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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.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Charlotte

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Charlotte

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Kyle Larson: Larson started on the pole at Charlotte, led the most laps, swept all four stages and won the Coca-Cola 600.

    “You can buy gear commemorating my impressive win in many places,” Larson said. “Just search the internet for ‘dominating fashion.’

    “The ‘Hendrick 1-2-3-4’ almost happened again. Soon, the ‘Hendrick Broom’ could become a phrase used for more than just sweeping Hendrick scandals under the rug.”

    2. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin finished a solid seventh at Charlotte, scoring his 11th top-10 result of the year.

    “We never found the right balance for the car,” Hamlin said. “But if you can finish seventh on a bad day, then things aren’t really that bad. Actually, my status hasn’t changed, because I’m still the points leader, and I’m still the best driver never to have won a Cup championship.

    “I’ve never won the Coca-Cola 600. And I’m certainly not the only NASCAR driver to ever be ‘Coked out.’”

    3. Chase Elliott: Elliott ran up front all day as the four-car Hendrick Motorsports team battled for the win.

    “I employed a new spotter for the Coca-Cola 600,” Elliott said. “Trey Poole is my cousin, and he replaces Eddie D’Hondt, who was indefinitely suspended. Actually, he was definitely suspended. We told Eddie to ‘give it arrest.’”

    4. William Byron: Byron came home fourth in the Coca-Cola 600 as Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson won convincingly.

    “Kyle has lost several races in which he led the most laps,” Byron said. “It almost happened again, but Kyle held on for the win. Clearly, Kyle doesn’t want history repeating itself just as much as he doesn’t want himself repeating itself.”

    5. Alex Bowman: Bowman finished 5th at Charlotte as Hendrick Motorsports took four of the top five spots.

    “Jay Leno served as one of the grand marshals for the race,” Bowman said. “And fittingly, the race was won by the team that made the right adjustments to maximize car performance after the sun set. In other words, the most important part of the race was the ‘Tonight Show.’”

    6. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex finished 29th at Charlotte and now has three consecutive finishes of 19th or worse.

    “I had a flat tire late in the race,” Truex said. “And if that wasn’t bad enough, my pit crew had trouble removing the tire from the rim. It’s a helpless feeling sitting in your car knowing you can’t go anywhere. It must be the same feeling Quin Houff gets every week.”

    7. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished 10th at Charlotte.

    “We had to make an early pit stop due to a loose wheel,” Harvick said. “And speaking of ‘early pit stops,’ the Hunt Brothers Pizza logo was prominent on the No. 4 Chevy. And like loose wheels, Hunt Brothers Pizza is also a reason for having to make early pit stops.”

    8. Kyle Busch: Busch started from the rear but quickly established himself as a frontrunner on the way to a third-place finish.

    “I was solely responsible for preventing the Hendrick 1-2-3-4 sweep,” Busch said. “It may be the first time I’ve ever taken responsibility for anything.”

    9. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski posted an 11th-place finish at Charlotte.

    “The Coca-Cola 600 is a long, grueling race,” Keselowski said. “To put it into perspective, 600 miles is approximately one-tenth the distance that me and Penske Racing are apart in contract negotiations.”

    10. Joey Logano: Logano finished 17th at Charlotte.

    “It certainly wasn’t a banner day for Penske Racing,” Logano said. “Our lack of performance has really opened my eyes to some things, like how much better Hendrick is than us, and how much work we need to do, and why Brad Keselowski might want to leave Penske.

    “Trackhouse Racing co-owner and rap superstar Pit Bull was at the race. Let’s be real, though. Kyle Larson led 327 laps and won every stage. He may be the real ‘pit bull,’ because he grabbed the lead and wouldn’t let go.”

  • Larson achieves historic victory for Hendrick Motorsports in the Coca-Cola 600

    Larson achieves historic victory for Hendrick Motorsports in the Coca-Cola 600

    History was made under the lights at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 30, as Kyle Larson raced his way to a dominating victory in the Coca-Cola 600 and made Hendrick Motorsports the winningest team in the NASCAR Cup Series. The Elk Grove, California, native led a race-high 327 of 400 laps from pole position, including the final 49 laps, to muscle away from his teammates and the competition before recording the biggest victory for himself and for HMS on Memorial Day weekend.

    Qualifying occurred on Saturday, May 29, and Kyle Larson captured the pole position with a pole-winning speed at 180.282 mph. Joining him on the front row was Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in his No. 47 JTG-Daugherty Racing Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE.

    Prior to the event, Kurt Busch and B.J. McLeod dropped to the rear of the field due to unapproved adjustments.  

    When the green flag waved and the race commenced, Larson was able to squeak ahead with the top spot as he led the first lap while teammate Chase Elliott battled Stenhouse for the runner-up spot. Behind, a series of side-by-side battles occurred as William Byron battled Kevin Harvick for fourth place while Austin Dillon overtook Alex Bowman for sixth place. 

    Through the first 47 laps of the event, it was Larson and his No. 5 MetroTech Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE that was leading the field and dominating.

    Shortly after, the first round of green flag pit stops occurred as Martin Truex Jr. and Ross Chastain pitted. They were soon followed by Bowman, Christopher Bell, Joey Logano, Austin Dillon, Ryan Blaney, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch, Chris Buescher, Larson, Elliott and others. During the pit stops, Chastain remained on pit road and his crew pulled the hood up on his No. 42 AdventHealth Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE to address a broken oil pump belt. 

    With most of the pit stops completed, Brad Keselowski, who was trying to stretch the fuel in his car to the fullest, led six laps before Matt DiBenedetto and rookie Anthony Alfredo led the following three laps. Afterwards, Larson returned to the lead.

    With five laps remaining under the first stage, Daniel Suarez made a pit stop under green due to a flat right-front tire. 

    Back on the track, Larson was able to set sail at the front and cruise to the first stage victory on Lap 100, thus claiming his seventh stage victory of the season. Teammates Elliott and Byron crossed the start/finish line in second and third followed by Harvick and Austin Dillon. Kyle Busch, teammate Truex, Reddick, Stenhouse and Bowman were scored in the top 10. 

    Under the stage break, the leaders pitted and Larson retained the lead following a stellar service from his pit crew.

    The second stage started on Lap 107 with teammates Larson and Elliott on the front row. At the start, Larson pulled ahead on the bottom lane to maintain the lead ahead of Elliott and Harvick through the first two turns.

    By Lap 110, Larson was ahead by half a second over Elliott while Harvick and Byron engaged in a fierce battle for third place. A few laps later, Harvick prevailed over his battle with Byron as Kyle Busch went to work on Byron for fourth place.

    On Lap 132, Elliott, coming off his victory at the Circuit of the Americas, was able to move his No. 9 NAPA Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE into the lead for the first time of the event.

    On Lap 140, Kurt Busch took his No. 1 Gear Wrench Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE to the garage after reporting a broken belt issue to his machine, a similar issue that eliminated teammate Chastain from competition.

    Not long after, another round of green flag pit stops occurred as Brad Keselowski pitted followed by Stenhouse, Byron, Kyle Busch, Bowman, Truex, Bubba Wallace, rookie Chase Briscoe, Larson, Elliott, Harvick and others. While entering and exiting pit road, Larson and Elliott battled dead even to be on top of one another before the former prevailed.

    By Lap 153, Larson returned to the lead after Bell pitted. 

    Twenty laps later, the caution returned when Kurt Busch, who had returned to the track while multiple laps behind, retired due to an engine failure when smoke billowed out of his car. Busch’s retirement was his third of the season and his seventh finish outside the top 20 through the first 15 events of this season.

    Under caution, the leaders returned to pit road and Bowman emerged with the lead following a two-tire pit stop. Hamlin and Logano, both of whom also took two tires, exited in second and third followed by Larson, the first competitor with four fresh tires. 

    With 23 laps remaining in the second stage, the race restarted. At the start, Bowman was able to retain the lead, but Hamlin moved his No. 11 FedEx Toyota Camry to the top spot three laps later. Behind, however, Elliott was quick to move into the runner-up spot followed by teammates Bowman and Larson.

    After leading the next three laps, Hamlin lost the lead to Elliott. Five laps later, however, Larson reassumed the lead. From there, he was able to cruise to the second stage victory on Lap 200 and claim his eighth stage victory of the season. Teammates Elliott and Byron settled in second and third followed by Kyle Busch, Reddick, Harvick, Bowman, Buescher, Hamlin and Austin Dillon.

    Under the stage break, the entire field drove down to pit road and paused for a moment of silence in remembrance of the fallen during Memorial Day weekend. When the competition resumed, the leaders pitted and Larson was able to retain the lead ahead of his Hendrick Motorsports’ teammates.

    The third stage started on Lap 207 as Larson received another strong start to retain the lead ahead of his teammates and the field.

    By Lap 210, Larson held a narrow advantage over Byron followed by Elliott, Harvick, Kyle Busch, Bowman, Hamlin, Logano, Reddick and Wallace.

    On Lap 231, Byron emerged with the lead, where he went on to lead 17 laps. By Lap 253, though, Larson returned to the lead.

    With five laps remaining in the third stage, the caution flew when Ryan Newman lost a right-front tire and pounded the outside wall in Turn 3. The incident was enough to end the third stage under caution, with Larson claiming his third stage victory of the 600-mile event and the ninth of this season. Teammate Byron followed in the runner-up spot and ahead of Kyle Busch, Elliott, Bowman, Reddick, Hamlin, Austin Dillon, Wallace and Harvick.

    Under the stage break, the leaders pitted and Larson retained the lead after exiting in first place followed by Kyle Busch. Following the pit stops, Wallace was assessed an equipment interference penalty while Blaney was caught speeding on pit road.

    With 94 laps remaining, the final stage commenced as the two Kyles led the field to the green flag. At the start, Kyle Busch challenged Larson for one lap, even leading a lap, before Larson cleared Busch for the lead entering the backstretch during the following lap. In the process, Elliott retook the runner-up spot and Busch got loose while battling Byron for third place.

    Down to the final 90 laps of the event, Larson was ahead by half a second over teammates Elliott and Byron, both of whom were battling to keep up with their dominating teammate.

    With less than 55 laps remaining and with green flag pit stops ensuing, Reddick led for three laps before Blaney took over the top spot for the following two laps.

    Under the final 50 laps, Larson moved back into the lead after Blaney pitted.

    Twenty laps later, Larson, who was lapping traffic in front of him, was out in front by a reasonable margin over teammates Elliott and Byron, with Kyle Busch in fourth and Bowman in fifth. 

    Under the final 10 laps, Larson continued to lead by a big margin over teammate Elliott. With seven laps remaining, Larson’s advantage to Elliott was more than 10 seconds. 

    With five laps remaining, Larson remained as the leader by more than 10 seconds over Elliott. Meanwhile, Kyle Busch battled and overtook Byron for third place.

    When Larson started the final lap of the event, he stabilized his advantage to more than 10 seconds over Elliott. With no challenges lurking behind, Larson was able to come back around and claim the checkered flag for the win.

    In his seventh full-time season and career start No. 238, Larson captured his eighth NASCAR Cup Series career victory, his second win of the season, his first victory at Charlotte and his first crown jewel event in NASCAR with his first Coke 600 title. He also joined teammate Bowman and Truex as the only competitors to win multiple races through the first 15 races of this year’s Cup season. 

    “It feels good,” Larson said on FOX. “It was not easy. I felt like I had to fight off William [Byron] and Chase [Elliott] a lot. It kind of worked out there that last run. [Erik Jones] had to pit and pulled out in front of me. I just towed with him for a while and stretched my lead out. We had a good car there that last run. Awesome, it feels great to be the guy that helped Mr. [Hendrick] break that record finally. This is awesome…Just very lucky that Mr. H was able to put a deal for me. It’s just awesome. I’m living dream, for sure.”

    With Larson’s victory, Hendrick Motorsports achieved its 12th Coke 600 title and surpassed Petty Enterprises with the most victories in the Cup Series with career win No. 269, an achievement that left team owner Rick Hendrick beaming on pit road.

    “Number one, Richard Petty is the king of NASCAR and he’s done so much for this sport,” Rick Hendrick said. “Man, this is so awesome. All I could think about was the first win, all the drivers. I wanna thank every driver that’s ever driven, ever won a race and the one’s that didn’t win. It’s unbelievable. I can’t really get it in my brain right now ‘cause I just thought something’s gonna happen. But man, what a good job [the drivers] did tonight. I’m just looking forward to the rest of the year when I’m glad [win No.] 269 is over. I’m glad it’s over.”

    Elliott, who was making his 200th Cup career start and led 22 laps, settled in second place for the third time this season followed by Kyle Busch.

    “Yeah, I was happy for the boss [Rick Hendrick], happy for Kyle [Larson] and [crew chief] Cliff [Daniels], and everybody on the No. 5 team,” Elliott said. “They’ve been kicking ass since February. They deserve to win and rightfully so. They did a great job tonight, ran a great race, made no mistakes and the best car won. Proud of [Hendrick Motorsports]. Man, I feel like everybody’s, like I’ve been saying, been pulling in the same direction and it’s really showing. Just proud of our company and excited as the No. 9 team’s, specifically, for more opportunities ahead and try to get better, and see if we can get dialed in.”

    “We had nothing for the Hendrick cars,” Busch said. “Overall, just a really good night for us. This M&M’s Camry was fast. [Crew chief] Ben [Beshore] and the boys did a really, really good job. I appreciate for what all we had, it was enough to be able to go out there, run strong and try to break’em [Hendrick drivers] up. I didn’t want them to finish one-two-three-four again, so at least I could get in the middle of them there, but overall, a good job…We had a solid night tonight. Hopefully, good for the points and hopefully, we can keep this momentum rolling.”

    Teammates Byron and Bowman finished in the top five as all four Hendrick Motorsports’ competitors finished in the top five. Austin Dillon, Hamlin, Buescher, Reddick and Harvick completed the top 10.

    Keselowski finished 11th followed by Stenhouse, Blaney, Wallace and Suarez. Logano fell back to 17th ahead of Matt DiBenedetto and Briscoe was the highest-finishing rookie competitor in 23rd. Martin Truex Jr., a two-time Coke 600 winner, ended his night in 29th following a late tire issue.

    There were 23 lead changes for 13 different leaders. The race featured four cautions for 26 laps. 

    Denny Hamlin continues to lead the regular-season standings by 76 points over Kyle Larson and William Byron, with Chase Elliott trailing by 92 points.

    Results.

    1. Kyle Larson, 327 laps led, Stage 1 & 2 & 3 winner

    2. Chase Elliott, 22 laps led

    3. Kyle Busch, one lap led

    4. William Byron, 19 laps led

    5. Alex Bowman, five laps led

    6. Austin Dillon, one lap led

    7. Denny Hamlin, three laps led

    8. Chris Buescher

    9. Tyler Reddick, six laps led

    10. Kevin Harvick

    11. Brad Keselowski, six laps led

    12. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 

    13. Ryan Blaney, two laps led

    14. Bubba Wallace

    15. Daniel Suarez, two laps down

    16. Erik Jones, two laps down

    17. Joey Logano, two laps down

    18. Matt DiBenedetto, two laps down, two laps led

    19. Corey LaJoie, two laps down

    20. Michael McDowell, two laps down

    21. Cole Custer, three laps down

    22. Aric Almirola, three laps down

    23. Chase Briscoe, three laps down

    24. Christopher Bell, three laps down, three laps led

    25. Anthony Alfredo, three laps down, three laps led

    26. Ryan Preece, three laps down

    27. Ryan Newman, four łaps down

    28. Justin Haley, five laps down

    29. Martin Truex Jr., nine laps down

    30. Cody Ware, 11 laps down

    31. B.J. McLeod, 11 laps down

    32. Quin Houff, 11 laps down

    33. James Davison, 12 laps down

    34. Garrett Smithley, 13 laps down

    35. Josh Bilicki, 18 laps down

    36. David Starr, 31 laps down

    37. Ross Chastain, 41 laps down

    38. Kurt Busch – OUT, Engine

    Next on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the series’ return to the West Coast and at Sonoma Raceway following a one-year absence. The race will occur on Sunday, June 6, at 4 p.m. ET on FS1.

  • NASCAR schedule for Charlotte Coca-Cola 600 weekend

    NASCAR schedule for Charlotte Coca-Cola 600 weekend

    NASCAR heads to Charlotte Motor Speedway this Memorial Day weekend as all three series compete culminating with the 62nd running of the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday.

    The annual 600 Miles of Remembrance continues the Memorial Day tradition, which began in 2015, with each car featuring the name of a fallen soldier on the windshield as NASCAR honors those who sacrificed all to protect our freedoms.

    You can visit NASCAR.com for a photo and biography of each military member that will be represented during the 600 miles of remembrance.  

    There will be practice and qualifying sessions this weekend for each series as noted below.

    All times are ET.

    Friday, May 28

    11:35 a.m.: Truck Series practice – FS2

    4: 35 p.m.: Xfinity Series practice – FS1

    5:35 p.m.: Truck Series qualifying – FS1

    7 p.m.: Cup Series practice – FS1

    8:30 p.m.: Truck Series North Carolina Education Lottery 200
    Distance: 201 miles (134 Laps)
    Stage 1 Ends on Lap 30, Stage 2 Ends on Lap 60, Final Stage Ends on Lap 134
    FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

    Saturday, May 29

    10:05 a.m.: Xfinity Series qualifying – FS1

    11:05 a.m.: Cup Series qualifying – FS1/PRN

    1 p.m.: Xfinity Series Alsco Uniforms 300 – FS1/PRN/TSN
    Distance: 300 miles (200 Laps)
    Stage 1 Ends on Lap 45, Stage 2 Ends on Lap 90, Final Stage Ends on Lap 200
    FS1/PRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

    7: p.m.: ARCA Menards Series General Tire 150 – FS1/MRN

    Sunday, May 30

    6 p.m.: Cup Series Coca-Cola 600
    Distance: 600 miles (400 laps)
    Stage 1 Ends on Lap 100, Stage 2 Ends on Lap 200, Stage 3 Ends on Lap 300, Final Stage Ends on Lap 400
    FOX/PRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

    Charlotte Motor Speedway Data

    Season Race #: 15 of 36 (05-30-21)
    Track Size: 1.5-miles
    Banking/Turns 1 & 2: 24 degrees
    Banking/Turns 3 & 4: 24 degrees
    Banking/Frontstretch: 5 degrees
    Banking/Backstretch: 5 degrees
    Frontstretch Length:  1,980 feet
    Backstretch Length:  1,500 feet
    Race Length: 400 laps / 600 miles
    Stage Length: 100 laps each

    Charlotte Motor Speedway NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying & Race Information:

    Track qualifying record:                                         Track race (600 miles) record:
    Kurt Busch, Chevrolet                                                Martin Truex Jr., Toyota
    198.771 mph, 27.167 secs. 10-09-14                         160.655 mph, (03:44:05), 05-29-16

    2020 pole winner:                                                 2020 Coca-Cola 600 race winner:
    Kurt Busch, Chevrolet                                               Brad Keselowski, Ford 
    181.269 mph, 29.790 secs. 05-24-20                        135.042 mph, (04:29:55), 05-24-20

    2019 pole winner:                                                 2019 Coca-Cola 600 race winner:
    William Byron, Chevrolet                                           Martin Truex Jr., Toyota 
    183.424 mph, 29.440 secs. 05-23-19                        124.074 mph, (04:50:09), 05-26-19

    Charlotte Motor Speedway Qualifying Information:

    • Kurt Busch leads all NCS active drivers in series starts at Charlotte with 39; followed by Kevin Harvick and Ryan Newman with 38 each.
    • William Byron leads all active drivers in the NCS in an average starting position at Charlotte at 8.250 in four starts.
    • Nine of the 47 NCS Charlotte pole winners are active this weekend.  Ryan Newman (9), Kyle Busch (3), Denny Hamlin (2), Kevin Harvick (2), Aric Almirola (1), Brad Keselowski (1), Kurt Busch (1), Martin Truex Jr (1), and William Byron (1).
    • Newman leads all active drivers in poles at Charlotte with nine (2001, 2003 sweep, 2004, 2005, 2007 sweep, 2009 and 2010).
    • Harvick is the most recent driver to post consecutive poles (2016 Playoffs, 2017 May race).
    • The youngest Charlotte Cup pole winner is William Byron (May 26, 2019 – 21 years, 4 months, 27 days)
    • Eight different manufacturers have won at least one NASCAR Cup Series pole at Charlotte, led by Chevrolet with 34 poles, followed by Ford (30), Mercury (14), Dodge (13), Pontiac (10), Toyota (8), Buick (6) and Plymouth (4).

    Charlotte Motor Speedway Race Information:

    • Eight of the 52 NASCAR Cup Series Charlotte winners are active this weekend.  Kevin Harvick (3), Martin Truex Jr. (3), Brad Keselowski (2), Austin Dillon (1), Chase Elliott (1), Joey Logano (1), Kurt Busch (1), and Kyle Busch (1).
    • Jimmie Johnson leads the series in wins at Charlotte with eight victories.
    • The youngest Charlotte winner is Jeff Gordon (May 29, 1994 – 22 years, 9 months, 25 days).
    • The first starting position is the most proficient starting position in Coca-Cola 600 field, producing 11 victories.  The first and second starting positions are the most proficient starting positions in the field, producing more winners (17 each or 27.87%) than any other starting position at Charlotte.
    • Six of the 34 NCS Coca-Cola 600 winners are active this weekend.  Martin Truex Jr. (2), Kevin Harvick (2), Brad Keselowski (1), Kyle Busch (1), Austin Dillon (1), and Kurt Busch (1).
    • Harvick and Truex Jr. lead all active drivers in Coca-Cola 600 wins with two victories each.
    • Hendrick Motorsports leads the series in wins at Charlotte in the NCS with 20 victories.
    • Eight different manufacturers have won in the NCS at Charlotte.  Chevrolet leads with 46 victories, followed by Ford (31), Dodge (15), Pontiac (8), Mercury (7), Toyota (7), Buick (4), and Plymouth (4).

    Top 12 Driver Ratings at Charlotte Motor Speedway

    Kyle Busch – 105.9
    Chase Elliott – 96.5
    Denny Hamlin – 95.0
    Martin Truex Jr. – 92.0
    Kevin Harvick – 90.8
    Joey Logano – 90.3
    Kurt Busch – 88.5
    Brad Keselowski – 87.9
    Tyler Reddick – 87.8
    Kyle Larson – 86.8
    Ryan Blaney – 86.7
    William Byron – 83.2
    Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2020 races (30 total) among active drivers at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

  • Elliott to make 200th Cup start at Charlotte

    Elliott to make 200th Cup start at Charlotte

    Competing in his sixth full-time season in the NASCAR Cup Series, Chase Elliott is within reach of a milestone start. By competing in this weekend’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the reigning series champion and driver of the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE will achieve career start No. 200 in NASCAR’s premier series.

    A native of Dawsonville, Georgia, Elliott made his inaugural presence in the Cup Series in 2015. By then, he was the reigning Xfinity Series champion driving for JR Motorsports and was named the successor of Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 24 Chevrolet for the 2016 Cup season, replacing four-time champion Jeff Gordon with Gordon set to retire from full-time racing following the 2015 season.

    Elliott made his Cup debut at Martinsville Speedway in March 2015, driving the No. 25 Chevrolet SS for Hendrick Motorsports. During the event, however, he was involved in an early on-track incident that damaged his car and broke the power steering. Following repairs in the garage, Elliott returned and finished 38th in his series debut. He went on to compete in four additional Cup races, which included Richmond Raceway in April, Charlotte Motor Speedway in May, Indianapolis Motor Speedway in July at Darlington Raceway in September. His best results during his five-race Cup span were 16th at Richmond and a pair of 18th-place results at Charlotte and Indy. Elliott went on to finish in the runner-up position in the 2015 Xfinity Series standings while Gordon and the No. 24 team won at Martinsville in November and competed for the 2015 Cup title at Homestead-Miami Speedway before finishing in third place in the final standings.

    Assuming the No. 24 Chevrolet in 2016, Elliott kicked off his rookie Cup season on a high note by winning the pole position for the Daytona 500, thus becoming the youngest pole winner of the 500 at age 20, two months and 17 days, while recording the 10th 500 pole award for Hendrick Motorsports. During the main event, however, Elliott was involved in an early incident and finished 37th. He rebounded with his first top-10 career result in the Cup Series after finishing eighth at Atlanta Motor Speedway. 

    By September in his rookie season, Elliott claimed an additional pole at Talladega Superspeedway in April, two runner-up results in both Michigan International Speedway events, seven top-five results and 13 top-10 results, which were enough for him to make the 2016 Cup Playoffs. Finishing third, 13th and third in the Round of 16, Elliott advanced into the Round of 12. His title hopes, however, came to an end following the Round of 12 and following results of 33rd, 31st and 12th. Nonetheless, he capped off the season in 10th place in the final standings and with the Rookie-of-the-Year title. Overall, Elliott earned two poles, 10 top-five results, 17 top-10 results and an average result of 14.6 in his first full-time Cup season.

    Elliott commenced his sophomore Cup season, 2017, with his second consecutive Daytona 500 pole award. He went on to win the non-point Can-Am Duel at Daytona four days later. During the 500, Elliott led a total of 39 laps and was leading a pack of cars in the final laps until his No. 24 NAPA Chevrolet SS started sputtering on low fuel under the final three laps. Instead of a possible trip to Victory Lane for his first 500 triumph, he ended up in 14th place.

    By the time the 2017 regular-season stretch concluded in September, Elliott and the No. 24 team earned six top-five results and 14 top-10 results, which were enough for him to make the Playoffs. In the Round of 16, Elliott finished second, 11th and second as he advanced into the Round of 12. With results of second, 16th and fourth during the second round, he made his way into the Round of 8.

    At Martinsville in October, Elliott made his way into the lead in the closing laps and was on his way to win his first Cup race and claim a spot to the Championship Round at Homestead due in three races when a bump from Denny Hamlin sent Elliott into the Turn 3 outside wall, where he wrecked and fell all the way back in 27th place when the checkered flag flew. The incident was one that led to both competitors confronting one another on pit road following the race and mixed reaction from the crowd. With his titles hopes in jeopardy, Elliott finished eighth during the following race at Texas Motor Speedway. During the next race at Phoenix, he took over the lead late and was on his way to redeem himself until he was overtaken in the closing laps by Matt Kenseth. With Kenseth winning, Elliott finished in second place for the fifth time in 2017 (seventh since 2016) and was not able to earn a spot in the Championship Round. The driver went on to settle in fifth place in the final standings and with 12 top-five results, 21 top-10 results and an average result of 12.0.

    For the 2018 Cup season, Hendrick Motorsports switched Elliott’s number to 9, his father Bill’s iconic number, while newcomer William Byron was given the No. 24.

    Through the first 21 races of the season, Elliott earned a runner-up result at Richmond in April, five top-five results, 10 top-10 results and was in 12th place in the regular-season standings. In the following race at Watkins Glen International in August, Elliott led a race-high 52 of 90 laps and held off a late challenge from Martin Truex Jr. to claim his first elusive Cup career victory in his 99th series start and return the Elliott name back in Victory Lane in NASCAR’s premier series. As an added bonus, Elliott recorded the 250th Cup career victory for Hendrick Motorsports. He went on to earn three consecutive top-10 results before the Playoffs commenced in September. By then, he surpassed 100 Cup career starts.

    Despite crashing out in the Playoff opener at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, he rebounded by finishing fourth at Richmond and sixth in the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course event to transfer from the Round of 16 to the Round of 12. He kicked off the second round in the Playoffs on a high note by claiming his second Cup career victory at Dover. As a result, he secured his spot for the Round of 8 in the Playoffs. Two races later, he claimed his third career win at Kansas Speedway. Following results of seventh, sixth and 23rd in the Round of 8, though, Elliott was eliminated from title contention. He went on to conclude the season in sixth place in the final standings and with 11 top-five results and 21 top-10 results.

    The 2019 Cup season started off on a low note for Elliott, who finished 17th after being involved in a late multi-car wreck. Through the first nine events of the season, he achieved a pole, a runner-up result at Martinsville in March and two top-10 results. During the following event at Talladega in April, Elliott led a race-high 45 laps and held off teammate Alex Bowman and the field on the final lap and in the midst of multiple wrecks behind to claim his first Cup victory of the season and the fifth of his career. He went on to win at Watkins Glen in August before the Playoffs commenced. 

    In October, Elliott claimed his third victory of the season at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course as he transferred from the Round of 16 to the Round of 12. He rallied from a 38th-place result at Dover the following week to finish eighth and second during the next two races (Talladega and Kansas), which were enough for him to claim the eighth and final transfer spot to the Round of 8. Elliott’s title hopes, however, came to an end following three consecutive results outside of the top 30 during the Round of 8. When the final checkered flag of the season flew, Elliott concluded the season with a total of three victories, four poles, 11 top-five results, 15 top-10 results and a 10th-place result in the final standings.

    Through the first seven races of the 2020 season, Elliott recorded three top-five results and was ranked in fourth place in the regular-season standings. He rebounded the following race at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May by claiming his first victory of the season. He went on to win the All-Star Race at Bristol in July and the inaugural Cup event at the Daytona International Speedway Road Course layout in August.

    Despite finishing 20th in the Playoff opener at Darlington Raceway following a late incident, Elliott finished in the top 10 in the following two races and claim his spot in the Round of 12. He earned a spot in the Round of 8 following another victory at the Charlotte Roval. After winning at Martinsville in November, Elliott and his No. 9 team earned a spot in the Championship Round at Phoenix. Despite starting at the rear of the field in the championship finale, Elliott led a race-high 153 of 312 laps and fend off Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin to win the race and capture his first NASCAR Cup Series title in his fifth season in Cup competition, thus becoming the 34th competitor to win a Cup title and recording the 13th title for Hendrick Motorsports. In addition to his first Cup championship, Elliott capped off the season with a career-high five victories, 15 top-five results, 22 top-10 results, over 1,200 laps led and an 11.7 average-finishing result.

    Elliott is coming off his first victory of the 2021 season in the inaugural Circuit of the Americas event in Austin, Texas. Through the first 14 events of this season, he has also notched six top-five results and eight top-10 results. He is currently ranked in fifth place in the regular-season standings.

    Through 199 previous Cup starts, Elliott has achieved one championship, 12 career victories, nine poles, 65 top-five results, 104 top-10 results and an average result of 13.3.

    Elliott is slated to make his 200th Cup career start at Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday, May 30, with the event scheduled to occur at 3 p.m. ET on FOX.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: COTA

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: COTA

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin finished 14th in the EchoPark Texas Grand Prix, only his fourth finish outside the top 10 this season.

    “I’m just happy to make it out of there alive,” Hamlin said. “Like Kevin Harvick said, it was too dangerous to be racing in those conditions. Obviously, visibility was a factor for the drivers and for NASCAR officials, because they apparently couldn’t see jack. But what better place to be shielded from treacherous elements than an ivory tower.”

    2. Kyle Larson: Larson finished second at the Circuit of The Americas as Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott took the win.

    “The track at the Circuit of The Americas was built for Formula 1 racing,” Busch said. “Prior to 2014, F1 cars were distinguishable by their engines’ high-pitched whine. Many NASCAR drivers are distinguishable by their high-pitched whines about racing in the rain.”

    3. Chase Elliott: Elliott won the rain-shortened EchoPark Texas Grand Prix after 54 laps, giving Hendrick Motorsports its 268th win, tying Petty Enterprises for most all-time by an organization.

    “I like HMS’s chances to take the top spot outright,” Elliott said. “Why? As you know, Petty Enterprises is defunct. That’s not to be confused with ‘de-funk,’ which is how NASCAR fans sanitize their campers after a weekend at a NASCAR infield.”

    4. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex’s day at Cota ended early on Lap 24 when Cole Custer rear-ended him as rain severely limited visibility.

    “Visibility was terrible,” Truex said. “If I had to give it a grade, I would give visibility a ‘C minus.’”

    5. William Byron: Byron suffered an early flat tire at COTA, but recovered to salvage a 12th place finish..

    “I also got rear-ended by Matt DiBenedetto,” Byron said. “There seemed to be a lot of that happening at COTA—drivers wildly ramming into the back of another. And talk about an awkward situation, when the rammee confronts the rammer and asks, ‘How’d your front end get into my back end?’”

    6. Kevin Harvick: Harvick crashed hard in the rain on Lap 19 at COTA in a chain-reaction wreck also involving Ryan Blaney, Bubba Wallace, and Christopher Bell. Harvick finished 37th. Afterward, Harvick decried NASCAR’s decision to race in the severely wet conditions.

    “That was the most dangerous racing I’ve ever been involved in,” Harvick said. “Correction. Second-most dangerous. I’ve raced against Kyle Busch when he was mad at me.”

    7. Joey Logano: Logano won Stage 1 in the EchoPark Texas Grand Prix and finished third, posting his sixth top-five of the season.

    “I think NASCAR fans love wet-weather racing,” Logano said. “They actually cheered when they saw the grooved tires go on. It may be one of the only times you’ll see NASCAR fans fly the ‘Do Tread On Me’ flags.”

    8. Alex Bowman: Bowman finished eighth at COTA as Hendrick Motorsports teammates Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson finished 1-2.

    “This was the first NASCAR Cup race at the Circuit of The Americas,” Bowman said. “Say what you will about treacherous conditions, a rain-shortened race and disgruntled drivers, but we certainly ‘made a splash.’”

    9. Kyle Busch: Busch won Stage 2 at COTA and finished 10th.

    “I led 12 laps,” Busch said, “and eclipsed the 18,000 laps led mark. Now, I don’t see myself catching Richard Petty. He led over 51,000 laps in his career. That’s okay, because no one’s ever going to mistake me for a king. The closest I’ve ever come to royalty is being called a ‘princess.’”

    10. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished a disappointing 19th in the Texas Grand Prix at COTA.

    “Matthew McConaughey served as grand marshal for Sunday’s race,” Keselowski said. “McConaughey is a superstar, so when he said, ‘Drivers, start your engines,’ the crowd went wild. In other words, the ‘joint was lit.’”

  • Elliott wins rain-shortened, inaugural Cup event at COTA

    Elliott wins rain-shortened, inaugural Cup event at COTA

    The inaugural EchoPark Texas Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, featured wet, slick conditions, wild racing and major milestone victories for Hendrick Motorsports and Chevrolet after Chase Elliott emerged victorious for the first time this season on Sunday, May 23. The reigning Cup Series champion took the lead on Lap 50 and retained the top spot by Lap 54 while on low fuel when NASCAR made the race official due to late, inclement weather that ended the race 14 laps from its scheduled distance.

    Qualifying occurred on Sunday, May 23, prior to the main event. Tyler Reddick started on pole position with a pole-winning qualifying lap at 92.363 mph and was joined on the front row with Kyle Larson. Aric Almirola, rookie Chase Briscoe, Chris Buescher, Erik Jones, Cody Ware, James Davison, rookie Anthony Alfredo, Daniel Suarez and Denny Hamlin started at the rear of the field due to unapproved adjustments.

    Prior to the race, the competitors made a pit stop to change for slick tires with reports of precipitation nearing the circuit. During the pit stops, teammates Ryan Blaney and Brad Keselowski was forced to start at the rear of the field due to having tape pulled from their cars, which was not permitted at the time.

    When the green flag waved and the race commenced, Cindric made a move on Reddick in the first turn to take the lead while the field fanned out and jostled for positions early in the race through the first two turns and the esses. For one full lap, the competitors made their way through the 20-turn circuit in a calm, consistent pace as Cindric led the first lap.

    Under the first lap, names like Byron, Joey Logano, Chase Elliott, Alex Bowman and Kevin Harvick pitted early for wet tires. 

    At the front, Cindric was leading followed by A.J. Allmendinger, Kyle Busch, teammate Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Larson. Reddick, meanwhile, was back in sixth place followed by Christopher Bell, Michael McDowell, Bubba Wallace and Kurt Busch.

    By the second lap, Allmendinger pitted for fresh tires along with Reddick. A lap later, names like Kyle Busch, Larson, Bell, Matt DiBenedetto and James Davison made their pit stops for tires.

    Through the first five laps of the event, Cindric, who continued to run on slick tires, was in a commanding lead over Truex. Shortly after, he made a pit stop as Truex, who started the race on rain tires, took over the lead followed by Michael McDowell, Bubba Wallace, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and teammate Ryan Preece. Cindric, following his pit stop, fell back to ninth place behind Logano.

    Three laps later, the first caution of the event flew when Daniel Suarez, who went off course in Turn 13 but managed to continue, stalled on the course due to a mechanical issue and needed a wrecker to have his car pushed to the garage.

    Under caution, some like leader Truex pitted while the rest led by McDowell remained on the track.

    The race restarted on Lap 9 with McDowell and Wallace on the front row. At the start and with the field fanning out, McDowell retained the lead. From Turn 3 through Turn 10, the field continued to navigate through the rain as McDowell led Logano and Cindric. Behind, Denny Hamlin spun in Turn 9, but he continued. 

    By Lap 10, McDowell was still leading followed by Logano, Cindric, William Byron and Kurt Busch. Stenhouse was back in sixth followed by Chase Briscoe, DiBenedetto, Wallace and Chris Buescher. In Turn 12, Logano made his move beneath McDowell and as McDowell’s car wobbled, the No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Mustang driven by Logano muscled to the lead.

    With the laps in the first stage dwindling, Garrett Smithley went off course and drove his car through the gravel before returning on the track and continuing. Not long after, Corey LaJoie spun off course entering Turn 12. Then, DiBenedetto ran into the right-rear quarter panel of Byron’s No. 24 Liberty University Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, damaging both competitors as Byron pitted.

    Back at the front, Logano continued to lead. Through the turns and the slick conditions, Logano was able to come back around and claim the first stage on Lap 15, which marked his third stage victory of the season. McDowell crossed the start/finish line in second place followed by Kurt Busch, Larson and Cindric. Buescher and Briscoe were scored in sixth and seventh. Ross Chastain, who slid off course in Turn 11, crossed the line in eighth followed by Kyle Busch and DiBenedetto, who continued despite the damage on his car. 

    Under the stage break, some like Cindric pitted while the rest led by Logano remained on the track.

    The second stage started on Lap 18 with Logano and McDowell retaining the front row. At the start, Logano retained the lead followed by Kurt Busch as the field fanned out again. In Turn 4, Ryan Newman spun after getting loose underneath Ross Chastain, but he prevented the car from sustaining any damage.

    Through the twists and turns from Turn 3 through 10 and the long straightaway in Turns 11 and 12, Logano continued to lead followed by the Busch brothers, McDowell and Chastain. 

    Behind, Ryan Blaney, who got hit by Christopher Bell, spun and went off course as a result of a cut right-rear tire. In the ensuing chaos, the caution flew when Kevin Harvick, who lifted off the throttle through the long straightaway, got hit from behind by Wallace’s car, which sent Harvick into the guardrails and with heavy damage. Stenhouse also received damage following the contact. The damage knocked Bell and Wallace out of contention along with Harvick, who car was leaking fluid, while Blaney and Stenhouse continued. 

    Under caution, some like Larson, Kurt Busch, Brad Keselowski, Truex, Newman and Byron pitted while the rest led by Logano remained on the track.

    When the race resumed on Lap 24, Chastain moved a bold three-wide move on Logano and Kyle Busch entering Turn 1 to take the lead followed by Ryan Preece. Through Turns 9 and 10, Preece overtook Chastain for the lead and he retained the top spot entering Turn 11. Kyle Busch was in third followed by Cindric, Chase Elliott and Logano.

    Then, the caution returned when Truex ran into the rear of McDowell, which sent Truex’s hood up and blocked his view. With Truex off the pace, Cole Custer rammed into the rear of Truex’s No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry at full speed, which nearly sent Truex’s car upside down before coming back to rest on all four wheels while Custer made contact with the SAFER Barriers before coming to a stop on fire. Truex and Custer were able to exit their respective machines following the wreck. Following the incident, the race was red-flagged for nearly 21 minutes. At the time of the incident, Chastain was leading Preece, Kyle Busch, Cindric and Elliott.

    When the red flag was lifted following a lengthy cleanup, the field made their way to pit road under caution and the teams were allowed to service their respective cars with the driver’s vision. Later on, Chastain led a handful of competitors down pit road while the rest led by Preece remained on the track. Prior to the start, NASCAR announced that all restarts for the remainder of the event will be single-filed.

    Following a delay, the race restarted under green on Lap 28. At the start, Kyle Busch took the lead followed by Cindric while Preece fell back to third. Behind, Austin Dillon, who was in sixth, was assessed a drive-through penalty for cutting through the esses. 

    Back at the front, Cindric returned to the lead by the time the field returned in Turn 11 before Kyle Busch took it back in Turn 12. When the field returned to the straightaway heading towards the start/finish line, Kyle Busch retained the lead followed by Cindric, Preece, Elliott and Reddick. 

    With the laps in the second stage dwindling, the battle for the lead continued to heat up between Kyle Busch and Cindric, though Busch refused to relinquish the top spot. With Busch prevailing, Chase Elliott started to challenge Cindric for the runner-up spot. By then, names like Newman, Erik Jones and Quin Houff encountered on-track issues of their own.

    With a clear track in front of him, Kyle Busch, winner of Saturday’s inaugural Xfinity Series event at the Circuit of the Americas, was able to come back around and win the second stage on Lap 32, which marked his second stage victory of the season. Elliott was scored in second place followed by Reddick, Cindric, Corey LaJoie, Larson, Preece, A.J. Allmendinger, Briscoe and Alex Bowman.

    Under the stage break, some led by LaJoie pitted while the rest led by Kyle Busch remained on the track.

    With 33 laps remaining, the final stage commenced. At the start, Kyle Busch retained the lead followed by Cindric, Reddick, Briscoe and Elliott. With the field navigating its way through the esses and through Turns 9, 10 and 11, Busch remained in the lead while the field fanned out. Behind, Brad Keselowski spun in Turn 11 following contact with Newman.

    Under the final 30 laps of the event, Kyle Busch was leading by less than six seconds over Larson. Elliott was in third place followed by Logano, Reddick and Allmendinger. Cindric and Chastain battled for seventh followed by McDowell and Kurt Busch. Behind, Stenhouse spun following contact from Quin Houff. In addition, Davison and LaJoie went off track separately. Soon after, Reddick spun in Turn 20.

    With 27 laps remaining, the leader Kyle Busch pitted along with Elliott. Busch’s move handed the lead to Larson followed by Logano and Chastain. Two laps later, Chastain overtook Logano for the runner-up spot. Not long after, Kurt Busch, Chastain’s teammate, moved into third place. At the front, Larson continued to lead by three-and-a-half seconds.

    Behind, more pit stops ensued as Allmendinger pitted along with Reddick, DiBenedetto, McDowell and others, By then, rain started to make its way back on the circuit.

    With 24 laps remaining, Chastain moved into the lead as Larson pitted under green. Kurt Busch joined Larson on pit road for service along with Logano, Briscoe and Ty Dillon. The following lap, Preece and Buescher pitted. Another lap later, Chastain, who last pitted on Lap 27, pitted along with Byron.

    Back on the track, Alex Bowman, winner of last weekend’s event at Dover, took the lead as Kyle Busch moved back into second place. Elliott was in third place followed by Hamlin and Larson.

    Down to the final 20 laps of the event and with light precipitation falling on the circuit, Bowman continued to lead while Elliott remained in front of Kyle Busch, Larson and Hamlin for the second-place spot. Logano was in sixth followed by rookie Anthony Alfredo, Chastain, Austin Dillon and Kurt Busch. Allmendinger was in 12th in front of Briscoe, Reddick and Cindric were in 16th and 17th and Byron was in 19th.

    Two laps later, Elliott took the lead entering Turn 20 while Bowman pitted for fresh tires along with Hamlin. Larson, who trailed teammate Elliott by six seconds, moved into second place followed by Kyle Busch, Logano and Chastain. Shortly after, radio chatters about the fuel window between Elliott, Larson and Busch started to occur, with Elliott and Busch reportedly not having enough for the finish while Larson had enough to complete the race to its distance.

    With 16 laps remaining, Kyle Busch brought his No. 18 M&M’s Mix Toyota Camry into pit road for fresh tires and enough fuel for the scheduled distance.

    Back to the front, the No. 9 LLumar Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE piloted by Elliott continued to lead by more than 12 seconds over the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE piloted by Larson. Behind, Kurt Busch overshot Turn 12, nearly clipping his brother Kyle and Austin Dillon, where he drove his car through the gravel and grass, spun the car to the right direction and continued without getting stuck in the wet mud.

    With 15 laps remaining, the caution flew due to visibility and the current track conditions with the circuit wet and light precipitation making its way on the track. Not long after, the field was brought down to pit road and the race was red-flagged.

    As rain continued to fall, NASCAR made the race official 14 laps shy of its scheduled distance and Elliott, the leader at the time, was declared the winner. The victory in the inaugural Circuit of the Americas event marked Elliott’s 12th NASCAR Cup Series career win and his six road course career victory as he became the 11th different driver to record a victory this season. In addition, Elliott recorded the 268th Cup win for Hendrick Motorsports, moving the team to a tie with Petty Enterprises for the most all-time Cup victories, and the 800th Cup victory for Chevrolet.

    “Man, I couldn’t be more excited,” Elliott said on FS1. “I’ve never won a rain race before, so that’s kinda cool. Just super proud of our team for just continuing to fight. We kinda starting the day, we weren’t very good and just kept pushing myself, kept making some good changes throughout the day and got to where I thought we were on pace with those guys at the end. So, really proud of that. It’s not the greatest thing ever to have a rain race win if it’s your first one, but I think it’s okay if it’s down the road, so I’m pretty excited about that. Looking forward to next week and trying to keep it rolling.”

    Larson settled in the runner-up spot for the fourth time this season while Logano finished in third place. Chastain notched his first top-five result in the Cup Series by finishing fourth while Allmendinger concluded his run with a strong fifth-place result, thus recording the first top-five result in the Cup Series for Kaulig Racing.

    Rookie Chase Briscoe recorded his first top-10 career result by finishing sixth while McDowell, Bowman, Reddick and Kyle Busch finished in the top 10.

    Byron settled in 11th, Hamlin finished 14th, teammates Blaney and Keselowski finished 17th and 19th, Ty Dillon finished 21st, Cindric came home in 25th and Kurt Busch fell all the way back in 27th.

    There were 11 lead changes for 10 different leaders. The race featured six cautions for 12 laps. 

    Hamlin continues to lead the regular-season standings by 98 points over Byron, 110 over Larson, 111 over Logano and 116 over Elliott.

    Results.

    1. Chase Elliott, five laps led

    2. Kyle Larson, four laps led

    3. Joey Logano, 14 laps led, Stage 1 winner

    4. Ross Chastain, four laps led

    5. A.J. Allmendinger

    6. Chase Briscoe

    7. Michael McDowell, three laps led

    8. Alex Bowman, three laps led

    9. Tyler Reddick

    10. Kyle Busch, 12 laps led, Stage 2 winner

    11. William Byron

    12. Austin Dillon

    13. Chris Buescher

    14. Denny Hamlin

    15. Ryan Preece, two laps led

    16. Erik Jones

    17. Ryan Blaney

    18. Anthony Alfredo

    19. Brad Keselowski

    20. Corey LaJoie

    21. Ty Dillon

    22. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

    23. Matt DiBenedetto

    24. Ryan Newman

    25. Austin Cindric, four laps led

    26. Aric Almirola

    27. Kurt Busch

    28. Garrett Smithley

    29. James Davison

    30. Josh Bilicki

    31. Kyle Tilley

    32. Cody Ware, one lap down

    33. Daniel Suarez, eight laps down

    34. Quin Houff – OUT, Dvp

    35. Martin Truex Jr. – OUT, Accident, three laps led

    36. Cole Custer, – OUT, Accident

    37. Kevin Harvick – OUT, Accident 

    38. Christopher Bell – OUT, Accident

    39. Bubba Wallace – OUT, Accident

    40. Justin Haley – OUT, Steering

    Next on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina, during Memorial Day weekend. The event is slated to occur on Sunday, May 30, at 6 p.m. ET on FOX.

  • Weekend schedule for Circuit of The Americas

    Weekend schedule for Circuit of The Americas

    The NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) is making its first visit to Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas, for the inaugural EchoPark Automotive Texas Grand Prix.

    The 3.41-mile purpose-built road course with 20 turns and an elevation change of 133 feet is the first road course race of seven on the 2021 NCS schedule.

    The race is a 68-lap event that covers a race distance of 231 miles (371 km). The three stages are 15 laps for the first stage, 17 laps for the second stage, and 36 laps for the final stage in the race.

    The Pit Boss 250 NASCAR Xfinity Series race will be a 46-lap race of 156 miles (251 km) with three stages. The first stage will be 14 laps, the second 16 laps, and the final stage is 16 laps.

    The Toyota Tundra 225 Camping World Truck Series race will be a 41-lap race of 139.81 miles (225 km) with three stages. The first stage will be 12 laps, the second stage 14 and the final stage is 15 laps.

    There will be practice sessions and qualifying this weekend for each series as noted below.

    Weekend Schedule (all times ET):

    Friday, May 21

    12 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series garage opens
    1 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series garage open
    1:45-2:25 p.m.: IMSA practice
    3:05-3:55 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series practice
    4:05-4:55 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series practice
    5:45-6:25 p.m.: IMSA practice

    Saturday, May 22

    7 a.m.: NASCAR Cup Series garage opens
    7 a.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series garage opens
    8-8:15 a.m.: IMSA qualifying session 1 (multi-vehicle / timed format)
    8:20-7:35 a.m.: IMSA qualifying session 2 (multi-vehicle / timed format)
    9:05 a.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series qualifying
    9:30 a.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series garage open
    10:05-9:55 a.m.: NASCAR Cup Series practice
    11:05 a.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series qualifying
    12 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series driver introductions
    1 p.m.: Toyota Tundra 225 race (12/26/41 laps =139.81 miles)
    3:40 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series driver introductions
    4 p.m.: Pit Boss 250 race (14/30/46 laps = 156 miles)
    6-6:50 p.m.: IMSA race (50-minute timed race)

    Sunday, May 23

    8 a.m.: NASCAR Cup Series garage opens
    11 a.m.: NASCAR Cup Series qualifying
    12:10 p.m.-1 p.m.: IMSA race (50-minute timed race)
    2:10 p.m.: NASCAR Cup Series driver introductions
    2:30 p.m.: EchoPark Automotive Texas Grand Prix race (15/32/68 laps = 231 miles)

  • Buescher to make 200th Cup start at COTA

    Buescher to make 200th Cup start at COTA

    Competing in his sixth full-time season in the NASCAR Cup Series, Chris Buescher is set to reach a milestone start. By competing in this weekend’s inaugural EchoPark Texas Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas, the driver of the No. 17 Roush Fenway Racing Ford Mustang will make his 200th career start in NASCAR’s premier series.

    A native of Prosper, Texas, Buescher made his Cup Series debut at Auto Club Speedway in March 2015. By then, he was a full-time Xfinity Series competitor for Roush Fenway Racing. Driving the No. 34 Ford Fusion for Front Row Motorsports as a substitute competitor in place of Brett Moffitt, Buescher finished 20th in his Cup debut. He ended up competing in five additional Cup races with FRM at Martinsville Speedway in March, Texas Motor Speedway in April, Bristol Motor Speedway in April, Talladega Superspeedway in May and Watkins Glen International in August.

    After winning the 2015 Xfinity Series championship, Buescher earned a full-time Cup ride in Front Row Motorsports’ No. 34 Ford Fusion for the 2016 season, which he entered as a rookie contender. His rookie Cup season, however, started off on a low note after being involved in a multi-car accident nearing the midway point of the 2016 Daytona 500.

    Through the first 20 races of the 2016 Cup season, Buescher’s best result was 14th at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in July and he was mired back in 31st in the regular-season standings. Everything changed, however, at Pocono Raceway in July, when he emerged with the lead on Lap 127 as part of an economy run while most of the leaders pitted under green. Buescher retained the lead when the caution flew shortly after and as the leaders were brought down to pit road with the race red-flagged due to weather. Following an extensive weather delay, NASCAR made the race official and handed Buescher his first Cup career victory in his 27th series start. With his first win in NASCAR’s premier series, Buescher became the first Rookie-of-the-Year candidate to claim victory in a season since Joey Logano made the last accomplishment in 2009 and he recorded the second career victory for Front Row Motorsports. Buescher, however, was not automatically guaranteed a spot in the Playoffs since he was outside of the top-30 cutline in the regular-season standings and needed to earn consistent results for the upcoming five races to move into the cutline prior to the Playoffs commencing.

    Following his victory at Pocono, Buescher earned an impressive fifth-place result at Bristol Motor Speedway in August and generated enough decent results above the top 35 on the track through the remaining five regular-season events to move into the top-30 cutline in the standings and secure his spot for the 2016 Cup Playoffs, which also marked the first postseason appearance for Front Row Motorsports. Buescher’s Playoff run, however, came to an end after finishing 28th, 30th and 23rd through the Round of 16. Nonetheless, Buescher went on to finish in a career-best 16th place in the final standings.

    In 2017, Buescher departed Front Row Motorsports and joined JTG-Daugherty Racing as driver of the No. 37 Chevrolet SS. Commencing the season in 35th place following a multi-car wreck in the second half of the Daytona 500, he went on to earn a total of four top-10 results and two season-best sixth-place results. Compared to his rookie Cup season, however, Buescher did not record a victory nor did he make the Playoffs as he concluded his sophomore Cup season in 25th place in the final standings.

    Remaining at JTG-Daugherty Racing for the 2018 Cup season, Buescher commenced the season on a strong note by finishing in fifth place in the Daytona 500. He would earn another fifth-place result at Daytona in July, but conclude the season in 24th place in the final standings. By then, Buescher surpassed 100 Cup career starts.

    Throughout the 2019 season, Buescher earned a season-best sixth-place result in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May and a total of four top-10 results before finishing in 20th place in the final standings.

    For the 2020 Cup season, Buescher reunited with Roush Fenway Racing and replaced Ricky Stenhouse Jr. as driver of the No. 17 Ford Mustang. He kicked off the season by finishing in third place in the Daytona 500. Ultimately, he would earn a total of two top-five results and six top-10 results throughout the 26-race regular-season stretch. While he did not make the Playoffs, he earned three additional top-10 results during the final 10 races before finishing in 21st place in the final standings. The eight top-10 results he achieved throughout the 2020 season were his career best in a season.

    Through the first 13 events of the 2021 Cup season, Buescher has achieved three top-10 results, a season-best result of seventh place at Atlanta Motor Speedway in March, a career-best average result of 15.9 and a career-high 71 laps led. He is currently ranked in 14th place in the regular-season standings.

    Through 199 previous Cup starts, Buescher has achieved one career win, six top-five results, 23 top-10 results, 135 laps led and an overall average result of 21.0.

    Buescher is slated to make his 200th Cup career start at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, on Sunday, May 23, at 2:30 p.m. ET on FS1.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Dover

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Dover

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin finished seventh at Dover, posting his tenth top 10 of the season.

    “I unveiled my new racing shoe,” Hamlin said. “It’s called the ‘Jordan Racer 1,’ and it comes with a heat shield built right into the heel. Chances are very good that it will eventually be the hottest shoe on the market.”

    2. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex finished 19th at Dover, one lap down.

    “It just wasn’t our day,” Truex said. “And that sucks, because I’m really fond of that ‘Miles The Monster’ trophy. Now, I can’t tell you exactly why I like that trophy so much. In other words, I can’t give you a ‘concrete’ reason why it appeals to me.”

    3. William Byron: Byron dealt with early brake issues at Dover, but overcame them on his way to a fourth in the Drydene 400.

    “My brake pedal was going all the way to the floor,” Byron said. “That’s not good, although technically, I did have the ‘pedal to the metal.’”

    4. Kyle Larson: Larson won Stages 1 and 2 but couldn’t hold off Hendrick teammate Alex Bowman for the win. Larson finished second as HMS took the top four spots.

    “Losing is the pits,” Larson said. “Oh, did I say ‘Losing is the pits?’ I meant to say ‘Losing in the pits,’ because that’s what we did. Did I say ‘we?’ I meant to say ‘they.’”

    5. Kevin Harvick: Harvick took sixth at Dover and is now eighth in the points standings.

    “It was good to see fans in the stands at Dover,” Harvick said. “Especially some without masks. Now, the fans’ full return won’t be complete until they’re allowed to be out full force in a track infield. And experience tells me that the only way to fully appreciate infield fans is without a mask, because they smell so bad you can taste them.”

    6. Alex Bowman: Bowman won the race off pit road on the final pit stop and led the final 98 laps to win the Drydene 400 at Dover.

    “Hendrick Motorsports cars swept the top four,” Bowman said. “They call that a ‘train,’ and they tell me no one’s run one that well at HMS since Tim Richmond.”

    7. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski suffered a lug nut mishap late at Dover, which forced an extra pit stop to correct. The lost track position left the driver of the No. 2 Penske Mustang with a 16th-place finish.

    “Did you see the guy dressed as Kyle Busch in the stands?” Keselowski said. “It made my day. Now there’s two Kyle Busch’s I can call an ‘ass.’ That would be called the ‘ass-ass-ination’ of Kyle Busch.”

    8. Joey Logano: Logano finished fifth at Dover behind the Hendrick Motorsports 1-2-3-4 finish.

    “That’s the epitome of a ‘sweep,’” Logano said. “So, basically, Hendrick took the broom to the rest of us. And speaking of ‘taking a broom,’ that’s also how Teresa Earnhardt traveled.”

    9. Kyle Busch: Busch suffered early engine issues at Dover and finished 27th, seven laps down, in the Drydene 400.

    “There was a fan in the stands dressed exactly like me,” Busch said. “I’m flattered, but mostly surprised, that anyone would go out of their way to look like me.”

    10. Chase Elliott: Elliott finished third at Dover as Hendrick Motorsports swept the top four spots.

    “I started from the rear because of multiple inspection failures,” Elliott said. “That seems to be a weekly occurrence for me. You know it may be a problem when NASCAR officials spend as much time under your hood as your mechanics.”