Testing SpeedwayMedia.com

Category: Featured Headline

Featured headlines from SpeedwayMedia.com

  • Austin Dillon Puts the No. 3 Back in Victory Lane at Charlotte

    Austin Dillon Puts the No. 3 Back in Victory Lane at Charlotte

    CONCORD, N.C. — Austin Dillon scored his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career win at Charlotte Motor Speedway, taking the legendary Richard Childress Racing No. 3 Chevrolet back to Victory Lane.

    Hendrick Motorsports driver Jimmie Johnson was leading the Coca-Cola 600 but with two laps to go, he ran out of gas, handing off the lead to Dillon. Dillon was also running on fumes with Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch closing fast, but, as it turned out, he had just enough for those final two laps.

    Dillon is the 10th driver to post their first Cup Series win at Charlotte joining David Pearson (5/28/1961), Buddy Baker (10/15/1967), Charlie Glotzbach (10/20/1968), Jeff Gordon ( 5/29/94), Bobby Labonte  (5/28/1995), Matt Kenseth ( 5/28/2000), Jamie McMurray (10/13/2002), Casey Mears ( 5/27/2007) and David Reutimann (5/25/2009).

    Dillon was ecstatic but said, “It hasn’t sunk in truthfully. I’m just so proud of all the effort that all these guys put in. I really feel like I have the best team and the best pit crew. I have no doubt in them.

    “My grandfather has done everything he can to give us the best we can get. Sometimes I feel like we’re the small team out there trying to get everything we can. Tonight proved that 600-mile race when it came down to it, we had everything we needed. It just feels amazing.”

    Dillon’s grandfather and team owner Richard Childress was almost as thrilled as Dillon and spoke about the emotional impact of seeing the No. 3 car claim the checkered flag in NASCAR’s premier series. Dale Earnhardt won his last race in the No. 3 on Oct. 15, 2000, at Talladega. After Earnhardt’s death in 2001, Childress decided to retire the number from Cup Series competition. It wasn’t until Dillon’s first full season in the series, in 2014, that the No. 3 was brought out of retirement.

    “I’m so proud…it’s just unbelievable,” he said. “Having my grandson just made it that much more special. I know Dale is up there smiling down because he would want this win, he’d want to see it with Austin.”

    “I didn’t want to put just anyone in the 3 car. I probably never would have brought it back. We kept the number with NASCAR throughout the whole time. We ended up, when the opportunity was there, to put Austin back in it. He started in the Truck Series. He won races there. He won races in the XFINITY with it. Ty has won with it.

    “Today is special. Here in Charlotte, on Memorial Day, such a special day for all the people that have gave so much to this country for us all to be here tonight. To be able to enjoy what we’re doing, I’m just honored to be here.

    Dillon also gave special credit for the win to his crew chief, Justin Alexander, who made the tough call not to pit when all but eight drivers (including Dillon) headed to pit road on Lap 368. This was Alexander’s first race as crew chief for the No. 3 team, replacing Richard “Slugger” Labbe, who had been with Dillon since mid-2015.

    Alexander discussed his decision, saying, “We had a good car all race. We run top 10 all race. Austin did a heck of a job, the whole team did. We were right there in position on that last stop when the caution came out. We were two or three laps short. Just right in that window where you have the option to stretch it, but there’s a risk with that. You give up a little track position early on trying to stretch it on fuel.

    “We got good fuel mileage all day. It really didn’t make much sense to do anything but that. He didn’t really have to back off that much. We didn’t give up that many spots on the racetrack doing it. I think we were around 10th when we started saving.

    Joe Gibbs Racing’s Kyle Busch won Stage 1 of the Coca-Cola 600 and finished in the runner-up position, followed by Martin Truex Jr. in third. Truex won Stage 2 and led a race-high 233 laps, leading the most laps in the Coca-Cola 600 for the straight year.  He clearly had the dominant car but lost the race when Dillon’s fuel strategy paid off with a trip to Victory Lane.

    Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Matt Kenseth and Denny Hamlin (winner of Stage 3) rounded out the top five, giving the JGR team three drivers in the top five but still searching for their first win this season.

    Race contenders Chase Elliott and Brad Keselowski exited the race early after getting caught up in the first caution of the night. On Lap 20 the No.  33 car of Jeffrey Earnhardt suffered a mechanical failure which left debris and fluid on the track. Elliot, who was running fifth, slowed to avoid the fluid but was hit by Keselowski who slid into the back of Elliott’s No. 24 car.

    “Somebody broke and there was just oil everywhere and I couldn’t turn,” Keselowski said of the incident.”

    The 400-lap race was red-flagged during the second segment due to heavy rain and the threat of lightning which resulted in a one hour, 39 minutes and 56 seconds delay. There were nine cautions for 53 laps during the event.

    Truex leads the points standings followed by Kyle Larson (-5), Brad Keselowski (-82), Kevin Harvick (-103) and Kyle Busch (-102). Check the link below for the complete driver standings.

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

    Driver Standings

    Coca-Cola 600 Race Results:

    [pdf-embedder url=”http://www.speedwaymedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Coca-Cola-600-Results-C1712_UNOFFRES.pdf” title=”Coca Cola 600 Results C1712_UNOFFRES”]

     

  • Blaney Surges in Final Laps to XFINITY Win at Charlotte

    Blaney Surges in Final Laps to XFINITY Win at Charlotte

    CONCORD, N.C. — With two laps to go, Ryan Blaney executed the move of the race, powering by Kevin Harvick in his No. 12 Team Penske Ford to reclaim the lead and capture the XFINITY Series Hisense 4K TV 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

    Justin Allgaier led the field to green in the XFINITY Series race Saturday afternoon but his lead in the No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevy was short-lived, as the race came down to a battle between Blaney and Kevin Harvick with some surprise runs thrown in by Austin Dillon and Darrell Wallace Jr. just to keep things interesting.

    Harvick won Stage 1 and led three times during the race for 58 total laps while Stages 1 and 2 went to Blaney who led four times for 107 laps. Though Harvick led fewer laps overall, he put himself in position to win as the race neared its conclusion, leading from Lap 181-197 after Blaney got blocked in his stall on his last pit stop and lost the lead. A final caution on Lap 195 and the subsequent restart on Lap 198, gave Blaney the opportunity he needed to pass Harvick and capture the checkered flag.

    It’s his fifth XFINITY Series career win and the second victory for Team Penske this year. It also has special meaning for Blaney and his father, Dave Blaney as they became the first father-son duo to win a XFINITY Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

    Blaney spoke about the significance of the win for Team Penske.

    “It means a ton,” he said. “Anytime you can win for Mr. Penske is huge. That’s super-special to me. He’s given me my opportunity. It was a combination of Brad’s truck team and Mr. Penske giving me a shot in 2012 and I’ve been really lucky to drive great race cars for him, so you want to do the best job you can for him, especially on this weekend, where he has the Indy 500. That’s such a huge race for them and he’s been so dominant in that race. To deliver for him early, hopefully, that will put him in a good mood for tomorrow and get those guys going.”

    When asked about his Dad’s influence, Blaney began by saying, “He’s the best race car driver ever,” adding, “That’s how I’ve always looked at him and that’s how I’ve always thought of him, not only as my father but the way he drives car – and not only his driving ability, but his mindset towards things. I think he’s one of the smartest people I know, personally, in the race car, outside the race car, building parts, coming up with inventions and ideas.

    “He always just supports me and it was cool to have him here today. That’s really special to me to have him at the race track through the good and bad times of getting a stern talking to or helpful support and it’s usually support. I’ve been lucky to have somebody like that to help me through these weekends to try to get myself better, whether it’s restarts or long runs or just communication. He’s been the best person, so in my mind, I’ll never be half the race car driver he is, personally. I think he’s the greatest one ever and that’s how I’ll always think of him.”

    Harvick finished second, posting his 18th top-10 finish in 28 races at Charlotte and his third top-10 finish this season. He talked about the last restart and the decision to start on the outside.

    “It was a tough decision for our Hunt Brothers Ford team. I knew that we had the 22 behind us if we were on the top and he pushed me a little bit and then kind of laid off there, getting into one. The 12 had the best car on the restart getting going. He’s the one who helped us get the lead and I knew I was gonna have my hands full, but he just beat me there at the end and we wound up getting second.”

    Austin Dillon, who led 20 laps during the race, placed third in his No. 2 Rheem Chevrolet.

    Although he didn’t get the finish he wanted, Dillon said, “We did a really good job adjusting the car over the course of the race. The Rheem Chevrolet really came to us at the end when the clouds came in. I hate that we weren’t able to visit Victory Lane today for our pit crew, especially. They did such a good job today.

    “So did my new crew chief, Randall Burnett. We had a few good restarts there but we were in a Penske sandwich and couldn’t do much about it. I got hit on the restart and it just wasn’t enough to carry me into Turn 1. I had a lot of fun today. I’m proud of this RCR XFINITY Series program.”

    Christopher Bell drove his No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota to fourth place in his debut start in the XFINITY Series. Denny

    “I’m glad it was 200 laps, because we used every single bit of it,” Bell said after the hard-fought fourth place finish. “We didn’t have a lot of luck on the restarts at the beginning of the race, starting on the bottom, but we got the luck (starting on the top) when we needed it at the end.”

    Denny Hamlin rounded out the top five in the No. 20 JGR Toyota but thought the team should have finished stronger.

    “I thought our car handled pretty decent all day and it definitely hurt with that one pit stop where we had a lugnut hang up on us. I felt we were as good as the 41 (Harvick) and the 2 (Dillon),” Hamlin said, “for sure and it all comes down to those last restarts. It just took too long for us to battle back there.”

    Elliott Sadler remains the series points leader despite a 35th place result, after getting caught up in an accident late in the race.

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

    Unofficial Results:

    [pdf-embedder url=”http://www.speedwaymedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/NXS-Charlotte-results.pdf” title=”NXS Charlotte results”]

     

  • RCR Driver Ty Dillon Named ‘Most Interesting Sportsman in the World’

    RCR Driver Ty Dillon Named ‘Most Interesting Sportsman in the World’

    Dillon is the youngest nominee to win annual recognition by industry leader Fin & Field
    WELCOME, N.C. (May 26, 2017) – Richard Childress Racing XFINITY Series driver and Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver for Germain Racing, Ty Dillon, was named the ‘Most Interesting Sportsman in the World‘ for Spring 2017 by industry leader Fin & Field. Dillon, 25, is the youngest ever nominee of the award. 
    “Hunting, fishing and sport shooting have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember,” Dillon said. “As a young boy, I was introduced to the great outdoors by my grandfather and father. I learned invaluable life lessons as a sportsman – patience, respect for the outdoors, and integrity. I’m honored to be named the Most Interesting Sportsman in the World.”
    The outdoor life has been a family affair for Dillon, as he joined his brother, Austin Dillon, and his grandfather, Richard Childress, on his first hunt as a nine year old. Childress currently serves as the National Rifle Association’s First Vice President and is chairman and CEO of Richard Childress Racing.
    Since that hunt 16 years ago, Dillon has hunted and fished domestically in places like Montana, Texas and Missouri and internationally in Canada, Africa and New Zealand. Dillon remains and avid hunter and angler, regularly visiting his family’s property in Davie County, North Carolina to hunt duck, turkey, deer, and fish for bass. His friendship with Bass Pro Shops founder/CEO, Johnny Morris, has led him to unique places to hunt, including his Top of the Rock Resort in Branson, Missouri.
    “I’ve been blessed to see many of God’s creations,” Dillon said. “I’ve made so many friendships and have great stories of hunting, fishing and shooting with my family, friends, teammates and co-workers.”
    “Ty is grounded by the roots of his family’s racing heritage and their love for the great outdoors. He is driven to be successful on the track and in the field. He shares his passion for adventure like his mentors shared it with him. That is why Ty was a perfect choice for this. Drivers like him represent a bright future for NASCAR as some true legends are retiring,” said Lewie Aldridge, VP of Business Development at Fin & Field.
    Dillon was married in 2014 to his wife, Haley. He’s began racing at the age of 13, working his way up the ranks of traditional stock car racing. Dillon won the 2011 ARCA Racing Series driver championship, is a three-time winner in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and won at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway in July 2014. Dillon currently drives the No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro in the NASCAR XFINITY Series for RCR, and the No. 13 Chevrolet SS in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series for Germain Racing. In addition to being an avid sportsman, Dillon enjoys mountain biking and is a sports fanatic – he loves the Carolina Panthers, Atlanta Braves and Charlotte Hornets.
    “I owe a lot to my grandfather for this recognition,” Dillon said. “I like to call him the modern day Teddy Roosevelt. He’s taught me the importance of conserving our natural resources and preserving our hunting heritage for generations to come. I know he’s proud that I’ve continued our family’s long history as sportsmen.”
    To read the full-story as it appears in Fin & Field, click here: (http://bit.ly/2qnJ0Vw)
    About Fin & Field:
    Fin & Field is changing the way sportsmen find, compare, book and share their fishing and hunting adventures. We’ve consolidated the hunting and fishing industry into a powerful marketplace that connects sportsmen and operators (charter boats, fishing guides, hunting guides, lodges, marinas, outfitters, outdoor brands, and more). We’re using technology to drive more meaningful, fun, and efficient communication that’s making it easier for sportsmen to get the information they need to do what they love. Visit www.finandfield.com for more.
    About Richard Childress Racing:
    Richard Childress Racing (rcrracing.com) is a renowned, performance-driven racing, marketing and manufacturing organization. RCR has earned more than 200 victories and 17 championships, including six in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series with the legendary Dale Earnhardt. RCR was the first organization to win championships in the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Its 2017 Cup Series lineup includes two-time NASCAR champion Austin Dillon (No. 3 Dow/American Ethanol/AAA Chevrolet), 2011 Brickyard 400 champion Paul Menard (No. 27 Menards Chevrolet) and 2008 Daytona 500 champion and 2013 Brickyard 400 winner Ryan Newman (No. 31 Caterpillar/Grainger Chevrolet). Its XFINITY Series program includes a multi-driver lineup with Austin Dillon, Ben Kennedy and Paul Menard (No. 2 Rheem/Menards Chevrolet), a multi-driver lineup with Ty Dillon, Scott Lagasse Jr. and others (No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/Rheem/Red Kap/Advil/Nexium 24HR® Chevrolet), Daniel Hemric (No. 21 Chevrolet), Brandon Jones (No. 33 Menards/Nexteer/Anderson’s Maple Syrup/Rain-X Chevrolet) and Brendan Gaughan (No. 62 South Point Hotel & Casino/U.S. Cellular Chevrolet).
  • Kevin Harvick Wins First Charlotte Coca-Cola 600 Pole

    Kevin Harvick Wins First Charlotte Coca-Cola 600 Pole

    CONCORD, N.C. — Kevin Harvick scored the fastest lap time in Round 3 of qualifying in his No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford at Charlotte Motor Speedway Thursday with a speed of 193.424 mph, winning his first pole for the Coca-Cola 600.

    It’s his third Coors Light Pole this season and the 20th of his career. Harvick also has two previous victories in the event in 2011 and 2013 and is one of three active Cup Series drivers who have multiple Coca-Cola 600 wins (Jimmie Johnson has three, Kasey Kahne has four).

    Harvick credited his team with giving him the car to beat, saying, “The cars in qualifying were a lot looser than they were in practice and just based on past experience here it was a handful through one and two. I just about lost it the first run, but the car was so good in three and four I didn’t want to over-adjust on it and make it too tight down there because you get tighter as the lap runs, so the guys did a good job of making adjustments, but not making it so tight that I couldn’t carry the throttle like I needed to in three and four. So they just did a great job on our Mobil 1 Ford.”

    Kyle Busch, winner of last week’s All-Star race, will join him on the front row, posting the second-fastest lap at 192.513 mph in his No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. If he can capture the checkered flag this Sunday, he would become the eighth driver who has won the All-Star race and followed it up with a win the following week in the Coca-Cola 600.

    Chase Elliott will start third in his No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet after a qualifying lap of 192.260, with Joe Gibbs Racing’s Matt Kenseth in fourth (192.130). Erik Jones rounds out the top five in his Furniture Row Racing Toyota (191.782).

    Kyle Larson, the series points leader, and Corey LaJoie missed the first round of qualifying when they were unable to pass inspection before the round ended. Larson will start 39th in his Chip Ganassi Chevrolet and LaJoie will start 40th in his No. 83 Toyota.

    Larson, while disappointed, isn’t overly concerned.

    “It happened to us at Texas and we rebounded from that and finished second,” he said. “I’m not too worried about it. I know the teams are frustrated with the tech process. I know nothing about how it all works. I don’t really have much to say about it other than I know my crew chief hates it.”

    The Coca-Cola 600 will be broadcast Sunday, May 28, at 6 p.m. on FOX.

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

    Coca-Cola 600 Starting Lineup:

    [pdf-embedder url=”http://www.speedwaymedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Coca-Cola-600-Starting-Lineup-C1712_STARTROW.pdf” title=”Coca Cola 600 Starting Lineup C1712_STARTROW”]

     

     

  • Bubba Wallace Wins SLM Short Track Nationals Feature at Thunder Valley

    Bubba Wallace Wins SLM Short Track Nationals Feature at Thunder Valley

    BRISTOL, Tenn. — Darrell Wallace Jr. took the lead prior to the end of the first segment and didn’t relinquish it again on his way to winning the RustyWallace.com 100 Super Late Model feature of the Short Track U.S. Nationals at Bristol Motor Speedway.

    Travis Braden led the field to the green flag at 7:27 p.m. The lead went from him, to Chandler Smith and then to Darrell Wallace Jr., who took it from Smith exiting Turn 2 on lap 32 and held it through the end of the first segment on lap 51.

    Nobody had anything for him in the final 49-lap segment as he drove into victory lane at Thunder Valley.

    “I should start running these more often,” Wallace said. “This is a cool event put on by everyone at Bristol, Jerry (Caldwell) and his whole staff here. Just a really fun couple of weeks. Got to come up here and test last week and I think I was still catching my breath coming into this weekend. So these things are just so fast around here. We were just on a rail tonight. So that’s just hats off to everyone at Fathead Racing and JBL Racing.”

    Jake Crum finishes second and Smith rounds out the podium.

    Stephen Nasse and Stephen Wallace round out the top-five.

    Garrett Jones, Cole Rouse, Tyler Ankrum, Chase Purdy and Kyle Plott round out the top-10.

    In the Pro Late Model 100, Cole Williams outlasted a wreck-fest of a race to win.

    “Man this is freaking awesome,” Williams exclaimed with joy. “This is definitely our biggest win for our career. These boys worked their butts off all weekend long and I knew that if we kept this nose clean, we’d have a shot at it. Of course we had to have flawless restarts, and we ended up having them.”

    The most significant wreck was a nine-car wreck on just the second lap of the race in Turns 1 and 2.

    The second major incident occurred on lap 46 when Eddie Fatscher dumped race leader Dillon Oliver going into Turn 1, who’s car got loose, then veered up into the outside wall and then hit inside pit road wall head-on. Oliver walked over to Fatscher’s pit stall, where a member of Fatscher’s team punched him in the face.

    Myatt Snider closed out the evening winning the Late Model Stock 100 feature.

    “It’s awesome,” Snider said of his victory. “I feel like we’ve been close to a CARS Tours win for the longest time now. Ever since we’ve started running this, we’ve been competitive. It’s been a tough road. We’ve had a lot problems, freak accidents. Stuff that just gets in the way. What better place for it to come at than Bristol.”

  • It Was A Clean Sweep For Busch, But How Did Others Do In The N.C. Education Lottery 200?

    It Was A Clean Sweep For Busch, But How Did Others Do In The N.C. Education Lottery 200?

    The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series headed back home this past Friday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway. It was the fifth race of the 2017 season.

    Kyle Busch scored back to back wins and earned his 48th career truck series win, his seventh at Charlotte. Busch led three times for 90 laps. After the race, Busch spoke about the back to back wins.

    “It means a lot,” he said. “These guys, they pour their hearts and souls into our trucks and what we do with our Toyota Tundras. It’s awesome to get Cessna back to back wins here and back to victory lane again and of course just a true testament to Rowdy Manufacturing, everybody in the chassis shop doing a fantastic job and Kyle Busch Motorsports, all the guys going home. Everyone on this 51 team, they’ve done a great job.

    “I can’t say enough about Rudy (Fugle, crew chief) and everybody on the 4 (Christopher Bell) as well as Marcus (Richmond, crew chief) on the 18 (Noah Gragson). We’re all really working as a cohesive group and guys are doing a great job. For us to be out front most of the laps tonight, it was fun. It was challenging there that middle section of the race. That was kind of chaotic. I didn’t know what was going on half the time. We made it through there and got to the front and was able to win this thing. Just real proud of the whole team effort.”

    Johnny Sauter earned his fourth top-five of the season. Sauter led twice for 22 laps before finishing second behind Kyle Busch.

    “This was a good night for us,” Sauter said. “It’s typically a place I struggle at. Our Allegiant Travel Chevy was phenomenal in that second stage. We restarted around 13th and we were in the lead after 10-12 laps. I felt like this race track was going to go free late but it didn’t. I needed more front grip. Obviously where you restart is important and I wanted to be on the top. We’ve got a little bit of work to do to make our stuff a little bit better but I’m really proud of our effort tonight.”

    After finishing third, Christopher Bell now has four top fives this season.

    Bell was disappointed, saying, “I struggled on restarts. I don’t know why. One time I’d spin the tires, the next time I wouldn’t. I just had trouble getting going. I’m pretty bummed I finished third with a second-place truck but (crew chief) Rudy (Fugle) did a great job with everything. We had a really fast truck. We really should’ve finished second but I’m glad the boss was able to win.”

    Ryan Truex had a solid run and earned his third top 10 of the season with a fourth-place finish, followed by Timothy Peters in fifth place.

    Matt Crafton finished sixth, giving him one top five and three top 10’s for the 2017 season. Grant Enfinger (seventh) has two top 10’s and Ben Rhodes finished eighth after his disappointment at Kansas the week before.

    Noah Gragson earned his second top 10 of the season by coming home in the ninth position while Parker Kligerman rounded out the top 10.

    Other notables – Chase Briscoe- 11th, Austin Cindric- 13th, T.J. Bell- 14th, J.J. Yeley-15th, Justin Haley-17th, John Hunter Nemechek-22nd, Regan Smith-29th, Kaz Grala-30th and Brandon Jones-31st.

    There were nine cautions for 38 laps and 10 lead change among eight drivers.

    The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series takes this weekend off, before heading to Dover International Speedway for the running of the Bar Harbor 200 on June 2.

  • Kyle Busch Claims Record Seventh NASCAR Truck Series Victory at Charlotte

    Kyle Busch Claims Record Seventh NASCAR Truck Series Victory at Charlotte

    By Reid Spencer – NASCAR.com

    CONCORD, N.C. – Kyle Busch never tires of winning, even though he does it more often than anyone else.

    Busch led 90 of 134 laps in Friday night’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway and completed a dominating victory in the event, sweeping both early stages of the race and taking the checkered flag .986 seconds ahead of runner-up Johnny Sauter.

    The win was Busch’s seventh in 11 starts at the 1.5-mile track, his second of the season in three starts and the 48th of his career. No other driver in NASCAR Camping World Truck Series history has won more races at a single track.

    After diverging pit strategies under the fifth caution on Lap 71 scrambled the running order near the end of the second stage, Busch took control of the race with a breathtaking pass on the backstretch on Lap 78, splitting the middle between Sauter and eventual sixth-place finisher Matt Crafton.

    “It was fun,” said Busch, who collected his 173rd NASCAR national touring series win. “We had a really fast Cessna Tundra tonight. It was a challenge there in the middle part of the race. It was confusing for a while there, but we got through it.

    “There near the end of that stage, we shot through the middle there. I thought the middle was going to close up and I was going to have to push Sauter, but Crafton left me a lane and I was able to blow through there.”

    Kyle Busch Motorsports teammate Christopher Bell ran third, overcoming early trouble to stay within striking distance of Sauter, the series leader. Bell started from the pole but cut a left rear tire three laps into the race and went a lap down.

    Regaining the lead lap as the “lucky dog” for a restart on Lap 65, Bell worked his way to the front. He was running second when a caution for Matt Mills’ spin on Lap 128 brought out the ninth and final caution and set up a three-lap run to the finish.

    Sauter, who extended his series lead to 15 points over Bell, got the better of the young Toyota driver on the restart and rolled home in second.

    “I struggled on restarts, man,” Bell said afterward. “I’m pretty bummed that I ran third with a second-place truck.”

    Ryan Truex charged into fourth place after the final restart and posted his best finish since last year’s season opener at Daytona. It was his first top five in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series on an open-motor track.

    Timothy Peters ran fifth, followed by Crafton, Grant Enfinger, Ben Rhodes, Noah Gragson and Parker Kligerman.

     

    [pdf-embedder url=”http://www.speedwaymedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/NASCAR-Camping-World-Truck-Series-Charlotte-May-2017-Unofficial-Race-Results.pdf” title=”NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Charlotte May 2017 Unofficial Race Results”]

     

     

  • Larson Rockets to Monster Energy All-Star Race Pole

    Larson Rockets to Monster Energy All-Star Race Pole

    • Kyle Larson won the pole for Saturday’s Monster Energy All-Star Race with a 143.839-mph average speed over three laps and a four-tire pit stop on Friday; Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson and Kurt Busch completed the top five
    • With a 13.279-second, four-tire pit stop, Harvick’s No. 4 Busch Bucks Ford pit crew won the Pit Crew Challenge
    • Adult tickets to Saturday’s Monster Energy All-Star Race start at just $44; Kids 13 and under get in for just $10. Tickets are available at the gates, by visiting online or calling 1-800-455-FANS (3267)

    CONCORD, N.C. (May 19, 2017) – With no pit-road speed limit to slow him down Friday, Kyle Larson zoomed to the pole for Saturday’s Monster Energy All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Larson – making his second start in the biggest All-Star event in sports – earned the pole ahead of Kyle Busch with an average speed of 143.839 mph over three laps and a four-tire pit stop in one minute, 52.636 seconds. Busch was second by just .01 seconds.

    The pit crew for third-place qualifier Kevin Harvick earned the Pit Crew Challenge award for the fastest pit stop with a blistering, 13.279-second stop in Round 1.

    Jimmie Johnson and Kurt Busch rounded out the top five in time trials. Dale Earnhardt Jr. qualified sixth for his final All-Star Race while Brad Keselowski, Matt Kenseth, Denny Hamlin and Jamie McMurray completed the top 10.

    Saturday’s 70-lap Monster Energy All-Star Race goes green at approximately 8:15 p.m.

    KYLE LARSON, No. 42 Target Chevrolet (Pole Winner): “It was pretty intense for sure. It’s not crazy intense like I thought it would be, but it was so much fun coming down pit road as fast as you can. My goal going in was just not to make any mistakes and finish in the top eight. The first round, I definitely under-drove coming to the pit stall. My lap was a little slow but my pit crew made up some time for us. I knew what I needed to do to go better. I picked up a little speed, came down pit road a little harder. Just tried not to make any mistakes. I knew everybody would try to push a little harder the last round. I just wanted to be mistake-free. My first attempt at it, it was pretty cool.”

    KYLE BUSCH, No. 18 M&M’s Caramel Toyota (Outside Pole): “It went smoothly the first (round) and the second one was pretty good for us. The car was fast and had good speed. We barely made it I thought (on pit road). It was close to the line but I got clearance from (crew chief) Adam (Stevens) that it was good. The second round we missed it by just a little bit. I hate it because I came to the box really, really slow. The car actually slowed down more than I anticipated. We had extra room there to charge in more but I missed an opportunity. We have a good starting spot. Hopefully, we can keep up front and get ourselves a good average finish.”

    KEVIN HARVICK, No. 4 Busch Bucks Ford (Third-Place Qualifier): “I felt like the car was a bit loose. I didn’t get as much out of the car as I would’ve liked to, but still a decent lap. I don’t even know how I got on to pit road. … Just really proud of everybody on our Busch Bucks Ford. We made it two rounds without any major mistakes, so that’s pretty cool.

    TICKETS:
    Monster Energy All-Star Race tickets for adults start at just $44 while kids 13 and under get in for $10. Tickets, camping and upgrades for every 10 Days of NASCAR Thunder event are available at the gates, by visiting charlottemotorspeedway.com/tickets or calling 1-800-455-FANS (3267).

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

  • Aric Almirola to Miss Races During Injury Recovery

    Aric Almirola to Miss Races During Injury Recovery

    Regan Smith Will Drive the No. 43 Ford in the Monster Energy Open at Charlotte Motor Speedway

    CONCORD, N.C. (May 19, 2017) – Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM) driver Aric Almirola, who suffered an acute compression fracture to his T5 Vertebra after a multi-car accident at Kansas Speedway last Saturday night, will be forced to miss races in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series during his recovery. The standard healing time for the injury is eight to 12 weeks. Regan Smith will drive the No. 43 Ford this weekend in the Monster Energy Open.

    Almirola was on a streak of Top-10 finishes and an XFINITY win before competing Saturday night. Unfortunately, he was involved in a multi-car accident on Lap 199. Returning home, Almirola met with top doctors in the Charlotte area to determine a recovery plan.

    “First off, I want to thank the track safety and medical team, all of the doctors and nurses at The University of Kansas Hospital for taking good care of me,” said Almirola. “My family, friends and people in the NASCAR community who reached out to me, I truly appreciate your support, and, to all the fans for their prayers and support. I want to thank my race team, everyone at RPM, and our great partners who have been supportive of me over the last five years and have continued to show support during this difficult time. I want to thank our doctors in Charlotte, Dr. Petty, Dr. Coric and Bill Heisel. They will be the team that leads my roadmap to my recovery. I will be meeting with them throughout the healing process, and it will be up to them to give me clearance to get back in the racecar.”

    “From the time I was eight years old, all I ever wanted to do was race,” continued Almirola. “Now that I’ve made it to the highest level, that’s all I ever do. It has become the norm to go on an airplane every Thursday, race and then do it all over again the next week. It’s going to be challenging these next several weeks knowing that my team is preparing to go to the track, the industry is preparing to go race, and I’m not. In the meantime, I’m going to focus on getting my body back to 100 percent. I’m going to take some time to relax and recover and do everything necessary to get back in the racecar as soon as possible.”

    While Almirola will not be able to perform his driving duties, Regan Smith will pilot the No. 43 Ford Fusion this weekend in the Monster Energy Open at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Smith made 211 starts and tallied one win (Darlington 2011), four Top Fives and 13 Top 10s in his 10 year career in the Monster Energy Series. He also has six wins in the XFINITY Series.

    “I hate the circumstances that created this opportunity, but I’m very excited and grateful to have a chance to drive the No. 43 this weekend,” said Smith. “Aric is a friend of mine and his health and a speedy recovery is the most important thing right now. I can’t thank everybody at RPM enough for thinking of me, and I’m excited to represent them and all of their partners.”

    Further information regarding the driver of the No. 43 Ford after Saturday race will be announced next week.

     

    About Richard Petty Motorsports
    A performance and marketing driven company, Richard Petty Motorsports, co-owned by NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty and successful business entrepreneur Andrew Murstein, is one of the most recognized brands in all of motorsports. With a history of over 200 wins and business partnerships with national and global leaders, today the race operation fields one team in competition in the NASCAR premier series with driver Aric Almirola. Almirola will return to the iconic No. 43 Ford with partners Smithfield Foods, STP, United States Air Force and Fresh From Florida. The team is headquartered in Mooresville, N.C.

  • Charlotte All-Star Race – Did You Know?

    Charlotte All-Star Race – Did You Know?

    NASCAR travels to Charlotte Motor Speedway this weekend for the Monster Energy All-Star race Saturday evening.

    The All-Star race lineup will feature 20 of NASCAR’S best. Those eligible for the event are drivers who won a points race in 2016 or 2017, past all-star race winners and series champions who compete full-time.

    There are currently 16 drivers locked into the race. They include Chris Buescher, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Matt Kenseth, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, Jamie McMurray, Ryan Newman, Martin Truex Jr. and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

    Three drivers will earn a spot by competing in the Monster Energy Open which is comprised of three stages. The winner of each stage will move on to the All-Star race. The final 20th spot will be determined by the fan vote.

    Joey Logano is the defending All-Star race winner and has the sixth-best driver rating (85.3) with an average finish of 7.3. Last year’s win was his first victory in this event where he also has three top fives and five top 10s. Logano is one of 22 different drivers who has won an All-Star race. But did you know that only two drivers, Davey Allison (1991, 1992) and Jimmie Johnson (2012, 2013) have won consecutive All-Star races?

    Kyle Busch heads to the All-Star race in Charlotte with the series-best driver rating of 101.9 with three top fives and six top 10s. He leads all active drivers with three poles (2008, 2011, 2012) and has the best average starting position of 5.818 but is still looking for his first All-Star win.

    There have been 32 All-Star races but did you know that only 31 have been held at Charlotte Motor Speedway? In 1986 it was held at Atlanta Motor Speedway and was won by Bill Elliott.

    Elliott leads the series in All-Star poles with four (1987, 1997, 1998 and 2000) and he is one of only four drivers who has won consecutive poles. Davey Allison won back-to-back poles in 1991 and 1992, Kyle Busch won the 2011 and 2012 poles and Carl Edwards was the most recent, capturing the pole in both 2013 and 2014.

    The first All-Star race was held in 1985 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. But did you know that it was won by Hall of Famer, Darrell Waltrip? He went on to win the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship the same year. Waltrip, however, was not the only one to win the All-Star race and the championship in the same year. Dale Earnhardt (1987, 1990, 1993), Rusty Wallace (1989), Jeff Gordon (1995, 1997, 2001) and Jimmie Johnson (2006, 2013) followed in his footsteps.

    Although the All-Star race is a relatively short, exhibition race, winning it has proven to be a unique indicator of which drivers have mastered the 1.5-mile track. Did you know that seven times, seven different drivers, have gone on to win the Coca-Cola 600 the following weekend? Those drivers include Darrell Waltrip (1985), Davey Allison (1991), Dale Earnhardt (1993), Jeff Gordon (1997), Jimmie Johnson (2003), Kasey Kahne (2008) and Kurt Busch (2010).

    One of the most memorable All-Star races occurred in 1992 when Davey Allison and Kyle Petty were contending for the win along with Dale Earnhardt who was in the lead. During the closing laps, Petty made contact with Earnhardt, who spun, setting up a battle between Allison and Petty. Allison won the race but the two drivers collided as they crossed the finish line. Allison was knocked unconscious and airlifted to the local hospital but, thankfully, was not seriously injured.

    But did you know that Davey Allison is also one of only six drivers with multiple wins in this event? Allison (1991, 1992) Terry Labonte (1988, 1999) and Mark Martin (1998, 2005) have two victories each. Dale Earnhardt (1987, 1990 and 1993) and Jeff Gordon (1995, 1997 and 2001) have three wins while Jimmie Johnson leads the series with four All-Star wins (2003, 2006, 2012, 2013).

    Be sure to tune in at 8 p.m. Saturday, May 20, for the 33rd running of the Monster Energy All-Star race to find out which driver will win bragging rights and the $1 million prize.

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