at RIR is 23.5.

Blake Koch (0 Wins, 511 Points, +237 Points Ahead of 21st) – Koch can clinch a spot with a win. He could also clinch on points, but would need help.

Koch has made 12 career starts at Richmond posting one top 10 and an average finish of 24.2.

Michael Annett (0 Wins, 490 Points, +216 Points Ahead of 21st) – Annett can clinch a spot in the playoffs with a win. He can also clinch on points with a repeat winner and help.

Annett has made 10 series starts at Richmond posting one top five, three top 10s and an average finish of 16.6.

Brendan Gaughan (0 Wins, 487 Points, +213 Points Ahead of 21st) – Gaughan can only clinch a spot in the playoffs this weekend with a win.

Gaughan has made 11 series starts at Richmond posting two top 10s and an average finish of 18.0.

The remaining drivers in contention to make the NASCAR XFINITY Series playoffs can only clinch a spot in the postseason this weekend with a win:

Dakoda Armstrong (0 Wins, 467 Points, +193 Points Ahead of 21st)
Ross Chastain (0 Wins, 432 Points, +158 Points Ahead of 21st)
JJ Yeley (0 Wins, 429 Points, +155 Points Ahead of 21st)
Ryan Sieg (0 Wins, 413 Points, +139 Points Ahead of 21st)
Brandon Jones (0 Wins, 388 Points, +114 Points Ahead of 21st)

Impossible to Clinch: Joey Gase (0 Wins, 274 Points, 13 Points Behind 20th In Points) - Even with a win, he would not clinch a Top 20 spot, so he cannot clinch a Playoff berth at Richmond.  If he can't clinch a Top 20 with a win, no driver below him in the standings could clinch either.

Outside Looking In: JGL Racing’s Dakoda Armstrong Has Two Races Left To Make The Playoffs
JR Motorsport’s Michael Annett and Richard Childress Racing’s Brendan Gaughan have no room for mistakes in the next two races as JGL Racing’s Dakoda Armstrong is within striking distance of knocking one of two from the Playoffs in the upcoming final two races of the regular season (Richmond and Chicago).

Armstrong is currently 13th in the series driver standings, the first spot outside the Playoffs, a mere 23 points back from Michael Annett and just 20 points behind Brendan Gaughan in the final postseason spot heading into this weekend’s race the Virginia529 College Savings 250 (Sept. 8 at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) at Richmond Raceway.

Armstrong has made seven series starts at Richmond, recording one top 10. Richmond is one of Armstrong’s better tracks and battling for the final Playoff spot could get interesting this weekend as all three drivers have fairly similar average finishes at RIR – Annett (16.6), Armstrong (16.8) and Gaughan (18.0).

Virginian Elliott Sadler Comes Home To Lock-Up Regular Season Title
JR Motorsport’s Elliott Sadler, from Emporia, Virginia, returns to his home state hoping to not only get his first win of the 2017 season, but also lock up the NASCAR XFINITY Series Regular Season championship this Friday at Richmond Raceway in the Virginia529 College Savings 250. To clinch the regular season title, Sadler will need a 61-point lead over second-place in the driver standings following Richmond; he is currently 91 points ahead of second.

The NASCAR XFINITY Series Regular Season championship is more than just an accomplishment with a title, it also comes with 15 playoff points; which equals three wins’ worth of playoff points to take to the postseason.

Though Sadler has yet to win in 2017, he has been a dominant competitor on the track. Not only has he posted the series-most in top fives (9) and top 10s (17), but he has also been the points leader following every race but two this season.

Sadler is not only looking for his first win of the season, but also his first win of his career at Richmond Raceway. In 28 series career starts at Richmond, he has posted four top fives, 13 top 10s and an average finish of 13.8.  He finished seventh in the spring race earlier this season.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Leads A Cavalcade Of Stars Competing In The Virginia529 College Savings 250 
The sport’s most popular driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and five other Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series competitors - Paul Menard, Ty Dillon, Reed Sorenson, Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski – will be pulling double duty this weekend at Richmond Raceway in the Virginia529 College Savings 250. 

Earnhardt Jr. has been quite successful at Richmond in the NASCAR XFINITY Series. In six series career starts, he has four wins (2016 spring, ’02 fall, ’99 fall and ’98 fall), five top fives and an average finish of 6.3. Among drivers with multiple series wins at Richmond, Earnhardt Jr. has the highest winning percentage at 66.7%; followed by Harry Gant with a 36.4% winning percentage after winning four races in 11 starts at Richmond. Earnhardt will be driving the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet with crew chief Scott Radel.

Joining Earnhardt this weekend is the series’ all-time winningest driver and defending Richmond Fall race winner, Kyle Busch (91 wins), who returns to Richmond Raceway looking to tie Kevin Harvick (seven victories) for the series-most wins at the track. In 21 series starts at Richmond, Busch has posted six wins (2016 fall, 2014 fall, 2011 fall, 2009 spring, 2007 fall and 2004 spring), 15 top fives, 18 top 10s and an average finish of 5.5. Three of his six wins came from the pole. He hasn’t finished worse than fourth in his last seven series starts at Richmond.

Brad Keselowski is also a former Richmond Raceway winner who will be pulling double duty this weekend. He has made 16 starts at Richmond posting three wins (2013 sweep, 2010 Spring), eight top fives and nine top 10s.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series

Austin Cindric Scores First Career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Win
NASCAR Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender and Brad Keselowski Racing driver Austin Cindric won his first career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race with the Chevrolet Silverado 250 at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park.

Cindric, who also won his first career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series pole earlier in the day, was aggressive in his last lap bump into fellow rookie and GMS Racing Kaz Grala for his first win and a ticket to the Playoffs.

Cindric did not shy away from the incident or going after his win to get into the postseason.

"I’d say it’s an incredible week for this entire 19 race team. Everyone has seen this race and from how it plays out in the end. I don’t think I saw one highlight that didn’t show someone getting into the back of another driver to win the race. I hate for it to come down to that. I think I made an easy decision since Kaz already had a win to get into the playoffs. For us, it gives us a brighter light at the end of the tunnel and hopefully something for us to chase after for the rest of the year."

You can find the rest of that post-race audio here.

With the win, Cindric became the sixth NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver to win this season joining Christopher Bell, John Hunter Nemechek, Johnny Sauter, Matt Crafton and Kaz Grala.

Cindric has had a very strong season, winning once and scoring four top fives and nine top 10s. He’s led 66 laps this season and has seven consecutive top 10s.

Chase Briscoe Clinches NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs Berth
It was a strong week for Brad Keselowski Racing at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park as Austin Cindric won the Chevrolet Silverado 250 and Chase Briscoe clinched a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs berth with his seventh-place finish.

Briscoe is currently the seventh seed on the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs grid and still has a shot to win his first career race with one regular season race remaining at Chicagoland Speedway.

He’s had a strong Sunoco Rookie season with five top fives and nine top 10s. Briscoe has never finished outside the top-25 this season and has led 109 laps in the No. 29 Brad Keselowski Racing Ford.

Top Four Finishers At Canadian Tire Under 20-Years-Old
The top four finishers in Sunday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Chevrolet Silverado 250 at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park have two things in common…they’re all under the age of 20 and are all in contention for the Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series this season.

Race winner Austin Cindric and second-place finisher Noah Gragson are both 19, while third-place finisher Kaz Grala and fourth-place finisher Justin Haley are both 18.

All four drivers have had strong Sunoco Rookie campaigns as Cindric and Grala both have wins this season and will be in the 2017 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs. Gragson (11th) and Haley (12th) are both on the outside of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs bubble, but a win at Chicagoland Speedway could change everything for either driver.

Speaking of young drivers, 17-year-old NASCAR Next driver Todd Gilliland made his third career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start this season at Canadian Tire last Sunday. He scored a career-best finish in the No. 51 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota, placing 11th after starting 13th.

2017 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs Final Countdown: 1 Race
With only one NASCAR Camping World Truck Series regular season race remaining before the playoffs begin, below is a look at the playoff picture following Canadian Tire Motorsports Park: 

Rank   Driver                         Points             Race Wins      Playoff Points           Pts from Cutoff
1          Christopher Bell          634                  4                      24                                -
2          JH Nemechek             463                  2                      11                                -
3          Johnny Sauter             604                  1                      10                                -                      
4          Matt Crafton                574                  1                      7                                  -
5          Austin Cindric             447                  1                      6                                  -
6          Kaz Grala                    373                  1                      5                                   -
7          Chase Briscoe            573                  0                      1                                   -
8          Ben Rhodes                505                  0                      1                                   7
9          Ryan Truex                 498                  0                      2                                  -7
10        Grant Enfinger            474                  0                      0                                -31
11        Noah Gragson            458                  0                      1                                -47
12        Justin Haley                386                  0                      0                              -119

Trucking Down Into The Windy City
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is off this week – but picks back up next week at Chicagoland Speedway on Friday, September 15 for the Chicagoland 225 (8:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN & SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Kyle Busch is the defending race winner, while Christopher Bell (fourth), Johnny Sauter (fifth) and Grant Enfinger (sixth) all finished inside the top-10.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Clinch Scenarios At Chicagoland
With a pair of Brad Keselowski Racing drivers clinching two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs spots in Austin Cindric (win) and Chase Briscoe (points) at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park, there is only one Playoffs spot up for grabs at Chicagoland Speedway.

ThorSport Racing driver Ben Rhodes, who is currently in the eighth and final NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs position could officially clinch that spot with a win at Chicagoland or on points if he scores at least 49 points in the race.

The following drivers could clinch their Playoffs berth with a win or on points based on a repeat winner and help from other drivers:

Ryan Truex
Grant Enfinger
Noah Gragson

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Etc.:
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Owner Standings Update: Kyle Busch Motorsports’ No. 4 Toyota Tundra retains a 30-point lead over GMS Racing’s No. 21 Chevrolet Silverado in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series owner standings after 15 races this season. ThorSport Racing’s No. 88 Toyota Tundra (-60), Brad Keselowski Racing’s No. 29 Ford F-150 (-61) and ThorSport Racing’s No. 27 Toyota Tundra (-129) round out the top five.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Manufacturer Standings Update: Through 15 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races this season, Toyota leads Chevrolet by 23 points in the manufacturer standings, 559-536. In third place, Ford sits at 472 points and captured their first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win this season when Austin Cindric won at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park.

Wednesday, September 6, 2017

Car chief Travis Mack to serve as interim No. 88 crew chief

CONCORD, N.C. – Hendrick Motorsports will not appeal the penalty announced by NASCAR stemming from a post-race lug nut infraction Sunday at Darlington Raceway.

Travis Mack, 34, will serve as interim crew chief for the No. 88 NASCAR Cup Series team with driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. during this weekend’s event at Richmond Raceway. The Louisville, Kentucky, native has been the team’s car chief since 2015, serving under crew chief Greg Ives.

“We have a tremendous amount of confidence in Travis and everyone on the team,” said Jeff Andrews, vice president of competition at Hendrick Motorsports. “Our people have done a great job all year with the lug nut rule. We won’t dwell on it (the penalty) and will look forward to having Greg back on the box next week at Chicagoland.”

After joining Hendrick Motorsports in 2004, Mack worked as a mechanic for the Nos. 24 and 88 Cup Series teams. In 2013, he moved to Hendrick Motorsports affiliate JR Motorsports, where he served as car chief for drivers Regan Smith and Chase Elliott in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Mack earned an XFINITY Series championship in 2014 as a member of Elliott’s team.

Denny Hamlin's Cup win encumbered, Jr.'s crew chief suspended; plus XFINITY Series penalties

NASCAR handed the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing team in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series an L1-level penalty following the race last weekend at Darlington Raceway for violating sections 20.14.2 (rear suspension) of the NASCAR Rule Book.

Crew chief Mike Wheeler was fined $50,000 and suspended for two races, the team was assessed with the loss of 25 owner points and 25 driver points, and Denny Hamlin’s first-place finish was ruled encumbered per Section 12.10.

Also in the Monster Energy Series, the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports team was handed a safety violation for lug nuts not properly installed following Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s 22nd-place finish. Crew chief Greg Ives was fined $20,000 and suspended from the next race. Hendrick Motorsports will not appeal the penalty, according to a team statement. Travis Mack will serve as the No. 88’s interim crew chief.

In the NASCAR XFINITY Series, the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing team was handed an L1-level penalty for violating sections 20.14.2 (rear suspension). Crew chief Eric Phillips was fined $25,000 and suspended from two races, the team was assessed with the loss of 25 owner points, and Hamlin’s first-place finish was ruled encumbered.

Also in the XFINITY Series, the No. 22 Team Penske team was given an L1-level penalty for violating sections 20.14.2 (rear suspension). Crew chief Greg Erwin was fined $25,000 and suspended from two races, the team was assessed with the loss of 25 owner points, and Joey Logano’s second-place finish was ruled encumbered.

NASCAR Playoffs Quick Glance



As NASCAR heads into the Playoffs, here’s a quick refresher on what to expect.

What’s the same? The structure.
For all three NASCAR national series, the Championship 4 drivers race “straight-up” for the title at Homestead-Miami  Speedway – the first to cross the line is crowned the champion!

How they got here:
 

• “Win and you’re in.” Championship-eligible drivers who won a race during the regular season, attempted to qualify for all regular season races and met a minimum points position (Monster Energy Series: Top 30; NASCAR XFINITY Series & NASCAR Camping World Truck Series: Top 20) qualify for the Playoffs.

• If there are fewer unique race winners than open spots in the Playoffs, the remaining positions will be filled based on regular season points.

Round By Round:

• Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
-- 16 drivers, four rounds (Round of 16, Round of 12, Round of 8, Championship 4)
-- Playoffs begin at Chicagoland Speedway
-- Cutoff races: Dover International Speedway, Kansas Speedway, Phoenix Raceway

• NASCAR XFINITY Series
-- 12 drivers, three rounds (Round of 12, Round of 8, Championship 4)
-- Playoffs begin at Kentucky Speedway
-- Cutoff races: Charlotte Motor Speedway and Phoenix Raceway

• NASCAR Camping World Truck Series 

-- 8 drivers, three rounds (Round of 8, Round of 6, Championship 4)
-- Playoffs begin at New Hampshire Motor Speedway
-- Cutoff races: Talladega Superspeedway and Phoenix Raceway

What’s different? Playoff points.
Throughout the regular season, drivers in all three national series earned “playoff points” to be used in the postseason. The playoff points procedure is uniform across all three series and continues in the Playoffs for drivers who remain in contention.

Ways drivers earn playoff points:

 
• Win Stage 1 or Stage 2 in a race: 1 playoff point (point awarded per stage win)

• Win a race: 5 playoff points

• Win the regular season championship: 15 playoff points
-- Second place earns 10 playoff points, third place received eight points, and the points awarded decline to 10th (4th = 7 points, 5th = 6 points, etc.)

• Championship-contending drivers can accumulate additional playoff points throughout the Playoffs via stage and race wins and may use the points to advance all the way up to the Championship 4.

Playoff points take effect during the...Playoffs:

 
• Playoff points are added to a championship-contending driver’s reset points total at the start of every round of the Playoffs until they are eliminated from championship contention.

• If a driver accumulates playoff points during the regular season, but does not qualify for the Playoffs, their playoff points are eliminated from the scoreboard.

• At Homestead-Miami, playoff points are off the table and the Championship 4 drivers enter the “winner-take-all” race all even.


How the points are reset:

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series

-- Round of 16: 2000 points + playoff points
-- Round of 12: 3000 points + playoff points
-- Round of 8: 4000 points + playoff points
-- Championship 4: 5000 points (no playoff points added)

NASCAR XFINITY Series
-- Round of 12: 2000 points + playoff points
-- Round of 8: 3000 points + playoff points
-- Championship 4: 4000 points (no playoff points added)

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
-- Round of 8: 2000 points + playoff points
-- Round of 6: 3000 points + playoff points
-- Championship 4: 4000 points (no playoff points added)
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