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NASCAR Cup Series

  • Larson fired from Chip Ganassi Racing and Chevrolet

    Larson fired from Chip Ganassi Racing and Chevrolet

    Following a racial slur that was used by NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Larson during a virtual race Sunday night, Chip Ganassi Racing and Chevrolet have cut ties with Larson for the foreseeable future.

    Below is an official statement from Chip Ganassi Racing about the incident.

    “After much consideration, Chip Ganassi Racing has determined that it will end its relationship with driver Kyle Larson. As we said before, the comments that Kyle made were both offensive and unacceptable especially given the values of our organization. As we continued to evaluate the situation with all the relevant parties, it became obvious that this was the only appropriate course of action to take.“

    Shortly after the announcement, Chevrolet also withdrew manufacturer support.

    “As previously stated, Chevrolet does not tolerate the inappropriate behavior exhibited by Kyle Larson. As a result, Chevrolet is immediately terminating its relationship with Mr. Larson.”

    Chevrolet had previously supported Larson’s Sprint Car program, as well.

    This comes 24-hours after sponsors McDonalds, Credit One Bank and CLOVER, who were all primary sponsors last year on the No. 42, terminated their relationship with Larson. NASCAR also came out with a statement yesterday that they have indefinitely suspended Larson and that he must complete a sensitivity training program before he could be reinstated. Originally, CGR had suspended Larson without pay following the incident Sunday night until the team made the announcement Tuesday morning that they will be cutting ties.

    Chip Ganassi Racing has yet to announce who will replace Larson in the No. 42 when the season gets back underway, as the Coronavirus shutdown is ongoing.

  • Statement from Chip Ganassi Racing

    Statement from Chip Ganassi Racing

    “After much consideration, Chip Ganassi Racing has determined that it will end its relationship with driver Kyle Larson. As we said before, the comments that Kyle made were both offensive and unacceptable especially given the values of our organization. As we continued to evaluate the situation with all the relevant parties, it became obvious that this was the only appropriate course of action to take.“

  • Ford Performance NASCAR: Buescher Home On The Farm With His F-350

    Ford Performance NASCAR: Buescher Home On The Farm With His F-350

    CHRIS BUESCHER HOME ON THE FARM WITH HIS F-350 SUPER DUTY

    Trucks are to the state of Texas what fireworks are to the Fourth of July. You can’t have one without the other. Well, you obviously can, but it just wouldn’t be the same.

    Therefore, it should be no surprise that when it comes to choosing what vehicle he likes to drive around the house, Roush Fenway Ford Mustang driver Chris Buescher has three options and they’re all the same.

    “I’m definitely a truck person,” said Buescher, who grew up in Prosper, TX, before moving to North Carolina as a teenager to pursue a career in stock car racing. “My wife’s first car was a ’67 Mustang, so we have that, but we don’t drive it much at all.”

    Instead, he opts for his 2015 F-350 Super Duty that serves not only as his daily driver, but also dominates as the workhorse for moving equipment, hauling materials and carrying away debris from the recently purchased farm he and wife Emma bought last year.

    “It was really nothing but a piece of dirt that had an old pole barn and a foundation dug in with some pre-fabbed walls, so we crushed all the concrete and filled that hole in,” said Buescher, who plans on filling the 100-acre property with some cattle, goats, horses and donkeys to go along with the chickens already on site. “We’ve dug some ponds so that we can get the animals out here in the future, and we’re working on getting some fencing up, so that we can start containing everything a little bit.”

    As a result, his truck has been working overtime on the farm while also making the two-hour roundtrip drive to the Roush Fenway shop and Concord Regional Airport on a regular basis.

    “I just like having power to do what you do and hook up. The suspension stuff on them is really heavy duty without being a harsh ride day to day,” analyzed Buescher, now in his first season driving the No. 17 Fastenal Mustang for car owner Jack Roush. “My F-350 is comfortable to get in and go anywhere, but we put a lot of heavy loads on it around the farm as well. We’ve got a dump trailer we’ve hooked to it quite a bit. We’ve got a 48-foot flatbed that we pile stuff on and tow around, and it handles everything really well. It’s a single rear-wheel truck, too, which is nice because I can run it through a car wash.

    “I’m in the process of putting on a big cattle guard to make it look as Texas as possible, and that’s pretty much my driver right now,” said Buescher, who also has a F-150 Raptor that is a symbol from winning the 2015 NASCAR XFINITY Series championship. “We’ve just got a bunch of pickups.”

    Included in that list is a 2008 F-250 that Buescher bought with something in the neighborhood of 35,000 miles on it five years ago. The six-speed model was the last generation of diesel pickups to have a manual transmission option, and Buescher has worked on it to the point that he estimates it can generate 850 horsepower and 1400-foot pounds of torque. He sheepishly calls it his personal toy and something that’s “not really daily driver material.”

    “This sounds ridiculous, but I feel like I get a little claustrophobic when I get in small vehicles on the roadways,” said Buescher. “I don’t know if it’s the fact that you know you’re gonna get stuck behind a truck at some point where you can’t see or what, but I like to be able to see all the time. That’s why I usually get in the truck because I have a lot better vision and it’s a lot better feel for me.”

    And it’s also better for pulling things like trailers that hold your race cars, which is what the Buescher family had as Chris climbed through the ranks as a kid. Chris’ dad, Jim, got tired of cramming 50cc dirt bikes into the back of the family SUV, so when his son started oval racing and competing in Legends cars he bought an F-150 and never looked back.

    “Dad had a little bit of everything in terms of trucks,” said Chris. “We had an F-150 Heritage Edition for a long time and then when we started traveling the country we bought an actual semi-trailer rig to carry all of our stuff.”

    Now, it’s not like Buescher has never driven anything else. He owned a Fusion for about six months back when he was first hired by Roush in 2011 and used it to drive back and forth to the race shop to save money on gas. He was happy with the results as he nearly tripled his gas mileage compared to the F-250 he was driving at the time, but it was short-lived.

    “I really tried to like it. It saved me a ton of money, but I was like, ‘Man, I can’t do this. I’ve got to get back in a truck,’” he recounted. “I realized that I don’t mind the added expense of having something that’s just more comfortable for me to drive on a day to day basis.”

    In other words, it just wasn’t the same.

  • William Byron puts on a clinic at Bristol

    William Byron puts on a clinic at Bristol

    William Byron looked to be the man to beat as his brought his No. 24 Chevy to victory lane at Bristol. Byron led a whopping 116 laps en route to victory.

    “I thought we had a pretty solid race,” Byron said. “Obviously there was a lot to kind of decipher through and try to get through, but I thought we stayed up close to the front. We had the one tire strategy call that got us back to the top 5 and then we just had to work through the top 5 methodically after that. Was really proud of how we kind of did things, and thankful for Nick Ottinger, who kind of helps me on my esports team, and AXALTA for letting us run this cool paint scheme.”

    Byron was the polesitter coming into the event, with John Hunter Nemechek on his outside.

    As the green flag waved, calamity would ensue as Ryan Preece and Kyle Busch would be the first few to find troubles. The two of them would collide off of Turn 4 and create an early caution.

    From there, it led to a chain reaction of cautions.

    On Lap 11 Clint Bowyer and Bubba Wallace would tangle off Turn 4. Bowyer would slam into Wallace off Turn 2, sending the No. 43 into the outside wall, while Bowyer would spin in front of several drivers.

    Jimmie Johnson and Kurt Busch would have a similar incident on Lap 18 as Johnson slid up into the No. 1 off Turn 4, thinking he was clear. Ryan Blaney and Clint Bowyer would also be swept up into the pileup trying to slow down.

    Byron maintained his lead and the field would have a seven-lap run before another caution would fly as Chase Elliott and Ty Dillon rubbed fenders on the backstretch, sending Elliott’s car into the Turn 3 wall. Elliott’s car would go upside down as others would pile in.

    Another restart would fly on Lap 40 as Byron pulled away. Laps later, Kyle Larson and Timmy Hill would collide off of Turn 2, creating a big crash involving Chris Buescher, Blaney, Johnson, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

    The No. 24 would continue to lead but Byron’s teammate Alex Bowman would find trouble as he crashed off Turn 4.

    Tempers flared as Larson and Daniel Suarez would bang fenders on the backstretch. The pair would chase each other down, sending them both into the Turn 4 wall. Larson and Suarez would retaliate against each other and were eventually parked.

    Byron surrendered the lead in return for some fresh tires. Landon Cassill would take the top spot, with Buescher in second.

    Buescher and Cassill would go side by side throughout the restart, but Cassil would slide into the inside wall, causing another pile-up into Turn 1. After Cassill’s wreck, single-file restarts were implemented.

    Buescher would inherit the lead, with Matt DiBenedetto in the runner up spot and Bowman lurking in third. Byron’s fresh tires would kick in as he would overtake DiBenedetto and Bowman. The No. 24 would begin to close in on Buescher’s No. 17 Ford.

    Preece hit Kyle Busch trying to make a move with 51 laps to go, bringing out the yellow as the No. 18 spun off Turn 4. With 44 laps to go, Buescher would lead on another restart. His lead would be short-lived as Byron’s car would launch his way to the point.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. would have his share of issues and brought out the caution off Turn 2 with 32 to go. Byron would pull away after another great launch on the field. As for Buescher, he would be hounded by a flock of drivers.

    DiBenedetto and Tyler Reddick would move around the track to try and get around the No. 17. An accident involving Penske teammates Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano would interrupt the battling as Buescher would hit the stopped No. 2, giving the Roush Fenway car severe damage.

    With 20 to go, Byron still looked to be untouchable. A caution came with 10 laps to go when Kyle Busch would crash would stack the field up yet again.

    It came down to a four lap shootout, and Byron’s restart proved to be monumental as he would run away with the win at Bristol. Nemechek would finish second behind the No. 24. Timmy Hill quietly took third, with Denny Hamlin and DiBenedetto rounding out the remainder of the top five.

    There were three different leaders within the 150 lap race.

    Results:

    1. William Byron – 116 laps led
    2. John Hunter Nemechek
    3. Timmy Hill
    4. Denny Hamlin
    5. Matt DiBenedetto
    6. Ryan Preece
    7. Parker Kligerman
    8. Tyler Reddick
    9. Garrett Smithley
    10. Michael McDowell
    11. Clint Bowyer
    12. Christopher Bell
    13. Bobby Labonte
    14. Alex Bowman
    15. Austin Dillon
    16. Ross Chastain
    17. Joey Logano
    18. Kyle Busch
    19. Kurt Busch
    20. Landon Cassill – 4 laps led
    21. Jimmie Johnson
    22. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
    23. Chris Buescher – 30 laps led
    24. Brad Keselowski
    25. Ty Dillon
    26. Ryan Blaney
    27. Daniel Suarez – Disconnected
    28. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – Disconnected
    29. Kyle Larson – Disqualified
    30. Chase Elliott – Disconnected
    31. Erik Jones – Disconnected
    32. Bubba Wallace – Disconnected
  • Remembering Alan Kulwicki – Against All Odds

    Remembering Alan Kulwicki – Against All Odds

    Let’s travel back in time to NASCAR in the mid-1980s. If you take a look around on race day, you’ll see the likes of Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt and Bill Elliott. In the midst of this, a young man walks by wearing a fire suit and carrying a briefcase. One can only imagine the whispered remarks those “good old boys” made as Alan Kulwicki walked past.

    Kulwicki was originally from Wisconsin, had a mechanical engineering degree and was a college graduate. To say that he was an oddity in NASCAR is putting it mildly. But Kulwicki didn’t worry about things like fitting in; he was there to win races.

    He was often described as a perfectionist and a control freak and perhaps that’s why he chose to work for himself. After all, no one else could measure up to his high standards.

    Kulwicki started his rookie Cup season in 1986 with Bill Terry but when Terry decided to end his support for the race team mid-season, Kulwicki started his own team. It was a one-man show starring Kulwicki as driver, owner, crew chief and mechanic.

    No one thought he would succeed.

    Kulwicki’s unconventional methods began to pay off when he won the 1986 Winston Cup Rookie of the Year award. His first win came at Phoenix in 1988 where he first did his now famous, Polish Victory Lap, driving the opposite way on the track, with the driver’s side of the car facing the fans.

    Kulwicki expressed what that first win meant to him in Grand National Scene magazine.

    “It’s been a long road and it’s taken a lot of hard work to get here,” he said, “but this has made it all worthwhile. When you work for something so hard for so long, you wonder if it’s going to be worth all of the anticipation. Believe me, it certainly was.

    “And what do you think of my Polish victory lap? There will never be another first win and you know, everybody sprays champagne or stands up on the car. I wanted to do something different for the fans.”

    In 1992, Kulwicki’s commitment to excellence was finally rewarded. He overcame a 278 point deficit in the final six races of the season and won the Cup Championship at the last race of the season in Atlanta.

    That day was notable for several reasons although not all were immediately apparent.

    It was the closest title win in NASCAR Cup Series history until the Chase for the Cup format was implemented in 2004. Kulwicki was the last owner/driver to win the title, the first Cup champion with a college degree and the first Cup champion born in a Northern state.

    I wonder if those fans at the Atlanta race had a sense of the history being made on that monumental day. A friend of mine was there and shared his memories of that day and the feeling he had that he was watching something special.

    “I was there at Atlanta the day Alan won his championship,” he told me. “It was one of the most incredible and historic races I’ve ever seen, in person or otherwise. “The King” ran his last race and Jeff Gordon his first, but it was Alan who won the day, if not the race.

    “It was a cold and windy day and most fans wasted little time leaving at the race’s end, but I waited down by the first turn fence for Alan to take that ride around the track in the convertible as newly crowned champion. For reasons unknown, it was something I felt compelled to do.

    “As they drove slowly by my position I gave a yell of congratulations and a wave to the champ as he waved back. Little did I know we were waving goodbye.”

    Kulwicki’s reign as Champion was short-lived.

    The 1993 season had gotten off to a strong start and he was already ninth in the point standings when everything changed in the blink of an eye. On April 1, 1993, he was flying to the next race in Bristol, Tennessee when the plane carrying him and three others went down near Bristol. There were no survivors.

    Saturday morning at Bristol, all the drivers were there as the Alan Kulwicki hauler circled Bristol and left the track for the last time.

    Kyle Petty remembers that day vividly saying, “I’ve been around racing a long time and I’ve lost a son. I think the saddest thing I’ve ever seen at a racetrack was Alan’s truck leaving Bristol, Tennessee. We just sat and cried.”

    On Sunday, Rusty Wallace won the race and honored his friend by doing the Polish Victory Lap. During the remainder of the 1993 season, every winning driver completed the Polish Victory Lap to honor Kulwicki’s memory.

    Kulwicki was a bright light whose flame was extinguished far too soon and his life was a testament of hope that anything is possible. He did things his way and succeeded against all odds, believing in himself when no one else did.

    As Alan said, “If you don’t believe, you don’t belong.”

    • Repost – Originally published April 4, 2015

  • Timmy Hill conquers rowdy eNASCAR Pro Series Invitational race at Texas

    Timmy Hill conquers rowdy eNASCAR Pro Series Invitational race at Texas

    Timmy Hill held off Ryan Preece on a late restart to win at virtual Texas Motor Speedway in the eNASCAR Pro Invitational Series.

    “I couldn’t be more excited,” Hill said. “Very exciting times for us because we just don’t get the recognition on a normal basis. To be on an even playing field is excellent. The last lap was just one I will definitely remember for a while.”

    William Byron started off on the pole, with Dale Earnhardt Jr. on his outside.

    For the second race of the Pro Invitational Series, the quick repairs were reduced to only one for the drivers.

    The field calmed down rather early on as the No. 24 of William Byron held the lead in the early going. John Hunter Nemechek, however, took Byron’s lead away as his Ford Mustang would spring to life.

    Kyle Busch and Ryan Blaney collided on the backstretch, collecting Chris Buescher, Erik Jones, and Bubba Wallace. Surprisingly, no caution was called. However, a wreck with Christopher Bell and Michael McDowell on Lap 27 would bring out the first yellow as they would both check up for Bobby Labonte and Austin Dillon off of Turn 4. The two collided, sending Bell and McDowell into the outside wall.

    Byron would continue to lead on the restart, but Preece would immediately take the top spot on Lap 54. Preece’s lead would be short-lived as Nemechek would pass the No. 37. With the field clumped together, Preece lost multiple positions.

    Anthony Alfredo found trouble as he slammed the Turn 3 wall head-on, knocking him out of the race. Denny Hamlin, Chase Elliott, and Ty Dillon would stay out, and those three would be the leaders on the restart.

    Byron, with four fresh tires, would quickly pass those on old tires and would re-take the lead.

    Earnhardt found problems as he slapped the Turn 4 wall on Lap 73. The No. 8 would get damaged on the right side, dropping him outside the Top 10.

    Pit road proved to be slippery for some drivers as the cycle began. Nemechek would nearly spin coming in, as well as Alex Labbe.

    Earnhardt and Ross Chastain stayed out, banking on a yellow to increase their chances of gaining track position. The green would remain and the two would eventually have to pit as they neared 20 to go.

    Byron, Hill and Nemechek would cycle out as the Top 3 after pit stops.

    A yellow would fly with 16 laps to go when Daniel Suarez crashed on the backstretch. Suarez was parked for trying to wreck Ty Dillon. With the yellow out, everyone migrated down to pit road, and Byron would be the first one out of the pits.

    As Byron led the restart, carnage would follow in suit. Clint Bowyer and Greg Biffle made contact off of Turn 2, sending the two Fords into the inside wall and up into Matt DiBenedetto, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ty Majeski, and Ty Dillon.

    Byron again would have to fend off the field on another restart attempt with five laps to go. Labonte spun on the frontstretch trying to get going, but no yellow would fly.

    The battle for the lead would heat up as Hill pulled the bump and run on Byron with four laps to go, sending the No. 24 Chevy up the hill, allowing Hill to take the top spot.

    Shortly afterward, Parker Kligerman and Nemechek would bang fenders off of Turn 4, sending them into the paths of Preece, Labbe, and Byron. The caution came out, bunching the field up yet again but Hill held off the field to take the checkered flag over Preece. He would edge him out by nearly five hundredths of a second.

    Garrett Smithley, Landon Cassill, and Alex Bowman would round out the top five.

    There were five cautions within the 125-lap race.

    Results:

    1. Timmy Hill
    2. Ryan Preece
    3. Garrett Smithley
    4. Landon Cassill
    5. Alex Bowman
    6. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
    7. William Byron
    8. John Hunter Nemechek
    9. Kyle Larson
    10. Kurt Busch
    11. Clint Bowyer
    12. Parker Kligerman
    13. Bobby Labonte
    14. Michael McDowell
    15. Matt DiBenedetto
    16. Ty Dillon
    17. Kyle Busch
    18. Chris Buescher
    19. Jimmie Johnson
    20. Chase Elliott
    21. Erik Jones
    22. Ross Chastain
    23. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
    24. Denny Hamlin
    25. Bubba Wallace
    26. Alex Labbe
    27. Ryan Blaney
    28. Tyler Reddick
    29. Austin Dillon
    30. Ty Majeski
    31. Ruben Garcia Jr.
    32. Greg Biffle
    33. Daniel Suarez (Disqualified)
    34. Christopher Bell (Disconnected)
    35. Anthony Alfredo (Disconnected)
  • Denny Hamlin wins wild eNASCAR Pro Invitational Series Race at Homestead

    Denny Hamlin wins wild eNASCAR Pro Invitational Series Race at Homestead

    With the Coronavirus hindering the status of NASCAR, the organization proceeded to set up an iRacing event with a multitude of NASCAR drivers from various series to compete.

    Denny Hamlin ended up victorious after a wild finish at virtual Homestead-Miami Speedway.

    “It’s always fun when you win, but regardless, I mean, it’s just–it was a great event,” Hamlin said. “For the community, the racing community, the NASCAR drivers to come together and put 20-something drivers on the racetrack with such short notice, everyone is buying up simulation rigs this week and last week getting ready for the event, and for it all to come together and have a great finish, I think it was definitely a success.”

    Garrett Smithley started on the pole, with William Byron on his outside.

    Kyle Busch and Austin Dillon would have technical issues at the start, putting them a lap down. Jimmie Johnson would also miss the start, putting him multiple laps down.

    As the green flag waved, Smithley and Byron would duke it out within the opening laps. Smithley’s lead would be short lived as Byron would take the top spot.

    A crash off of Turn 4 would bring out the yellow when Austin Cindric’s No. 12 would get loose off of Turn 4, collecting Anthony Alfredo and Kurt Busch.

    Byron would continue to lead on the restart, but the battle for fourth would heat up between Parker Kligerman, Ty Majeski, and Ross Chastain. Majeski would fall backwards while Kligerman and Chastain would march their way towards the Top 5.

    Another yellow would fly when Justin Allgaier would slide in front of John Hunter Nemechek, causing a big crash on the frontstretch involving Johnson, Kurt Busch, and Ty Dillon.

    Pit stops would begin, and Hamlin would be ahead of the field due to a two tire stop.

    The No. 11 would lead on the restart, but as they approached Turn 3, they caught Johnson’s damaged No. 48. The Ally Bank Chevy would get stuck into the middle and would get out of shape. Johnson would spin in front of the field, creating a big pileup off of Turn 4, collecting drivers like Landon Cassill, Clint Bowyer, Ryan Truex, Ryan Preece, and Timmy Hill.

    Hamlin would continue to lead, but the green flag run would be short lived as Chastain and Byron would collide into Turn 1 fighting for the second spot. Both would be able to save it, but a stack-up would occur behind them as Matt DiBenedetto and Chris Buescher would make contact, sending them into Chastain’s path.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. would have his share of the lead as he would lead on the next restart. Alfredo and Alex Bowman would put their names to the front, as well as Chase Elliott and Bubba Wallace within the Top 5.

    Kurt Busch would continue to find troubles as his No. 1 Chevy would crash off of Turn 2. It would set up another big wreck as Chase Briscoe and Allgaier would be swept up in the carnage.

    Byron would then be the leader on the restart, but Hill brought along pressure as he would challenge the No. 24 for the race lead. The two would pull crossover moves for a handful of laps before Hill cleared the Hendrick Motorsports driver.

    Erik Jones would spin on the frontstretch, bringing out the yellow.

    Byron would continue to lead, but Smithley would put the power down, pressuring the No. 24.

    Smithley would reel in Bryon and would swiftly take second away. Earnhardt would also join into the battle and would challenge for third.

    Another caution would fly when Elliott and Wallace would make contact in Turn 1, sending the No. 9 Hooters Chevy for a spin.

    Briscoe and Chastain would stay out, and the duo would lead on the restart. They would be swallowed up by drivers with new tires, as Smithley steamed by the two, re-inheriting the lead.

    Near the Top 5, Byron and Bowman would collide on the fronstretch, triggering another big crash as more drivers would have no place to go. Kyle Busch, Bowman, Preece, Majeski, Earnhardt were notables that were collected.

    Smithley would lead the field with 27 laps to go, but more drivers would find trouble as with 23 to go, Bowyer, Preece, and Byron would crash in Turn 1.

    The No. 51 would continue to lead on the restart. DiBenedetto and Kligerman would lurk their way into the Top 5, with Earnhardt in hot pursuit.

    Earnhardt’s No. 8 would come to life as he would march his way past DiBenedetto and Kligerman. Briscoe would also follow Earnhardt as they both would gradually catch Smithley and Hill.

    With nine laps to go, Hill would challenge Smithley for the lead and would clear the No. 51. Earnhardt would quickly take the second spot away as well.

    Earnhardt would then go for the race lead, passing Hill on the inside with five to go. Hill would pull a crossover move and the two would swap lanes.

    Due to the leaders battling, it allowed Briscoe to pounce. The No. 98 would make it three wide into Turn 1, but would back off, hindering his chances of victory.

    Hamlin, who was several positions back, was also coming to life. With fresh tires, he had caught the leaders with only a few laps remaining.

    On the last lap, Hamlin would make a move to the outside line into Turn 1. He would manage to keep the car up top and would pass Earnhardt off of Turn 4 to take the victory with a last lap pass after contact with Earnhardt. Earnhardt would save it off the final corner and would eek out Hill and Briscoe to take second. Hill would be third, with Briscoe in fourth. Smithley would round out the Top 5.

    Hamlin pledged $5000 if he won to families affected by the coronavirus within the Homestead-Miami area. He also pledged $100 for each lap he led.

    There were nine cautions during the 100-lap event.

    Results:

    1. Denny Hamlin
    2. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
    3. Timmy Hill
    4. Chase Briscoe
    5. Garrett Smithley
    6. Alex Bowman
    7. Bubba Wallace
    8. Ryan Preece
    9. Ty Majeski
    10. Erik Jones
    11. Matt DiBenedetto
    12. Landon Cassill
    13. Parker Kligerman
    14. Ross Chastain
    15. Joey Logano
    16. Clint Bowyer
    17. Ryan Truex
    18. Bobby Labonte
    19. Ty Dillon
    20. Justin Allgaier
    21. Ricky Stenhouse Jr
    22. Austin Cindric
    23. Michael McDowell
    24. Chase Elliott
    25. Brad Keselowski
    26. Christopher Bell
    27. Austin Dillon
    28. Chris Buescher
    29. Kyle Busch
    30. John Hunter Nemechek
    31. Jimmie Johnson
    32. Anthony Alfredo
    33. Kyle Larson
    34. William Byron
    35. Kurt Busch

  • Hamlin holds off Dale Jr. at Homestead-Miami in the iRacing Pro Invitational Series

    Hamlin holds off Dale Jr. at Homestead-Miami in the iRacing Pro Invitational Series

    Due to the NASCAR season being suspended until at least May 3rd due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 35 drivers competed on Sunday in the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race at Homestead Miami Speedway.

    Race leader Dale Earnhardt Jr. took the low line while Denny Hamlin took the high line entering turn four on the final lap of the race. They made contact coming out of turn four and Hamlin was able to maintain control of his car to complete the pass to capture the 100-lap virtual race win.

    “That was unbelievable.” Hamlin said. “I didn’t think we were going to get back there. Really made the top line work the last two laps to get the win.”

    Hamlin also pledged to donate $100 for each lap he led and $5000 if he won to benefit families affected by COVID-19 in the Homestead-Miami area. Kevin Harvick and FOX will match his $5000 donation as well.

    Earnhardt Jr, finished second, Timmy Hill third, Chase Briscoe fourth and pole sitter Garrett Smithley finished fifth.

    Alex Bowman finished sixth, Bubba Wallace seventh, Ryan Preece eighth, Ty Majeski ninth and Erik Jones rounded out the top-ten.

    Race results – Dixie Vodka 150

    1. (9) Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Toyota, 100.
    2. (5) Dale Earnhardt Jr., No. 8 Chevrolet, 100.
    3. (7) Timmy Hill, No. 66 Toyota, 100.
    4. (6) Chase Briscoe, No. 98 Ford, 100.
    5. (1) Garrett Smithley, No. 51 Chevrolet, 100.
    6. (12) Alex Bowman, No. 88 Chevrolet, 100.
    7. (18) Bubba Wallace, No. 43 Chevrolet, 100.
    8. (13) Ryan Preece, No. 37 Chevrolet, 100.
    9. (3) Ty Majeski, No. 45 Chevrolet, 100.
    10. (25) Erik Jones, No. 20 Toyota, 100.
    11. (16) Matt DiBenedetto, No. 21 Ford, 100.
    12. (10) Landon Cassill, No. 89 Chevrolet, 100.
    13. (8) Parker Kligerman, No. 77 Toyota, 100.
    14. (4) Ross Chastain, No. 6 Ford, 100.
    15. (19) Joey Logano, No. 22 Ford, 100.
    16. (11) Clint Bowyer, No. 14 Ford, 100.
    17. (23) Ryan Truex, No. 40 Chevrolet, 100.
    18. (29) Bobby Labonte, No. 19 Toyota, 100.
    19. (28) Ty Dillon, No. 13 Chevrolet, 100.
    20. (26) Justin Allgaier, No. 7 Chevrolet, 100.
    21. (33) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Chevrolet, 100.
    22. (15) Austin Cindric, No. 12 Ford, 100.
    23. (32) Michael McDowell, No. 34 Ford, 100.
    24. (20) Chase Elliott, No. 9 Chevrolet, 100.
    25. (30) Brad Keselowski, No. 2 Ford, 100.
    26. (27) Christopher Bell, No. 95 Toyota, 100.
    27. (24) Austin Dillon, No. 3 Chevrolet, 100.
    28. (21) Chris Buescher, No. 17 Ford, 99.
    29. (34) Kyle Busch, No. 18 Toyota, 94.
    30. (22) John Hunter Nemechek, No. 38 Ford, 93.
    31. (35) Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Chevrolet, 93.
    32. (17) Anthony Alfredo, No. 33 Chevrolet, 86.
    33. (14) Kyle Larson, No. 42 Chevrolet, 86.
    34. (2) William Byron, No. 24 Chevrolet, 79.
    35. (31) Kurt Busch, No. 1 Chevrolet, 46.

    Race statistics
    Margin of victory: 0.153 seconds.
    Caution periods: 9 for 42 laps.
    Lead changes: 11 among 6 drivers.
    Lap leaders: Byron (28), Smithley (24), Hamlin (14), Earnhardt (14), Hill (13), Briscoe (7).

  • FOX Sports to televise eNASCAR iRacing Pro Series Invitational opener on FS1

    FOX Sports to televise eNASCAR iRacing Pro Series Invitational opener on FS1

    By FOX Sports Release NASCAR.com 

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. – FOX Sports, teaming with NASCAR and iRacing, delivers the first-ever eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series event Sunday, March 22, at 1:30 p.m. ET on FS1 and the FOX Sports app. Titled FOX NASCAR iRACING, the 90-minute, simulation-style eSports program includes a cross-section of competitors from the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series and a group of NASCAR dignitaries.

    FOX NASCAR broadcasters Jeff Gordon, Mike Joy and Larry McReynolds call the action from the iRacing virtual Homestead-Miami Speedway.

    “This is a unique opportunity to offer competitive and entertaining racing to our viewers as we all work through these challenging times together,” said Brad Zager, FOX Sports Executive Producer, EVP/Head of Production & Operations. “We are following CDC guidelines to maintain a safe work environment, as the well-being of all those involved is paramount. We value our relationships across the NASCAR community and appreciate all of the effort that it took in bringing this project to life.”

    RELATED: eNASCAR iRacing Pro Series Invitational launches | TV schedule for the week

    NASCAR icon Dale Earnhardt Jr. and NASCAR Hall of Fame driver Bobby Labonte headline a high-powered lineup, including two-time and defending NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch, 2012 NASCAR Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski, 2018 NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano, three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin, 2016 NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year Chase Elliott, 2008 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion Clint Bowyer, 2014 NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year Kyle Larson and 2017 NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series champion Christopher Bell.

    Additional NASCAR Cup Series drivers* competing on Sunday include Bubba Wallace, Chris Buescher, William Byron, Matt DiBenedetto, Austin Dillon, Ty Dillon, Timmy Hill, Michael McDowell, John Hunter Nemechek, Ryan Preece, Garrett Smithley, Erik Jones, Ross Chastain, Parker Kligerman, Landon Cassill and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. A full 35-car lineup, including racers from the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series, will be announced Sunday.

    Bowyer, who expanded his role with FOX Sports earlier this year, serves as the in-car analyst, competing in an iRacing simulator in the FOX NASCAR Charlotte studio.

    *Subject to change

  • Statement from NASCAR

    Statement from NASCAR

    NASCAR Statement

    DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 12, 2020) – “At this time, NASCAR will hold its race events at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Homestead-Miami Speedway without fans in attendance. These events will be restricted to competitors, crews, officials and other necessary personnel to conduct the race. We will work with public health officials as we determine future scheduling beyond these events.”