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  • Blaney Asserts his Dominance in NASCAR XFINITY Series Win at Dover

    Blaney Asserts his Dominance in NASCAR XFINITY Series Win at Dover

    By Reid Spencer | NASCAR Wire Service

    DOVER, Del. – Once Ryan Blaney got the lead in Saturday’s Use Your Melon. Drive Sober 200 at Dover International Speedway, it was “game over” in the second NASCAR XFINITY Series Playoff race of the season.

    After Playoff driver William Byron led every lap of the 60-circuit first stage and banked a playoff point, Blaney took the lead off pit road under caution on Lap 64. Blaney kept his No. 22 Team Penske Ford out front the rest of the way, except for one lap led by Daniel Suarez on pit road under caution after the conclusion of Stage 2.

    Playoff driver Justin Allgaier charged from fourth to second on the Lap 128 restart that began the final stage, which ran under a green flag to the finish. Though Allgaier was able to hold off Byron, his JR Motorsports teammate, and hold the series lead, he had nothing for Blaney, who finished 4.852 seconds ahead of Allgaier’s No. 7 Chevrolet.

    “It’s really hard to get a car like that, and, to be honest, we didn’t have it in the first run,” said laney, who will try to advance to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Round of 12 in Sunday’s Apache Warrior 400 (on NBCSN at 2 p.m. ET). “We were a little bit off on the first run. We made some great changes after the first stage to get it better to where it needs to be.

    “We actually got it better for the last run… As a driver, that’s all you can ask for, great changes throughout. It’s awesome to get to Victory Lane with (sponsor) Fitzgerald. This is really cool. We were close the first race this year and just didn’t quite get it, definitely learned a lot for tomorrow.”

    The victory was Blaney’s sixth in the series, his second this season and his first at the Monster Mile.

    Though he couldn’t catch Blaney over the final run, Allgaier also had reason to celebrate as the highest finishing series regular. Heading to Charlotte 54 points above the current cut line for the second round of the XFINITY Playoff, Allgaier is a virtual lock to advance.

    So is Byron, who chased Allgaier for the final 73 green-flag laps but couldn’t find a way past his teammate. Byron is 51 points above the cutoff with the Playoff field scheduled to be pared from 12 to eight drivers next Saturday at Charlotte.

    “I was trying to put it in Victory Lane,” Allgaier said. “We just needed a little more. I ran high some, low some. There at the end we made a great adjustment, and I was able to run the bottom, where I wanted to run all day.

    “It paid off. Obviously, second place is not quite Victory Lane, but in the points battle we’re playing, it’s pretty darn close.”

    In the battle to survive the Playoff cutoff, Brendan Gaughan gained ground with a 10th-place finish. Facing the elimination race at Charlotte, Gaughan is ninth in points, two behind eighth-place Ryan Reed, who finished a lap down in 16th-place at Dover.

    Playoff drivers Daniel Hemric, Brennan Poole and Matt Tifft came home fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively, to improve their chances to make the Round of 8. Daniel Suarez ran seventh, joining Blaney as the only non-XFINITY regulars to finish in the top 12.

    Rookie Cole Custer and regular-season champion Elliott Sadler, both well above the current cut line, ran eighth and ninth respectively.

    NASCAR XFINITY Series Race – Use Your Melon. Drive Sober 200
    Dover International Speedway – Dover, Delaware – Saturday, September 30, 2017
     

    1. (8) Ryan Blaney(i), Ford, 200.
    2. (4) Justin Allgaier (P), Chevrolet, 200.
    3. (1) William Byron # (P), Chevrolet, 200.
    4. (9) Daniel Hemric # (P), Chevrolet, 200.
    5. (7) Brennan Poole (P), Chevrolet, 200.
    6. (23) Matt Tifft # (P), Toyota, 200.
    7. (2) Daniel Suarez(i), Toyota, 200.
    8. (6) Cole Custer # (P), Ford, 200.
    9. (10) Elliott Sadler (P), Chevrolet, 200.
    10. (13) Brendan Gaughan (P), Chevrolet, 200.
    11. (16) Michael Annett (P), Chevrolet, 200.
    12. (12) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 200.
    13. (11) Ty Dillon(i), Chevrolet, 200.
    14. (21) Ryan Sieg, Chevrolet, 199.
    15. (14) Corey LaJoie(i), Toyota, 199.
    16. (17) Ryan Reed (P), Ford, 198.
    17. (25) JJ Yeley, Toyota, 198.
    18. (18) Casey Mears, Ford, 198.
    19. (19) Blake Koch (P), Chevrolet, 198.
    20. (3) Erik Jones(i), Toyota, 198.
    21. (27) Ray Black II, Chevrolet, 198.
    22. (22) Jeremy Clements (P), Chevrolet, 198.
    23. (26) Austin Dillon(i), Chevrolet, 198.
    24. (20) Spencer Gallagher Jr. #, Chevrolet, 198.
    25. (29) Brandon Brown, Chevrolet, 197.
    26. (5) Tyler Reddick, Chevrolet, 197.
    27. (28) BJ McLeod, Chevrolet, 194.
    28. (35) Joey Gase, Chevrolet, 194.
    29. (30) Garrett Smithley, Chevrolet, 194.
    30. (39) Josh Bilicki, Chevrolet, 192.
    31. (37) Mike Harmon, Dodge, Clutch, 87.
    32. (36) Morgan Shepherd, Chevrolet, Suspension, 43.
    33. (38) Timmy Hill, Chevrolet, Overheating, 35.
    34. (40) Gray Gaulding(i), Chevrolet, Electrical, 31.
    35. (24) Reed Sorenson(i), Chevrolet, Accident, 25.
    36. (34) Chad Finchum, Chevrolet, Accident, 25.
    37. (31) Harrison Rhodes, Chevrolet, Engine, 17.
    38. (32) David Starr, Chevrolet, Accident, 7.
    39. (15) Brandon Jones, Chevrolet, Accident, 4.
    40. (33) Jeff Green, Chevrolet, Accident, 4.

     

    Average Speed of Race Winner:  111.975 mph.
    Time of Race:  1 Hrs, 47 Mins, 10 Secs. Margin of Victory:  4.852 Seconds.
    Caution Flags:  5 for 28 laps.
    Lead Changes:  4 among 3 drivers.

    Lap Leaders:   W. Byron # (P) 1-62; D. Suarez(i) 63; R. Blaney(i) 64-122; D. Suarez(i) 123; R. Blaney(i) 124-200.
    Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led):  R. Blaney(i) 2 times for 136 laps; W. Byron # (P) 1 time for 62 laps; D. Suarez(i) 2 times for 2 laps.

    Stage #1 Top Ten: 9,22,18,7,20,1,42,00,21,48

    Stage #2 Top Ten: 22,9,7,18,1,42,00,21,48,20

     

  • Chase Elliott Speeds to Lead Final Dover Practice

    Chase Elliott Speeds to Lead Final Dover Practice

  • Martin Truex Jr. Speeds to Coors Light Pole Award at Dover

    Martin Truex Jr. Speeds to Coors Light Pole Award at Dover

    By Reid Spencer | NASCAR Wire Service

    DOVER, Del. – The two drivers who have seized control of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoff continued their domination in Friday’s knockout qualifying session at Dover International Speedway.

    Navigating the Monster Mile in 22.407 seconds (160.664 mph) in the final round, Martin Truex Jr. edged Kyle Busch (160.392 mph) for the top starting spot in Sunday’s Apache Warrior 400 (on NBCSN at 2 p.m. ET), the elimination race in the Playoff’s Round of 16.

    Truex won his second Coors Light Pole Award of the season, his third at Dover — the closest facility to his Mayetta, New Jersey, hhometown— and the 14th of his career. Winner of a series-best five races this season, Truex will start on the front row for the ninth time this season.

    “We just kind of chased it a little bit — chased the balance — and I thought we were pretty close at the end of practice,” Truex said. “We hit it pretty close for Round 1 (of qualifying) and tweaked on it a little from there.

    “We put together a decent lap for Round 1, and the guys did an awesome job all day. So, really proud of them, and I’m looking forward to getting some more bonus points.

    With a victory at Chicagoland Speedway in the opening event of the Playoff, Truex already has locked up a spot in the Round of 12. His 19 stage wins and 59 Playoff points both are tops in the series.

    Going for his third straight qualifying sweep, Busch was fastest in the first and second rounds but fell short in the third. With last Sunday’s victory at New Hampshire, Busch also is guaranteed a spot in the Round of 12.

    “It was a good run for us,” said Busch, whose lap at 160.800 mph in the second round was the fastest of the day. “I thought the first two rounds, obviously, we showed really good speed — probably used up a little too much tire in Round 2, and I just wasn’t able to follow through in that third round and get a quick enough time to hold off Martin. …

    “But I’m excited to have a Toyota front row, and we’ll go race ’em on Sunday.”

    With Kyle Larson qualifying third and Matt Kenseth fourth, playoff drivers swept the top four spots, and Toyota drivers claimed five of the top six. Daniel Suarez will start fifth, followed by playoff driver Denny Hamlin and Dale Earnhardt Jr., who posted his first single-digit qualifying effort since winning the pole at Daytona in July.

    After posting the third-fastest time in Friday’s opening practice, 11-time Dover winner Jimmie Johnson qualified a disappointing 17th and failed to advance to the final round.

    “The track changed a little more than we adjusted for is really what it boils down to,” Johnson said. “We felt like it was going to do that and made an effort at it and just didn’t go far enough.”

    Nevertheless, Johnson has unwavering confidence in his No. 48 Chevrolet under race conditions.

    “Yeah, the great thing is just how fast the car was off the truck,” said Johnson, who is seeking an unprecedented eighth series championship. “I know when it comes to race time we will be fine here. Qualifying for me is qualifying, so we had speed this morning, and I know it’s in there.”

    Of the drivers fighting from the bottom of the playoff standings for the final positions in the Round of 12, Ryan Newman had the best effort in time trials, qualifying eighth. Relative to the field, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. improved over practice and secured the 15th position on the grid.

    Austin Dillon, currently tied with Stenhouse for the 12th and final position in the next round, will start 23rd, while Kurt Busch and Kasey Kahne — both of whom likely will need a victory to advance from their respective 15th and 16th positions in the standings — qualified 13th and 21st, respectively.

    “We just didn’t have the rotation we needed to kind of finish off the end of the corner,” Dillon said. “It’s tough. We’ve been not that great since we unloaded. We’ll keep working on it though. Usually, the race comes to us a lot more than qualifying does.”

    RELATED: Qualifying results

     

  • Alex Bowman to Compete in NASCAR XFINITY Series Races in Charlotte and Phoenix in the No. 42 for Chip Ganassi Racing

    Alex Bowman to Compete in NASCAR XFINITY Series Races in Charlotte and Phoenix in the No. 42 for Chip Ganassi Racing

    CONCORD, N.C. (Sept. 29, 2017) – Chip Ganassi Racing (CGR) announced today that through their technical partnership with Hendrick Motorsports, Alex Bowman, 24, will pilot the No. 42 Chevrolet Camaro in the NASCAR XFINITY Series (NXS) races at Charlotte Motor Speedway (Oct. 7) and Phoenix International Raceway (Nov. 11). Hendrick Automotive Group’s HendrickCars.com, which features more than 43,000 new and pre-owned cars for sale, will serve as the primary sponsor in Charlotte with additional support from Vannoy Construction. A sponsor for Phoenix will be announced at a later date.

    NOTES OF INTEREST:

    · Racing for a Title: Bowman joins Kyle Larson, Tyler Reddick and Justin Marks as drivers of the No. 42 Chevrolet in 2017. Currently the No. 42 team leads the NXS owners’ standings following Reddick’s win at Kentucky Speedway. Through 27 starts, the combination of Larson, Reddick and Marks has four wins, 11 top-five, 15 top-10 finishes and two poles. Larson picked up victories in Fontana, Richmond and Dover prior to Reddick’s win in the first round of the NXS playoffs.

    · Bowman in the NXS: The Tucson, AZ native made his NXS debut in 2012, and finished runner-up to Larson in the 2013 NXS Rookie of the Year standings. In 50 series starts, Bowman has five top-five and 13 top-10 finishes along with three poles. Bowman moves into the No. 88 Chevrolet in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series for Hendrick Motorsports beginning in 2018.

    CGR QUOTEBOARD:

    · Chip Ganassi, Owner, Chip Ganassi Racing: “We’re excited to welcome Alex to the No. 42 team for two races. He’s a great young talent, who can help us with our goal of winning an NXS owners’ championship. Initially those two races were earmarked for Larson but we wanted him to focus on the Cup playoffs so we appreciate Rick (Hendrick) and his team for allowing us to put Alex in our car. Hendrick Motorsports has been a tremendous partner of CGR for many years.”

    · Rick Hendrick, Owner of Hendrick Motorsports and Chairman of Hendrick Automotive Group: “This is a terrific opportunity for Alex to get back into a competitive environment and work with a championship-caliber team. I think he’ll pick up right where he left off. It’s also a valuable platform for us to promote HendrickCars.com in our (Hendrick Automotive Group’s) home market. Chip is a great friend, and we’re looking forward to working with his team on and off the track.”

    · Alex Bowman, Driver, No. 42 Chevrolet Camaro: “I’m really excited to get back in a race-winning car with a team like CGR. A huge thanks to Chip and Mr. Hendrick for putting this together for me to get some valuable seat time heading into 2018. My goal is to win two races and help the No. 42 team win the NXS owners’ championship.”

    About Chip Ganassi Racing:

    Chip Ganassi has been a fixture in the auto racing industry for over 30 years and is considered one of the most successful as well as innovative owners the sport has anywhere in the world. Today his teams include four cars in the Verizon IndyCar Series, two cars in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, two cars in the NASCAR XFINITY Series, two factory Ford GT’s in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, and two factory Ford GT’s in the FIA World Endurance Championship. Overall his teams have 18 championships and more than 195 victories, including four Indianapolis 500s, a Daytona 500, a Brickyard 400, seven Rolex 24 At Daytonas, the 12 Hours of Sebring and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Ganassi boasts state-of-the-art race shop facilities in Indianapolis and Concord, N.C., with a corporate office in Pittsburgh, Pa.

  • Danica Patrick Debuts No. 10 Ford Warriors in Pink Fusion, Driving More Good Days for Breast Cancer Awareness

    Danica Patrick Debuts No. 10 Ford Warriors in Pink Fusion, Driving More Good Days for Breast Cancer Awareness

    • Danica Patrick is debuting the No. 10 Ford Warriors in Pink Fusion race car in this weekend’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Apache Warrior 400, then again Oct. 8 in the Bank of America 500 to mark Breast Cancer Awareness month.
    • One of the most successful women in the history of racing, Patrick’s involvement in the cause stems from her personal experience supporting friends who have dealt with the disease, as well as her recognition that warriors battling breast cancer deserve More Good Days – an initiative made possible through Ford Warriors in Pink
    • Now 23 years strong, Ford Warriors in Pink continues to drive awareness and action in the fight against breast cancer – so far dedicating more than $133 million to the cause

    DOVER, DE., Sept. 29, 2017 – Danica Patrick is driving the No. 10 Ford Warriors in Pink Fusion race car this weekend in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Apache Warrior 400 at Dover International Speedway. The debut of the special Warriors in Pink livery for Sunday’s race comes just in time for Breast Cancer Awareness month, and marks Ford’s decades-long commitment to raising awareness and funds in the fight against the disease. Patrick will take to the track again with the Warriors in Pink Fusion Oct. 8 for the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

    Patrick’s No. 10 race car displays the warrior symbol to honor the powerful, courageous women and men engaged in the fight against breast cancer. Symbols are a key part of the inspirational message Ford Warriors in Pink represents – serving to uplift those who exhibit strength and courage in the face of their greatest battle.

    “The Ford Warriors in Pink race car really looks great,” said Patrick, one of the most successful women in the history of motorsports now driving for Stewart-Haas Racing. “Cancer impacts all of us. I bet there are very few people out there who don’t know someone impacted by breast cancer. My friend had a double mastectomy as a preemptive strike because she actually tested positive for the breast cancer gene. She went through everything and hopefully avoided it, but it hit close to home.

    “If we all work together, we can help make a difference,” Patrick added. “Whether it’s starting a conversation or inspiring donations, every little bit helps. That’s why I’m proud to drive the Warriors in Pink Fusion to help raise awareness for the cause.”

    Driving More Good Days

    As a preview to marking Breast Cancer Awareness month, Patrick helped kick things off with Ford Warriors in Pink by surprising patients with racing lessons at Chicagoland Speedway Sept. 20. These specialevents being held across the country are designed to help tap into a newfound fearlessness patients and survivors tend to experience by giving them free access to engage in new thrills and challenges.

    To empower people to take action and support their loved ones, Ford Warriors in Pink launched its More Good Days initiative in 2015. Since then, the program has delivered more than 80,000 More Good Daysexperiences across the country – ranging from rides to treatment centers to special patient surprises including racing lessons and more.

    “Each year, we ask ourselves what more we can do,” said Tracy Magee, Ford Warriors in Pink brand manager. “Through strategic collaborations and engaging experiences, we hope to continue to raise awareness and encourage friends, families and loved ones to help in simple but meaningful ways.”

    Ford Warriors in Pink has been unrelenting for 23 years working to help breast cancer patients and their families. To date, Ford has dedicated more than $133 million to research, education and patient resources.

    To join Danica Patrick and Ford Warriors in Pink in the fight against breast cancer, please visit FordCares.com to access free tips, tools and resources that make it easy to give breast cancer patients More Good Days.

     

     

    About Stewart-Haas Racing
    Stewart-Haas Racing is the title-winning NASCAR team co-owned by three-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart and Gene Haas, founder of Haas Automation – the largest CNC machine tool builder in North America. The organization fields four entries in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series – the No. 4 Ford Fusion for Kevin Harvick, the No. 10 Ford Fusion for Danica Patrick, the No. 14 Ford Fusion for Clint Bowyer and the No. 41 Ford Fusion for Kurt Busch. The team also competes in the NASCAR XFINITY Series by fielding a full time entry – the No. 00 Ford Mustang for Cole Custer – and one part-time entry – the No. 41 Ford Mustang. Based in Kannapolis, North Carolina, Stewart-Haas Racing operates out of a 200,000-square-foot facility with more than 300 employees. For more information, please visit www.StewartHaasRacing.com.

    About Ford Warriors in Pink®
    Ford’s commitment in the fight against breast cancer runs well beyond raising funds. The company is dedicated to making a difference 365 days a year by encouraging women to become informed and visit their doctors, educating them about how early detection saves lives. To date, Ford has dedicated more than $133 million to the cause. The entire 2017 Ford Warriors in Pink collection is available at www.fordcares.com. A full 100 percent of net proceeds from sales go to support organizations fighting breast cancer including The Pink Fund, Susan G. Komen, Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation and Young Survival Coalition.

    About Ford Motor Company
    Ford Motor Company is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan. The company designs, manufactures, markets and services a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs, electrified vehicles and Lincoln luxury vehicles, provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company and is pursuing leadership positions in electrification, autonomous vehicles and mobility solutions. Ford employs approximately 203,000 people worldwide. For more information regarding Ford, its products and Ford Motor Credit Company, please visit www.corporate.ford.com.

  • Jimmie Johnson, Breast Cancer Survivors and NASCAR XFINITY Series Drivers Paint Pit Wall Pink

    Jimmie Johnson, Breast Cancer Survivors and NASCAR XFINITY Series Drivers Paint Pit Wall Pink

    • Seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson joined hundreds of breast cancer survivors and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina employees to paint Charlotte Motor Speedway’s pit road wall pink on Wednesday to promote breast cancer awareness
    • Drivers Bubba Wallace, Cole Custer, Daniel Hemric, Justin Allgaier, Spencer Gallagher, Blake Koch, Michael Annett, Jeremy Clements and Ray Black Jr. also took part and previewed the Oct. 7 Drive for the Cure 300 presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina at Charlotte Motor Speedway
    • Fans can buy tickets to any of the speedway’s upcoming events, including the Oct. 7 Drive for the Cure 300 presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina and the Oct. 8 Bank of America 500, by calling 1-800-455-FANS (3267) or visiting charlottemotorspeedway.com/tickets

    CONCORD, N.C. (Sept. 27, 2017) – Seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson joined breast cancer survivors, members of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina and NASCAR XFINITY Series drivers to preview Breast Cancer Awareness Month by painting Charlotte Motor Speedway’s pit wall pink on Wednesday.

    The fourth annual Paint Pit Wall Pink event honored those whose lives have been impacted by breast cancer and provided a fun morning for hundreds of survivors, who joined the drivers in using 150 gallons of paint, 200 brushes and 200 rollers to turn the 1,500-foot pit wall pink. Those in attendance also assembled more than 2,000 care packages for breast cancer patients and unveiled a pink Toyota Camry pace car that will lead the NASCAR XFINITY Series field in the Drive for the Cure 300 presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina on Oct. 7.

    Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina presented a $60,000 check to Susan G. Komen as part of the event.

    “I have friends who have had breast cancer and I’m a father of two daughters, so it’s important to spread the word about early detection,” said Johnson, a Blue Cross and Blue Shield brand ambassador for more than a decade. “To be a part of something so positive is a great thing.”

    Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina brought its expansive “Live Fearless” display to the speedway to promote the urgent need for preventative healthcare, early detection and finding a cure for breast cancer.

    “Blue Cross tells us we should ‘Live Fearless,’ and that means we can feel a sense of security in our lives – not worrying that something like cancer will destroy all our plans,” said Carole Wilson, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015 and is the wife of Blue Cross NC President and CEO Brad Wilson. “I learned to live fearless, knowing I had a safety net that will allow me to concentrate my efforts on beating cancer.”

    In addition to Johnson, breast cancer survivors, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina dignitaries and NASCAR broadcaster Hermie Sadler – who emceed the event – NASCAR XFINITY Series drivers Justin Allgaier, Bubba Wallace, Daniel Hemric, Ray Black Jr., Jeremy Clements, Spencer Gallagher, Cole Custer, Michael Annett and Blake Koch painted the speedway’s pit wall pink.

    “To come out here and raise awareness for (breast cancer) means a lot,” Wallace said. “This is my third year coming and I’ve seen some familiar faces. It’s good to see them and see how they’re doing.”

    TICKETS: 
    Tickets are still available to the Oct. 7 Drive for the Cure 300 presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina. Kids 13 and under get in FREE with a ticketed adult. As a salute to Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s final Charlotte race as a full-time driver, adult tickets to the Bank of America 500 are available as a two-pack for $88 and include a Dale Jr. bobblehead while supplies last. All adult tickets are good for admission to the Oct. 7 Brad Paisley concert presented by Wrangler and Nationwide at zMAX Dragway. For tickets, camping packages and upgrades, fans can call the ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS (3267) or shop online at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com.

    KEEP TRACK:
    Fans can connect with Charlotte Motor Speedway by following on Twitter and Instagram or become a Facebook fan. Keep up with all the latest news and information with the Charlotte Motor Speedway mobile app.

  • Rossi’s Sophomore Season Shows Leaps in Maturity, Experience

    Rossi’s Sophomore Season Shows Leaps in Maturity, Experience

    As a rookie, Alexander Rossi’s 2016 season wouldn’t classify as “memorable.” Granted, there was the surprise win in the Indianapolis 500 in May (a fuel-mileage win, but a win nonetheless), but otherwise, his rookie season with Andretti-Honda Autosport in the Verizon IndyCar Series typified an average rookie campaign: Consistent, but middle of the road. He finished all but one race (a crash DNF at Pocono), got as high as fifth in the points, and only finished off the lead lap in five of the 16 races. However, Indianapolis was his only podium finish and he placed 11th in the final points.

    In 2017, though, Rossi was the perfect example of how a sophomore should perform, scoring a win from the pole in the penultimate race at Watkins Glen and three podium finishes to finish seventh in the final season tally. Although he faced three DNFs during the season, he made up for it with several aggressive runs including a fifth in the first Belle Isle race, a third at Pocono, and a second-place run at Toronto. His average finish in 2017 improved from 11.8 to 9.5 at season’s end.

    Alexander Rossi in Victory Circle after winning the INDYCAR Grand Prix at The Glen — Photo by Chris Owens/IndyCar

    It may seem like an average improvement, nothing too noteworthy at first, but at the same time Rossi is one of the most analytical drivers out there and it is a safe bet he’ll continue to improve with age. For example, while Rossi’s strong points are the road courses, he still needs work on his oval runs. But his oval results in 2017 were improved, with three finishes in the top-10 including his third at Pocono. Still, he improved at almost every event and considering he’s this early into his career, there’s no reason why he shouldn’t continue to improve especially considering the top-notch equipment he pilots.

    With the championship pedigree that Andretti-Honda Autosport possesses Rossi in the best position he could be in his young career. He’s a proven, multiple-time winner with a championship organization that happens to be the flagship Honda organization in the sport. He’s constantly learning and utilizing that knowledge into results. He has the potential to become the new face of AHA, and in time could be the perfect foil to Josef Newgarden over at Team Penske. Of course, that may seem lofty but at the same time, Rossi’s star is rising much in the way Ryan Blaney’s is in NASCAR; slowly, surely, and noticeably.

    Rossi’s 2017 season is the perfect indicator of how a race driver is supposed to perform at the beginning of their career. Their rookie year is all about learning and earning the respect of their peers, and Rossi has proven to be a clean competitor. As previously mentioned, he’s able to analyze his performance and use that knowledge to improve himself as a driver. Soon, he’ll be at the next plane of his career: Championship contender.

  • New Hampshire Motor Speedway–Did You Know? Playoff Edition

    New Hampshire Motor Speedway–Did You Know? Playoff Edition

    This weekend the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series heads to New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the second playoff race in the Round of 16. Martin Truex Jr. secured his spot in the next round with his win at Chicagoland while Kurt Busch, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Kasey Kahne and Ryan Newman are below the cutoff for transfer into the Round of 12.

    But, did you know that Busch and Newman are tied with Denny Hamlin, Matt Kenseth and Jimmie Johnson with the series-most wins among active drivers with three victories each? Kahne has one win at Loudon, three top fives and 10 top 10s. Of the bottom four playoff contenders, Stenhouse Jr. may face the biggest challenge. He has never won at the track and has only two top 10 finishes.

    The top competitors for this weekend’s race also include defending race winner, Kevin Harvick, with the fifth-best driver rating plus 10 top fives, 18 top 10s and one pole. Hamlin, who enters the event with the best driver rating of 104.0, nine top fives and 14 top 10s to go along with his three checkered flags, will be on the hunt for his third victory of the season.

    Three-time Loudon winner, Johnson, hasn’t scored a top-five finish since his win at Dover in June but expect him to shift into high gear as the playoffs continue. He has the second-best driver rating (100.8) at New Hampshire, 10 top fives, 21 top 10s and one pole. Kyle Busch has two wins, nine top fives, 13 top 10s and two poles and the third-best driver rating of 98.8. Brad Keselowski rounds out the top five drivers at the 1.058-mile track. He has the fourth-best driver rating, one win, three poles, six top fives and 10 top 10s.

    But, did you know that the New Hampshire playoff race has never been won by a non-playoff driver? However, five Cup Series drivers have captured their first victory at New Hampshire – Newman (2002), Clint Bowyer (2007), Joey Logano (2009), Robby Gordon (2001) and Joe Nemechek in 1999. This could be good news for driver Chase Elliott who is seeking his first series win.

    While this is only the second race of the playoffs, did you know that two drivers who have won the Loudon playoff race have gone on to win the championship the same year? From 2004-2010, New Hampshire hosted the first playoff race. Kurt Busch drove to victory lane in the opening event and continued on to win the 2004 series title. The track has hosted the second race of the playoffs beginning with the 2011 season. Tony Stewart won a series-record five playoff races in 2011 that included the first two, at Chicagoland and New Hampshire, culminating in his third championship.

    Tune in this weekend as the action heats up and drivers scramble to secure their spot in the next round of the playoffs. The ISM Connect 300 airs on September 24 at 2 p.m. ET on NBCSN with radio coverage on PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

    In the meantime, check out the video below as NASCAR icon Tony Stewart wins at New Hampshire on the way to his third championship title in 2011.

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

  • What NASCAR Can Do to Improve Safety

    What NASCAR Can Do to Improve Safety

    Let’s be real here — driving a car around a track at 100+ miles per hour is a dangerous occupation even at the best of times. It doesn’t take much to send one of these thousand-pound wheeled monsters into a tailspin that can damage other cars, the track and, of course, the drivers behind the wheel. That’s why NASCAR needs to do everything it can to improve safety. What steps is NASCAR taking to make their tracks safer and where do they still need a little work?

    Optimizing Ambulance Placement

    Ambulances are a constant presence at NASCAR events. When an accident occurs, EMS crews can immediately race to the to scene to provide first aid or transport the driver to the hospital.

    Unfortunately, they also tend to either be in the way or, in their quest to stay out of the way, they’re not where they need to be when accidents happen.

    In one recent race at the Richmond Raceway — which also happened to be the regular season finale — an ambulance ended up blocking the pit road, causing driver Matt Kenseth to crash into the rear of another driver, knocking him out of the race and almost ending his racing season.

    This wasn’t the first issue related to trackside ambulances. Other drivers have mentioned that the response to their accidents was slow or that the drivers of the ambulances were driving recklessly or simply couldn’t find the care center that they were supposed to be heading toward.

    We Can See Clearly Now

    Windshields are designed to shatter — the safety glass used in consumer cars is specially designed to break into small pieces rather than into large sharp shards that could do damage — but that still isn’t safe enough for the high-speed environments found on NASCAR tracks.  This is why some drivers are switching to polycarbonate windshields.

    Polycarbonate isn’t the kind of windshield you’d want on your daily commute. Aside from the fact that it’s not street legal, it tends to scratch and pit when it encounters rocks, sticks and other everyday road debris. That’s why NASCAR crews often cover polycarbonate windshields with a film sheet that protects it from this minor damage. When it gets scratched or messed up, crews can remove and replace the film, preserving visibility for the driver. For long races, pit crews can apply several layers of film so the top layer can be peeled away as needed to keep the windshield clear.

    Concrete Walls Don’t Give

    Other cars aren’t the only threat on the track. Crashing into walls can also cause damage to vehicles and injury to drivers. This is where SAFER barriers come in. SAFER stands for Steel and Foam Energy Reduction, and they use steel walls sandwiched with foam to lessen the impact when a car loses control.

    They’re not perfect, though they’ve received credit for saving at least one driver’s life. Unfortunately, they’re not standard equipment on every track, and even where they are installed, they don’t always reach around the entire track.

    To improve safety, NASCAR could potentially require that all of their official tracks utilize SAFER barriers around the track to protect their drivers.  It’s not a cheap proposition — getting this type of barrier installed costs approximately $500 per foot — but it’s worth it when you consider the number of injuries that this could prevent.

    Racing in and of itself is not a safe sport. When you’ve got thousands of pounds of glass and steel speeding around a racetrack at 100 miles per hour or more, there are bound to be some accidents. It might be impossible to prevent these accidents, but that doesn’t mean that we should stop being vigilant when it comes to driver safety. NASCAR has made some great strides in safety in the last couple of decades — now it’s time to make sure they keep it up!

    Scott Huntington is a writer from Harrisburg who covers racing and everything to do with cars. Find him at Off The Throttle or follow him on Twitter @SMHuntington

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Chicagoland

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Chicagoland

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex started third at Chicagoland as Toyotas took the top three qualifying spots. Despite an early pit road speeding penalty, Truex recovered and took the win, securing his spot in the second round of the Chase For The Cup.

    “As per usual in a race sponsored by Nickelodeon,” Truex said, “the winner gets ‘slimed’ with the network’s signature green goo. So I got slimed. If you’ve ever taken a dip in the infield pond at Daytona after the Daytona 500, you get the same result.”

    2. Kyle Larson: Larson finished fifth in the Tales Of The Turtles 400.

    “It’s too bad Sunoco is the official fuel of NASCAR,” Larson said, “because Shell’s missing a heck of an opportunity for a tie-in with the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies.”

    3. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin started second and came home fourth, posting the top finish among Joe Gibbs Racing drivers.

    “Brad Keselowski had a lot of words to say about Toyotas,” Hamlin said. “Brad’s Ford may lack speed, but he certainly doesn’t, because he’s always quick to complain.”

    4. Kevin Harvick: Harvick led 59 laps and finished third at Chicagoland.

    “Let me just dispel a rumor right now,” Harvick said. “Jimmy John’s deliveries are ‘freaky fast,’ but despite what Brad Keselowski says, our delivery fleet is not comprised exclusively of Toyotas.”

    5. Kyle Busch: Busch started on the pole at Chicagoland and finished a disappointing 15th, due to a number of issues in the pits. He is still fifth in the points standings, 41 out of first.

    “We made some costly mistakes,” Busch said. “First a loose wheel, then a penalty in the pits for over the wall too soon. Maybe it was because I had a new pit crew. I think it was a case of nerves. Others think it may have been the Skittles paint scheme because we were ‘Skitt-ish.’”

    6. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth took ninth in the Tales Of The Turtles 400, posting his 13th top 10 of the year.

    “You saw NASCAR officials taking tires into the ‘blue tent’ for testing,” Kenseth said. “As I understand it, they submerge the tires in water to check for leaks. It’s the NASCAR equivalent of waterboarding.”

    7. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson, seeking his eighth Cup championship, posted an eighth in the Tales Of The Turtles 400.

    “If I win number eight,” Johnson said, “I’ll be alone at the top of the list of NASCAR champions. So I really want one more, because that will give me one more than anyone else.”

    8. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished sixth at Chicagoland, recording his 15th top 10 of the year.

    “Maybe my comments about Toyota domination were premature,” Keselowski said. “Although a Toyota won the race, they didn’t dominate altogether. So, maybe in hindsight, I shouldn’t have made those statements. But, I drive a Ford, probably the slowest of the cars, so any observations I make will be in ‘hindsight,’ because I’m behind.

    9. Jamie McMurray: McMurray finished 10th in the Tales Of The Turtles 400.

    “I think it’s great to have the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles associated with a NASCAR race,” McMurray said. “NASCAR’s fan base is dwindling, so it’s brilliant market to target not only teenagers, but mutants, ninjas, and turtles as well.”

    10. Chase Elliott: Elliott led 42 laps and took the runner-up spot at Chicagoland.

    “Martin Truex Jr. won handily,” Elliott said. “There wasn’t a close finish at all, and there wasn’t a whole lot of action during the race. Nowadays, everybody knows the best battles in NASCAR happen on Twitter.”