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Tag: NASCAR Cup Series

  • Cup rookies prepare to tackle Darlington for the first time

    Cup rookies prepare to tackle Darlington for the first time

    The ongoing Coronavirus pandemic has provided a series of unexpected challenges to the 2020 NASCAR season since its abrupt hiatus following the first week of March. With the sport set to resume in less than two weeks, it will present a new weekly approach for the teams, competitors and the sanctioning body to complete this season. The return of the NASCAR Cup Series at Darlington Raceway in the spring will be a new yet familiar approach for the veterans while it will be an entirely first experience for this year’s rookie class.

    None of this year’s rookies have started a Cup race at Darlington. To add to the challenge, a Darlington race has never been won by a newcomer since the Rookie of the Year award was established in 1958. Nonetheless, they will all receive their first of three opportunities in 2020 to master their toughness against every corner of the disproportionate circuit. 

    Through the first four races of the 2020 campaign, Cole Custer leads the rookie standings and holds an average result of 20.75. He finished 37th in the Daytona 500 due to a late mechanical failure but rallied with top-20 results at Las Vegas and Auto Club before earning his first career top-10 finish at Phoenix prior to the hiatus. 

    One benefit for Custer is that he has raced at Darlington in the previous three seasons in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, where he averaged a 4.0 result and emerged victorious last September when initial winner Denny Hamlin was disqualified for failing post-race inspection. Another benefit is that Darlington has been a relatively strong track for Custer’s team, Stewart-Haas Racing, with 18 top-10 results and a win in 2014 with Kevin Harvick. The experience of notching a win along with driving for one of NASCAR’s competitive teams could all serve as potential factors for Custer to build toward his recent momentum at one of NASCAR’s demanding venues.

    If there is someone who has momentum on his side this season, it is Tyler Reddick. The two-time reigning Xfinity Series champion’s season has been a roller coaster. Through the first four races, his best result has been an 11th-place finish at Auto Club. He had a potential top-10 performance at Phoenix the following week spoiled by a late wreck, which dropped his average result to 22.5. 

    Like Custer, Reddick has raced at Darlington in the Xfinity Series with three teams, averaging a result of 7.0 with a best result of second last September. Of the teams representing this year’s rookie class, Reddick’s team, Richard Childress Racing, has the most starts at Darlington. Since 1976, RCR has eight wins at the track, all with the late Dale Earnhardt, but none since 1994. Having on-track speed early in a season to compete against NASCAR’s current stars could give the young Californian the confidence to flip his misfortunes into fortunes and tame the challenges at Darlington.

    Next is John Hunter Nemechek, a second-generation racer from Mooresville, N.C., whose interim role in the final three Cup races last season netted him a full-time ride this season with Front Row Motorsports. He earned his career-best result of 11th in the Daytona 500 before finishing in the top 25 the following three weeks, pulling an average result of 21.25. His only attempt at Darlington came last September, where he finished 21st driving for GMS Racing. Front Row Motorsports has been racing at Darlington since 2005 with best results coming in 2016 with Chris Buescher (17th) and in 2018 with David Ragan (18th). 

    Having a young driver like Nemechek in FRM’s two-car stable goes a long way toward building a winning success in the current season and beyond. It is a matter of the team providing more horsepower and generating consistency for the rookie to contend against the veterans and navigate a track where his father, Joe, raced 29 times. 

    In a season where racing as a Cup driver has been a first for Brennan Poole, the Darlington race in mid-May will also be his first in NASCAR’s premier series. He earned an impressive 16th-place result in his Daytona 500 debut but finished 29th, 32nd and 31st the following three races. In two Xfinity starts at Darlington, where he drove for Chip Ganassi Racing, he averaged a result of 5.5, finishing fifth in 2016 and sixth in 2017. While Poole’s results at the track have been impressive, the results from his team, Premium Motorsports, have been dismal. In eight Darlington races, the team’s best result has been 28th with Ross Chastain in 2018 and 2019, which indicates how far away the team fares against the majority.

    Like Poole, this season has been entirely new for Christopher Bell with the opportunity to race full time in the Cup Series. In comparison to his previous four seasons and successes between the NASCAR Truck Series and the Xfinity Series, Bell’s first Cup season has been disappointing. Thus far, the Oklahoma native has sustained two DNFs and has only finished as high as 21st from the Daytona 500. In two Xfinity starts at Darlington, his average finish is 17.0, finishing 34th due to an accident in 2018 but rallying to finish fourth last season. 

    On the bright side, Bell’s team, Leavine Family Racing, recorded an eighth-place result last season in their fourth attempt at the track with Matt DiBenedetto behind the wheel. The result indicates that LFR is striving to contend for wins on a weekly basis, even on NASCAR’s historic venues, and aims to repeat the success of last season as they set aside their early misfortunes and start generating positives for Bell.

    Finally, Quin Houff is a total newcomer at Darlington, having never raced at the track in any series. Of all the competitors in this year’s rookie class, he has the most Cup Series starts at 21, but has only finished as high as 30th. His team, StarCom Racing, has recorded a best result of 11th at Daytona last July with Landon Cassill, and their best performance at Darlington is 25th, coming last season with Cassill, giving both the driver and the team a lot to develop for the future.

    With six rookie candidates, this season features the largest rookie class in a Cup season since 2014, which had eight, and features the next wave of developing stars who have worked their way through the ranks of NASCAR and now get to display their full potential against the sport’s elite. Will Darlington feature a potential upset similar to when Regan Smith wheeled to the first win for himself and Furniture Row Racing in 2011? Only the sport’s return will evaluate how the rookies will fare in their first attempt at the track deemed, “Too Tough to Tame.”

  • A tale of two veterans returning to NASCAR in 2020

    A tale of two veterans returning to NASCAR in 2020

    NASCAR is in for a double treat in 2020. Already, the sport’s announcement of its return to on-track competition in mid-May is leaving the drivers, the teams and the fans excited amid the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. Additionally, two notable veterans, both of whom entered 2020 with distinct mindsets, are set to establish comeback stories of their own for the remainder of this season: Ryan Newman and Matt Kenseth. 

    Flashback three months ago, where Newman was leading in the final straightaway of the Daytona 500. For a moment, it appeared that the veteran from South Bend, IN, was en route to a breakout start to his second season with Roush Fenway Racing by winning his second career Harley J. Earl Trophy. 

    Then, the near-excitement was overturned by the near-disaster as Newman was turned by Ryan Blaney into the outside wall and rolled upside down. Then, he was launched into the air after being hit by Corey LaJoie on the driver’s side before coming down and sliding on his roof in a trail of sparks. It was a wreck that left the racing community frozen, sending thoughtful wishes and anxiously awaiting the fate of Newman’s condition, who was extricated from his demolished car and transported to a local hospital.

    Two days later, to the delight of everyone, there was the photo posted from Roush Fenway Racing of Newman exiting the Halifax Medical Center and walking alongside his two daughters. It was a photo that not only eased the pain and anxiety of many but encapsulated the success of the safety enhancements made in the modern era of NASCAR and the endless efforts made from every crew member in keeping their drivers both competitive and safe when racing. The photo also exemplified Newman’s endless grit that he has exhibited throughout his racing career when recovering from previous harrowing wrecks to focus toward upcoming races and getting stronger and better than ever.

    Should Newman return to victory lane and qualify for the postseason, it would not mark the only time when NASCAR has seen a competitor rallying from an injury. A notable example includes Kyle Busch, rallying from missing the first 11 Cup races of the season due to a compound fracture and injuring both of his legs in a wreck at Daytona to win four races in the summer stretch and claim his first Cup championship in 2015 with a win in the finale at Homestead. In addition, the following year, Tony Stewart missed the first eight races of the season after fracturing his lumbar vertebra in an off-season buggy accident, but averaged a finishing result of 17.2 in the final 18 regular-season races, including scoring a triumphant win at Sonoma, to make the postseason in his 18th and final season of NASCAR competition. Finally, Denny Hamlin fractured his vertebra after being involved in a last-lap skirmish with Joey Logano at Fontana in 2013, an injury that made him sit out four races. Once he recovered and returned, he did not acquire enough consistent finishes to make the postseason. Nonetheless, he ended the season on a positive by winning the finale at Homestead, which gave him extra momentum for 2014 and beyond.

    With the veteran cleared to return to racing, Newman’s road to a comeback begins at Darlington Raceway, a track where he has earned up-and-down results with an average finish of 12.57 and a runner-up finish in 2002. To Newman’s benefit, Roush’s entries have won at Darlington five times, but none since 2006. One thing is for certain. Newman is a hard-core racer and will not hesitate nor let his injuries prevent him from racing back into winning contention as he nearly accomplished at Daytona.

    Then, there is Matt Kenseth. A return that no one, not even the former Cup Series champion himself, expected at the drop of the first green flag of the 2020 season. At that time, returning to NASCAR was not remotely on his radar. 

    Everything, however, changed in April when prominent star Kyle Larson was dismissed from Chip Ganassi Racing for uttering a racial slur during a live iRacing event. Two weeks later, when Kenseth was presented with the opportunity to assume the reins of Ganassi’s No. 42 Chevrolet, it was an opportunity that he could not resist in reigniting his illustrious career that spans over 20 years.

    Kenseth’s role as a substitute driver is also a move that is widely familiar in NASCAR. The most notable example was four-time Cup champion Jeff Gordon in 2016, when he subbed for Dale Earnhardt Jr., recovering from concussion-like symptoms. While sharing Earnhardt’s ride with future Hendrick Motorsports driver Alex Bowman, Gordon earned an average finish of 13.86 in eight races and two top-10 finishes, including a sixth-place result at Martinsville in what was his 805th and final Cup start to date.

    There is a challenge for Kenseth at hand as he returns. While Ganassi’s No. 42 team has earned an average finish of 11.0 through the first four races of 2020, Kenseth has not raced since November 2018 at Homestead, where he was a part-time competitor for Roush Fenway Racing, and has not won since November 2017 at Phoenix with Joe Gibbs Racing. This will also be Kenseth’s first time racing a Chevrolet in NASCAR since the 2001 Xfinity Series season.

    The good news for Kenseth is that in the last six years, when Kyle Larson raced at Darlington, the No. 42 team led 500 laps and earned an average result of 6.67, including a second-place result last September. In the 25 Darlington races that Kenseth has driven, he has averaged a result of 15.8, which includes his lone win at the track in 2013. He also has three Xfinity Series wins at the historic venue. In addition, in his final two races of 2018, Kenseth scored top-10 results, which should give the driver confidence to slowly pick himself and the team back up into competitive form and toward a bright future.

    With the season’s return approaching, two veterans representing two distinct teams and with two distinct approaches for this season aim to pick off where they last started off and conclude 2020 with comeback stories of their own and the burning desire to win and be competitive again.

  • NASCAR is back or is it?

    NASCAR is back or is it?

    The news all NASCAR fans were waiting to hear came this past Thursday when the sanctioning body announced the next race would be held on Sunday, May 17 at Darlington Raceway. This 400-mile race would be televised on FOX and begin at 3:30 p.m., Eastern time. Then came the rest. There would be no fans in the stands. I would assume the network’s media people would be attending, but it’s not clear about print and other media. There will be strict rules dealing with social distancing, of course.

    The rest of the initial schedule is equally different. The next race is an Xfinity Series race two days later on May 19 at Darlington. The third race would be a Cup race on Wednesday, March 20 and would be 500 km in length. Both races will air on FSI. The Xfinity race would be broadcasted at 8 p.m. and the race at 7:30 p.m. Then, the stagiest thing happens.

    Four days after the second Darlington Cup race, we get the Coca-Cola 600 on May 24 at 6 p.m. on FOX and the Xfinity race the next day at 7:30 p.m. on FS1. A Gander Outdoors race would be the next day, March 26, also on FS1 and another 500km Cup race on May 27 at 8 p.m. on FS1.

    The reason given was the two tracks are in proximity to most team’s Charlotte-area shops. Count them, folks. That is seven races at those two tracks in 8 days. I cannot imagine this is going to be easy for drivers, teams, and media. All would be run with empty bleachers. This cannot be normal, and results would probably not be what fans are used to seeing, but as someone who lost interest in the computer races, I welcome this.

    I am proud of NASCAR keeping fans teams safe with these measures. It will be interesting how fans, teams, and tracks react.  Four races at Charlotte and three at Darlington with the promise of the Southern 500 on Labor Day? Stay tuned.

  • NASCAR returns with three points-paying races at a single track

    NASCAR returns with three points-paying races at a single track

    Five months into 2020, NASCAR’s 72nd season of existence has been a bizarre season in the making highlighted with a hiatus in racing spanning two months due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. With the season two weeks away from resuming, a major twist to the racing schedule is in the making.

    For the first time since 1981, a NASCAR season will feature three points-paying races at a single track as the sport strives to make up the lost time of on-track racing.

    On April 30, NASCAR disclosed that Darlington Raceway and Charlotte Motor Speedway will host additional NASCAR national series races throughout the second half of May, totaling to seven in a span of 11 days across the Carolinas.

    Darlington will feature two additional Cup races (May 17 & May 20) and an extra Xfinity Series event (May 19) to go along with the Labor Day Weekend events that still includes the Southern 500 for the postseason opener (September 5). Charlotte, additionally, will host an extra Cup race on May 27 three days after the Coca-Cola 600 past Memorial Day Weekend. The NASCAR XFinity Series (May 25) and the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series (May 26) will follow coincidentally while the Bank of America Roval 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval remains as scheduled (October 11).

    The last time NASCAR raced at a track three times in a season was at Riverside International Raceway in Riverside, CA, in 1981, where the season raced its opener in January, returned midway into the season in June and added another event in November to conclude the season. This does not, however, mark NASCAR’s only time pulling this feat.

    The first track to host three points-paying races in a season was at Carrell Speedway in Gardena, CA, in 1951 during NASCAR’s third season of racing. Among other examples where a track featured three racing events in a season includes:

    • Langhorne Speedway (1953). 
    • Columbia Speedway (1955, 1958-1960).
    • Charlotte Speedway (1956). 
    • Hickory Speedway (1956). 
    • Portland Speedway (1956-1957). 
    • Southern States Fairgrounds (1957 & 1959). 
    • Concord Speedway (1957 & 1962).
    • Bowman Gray Stadium (1959-1963). 
    • Asheville-Weaverville Speedway (1959).   
    • Martinsville Speedway (1961).

    The featured events at Darlington and Charlotte will mark NASCAR’s return to on-track racing since the week of March 6-8 at Phoenix Raceway. NASCAR was also intent on racing the following week at Atlanta Motor Speedway, but the racing activities for the weekend were postponed due to the Coronavirus outbreak. Other postponements that followed suit in the spring included Homestead-Miami Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Richmond Raceway, Talladega Superspeedway, Dover International Speedway and Martinsville Speedway.

    An announcement for the remainder of this year’s NASCAR national series schedule has not been determined, though the sanctioning body intends to hold all 36 Cup races this season, including the postseason as originally scheduled from September through November.

  • Matt Kenseth announced as Kyle Larson’s Replacement in the No. 42 for 2020

    Matt Kenseth announced as Kyle Larson’s Replacement in the No. 42 for 2020

    Chip Ganassi Racing announced today that Matt Kenseth is set to come back to NASCAR to drive the No. 42 Chevrolet once NASCAR resumes for the 2020 season.

    Kenseth has not competed in the Cup Series since Homestead in 2018, where he finished sixth driving for Jack Roush.

    “This was an unexpected opportunity for sure,” Kenseth said. “I can’t say racing was even on my radar two weeks ago. After spending some time thinking about it and all the unique circumstances surrounding all of us right now, it just seemed the timing and the opportunity was perfect.”

    Credit One, McDonald’s, Clover, and AdventHealth will remain as sponsors on the car when racing is back in full swing following the Coronavirus shutdown.

    It is yet to be determined if Kenseth will be eligible to run for the Cup Series Championship, as NASCAR has yet to make a decision on the matter.

    The news comes a couple of weeks after Larson was fired during a sim racing event for using a racial slur.

  • Quarantined with Corey LaJoie

    Quarantined with Corey LaJoie

    It’s been a little over a month since NASCAR had to postpone the 2020 racing season due to the Covid-19 pandemic. NASCAR hopes to resume the season potentially in May but without fans in attendance. In the meantime, NASCAR has implemented the iRacing Pro Invitational Series to fill the gap. While many of the current drivers are participating, it is, at best, a substitution for the real thing.  

    This week I caught up with Go Fas Racing’s Corey LaJoie to find out how he’s coping during the stay-at-home order that most states have issued. On March 10, LaJoie and his wife, Kelly, welcomed their first child, Levi Ronnie, into the family.

    While he misses the racing action, he is enjoying this unique opportunity to spend more quality time with his family and embrace his new role as a dad.

    SM:  Are you enjoying the time off or going stir crazy while you wait to get back to racing?

    CL: A little bit of both. I’m enjoying spending time with Levi and my wife but I’m ready to get back to the racetrack.

    SM: Are you typically the kind of person who enjoys alone time or do you miss being around people?

    CL: I tend to go many places throughout the day whether it be the Cup shop or different businesses so I miss that part of my routine.

    SM: What’s the one thing you miss most other than racing?

    CL: I miss being able to go to the Joie of Seating and work on projects or build things.

    SM: If for some reason you couldn’t race anymore, what career would you choose and why?

    CL: I’d probably stay in racing in some sort. Maybe spotting while diving into Dad’s business a little more to help grow that.

    SM: What has been your favorite thing to do while you’re stuck at home?

    CL: Just chilling with Levi and doing projects around the house. I’ve retrofitted my garage into a gym.

    Lately sleep is a hot commodity that is hard to come by so that’s something I love but I know nighttime is tough with little man.

    SM: Have you picked up any new hobbies or gotten back to a hobby you didn’t have time to pursue before?

    CL: I’ve been mountain biking a lot more since it’s a great way to social distance while also training hand-eye coordination and stamina.

    SM: Have you started any new projects around the house?

    CL: Painting the garage, cleaning out junk drawers, organizing the man cave.

    SM: Are you cooking for yourself at home? If so what’s the one thing you can cook well?

    CL: We cook almost every meal now. I actually like cooking some things. I’m decent at steak and breakfast but Kelly can cook just about anything.

    SM: What’s your favorite music or band to listen to while you’re isolated at home?

    CL: I listen to a lot of country. I like Luke Combs, Sturgill Simpson and some good Christian music.

    SM: What are you doing to stay active and keep in shape?

    CL: Mountain biking and using some Onnit kettlebells, medicine balls and weighted vests keep the workouts intense.

    SM: Are you participating in iRacing? If so, does it help pass the time while you wait for the season to restart?

    CL: I haven’t done much on it yet. I don’t have much time to get away and fire up the simulator. It’s a great platform for the sport to stay relevant during the delay but I’ll be glad when we have real life topics to talk about every week.

    SM: What are you doing to keep positive and motivated?

    CL: The wife and I have been digging into the Word quite a bit and spending some great quality time together with Levi. We live next to a park so we get over there for a couple mile walks a day.

    SM: What’s the first thing you will do when the quarantine is over?

    CL: I’ll still be pretty cautious of where I go even when the lockdown is lifted since I don’t want to risk bringing anything home but I’m ready to go to the shop and start getting busy.

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

  • Episode 9: No racing? Throwback plans coming!

    Episode 9: No racing? Throwback plans coming!

    On this episode of News and Views from SpeedwayMedia.com, we discuss the unfortunate postponement of some of the upcoming races. Speedway Media, however, has some awesome plans in store for you guys.

  • Weekend schedule for Atlanta – Racing postponed

    Weekend schedule for Atlanta – Racing postponed

    Update from NASCAR:

    DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 13, 2020) – “NASCAR has decided to postpone the race events at Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend and Homestead-Miami Speedway next weekend. We believe this decision is in the best interest of the safety and well-being of our fans, competitors, officials and everyone associated with our sport. We will continue to monitor this dynamic situation as we assess future race events.”

    All three national series head to Atlanta Motor Speedway for a weekend of competition. Brad Keselowski has won two of the last three NASCAR Cup Series races at the 1.54-mile track (2019,2017) and finished second in 2018.

    Christopher Bell, who currently competes in the Cup Series, won last year’s Xfinity Series race at Atlanta but is not entered in this weekend’s race. Kyle Busch won the 2019 Gander RV and Outdoors Truck Series race and will compete in Saturday’s event.

    After Busch scored his 57th career victory last week at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, there was the usual uproar about Busch competing in a lower series. This prompted Kevin Harvick to offer a $50,000 bounty for any full-time Cup Series driver who could beat Busch in one of his four remaining Truck Series races. RV & Outdoors CEO Marcus Lemonis responded by matching Harvick’s bounty, for a total payout of  $100,000. This weekend at Atlanta, Chase Elliott will try to collect the bounty.

    All times are Eastern.

    Friday, March 13

    1:35 p.m.- 2:25 p.m.: Truck Series first practice – Stream on NASCAR.com

    2:35 p.m.- 3:25 p.m.: Xfinity Series first practice – FS1

    3:35 p.m.- 4:25 p.m.: Cup Series first practice – FS1

    4:32 p.m.- 4:57 p.m.: Truck Series final practice – FS1

    5:02 p.m.- 5:27 p.m.: Xfinity Series final practice – FS1

    5:35 p.m.-6:25 p.m.: Cup Series final practice – FS1

    Saturday, March 14

    10:05 a.m.: Truck Series Qualifying (Impound – Single Vehicle/One Lap All Positions) – FS1

    11:05 AM Xfinity Series Qualifying (Impound – Single Vehicle/One Lap All Positions) – FS1

    12:05 p.m.: Cup Series Qualifying (Impound – Single Vehicle/One Lap All Positions) – FS1/PRN

    1:30 p.m.: Truck Series Vet Tix/Camping World 200 race (Stages 30/60/130 Laps = 200.02 Miles) – FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

    4 p.m.: Xfinity Series Echo Park 250 race (Stages 40/80/163 Laps = 251.02 Miles) – FS1/PRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

    Sunday, March 15

    2 p.m.: Cup Series Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 race (Stages 105/210/325 Laps = 500.5 Miles) – FOX/PRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Phoenix

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Phoenix

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Joey Logano: Logano held off Kevin Harvick on a late restart to win at Phoenix, taking his second win in four races this season.

    “I won despite serving a mid-race penalty for a loose tire,” Logano said. “Luckily, the tire was the only ‘one that got away.’”

    2. Kevin Harvick: Harvick started on the front row at Phoenix and finished second, as Stewart-Haas Racing placed all four cars in the top 10.

    “It sucks to come up short of victory,” Harvick said. “I really wanted to win. But I shouldn’t complain. Things could be worse. I could have been charged with a DWI and be the subject of a parody Twitter account.

    “Tony Stewart will be racing in the Xfinity Series race at Indianapolis’ road course on July Fourth. He’ll be 49 then. That’s old. Tony’s so old, they’ll be calling July Fourth ‘In-Depends-Dence Day.’”

    3. Ryan Blaney: Blaney was collected in an early spin triggered by contact between Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski. The damage ended Blaney’s day with a 37th-place finish.

    “I was just an innocent bystander,” Blaney said, and I don’t even want to talk to Hamlin or Keselowski. So, my avoidance off the track will be much better than it was on the track.

    “And speaking of ‘minding my own business,’ I just signed a multi-year extension to stay with Penske Racing. I submit that all future NASCAR contract signings should take place on the track, where drivers can sign on the dotted line at the start-finish line.”

    4. Alex Bowman: Bowman finished 14th in the FanShield 500 at Phoenix and now sits fourth in the Cup points standings.

    “Dillon Bassett and Brandon Brown had quite a scrap after the Xfinity Series race,” Bowman said. “Bassett was really irate. He really lost it. I wouldn’t be surprised if NASCAR pulls him for a random drug test. Then he’d be ‘really pissed.’”

    5. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson finished 12th in the FanShield 500 and is now fifth in the points standings, 33 out of first.

    “I’m doing an IndyCar team test with McLaren Racing on April 6,” Johnson said. “Does this mean I’m leaning towards a future in open-wheel racing? Maybe. I guess the only thing stopping me is window-netting.”

    6. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski survived an early accident and finished 11th at Phoenix.

    “It was quite an entertaining race,” Keselowski said. “Part of the credit should go to the ‘Awesome Sauce,’ which is what we call the grip compound placed on the track. The rest of the credit should go to the fans in the stands, who appeared to be ‘awesomely sauced.’”

    7. Kyle Larson: Larson finished fourth at Phoenix and is seventh in the points standings, 43 out of first.

    “I’ll be taking a shot at the ‘Kyle Busch Bounty’ in the Truck Series on March 20 at Homestead-Miami Speedway,” Larson said. “Rap icon Flo Rida will be in attendance cheering for me. He’s providing ‘100 hoes.’ I’m planning on providing ‘100 G’s.’”

    8. Chase Elliott: Elliott started on the pole and finished seventh at Phoenix.

    “My chances at winning were doomed by a loose front tire,” Elliott said. “Just think, one lug nut ruined my race. Just think how many times drivers will be able to say that starting in 2021.”

    “This Coronavirus outbreak is really wreaking havoc in the sporting world,” Elliott said. “Optimists say it won’t affect NASCAR at all. Pessimists say we may be forced to compete in front of an empty facility. But I think those people are just ‘grandstanding.’”

    9. Kyle Busch: Busch came home third at Phoenix, posting his second-consecutive top-three finish.

    “The bounty for beating me in the Gander Trucks Series is up to $100,000,” Busch said. “I was discussing this with my brother Kurt, and he said the last time he asked someone ‘What’s the price on my head?,’ it was to his cosmetic ear surgeon.”

    10. Matt DiBenedetto: DiBenedetto finished 13th in the FanShield 500 at Phoenix.

    “My fame grows by the day,” DiBendetto said. “Pretty soon, I’ll need a spokesman to handle my media requests. He’ll just repeat things I say to the media. I’ll call him ‘Matt DiBeneditto.’”

  • Joey Logano holds off the field to win at Phoenix

    Joey Logano holds off the field to win at Phoenix

    Joey Logano found victory lane Sunday afternoon at Phoenix Raceway. It was Logano’s 25th win of his career and second of the season, making him the first repeat winner of the 2020 NASCAR Cup season.

    Chase Elliott earned the pole, with Kevin Harvick taking the second spot. Martin Truex Jr. would start at the rear due to an engine change.

    Stage 1:

    We saw action early when Elliott and Harvick led the field to the green. The two would nearly collide in Turn 3 of the opening laps but would keep their cars straight. The two of them would be inseparable as laps later they would battle it out for the race lead, with Harvick eventually taking the top spot.

    Ricky Stenhouse Jr. would find troubles as his No. 47 would hit the in Turn 1 going underneath J.J. Yeley. The No. 47 would receive rear damage to his Chevrolet, bringing out the first caution.

    A restart would ensue and Denny Hamlin, Ryan Blaney, and Brad Keselowski would find troubles as the three collided into the Turn 3 wall. Blaney would be knocked out of the race while Hamlin and Keselowski would be able to keep on going.

    Kevin Harvick would fend off the field to win Stage 1.

    Elliott, Logano, Matt DiBenedetto, Kyle Busch, Alex Bowman, Truex, Aric Almirola, Tyler Reddick, and Erik Jones would round out the rest of the Top 10.

    Stage 2:

    Elliott would lead the first few laps of the stage before Harvick would retake the race lead. However, the No. 9 would fight back and respond by taking the lead back. Keselowski would march his way forward as he would pass by Harvick for the second spot.

    Halfway into the stage, Austin Dillon would blow a right front tire, causing the No. 3 to slap the Turn 1 wall, bringing out the yellow.

    During pit stops, Logano would get a penalty due to an uncontrolled tire, Harvick would lose spots due to a lengthy pit stop.

    Keselowski and Elliott would lead the field down on the restart, but the two would have a close skirmish with each other into Turn 2, giving Truex an opportunity to lead some laps. Elliott and Keselowski would pass the No. 19 shortly after.

    Elliott’s lead would be short-lived as he would come down pit lane, reporting a loose wheel, giving Keselowski the first position.

    Rookie Tyler Reddick would climb his way toward the Top 5 as he would pass Kyle Busch for position.

    Elliott was on the hard charge, trying to pass cars left and right in order to get back onto the lead lap. A caution with two laps to go into the stage would fly when Garrett Smithley’s car would blow up.

    As a result, Keselowski got the stage win. For Elliott, he would get the free pass thanks to the yellow.

    Harvick, Truex, Reddick, Kyle Busch, Almirola, Logano, Clint Bowyer, Kyle Larson, and Cole Custer would finish out the Top 10 at the end of Stage 2.

    Stage 3:

    Keselowski and Truex would lead the field down, and Reddick would move his way towards the second position immediately.

    Reddick, Logano, and Harvick would later duke it out, going three-wide into Turn 3. Reddick would drive the car wide, dropping him all the way down to ninth.

    Elliott, who had issues back in Stage 2, lurked his way into the Top 10 with 101 laps to go. Quin Houff would blow up off of Turn 2 a few laps later, sending the StarCom Chevy into the outside wall.

    The field would immediately flood pit road. Truex was the first one off due to a two-tire stop. Reddick, Jones, and Christopher Bell would follow along with two tires as well.

    The two-tire strategy would not pay off, as Truex, Reddick, Jones, and Bell would fall backward in position, while those with four new tires would surge their way past.

    Logano and Harvick would pull away from the field until a crash in Turn 1 by Jones and Custer would bunch the field back up. A plethora of cautions would follow upon the restarts.

    Reddick, who had a promising run throughout, would have a right-front tire go down, sending the rookie into the Turn 2 wall. Chris Buescher would have a left front go down after contact with Bell, resulting with the No. 17 hitting the Turn 1 wall.

    Truex, on a restart, would get a shove from Almirola, sending his Bass Pro Shops Toyota hard into the Turn 1 wall, knocking him out of the race. Logano, who was trying to block Bowman, had a close call and saved it in the dogleg.

    Keselowski and Bowyer would lead the front row on the restart, but Logano would close in on the two and would discard them quickly. Harvick would later move Keselowski to take second away. With nine laps to go, Ross Chastain would spin off of Turn 4 after contact with William Byron.

    A four-lap shootout would arise, and Logano would have to hold off the field again when John Hunter Nemechek and Stenhouse collided off of Turn 4.

    It led to NASCAR Overtime, and with a solid restart, Logano would run away from Harvick to secure the victory at Phoenix.

    There were 20 lead changes for seven different leaders. There were 12 cautions for 73 laps.

    Results:

    1. Joey Logano – 60 laps led
    2. Kevin Harvick – 67 laps led, Stage 1 winner
    3. Kyle Busch
    4. Kyle Larson – two laps led
    5. Clint Bowyer
    6. Kurt Busch
    7. Chase Elliott – 93 laps led
    8. Aric Almirola
    9. Cole Custer
    10. William Byron
    11. Brad Keselowski – 82 laps led, Stage 2 winner
    12. Jimmie Johnson
    13. Matt DiBenedetto
    14. Alex Bowman
    15. Ty Dillon
    16. Michael McDowell
    17. Chris Buescher
    18. Ryan Preece – one lap led
    19. Bubba Wallace
    20. Denny Hamlin
    21. Daniel Suarez
    22. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
    23. Ross Chastain
    24. Christopher Bell
    25. John Hunter Nemechek
    26. JJ Yeley
    27. Corey LaJoie
    28. Erik Jones – three laps down
    29. Joey Gase – three laps down
    30. Reed Sorenson – four laps down
    31. Brennan Poole – OUT
    32. Martin Truex Jr. – 11 laps led, OUT
    33. Tyler Reddick – OUT
    34. Quin Houff – OUT
    35. Garrett Smithley – OUT
    36. Austin Dillon – OUT
    37. Ryan Blaney – OUT
    38. Timmy Hill – OUT