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Author: Angie Campbell

  • Kansas Speedway – Did You Know?

    Kansas Speedway – Did You Know?

    The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and the Camping World Truck Series travel to Kansas Speedway this weekend for racing under the lights. The Truck Series Toyota Tundra 250 is set for Friday, May 12, at 8:30 p.m. ET while the Cup Series Go Bowling 400 will air Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET. Both races will be televised on FS1.

    Joe Gibbs Racing’s Kyle Busch is the defending race winner and is still searching for his first victory this season. He has four top fives and six top 10s at the track with the 12th best driver rating. Busch is currently 10th in the point standings.

    The first Cup Series race at the 1.5-mile track was on Sept. 30, 2001, but did you know that it was won by Jeff Gordon? There have been 22 Cup Series races at Kansas Speedway, one each year from 2001 – 2010 and two races per year since 2011. Hendrick Motorsports leads the series in wins at Kansas with six; Gordon has three (2001, 2002, 2014) and Jimmie Johnson also has three (2008, 2011, 2015).

    Fourteen different drivers have won poles at Kansas, led by Kevin Harvick, Johnson, Matt Kenseth and Kasey Kahne, with three poles each. But did you know that Jason Leffler won the pole for the inaugural Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway in 2001? He won it in the No. 01 Dodge for Chip Ganassi Racing with a speed of 176.499 mph and is the only driver to capture his first career Cup Series pole at Kansas.

    Leffler, known as “LEFturn,” began his career as an open-wheel driver winning three consecutive USAC Midget championships from 1997-99 and the 1998 USAC Silver Crown championship. He also made three starts in the IndyCar Series and finished 17th in the 2000 Indianapolis 500.

    Leffler’s NASCAR career began with four starts in the XFINITY Series in 1999 with Joe Gibbs Racing, running a full-time schedule in 2000. He advanced to the Cup Series in 2001 with Chip Ganassi Racing. During his career, he made 423 starts across the three national series and has two XFINITY wins and one victory in the Camping World Truck Series.

    On June 12, 2013, Leffler lost his life in a crash during a 410 sprint car race at Bridgeport Speedway in New Jersey. He was 37 and left behind a son, Charlie, who was only five years old at the time

    Leffler was a fierce competitor on the track but his most enduring quality was his generous spirit off the track. He will always be remembered for his irresistible smile, his selfless desire to help others and who could forget his trademark haircut?

    Three-time Cup Series champion Tony Stewart remembers Leffler as “a great racer and an even better friend. We raced together a lot, and our career paths were very similar. He loved racing, especially open-wheel racing, and that’s a passion we both share. To not have him around to talk about whatever race one of us had just run, or were going to run, will be hard.”

    Qualifying well at Kansas Speedway should give drivers an edge. Five of the 22 (22.7 percent) Cup Series events have been won from the front row, four from the pole position and one from second-place. But did you know that 54.5 percent of the races have been won from a top-10 starting position? Brad Keselowski won from the deepest in the field ( 25th) in the spring race of 2011.

    As we head to Kansas Speedway, Jimmie Johnson leads all drivers with the series-best driver rating of 110.6, with three wins, nine top fives, 17 top 10s and three poles. Kenseth (108.1), Harvick (105.3), Martin Truex Jr. (95.7) and Kahne (91.4) round out the top five best driver ratings.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. has struggled this season but did you know that he has the sixth-best driver rating (90.0) at Kansas Speedway? He has three top fives, nine top 10s and one pole at the track and is looking forward to the race.

    “Kansas is a great racetrack for me,” Earnhardt said. “That place has widened out pretty good and you can run against the fence there, which is a line that I like to run. It’s a very fast racetrack and very smooth, a lot of fun, so we should have a good time.”

    The on-track action begins Thursday, May 11, with Truck Series practice, culminating with the Go Bowling 400 Saturday evening at 7:30 p.m. In the meantime, check out the video below as we take a moment to remember Jason Leffler.

    Follow @angiecampbell_ for the latest NASCAR news and feature stories.

  • NASCAR Racing Schedule for Kansas Speedway

    NASCAR Racing Schedule for Kansas Speedway

    The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and the Camping World Truck Series travel to Kansas Speedway this weekend. The Truck Series race is set for Friday at 8:30 p.m. while the Cup Series Go Bowling 400 will close out the activities Saturday evening at 7:30 p.m. Both events will be televised on FS1.

    Chip Ganassi Racing’s Kyle Larson remains the Cup Series points leader while Furniture Row Racing’s Martin Truex Jr. is in second place, 54 points behind Larson. Joe Gibbs Racing driver Kyle Busch is the defending race winner. There are 40 drivers on the Go Bowling 400 entry list.

    Please check below for the complete schedule of events. All times are Eastern.

    Thursday, May 11:

    On Track:
    3:55 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Practice
    5:55 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Final Practice

    Press Conferences: (Watch live)
    1:30 p.m.: Craftsman Truck Series Drivers
    4 p.m.: Paul Menard

    Friday, May 12:

    On Track:
    11:30 a.m.-12:25 p.m.: NASCAR Monster Energy Series Practice – FS1 (Canada: TSN 2)
    1:30-2:55 p.m.: NASCAR Monster Energy Series Final Practice – FS1 (Canada: TSN 2)
    4:35 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Keystone Light Pole Qualifying – FS1
    6:45 p.m.: NASCAR Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying – FS1 (Canada: TSN 2)
    8:30 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Toyota Tundra 250 (167 laps, 250.5 miles) – FS1
    Stage 1 (Ends on lap 40), Stage 2 (Ends on lap 80), Final Stage (Ends on lap 167)
    Radio: MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

    Press Conferences: (Watch live)
    10:10 a.m.: Daniel Suarez
    10:30 a.m.: Clint Bowyer
    10:45 a.m.: Martin Truex Jr.
    1 p.m.: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
    3:15 p.m.: Jamie McMurray
    4 p.m.: Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
    4:15 p.m.: Danica Patrick
    8 p.m.: Post-Qualifying (time approx.)

    Saturday, May 13:

    On Track:
    7:30 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Go Bowling 400 (267 laps, 400.5 miles) – FS1 (Canada: TSN 1, 3, 4)
    Stage 1 (Ends on lap 80), Stage 2 (Ends on lap 160), Final Stage (Ends on lap 267)
    Radio: MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

    Press Conferences: (Watch live)
    3:15 p.m.: Derrick Johnson, Kansas City Chiefs
    6 p.m.: Larry the Cable Guy, Grand Marshal
    11 p.m.: Post-Cup Series Race (time approx.)

    Related Links:

    Odds to win NASCAR Go Bowling 400
    Kyle Larson +605
    Martin Truex Jr +605
    Brad Keselowski +605
    Kevin Harvick +630
    Jimmie Johnson +630
    Kyle Busch +787
    Joey Logano +807
    Matt Kenseth +1216
    Chase Elliott +1318
    Denny Hamlin +2042
    Clint Bowyer +2565
    Dale Earnhardt Jr +3092
    Kurt Busch +3092
    Kasey Kahne +3625
    Ryan Blaney +3625
    Erik Jones +3732
    Jamie McMurray +4000
    Ryan Newman +6500
    Austin Dillon +8000
    Field (Any Other Driver) +1659

    Complete NASCAR TV Schedule

    Toyota Tundra 250 Entry List

    Follow @angiecampbell_ for the latest NASCAR news and feature stories.

    Go Bowling 400 Entry List:

    [pdf-embedder url=”http://www.speedwaymedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Kansas-Go-Bowling-400-Entry-List-C1711_PREENTNUM.pdf” title=”Kansas Go Bowling 400 Entry List C1711_PREENTNUM”]

     

     

  • NASCAR Racing Schedule for Talladega

    NASCAR Racing Schedule for Talladega

    NASCAR travels to Talladega Superspeedway this weekend for the XFINITY Series Sparks Energy 300 and the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series GEICO 500. The XFINITY races will air Saturday at 1 p.m. and the Cup Series race will be broadcast Sunday at 2 p.m., both on FOX.

    Chip Ganassi Racing’s Kyle Larson remains the Cup Series points leader while Furniture Row Racing’s Martin Truex Jr. is in second place, 40 points behind Larson. Team Penske driver Brad Keselowski is the defending race winner. Forty-two drivers are on the entry list for the GEICO 500.

    Elliott Sadler is the XFINITY Series points leader and will be looking to defend his 2016 win in the Sparks Energy 300.

    Please check below for the complete schedule of events. All times are Eastern.

    Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
    Next Race: GEICO 500
    The Place: Talladega Superspeedway
    The Date: Sunday, May 7
    The Time: 2 p.m. ET
    TV: FOX, 1:30 p.m. ET
    Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
    Distance: 500.8 miles (188 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 55),
    Stage 2 (Ends on lap 110), Final Stage (Ends on lap 188)

    NASCAR XFINITY Series
    Next Race: Sparks Energy 300
    The Place: Talladega Superspeedway
    The Date: Saturday, May 6
    The Time: 1 p.m. ET
    TV: FOX, 12:30 p.m. ET
    Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
    Distance: 300.58 miles (113 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 25),
    Stage 2 (Ends on lap 50), Final Stage (Ends on lap 113)

    Friday, May 5

    On-Track:
    8:30 AM 10:20 AM ARCA FINAL PRACTICE
    10:30 AM 11:25 AM NXS 1ST PRACTICE
    NOON-12:30 PM NXS PRACTICE
    1:30 PM-2:25 PM NXS FINAL PRACTICE
    2:30 PM-3:25 PM MENCS PRACTICE
    4:30 PM-5:25 PM MENCS FINAL PRACTICE – CANCELED DUE TO RAIN
    5:00 PM ARCA RACE (76 LAPS, 202.16 MILES) – POSTPONED TO MAY 6 DUE TO RAIN

    Garage Cam:
    1 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series
    2 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series

    Press Conferences:
    10 a.m.: Brendan Gaughan and Ben Kennedy
    10:15 a.m.: Erik Jones
    10:30 a.m.: Brennan Poole and Elliott Sadler
    10:45 a.m.: Joey Logano
    12:30 p.m.: Ryan Blaney
    1:30 p.m.: Kyle Larson
    1:50 p.m.: Chase Elliott
    3:30 p.m.: Kurt Busch
    3:50 p.m.: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
    TBD: Kurt Busch

    Saturday, May 6

    On-Track:
    10:30 AM NXS QUALIFYING (SINGLE VEHICLE / TWO ROUNDS)
    1:00 PM NXS RACE (113 LAPS, 300.58 MILES)
    4:00 PM MENCS QUALIFYING IMPOUND (SINGLE VEHICLE / TWO ROUNDS)
    5:00 PM ARCA RACE (76 LAPS, 202.16 MILES)

    Sunday, May 7

    On-Track:
    1:00 PM MENCS RACE (188 LAPS, 500.08 MILES)

    Complete NASCAR TV Schedule

    Follow @angiecampbell_ for the latest NASCAR news and feature stories.

    Odds to win NASCAR Geico 500
    Dale Earnhardt Jr +900
    Jimmie Johnson +1100
    Brad Keselowski +750
    Joey Logano +750
    Denny Hamlin +1100
    Kevin Harvick +800
    Kyle Larson +1100
    Kyle Busch +1500
    Chase Elliott +1000
    Matt Kenseth +1200
    Clint Bowyer +2000
    Ryan Blaney +2000
    Kurt Busch +2200
    Erik Jones +2500
    Kasey Kahne +2500
    Jamie McMurray +3000
    Austin Dillon +3500
    Daniel Suarez +4000
    Ryan Newman +4200
    Trevor Bayne +2000
    Ricky Stenhouse Jr +4000
    AJ Allmendinger +4500
    Aric Almirola +6000
    Paul Menard +6000
    Field (Any Other Driver) +2500

    Sparks Energy 300 Entry List

    GEICO 500 Entry List:

    [pdf-embedder url=”http://www.speedwaymedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Geico-500-Entry-List-Talladega-May-2017-C1710_PREENTNUM.pdf” title=”Geico 500 Entry List Talladega May 2017 C1710_PREENTNUM”]

     

  • Talladega Superspeedway – Did You Know?

    Talladega Superspeedway – Did You Know?

    The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and the XFINITY Series travel to Talladega Superspeedway this week. Both series will have two practice sessions Friday. The XFINITY Series Sparks Energy 300 is set for 1 p.m. Saturday with the Cup Series GEICO 500 closing out the weekend Sunday at 2 p.m. Both races will be televised on FOX.

    Brad Keselowski is the defending Cup Series race winner, capturing his fourth checkered flag at Talladega last spring to go with six top fives and nine top 10s. He’s sixth in the point standing and has already been to victory lane twice this season.

    Talladega is famous for its unpredictability and volatile nature and the inaugural Cup Series race was no exception. But did you know that it was held during a driver boycott?

    The first race was scheduled at what was then known as Alabama International Motor Speedway (the name was changed to Talladega Superspeedway in 1989), for Sept. 14, 1969. The drivers, who had recently formed the Professional Drivers Association with Richard Petty as president, wanted to postpone the event because of concerns about the effects of the fast speeds on tire wear and the lack of grip on the rough track. When NASCAR refused, most of the drivers decided not to race and went home. The field was filled by drivers recruited on short notice by Bill France Sr. and was won by Richard Brickhouse, his first and only win in the series.

    But did you know that Richard Childress was one of those last minute drivers? France was offering drivers extra money to compete in the event to fill out the field and Childress thought that it was too good an opportunity to pass up. He finished 23rd in the first race of his 285-race career in the Cup Series as a driver.

    “It was a big break,” Childress said. “I left that day with seven or eight grand, bought me some land and built my first race shop. It was being in the right place at the right time. It was just one of the lucky breaks. Life’s all about the breaks and when you take advantage of them. That was the difference of me making it and not making it.”

    Although Talladega is nicknamed “Earnhardt Country,” NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott left his mark there as well. Elliott holds the record for the fastest pole at Talladega, set on April 30, 1987, at a speed of 212.809 mph. But did you know it is also the fastest all-time qualifying lap in NASCAR history? It is likely a record that will never be broken since the following year, restrictor plates were implemented at NASCAR’s superspeedways.

    NASCAR Hall of Fame nominee, Davey Allison, won his first race at Talladega in the 1987 Winston 500. Nine other drivers, including Brad Keselowski (04/26/2009), Brian Vickers (10/08/2006), Ken Schrader (07/31/1988), Phil Parsons (05/01/1988), Bobby Hillin Jr. (07/27/1986), Ron Bouchard (08/02/1981), Lennie Pond (08/06/1978), Dick Brooks (08/12/1973) and Richard Brickhouse (09/14/1969) went to victory lane for the first time at the 2.66-mile track.

    Although luck often has more to do with winning at Talladega, than skill, did you know that three Hendrick Motorsports drivers are included in the top five list of best driver ratings at Talladega?

    Chase Elliott, third in the point standings, enters Talladega with the best driver rating (97.1) but has only made two Cup starts at the track, finishing fifth and 12th in his rookie season with one pole at the track.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. has had a disappointing season to date but hopes to turn things around in “Earnhardt Country” as he searches for his first win this year. He heads to Talladega with the second-best driver rating (92.0) and leads all active drivers with six wins; four of those are consecutive, from the fall of 2001 – 2003. Only his father has won more, claiming 10 career victories. Earnhardt’s last win was in May 2015. He also leads all active drivers in laps led with 960. If he leads 40 more laps, he will become the third driver in the series history to lead 1,000 laps at Talladega.

    Kurt Busch is currently 17th in the point standings but has the third-best driver rating at Talladega (88.8), Matt Kenseth has the fourth-best driver rating at the track (88.0) and Jimmie Johnson rounds out the top five with a driver rating of 87.9, with two wins, seven top fives, 11 top 10s and one pole.

    Will one of the drivers mentioned above win the GEICO 500 at Talladega or will there be a “big one” that shuffles the field and deals up an unexpected winner?  Anything can happen at ‘Dega so don’t miss the action this Sunday at 2 p.m. on FOX.

    While you’re waiting, check out the video below to see a wild wreck from last year’s GEICO 500.

    Follow @angiecampbell_ for the latest NASCAR news and feature stories.

     

  • Richmond International Raceway – Did You Know?

    Richmond International Raceway – Did You Know?

    NASCAR travels to Richmond International Raceway this weekend for the XFINITY Series ToyotaCare 250 and the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Toyota Owners 400. But did you know the first Cup race at the track was held on April 19, 1953, and was won by Hall of Famer Lee Petty driving his No. 42 Dodge? Petty won five races in 1953 and finished second in the points standings. He won the championship the following year, the first of three during his career.

    Richmond started out as a half-mile dirt track but was changed from dirt to asphalt during the 1968 season. In 1970 it was re-measured to .542-miles and in 1988 was enlarged to the three-quarters-mile D-shaped oval that the Cup Series competes on today. The first race under permanent lights was Sept. 7, 1991, and was won by Harry Gant. But did you know that Gant is the oldest winner at Richmond, scoring the victory at the age of 51 years, 7 months and 28 days?

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. announced his impending retirement Tuesday so it seems only fitting that we take a few moments to reflect on his history at Richmond. While Earnhardt’s statistics at Richmond are noteworthy, his impact on NASCAR has been immeasurable. His humble and genuine demeanor has endeared him to a nation of fans who have watched him emerge from his father’s shadow to become an icon in his own right.

    Earnhardt has seven victories at the track, three Cup wins (2000, 2004, 2006) and four in the XFINITY Series (including last year’s spring race). He has 10 top fives, 14 top 10s and one pole to go along with his three Cup triumphs with the 10th-best driver rating of 87.4. But did you know that Earnhardt won at Richmond in only his second start there, the fewest among active drivers?

    Next, let’s take a look at Kyle Busch who is still searching for his first win this season. He enters the weekend competition with the series-best driver rating of 110.8 and the best average finish (6.957). He has 15 top fives, 17 top 10s and one pole at Richmond. While Richard Petty holds the record for the most wins with 13, did you know that Busch leads all active drivers with four checkered flags? This could be the weekend we see Busch in victory lane again.

    Kevin Harvick should also be a contender at Richmond with the series third-best driver rating (109.9) as well as three wins, 11 top fives, 20 top 10s and one pole. Even more impressive, he has the series-most quality passes (781) and the second-best average finish (8.292). But did you know that this is the first time since 2013 that Harvick hasn’t captured a win by the fourth race of the season? In 2013 he didn’t win until the ninth race of the year, which, by the way, was at Richmond.

    Qualifying well will be especially important this weekend. Of the 121 Cup races at Richmond, 24 drivers have won from the pole making it the most proficient starting position (19.8 percent). But it isn’t easy to do. Only five active drivers have done so, Kasey Kahne (2005), Jimmie Johnson (2007), Kyle Busch (2010), Brad Keselowski (2014) and Denny Hamlin (2016).

    The Toyota Owners 400 will be televised on FOX, Sunday, April 30, at 2 p.m. ET. In the meantime, check out this slideshow for a look back at all of Earnhardt’s NASCAR Cup Series victories, as we wish him continued success in his final Cup Series season.

    Follow @angiecampbell_ for the latest NASCAR news and feature stories.

     

  • NASCAR Racing Schedule for Richmond

    NASCAR Racing Schedule for Richmond

    NASCAR travels to Richmond International Raceway this weekend for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Toyota Owners 400 and the NASCAR XFINITY Series ToyotaCare 250. The XFINITY race will be broadcast on FS1 at 1 p.m. and the Cup Series event will be televised on FOX at 2 p.m.

    Chip Ganassi Racing’s Kyle Larson enters the race as the Cup Series points leader, 27 points ahead of Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott. Larson has six starts at Richmond, with a best finish of second in last year’s fall race and an average finish of 11.3. There are 38 drivers on the entry list for the Toyota Owners 400.

    Please check below for the complete schedule. All times are Eastern.

    Friday, April 28:

    On Track:
    11:30 a.m.-12:55 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Practice – FS1
    1-1:55 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series Practice – FS1
    3-3:55 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series Final Practice – FS1
    4:45 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying – FS1

    Garage Cam: (Watch live)
    11 a.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
    2:30 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series

    Saturday, April 29:

    On Track:
    9-9:55 a.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Practice – FS1
    10:05 a.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying – FS1
    11:30 a.m.-12:20 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Final Practice – FS1
    1 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series ToyotaCare 250 Dash 4 Cash Race (250 laps, 187.5 miles) – FS1
    Stage 1 (Ends on lap 75), Stage 2 (Ends on lap 150), Final Stage (Ends on lap 250)

    Sunday, April 30:

    On Track:
    2 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Toyota Owners 400 (400 laps, 300 miles) – FOX 
    Stage 1 (Ends on lap 100), Stage 2 (Ends on lap 200), Final Stage (Ends on lap 400)

    Follow @angiecampbell_ for the latest NASCAR news and feature stories.

    Complete NASCAR TV Schedule

    ToyotaCare 250 Entry List

    Toyota Owners 400 Entry List:

    [pdf-embedder url=”http://www.speedwaymedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Richmond-Cup-Race-Entry-List-Toyota-Owners-400-C1709_PREENTNUM.pdf” title=”Richmond Cup Race Entry List Toyota Owners 400 C1709_PREENTNUM”]

     

     

  • Bristol Motor Speedway – Did You Know?

    Bristol Motor Speedway – Did You Know?

    NASCAR travels to Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend for the Monster Energy Cup Series Food City 500. The first Food City 500 was held on April 5, 1992, 25 years ago. But did you know that it was won by Alan Kulwicki who started from the pole and led 252 laps to claim his second consecutive victory at Bristol? It was the final race on the asphalt surface (it was changed to an all-concrete surface later that year) and it was also the last one to be run on bias-ply tires.

    The inaugural NASCAR Cup Series race, the Volunteer 500, was held on July 30, 1961 and country music icon Brenda Lee, who was only 17 at the time, sang the national anthem. Tiny Lund was first on the track for practice and Fred Lorenzen won the pole with a speed of 79.225 mph. But did you know that of the 42 competitors who started the race, 11 of those drivers (more than 25 percent) would later be included on NASCAR’s 1998 list of its 50 greatest drivers?

    Jack Smith won the Volunteer 500 but he only drove the first 290 laps. The intense heat in the car blistered his feet and he had to turn to a relief driver, Johnny Allen, to complete the race for him. Allen finished two seconds ahead of Fireball Roberts. Ned Jarrett, Richard Petty and Buddy Baker finished third through fifth, respectively.

    There have been 112 Cup races since then, two each season. Forty-two different drivers have won at Bristol led by Darrell Waltrip with 12 victories. Kurt Busch and Kyle Busch lead active drivers with five wins each.

    Qualifying will be especially important this weekend at Bristol as 89 of the 112 (79.4 percent) Cup races have been won from a top 10 starting position. But did you know that 24 of the races have been won from the pole (21.6 percent) making it the most productive starting position? Carl Edwards, the defending spring race winner, was the last driver to win from the pole.

    Heading to Bristol, Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Matt Kenseth and Kyle Busch have the top two driver ratings at the .533-mile track. Kenseth has the series-best driver rating (100.9), four wins, 13 top fives, 20 top 10s and two poles. Busch’s stats are equally impressive with the second-best driver rating (100.5), five wins, eight top fives, 13 top 10s and one pole. But did you know that Busch is also the youngest Bristol winner (03/25/2007) at 21 years, 10 months and 23 days?

    Stewart-Haas Racing driver Kevin Harvick has the series third-best driver rating (95.7) at Bristol to go along with his two wins, 11 top fives, 15 top 10s and one pole. Harvick has led the most laps this year, 419, and is looking for his first win this season.

    Bristol Motor Speedway has provided some of the most intense short track racing in the series. It has long been a fan and driver favorite as it brings out the best and sometimes worst in the competitors. The key to success, according to Richard Childress Racing driver Paul Menard, is rhythm and precision.

    “Bristol is a rhythm racetrack, you get in the race and just hit your marks, and get into a groove. To make a pass you have to break that rhythm and then quickly get back into it. The key is doing that and not making a mistake. You’ve got to stay in your groove.”

    Recalling his first time at the track while testing a car, he said, “I ran about 20 laps and was totally out of breath. I was convinced that you couldn’t fit 43 cars on the racetrack. But, as we all know, you definitely can.”

    The Food City 500 will be televised on FOX Sunday, April 23 at 2 p.m. with radio coverage on PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR radio.

    Follow @angiecampbell_ for the latest NASCAR news and feature stories.

  • NASCAR Racing Schedule for Bristol – Updated

    NASCAR Racing Schedule for Bristol – Updated

    NASCAR travels to Bristol Motor Speedway for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR XFINITY Series this weekend. Saturday’s XFINITY Series Fitzgerald Glider Kits 300 will be broadcast on Saturday on FS1 at 1 p.m. The action wraps up on Sunday with the Food City 500 at 2 p.m. on FOX. Radio coverage for both events will be carried by PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

    Kyle Larson enters the race at the top of the MENCS points standings. The Chip Ganassi Racing driver has six starts at Bristol with two top 10s and a driver rating of 87.4. Joe Gibbs Racing’s Matt Kenseth has the series-best driver rating (100.9) with four wins, 13 top fives, 20 top 10s and two poles. There are 39 drivers on the entry list for the Food City 500.

    Please check below for the complete schedule of events. All times are Eastern.

    Friday, April 21:

    On Track:
    2-2:55 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series Practice – FS1
    3-3:55 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Practice – FS1
    4:45 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying – FS1 – Canceled due to rain

    Press Conferences: (Watch live)
    9:30 a.m.: Kurt Busch
    10:30 a.m.: Jimmie Johnson
    10:45 a.m.: Chase Elliott
    11 a.m.: XFINITY Series Dash 4 Cash drivers: Justin Allgaier, Michael Annett, Darrell Wallace Jr.
    1:45 p.m.: Trevor Bayne
    2:15 p.m.: Kyle Busch
    3:55 p.m.: Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott

    Garage Cam: (Watch live)
    11 a.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series – Canceled

    Saturday, April 22:

    On Track:
    8:30-9:25 a.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Practice – FS1
    9:35 a.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying – FS1
    11-11:55 a.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Final Practice – FS1
    1 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series Fitzgerald Glider Kits 300 (300 laps, 159.9 miles) – FS1
    Stage 1 (Ends on lap 85), Stage 2 (Ends on lap 170), Final Stage (Ends on lap 300)

    Press Conference: (Watch live)
    3 p.m.: Post-XFINITY Series Race (time approx.)

    Sunday, April 23: – All activities canceled due to rain

    On Track:
    2 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Food City 500 (500 laps, 266.5 miles) – FOX
    Stage 1 (Ends on lap 125), Stage 2 (Ends on lap 250), Final Stage (Ends on lap 500)

    Press Conference: (Watch live)
    5:30 p.m.: Post-Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Race (time approx.)

    Monday, April 24:

    On Track:
    12:20 p.m.: Driver Introductions
    12:53 p.m.: Presentation of Colors: Grundy High School JROTC Color Guard
    12:53 p.m.: Invocation: Mike Rife, Vansant Church of Christ, Vansant, Virgina
    12:54 p.m.: National Anthem: TBD
    12:56 p.m.: Flyover TOT by: (4) T-38s 49th Fighter Training Squadron from Columbus AFB, Mississippi (Turn 1 to Turn 4)
    12:56 p.m.: Food City Salute Commercial (Colossus TV)
    12:57 p.m.: Bristol August Video (Colossus TV)
    12:58 p.m.: Bristol Motor Speedway Hype Video (Colossus TV)
    1 p.m.: Dale Earnhardt Jr Congratulations Food City Video (on Colossus TV)
    1:01 p.m.: “Drivers, Start Your Engines”: Kerry Earnhardt and Kelley Earnhardt Miller
    1:07 p.m.: Start of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Food City 500 (500 laps, 266.5 miles), FOX

    Follow @angiecampbell_ for the latest NASCAR news and feature stories.

    Complete NASCAR TV Schedule

    Fitzgerald Glider Kits 300 Entry List

    Odds to win NASCAR Food City 500
    Kyle Busch +550
    Joey Logano +604
    Kyle Larson +650
    Kevin Harvick +705
    Chase Elliott +705
    Brad Keselowski +750
    Martin Truex Jr +908
    Matt Kenseth +1207
    Denny Hamlin +1207
    Jimmie Johnson +1214
    Clint Bowyer +2554
    Jamie McMurray +3077
    Dale Earnhardt Jr +3605
    Ryan Blaney +3605
    Kurt Busch +3605
    Erik Jones +5000
    Kasey Kahne +5000
    Ryan Newman +6000
    Austin Dillon +7500
    Ricky Stenhouse Jr +7500
    Field (Any Other Driver) +255

    Food City 500 Entry List:

    [pdf-embedder url=”http://www.speedwaymedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Bristol-Cup-Series-Entry-List-C1708_PREENTNUM.pdf” title=”Bristol Cup Series Entry List C1708_PREENTNUM”]

  • Blaney Takes Second at Texas in XFINITY, ‘Learns a lot’ for Sunday’s Cup Race  

    Blaney Takes Second at Texas in XFINITY, ‘Learns a lot’ for Sunday’s Cup Race  

    Ryan Blaney drove his No. 22 Ford to a second-place finish at Texas Motor Speedway in Saturday’s My Bariatric Solutions 300 NASCAR XFINITY Series race. It was his second race in the series this year and his second top-two result.

    Erik Jones won the event scoring his second win at Texas and his seventh career victory. He led 112 of the 200 laps and beat Blaney to the checkered flag by .512 seconds. Blaney, who led 43 laps, was pleased with his team’s overall performance but said that Jones got such a lengthy lead on the last run that he “couldn’t run him down.”

    “I thought our car was pretty good all day,” Blaney said after the race. “The 20 seemed to be a little better than us for 35 or 40 laps. Then I feel like we could start running him down. We passed him before the last pit stop and I thought our car was pretty decent right there. I needed to turn a little better early in a run. I knew it wasn’t going to be that long for the next stint. We didn’t come out with the lead and that hurt us. I think if we would have come out with the lead I don’t know if I could have held him off.

    “He was pretty good right away but we kind of over adjusted and got too free that last run. I felt like we were kind of even with them 10 laps into a run but then he got so far out ahead that we couldn’t run him down. Just couldn’t get there. I thought it was a solid weekend overall for the 22 group. I felt the way the car has been running on that side is promising. It has been second a lot this year and that team deserves a win. They have been working hard the past six months to get competitive again and be in position to win races. We just need to have one go our way.”

    As Blaney was winding down after the XFINITY Series race, his focus soon shifted to Sunday’s Cup Series race and how he could transfer what he had learned to the O’Reilly Auto Parts 500.

    He is currently seventh in the points standings with three top 10s this season and one top five at Daytona where he finished second. Blaney is looking to rebound at Texas after getting caught up in a wreck last week at Martinsville Speedway that resulted in a 25th place finish. With the newly repaved surface at Texas, the extra track time he gained during the XFINITY Series race will be invaluable.

    Blaney described what he learned, adding that he would “have some comments” for the team during the post-race debrief.

    “The track changed a lot in the second half of the race. The beginning of the race was treacherous at the top. I think me and Erik fell back to eighth and ninth from 2nd and 4th just trying not to go anywhere and wreck. I feel like that came in a little to where it wasn’t as deadly up there from passing lap cars. You get stuck behind a lap car and you can’t pass them for a lap or so and that part was tough. They don’t want to leave the line and get in the dust either so you have to kind of wait and just time it right. Personally, I learned a lot for tomorrow’s race. I think it will be very helpful. I was really thankful to run this race to get some laps. That part was good.”

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  • Texas Motor Speedway – Did You Know?

    Texas Motor Speedway – Did You Know?

    This weekend the Monster Energy NASCAR Truck Series heads to Texas Motor Speedway for the O’Reilly Auto Parts 500. With his victory at Martinsville, Team Penske’s Brad Keselowski became the first driver to grab multiple wins this season. But did you know that Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing, the two most successful active teams in NASCAR, are winless after six races?

    Texas may be the perfect track for these teams to rebound. HMS driver Jimmie Johnson has the best overall driver rating (107.1) at the 1.5-mile track but so far this year his best finish was ninth place at Phoenix. However, with a track-record six wins, history may be on his side.

    Or maybe Chase Elliott will break through and capture his first win at Texas. He had two top-fives in his 2016 rookie season and is currently in second place in the standings, only four points behind leader, Kyle Larson.

    JGR’s Kyle Busch is also hungry for a win especially after last week’s race at Martinsville where he led a race-high 274 laps only to see victory elude him. He has scored two checkered flags at Texas and is the defending race winner with 11 top fives, 12 top 10s and one pole at Texas.

    But the bigger story may be the newly repaved track surface that was completed during the offseason. Did you know that the entire track was repaved and an extensive drainage system was added on the frontstretch and backstretch? Turns 1 and 2 were also reconfigured with the banking reduced from 24 to 20 degrees and the racing surface widened from 60 to 80 feet through Turns 1 and 2.

    Some of the drivers have expressed concerns about the unpredictability of heading to Texas to compete on the new surface, especially since there will be no opportunity for pre-race testing.

    “To head into Texas with no formal tire test, no official track mapping, let ’er rip, this is new territory for our sport,” Stewart-Hass Racing’s Kurt Busch said. “I think it shows how much we’re having to adapt on the fly. Is it a good thing? A bad thing? It doesn’t matter. It’s what it is, and it’s unique the way we’re headed in there to go 215 mph with no track time.”

    JGR driver Matt Kenseth, who has the second-best driver rating of 104.7 at Texas, calls it “unprecedented,” adding, “I don’t think that we’ve ever gone to a newly paved race track without some sort of a test day, a tire test, or something along those lines.”

    There’s no doubt that this weekend will likely test the skills of even the best driver but let’s look at some statistics to set the stage.

    Did you know that four active drivers have multiple wins at Texas Motor Speedway? Johnson leads the way with six followed by JGR’s Denny Hamlin, Kenseth and Kyle Busch with two each. Roush Fenway Racing leads the Cup Series in victories with nine while Hendrick Motorsports has eight and Joe Gibbs Racing has six.

    There have been 32 MENCS races at Texas, one each year from 1997-2004 and two per season since 2005, resulting in wins by 18 different drivers. But did you know that 78.1 percent (25 of 32) have been won from a top-10 starting position? And, to narrow it down more, starting in third place has produced more wins (six) than any other starting position.

    Don’t miss the O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 Sunday, April 8 at 1:30 p.m. on FOX as the 2017 season continues at Texas Motor Speedway. While you’re waiting, check out the gallery below for a preview of the paint schemes we’ll see this weekend.

    Follow @angiecampbell_ for the latest NASCAR news and feature stories.

    Texas paint schemes