Testing SpeedwayMedia.com

Tag: sprint cup series

  • The 2016 Chase For The Sprint Cup, Seeds 12-9

    The 2016 Chase For The Sprint Cup, Seeds 12-9

    Today, I’ll be taking a look at Tony Stewart, Kyle Larson, Kurt Busch and Joey Logano, seeds 12-9 on the Sprint Cup Chase Grid.

    1. Tony Stewart

    No driver in the Sprint Cup Series has had a harder time the last few years than Tony Stewart.

    Stewart broke his leg in 2013 and had to miss half the year, then in 2014 probably had the most horrible moment in his entire life during the Kevin Ward Jr. incident. The following year, 2015, was far and away the worst full-time season of his entire career, and in January of this year he broke his back and had to sit out the first eight races of his final Sprint Cup Series season.

    Many doubted Stewart would ever win a race again. The thrilling victory at Dover in 2013 against Juan Pablo Montoya seemed like it was going to be the last hurrah of his Hall of Fame-worthy career.

    Then Stewart got around Denny Hamlin on the last lap of Sonoma and recorded at least one more triumph.

    “Smoke” enters the Chase with a clear mind and nothing to lose, his final season ultimately being a success as long as he finishes it. The last time Stewart made the Chase with nothing to lose was 2011 when he said outright “We don’t deserve to be in the Chase.” Exactly three months after saying that, it was the Monday after winning his third Sprint Cup championship.

    Pros

    Mike Bugarewicz (AKA “Buga”) has done very well in his first season as a crew chief. Most notably, a good pit call at Sonoma led Stewart to be in position to win the race that got this team into the Chase. Stewart was also good over the summer, with all five of his top fives of the season coming in June, July, and August. And as always, Stewart knows success; he has won at every track in the Chase at least once, and it’s always possible for Tony to get hot and go on a win streak as he did in 2011 and in the summer of 2005 that both led him to championships.

    Cons

    Stewart is coming into the Chase with two straight DNFs, and although he is having a much better year than last year, he still enters the Chase with just a 17.2 average finish. That’s worse than everybody but Chris Buescher, and that’s especially bad for a driver who missed the first eight races of the season. Stewart also still has a noted temper, as anybody who watched Richmond can see. As much as there is a chance for Stewart to get hot and win a bunch of races, there’s just as much a chance Stewart could blow up on another driver and knock himself out of the Chase.

    Overall

    Honestly, my head says Tony Stewart is going to be eliminated in round one. My heart says Stewart may get a surprise win or two on his way to competing for a final championship at Homestead as Jeff Gordon did last year. Whatever he does, it’s probably going to be worth watching.

    1. Kyle Larson

    Before Dover this season, it was fair to call Kyle Larson a bit of a let-down.

    After entering the Sprint Cup Series to much fanfare in 2014, he had shown flashes of greatness but similar to a younger Kyle Busch hadn’t learned to funnel his raw talent into consistent success. Some felt he should have stayed in the XFINITY Series for another year and was broken like Casey Atwood was. Others felt he needed to get away from Chip Ganassi Racing and join a better team if he were ever to make something of himself.

    Most of these concerns faded away after an amazing summer for the California driver, capped off with his very first Sprint Cup Series win at Michigan last month.

    In the fifteen races since the start of Dover, where he finished second in an amazing race between himself, Chase Elliott, and winner Matt Kenseth, Larson has amassed a great record. Eight top 10s, six top fives, and five top threes. The narrative for the No. 42 team over the summer has gone from if Larson can compete to just how much can he accomplish?

    Pros

    Sorry Denny Hamlin, but Larson enters the Chase with the most momentum. He’s riding a streak of three straight top-three finishes, including the win at Michigan, and has shown no signs of stopping. The Chase also contains some of his best tracks, especially Dover where he has never finished worse than 11th. Most crucially, possibly his best track on the entire schedule outside of Michigan is Homestead, where a late race debris caution last year dashed his hopes of winning in what would have been in his first Sprint Cup race.

    Cons

    Like Chase Elliott, he doesn’t have any Chase experience yet. Nobody knows if he is going to crack from the pressure that naturally comes from competing in it. Chip Ganassi Racing, while they are entering the Chase arguably a better team than Hendrick, also just isn’t an established playoff contender just yet and may have some growing pains.

    Overall

    I had picked Larson to be the champion before the season started and I’m sticking with my pick. He’s got a lot of momentum heading in, some of his best tracks are in the Chase, and he has the ability. I just feel either he wins the championship or he flames out and get eliminated in round one or two. There’s no middle ground for Larson.

    1. Kurt Busch

    The last couple of years, Kurt Busch has been uncharacteristically quiet. Between Tony Stewart’s problems, Kevin Harvick’s dominance, and Danica Patrick being Danica Patrick, Busch has lost the spotlight to his teammates. And he’s flourishing because of it.

    Last year was arguably Busch’s best all-around season, tying his mark for most top 10s in a season with 21 and he had an average finish of 11.1, a career best. This season, Busch has dropped to an average finish of 12.1, but that’s still better than any of his seasons before 2015. He’s also on pace to get even more top 10s this year than last year.

    Many thought the addition of Busch on a team that already consisted of three drivers with attitudes would be akin to throwing water on a grease fire, but so far it has been a success. Outside of the nonsense with his former girlfriend earlier last year, Busch has been on his best behavior and other than a wonky first season it has all been worth it.

    Pros

    Busch has consistency upon consistency. In the first 16 races of the season, he had 14 top 10s, spent the majority of the season in the top three in points and completed every lap of every race before Bristol, a new record. As a former champion, Busch has shown before that he can handle the pressure that naturally comes with the Chase and has shown a decent amount of speed just about everywhere this year. Finally, there is the brother connection. I’m sure Kurt was happy about Kyle Busch winning the championship last year, but there has to be a little extra motivation to win another championship and excel over his younger brother.

    Cons

    Crew chief Tony Gibson has always built his teams to be very consistent, but not big winners. In the 395 races Gibson has been on the pit box, he has only visited victory lane five times. While a lot of that has been due to driver quality, 69 of those starts were with Danica Patrick in the car, and consistency is a good problem to have, it’s always a disadvantage to have a team built for the grind and not to win in the Chase. Between hustling to make sure the No. 4 is running at 100 percent and Stewart trying to go out with a championship, Busch may get lost in the shuffle of his own team.

    Overall

    If I were a betting man, I’d put Busch down to go out in round three like last year. This is a great team, and it’s quite possible they could rise up and win a championship regardless. But right now, they are just flat out outclassed by the Toyotas, Harvick, and Team Penske.

    1. Joey Logano

    After being let go from Joe Gibbs Racing in 2012, many thought Joey Logano just wasn’t going to work out.

    Gibbs wanted him to go back down to the then-Nationwide Series, feeling the 22-year-old needed more seasoning. Logano turned them down flat and was coasting for a while before Brad Keselowski, fresh off a Cup championship, lobbied for Logano to take over the somewhat troubled No. 22 Ford and become his teammate at Team Penske.

    The rest is history.

    Logano has broken out and won 13 races in the past four seasons, the fifth-most in that time period. He scored more points than anybody in 2014 and if it wasn’t for a terrible pit stop at Homestead, would have competed for a championship. Last season he had the best all-around season of anybody not named Kevin Harvick, with 28 top 10s, 22 top fives, series highs in wins and poles (six of each), and won the Daytona 500.

    Logano has gone from a wash-out to a legitimate championship contender, a dangerous racer who has a chance to win every week.

    Pros

    One of the most remarkable statistics in Logano’s four-year run has been his versatility. Short tracks, intermediate tracks, 1.5-mile tracks, restrictor plate tracks, even road course tracks, have had races won by Logano the past few years. As one of only three Fords in the Chase grid, Logano will be getting a lot more manufacturer support than the Chevrolets or even the Toyotas.

    Cons

    Logano hasn’t been awful, he finished the regular season third in points, but he has lost a little speed this year. Unless he gets nothing but top 10s here on out, he is going to have fewer top 10s than last season. He has also led only 386 laps this season, down from 2015 and 2014, and he heads into the Chase with just one win.

    Overall

    Honestly, from here on out just about every driver has a legitimate shot at the championship. Logano has seemed a bit off this season, though, and he is going to need to improve a little bit if he’s going to be in competition for the championship at Homestead. There’s usually one or two surprising drivers eliminated in round two, notably Jimmie Johnson the last two years, but this year it wouldn’t be shocking if Logano turns out to be one of those drivers.

  • The View From My Recliner — 2016 Chase Preview

    The View From My Recliner — 2016 Chase Preview

    I will start by saying that I have always been a Tony Stewart fan and always will be. But, Tony Stewart was wrong the last two weeks taking out Brian Scott at Darlington and Ryan Newman plus six others at Richmond.

    Many have said that Tony Stewart hasn’t been the same racer since the Sprint Car accident in Iowa where he broke his leg and has been even less competitive since the Sprint Car accident that took the life of Kevin Ward Jr. Prior to those accidents, there was always Stewart justice when he ran at the Cup level. Ask Carl Edwards, Robby Gordon, Brian Vickers and several others what happens when you rough up Stewart or block Stewart? Do that and you face Stewart Justice. Stewart was wrong, but this is something that NASCAR drivers have known for more than a decade. Even though Stewart was honest in his post-race comments, I hope that NASCAR fines Stewart for his actions. Wow, that is something I never thought I would say.

    Ryan Newman who has the history of being the toughest person in NASCAR to pass is also very calculated with his words to the media pre and post race. The first parts of his comments saying that Stewart was old and should retire are fine. Newman is passionate and was frustrated by missing the Chase. Those comments I can live with. The comments that followed were beyond personal. I understand Newman being ticked that Stewart took him out. I can see him holding his anger inside for four years because his contract wasn’t extended at Stewart-Haas Racing. Then, after being told there wasn’t the budget for a fourth car and that he was out at SHR, suddenly, Kurt Busch has a ride funded by Gene Haas. Even so, there is no place for comments like that. I always respected Ryan Newman, but I lost a little of that respect on Saturday night.

    The sad part is that this back and forth took away from the great racing that took place at Richmond International Raceway, Denny Hamlin’s win and the Chase grid being set. Everything took a back seat to Newman putting Stewart on blast and that is a shame.

    As we head to Chicagoland, you have to wonder if there are paybacks in the future. Will Newman wreck Stewart? Will Cole Custer get revenge on John Hunter Nemechek for the injustice he was victim to at Canadian Motorsports Park? Will the races be the top story next week or will it be about payback being delivered? My thoughts are that Newman doesn’t want to face a suspension and Cole Custer will wait until the Chase to get his payback on Nemechek.

    Here are my predictions for the each round of the Chase for the Sprint Cup:

    Round 1: Kyle Busch will win this weekend at Chicago. Tony Stewart surprises everyone by winning at New Hampshire and Jimmie Johnson wins at Dover. The first four eliminated are Carl Edwards, Chris Buescher, Austin Dillon and Jamie McMurray. I think one Joe Gibbs Racing car will have an issue at New Hampshire, Buescher and Dillon don’t have the equipment to get the job done and Jamie McMurray has been running well, but not at the front.

    Round 2: Truex wins at Charlotte, Harvick wins at Kansas and Logano wins at Talladega. Brad Keselowski, Chase Elliott, Kurt Busch and Kyle Larson are eliminated.

    Round 3: Hamlin wins at Martinsville, Truex wins at Texas, Harvick wins at Phoenix and Stewart points his way in. (Remember, when I started I said I am a fan of Smoke and this is a, from the heart, pick. My head says Johnson points his way in, but I’m a columnist, so I am going with my heart. Kyle Busch, Kenseth, Johnson and Logano are eliminated.

    Final Four: So that leaves Hamlin, Harvick, Truex and Stewart as the final four. I would love to read the story of Stewart winning his final race and his fourth Championship, but I just don’t see it happening. Truex and Harvick have had pit road issues which could easily derail them at the Ford 400.

    My pick for the 2016 Sprint Cup Championship is Denny Hamlin. The communication between driver and crew chief is spot on, the pit crew has been flawless and Denny Hamlin promised Joe Gibbs when he was signed to the organization that he would bring home a championship to JGR and this year, I think he will.

    Enjoy the races at Chicago and we’ll talk again when I share the View from My Recliner.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Richmond

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Richmond

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished fifth at Richmond and will start the Chase For The Cup with 2006 points, six behind first place.

    “We were much better in the pits,” Harvick said. “Fortunately, our lug nuts were the only thing that was ‘screwed’ in the pits at Richmond.

    “Now, it would be negligent of me if I didn’t address the Ryan Newman-Tony Stewart issue. I’m employed by Tony, so you can guess where I stand. I guess what I’m saying is that lawyers aren’t the only people who defend Tony.”

    2. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished fourth in the Federated Auto Parts 400, posting his 12th top 10 of the year.

    “The action didn’t really start until Tony Stewart wrecked Ryan Newman, Keselowski said. “Newman then had some choice words for Stewart. If implied accusations of a 2014 incident are the measuring stick for Newman’s vitriol, then he absolutely murdered it, or at least manslaughtered it.”

    3. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin started on the pole at Richmond and dominated the closing laps to win the Federated Auto Parts400. It was his third win of the season.

    “I had to survive one final restart after a caution with three laps to go,” Hamlin said. “That was the last of 16 cautions on the night. After the race, I approached the flag stand and asked for the yellow flag and not the checkered flag.”

    4. Kyle Busch: Busch started ninth and finished ninth at Richmond. With four wins this year, Busch will start the Chase atop the standings alongside Brad Keselowski.

    “I wouldn’t be surprised if Brad or myself fall out of first after one race,” Busch said, “because neither of us can stand to be in the same place for very long.”

    5. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex finished third at Richmond, and will start the Chase For The Cup with 2006 points, six out of the lead.

    “The No. 78 Toyota failed the post-race laser inspection,” Truex said. “You never want to fail an inspection right before the Chase For The Cup begins, because you’re likely to get ‘pointed’ in the wrong direction.”

    6. Joey Logano: Logano finished 10th at Richmond, logging his 18th top 10 of the year.

    “The Chase field is wide open,” Logano said. “You have household names, and you have some drivers who are not very well known. Let’s face it, when the Chase ends, you could hear the words ‘Chris Buescher’ and ‘2016 Sprint Cup champion,’ but probably not in the same sentence.”

    7. Kurt Busch: Busch led two laps and took eighth in the Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond.

    “There were a whopping 16 caution flags during Saturday’s race,” Busch said. “That’s just about how many red flags go up when I’m on a date.”

    8. Carl Edwards: Edwards struggled at Richmond, finishing 32nd, 41 laps off the pace.

    “How about the Virginia Tech-Tennessee football game at Bristol Motor Speedway,” Edwards said, “There were over 156,000 people in attendance. Tire wear must have been an issue at Bristol because it was a blowout.”

    9. Kyle Larson: Larson recorded his third consecutive top-5 finish with a second at Richmond.

    “Tony Stewart has intentionally wrecked two drivers in two consecutive weeks,” Larson said. “First, it was Brian Scott. Then, it was Ryan Newman. But, at least he just wrecked them.”

    10. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson finished 11th at Richmond, rebounding from a 33rd the previous week at Darlington.

    “I’m looking for No. 7,” Johnson said. “Based on my mediocre performance this season, most people say the only ‘No. 7’ I could find is Regan Smith.”

  • The 2016 Chase For The Sprint Cup, Seeds 16-13

    The 2016 Chase For The Sprint Cup, Seeds 16-13

    16. Jamie McMurray

    A few years ago, one of the biggest problems with Chip Ganassi Racing was reliability. In 2012 for example, Juan Pablo Montoya and McMurray combined for only 30 lead lap finishes. In 2010 the duo won four races including the Daytona 500 and the Brickyard 400 but both combined for 11 DNFs. In both years, neither driver made it to the Chase.

    Fast forward a few years and a driver change. Both cars are making the Chase field even though McMurray hasn’t won since 2013 and Kyle Larson has only won one race. For McMurray, consistency was key and he was the final driver who made the Chase on that strength.

    Pros

    McMurray hasn’t had a lot of raw firepower- just one top five and nine top 10s are the worst in the Chase save for Chris Buescher. What he has had, however, has been consistency. Only five times has McMurray finished outside of the top 20, he has 19 lead lap finishes out of 26 starts, and his lone DNF was in a multi-car wreck at Daytona. He has also gained a lot of momentum recently, getting four top 10s in the past five races. A quiet ride to Homestead like Ryan Newman in 2014 or Jeff Gordon (before his win at Martinsville) last year could very well be in the cards.

    Cons

    But the Chase favors that raw firepower the No. 1 team just doesn’t have right now. Sure, Newman came one spot away from winning the championship without winning a race before Homestead, but he was flat-out more consistent than McMurray before the Chase. The Chase also has five 1.5 milers, a track type where McMurray has had one top 10 this season, at a track that isn’t in the Chase (Kentucky). Finally, he’s the only driver in the Chase that hasn’t led a single lap all season.

    Overall

    McMurray has momentum coming in and could very easily ride that to round two, then maybe get a surprise win at Talladega (Historically strong track for him and the site of his lone top five this year) to make it to round three. After that? I’m just not seeing him making it to Homestead. He was unimpressive at both Phoenix and Texas earlier this season while finishing outside of the top 20 at Martinsville.

    15. Austin Dillon

    Austin Dillon entered this season needing to improve. He had looked rather unimpressive in his rookie season in 2014 outside of winning the Daytona 500 pole and had regressed in 2015 with a much worse average finish. Then this year rolled around.

    Dillon had four top 10s in the first six races of the season and finished that stretch seventh in points, compare that to 21st in the final 2015 point standings. By comparison, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. also started the season off strong and was 11th in points after the third race of the season. But unlike Stenhouse, Dillon rode the wave of momentum well enough to make his first Chase.

    Pros

    As Richard Childress Racing’s lone hope in the Chase, no doubt Dillon will have even more of the team’s resources at his disposal. Dillon has also shown variation, having good runs on 1.5 milers, superspeedways, and short tracks. Finally, Dillon has a certain swagger about him not a lot of other young drivers carry. He’s used to having it his way, and sometimes that’s a good thing…

    Cons

    … And sometimes that’s a bad thing. Although he hasn’t had problems recently with his team, he has been known at times to get heated with crew chief “Slugger” Labbe over the radio this season. Dillon has also had consistency problems at times, never stringing together more than two top tens in a row this season. Like McMurray, the No. 3 Chevrolet also just hasn’t had the firepower other teams have had this season. That’s expected, however- the top RCR teams the last few years lack in wins but made up for it by being reliable.

    Overall

    Dillon is a noted Carolina Panthers fan. So using that, I’m going to say that his season so far has been like the 2014 Carolina Panthers; a losing team that ended up making the playoffs. His team is loaded with potential and has the chance to be as great as the 2015 Carolina Panthers someday, but they just aren’t there yet. Sure, he could make it past a round in the playoffs like the Panthers did that year but the moment he’s going up against a legitimate championship contender for a spot, he’s probably not winning. It’s more important instead that he builds on this season regardless of the result and has a good five years instead of an okay one.

    14. Chase Elliott

    No driver has entered their maiden season in the Sprint Cup Series with more pressure to perform than Chase Elliott. Sure, Kyle Petty and Dale Earnhardt Jr. had Hall of Fame dads to live up to. But they didn’t have to replace another Hall of Famer and a top-five driver in just about everybody’s all-time list. On the flip side, Joey Logano and Kevin Harvick started their Sprint Cup careers off taking the wheel from a legendary driver. But neither had Bill Elliott as a father as well.

    So far, Chase has done a pretty decent job. No wins but tenth in the regular season points before the Chase seeding and arguably has been the most consistent Hendrick driver this season. He also has a better average finish and more top tens than Jeff Gordon had in his own rookie season, which had to be a goal set forward by the team before this season.

    Pros

    Chase has come close to winning a couple of times this season and has shown he can compete for wins. That already makes him a better choice to make the final four than the other three drivers profiled in this article. Elliott also had strong top ten runs at six Chase tracks earlier this season- Kansas, Phoenix, Texas, Dover, Talladega, and Charlotte.

    Cons

    Elliott just hasn’t broken out yet and gotten that first Sprint Cup win. Dillon hasn’t either, but Dillon has confidence in his abilities. Elliott doesn’t, as seen in his now infamously somber post-race interviews of blaming himself for not winning. A win would offset a lot of that- a successful, championship contending driver is also a confident driver. Hendrick Motorsports as a whole has been down this year, and although Chase has some momentum heading into the Chase, his team is largely still behind the Larsons and Toyotas of the world. Finally, to be honest, I’m not that sold on Alan Gustafson being Elliott’s crew chief of the future. He’s had two seasons where he was a top five crew chief- 2009 with Mark Martin and 2014 with Jeff Gordon- and he also had some good seasons with Kyle Busch early on, but his teams have been pretty mediocre otherwise. He also isn’t getting younger in crew chief years- most retire around year ten and he’s in his 12th season.

    Overall

    It’s remarkable just how much a natural Elliott is at driving a Sprint Cup car. He jumped into this car after just a handful of starts last year and after Richmond is higher in points than Gordon was after Richmond last season. But I don’t think he has the poise and the seasoning just yet to make it to Homestead like Gordon did last year.

    13. Chris Buescher

    Two months ago, nobody in a million years would have picked Chris Buescher to make the Chase, but here we are. Buesche and Elliott are the only two rookies in the Chase and are the first to be so since Denny Hamlin in 2006.

    When the current Chase rules were announced in 2014, some feared that a driver would get a fluke victory and make the Chase that way. Not to throw shade at Buescher, but honestly, he is kind of the first driver to make it in like that.

    Pros

    Honestly, the only real pro that Buescher has right now is he’s playing with house money. Nobody, probably not even himself, thought he’d be in the Chase before this season. He’s going to be the ultimate gambler in the Chase because that’s probably the only way his underpowered and understaffed team is going to advance.

    Cons

    Outside of laps led, laps completed, and total starts, Chris Buescher has the lowest totals in all relevant stat categories heading into the Chase.

    Overall

    There’s always a possibility that Buescher can win a surprise race again and make it to round two, win a wildcard plate race at Talladega to make it to round three, then five cars get hit by lightning three weeks in a row and Buescher makes the final four at Homestead. There’s also always a possibility somebody could win the lottery after buying one ticket. Let’s be honest- barring anything I mentioned above actually happening, there’s very little chance Buescher will make it out of Dover still in the Chase. But just making the Chase, to begin with, might as well be a championship for his small Front Row Motorsports team.

  • NASCAR Racing Schedule for Richmond

    NASCAR Racing Schedule for Richmond

    The NASCAR Sprint Cup and XFINITY Series travel to Richmond International Raceway this weekend while the Camping World Truck Series is off. Please check below for the complete schedule of events.

    All times are Eastern.

    Friday, Sept. 9:

    On Track:
    8-9:55 a.m.: XFINITY Series First Practice – NBCSN/NBC Sports App
    10-10:55 a.m.: Sprint Cup Series First Practice – NBCSN/NBC Sports App
    Noon-1:25 p.m.: Sprint Cup Series Final Practice – NBCSN/NBC Sports App
    4:15 p.m.: XFINITY Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying – NBCSN/NBC Sports App
    5:45 p.m.: Sprint Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying – NBCSN/NBC Sports App
    7:30 p.m.: XFINITY Series Virginia529 College Savings 250 (250 laps, 187.5 miles) – NBCSN/NBC Sports App

    Garage Cam: (Watch live)
    11:30 a.m.: Sprint Cup Series

    Press Conferences: (Watch live)
    11 a.m.: Carl Edwards
    11:15 a.m.: Ryan Reed
    11:30 a.m.: Elliott Sadler
    2:15 p.m.: Austin Dillon
    2:30 p.m.: Chris Buescher
    6:45 p.m.: Post-Sprint Cup Qualifying (time approx.)
    9:30 p.m.: Post-XFINITY Race (time approx.)

    Saturday, Sept. 10:

    On Track:
    7:30 p.m.: Sprint Cup Series Federated Auto Parts 400 (400 laps, 300 miles) – NBCSN/NBC Sports App

    Press Conferences (Watch live)
    10:30 p.m.: Post-Sprint Cup Race (time approx.)

     

     

    Complete NASCAR TV Schedule

     

     

     Find NBCSN in your area | Watch live online at NBCSports.com

     

     

  • Dale Earnhardt Jr. – ‘My heart wants me to continue’

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. – ‘My heart wants me to continue’

    DARLINGTON, S.C. — On September 2, Hendrick Motorsports announced that Dale Earnhardt Jr. would miss the remainder of the 2016 season. Earnhardt has been sidelined since the race at Kentucky due to concussion-like symptoms that his doctors have traced back to an accident that took place at Michigan International Speedway on June 12 during the FireKeepers Casino 400. His symptoms took several weeks to appear prompting Earnhardt to see a neurological specialist in mid-July. After missing seven races, including the Southern 500 at Darlington, the decision was made to sit out the remainder of this season.

    Sunday he stopped by Darlington Raceway to discuss this decision. He was accompanied by Micky Collins, the Medical Director of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Sports Medicine Concussion Program and team owner, Rick Hendrick.

    Earnhardt entered the media center wearing the glasses that have become familiar in the last few weeks and while he seemed a little nervous, there was also a sense of relief present in having made a decision that many feared was coming.

    He began by saying, “I feel like the recovery is going really good. I’m starting to see improvements as we are going. It seems like this has lasted a really long time, but when you look at it on paper it has been a very short period and the gains that I’ve felt in that short period give me a lot of confidence that this is going in the right direction. And all the stuff and hard work we are doing is paying off.”

    Earnhardt also talked about being back at the track with this teammates, stating it was “certainly fun to be here at the race track and to be able to see the team and be in this atmosphere that you get so used to being in week in and week out. I’m happy to be here today and it certainly is a place where you get pretty good exposure and it drives your symptoms a little bit so I’m getting some good exercise as we speak.”

    He went on to describe the healing process as interesting and said that he has “learned a ton.” Some of the issues he’s encountered include vision problems, balance difficulties and anxiety.

    “I struggled with my eyes for a while and I’m starting to see improvements there which I was thrilled to wake up one day and feel a difference and start to see improvement there. Riding in a car or walking to gain stability that I’ve talked about before is starting to improve, which was a major relief for me because that was probably the most difficult thing to deal with throughout the day because it was there 24 hours a day. My balance is miles better than it was when I first went to see Micky.  We do a lot of exercises every single day.”

    Earnhardt gave much of the credit for the gains he’s made in his recovery to his fiancée, Amy Reimann, who has provided encouragement and even participated in his daily exercises.

    “Amy has been there every step of the way pushing me to stay focused and to realize the progress we have made and to keep working hard. It’s been a good experience and I’m looking forward to getting well and definitely on the right track.”

    Collins explained that there are six types of concussions and discussed Earnhardt’s particular areas of concern.

    “We have learned a tremendous amount about concussions over the last five or 10 years and we understand this injury could happen to anyone,” Collins said. “What happens with a concussion is the brain moves inside the skull and when the brain moves inside the skull we have learned a number of chemical changes that happen to the neurons or the cells in the brain and at the end of the day what occurs is there is an energy problem with the cells. We have actually learned now that there are six different clinical profiles or different types of concussions that we see.

    Earnhardt, Collins reiterated, “was having problems with the vestibular system, with the ocular system and with some anxiety and mood issues that is very much associated with these problems. Collins further explained the treatment and prognosis, saying “We have made progress with this injury to the point where we actually matched treatments to the different types of concussions that can occur and we have very specific treatments that can treat these different problems that Dale’s experiencing. In fact, over the last two or three weeks I’m pleased to tell you that the fruits of that labor are now paying off.  Dale has been a model patient. I know this is cliché sitting up here, but Dale has worked as hard as any patient that I treat currently or in the past. He has been very diligent about doing his therapies and we actually have very specific treatments that are targeting these problems that Dale has and we are seeing the benefits of that.”

    Collins added that he had two goals for Earnhardt.

    “When I first saw Dale, my goal was to see Dale become a human being again and I can tell you with confidence that is occurring in front of our eyes. He is feeling better. He can tolerate a lot more. He is having fewer and fewer symptoms and is doing very well. To me, that is the number one goal is to get Dale feeling as normal as a human being. The second goal is Dale becoming a race car driver again. Yes, we will be working on that as well. I’m very confident that we are moving in the right direction in that respect.”

    In the beginning, Earnhardt did not expect the healing process to be this lengthy.

    “When we first went to see Micky I anticipated the experience to be similar to what I had in the past.  That we would work on getting better and it would happen in a relatively short period of time and I would drive a car before the end of the season. “

    As time passed, however, he was faced with something quite different.

    “I think as we continued to go get evaluated,” he said, “we realized that it is going to be a bit more of a process.”

    While he’s disappointed that he won’t be back in the racecar this season, Earnhardt also feels it’s the correct move and that having a definite plan has helped him to heal more quickly.

    “I think it’s the right decision considering how I feel personally and physically. I definitely don’t belong in a race car today by any stretch of the imagination. You don’t know how long this process is going to take and we want to be healthy and able to compete at some point, but also we don’t want to take any risks and re-injury ourselves or put ourselves in a situation where we can basically erase all the hard work that we have done to get better.”

    “To have a definite plan where everybody is on board with, that Rick’s comfortable with, that I’m comfortable with, that Micky’s comfortable with, has really made it a much easier process for me,” Earnhardt explained.

    “But I get to go do all my sponsor requirements and appearances,” he continued. “I went to Wal-Mart for Mountain Dew this past week. So, I’m well enough to continue to honor my commitments with my partners. Really, the only thing I can’t do is just get in a car and race. I can drive down the highway. Now that my symptoms have improved I feel much more comfortable doing that. Getting back to normal is right there in the near future. I’m getting better every day.”

    Rick Hendrick has assured Earnhardt that his car will be waiting for him when he is ready.

    “The seat is his and I expect, we’ve got a lot of time between now and Daytona. I saw him like two or three weeks ago and then I saw him last Monday and I saw him today, the improvements have been phenomenal and listening to the doctor we are excited about Dale Earnhardt Jr. being in the car at Daytona and we’ve got right much time, excited about him racing beyond 2017.”

    Hendrick likened Earnhardt to “a member of the family” portraying a relationship that is as much personal as it is business and he even got in a little ribbing.

    “I care about him as a person probably as much or more, than as a race car driver. So, I’ve been concerned. But, I’ve been surprised how hard he’s worked. I shouldn’t say that” he said quickly, laughing, “But he sends me video as proof.”

    On a more serious note, Hendrick described his organization as a tight knit family that is there for one another.

    “We’re like a family there at Motorsports and all the drivers and crew chiefs, you see the team light up when he shows up. It’s just like anytime you have a member of your family hurt or sick or going through something,” he said, “everybody wants to rally to help him. I don’t think there is any way you’d have gotten Jeff Gordon back in a race car other than helping the organization and helping Dale. And I think that’s proof of that. We just feel good. I’ve seen the progress. The sponsors have been super. They all care about him. They care about him so much that they want him to be on the cautious side.”

    It obviously hasn’t been an easy decision but it’s a smart one, and it should not be confused with apathy. Earnhardt wants it all and he’s not ready to settle for less.

    “But my heart wants me to continue,” Earnhardt emphasized, “and wants me to continue to be working with the guys I’ve got. I’m only 41. I think I have some good years left. I’m as good as I have ever been inside the car. My ability to communicate and drive the car and get everything out of it, I feel very confident. I feel like I’m still an asset to the team and to the company. Rick likes to say we have unfinished business.

    “I certainly feel the same way. We have races to win. We went through this process in 2012. It was very scary and difficult. Micky told me that I would one day be well and I would win races again, and he was right. We got well, and I had some of the greatest years and racing experiences of my career shortly after that. And so, he’s telling me that this is possible again, and I believe it. And if we work hard enough and we really rehab these systems, anything is possible from here on out. So, I’m very positive and feeling very good and am confident about the future.”

    The future may look uncertain but opportunity often arises from misfortune. Earnhardt’s 2016 season is over but the possibilities for next season are endless and there’s unfinished business that needs his attention.

     

  • Darlington Honors Five-Time Southern 500 Winner Cale Yarborough

    Darlington Honors Five-Time Southern 500 Winner Cale Yarborough

    DARLINGTON, S.C. — Darlington Raceway paid tribute to the Timmonsville, South Carolina native, Cale Yarborough, Saturday morning in a special ceremony at the track. In his honor, the Darlington Raceway Sprint Cup Garage was renamed the Cale Yarborough Garage.

    New track president Kerry Tharp presided over the event, saying, “The gentleman (Cale Yarborough) to my right is an icon in our sport.” He went on to cite some of the 2012 NASCAR Hall of Famer’s accomplishments.

    “He won three straight NASCAR premier SERIES championships, from ’76-’78. He won four Daytona 500s. He posted 83 career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victories and 69 poles.” Tharp then concluded by saying, “Ladies and gentlemen it gives me great honor, privilege, to dedicate the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series garage here at Darlington Raceway, (which) will be forever known as the Cale Yarborough Garage.”

    Yarborough was all smiles as he talked about his memories of Darlington Raceway.

    Cale Yarborough at Darlington Raceway Photo Credit: Tucker White
    Cale Yarborough at Darlington Raceway Photo Credit: Tucker White

    “It means an awful lot to me, he said. “ As you say I was born and raised just across a few swamps from here and Darlington Raceway has always been my favorite racetrack in the world. And to have this honor is just great. It’s something that I will always remember and I still get goosebumps when I come round this place.  I wouldn’t take nothing for winning the 1968 Southern 500, the last race run on the original Darlington racetrack. It’s been a great place for me and I thank you for the honor.”

    Yarborough also spoke about his first trip to the track.

    “I came over here in 1951, I believe, with some friends of mine from school, and I didn’t have enough money to buy a ticket to get in so I walked around the race track and  found a place in the fence that was high enough I thought I could slip under it and that’s what I did.”

    “I slipped under the fence and,” he continued, “I knew that day that this is what I wanted to do and what I wanted to be.”

    “But since that day I slipped under the fence, I have been on top of the fence, I’ve been over the fence,” he added, alluding to the complexity of the track that is aptly named “Too Tough to Tame.

    Yarborough will lead the field to green Sunday evening for the Bojangles’ Southern 500 as the honorary pace car driver. The race will be broadcast on NBC at 6 p.m. ET.

     

     

     

  • Dale Earnhardt Jr. to Miss Remainder of 2016 Season

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. to Miss Remainder of 2016 Season

    By: HendrickMotorsports.com

    CONCORD, N.C. – Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the No. 88 Chevrolet SS for Hendrick Motorsports, has not been medically cleared to compete for the remainder of the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season as he continues to recover from a concussion.

    Earnhardt has missed the last six Sprint Cup races while undergoing treatment. He has been regularly evaluated at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Sports Medicine Concussion Program under the direction of Dr. Micky Collins and with Charlotte neurosurgeon Dr. Jerry Petty.

    “I wish I could return to the No. 88 team this season,” Earnhardt said. “To say I’m disappointed doesn’t begin to describe how I feel, but I know this is the right thing for my long-term health and career. I’m 100 percent focused on my recovery, and I will continue to follow everything the doctors tell me. They’re seeing good progress in my test results, and I’m feeling that progress physically. I plan to be healthy and ready to compete at Daytona in February. I’m working toward that.

    “The support from both inside and outside the race team has been overwhelming. Everyone has been so encouraging and positive, from my teammates and sponsors to my family, friends and fans. It’s motivating and humbling at the same time.”

    Jeff Gordon and Alex Bowman will drive for the No. 88 team in the season’s 12 remaining races. In Earnhardt’s absence, four-time Cup Series champion Gordon, 45, filled in at Indianapolis, Pocono, Watkins Glen and Bristol. Bowman, 23, drove at New Hampshire and Michigan.

    “I know how hard Dale has worked and how frustrating this is for him,” said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. “He wants to be back, and we want him back, but we want it to be for the long haul. We’ve had incredible support from everyone involved with the team, including all of our sponsors. They’ve put Dale’s health first every step of the way.

    “Jeff and Alex will give us a great opportunity over the rest of the season. Jeff is one of the best of all time and knows our system. He brings things to the table that no one else can. Alex is a young driver with a lot of talent, and he will give us a fresh perspective. We know they’re not only capable of running up front and giving us a chance to win, but they’ll help us get better.”

    NO. 88 DRIVER SCHEDULE:

    Sept. 4, Darlington Raceway – Jeff Gordon*
    Sept. 10, Richmond International Raceway – Jeff Gordon
    Sept. 18, Chicagoland Speedway – Alex Bowman
    Sept. 25, New Hampshire Motor Speedway – Alex Bowman
    Oct. 2, Dover International Speedway – Jeff Gordon
    Oct. 8, Charlotte Motor Speedway – Alex Bowman
    Oct. 16, Kansas Speedway – Alex Bowman
    Oct. 23, Talladega Superspeedway – Alex Bowman
    Oct. 30, Martinsville Speedway – Jeff Gordon
    Nov. 6, Texas Motor Speedway – Alex Bowman
    Nov. 13, Phoenix International Raceway – Alex Bowman
    Nov. 20, Homestead-Miami Speedway – Alex Bowman

    *Previously announced

  • NASCAR Racing Schedule for Darlington (Updated) and Canadian Tire

    NASCAR Racing Schedule for Darlington (Updated) and Canadian Tire

    The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and XFINITY Series head to Darlington Raceway this weekend as the Camping World Truck Series travels to Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. Please check below for the complete schedule of events.

    All times are Eastern.

    Friday, Sept. 2: – All At-Track Activity and Press Conferences for Darlington Canceled Due to Anticipated Inclement Weather

    Friday grandstand ticket holders may bring their ticket to the ticket office on Saturday and receive $5 off an admission to the NASCAR XFINITY Series VFW Sport Clips Help A Hero 200 race.

    Saturday, Sept. 3:

    Qualifying Canceled for the Sprint Cup Series and the XFINITY Series – The lineup will be set per the rulebook which states that the current year owner’s points determine the starting positions if qualifying is canceled. As a result, Kevin Harvick will start from the pole for the Bojangles’ Southern 500 Sunday. Paul Menard will lead the field to green in the XFINITY Series VFW Sport Clips Help A Hero 200 race Saturday afternoon.

    On-Track at Darlington:
    9-9:55 a.m.: XFINITY Series Final Practice – Live Leaderboard
    11 a.m.-12:25 p.m.: Sprint Cup Series Practice – CNBC, Simulcast on NBCSN from 11:30-12:30
    1:30 p.m.-2:50 p.m.: Sprint Cup Series Final Practice –  NBCSN
    3:30 p.m.: XFINITY Series VFW Sport Clips Help a Hero 200 (147 laps, 200.8 miles) – NBC
    Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR)

    Garage Cam: (Watch live)
    1 p.m.: Sprint Cup Series

    Press Conferences: (Watch live)
    9:30 a.m.: Chase Elliott
    12:35 p.m.: Carl Edwards
    12:50 p.m.: NMPA/Sprint Most Popular Driver announcement
    5:15 p.m..: Post-XFINITY Race (time approx.)

    On-Track at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park:
    9:30-10:25 a.m.: Camping World Truck Series First Practice – Live Leaderboard
    11:35 a.m.-12:55 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series Final Practice – Live Leaderboard
    5:45 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series Keystone Light Pole Qualifying – FS2

    Sunday, Sept. 4:

    On Track at Darlington:
    6 p.m.: Sprint Cup Series Bojangles’ Southern 500 (367 laps, 501.3 miles) -NBC/NBC Sports App (Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR)

    Press Conferences: (Watch live)
    2:30 p.m.: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports, and Dr. Micky Collins of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Sports Medicine Concussion Program
    3 p.m.: Darrell Waltrip, NASCAR Hall of Fame member
    3:15 p.m.: Mark Martin, Bojangles’ Southern 500 Grand Marshal and 2017 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee
    3:30 p.m.: Barry Williams, Bojangles’ Southern 500 National Anthem Performer
    10:30 p.m.: Post-Sprint Cup Race (time approx.)

    On Track at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park:
    2:30 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series Chevrolet Silverado 250 (64 laps, 157.37 miles) – FS1 (Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR)

     

    Find NBCSN in your area | Watch live online at NBCSports.com

    Complete NASCAR TV Schedule

     

    [pdf-embedder url=”http://www.speedwaymedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Starting-lineup-for-Southern-500-2016.pdf” title=”Starting lineup for Southern 500 2016″]

  • NASCAR 2016 – Recap Of The Most Memorable Moments

    NASCAR 2016 – Recap Of The Most Memorable Moments

    One of the most appealing things about NASCAR is that it seems to produce memorable moments every weekend and 2016 is no exception. Whether it be close finishes, lug-nut controversies, or rookies taking poles, the first half of this year has not failed in producing much excitement. So, let’s take a look at some of the most iconic and memorable moments that this sport has already produced this year.

    1. Denny Hamlin Wins in Photo Finish at Daytona 500

    On February 21, Denny Hamlin won the Daytona 500, but, just barely. Hamlin crossed the finish line at about 0.01 seconds faster than the next nearest car, which was Furniture Row Racing’s Martin Truex Jr., a fellow Toyota driver. It was the closest Daytona 500 race finish that Daytona International Speedway has ever experienced and the first Daytona 500 victory for Toyota.

    Hamlin, who led for a little over half of the race, claimed that it was a team victory, as for much of the race his teammates, Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards, along with Truex (Furniture Row Racing has a technical alliance with JGR) led the top four positions. Otherwise, Hamlin was able to make a run on the outside lane in the closing seconds of the race to win one of the greatest Daytona 500 finishes of all time.

    2. Kevin Harvick Beats Carl Edwards to the Finish Line at Phoenix 

    Another exciting photo finish occurred in mid-march of this year, at the Phoenix International Raceway. In fact, Kevin Harvick beat out Carl Edwards at PIR by the exact same time that Denny Hamlin won the Daytona 500, 0.01 seconds, and this was the closest ever race in Phoenix.

    The final two laps at PIR in 2016 were rather bumpy, as Harvick and Edwards exchanged nudges up to the last few seconds. In fact, the two cars collided twice during the final quarter-mile. In the third and fourth turn Harvick just barely missed the bottom and Edwards took the opportunity to tear into Harvick, which proved to be essentially ineffective. In the end, Edwards just barely pulled out one of the greatest races that PIR has seen in a long time.

    3. Chase Elliott Wins the Pole at Talladega

    Widely known is the fact that Jeff Gordon retired after the 2015 season and chose Chase Elliott as his replacement. Less widely known, however, is just how great of a driver Elliot really is. That is until he won the pole at Talladega this year. Thirty years ago, Elliott’s father, Bill Elliott, earned the top starting spot at Talladega, with a qualifying speed of 212.229 mph, setting the track’s speed record and coincidentally won the 1986 Daytona 500. Three decades later, Chase is living up to the family name. He not only won the pole for the 2016 Daytona 500, becoming the youngest pole-sitter in Daytona’s history at twenty years of age but also won this year’s Geico 500 pole at Talladega Superspeedway, endangering the position of many NASCAR veterans.

    Otherwise, in 2016, Chase has seven top-fives, finishing fifth at Texas Motor Speedway, fourth at Bristol Motor Speedway, fifth at Talladega Superspeedway, third at Dover International Speedway, fourth at Pocono Raceway and second in both races at Michigan International Speedway. He could have finished much better at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, as he was in the top five with 40 laps to go. However, he crashed and finished 38th. For such a young man, Chase is really racking up the stats and will likely be the real deal for years to come.

    4. The Lug Nut Controversy

    At the beginning of the 2015 season, NASCAR ceased monitoring how many lug nuts were placed on car wheels during pit stops. NASCAR informed drivers that there would no longer be officials in every pit box and that it would be up to each team to make sure that a car’s lug nuts were put properly in place. Many drivers and their crews have taken advantage of this to reduce pit stop times, by only securing as few as three lug nuts.

    This, of course, had some drivers genuinely upset. In mid-April, USA Today reported that Tony Stewart was “beyond mad,” largely because of the newly developed “epidemic” of loose wheels on the track. Stewart warned the NASCAR world that it is only a matter of time before something terrible happened. For the most part, Stewart claims NASCAR has done a fine job in ensuring the safety of drivers, such as requiring safety changes to superspeedway cars in technical bulletins. However, on the “lug nut issue,” Stewart felt like NASCAR officials were dropping the ball.

    NASCAR fined Stewart $35,000 for his remarks but soon after revised their policy. On April 25 they sent a memo to all the teams stating that each wheel must have five lug nuts installed in a proper manner. Failure to do so will result in the driver being called back to the pits during the race. If  the infraction is found after the race, the crew chief will be fined a minimum of $20,000 and receive a one-race suspension.

    Some have suggested changes to car specifications that would speed up pit stop times and general safety, such as changing wheel requirements to use a single hub for the wheels of NASCAR cars. However, going from one lug nut to a single hub nut and bolt assembly similar to the open wheel series requires a shift in car specifications, namely, the front and rear suspension. So far, NASCAR has been unwilling to do this.

    5. Tony Stewart Wins at Sonoma

    The NASCAR fan favorite and much-respected veteran Tony Stewart hadn’t won a race in over three years. This was largely due to the fact that Stewart had suffered personal tragedies and various injuries. But, in April of this year, Stewart came back after recovering from injuries sustained on an all-terrain vehicle in February and went on to win at Sonoma Raceway in June. It was an especially sweet victory for Stewart because Sonoma has been one of Stewart’s career best tracks and he beat out this year’s Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin to gain the victory. Stewart, in dramatic fashion, pushed Hamlin into the outside wall in Turn 11 for a last lap pass for the Sonoma victory at the Toyota Save Mart 350.

    More to Come in 2016

    Of course, I could have discussed many other exciting events and NASCAR drama that has already unfolded this year, such as the long-awaited first race victory of 2016 for Matt Kenseth, the drama filled “bump-and-run” episode between Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards at Richmond International Raceway, or Jeff Gordon calling out the Brad Keselowski team for an illegal body modification on a pit stop. But these were my top five picks for the most exciting NASCAR events in 2016. With all the excitement that 2016 has already brought us, the rest of the season is sure to bring us more memorable moments.