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  • Weekend schedule for Sonoma and Mid-Ohio

    Weekend schedule for Sonoma and Mid-Ohio

    The NASCAR Cup Series travels to Sonoma Raceway this weekend for Sunday’s Toyota/Save Mart 350 while the NASCAR Xfinity Series will compete at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course Saturday afternoon.

    NASCAR’s Camping World Truck Series has a week off and will return to competition on June 12 at Texas Motor Speedway.

    Martin Truex Jr. leads all active Cup Series drivers with three wins at Sonoma (2013, 2018, 2019) and would love to capture a third consecutive victory.

    “I’ve been waiting for a while to go back to Sonoma and try to get the three-peat,” Truex said. “Sonoma is such a fun track and it’s a great part of the country. It’s beautiful and always great weather. I can’t wait to get there and see all of our fans in California that we haven’t seen in quite a while.”

    His biggest rival may be Chase Elliott who has won five of the last six Cup Series road course races. And you can never count out Kyle Busch who has won twice (2008, 2015) at Sonoma.

    There have been seven Xfinity Series races run at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course with seven different winners. Austin Cindric was the most recent driver in victory lane in 2019. He also has three more road course wins at Watkins Glen (2019), the Daytona Road Course (2020) and Road America (2020).

    Due to the pandemic, this will be NASCAR’s first time back at the track since June 2019.

    There will be no practice or qualifying sessions for the Cup and Xfinity Series due to COVID-19 protocols established by NASCAR.

    The starting lineups will be determined by the following metrics formula:
    • 25 percent: Driver’s finishing position from the previous race
    • 25 percent: Car owner’s finishing position from the previous race
    • 35 percent: Team owner points ranking
    • 15 percent: Fastest lap from the previous race

    Notes: There will be a competition caution for the Cup Series on Lap 10 but no competition caution is scheduled for the Xfinity Series race.

    All times are Eastern.

    Saturday, June 5

    1 p.m.: Xfinity Series B&L Transport 170
    Green Flag: 1:13
    Distance: 169.35 miles (75 Laps)
    Stage 1 ends on Lap 25, Stage 2 ends on Lap 50, Final Stage Ends on Lap 75
    FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
    Pole: Austin Cindric

    Sunday, June 6

    4 p.m. Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway
    Green Flag: 4:14
    Distance: 226.8 miles (90 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 20),
    Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 40), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 90)
    FS1/PRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
    Pole: Kyle Larson

    Sonoma Raceway Data
    Season Race #: 15 of 36 (06-06-21)
    Track Size: 2.52-miles
    Number of Turns: 12 varying
    Track: Multi-Elevational Road Course
    Race Length: 90 laps / 226.8 miles
    Stage 1 and 2 Length: 20 laps (each)
    Final Stage Length: 50 laps

    Sonoma Raceway NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying & Race Information:

    • Track qualifying record (2.52-miles): Kyle Larson, Chevrolet (95.901 mph, 94.598 secs. on 06-22-19)
    • Track qualifying record (1.99-miles): Kyle Larson, Chevrolet (96.568 mph, 74.186 secs. on 06-27-15)
    • Track race record (2.52-miles): Martin Truex Jr., Toyota (83.922 mph, (02:42:09) on 06-23-19)
    • Track race record (1.99-miles): Clint Bowyer, Toyota (83.624 mph, (02:39:55) on06-24-12)
    • 2019 pole winner (last race): Kyle Larson, Chevrolet (95.712 mph, 94.784 secs. on 06-22-19)
    • 2019 race winner (last race): Martin Truex Jr., Toyota (83.922 mph, (02:42:09) on 06-23-19)

    Sonoma Raceway Qualifying Information:

    • Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch lead all active drivers in the series in starts at Sonoma with 19 each.
    • Kyle Larson leads the series in average starting position at Sonoma with a 2.5 in seven starts.
    • 18 different NCS drivers have won at least one pole at Sonoma and three are entered this weekend.  Kyle Larson (3), Joey Logano (1), and Kurt Busch (1).
    • Larson leads all active drivers in poles at Sonoma with three (2017, 2018, 2019).
    • The youngest series Sonoma pole winner is Joey Logano (June 26, 2011 – 21 years, 1 month, 2 days).
    • Five different manufacturers in the NCS have won a pole at Sonoma.  Chevrolet leads with 16 poles, Ford seven, Pontiac three, Toyota three, and Dodge with two.

    Sonoma Raceway Race Information:

    • 19 different NCS drivers have won at Sonoma and four are entered this weekend.  Martin Truex Jr. (3), Kyle Busch (2), Kevin Harvick (1), and Kurt Busch (1).
    • NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon leads the series in wins at Sonoma with five victories.
    • Martin Truex Jr. leads all active drivers in wins at Sonoma in the NCS with three victories (2013, 2018, 2019).
    • Chase Elliott leads all active NCS drivers in road course wins with six victories (Watkins Glen, two; Charlotte ROVAL, two; Daytona RC, COTA).
    • The youngest series Sonoma winner is Kyle Busch (June 22, 2008 – 23 years, 1 month, 20 days).
    • Five of the 31 (16.13%) NCS races at Sonoma have been won from the pole, making it the most proficient starting position in the field.
    • Hendrick Motorsports leads the NCS in wins at Sonoma with six victories (Jeff Gordon with five and Jimmie Johnson with one).
    • Six different manufacturers have won in the NCS at Sonoma.  Chevrolet leads with 11 victories, Ford eight, Toyota five, Dodge three, Pontiac two, and Buick with one.
    • Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch lead all active NCS drivers in top 10s at Sonoma with 10 each.
    • Clint Bowyer leads all active NCS drivers in average finish at Sonoma with a 10.077. 
    • Martin Truex Jr. leads all active NCS drivers at Sonoma with 213 laps led in 15 starts.

    Top 12 Sonoma Driver Ratings

    1. Kurt Busch – 105.2
    2. Martin Truex Jr. – 96.8
    3. Kevin Harvick – 94.5
    4. Kyle Busch – 93.7
    5. Chase Elliott – 89.4
    6. Ryan Newman – 85.7
    7. Denny Hamlin – 84.9
    8. Kyle Larson – 83.0
    9. Joey Logano – 82.7
    10. Brad Keselowski – 78.9
    11. Ryan Blaney – 77.7
    12. Daniel Suarez – 74.9

    Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2020 races (15 total) among active drivers at Sonoma Raceway.

  • Hemric to achieve 100th Xfinity Series start at Mid-Ohio

    Hemric to achieve 100th Xfinity Series start at Mid-Ohio

    In his return to full-time NASCAR competition, Daniel Hemric is within reach of a milestone start. By competing in this weekend’s Xfinity Series event at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, the driver of the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Supra will reach 100 career starts in the Xfinity circuit.

    A native of Kannapolis, North Carolina, Hemric made his inaugural presence in the Xfinity Series in 2017. By then, he was coming off his second full-time season in the Truck Series, where he earned 11 top-five results, 17 top-10 results and a spot in the Playoffs, where he finished in sixth place in the final standings as a Brad Keselowski Racing competitor.

    Two months prior to the 2016 Truck season’s conclusion, Hemric was named a full-time Xfinity competitor for Richard Childress Racing and in the No. 21 Chevrolet Camaro. 

    Hemric opened his rookie Xfinity season on a low note by finishing 31st after being involved in an early multi-car wreck. He rallied the following week at Atlanta Motor Speedway, where he achieved his first top-10 result in the Xfinity circuit after finishing ninth. Five races later, Hemric earned his first top-five result at Bristol Motor Speedway in April after finishing fifth, where he also led eight laps, won the second stage and claimed the Dash 4 Cash bonus in the race. His momentum continued the following week at Richmond Raceway, where he started on pole position for the first time in his career, led 26 laps and finished in third place.

    Throughout the 26-race regular-season stretch, Hemric achieved a season-best second-place result at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in August, a total of five top-five results and 12 top-10 results before clinching his spot in the 2017 Xfinity Playoffs.

    During the Playoffs, Hemric advanced from the Round of 12 to the Round of 8 following three consecutive top-10 results. He commenced the Round of 8 with an 18th-place result at Kansas Speedway followed by a 14th-place result at Texas Motor Speedway. Scored on the outside of the top-four cutline to the Championship Round entering the final Round of 8 event at Phoenix Raceway in November, Hemric prevailed over a late two-tire pit strategy and a battle with Cole Custer in the final laps to finish in fifth place, two spots ahead of Custer, and secure the fourth and final spot to the Championship Round at Homestead-Miami Speedway, where he entered the finale as the only non-JR Motorsports competitor to battle for the title. 

    During the finale at Homestead, Hemric started the race strong and as the leading title contender. Everything changed during the second stage when he brought his No. 21 Chevrolet to pit road under green after reporting battery issues. While his crew repaired the issue, Hemric returned to the track multiple laps behind and out of title contention as he concluded his rookie season in fourth place in the final standings. Despite missing out on winning the title and the Rookie-of-the-Year title over William Byron, Hemric achieved a pole, seven top-five results, 16 top-10 results and a 13.2 average-finishing result throughout the 2017 season.

    Following an impressive rookie season, Hemric retained his seat with RCR for the 2018 Xfinity season. He started on pole position for the season-opening event at Daytona, but finished 26th after being involved in a multi-car incident at the halfway mark. While he did not record a single victory throughout the 26-race regular-season stretch, Hemric and the No. 21 team were strongly consistent as they earned two runner-up results, 12 top-five results, 16 top-10 results and a spot for the 2018 Xfinity Playoffs.

    Throughout the Playoffs, including the Rounds of 12 and 8, Hemric finished in the top 10 in all but one event, including an additional two runner-up results, as he returned to the Championship Round at Homestead in November with another opportunity to win his first Xfinity title. During the finale, however, Hemric finished fourth in the main event and settled in third place in the final standings. Despite enduring another winless season, Hemric earned a career-high four poles, 16 top-five results, 23 top-10 results, 440 laps led and a 9.0 average result.

    After two impressive, consistent seasons in the Xfinity circuit, Hemric moved up to the Cup Series with RCR in 2019. Despite achieving the 2019 Cup Rookie-of-the-Year title, Hemric was released from RCR following the 2019 season. He ended up joining JR Motorsports as a part-time Xfinity Series competitor for the 2020 season. Driving the No. 8 Chevrolet Camaro, Hemric made his first start of a part-time schedule at Las Vegas in February, where he finished 35th after being involved in an early incident that result in a suspension failure. He returned for an additional 20 races throughout the 33-race schedule. During his stint, Hemric earned two season-best runner-up results (Charlotte Motor Speedway in May and Kansas Speedway in October), a total of seven top-five results, 12 top-10 results and an average result of 16.2.

    Following the 2020 season, Hemric was named a full-time Xfinity competitor for Joe Gibbs Racing and in the No. 18 Toyota Supra for the 2021 season. He commenced the season in ninth place at Daytona before earning three consecutive top-three results during the following three weeks, including a runner-up result at Las Vegas in March.

    Through the first 12 Xfinity events of this season, Hemric has achieved five top-five results, eight top-10 results and an average-finishing result of 11.3. He is currently ranked in fourth place in the Xfinity Series standings.

    Through 99 previous Xfinity starts, Hemric has achieved five poles, 35 top-five results and 59 top-10 results, while continuing to pursue his first victory within NASCAR’s top three national touring series.

    Hemric is slated to make his 100th Xfinity career start at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on Saturday, June 5, at 1 p.m. ET on FS1.

  • Ty Gibbs’ full 2021 Xfinity schedule revealed

    Ty Gibbs’ full 2021 Xfinity schedule revealed

    Coming off an historic debut and victory at the Daytona International Speedway Road Course, Ty Gibbs will return for an additional 14 NASCAR Xfinity Series races throughout the 2021 season for Joe Gibbs Racing.

    The 18-year-old grandson of NASCAR Hall of Famer and team owner, Joe Gibbs, from Charlotte, North Carolina, will make his second career start in the Xfinity circuit at Phoenix Raceway on March 13.

    He will then compete at Martinsville Speedway on April 9 followed by Darlington Raceway on May 8, Dover International Speedway on May 15, Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 29, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on June 5, Pocono Raceway on June 27, Road America on July 3, Watkins Glen International on August 7, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course on August 14, Michigan International Speedway on August 21 and at Richmond Raceway on September 11. During the 2021 Xfinity Series Playoffs, he will also compete at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval on October 9 and at Kansas Speedway on October 23.

    JGR took to social media to reveal the announcement and Ty Gibbs’ schedule.

    With Gibbs’ full part-time Xfinity schedule revealed, he will also continue to pilot Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 54 Toyota Supra led by crew chief Chris Gayle.

    Gibbs made his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut last weekend at the Daytona International Speedway Road Course, where he led 14 laps and outlasted the field through two overtime attempts to record his first victory across NASCAR’s top three national touring series. By winning at Daytona in his debut, he became the sixth competitor to win in their series debut but the first to do so without a prior Cup start. He also became the 165 different competitor to record an Xfinity Series win and the 18th to do so while driving for his grandfather’s organization.

    In addition to a part-time Xfinity schedule, Gibbs currently competes as a full-time competitor in the ARCA Menards Series for JGR and in the No. 18 Toyota Camry led by crew chief Mark McFarland.

    With Gibbs’ next event on the schedule at Phoenix in March, Ty Dillon will return for the following two NASCAR Xfinity Series races with JGR at Homestead-Miami Speedway on February 27 and at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 6.

  • Cindric goes back-to-back, wins Xfinity Series at Mid-Ohio; Hawksworth takes 15th in NASCAR debut

    Cindric goes back-to-back, wins Xfinity Series at Mid-Ohio; Hawksworth takes 15th in NASCAR debut

    Team Penske driver Austin Cindric went back-to-back in the Xfinity Series on Saturday, winning the B&L Transport 170 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for his second-straight win in the series. Cindric’s performance was a dominant one, winning from the pole and leading 46 of the race’s 75 laps and taking the checkered by 3.78 seconds over runner-up Christopher Bell.

    “It feels good, two in row and going for three at Bristol,” Cindric said in Victory Lane. “I’ll probably go crazy if I win there. Should be a lot of fun. This is great momentum for our group.”

    Cindric also took his No. 22 Penske Ford Mustaing to Victory Lane at Watkins Glen a week ago, narrowly taking the checkered flag following a dramatic last-lap battle with AJ Allmendinger.

    Allmendinger, Tyler Reddick, and Noah Gragson rounded out the top-five. Allmendinger’s third-place finish was bittersweet for his Kaulig Racing team, as it was the first time in three starts with Allmendinger in 2019 that they weren’t disqualified following post-race tech. He had taken Kaulig Racing to a third-place run in the July Daytona event and a runner-up last weekend at Watkins Glen, but both finishes were disallowed and Allmendinger was credited with last-place finishes in both events.

    2018 Mid-Ohio winner Justin Allgaier finished sixth, while Chase Briscoe, Cole Custer, Justin Haley, and Brandon Jones rounded out the top-10. Former IndyCar driver and current IMSA regular Jack Hawksworth, who scored an IMSA class win at Mid-Ohio earlier this year, made his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut with Joe Gibbs Racing in their No. 18 Toyota. He paced one of the practice sessions before qualifying second for the race and winning the second stage. Hawksworth would go on to finish 15th.

    “First off, thank you to Joe Gibbs Racing for having me and to Toyota for putting it together; and of course to my team AVS Racing, IMSA and Lexus for allowing me to go do this Xfinity stint,” he told NBCSN. “I was having a lot of fun out there. Some good battles over the beginning. The first stint, I was struggling with the rear tires a little bit. The second stint we made it a little bit better.

    “I was comfortable on those restarts going for the lead and felt pretty good about it; but then I think we had a little issue on that second stop so that kind of put us back there. Got grass on the grille on one of those restarts, then kind of lost the brakes and that was kind of all she wrote.

    “Little bit of a shame, but I had a great time and the iK9 car was great. I just want to thank everyone for having me here, and we’ll have to come back at some point and give it another shot.”

    The race was slowed by six cautions for 17 laps, while eight drivers led for 10 times over the course of the event. The Xfinity Series visits Bristol Motor Speedway on Friday night for the Food City 300 at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN. Monster Energy Cup regular Kyle Larson won the event in 2018.

  • NASCAR Schedule for Michigan and Mid-Ohio

    NASCAR Schedule for Michigan and Mid-Ohio

    This weekend the Monster Energy Cup Series and the Gander Outdoors Truck Series head to Michigan International Speedway while the Xfinity Series travels to the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

    Kevin Harvick is the Cup Series defending race winner at the 2-mile track with only four races remaining in the regular season. Brett Moffitt returns to defend his Truck Series victory at Michigan in the final race to determine the regular season champion. Justin Allgaier won the previous Xfinity Series race at Mid-Ohio and with six races left in the Xfinity Series regular season will be looking for his first victory this season.

    All times are Eastern.

    Friday, August 9

    Michigan:

    12:35 p.m.-1:25 p.m.: Monster Energy Cup Series First Practice – NBCSN/MRN
    1:35 p.m.-2:25 p.m.: Gander Outdoors Truck Series First Practice – No TV
    3:05 p.m.-3:55 p.m.: Gander Outdoors Truck Series Final Practice – No TV
    5:05 p.m.: Monster Energy Cup Series Qualifying – Single Vehicle/One Lap All Positions – NBCSN/MRN

    Mid-Ohio:

    1:35 p.m.-2:55 p.m.: Xfinity Series First Practice – NBC Sports App
    4:05 p.m.-4:55 p.m.: Xfinity Series Final Practice – NBC Sports App

    Saturday, August 10

    Michigan:

    8:35 a.m.-9:25 a.m.: Monster Energy Cup Series Second Practice – NBC Sports App/MRN
    9:35 a.m.: Gander Outdoors Truck Series Qualifying – Single Vehicle/One Lap All Positions – FS2
    11:30 a.m.-12:20 p.m.: Monster Energy Cup Series Final Practice – NBC Sports App/MRN
    1 p.m.: Gander Outdoors Truck Series Corrigan Oil 200 – (Stages 20/40/100 Laps = 200 Miles) – FS1/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio/MRN

    Mid-Ohio:

    11:40 a.m.: Xfinity Series Qualifying – Multi-Vehicle/Two Rounds – NBC Sports App
    3 p.m.: Xfinity Series B&L Transport 170 – (Stages 20/40/75 Laps = 169.35 Miles) – NBCSN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio/MRN

    Sunday, August 11

    Michigan:

    3 p.m.: Monster Energy Cup Series Consumers Energy 400 – (Stages 60/120/200 Laps = 400 Miles) NBCSN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio/MRN

  • The weekend schedule for Monster Energy NASCAR Cup at Michigan and the Xfinity Series at Mid-Ohio

    The weekend schedule for Monster Energy NASCAR Cup at Michigan and the Xfinity Series at Mid-Ohio

    This weekend the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and the Gander Outdoors Truck Series travel to Michigan International Speedway for the second time this year. The Xfinity Series will compete at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course while you can compete at the best nz casino sites and win.

    Kevin Harvick is the Cup Series defending race winner at the 2-mile track while Brett Moffitt returns to defend his Truck Series victory at Michigan. Justin Allgaier won the previous Xfinity Series race at Mid-Ohio and would be a good one to place a bet on to win.

    The Consumers Energy 400 at Michigan International Speedway will be televised live Sunday, August 11 beginning at 3 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network and will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

    Coverage of this week’s Mid-Ohio 170 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course will be televised live on Saturday, August 10, beginning at 3 p.m. Eastern Time on NBCSN. It will also be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Satellite Radio, channel 90.

    All times are Eastern.

    Michigan

    Friday, August 9

    12:35 p.m.-1:25 p.m.: Monster Energy Cup Series First Practice – NBCSN/MRN
    1:35 p.m.-2:25 p.m.: Gander Outdoors Truck Series First Practice – No TV
    3:05 p.m.-3:55 p.m.: Gander Outdoors Truck Series Final Practice – No TV
    5:05 p.m.: Monster Energy Cup Series Qualifying – Single Vehicle/One Lap All Positions – NBCSN/MRN

    Saturday, August 10

    8:35 a.m.-9:25 a.m.: Monster Energy Cup Series Second Practice – NBC Sports App/MRN
    9:35 a.m.: Gander Outdoors Truck Series Qualifying – Single Vehicle/One Lap All Positions – FS2
    11:30 a.m.-12:20 p.m.: Monster Energy Cup Series Final Practice – NBC Sports App/MRN
    1 p.m.: Gander Outdoors Truck Series Corrigan Oil 200 – (Stages 20/40/100 Laps = 200 Miles) – FS1/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio/MRN

    Sunday, August 11

    3 p.m.: Monster Energy Cup Series Consumers Energy 400 – (Stages 60/120/200 Laps = 400 Miles) NBCSN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio/MRN

    Mid-Ohio

    Friday, August 9

    1:35 p.m.-2:55 p.m.: Xfinity Series First Practice – NBC Sports App
    4:05 p.m.-4:55 p.m.: Xfinity Series Final Practice – NBC Sports App

    Saturday, August 10

    11:40 a.m.: Xfinity Series Qualifying – Multi-Vehicle/Two Rounds – NBC Sports App
    3 p.m.: Xfinity Series B&L Transport 170 – (Stages 20/40/75 Laps = 169.35 Miles) – NBCSN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio/MRN

  • Allgaier Scores Third Win of XFINITY Season at Mid-Ohio

    Allgaier Scores Third Win of XFINITY Season at Mid-Ohio

    Justin Allgaier scored his third win of the 2018 NASCAR XFINITY Series season at Mid-Ohio, holding off polesitter and rookie Team Penske driver Austin Cindric to the checkered flag in the Rock N’ Roll Tequila 170.

    Daniel Hemric took home third, while Matt Tifft and Ryan Truex rounded out the top-five. Elliott Sadler, Cole Custer, Spencer Gallagher, Alex Labbe, and Ryan Reed rounded out the top-10.

    The race was slowed by six cautions for 18 laps, with seven lead changes among four drivers. Cindric, who holds a strong road racing background, led the most laps with 59. However, Allgaier was able to get past Cindric with four laps left, making JR Motorsports a four-race winner this season.

    “We needed to get up front,” said Allgaier. “That last restart was going to be pivotal.” This was after two brief incidents ended up with him going off course at one point and getting spun by Custer at another.

    Cindric was gracious in defeat, saying, “It’s NASCAR racing. We knew there would be a late-race restart. Great driver on new tires, great restart. We finished second. It’s frustrating. This place means a lot to me. We just came up short.”

    There were some post-race fireworks between Joey Gase and Ross Chastain following the race, with Gase and his pit crew confronting Chastain and his crew at his car. Video taken by Autoweek’s Matt Weaver showed Gase being restrained as he shouted at the JD Motorsports crew, while Chastain smiled and waved at the camera.

    Gase was called to the NASCAR hauler following the incident, after it was alleged he had rammed Chastain on pit road after crews, fans, and media had already begun gathering on pit road.

    “Basically I drove him hard and passed him clean, and going into the esses he hit me, I don’t know, three or four different turns and never got off my bumper and pushed me into the sand,” said Gase on the incident. “I don’t really appreciate that a whole lot. He’s Johnny Davis’s golden child and he can’t do anything wrong, and he forgets that we’re right there with him now, and the funny thing is that he also forgets that we’re trying to get in there in the Chase with him, and the only way we can do that is if we win.

    “So he’s trying to do that off of points. So, we can make that really difficult for him, and people just got to remember we’re here to race too. This is the most fun I’ve ever had, this is the best I’ve ever ran this year, and we’re improving every race.”

    The next XFINITY Series race will be Friday, August 17 at Bristol Motor Speedway, on NBC Sports Network.

     

  • Four Gears: Road Courses, Justin Marks, Track Themes and the XFINITY Chase

    Four Gears: Road Courses, Justin Marks, Track Themes and the XFINITY Chase

    Time to cycle through the transmission for another edition of Four Gears.

    This week, our NASCAR experts talk whether Mid-Ohio bettered the case for more road courses in NASCAR and whether Justin Mark’s win was more on him and Ganassi or a stroke of luck. We also discussed possible themes that other tracks can do with Darlington’s throwback weekend as a model and rated the first year of the race to the XFINITY Chase.

    FIRST GEAR: Did Mid-Ohio strengthen the argument for road courses in NASCAR? If given the chance to practice more in rain conditions on road courses, would the racing get any better, à la Formula One?

    Honestly, yes. It’s a different venue, for one, and it’s something different from what we’re normally used to. You can never go wrong with road courses in NASCAR, and considering Mid-Ohio had all the elements that we look for in a race (strategy, an underdog winner, excitement, so on), I think the current fixation on 1.5-mile race tracks is pointless. Bring Road Atlanta, Lime Rock, or even Laguna Seca into NASCAR. Fans would come running. — Joseph Shelton

    Different is better. Saturday’s race, if anything, was different. The racing reminded me kind of like an old Bristol race – carnage everywhere, a thrill a second as the TV crews barely had time in parts to show all of the action. If the cars practice more in the rain and Goodyear brings a better rain tire, it would be just as exciting without all of the run-offs. — Michael Finley

    I’m not too fond of racing in the rain, not just from this past Saturday, but from my years of following Formula 1. With that said, that was pretty damn entertaining to watch. It doesn’t so much strengthen the case for road courses, because road courses already have a strong case, as much as it shows that doing the five-year sanctioning agreements with the tracks was an incredibly stupid idea. Hopefully, the road course racing over the next four years shows NASCAR that it needs to move away from two-date races at some tracks and move to some more road courses. — Tucker White

    SECOND GEAR: Prior to winning at Mid-Ohio, Justin Marks had only two top-10s in the last two years, with a career-best finish of sixth at Mid-Ohio in 2014. Was this win all about Marks and his Ganassi team, or was this just a stroke of luck?

    Marks is an exceptional road racer. It does help that he’s gotten a lot of seat time in the No. 42 this season, considering he’s in better equipment than when he first started. Luck had a hand in his win, but Marks has had career days on road courses, and he had the car to beat in Mid-Ohio. — Joseph Shelton

    Kind of both. Marks got lucky with the rain, but there’s no doubt he had more skill than most to drive those big stock cars in the rain. — Michael Finley

    I’d say it was 30 percent Justin Marks and 70 percent luck. He’s a great road racer, but that rain made it damn hard to drive without spinning out multiple times a lap. — Tucker White

    THIRD GEAR: The throwback theme for the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway has now turned into a big deal that we hear about all year long. What are some other themes we can approach, and where would be a good track to hold them at?

    This is a tough one, honestly. The throwback weekend for the Southern 500 is great on all fronts in regards to the fans and personalities who truly appreciate the nostalgia as well as merchandise sales. There is no better place to celebrate throwback weekend than at Darlington, for that matter, which was the sport’s Daytona before Daytona was built. I don’t think there’s any way this could be topped. — Joseph Shelton

    It would take a lot to get through movie licenses and Hollywood red tape, but it would be awesome to see a race at Auto Club with all movie cars. Movies such as Stroker Ace, Days of Thunder, Ricky Bobby could be represented through paint schemes, along with cars promoting new movies in general. Heck, maybe even somebody could run the Elvis car from the 1967 flop Speedway. — Michael Finley

    I would say movie themed cars for Auto Club Speedway, but I can’t imagine it being so easy to do with licensing and copyright red tape. I’m not sure something similar could be done at another track. — Tucker White

    FOURTH GEAR: With the XFINITY Series regular season all but wrapped up, how would you rate the first season of the XFINITY Chase?

    Ha. A joke is what it is. I still can’t wrap my brain around what the logic in developing a Chase system for the XFINITY season was. Poor idea, considering only three XFINITY regulars (Daniel Suarez, Elliott Sadler, Erik Jones) have won a grand total of five races in 2016. — Joseph Shelton

    Mostly terrible. Two-thirds of the XFINITY field eligible to compete in the Chase will be in it. That’s 66 percent of the eligible field. Ryan Reed, a driver who has all of three top 10’s in 21 starts, is all but locked in. That’s ridiculous. Meanwhile the “win and in” marketing NASCAR uses is a joke in this series when a grand total of three eligible drivers have won. Either do the Chase right and handicap non-series drivers to a certain amount of starts while cutting the fat off the Chase grid or don’t have a Chase at all. — Michael Finley

    I compare it to Blues Brothers 2000. It was something that nobody asked for and nobody demanded. Yet someone in the big mahogany offices down in Daytona Beach got the idea to take a series that was already suffering an identity crisis and make it even more like the Sprint Cup Series with a Chase.

    To make it even worse, they didn’t keep Sprint Cup drivers out of the XFINITY Series. Whatever speck of hope it had of succeeding was killed with that decision.

    Only three, count them, three, XFINITY regulars have won a race this season. The rest have been won by Cup drivers or one-off XFINITY drivers.

    With that, I rate this season a 1/10. — Tucker White

  • Mid-Ohio Event Proof That NASCAR Needs More Road Courses

    Mid-Ohio Event Proof That NASCAR Needs More Road Courses

    Following yesterday’s NASCAR XFINITY event at Mid-Ohio, it was depressing to check Twitter and see people bashing the event instead of congratulating an unsuspecting Justin Marks on a surprise win. Sure, those people were in the very minor minority. Still, the race was exciting, fun, and definitive NASCAR. Kyle Busch wasn’t there to dominate, and considering the series is relatively new to Mid-Ohio it was a given that this race belonged to anyone.

    With a true underdog in Marks taking the checkered flag coupled with the absolute insanity that was the race, it’s a simple fact that NASCAR needs more road courses. It’s been pointed out repeatedly that the Sprint Cup Series is over-saturated with cookie-cutter tracks and the Camping World Truck Series is loafing around with the lone road course at MoSport. Add more road courses to diversify the competition.

    Each road course in the continental United States, from Sonoma to Watkins Glen, from Road Atlanta to Road America, from Lime Rock to Virginia International Raceway, has its own individual personality. There’s no worry about confusing Charlotte with Texas or Chicagoland with Kansas. The fact that each road course is a bit different from each other makes it clear that each race could be anybody’s. Doesn’t that define good competition – the unpredictability of a race’s outcome? It’s why true fans watch the sport.

    Strategies, techniques, maneuvers, everything like that is amplified on a road course. That’s why we see some of the names that we do at the top of the board once a road course race is over. Names like Andy Lally, who finished seventh at Mid-Ohio. Lally, who piloted the No. 90 for Mario Gosselin, is also a three-time IMSA champion. Also up at the front was Israeli-born Alon Day, who finished 13th after running as high as fourth. The NASCAR Whelen Euro standout drove the No. 40 for MBM Motorsports.

    Also, it would be easier for NASCAR to run events in the rain. Now considering the events of Mid-Ohio, a lot of people would be happy if they never ran in the rain again. But being able to compete in the rain would be a convenience for fans, plus it would help get a scheduled event in on time as well as cut down on yellows and red flags. Plus, it could open the door to a whole new learning curve for some of NASCAR’s growing drivers and teams. Fans and competitors could bear witness to the possible growth of some of NASCAR’s up-and-coming underdogs, like Marks, who prior to winning at Mid-Ohio, had a season-best finish of 11th at Talladega.

    All that and more is why we need more road courses. Granted, ovals are what put NASCAR on the national map and sets the sport apart from other forms of racing. But road courses these days are producing definitive NASCAR racing, a good product that represents what’s great about stock car racing. NASCAR needs to drop these silly second dates on some of the 2.5-mile race tracks and start adding in more road courses.

     

  • Justin Marks Prevails In Wet And Wild Mid-Ohio Challenge

    Justin Marks Prevails In Wet And Wild Mid-Ohio Challenge

    Justin Marks conquered the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on Saturday, driving the No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet to a rain-soaked Victory Lane. The newest track on the XFINITY Series schedule, Mid-Ohio has only hosted four races in the last four seasons but Saturday’s race showed that the 2.258-mile road course may be the hardest track on the schedule.

    In 75 laps, there were eight cautions taking up 32 laps. Most of these cautions were due indirectly to rain on the racetrack. The fourth race in the history of NASCAR to be run in the rain, Saturday featured quite possibly the hardest rains ever seen during an active stock car race. Thus, many drivers ended up off the racetrack multiple times, whether by run-off due to a lack of grip or losing control of the car and spinning out.

    At the end of the day, Marks wheeled his Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet through the carnage and took the checkered flag. Marks, who won eight Grand-Am races including the 2009 Rolex 24 At Daytona, used his experience driving in heavy rain to lead 43 laps. It’s the California native’s first XFINITY series win in the 25th start for the part-time driver; Marks drives the No. 42 in races Kyle Larson does not compete in.

    Coming in second was Ohio native Sam Hornish Jr., who started on the pole and looked to be the favorite before the rain came in. Ryan Blaney ended up third while Ty Dillon followed up his third last year with a fourth this year. Justin Allgaier rounded out the top five.

    Andy Lally finished seventh in Mario Gosselin’s usual car after Gosselin hired the Grand-Am champion to race for him. Lally responded by running in the top five for much of the day before getting the team its first ever top 10.

    Alon Day was running eighth on the final lap before a spin knocked him back to 13th. Day, who recorded the best finish ever for MBM Motorsports, made history by becoming the very first NASCAR driver from Israel.

    Points leader Elliott Sadler finished ninth and increased his points lead to 25 points over Daniel Suarez. Suarez struggled to a 23rd finish after getting stuck in the sand pit off turn four on lap 28 and lost a lap.

     

    [pdf-embedder url=”http://www.speedwaymedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Mid-Ohio-unofficial-results.pdf” title=”Mid-Ohio unofficial results”]