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  • NASCAR Unveils 2017-18 NASCAR Next Class

    NASCAR Unveils 2017-18 NASCAR Next Class

    Future Stars of the Sport Ready to Make Their Mark

    DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 16, 2017) – Forty wins and 124 top-10s in 148 NASCAR starts during their 2016 and 2017 seasons, to date. … Three series champions, two of whom are the youngest in their respective NASCAR touring series. The 2016 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Rookie of the Year and the 2015 Snowball Derby runner-up.

    These are just a few of the accomplishments already earned by the nine drivers in this year’s NASCAR Next class, and they’re just getting started.

    Now in its seventh year, the industry initiative spotlights the best and brightest young stars in racing. Alumni of the program include current Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series stars Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, Daniel Suárez, Erik Jones and Ryan Blaney.

    “The NASCAR Next program identifies emerging talent in our sport,” said Jill Gregory, NASCAR senior vice president and chief marketing officer. “Drivers in this year’s class have already achieved success on the track or shown potential, and this program will help them further develop their skills. We look forward to watching these young stars connect with our fans and continue their climb up the NASCAR ladder.”

    The NASCAR Next selection process includes input from industry executives, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Drivers Council and media members. Drivers must be between the ages of 15-25, aspire to compete in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and show potential – on and off the track – to reach that goal.

    The following drivers have been chosen for the 2017-18 NASCAR Next class:

     Harrison Burton (@HBurtonRacing) – In his second year competing in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, the 16-year-old from Huntersville, North Carolina, has earned wins at Bristol Motor Speedway and Virginia’s South Boston Speedway. The son of former Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver and current NBCSN analyst Jeff Burton also took home the pole award at Bristol for the second consecutive year.

    Chase Cabre (@CabreChase) – In his rookie season driving for Rev Racing and the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, the 20-year-old Tampa, Florida, native captured his first two pole awards in the twin features at South Boston and earned his best career finish (fourth) at the Virginia short track.

    Hailie Deegan (@HailieDeegan) – The 15-year-old Temecula, California, native has made a name for herself in the Lucas Oil Off Road Series. Last year the daughter of FMX legend Brian Deegan became the first female to reach the podium in the series’ history, was the 2016 Modified Kart champion in the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series and was named the Lucas Oil Off Road Driver of the Year.

    Todd Gilliland (@ToddGilliland_) – The son of former Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver David Gilliland has made quite a name for himself in the sport’s history books. The 16-year-old from Sherrills Ford, North Carolina, already has 12 wins in 30 K&N Pro Series starts and became the youngest champion in NASCAR national or touring series history last year when he took home the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West championship.

    Riley Herbst (@rileyherbst) – The 18-year-old Las Vegas, Nevada, driver is coming off a successful rookie season in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West. In 14 starts last year, he compiled seven top-five and 10 top-10 finishes.

    Cayden Lapcevich (@CaydenLapcevich) – Only the third Canadian-born driver to be chosen for the program, the 17-year-old from Grimsby, Ontario, won three times in 2016 en route to becoming the youngest NASCAR Pinty’s Series champion, and briefly held the title as the youngest NASCAR champion before being dethroned by Gilliland. Lapcevich is the first driver in Pinty’s Series history to earn both the Josten Rookie of the Year honor and the series title in the same year.

    Ty Majeski (@TyMajeski) – A Roush Fenway development driver and one of the country’s top Super Late Model drivers, the 22-year-old Seymour, Wisconsin native kicked off his 2016 winning the Super Late Model championship at the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing at Florida’s New Smyrna Speedway. He continued his NASCAR Whelen All-American Series season with a third-place finish in the national standings on the strength of 14 wins and 21 top-fives in 26 starts. He will make his NASCAR XFINITY Series debut at Iowa Speedway on June 24.

    Chase Purdy (@chasepurdy12) – The 2016 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Rookie of the Year made a splash last year when he took home both the rookie of the year and track championship at South Carolina’s Greenville Pickens Speedway in NASCAR’s weekly series. The 17-year-old from Meridian, Mississippi is chasing another rookie title this year, competing in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East.

    Zane Smith (@zanesmith77) – Smith, 17, from Huntington Beach, California, broke onto the national scene in 2015 when he won the Super Late Model championship at New Smyrna’s World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing. He capped the season with a runner-up finish to Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver and NASCAR Next alumnus Chase Elliott in the Snowball Derby.

    Since its inception in 2011, 36 of the 46 drivers who have been selected for the program have progressed to compete in one of NASCAR’s three national series, while more than a quarter have gone on to compete in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. Twelve NASCAR Next drivers have won a NASCAR national series race.

    The last three Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Sunoco Rookies of the Year are NASCAR Next alumni, as are four of the top-five contenders for the award this year: Daniel Suárez, Erik Jones, Corey LaJoie and Gray Gaulding. The last four Sunoco Rookies of the Year in both the NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series are also alumni of the NASCAR Next program.

    For more information, visit next.NASCAR.com and make sure to follow the drivers on Twitter and on the track. Join the social conversation by using #NASCARNext.

    About NASCAR

    The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States. NASCAR consists of three national series (Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR XFINITY Series™, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series™), four regional series, one local grassroots series and three international series. The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. Based in Daytona Beach, Fla., with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe. For more information visit http://www.NASCAR.com and http://www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (‘NASCAR’).

  • Stroke of luck propels Kyle Busch to Truck Series win at Kansas

    Stroke of luck propels Kyle Busch to Truck Series win at Kansas

    May 12, 2017
    By Reid Spencer
    NASCAR Wire Service

    KANSAS CITY, Kan. – Kyle Busch didn’t do a celebratory burnout when he won Friday night’s Toyota Tundra 250 at Kansas Speedway.

    He didn’t do his customary bow after notching his 47th victory in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

    Heartbreak for Ben Rhodes, who was leading by more than a second when his engine expired with eight laps left, provided the stroke of serendipity that launched Busch into Victory Lane.

    And Busch knew it.

    “That’s one of the worst ones to swallow right there, for sure,” Busch said of Rhodes’ misfortune. “I didn’t do a burnout or nothing like that. I just got the checkered flag for our group of guys at Kyle Busch Motorsports.

    “Ben Rhodes had that race won. That one was his. I tried everything I could to try to chase him back down. I just didn’t have enough speed in our Tundra tonight—it was fast, but his was a little bit faster than ours.”

    Busch won for the second time at Kansas, having also triumphed in his most recent previous start at the speedway in 2014.

    Three laps after a restart on Lap 139 of 167, Rhodes won a sustained side-by-side battle against Busch and pulled ahead. Rhodes stretched the advantage to as much as 1.4 seconds before a piece of debris shot through the grille of his No. 27 Toyota and torpedoed the engine.

    Rhodes, who was driving a chassis built by Kyle Busch’s Rowdy Manufacturing with a body made by KBM, took his truck to the garage and retired in 23rd place.

    “We ran with the best tonight,” a chagrined Rhodes said after the race. “Our Safelite Tundra had speed all night long. We did everything right, but Ben Rhodes has a curse on his back or something, because something always goes wrong.

    “A piece of debris went through the grille into the radiator and blew up the motor… It’s just crazy that something always goes wrong with our (ThorSport) team. We do everything right—we just can’t pull one off. We’ve been trying for years and years.”

    Rhodes, of course, is only 20 years old and has just 31 career starts in the Truck Series.

    Johnny Sauter ran second and retained the series lead by two points over polesitter Christopher Bell, who was trapped a lap down after pitting on Lap 123 when the 10th caution of the race on Lap 127 interrupted the pit sequence.

    Busch had just left pit road when the yellow flag flew. The caution kept him on the lead lap, and he cycled back into the lead when the rest of the contenders came to pit road on Lap 128.

    But Busch lost the top spot to Rhodes after the 11th caution for Matt Crafton’s spin through the infield grass, and Rhodes pulled away while Busch and third-place finisher John Hunter Nemechek were battling for second place.

    Bell came home fourth, followed by Chase Briscoe and Brett Moffitt.

     

    NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race – Toyota Tundra 250
    Kansas Speedway
    Kansas City, Kansas
    Friday, May 12, 2017

    1. (10) Kyle Busch(i), Toyota, 167.
    2. (3) Johnny Sauter, Chevrolet, 167.
    3. (14) John H. Nemechek, Chevrolet, 167.
    4. (1) Christopher Bell, Toyota, 167.
    5. (11) Chase Briscoe #, Ford, 167.
    6. (5) Ryan Truex, Toyota, 167.
    7. (7) Brett Moffitt, Toyota, 167.
    8. (6) Kaz Grala #, Chevrolet, 167.
    9. (12) Justin Haley #, Chevrolet, 167.
    10. (16) Austin Cindric #, Ford, 167.
    11. (15) Grant Enfinger, Toyota, 167.
    12. (18) Regan Smith, Ford, 167.
    13. (9) Timothy Peters, Toyota, 167.
    14. (19) Tyler Young, Chevrolet, 167.
    15. (21) Austin Self, Chevrolet, 166.
    16. (2) Matt Crafton, Toyota, 166.
    17. (25) Matt Mills(i), Chevrolet, 165.
    18. (20) Ross Chastain(i), Chevrolet, 164.
    19. (24) Jordan Anderson, Chevrolet, 163.
    20. (30) Spencer Boyd, Chevrolet, 163.
    21. (23) Kevin Donahue, Chevrolet, 163.
    22. (32) Cody Ware(i), Chevrolet, 162.
    23. (8) Ben Rhodes, Toyota, Engine, 160.
    24. (27) Norm Benning, Chevrolet, 160.
    25. (17) Travis Miller, Chevrolet, Vibration, 109.
    26. (13) Cody Coughlin #, Toyota, Transmission, 84.
    27. (28) Jennifer Cobb, Chevrolet, Brakes, 82.
    28. (4) Noah Gragson #, Toyota, Clutch, 68.
    29. (31) Todd Peck, Chevrolet, Brakes, 29.
    30. (26) Camden Murphy, Chevrolet, Electrical, 27.
    31. (29) Wendell Chavous, Chevrolet, Accident, 21.
    32. (22) Stewart Friesen #, Chevrolet, Accident, 16.

    Average Speed of Race Winner: 108.468 mph.
    Time of Race: 2 Hrs, 18 Mins, 34 Secs. Margin of Victory: 2.622 Seconds.
    Caution Flags: 11 for 46 laps.
    Lead Changes: 15 among 4 drivers.
    Lap Leaders: C. Bell 1-22; K. Busch(i) 23-42; C. Bell 43; G. Enfinger 44-57; C. Bell 58-70; K. Busch(i) 71-82; C. Bell 83; K. Busch(i) 84-87; B. Rhodes 88-90; K. Busch(i) 91-93; B. Rhodes 94; K. Busch(i) 95-125; B. Rhodes 126-128; K. Busch(i) 129-141; B. Rhodes 142-159; K. Busch(i) 160-167.
    Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): K. Busch(i) 7 times for 91 laps; C. Bell 4 times for 37 laps; B. Rhodes 4 times for 25 laps; G. Enfinger 1 time for 14 laps.
    Stage #1 Top Ten: 51,4,21,8,88,16,27,29,98,7
    Stage #2 Top Ten: 51,4,27,29,21,98,8,7,16,88

  • Ryan Blaney Captures First Career Coors Light Pole at Kansas

    Ryan Blaney Captures First Career Coors Light Pole at Kansas

    Ryan Blaney scored his first career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Coors Light Pole Award Friday at Kansas Speedway.

    Blaney raced to the top of the qualifying leaderboard with a lap of 189.600 mph in his No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford to earn his first pole in 64 Cup starts. It was the 117th pole for Wood Brothers Racing and their first since April 2004 when Ricky Rudd led the field to green in the Aaron’s 499 race at Talladega Superspeedway.

    “We’ve been really close a few times this year and it’s nice to finally get it done,” said Blaney. “I know it’s only qualifying but it feels really cool to get the first pole because qualifying hasn’t really been my best thing. That says a lot about this whole team. I can’t tell you how proud I am of this 21 team.”

    Blaney gave credit to his team and Ford for their improved performance this season.

    “It’s just hard work in the off-season,” he explained. “Ford made a big dedication to our team, really all the Ford teams and they stepped it up. I think you can see it this year, not only in qualifying but racing as well. It’s nice to be part of a team that’s so hard-working and dedicated.”

    Joey Logano will start the Go Bowling 400 on the outside pole in his No. 22 Team Penske Ford after delivering the second-fastest qualifying lap of 189.540 mph.

    Logano was disappointed but said, “Congratulations to Blaney. That is cool. Your first pole is a big deal. It is a big deal for him. I just hate being second. I have to be honest.”

    Furniture Row Racing’s Martin Truex Jr. qualified third in his No. 78 Toyota with a speed of 189.201 mph, followed by Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s  No. 17 Roush Fenway Racing Ford in fourth. Kyle Busch, the defending race winner, rounded out the top five in his No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota.

    Eleven drivers missed the opening qualifying session after problems during the pre-qualifying inspection, including Clint Bowyer, Landon Cassill, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Timmy Hill, Erik Jones, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Corey LaJoie, Carl Long, David Ragan and Reed Sorenson.

    Michael McDowell had engine trouble and also missed qualifying.

    The Cup Series Go Bowling 400 is set for Saturday evening at 7:30 p.m. and will be televised on FS1.

    Starting Lineup for the Go Bowling 400:

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  • Kansas Speedway – Did You Know?

    Kansas Speedway – Did You Know?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • ‘Big One’ Strikes Early in XFINITY Talladega Race

    ‘Big One’ Strikes Early in XFINITY Talladega Race

    TALLADEGA, Ala. — The field was four laps shy of the end of the first stage of the Sparks Energy 300 at Talladega Superspeedway when the Big One was triggered.

    Riding down the backstretch on the 21st lap, Brennan Poole attempted to thread the needle between Kasey Kahne to his low-side and Matt Tifft and Daniel Suarez to his high-side. Poole made contact with Tifft, leading to Tifft’s loose car turning down and hooking the 48 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet up the track and into the left-rear corner panel of Suarez.

    This triggered a nine-car wreck, brought out the second caution of the race and cleanup necessitated a nine-minute and 28-second red flag.

    Despite being at the eye of the wreck, Suarez and Tifft both drove to a top-10 finish.

    “That’s the big thing here, surviving,” Tifft said. “This stage racing deal sure makes for a lot of intensity and wrecks at that to. We just got caught up in the first stage crash, hurt the nose of the Camry and got to a point where if we didn’t have a good pusher out back it was going to be hard to move around and get a lane going.”

    Among those collected were William Byron, who t-boned Suarez as Suarez slid down the track. Daniel Hemric was barely clipped by Suarez, spun up the track and his right-rear corner slammed into the wall in Turn 3. Darrell Wallace Jr. was turned down the track, following a shunt from the 13 car of Mark Thompson, and clipped the 24 car of Scott Lagasse Jr. Brandon Jones was turned down into the inside wall by Spencer Gallagher as both drove onto the apron to avoid the spinning cars ahead.

  • Brandon Jones Fastest at Talladega in Final XFINITY Practice

    Brandon Jones Fastest at Talladega in Final XFINITY Practice

    TALLADEGA, Ala. — Brandon Jones topped the chart in final NASCAR XFINITY Series practice at Talladega Superspeedway.

    The driver of the No. 33 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet was the fastest with a time of 52.381 and a speed of 182.814 mph followed by Blake Koch in second in his No. 11 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet with a time of 52.508 and a speed of 182.372 mph.

    Daniel Hemric was third in his No. 21 GMS Racing Chevrolet with a time of 52.623 and a speed of 181.974 mph. Ben Kennedy was fourth in his No. 2 Childress Chevrolet with a time of 52.766 and a speed of 181.480 mph while Ty Dillon rounded out the top-five in his No. 3 Childress Chevrolet with a time of 52.890 and a speed of 181.055 mph.

    No driver posted a 10 consecutive lap average.

    Koch Fastest In First Talladega XFINITY Practice

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  • Talladega Superspeedway – Did You Know?

    Talladega Superspeedway – Did You Know?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

     

  • Hot 20 – Talladega could not have come at a better time

    Hot 20 – Talladega could not have come at a better time

    NASCAR is losing steam. Surprise! It is not exactly news, but this week comments made by the top brass yet again reminded us of what has been going on for about a decade now. NASCAR got its big TV contract in 2001 to bring the action nationwide. It lost one of its legends in that opening race, then his son became part of a very compelling and riveting story line, and a fad was born. Everybody who was anybody jumped aboard the bandwagon. That lasted until the economic downturn following the 2007 season. The good times came to a grinding halt, and have not yet returned. As Merle Haggard used to ask, “Are the good times really over for good?”

    Once upon a time, but a time not so far away, 112,000 seats surrounded the track at Richmond. Today, they number 60,000. Last Sunday, only half of them had butt cheeks draped upon them. This week, NASCAR boss Brian France says his sport is not the only one having trouble enticing fans to leave their electronic devices behind, especially those tuned into his races, to make the trek to see the action live. They are having a summit next month in Charlotte, joined by experts, to seek out some answers. Charlotte track owner Humpy Wheeler has his own answers. Get rid of the aero push, the thing that gives the leader in clean air a distinct advantage, once and for all. Do that and then see the return of on-track excitement, the return of duels for the lead, the return of rivalries, and the return of the fans. Simple solution, but one they have been unable to solve for nearly twenty years.

    NASCAR was here long before Dale Earnhardt Jr. and it will be there long after he leaves. Sure sounds strong, defiant, and even true to some degree. However, compare how much merchandise Junior moves and compare it to anyone else…hell…everyone else, and you might just notice a few beads of sweat on the foreheads of NASCAR’s big shots. In the past, big stars left but it was all small potatoes back then compared to today. Dale Earnhardt died, but his son was there pick up some of the slack. Today, Junior is planning on going. Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, and Carl Edwards are already gone. Can Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney, Erik Jones, Daniel Suarez, and the Dillon brothers keep those rabid fans in tow, the ones who will hang around no matter what? That is the question.

    Few tracks pretty much guarantee excitement. Talladega happily is one of them. Multiple lead changes, the potential of mayhem each and every lap, and the thrills that it brings. You do not need an Earnhardt to present that. You sure do when you go to Kansas for the next contest, and we return to a 1.5-mile oval and the same old, same old. Without the likes of Junior to cheer for, the lukewarm supporters will once again dissipate like a mist in the wind. They might return for the all-star event, they might catch the World 600 at Charlotte later this month, or next month’s road course challenge at Sonoma, then the Firecracker 400 at Daytona in July. Kansas, Dover, Pocono, and Michigan each have two events scheduled this season, with the first coming our way in May and June. Think about that, then tell me “how bad have you got it?” Exactly.

    Talladega could not come at a better time. Here is to the hot action for our Hot 20 in Alabama on Sunday afternoon.

    1. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS – 327 PTS
    Junior might be the current King of Talladega, but with four wins Brad is the Crown Prince.

    2. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS – 270 PTS
    When did they start painting the walls to look like Junior’s car?

    3. KYLE LARSON – 1 WIN – 398 PTS
    “I would race a lot more if I was allowed to. That’s why I feel like I’m the last true racer.”

    4. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN – 358 PTS
    Having a decent season, but imagine how good it would be if not for all those damned penalties.

    5. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN – 333 PTS
    Joey is sad. He heard Rowdy got a commitment line penalty at Richmond. The tears are flowing.

    6. RYAN NEWMAN – 1 WIN – 225 PTS
    In 30 starts, just five Top Fives, with his best being third eight years ago. You can save on the suds.

    7. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN – 192 PTS
    When it came to Dale Earnhardt and Mr. Busch, oh well-a bird, bird, bird; bird is a word.

    8. CHASE ELLIOTT – 346 PTS
    Driving for Hooters this weekend. Make up your own joke.

    9. KEVIN HARVICK – 286 PTS
    Bloomin’ good result resulted in Outback Steakhouse giving away Bloomin’ Onions. Really.

    10. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 282 PTS
    Jamie only wins on the biggest stages. This would be one of them.

    11. CLINT BOWYER – 266 PTS
    Not as vile as Colbert, but he can sometimes string together some hot phrases on the radio.

    12. KYLE BUSCH – 235 PTS
    Five minutes. No crews, no officials, no cameras. Just five minutes is all he asks.

    13. DENNY HAMLIN – 231 PTS
    With Kyle, Denny, and Matt all here, the lack of Joe Gibbs wins is truly a non-story.

    14. RYAN BLANEY – 229 PTS
    Only five points earned over the past two events, with four of the past six outside the Top 20.

    15. TREVOR BAYNE – 216 PTS
    Still only one Cup win to his credit, but if you have to win just one…he picked well.

    16. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 201 PTS
    Joining Martin and Sherry, along with a host of others, in Catwalk for a Cause later this month.

    17. ERIK JONES – 193 PTS
    Lasted less than five laps last week, earned just one point. Talladega just has to be better.

    18. MATT KENSETH – 192 PTS
    Richmond was a race that proved to be 237 laps too long. Before that, he had a very nice day.

    19. ARIC ALMIROLA – 189 PTS
    The “other” drivers with more than one win in the No.43…Bobby Hamilton (2) and Jim Paschal (2).

    20. KASEY KAHNE – 179 PTS
    Krispy Kasey Kahne went cycling last week and, as Gollum might say, “It burns us.”

  • Action Sports Star Travis Pastrana Set for Return to NASCAR Competition

    Action Sports Star Travis Pastrana Set for Return to NASCAR Competition

    By Team release | NASCAR.com

    MOORESVILLE, N.C. — Action sports legend Travis Pastrana will join Niece Motorsports for select events during the 2017 season, kicking off with a test on Tuesday at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the No. 45 Chevy Silverado.

    Pastrana’s most recent NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start came in 2015 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. In addition to his NCWTS experience, Pastrana has one pole and four top-10 finishes in the NASCAR XFINITY Series, all coming in 2013.

    MORE: Travis Pastrana’s NASCAR stats

    He’ll get behind the wheel of a NASCAR ride once again at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Saturday, Sept. 30 at 8 p.m. ET on FS1 in the Las Vegas 350.

    “I love NASCAR, and Las Vegas is always a good time, so I’m really looking forward to racing there later this season,” said Pastrana. “The seat time at Charlotte will be a huge help for me to get up to speed and for the team to get a solid base setup for when we show up to race later in the year. I’ve actually worked with several of the people on this team in the past. It’s a fun group and we have a good rapport.

    “NASCAR is something that challenges me. I’ve done a lot of work over the past couple of years to try and improve my pavement skills. I’m racing my first full year of Rally since 2010, and I’m fresh off my first win in over a year, so it’s really exciting to be able to get behind the wheel again and see what we can do in the Truck Series.”

    To get the week started, Pastrana will host an event in conjunction with K1 Speed in Concord, North Carolina from 6-7 p.m. ET, including autographs with fellow Niece Motorsports driver T.J. Bell. More information on the event can be found here.

    Pastrana reunites with Cody Efaw, who served as his car chief in the NASCAR XFINITY Series in 2013. In 2017, Efaw has assumed the role of crew chief of the No. 45 Chevy at Niece Motorsports.

    “Any time you can team up with someone you’ve worked well with in the past, there’s obviously a level of comfort there,” said Pastrana. “I know the group of guys that Niece Motorsports has assembled is going to give me a great shot at running well.”

    Serving as Pastrana’s primary sponsor for the race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway will be Weinerschnitzel. Additionally, Black Rifle Coffee Company, SilencerCo, Nitro Circus, Alpinestars and Palms Casino Resort will provide sponsorship support to the No. 45 team for the race.

    Niece Motorsports, which is owned by Marine Corps veteran Al Niece, has competed in a partial schedule during the 2017 season, with plans of running full-time moving into 2018 and beyond.

    “We are thrilled to have Travis behind the wheel this season,” said Niece. “He’s extremely passionate about NASCAR and committed to working with us to have the best run possible in Las Vegas.”

     

  • Late Wreck Caps Rotten Day for Blaney

    Late Wreck Caps Rotten Day for Blaney

    RICHMOND, Va. — When the day started, Ryan Blaney was second in the running order. When it ended, he was behind the wall.

    Blaney qualified second for the Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond International Raceway, but dropped like a rock after the first restart of the race on lap 12.

    The day went from lousy to awful for Blaney with 22 laps to go. Going down the backstretch, Chase Elliott made contact with Kurt Busch above him, sending him into Blaney. Busch’s contact with him cut down his left-rear tire. He tried to hold onto it, but lost control and spun out in Turn 3, bringing out the final caution of the race.

    He came home 36th, his fourth straight finish outside the top-10 and third finish of 25th or worse in the last four races.

    He leaves Richmond 12th in points 169 back of Kyle Larson.