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NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Michigan

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished fifth at Michigan and maintained the lead in the Sprint Cup points standings. He leads second-place Brad Keselowski by 25 points.

“Kyle Larson ran a great race,” Harvick said, “as did runner-up Chase Elliott. Those are two of the youngest drivers in NASCAR. Their combined age is 44. So, you could say ‘Youth was served’ on Sunday at Michigan, but not before ID’s were checked.”

2. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished third at Michigan, posting his 11th top-five result of the season.

“Recent wind tunnel testing showed that Fords are at an aerodynamic disadvantage to the Chevys and Toyotas,” Keselowski said. “Who cares? You know what I say to the wind tunnel engineers when the No. 2 Miller Lite is set for testing? ‘Blow me.’”

3. Joey Logano: Logano started on the pole at Michigan and led 24 laps en route to a 10th-place finish.

“That’s my second pole at Michigan this season,” Logano said. “This is amazing! Usually, when I hear the word ‘pole,’ it’s preceded by the word ‘bean.’”

4. Kyle Busch: Busch suffered an early spin at Michigan and fell a lap down before eventually finishing 19th. He is sixth in the points standings, 103 out of first.

“The No. 18 car got away from me,” Busch said, “much like the No. 5 car ‘got away from me’ when I was a young, stubborn pain in the butt with Hendrick Motorsports. But I’ve matured. Now, I’m an older, stubborn pain in the butt with Joe Gibbs Racing.”

5. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin qualified third and raced to a ninth-place finish at Michigan, posting his 13th top-10 result of the year.

“Congratulation to Kyle Larson,” Hamlin said. “He has a ton of talent and is going to be challenging for wins for years to come. Kyle epitomizes the future of NASCAR because he’s white.”

6. Kurt Busch: Busch took 12th in the Pure Michigan 400, joining Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Kevin Harvick in the top 12.

“Our other teammates, Tony Stewart and Danica Patrick, had mediocre days,” Busch said. “Danica hasn’t had a top-12 finish all year. She’s lucky she has a job, and she’s lucky that Tony is fond of her. There’s nothing that Tony likes more than a meal ticket, and that’s being a meal ticket.”

7. Carl Edwards: Edwards started ninth in the Pure Michigan 400 and finished seventh, two spots behind Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin in seventh.

“Michigan’s two-mile D-shaped layout is a really fast track,” Edwards said. “Top speeds approached 220 miles per hour. That’s pure speed, and that’s certainly fitting in the Pure Michigan 400. Brooklyn, Michigan is proud to host this race, and I’m sure the town of Flint, Michigan would be proud to host the ‘Pure Water 400.’”

8. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex struggled to a 20th-place finish in the Pure Michigan 400.

“The day belonged to Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott,” Truex said. “I never really was competitive. In the Furniture Row’s chair department parlance, I took a ‘back seat’ to those guys.”

9. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson started second and led 37 laps at Michigan on his way to a sixth-place finish.

“We had a slow pit stop just past the midway point,” Johnson said. “That’s because the gas man had a problem getting the fuel in the tank. For this race, my gas man earned an octane rating of zero.”

10. Kyle Larson: Larson passed Chase Elliott on a restart with nine laps remaining to capture the Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway. The win secured a spot for Larson in the Chase For The Cup, which begins September 18 at Chicagoland.

“I made Elliott my ‘Target,” Larson said, “and the Chase was on. That was a sponsor plug, a rival driver plug, and a plug for the NASCAR postseason in one sentence. I have truly arrived in this sport.”

August 29, 2016
Four Gears: Road Courses, Justin Marks, Track Themes and the XFINITY Chase

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

August 19, 2016
NASCAR Racing Schedule for Bristol

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, XFINITY Series and Camping World Truck Series all head to Bristol Motor Speedway this week. Please check below for the complete schedule of events.

All times are Eastern.

Wednesday, Aug. 17:

On Track:
9:30-10:25 a.m.: Camping World Truck Series First Practice – FS1
11:30 a.m.-12:25 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series Final Practice – FS1
4:45 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series Keystone Light Pole Qualifying – FS2
8:30 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series UNOH 200 (200 laps, 106.6 miles) – FS1
Radio: MRN and SiriusXM Radio

Press Conference: (Watch Live)
10 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series Post-Race (time approx.)

Thursday, Aug. 18:

On Track:
1-2:25 p.m.: XFINITY Series First Practice – NBC Sports App
3:30-4:25 p.m.: XFINITY Series Final Practice – NBC Sports App

Press Conference: (Watch Live)
3 p.m.: Ty Dillon

Friday, Aug. 19:

On Track:
10-11:25 a.m.: Sprint Cup Series First Practice – NBC Sports App
12:30-1:55 p.m.: Sprint Cup Series Final Practice – NBC Sports App and USA
3:15 p.m.: XFINITY Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying – NBC Sports App
5:45 p.m.: Sprint Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying – USA
7:30 p.m.: XFINITY Series Food City 300 (300 laps, 159.9 miles) – USA
Radio: PRN and SiriusXM Radio

Garage Cam: (Watch live)
Noon: Sprint Cup Series

Press Conferences: (Watch live)
8:30 a.m.: Chris Buescher
8:45 a.m.: Trevor Bayne
9 a.m.: Jimmie Johnson
9:15 a.m.: Austin Dillon
9:30 a.m.: Matt Tifft
11:35 a.m.: Carl Edwards
11:50 a.m.: Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
4:15 p.m.: Charlotte Motor Speedway with Chase Elliott
6:45 p.m.: Sprint Cup Series Post-Qualifying (time approx.)
9:45 p.m.: XFINITY Series Post-Race (time approx.)

Saturday, Aug 20:

On Track:
8 p.m.: Sprint Cup Series Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race (500 laps, 266.5 miles) – NBCSN – POSTPONED until Sunday at 1 p.m. ET on CNBC
Radio: PRN and SiriusXM Radio

Press Conference: (Watch live)
Sprint Cup Series Post-Race (following end of race)

Complete NASCAR TV Schedule and Channel Finder

August 16, 2016
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Watkins Glen

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski started 12th and finished third after battling with Martin Truex Jr. on the final lap at Watkins Glen. Keselowski leads Sprint Cup points standings by nine over Kevin Harvick.

“I didn’t mean to spin Truex,” Keselowski said, “so I plan on apologizing to Martin in person in the near future. And, as you would expect for a personal apology to take place, you have to ‘make contact.’”

2. Kyle Busch: Busch finished sixth in the Cheez-It 355 At The Glen, posting his 15th top 10 of the year.

“Brad Keselowski and myself were battling so hard for the lead late in the race,” Busch said, “that we allowed Denny Hamlin to pass us both for the lead. Finally, something Brad and I can agree on.”

3. Kevin Harvick: Harvick’s day at Watkins Glen came to a halt six laps from the end when he was involved in a crash with Chris Buescher and David Ragan. Harvick finished 32nd

“The No. 4 Busch Chevrolet was fast,” Harvick said, “but I got collected in a crash that caused serious damage. So, instead of heading to the mountains of Busch, I headed straight to the garage.”

4. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin won the Cheez-It 355 At The Glen, holding off a hard-charging Martin Truex Jr. down the stretch.

“As you may recall,” Hamlin said, “I let Tony Stewart win at Sonoma’s road course earlier this season. That wasn’t going to happen at Watkins Glen, no matter how bad Tony needed a win. What I said to Tony is something someone should have said to him long ago—‘no free lunches.’”

5. Joey Logano: Logano finished second at Watkins Glen, one day after winning Saturday’s XFINITY Series race.

“I was so close to completing the weekend sweep,” Logano said. “Sadly, it wasn’t to be. I couldn’t bring the ‘broom,’ but I did bring the broom handle, which would be my skinny body. But I’ll put my abilities up against anyone in this sport. It just goes to show that you can be a heavyweight and a lightweight at the same time.”

6. Kurt Busch: Busch finished 11th in the Cheez-It 355, just missing out on his 17th top-10 finish of the year.

“Road course racing really tests your braking ability,” Busch said. “You have to know exactly how hard you can brake without causing a mechanical failure. I should know, because I’ve pushed hundreds of cars, and even more people, to the ‘braking’ point.”

7. Carl Edwards: Edwards started on the pole at Watkins Glen and led 25 laps on his way to a 15th in the Cheez-It 355.

“That’s two poles at road courses this season,” Edwards said. “That’s two more than wins I have at road course races this year. If you give me one lap to dominate on a road course, it most definitely won’t be the last lap.”

8. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex stalked Denny Hamlin over the closing laps at Watkins Glen before he was spun by Brad Keselowski. Truex finished eighth and is now eighth in the points standings,

“I was initially upset with Brad,” Truex said. “You could see that after the race. During the ‘cool down’ lap, I was hot, and Brad was ‘not cool.’

“But I later realized it was just what is known as a ‘racing incident.’ So, if I happen to wreck Brad sometime later this year, just chalk it up to ‘incidental’ contact.”

9. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson suffered a number of penalties before his day ended abruptly when he slammed into Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s spinning No. 17 car in a lap 53 crash.

“It’s a day I’d like to forget,” Johnson said. “But I think it’s a really bad time to wish for ‘memory loss.’”

10. Tony Stewart: Stewart took fifth in the Cheez-It 355, posting his fifth top five of the season. Stewart is 26th in the points standings.

“There were ‘Cheez-It’ billboards all over the Watkins Glen complex,” Stewart said. “And ‘Cheez-It’ was all over Greg Biffle’s No. 16 car. So, like one would expect, a NASCAR race was full of ‘crackers.’”

August 9, 2016
Four Gears: Chris Buescher, crew chief swaps, road courses and ‘ringers’

Time to cycle through the transmission for this week’s edition of Four Gears.

This week, our staff takes a look at some of the hot topics in the world of NASCAR. We discuss Chris Buescher getting into the Chase, ponder if Hendrick Motorsports should make some crew chief swaps, move a road course into the Chase and wonder if the bygone days of the “road course ringers” are a good thing or a bad thing for NASCAR.

FIRST GEAR: Chris Buescher enters this weekend six points behind 30th in points. After his shocking win at Pocono, can the driver of the No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford get into the top 30 and steal a spot in the 2016 Chase?

On the one hand, I want to lean towards no because their performance has been no better than a 27.8 average finish. On the other hand, given Chris Buescher’s relationship with Jack Roush, perhaps Roush Fenway Racing and the folks at Ford Performance might step in to ensure that he makes the Chase. I think, for this week, the jury is out. — Tucker White

Absolutely. Chris Buescher is the most underrated rookie in the Sprint Cup Series right now, and although he hasn’t had the results that Ryan Blaney or Chase Elliott has he’s made the most of his Front Row Motorsports equipment. He’s good on his equipment as well as with his equipment, and keep in mind he’s no slouch on road courses, having won at Mid-Ohio in 2014. — Joseph Shelton

If Roush is going to be providing more support to the team after that win, they should be in the top 30 by a comfortable margin. — Michael Finley

SECOND GEAR: Paul Menard has had a down year in general, but Richard Childress Racing changed his crew chief last week and Menard responded by being fast all weekend. Save for a third at Indianapolis due to a late charge by Jimmie Johnson, Hendrick Motorsports has struggled ever since Sonoma. With Darian Grubb waiting in the wings at HMS, should Hendrick hit the panic button and make some crew chief changes or should any possible changes wait until the end of the year?

I think it worked at Richard Childress Racing because they’ve been up on performance this year. Hendrick Motorsports is just down right now. Regardless of whatever is plaguing HMS all of a sudden this season, I have my doubts that swapping crew chiefs mid-season will make that much of a difference. — Tucker White

Maybe making the changes at year’s end would be the best, and it’ll have to be something more than Crew Chiefs. Maybe some key faculty changes as well. HMS also had a down year in 2000, winning only four races, but after making appropriate changes they took home the 2001 championship. Following what they did all those years ago could help. — Joseph Shelton

Yes, they should reunite Greg Ives with Chase Elliott and Alan Gustafson with Jeff Gordon, then replace Keith Rodden with Grubb for Kahne. It’s obvious the 5 team needs a shake-up, and Ives worked so well with Elliott in the XFINITY Series they would be better together. — Michael Finley

THIRD GEAR: Entering Watkins Glen weekend, the track president has projected a record crowd for a race that has arguably put on some of the best races of the past few years. Should NASCAR move this race into the Chase or is it better not to mess with perfection?

I’ve been pushing for a road course in the Chase for years. I know we only run it two times a year, but if Talladega can be in the Chase, which isn’t my way of saying it shouldn’t be in the Chase, there’s no reason we can’t have a road course in the Chase. — Tucker White

A thousand times yes. Road course racing defines the true spirit of NASCAR, and Watkins Glen never fails to put on an excellent show. It should be in the Chase as well. We try to determine the season champion by using the Chase; NASCAR should recognize that an over-saturation of cookie cutter racetracks isn’t an accurate way to determine a champion. Add a road course! — Joseph Shelton

It should be moved to between Bristol and Darlington so that the regular season ends on a strong note with four really good racetracks. — Michael Finley

FOURTH GEAR: With only one road course “ringer” in the field this week (Boris Said in the No. 32 Ford), it seems the days of road course specialists are at best numbered. Is this good or bad for the sport?

Perhaps I’m not the best to speak on this because I came into this sport long after the days when the series regulars started to out-perform the road course “ringers,” but I don’t think it’s necessarily a bad thing for NASCAR because I believe it truly speaks to the talent of the drivers in NASCAR. It shows they’re capable of more than just turning left for three hours. They can also drive the cars left and right on road courses with muscle and technique. These are traits of a true road course racer and it speaks volumes on just how great the drivers in this sport are. — Tucker White

I loved the days of road course ringers, especially Boris Said. But now that the days of road ringers are about gone, it is good for the sport. Those guys who make the field week in and week out, are the focus of the sport and the focus should be on them and their talent on the track, no matter if the track is a road course or a short track. — Joseph Shelton

It’s a bad thing because the ringers ensured there would be some different guys near the front rather than the same old, same old. It created a variety that wasn’t available at other tracks and made both road course races more special — Michael Finley

Please join us again next week and become a part of the conversation by sharing your thoughts in the comment section below.

August 5, 2016
NASCAR Racing Schedule for Watkins Glen

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

All times are Eastern.

Thursday, Aug. 4:

On-Track:
1-2:25 p.m.: XFINITY Series First Practice
3:30-4:55 p.m.: XFINITY Series Second Practice

Friday, Aug. 5:

On-Track:
10-10:55 a.m.: XFINITY Series Final Practice – NBCSN
12:30-1:55 p.m.: Sprint Cup Series First Practice – NBCSN
3-4:25 p.m.: Sprint Cup Series Final Practice – NBCSN
4:45 p.m.: XFINITY Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying – NBCSN

Garage Cam: (Watch live)
9:30 a.m.: XFINITY Series
Noon: Sprint Cup Series

Press Conferences: (Watch live)
10:45 a.m.: Chris Buescher
11:15 a.m.: Chase Elliott
Noon: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
2:05 p.m.: Carl Edwards
6 p.m..: Post-XFINITY Series Qualifying (time approx.)

Saturday , Aug. 6:

On Track:
12:15 p.m.: Sprint Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying – CNBC
2 p.m.: XFINITY Series Zippo 200 at The Glen (82 laps, 200.9 miles) – CNBC
Radio: MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Press Conferences:
1:30 p.m.: Post-Sprint Cup Qualifying (time approx.)
4:30 p.m.: Post-XFINITY Race (time approx.)

Sunday, Aug. 7:

On-Track:
2:30 p.m.: Sprint Cup Series Cheez-It 355 at The Glen (90 laps, 220.5 miles) – USA
Radio: MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Press Conferences:
5:30 p.m.: Post-Sprint Cup Race (time approx.)

Complete NASCAR TV Schedule

Sprint Cup Race Notes via NASCAR:

Mr. Versatility – Logano Readies To Display Road-Course Prowess Once Again

Joey Logano showed he can race on any type of track last year when he swept the Watkins Glen International NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and XFINITY Series contests. In addition to his Sprint Cup Series road-course win last year, he also visited Victory Lane at a short track (Bristol), two restrictor-plate tracks (Daytona and Talladega) and two 1.5-mile ovals.

He returns to Watkins Glen – which features a new racing surface this season – with his sights set on two more victories.

Logano has finished seventh or better in four of his last five starts at Watkins Glen: fifth in 2011, 32nd in 2012, seventh in 2013, sixth in 2014 and first in 2015.

In his last two starts at NASCAR’s other road course – Sonoma Raceway – Logano has finished fifth (2015) and third (2016).

The Middletown, Connecticut native has exhibited good form lately with seven top 10s in his last nine starts, including five top fives. On the season, Logano has one win, eight top-five and 13 top-10 finishes in 21 starts.

Chase Crasher – Allmendinger All-In At The Glen

AJ Allmendinger knows he has to follow Rule number 76 this weekend – “No excuses. Play like a champion.”

Allmendinger crashed the Chase with a win at Watkins Glen International in 2014 and will try to do it again in 2016 with a visit to Victory Lane in Sunday’s Cheez-It 355 at The Glen. The road-course ace realizes he won’t have a better opportunity to take a checkered flag the rest of the season.

In seven career starts at Watkins Glen International, Allmendinger owns one win, two top fives, four top 10s and an average finish of 10.1.

Beast At The Glen – Track Record-Holder Stewart Goes For Sixth Win At Watkins Glen International

Tony Stewart owns the track wins record at Watkins Glen International with five victories. He hasn’t crossed the finish line first there since 2009, but will attempt to add his sixth track win in Sunday’s Cheez-It 355 at The Glen.

In addition to his five wins, Stewart boasts seven top-two, and 10 top-10 finishes at the Central New York road course. From 2002-09, he finished worse than second at Watkins Glen International only once (11th in 2003).

The rejuvenated Stewart has more top fives and one less top 10 through 13 starts this year than in his last two seasons combined. He has four top-five finishes in his last six races.

Gordon Prepares For 800th Start, Fifth Win At The Glen

Jeff Gordon will make his 800th career start – and his third consecutive race in place of Dale Earnhardt Jr. – in Sunday’s Cheez-It 355 at The Glen.

Gordon will be the ninth driver to make his 800th start, joining: Richard Petty (1,185), Ricky Rudd (906), Terry Labonte (890), Dave Marcis (883), Mark Martin (882), Kyle Petty (829), Bill Elliott (828) and Darrell Waltrip (809).

A win on Sunday would tie Gordon with Tony Stewart for the Watkins Glen track record for victories with five. In 23 starts at the Central New York road course, he claims four wins, six top fives and nine top 10s. The Hendrick Motorsports driver is NASCAR’s all-time leader in road-course wins with nine.

Following Watkins Glen, Gordon will make at least one more start for Earnhardt, at Bristol. Gordon has placed 13th at Indianapolis and 27th at Pocono as a sub for Earnhardt the last two races.

Kenseth Set To Make 600th Start

Matt Kenseth will make his 600th career start in Sunday’s Cheez-It 355 at The Glen.

For his career, Kenseth boasts 38 wins (tied for 19th in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series history), 167 top fives, 299 top 10s, 17 poles and 10,851 laps led.

At Watkins Glen, Kenseth has one top five and six top 10s in 16 starts. He did finish fourth at Watkins Glen last year and ninth in 2014, but has only led three laps there.

This season, Kenseth is one of five drivers with multiple wins (Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, Carl Edwards and Jimmie Johnson). He has two wins, four top fives, nine top 10s and a 14.1 average finish.

Five More Clinch Chase Spot

Though their spots were all but assured as is because of a race win, five drivers clinched spots in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup at Pocono. They are Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch, Joey Logano, Martin Truex Jr. and Denny Hamlin.

Boardwalk Empire’s Jack Huston To Serve As Official Pace Car Driver

Jack Huston, star of the upcoming action adventure “Ben-Hur” from Paramount Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures will drive the 2016 Toyota Camry Pace Car to kick off Sunday’s Cheez-It 355 at The Glen. Mark Burnett and Roma Downey – who are working with NASCAR on a scripted television series – are executive producers of “Ben-Hur”. Huston previously starred for four seasons on Boardwalk Empire and played mobster Pete Musane in “American Hustle.”

August 3, 2016
‘Real Racer’ Tony Stewart Ready to Race ‘The Real Thing’ in Southern 500 at Darlington

Coca-Cola Partners with Stewart for Throwback Paint Scheme Emulating Cars Bobby Allison Drove to Back-to-Back Victories in 1971 and 1972 Southern 500s

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The 1971 and 1972 Southern 500s were owned by Bobby Allison. The legendary racer from Hueytown, Alabama, proved he was indeed “The Real Thing” at Darlington Raceway, driving his red-and-gold Coca-Cola machine to emphatic, back-to-back victories at the tough and gritty South Carolina track.

Allison dominated from start-to-finish in both races at the 1.366-mile oval. He started from the pole each time and led 558 of the 734 laps available (76 percent). He paced the field for all but 38 laps in the 1971 Southern 500 and led a race-high 229 laps in the 1972 Southern 500. The victories were the first of five premier series wins Allison earned at Darlington.

In 2016, Tony Stewart will try to emulate Allison’s 1971 and 1972 performances when he competes at Darlington on Sept. 4 in his final Southern 500. Driving a No. 14 Coca-Cola Chevrolet SS that will match the paint scheme Allison drove to those epic wins, Stewart will certainly look the part. With Coca-Cola’s tagline of that era, “The Real Thing”, emblazoned on the car, the authentic look from Allison’s race-winning cars has been recreated on Stewart’s Chevrolet, right down to the gold wheels and cubic-inch displacement boast on the hood.

“I’ve been a member of the Coca-Cola Racing Family for my entire NASCAR career and been a part of some pretty cool and unique promotions, but this one is definitely my favorite,” said Stewart, who will retire following the season finale Nov. 20 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. “The throwback weekend Darlington has created makes it the perfect place to run a scheme that has a ton of history with Bobby Allison and Coca-Cola.”

Stewart is a three-time NASCAR premier series champion with 49 career victories. Allison is the 1983 NASCAR premier series champion with 85 career victories. Allison is in the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Stewart is a first-ballot lock for the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

“Those red-and-gold Coca-Cola cars were very good to me,” said Allison, who was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2011, the same year Stewart won his third premier series championship. “From 1970 through 1975, Coca-Cola was on my car and we won a lot of races. We won 11 races in ‘71, the most I ever had in a single season, and then we came back to win 10 more in ‘72. And that first win at Darlington – it was such a tough track and such a long race – it meant so much.

“Tony Stewart is a real racer who would’ve fit right in during the time I raced in NASCAR. He’s a perfect fit for this Coca-Cola Chevy. I know what car I’ll be watching in the Southern 500.”

Darlington is one of only two venues where Stewart is winless in NASCAR’s top division. In 23 career premier series starts at the venerable track, Stewart’s best finish is third, earned in the 2009 and 2012 Southern 500s.

“Races at Darlington have been pretty tough for me,” Stewart said. “We’ve had some decent runs there, but it just seems like you really have to put everything together the whole day. If you can say you won a race at Darlington – that’s a feather in your cap because you conquered something that’s very hard to obtain. That’s something to be proud of, knowing that you’re in a group of drivers with names like Allison and Pearson and Petty – the pioneers of our sport.”

Coca-Cola, with a NASCAR lineage that goes back more than 50 years, has been a part of Stewart’s NASCAR career since his rookie season in 1999.

“We are humbled by moments like today when two of NASCAR’s most respected drivers come together over an iconic car emblazoned with our brand,” said Ben Reiling, director, sports marketing, Coca-Cola North America. “Together, we commemorate Coca-Cola’s role within NASCAR and honor and celebrate Bobby Allison and Tony Stewart for what they stand for in the history of motorsports.”

About the Coca-Cola Company:

The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world’s largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands and more than 3,800 beverage choices. Led by Coca-Cola, one of the world’s most valuable and recognizable brands, our company’s portfolio features 20 billion-dollar brands, 18 of which are available in reduced-, low- or no-calorie options. Our billion-dollar brands include Diet Coke, Coca-Cola Zero, Fanta, Sprite, Dasani, vitamin water, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply, Del Valle, Georgia and Gold Peak. Through the world’s largest beverage distribution system, we are the No. 1 provider of both sparkling and still beverages. More than 1.9 billion servings of our beverages are enjoyed by consumers in more than 200 countries each day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our company is focused on initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint, create a safe, inclusive work environment for our associates, and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. Together with our bottling partners, we rank among the world’s top-10 private employers with more than 700,000 system associates. For more information, visit Coca-Cola Journey at www.coca-colacompany.com, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CocaColaCo, visit our blog, Coca-Cola Unbottled, atwww.coca-colablog.com or find us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/the-coca-cola-company.

About Stewart-Haas Racing:

Stewart-Haas Racing is the title-winning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team co-owned by three-time Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart and Gene Haas, founder of Haas Automation – the largest CNC machine tool builder in North America. The team fields four entries in the elite Sprint Cup Series – the No. 14 Chevrolet for Stewart, the No. 10 Chevrolet for Danica Patrick, the No. 4 Chevrolet for Kevin Harvick and the No. 41 Chevrolet for Kurt Busch. Based in Kannapolis, North Carolina, Stewart-Haas Racing operates out of a 200,000-square-foot facility with approximately 280 employees. For more information, please visit us on the Web at www.StewartHaasRacing.com, on Facebook atwww.Facebook.com/StewartHaasRacing, on Twitter @StewartHaasRcng and on Instagram @StewartHaasRacing.

August 3, 2016
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Puts his Trust in Doctors and his Priorities in Order

Dale Earnhardt Jr. has missed the last three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races after suffering concussion-like symptoms. Monday he participated in The Dale Jr. Download podcast to discuss his treatment progress, future racing plans and the decision to make his health a priority.

According to his doctors, Earnhardt’s symptoms trace back to an accident that took place during the FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway on June 12. It took several weeks before the symptoms appeared that prompted him to see a neurological specialist in mid-July.

This should be familiar territory for Earnhardt who sustained two concussions during a span of six weeks in 2012 which led to him being sidelined for two races. But as he explains it, this time is different.

“I’ve never had a concussion that came on weeks after the event. Most of them you feel it immediately and then they sort of get better over time, whether that’s 72 hours or a month, whatever. So this has been the opposite. This is scary for me,” he admitted, “because of the way it’s been different. I’m having balance issues; I’ve never had balance issues before. The eye issues with the stability; I’ve never had that before. And how it didn’t begin at the event, it started weeks later and came on very slowly, very gradually and kind of continued to progress until it stopped and sort of stayed where it is.”

Earnhardt’s described his most persistent symptoms, gaze stability and issues with balance, and detailed his struggle to remain optimistic as his progress is often sporadic.

“There’s days when you’re feeling positive and then there’s days when you’re frustrated and that certainly comes and goes with the process. There hasn’t been a lot of change over the last couple of weeks. The symptoms have sort of plateaued,” he continued. “There are days when I feel like that the balance is better and then there’s certainly moments when it’s not.”

“But again,” Earnhardt stressed, “the balance is up and down. The main issue that I have is called gaze stability. That’s the main problem. And that is what I believe is tied to the balance, the gaze issue and the problem with my eyes. Being able to fix on an object at a great distance and stay there with head movement. That’s the problem; when I move my head I lose the object that I’m trying to target. That is hand and hand with the balance so I think as one cleans up and improves, so will the other.

“It’s only been three weeks since I really went and first got checked out so that’s really a short period of time in the grand scheme of things when you’re dealing with these types of situations. But I’m very impatient and I want change now and I want improvement now.”

Earnhardt‘s treatment program consists of both visual and physical exercises as well as putting himself in situations that may increase his level of discomfort. It could be something as simple as going to the grocery store or a place that he is unfamiliar with so that his brain can learn to adapt to different situations.

These types of activities can cause his symptoms to “ramp way up.” Then, he explained, “after an hour or two of being in new environments, your brain kind of calms down and regroups and gets a hold of the situation and calms down.”

Earnhardt’s doctor advised him, “Live your life, don’t shy away from doing these things, because you think it’s going to make you feel bad. But don’t make yourself sick. Don’t get so overwhelmed your nausea picks up. But then, go to somewhere comfortable. Expose yourself and then recover, over and over again.”

This experience has been completely different from what he experienced in 2012.

“I felt like I had a good understanding of dealing with concussions in the past. But this is certainly a new one. And they all do have different symptoms and they all do react differently to treatment and they all have their own time and the length of the recovery is different for everyone.”

He’s putting his faith in the doctors and the belief that if he follows their treatment plan, he will get better.

“I have to buy in 100 percent that what they’re telling me is gonna fix it.”

There is no timetable for Earnhardt’s return to racing but he emphasized that his plan is to “race more, I have plans to keep going. I’ll worry about that when I’m well. I’ll talk to my doctors and say, ‘What do I have left?’ as far as the racing.”

But, he added, “The doctors are confident that they can make me stronger than I was before this event.”

For now, Earnhardt’s focus is on his health.

“The hardest thing to understand is what’s most important in life. It might be easier for someone who has children, which I don’t but, I plan to have children in my future. For people that do have kids, you can look at those kids and it registers right away what’s most important

“For someone like me or a young racecar driver that’s not in that situation, the only thing that matters is racing. It’s hard to put your priorities in order.”

Update: Earnhardt met with his team of doctors Tuesday where he underwent more testing to chart his progress and update his treatment plan. Afterward, Hendrick Motorsports announced that Earnhardt has not yet been cleared by his physicians to race. He will not compete in the next two Sprint Cup events at Watkins Glen International and Bristol Motor Speedway. Jeff Gordon will fill in as the substitute driver in both races.

August 3, 2016
Ready. Set. Trade: NASCAR Team Properties And Panini America Release First Trading Card Set
First Of Four 2016 Trading Card Sets Released

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Aug. 3, 2016) – Today, in association with Panini America, the world’s largest sports and entertainment collectibles company, NASCAR fans and collectors alike can purchase the first of four officially licensed trading card products expected in 2016. To coincide with the release, NASCAR Sunoco Rookie of the Year frontrunner Chase Elliott will attend the Panini VIP Party at the National Sports Collectors Convention in Atlantic City, New Jersey, later this week.

The new NASCAR trading cards, a classically licensed-product, are meticulously produced by Panini and will continue to be a nostalgic collectible for fans. The first line of officially licensed trading cards, available today, encompasses teams and drivers across the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series™, NASCAR XFINITY Series™ and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series™.

“We’re thrilled to be aligned with Panini, which will provide a fresh approach and reenergize this category,” said Blake Davidson, vice president of licensing and consumer products, NASCAR. “Partnering with a leader in the space was an important strategy for NASCAR, producing top-quality product for NASCAR fans, kids and collectors alike.”

Through this multi-year agreement, NASCAR Team Properties and Panini will deliver high-quality trading card products each year. NASCAR trading cards are available at Walmart, Target and hobby stores nationwide in addition to the Fanatics Trackside Superstore and NASCAR.com Superstore.

“We are excited to bring NASCAR trading cards back into the marketplace,” said Mark Warsop, CEO of Panini America. “NASCAR fans are some of the most passionate in all of sport, and we look forward to delivering an assortment of products across a broad range of price points that meet the needs of collectors and race fans alike.”

2016 NASCAR sets include:
- 2016 Panini Prizm NASCAR – Available now
- 2016 Panini Torque NASCAR – Early September
- 2016 Panini Certified NASCAR – Early October
- 2016 Panini National Treasures NASCAR – Early November
About NASCAR

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

About NASCAR Team Properties

NASCAR Team Properties is a NASCAR industry managed organization created to promote efficiency and operational structure for the sport’s licensed merchandise business. NTP is comprised of NASCAR and participating teams in NASCAR’s national race series and is operated under a Board of Directors representing those organizations. Teams currently participating in the toy and trading card agreement include: BK Racing; Chip Ganassi Racing; Circle Sport – Leavine Fenton Racing; Dale Earnhardt, Inc.; Front Row Motorsports; Furniture Row Racing; Germain Racing; Go Fas Racing; Hendrick Motorsports; H Scott Motorsports; Joe Gibbs Racing; JR Motorsports; JTG Motorsports; Penske Racing South; Richard Childress Racing; Richard Petty Motorsports; Roush Fenway Racing; Stewart-Haas Racing; Tommy Baldwin Racing; Tri Star Motorsports; and Wood Brothers Racing.

About PANINI:

The Panini Group, established more than 55 years ago in Modena, Italy, has subsidiaries throughout Europe, Latin America and the United States. Panini is the world leader in officially licensed collectibles and is the most significant publisher of collectibles in the U.S., with exclusive licenses for the NFL, NFLPA, NBA, FIFA, College and licenses with the NASCAR, MLBPA, NHL, NHLPA and Disney, and other key properties from many other licensors. Panini is also the exclusive trading card and sticker partner of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and Pop Warner Little Scholars, Inc. Panini has distribution channels in more than 130 countries and employs a staff of over 1,100. For more information visit us at www.paniniamerica.net, www.paninigroup.com or http://blog.paniniamerica.net/. You can also follow Panini America on social media platforms Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.
August 3, 2016
Four Gears – Indianapolis Edition

This week our staff takes a look at some of the hot topics in the world of NASCAR. We discuss Jeff Gordon’s current status as a substitute driver for Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart’s chances for another championship in his final season. We also look at possible prospects for the recently announced Stewart-Haas Racing’s 2017 XFINITY team and question NASCAR’s decision that moved the XFINITY Series event from O’Reilly Raceway Park to Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

We are joined by guest contributor, James Burton. Burton is a former ARCA pit reporter who covered the Talladega events for three years as well as the first Mobile ARCA 200. He was with WTDR 92.7 FM from 2011-13 and is currently with Jacobs Media Services.

First Gear: After subbing for Dale Earnhardt Jr. at Indy, Jeff Gordon’s next (and likely last) race in the No. 88 will be at Pocono. Is this the last we’ve seen of Gordon in a Sprint Cup car? Should Hendrick have put more focus on Alex Bowman in the 88 car instead?

Given that the race after Pocono is a road course, I’d put my money on Jeff Gordon – the all-time winningest road course racer in NASCAR history – being in the car for Watkins Glen. Although given his track record at The Glen since 2001, I would think it wise to let someone else drive the car.

I wrote a piece recently explaining why I didn’t want to see Gordon back in the car again, at least not in NASCAR, and I also took to Twitter to say Hendrick Motorsports should’ve put Alex Bowman in the car after his drive at Loudon. So you probably knew where I stood on this. – Tucker White

I want to say yes. The fact that Gordon has come back to sub for Earnhardt sort of diminishes the impact of his final season. I was sort of hoping he’d go the Rusty Wallace route and be done with it all. Still, I’m holding onto hope that maybe he will be done once and for all after Pocono. Maybe then he’ll be done for good. As for Bowman, Loudon wasn’t enough of a shot for him. On one hand, put him in the car more. He’s a heck of a driver who knows how to take care of his stuff. Then again, as James pointed out in his comments, maybe put him in the car for the shorter, flatter tracks if Earnhardt has to sit out longer. – Joseph Shelton

I don’t think it’s the last time we’ll see Jeff Gordon drive in a Cup series race. With how few development drivers Hendrick employs (as in none), there’s a good chance Gordon will be called on again if somebody has to miss a race. Because of that, I’d rather keep Gordon in the car over Alex Bowman, who hasn’t really proven himself yet past a couple of great runs in JR Motorsports equipment. – Michael Finley

I think so, barring more injuries from other Hendrick drivers. Gordon said he kept getting his butt kicked on restarts, so you can tell being out of the seat has changed his perspective a little bit. He’s got one race to go before he goes back into retirement, so you never know if he could go out there and dominate. Three weeks ago when Bowman filled in for Earnhardt the first week, it was mentioned it was the first time that neither an Earnhardt or Gordon had been in a race since Dale Earnhardt Sr. sat out four races in 1979. What they failed to mention was that David Pearson drove the No. 2 car those four races and he qualified on the pole at Michigan and won at Darlington. Is that banking on good omens and superstition? Absolutely, but superstition is pretty commonplace in this sport and Gordon’s no slouch at Pocono.

As for Bowman, I think Hendrick made the right decision. This is a kid who has thus far had a ‘meh’ Cup career, but honestly deserved a chance to drive for one of the big dogs. Had it been short to mid-sized tracks past New Hampshire, then yes, keep Bowman in the car. Gordon in at Indy and Pocono was and is the right decision. Even if Earnhardt doesn’t get a waiver (which let’s be honest, he will) then the owner points will have the best chance to remain the same. – James Burton

Second Gear: It’s looking more and more like Tony Stewart is shaping up for the upcoming Chase. With the way that he is running, does he have a chance for the championship?

I think the jury is still out on this one. He’s starting to post more consistent top-10 runs, but I see him being where Jeff Gordon was a year ago, just cracking the top-10 at the end of the day. With that being said, I think the only track that would hinder a title run is Talladega, which as we all know is its own animal. – Tucker White

Stewart is building momentum. Obviously, in the past he’s kicked his season into gear during the summer and it’s looking like this could be the case again. It’s not going to be anything like his dominance in 2005, but we could be looking at a repeat of his 2011 season; mildly consistent, something of a sleeper, then once the Chase kicks in, he’s the guy to beat. – Joseph Shelton

Anything that can happen in the Chase will happen. Jeff Gordon had no momentum at all going into his final Chase last season and ended up making the final four. Stewart is no stranger to coming out of nowhere to compete and win in the Chase- just look at his 2011 season. He went from saying he didn’t deserve to be in the Chase to hoisting the Cup just a few months later. – Michael Finley

Stewart is in the position he needs to be. Back when he returned he had to win and average a 22nd place finish in order to make the top 30 in points. He’s won and he currently sits 27th in points with six races before the cut off. In five of the last six races he has finished no worse than 11th and even his 26th at Daytona hasn’t caused him to falter much. The momentum seems to be in his favor as he has won at all the upcoming six tracks at least once.
Does he have a chance at the championship? He’s Tony Stewart. Of course he does. The trick is staying out of trouble at the tracks that will bite you. He has one restrictor plate track left on the schedule that comes at a crucial cut off point. You survive Dega and transfer, then you have a chance at Homestead. – James Burton

Third Gear: With the announcement of Stewart-Haas Racing fielding an XFINITY Series entry in 2017, who are some likely candidates to fill in the seat?

The first one that comes to mind right away is Cole Custer. With his father being an executive at Stewart-Haas Racing, he’s probably leaving the JR Motorsports camp at the end of 2016, although I’m not sure if he’s ready to make the jump to the XFINITY Series.

A more likely candidate would be Jeb Burton. He was in contention for a Chase spot before sponsorship dried up and his ride in the 43 car went the way of the dodo. Of course, depending on contract status, drivers like Darrell Wallace Jr., Ryan Reed, Daniel Hemric and Tyler Reddick could fit the bill as well. – Tucker White

With the Penske ties I could see Reddick or Hemric in the car. Reddick has seniority and a couple of Camping World Truck Series wins under his belt, but Hemric is solidly consistent, sitting third in points with nine top-10s in 11 starts. I see a lot of potential with him if he heads to the XFINITY Series. – Joseph Shelton

I can see Cole Custer running a partial season while running full time in the trucks for fellow Ford team Brad Keselowski Racing. Clint Bowyer seems to be open to running lower series races, while Harvick has said he is not running in the XFINITY Series after this season. Finally, Tony Stewart has said he is open to running XFINITY races and would help provide the team with some sponsorship. – Michael Finley

The first people to look at will be the truck drivers for Brad Keselowski Racing. Since SHR is basically replacing Hendrick for Penske as their “parent” team, you’re going to have talent such as Daniel Hemric or Tyler Reddick fighting for that ride. If I had to choose between the two I would go with Reddick as he has seniority with the organization. Another possibility might be to see Bubba Wallace jump to another Ford camp. Wallace has had mild success at Roush but SHR might be the atmosphere he needs to break through to the XFINITY win column. – James Burton

Fourth Gear: On Saturday we were faced with yet another lackluster XFINITY race at Indy. Did NASCAR make a mistake in moving the division to Indianapolis Motor Speedway instead of leaving them at O’Reilly Raceway Park?

Alex, I’ll take “Questions that deserve a DUH response” for 1000. I don’t care how big the purse is for the XFINITY Series at the Brickyard. The product we get at the Brickyard does not justify it. The lackluster product is compounded by the fact that the XFINITY Series is at its worst.

I watched the ARCA race that was held at Indianapolis Raceway Park last Friday and it was a pretty entertaining race. That’s more than I can say for what we got at the Brickyard. I say either move the XFINITY Series onto the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course or take it back to Indianapolis Raceway Park or whatever it’s called now. – Tucker White

Yep. Yep, yep, yep. I don’t understand the logic in bringing Indianapolis Motor Speedway to the XFINITY Series and it hasn’t been fruitful in the slightest. Kyle Busch has won three of the five events there, with Brad Keselowski and Ty Dillon winning the other two. Every race there has been forgettable and I think it was a mistake to leave O’Reilly Raceway Park.

In trying to make the XFINITY schedule more like the Sprint Cup schedule, they’ve robbed the division not only of good racing but also of its own identity. We didn’t need IMS on the XFINITY schedule. We didn’t need Pocono on the schedule. If anything, if they wanted to create good racing in the series they should have made sure the schedule stood apart from the other divisions and retained its own identity. Simple as that. – Joseph Shelton

Considering there was much better racing at ORP and just as many if more fans actually in attendance, they made a pretty big mistake. – Michael Finley

Absolutely. To put it in perspective, let’s compare it to a bowl game. Just because the Dr. Lane’s Bath Salts for Menopause and Spider Bites Bowl is played at the Rose Bowl stadium doesn’t mean it’s going to be as epic as the actual Rose Bowl. It’s just another page in NASCAR’s failed attempts at what equates to “no driver left behind.” You race at the Brickyard when you’re good enough to make it Cup. Plain and simple. – James Burton

Please join us again next week and become a part of the conversation by sharing your thoughts in the comment section below.

July 28, 2016