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NASCAR Racing Schedule for Daytona

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

All times are Eastern.

Thursday, June 30:

On-Track:
2-2:55 p.m.: XFINITY Series First Practice – NBCSN
3-3:55 p.m.: Sprint Cup Series First Practice – NBCSN
4-4:55 p.m.: XFINITY Series Final Practice – NBCSN – Canceled Due to Rain
5-5:55 p.m.: Sprint Cup Series Final Practice – NBCSN – Canceled Due to Rain

Garage Cam: (Watch live)
1:30 p.m.: XFINITY Series
2:30 p.m.: Sprint Cup Series

Press Conferences: (Watch live)
12:15 p.m.: Joe Gibbs Racing
2:15 p.m.: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
4:20 p.m.: Denny Hamlin

Friday, July 1:

On-Track:
9:45 – 10:30 a.m.: Sprint Cup Series Final Practice – NBCSN
2:10 p.m.: XFINITY Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying – NBCSN
4:10 p.m.: Sprint Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying – NBCSN
7:30 p.m.: XFINITY Series Subway Firecracker 250 Powered by Coca-Cola (100 laps, 250 miles) – NBCSN

Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Press Conferences: (Watch live)
12:45 p.m.: Bobby Labonte
1:35 p.m.: Aric Almirola
5:15 p.m.: Post-Sprint Cup Qualifying (time approx.)
9:45 p.m.: Post-XFINITY Series Race (time approx.)

Saturday, July 2:

On-Track:
7:45 p.m.: Sprint Cup Series Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola (160 laps, 400 miles) – NBC

Press Conferences: (Watch live)
11 p.m.: NBC America Post-Sprint Cup Race Show (time approx.)

*Complete NASCAR TV Schedule*

NOTES – NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES:

NASCAR to Honor Victims of Orlando Tragedy

Following the recent attack in the Orlando community, NASCAR has shared plans to remember the victims of this tragedy during the race weekend at Daytona International Speedway.

An #ORLANDOUNITED decal will be placed on the A-Post of all cars in the NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

NBC to Air First NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Broadcast of Season

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series returns to NBC for the second straight season of NASCAR and NBC’s 10-year landmark broadcast agreement on Saturday, July 3 with the airing of the Coke Zero 400 presented by Coca-Cola.

Coverage starts with the pre-race show at 7 p.m. ET and the race broadcast begins at 7:45 p.m. ET.

Rick Allen (play-by-play), 21-time NSCS winner Jeff Burton (analyst) and Daytona 500-winning crew chief Steve Letarte (analyst) will commentate from the booth while Dave Burns, Mike Massaro, Marty Snider and Kelli Stavast will report from pit road.

Krista Voda will host the pre-race show with NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Jarrett and eight-time NSCS winner Kyle Petty providing analysis.

NASCAR: An American Salute™

(#NASCARSalutes) is the industry’s collective expression of reverence, respect and gratitude for those who have served and continue to defend the United States today.

“NASCAR’s long-standing tradition of honoring the U.S. Armed Forces will never waver – it is woven into the fabric of our sport,” said Brent Dewar, NASCAR chief operating officer. “We have a unique opportunity with the NASCAR XFINITY Series to pay tribute to the military units and bases integral to preserving our country’s freedom.”

The race track will again host and recognize three recipients of the Medal of Honor, the highest award given to military service members, continuing a tradition dating back several years. The Medal of Honor recipients in attendance this weekend will include Staff Sergeant Ty Carter, Command Sergeant Major Gary Littrell and Captain Florent Groberg, each representing the U.S. Army.

NASCAR together with Daytona International Speedway and race teams will host hundreds of active military and veterans, and their families, during the race weekend. Among them will be the 65th Infantry Regiment of the U.S. Army, nicknamed “The Bourinqueneers,” a Puerto Rican regiment that was awarded a Congressional Gold Medal in April.

Several active military members present for Saturday’s Coke Zero 400 Powered By Coca-Cola will take part in a special moment of recognition for the U.S. Armed Forces before the start of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.

Pre-race activities will also feature a flyover of four F-16s from the 93rd Fighter Squadron from Homestead Air Reserve Base during the national anthem, which will be performed by the U.S. Army Maneuver Center of Excellence Band from Fort Benning, Georgia. The national anthem will be performed as 200 military members unfurl a giant American flag in the infield.

Retired U.S. Air Force Sergeant Kelly Miller will be grand marshal for Friday’s Subway Firecracker 250 Powered By Coca-Cola. A Subway franchisee, Miller served as an aeromedical service specialist, responsible for the healthcare of Air Force pilots and flight crews. Retired Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Fred Gardner, also a Subway franchisee, will serve as the honorary starter. Gardner operated the Terrier missile first control system during Mediterranean tours.

Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Telvin Smith will serve as the race’s honorary pace car driver. A former Florida State standout, Smith owns the NFL’s longest active streak of 16 straight games with six-plus tackles.

NOTES – NASCAR XFINITY SERIES

NASCAR XFINITY Series Salutes U.S. Military Units With Tribute At Daytona

In a show of appreciation for the United States Armed Forces, NASCAR XFINITY Series drivers will bear the names of active military units and installations on their race car windshields during Friday’s Subway Firecracker 250 Powered By Coca-Cola at Daytona International Speedway (7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN)

June 29, 2016
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Sonoma

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Kevin Harvick: Harvick started 25th and finished sixth at Sonoma as Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Tony Stewart grabbed the win.

“Tony is a legend in the garage,” Harvick said, “as well as the kitchen. I’m proud to say I work for Tony. In other words, I’m on his payroll. And that roll is just one of many belonging to Tony.

“How about that fight after the Camping World Truck series race on Saturday? It was a lot like a fight involving Sprint Cup drivers, just with punches.”

2. Kurt Busch: Busch finished 10th in the Toyota/Save Mart 350, posting his series-best 13th top 10 of the year. He is second in the Sprint Cup points standings, 30 behind Kevin Harvick.

“You probably saw a lot of people run over to Tony’s car in Victory Lane,” Busch said. “That wasn’t to congratulate him; it just takes that many people to pull Tony out of his car.”

3. Carl Edwards: Edwards started on the pole in the Toyota/Save Mart 350 and finished fourth as Joe Gibbs Racing placed three drivers in the top 10.

“There was an all-out brawl after Saturday night’s Camping World Truck Series race,” Edwards said. “John Wes Townley and Spencer Gallagher wrestled and slugged it out after crashing. I think it’s great for the sport. To those drivers, I say ‘Keep on Truckin’!’”

4. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished 15th at Sonoma and is now fourth in the points standings, 56 out of first.

“Cheers to Tony Stewart,” Keselowski said. “What a great win for him. He’s a legend in this sport. In fact, you could say Tony puts the ‘ass’ in ‘ambassador.’

“As you probably heard, Jeff Gordon and I sat down to talk about our recent disagreement. I guess we came to some sort of agreement. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still going to speak my mind. As everyone knows, I’m just as mouthy as I am ‘gummy.’”

5. Kyle Busch: Busch joined Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Denny Hamlin and Carl Edwards in the top 10 with a seventh-place finish in the Toyota/Save Mart 350.

“I hit a jackrabbit during Friday’s practice,” Busch said. “That was the worst case of wheel hop I’ve ever seen. Luckily, the collision didn’t cause much damage, at least to my car. Sure, the handling was off a little, but just by a ‘hare.’”

6. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson finished 13th at Sonoma as 45-year-old Tony Stewart took the win, his first since 2013.

“I think everybody is happy that Tony won,” Johnson said. “Ironically, the only way that everybody can be happy is if Tony wins, because Tony’s never happy otherwise.”

7. Joey Logano: Logano finished third at Sonoma, posting his fifth top-five result of the year. He is fifth in the points standings, 71 out of first.

“I had a great view of the Tony Stewart-Denny Hamlin battle for the win,” Logano said. “I think everyone was pulling for Tony to win, especially Hamlin.

“But Tony’s win is great for NASCAR. The fans loved it. If there’s one thing Tony does well, it’s fill the stands. If there’s one thing Tony does better, it’s fill a seat.”

8. Chase Elliott: Elliott struggled in his first Sprint Cup race at Sonoma, finishing 21st.

“Jeff Gordon says he’s interested in joining ‘Live’ with Kelly Ripa,” Elliott said. “I think it’s a great idea. If he gets the job, I think his first order of business should be doing a sit-down interview with Brad Keselowski. Jeff probably has other ideas; specifically, a ‘sit-down, shut-up’ interview with Keselowski.

9. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin finished second at Sonoma after battling former teammate Tony Stewart down the stretch. It was Hamlin’s fifth top-five finish of the year.

“There are those that say I ‘let’ Tony win,” Hamlin said. “That my mistake in the final corner was intentional. People ask me, ‘Did you do that on purpose?’ The only thing I can say to that is, ‘For Christ’s sake, don’t ask Tony that question!’”

10. Tony Stewart: Stewart passed Denny Hamlin on the final corner, just seconds after Hamlin passed him, to win the Toyota/Save Mart 350.

“I snapped an 84-race winless drought,” Stewart said. “That a long time to go without a win. It’s the same feeling I get when I step on my bathroom scale because the ‘weight’ is over.”

June 28, 2016
Dale Jr., Larson Lead Friday Practices at Sonoma

June 24, 2016
NASCAR Racing Schedule for Sonoma and Gateway
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series travels to Sonoma Raceway this weekend while the Camping World Truck Series will compete at Gateway Motorsports Park. The XFINITY Series is off. Please check below for the complete schedule of events.

All times are Eastern.

Friday, June 24:

On-Track – Sonoma:
3-4:55 p.m.: Sprint Cup Series First Practice – FS1
6:30-7:55 p.m.: Sprint Cup Series Final Practice – FS1

Garage Cam: (Watch live)
2:30 p.m.: Sprint Cup Series

Press Conferences: (Watch live)
2 p.m.: Jimmie Johnson
2:15 p.m.: Kyle Larson
5:30 p.m.: Joey Logano
5:45 p.m.: Kyle Busch

Saturday, June 25:

On-Track – Gateway:
9:30-10:25 a.m.: Camping World Truck Series First Practice
11:30 a.m.-12:55 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series Final Practice – FS1
5:45 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series Keystone Light Pole Qualifying – FS2
8:30 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series Drivin For Linemen 200 Brought to you by Altec (160 laps, 200 miles) – FS1 – Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

On-Track – Sonoma:
2:15 p.m.: Sprint Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying – FS1

Press Conferences: (Watch live)
12:30 p.m.: Jeff Gordon
3:30 p.m.: Post-Sprint Cup Qualifying (time approx.)

Sunday, June 26:

On-Track – Sonoma:
3 p.m.: Sprint Cup Series Toyota – Save Mart 350 (110 laps, 218.9 miles) – FS1
Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

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

Notes:
- Actor Luke Wilson will serve as the official pace car driver for the Toyota / Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway. Best known for his comedic roles in “Old School,” “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy” and “Legally Blonde,” the Texan currently stars in Showtime’s new series “Roadies,” premiering on June 26.
- Patrick Carpentier of Ville LaSalle, Quebec, Canada will make his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start since 2011 in the No. 32 GO FAS Racing Ford. A five-time winner in the CART Series, Carpentier’s last NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start came at Kansas where he finished 30th. His top career finish was an 11th-place showing at Sonoma in 2009. Carpentier won the Coors Light Pole at New Hampshire in 2008.
- Tony Stewart and Ernie Irvan will join Sonoma Raceway’s Wall of Fame this weekend, joining fellow NASCAR figures, Rusty Wallace (2005), Mark Martin (2005), Jeff Gordon (2006), Ricky Rudd (2007) and Rick Hendrick (2010). Stewart and Irvan each won twice at Sonoma. Stewart will go for his third victory in his final race at the 1.99-mile track on Sunday.
*Complete NASCAR TV Schedule*
June 23, 2016
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Pocono

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Kurt Busch: Busch stretched his fuel mileage at Pocono and came away with the win, his first victory of the year.

“The race was called the ‘Axalta We Paint Winners 400,’,eight” Busch said. “At least for me. For 39 other drivers, it was called the ‘Axalta We Ain’t Winners 400.’”

2. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished ninth at Pocono, posting his 11th top-10 finish of the year.

“I lead second-place Kurt Busch by a whopping 25 points in the Sprint Cup points standings,” Harvick said. “You could say I ‘sit’ atop the standings, and I’m the only one that can say that. In fact, I’ve led the points standings for quite a while. So, I’ve been ‘sitting’ there for quite a while, so much so that my fellow competitors are often heard referring to me as ‘Can’t Stand Kevin Harvick.’”

3. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski started on the pole at Pocono and finished third, as Kurt Busch held off Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Keselowski at the finish.

“I don’t appreciate Jeff Gordon’s comments during Monday’s race,” Keselowski said. “I expect Gordon to be impartial. In others words, he should hate everyone as much as he hates me.”

4. Carl Edwards: Edwards finieighthat Pocono, joining Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Matt Kenseth, who finished seventh, in the top 10.

“I’d rather not finish behind Kenseth,” Edwards said. “I’d much rather confront him.”

5. Kyle Busch: Busch finished a disappointing 31st at Pocono, 10 laps down, his day hindered by a brush with Pocono’s Turn 1 wall. It was his second straight finish outside the top 30.

“I’m in sort of a slump right now,” Busch said, “but waiting out the weather delay on Sunday gave me time to reflect on the good things. There’s nothing like a little precipitation to remind you that you’re the ‘raining’ champion.”

6. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson wrecked late while making an aggressive move to the inside of Casey Mears with 38 laps to go. He slammed the inside wall hard and eventually finished 35th, 35 laps down.

“I checked with my teammate Chase Elliott,” Johnson said, “and he verified what I feared: I made a rookie mistake.”

7. Joey Logano: Logano started second on the front row beside pole winner and Penske teammate Brad Keselowski and took fifth in the Axalta We Paint Winners 400.

“I’m not sure what Axalta is,” Logano said, “or why they would be painting winners. But rest assured, this is NASCAR. If Axalta is indeed painting winners, one color they won’t be using is black.”

8. Chase Elliott: Elliott recorded his fifth top 5 of the year with a fourth at Pocono. He is seventh in the Sprint Cup points standings, 77 out of first.

“I had a chance to win,” Elliott said, “but I made an ill-advised attempt to pass Dale Earnhardt, Jr. late in the race. I guess I need to be more patient, but what race car driver worth his salt likes to be asked ‘What’s your hurry?’”

9. Martin Truex, Jr.: Truex, one of the pre-race favorites, was done in by two mishaps, one on accident on pit road, the other a late flat tire.

“For the single car team,” Truex said, “that was you call a ‘double whammy.’ Which is all much akin to the phrase ‘One step forward, two steps back,’ which has been the story of my year.”

10. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth finished seventh at Pocono, posting his fourth top-10 result in the last four races.

“Kurt Busch surprised everyone with his fuel mileage,” Kenseth said. “Does he have a bottomless fuel tank? Who knows? Kurt’s theories on government assassins may not hold water, but his tanks certainly hold fuel.”

June 7, 2016
Mark Martin Returns Home to his Racing Family

During his career, Mark Martin exemplified the best of NASCAR. He was a rare combination of an intense competitive spirit tempered with a moral code that garnered respect both on and off the track. When he retired in 2013, the sport lost one of its most esteemed ambassadors.

Martin, however, will soon return to NASCAR in a different role.

On May 25, he was announced as one of five inductees into the 2017 class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. To celebrate the occasion, Martin traveled to a racetrack for the first time in two and a half years to drive the pace car for the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, a place Martin refers to as “my favorite racetrack.” While there, he spoke about the importance of safeguarding the history of NASCAR.

“The NASCAR Hall of Fame, I’ve been a big supporter of from the get-go,” Martin said. “It is so important to our sport as we move forward to preserve the history and the people that were there before us and the people that paved the way for the current competitors and the future competitors and fans, as well.

“There are so many people that are in the NASCAR Hall of Fame that are my heroes that it’s pretty incredible to think that I’m going to join them in that Hall. It’s something that I didn’t expect to happen in my lifetime so it’s happened sooner than I would have ever dreamed if it would happen at all.”

“It’s an incredible privilege, an honor and I’m extremely humbled by the opportunity to be a part of the NASCAR Hall of fame.”

Martin also admitted that while he has been enjoying his life since retirement, he has begun to miss his family at the track.

“I want to explain that for me, looking out my windshield is very exciting right now,” he said. “When I look in my rearview mirror it is a very, very foggy view of driving racecars. I’m cool with what’s in my windshield right now, really cool, really excited. That being said, I’m saying I don’t miss driving racecars, but I have missed the people. The longer it’s gone, the more I’ve missed.

“In the last two months, I’ve really noticed that I miss the fans, I miss the competitors and I miss the members of the media, the journalists and all that were around the racetrack that were my family.”

When asked about the greatest moment of his career, Martin went back to the start of his career before joining Jack Roush’s team.

“The greatest sense of pride I have is not what I accomplished when I started driving for Jack Roush to the day I hung the helmet up in 2013, it is really what happened before I got the ride at Jack Roush,” Martin explained.

“In 1981, the IROC Series, some of the crown jewels that made that possible especially the 1981 five Cup races, the car that we built. There are a lot of good old stories there that I like to tell because it’s fascinating. It’s quite different now because you don’t have the leeway.

“A guy from Indiana that was living and racing in Indiana could not do that today, build a Cup car and make it special and make it fast enough that it could sit on the pole in the third race they entered. That’s an interesting story and it’s something I’m really proud of.”

From those humble beginnings, Martin’s career in the Sprint Cup Series spanned 31 years and included five runner-up finishes in the championship standings. Although he never achieved championship status, Martin is proud of what he accomplished throughout three decades in the sport. He has 40 Cup wins, 49 XFINITY wins, seven victories in the Truck Series and he captured 13 checkered flags in the IROC Series.

“Look, I don’t have a Daytona 500 trophy,” Martin said, “and I don’t have a championship trophy, and I said many times that when people would complain about my not having one of those, I would ask the question, ‘How would my life be different if I had one?’ And, I truly believe that my life would not be very different. But my life will be different from now on because I’m in that Hall because that is my crown jewel.

“That speaks of not one year worth of success, not one great achievement, but a body of work, and that’s what I’m proud of.”

He may not have the hardware, but he is a champion in every sense of the word. Welcome home, Mark Martin, you have been missed.

June 3, 2016
NASCAR Racing Schedule for Pocono
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and XFINITY Series head to Pocono Raceway this weekend. The Camping World Truck Series is off. Please check below for the complete schedule of events.

All times are Eastern.

Thursday, June 2:

On Track:
2-2:55 p.m.: XFINITY Series First Practice
4-4:55 p.m.: XFINITY Series Second Practice

Friday, June 3:

On Track:
11 a.m.-12:25 p.m.: Sprint Cup Series First Practice – FS1
12:30-1:25 p.m.: XFINITY Series Third Practice – FS1 (Canceled)
3-3:55 p.m.: XFINITY Series Final Practice – FS1 (Canceled)
4:30 p.m.: Sprint Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying – FS1

Garage Cam: (Watch live)
10:30 a.m.: Sprint Cup Series
Noon: XFINITY Series

Press Conferences: (Watch live)
9:30 a.m.: Chase Elliott
10:15 a.m.: Martin Truex Jr.
10:30 a.m.: Brennan Poole
10:45 a.m.: Daniel Suarez
1:20 p.m.: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
1:40 p.m.: Brad Keselowski
5:15 p.m.: Post-Sprint Cup Series Qualifying (time approx.)

Saturday, June 4:

On Track:
9:05 a.m.: XFINITY Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying – FS1
11:30 a.m.-12:25 p.m.: Sprint Cup Series Final Practice – FS1
1 p.m.: XFINITY Series Pocono Green 250 (100 laps, 250 miles) – FOX

Press Conferences: (Watch live)
11 a.m.: Pocono Raceway President & CEO Brandon Igdalsky
3 p.m.: Post-XFINITY Series Race (time approx.)

Sunday, June 5:

On Track:
1 p.m.: Sprint Cup Axalta ‘We Paint Winners’ 400 (160 laps, 400 miles) – FS1 (Postponed until Monday, June 6 at noon on FS1)

Press Conferences: (Watch live)
4 p.m.: Post-Sprint Cup Series Race

Complete NASCAR TV Schedule

Special NASCAR Programming:
- Chase Elliott on “Ridiculousness” – Thursday, June 2 at 10 p.m. ET on MTV
June 2, 2016
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Charlotte

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Kevin Harvick: Harvick scored his third runner-up finish of the season with a second in the Coca-Cola 600.

“I signed a contract extension with Stewart-Haas Racing,” Harvick said. “We met at the bargaining table; they made me an offer, I signed it, and, you know me, I pushed it back across the table.” Pushed.

2. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson took third in the Coca-Cola 600 as Martin Truex Jr. captured a dominating win. Johnson is third in the Sprint Cup points standings, 48 out of first.

“Truex certainly had the best car,” Johnson said. “I got close to him a few times, but he just pulled away easily. I really think he was just toying with the other 39 cars. Really, I don’t think anyone has ‘played the field’ like that since Tim Richmond.”

3. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex won the pole and led 392 of 400 laps on his way to a dominating win in the Coca Cola 600, leading all but 12 miles of the race.

“We had the field covered,” Truex said, “or, in Furniture Row-speak, we had the field ‘upholstered.’ Everything went right for us, which was surprising. The way things had been going, I was expecting the wheels to fall off, both literally and figuratively.

“Lewis Hamilton celebrated his Monaco Grand Prix with Justin Bieber. I hear he handed Bieber a bottle of champagne in Victory Lane. I’ve heard of DRS-enabled; Bieber at Monaco is a case of TMZ-enabled.”

4. Kyle Busch: Busch finished 33rd at Charlotte, eight laps down, suffering his second-worst result of the year, and second finish in a row of 30th or worse.

“I slammed the wall hard with 10 laps to go,” Busch said, “and NASCAR didn’t even throw a caution. I guess NASCAR officials ‘86’ed’ the caution. Or maybe they ‘78’ed’ it.”

5. Kurt Busch: Busch posted his 11th top-10 finish of the year with a sixth at Charlotte. He is second in the points standings, trailing Kevin Harvick by 36.

“I think everyone was happy to see Truex win,” Busch said. “I guess the old adage “Nice guys finish last” doesn’t apply, at least not now. I was skeptical, because with Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch winning the last two Sprint Cup championships, the old adage ‘A-holes finish first’ has been the norm.”

6. Carl Edwards: Edwards was penalized twice for speeding on pit row and suffered a finish of 18th, one lap down. He is fifth in the Sprint Cup points standings, 53 out of first.

“Busted for speeding twice,” Edwards said. “I think we’ve seen this before because this certainly isn’t the first time a NASCAR driver has been brought down by ‘two-timing.’”

7. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski came home fifth in the Coca-Cola 600, posting his fourth top-five result of the season.

“The Sunday before Memorial Day is the greatest day of the year in auto racing,” Keselowski said. “Race fans can start the day in Monaco, head to Indianapolis, and finish the day in Charlotte. In other words, race mileage is inversely proportionate to culture.”

8. Joey Logano: Logano finished ninth in the Coca Cola 600, joining Penske Racing teammate Brad Keselowski in the top 10.

“I didn’t win on Sunday,” Logano said, “but I did win the All-Star Race last week. It’s nice to have my name engraved on the winner’s trophy. That’s a far cry from the rules for the All-Star Race, which are written in pencil.”

9. Chase Elliott: Elliott finished eighth at Charlotte, recording his fourth consecutive top-10 result. He is eighth in the Sprint Cup points standings.

“Martin Truex Jr. won one of NASCAR’s crown jewel races,” Elliott said. “The Coca-Cola 600. The Indianapolis 500 may have ‘Carburation Day;’ now, Truex can celebrate with ’Carbonation Day.’”

10. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth finished seventh at Charlotte, posting his third top 10 in the last three races.

“Congratulations to Martin Truex Jr.,” Kenseth said. “You know, Joe Gibbs Racing shares an alliance with Furniture Row Racing. That means we share technical data, strategies, and a dislike for Carl Edwards.”

May 31, 2016
Kurt Busch Quickest in Second Sprint Cup Practice at Charlotte

May 28, 2016
NASCAR Continues Tradition of Honoring United States Armed Forces at Charlotte Motor Speedway

CONCORD, N.C. — For many, Memorial Day weekend is a holiday spent with family and friends, highlighted by cookouts, trips to the beach and lighthearted fun. But for those who have lost loved ones in the service of our country, it is both a time of somber reflection and a celebration of their lives.

NASCAR has an established tradition of honoring these fallen ones in the days leading up to the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway and this year is no exception.

For the second straight year, the “600 Miles of Remembrance” will pay tribute to those who died defending the United States. The driver’s names that normally appear on the windshield of each race car will be replaced with the names of fallen soldiers. Many of these names were chosen by the teams because of a special connection and each has a unique story. Some of the drivers took a moment to speak about the soldiers represented on their cars.

Ryan Blaney emphasized the importance of the military, saying, “Military does so much for our sport. They’re the reason we can race and be in NASCAR, and that it’s even possible. We have a huge military program at the race tracks each weekend and this just adds to that. We make the 600 really special which is great. It’s so cool that we can have them on our windshield and honor them the best we can that way. I am honored to have Cherone L. Gunn and to represent him. We will have two of his family members there, so hopefully we can show them a memorable time, and show them some of our world. He’s from Norfolk Virginia, which is close to where the Wood Brothers shop is in Stuart. It’s really neat what NASCAR does allowing us to honor the fallen soldiers.”

Austin Dillon said that these soldiers are his heroes. He selected the name to be displayed on his car by reaching “out to some of the guys in the NAVY and some of my friends in the SEALS. I asked them if there was anyone they’d like me to represent in Charlotte, and they all came up with a name and that was Mark Carter, “The Badger”. It’s very special to be carrying on someone’s legacy. Especially someone that gave their name for our freedom and to allow us to be Americans that fight out there on Sunday for a race. It’s very special to me, I even went out with my guys and we did a workout after Mark Carter which was really special to do. It was special to do a workout that was named after him. It was one of the toughest workouts I’ve ever done. So hopefully I can be as tough as him on Sunday. My heroes are soldiers and those guys fighting for our freedom.”

Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s car will feature someone who was a childhood friend of JackRoush.

“Charlotte always does a great job with remembering the veterans and military that gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country,” Stenhouse said. “I think our sponsor Fastenal does a great job with it as well and is something that’s very important to them, too. Whether it be hiring the heroes or remembering the ones that gave everything. For us, that week, we’re going to have Jim Woolard on our car, which was one of Jack’s childhood friends growing up. He grew up two doors down from Jack. He died in Vietnam in the Army when he was only 20-years-old. It’ll be a special weekend for us, especially with Jack being our owner. He will want to watch that car run really well. We are going to give it everything we got. It’s very humbling watching the reenactments on pit road before the races. I think that’s one of the special moments everyone comes to see at the Coca-Cola 600.”

US Army 82nd Airborne Prepares for the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Photo Credit: Noel Lanier

For David Ragan, it’s also a way to honor family members that have served.

“Memorial Day is an important day for our entire nation, but certainly for our industry. The Coca-Cola 600 has a lot of history and heritage in our sport. Memorial Day is an important day in our country to honor all of our soldiers that lost their lives fighting for our country. I have had a couple of grandfathers and uncles that served in our nation’s military, so it’s a certainly an important day in my family as well to pay tribute for those that served. One of my favorite memories about Memorial Day Weekend is all of the soldiers and pre-race festivities at Charlotte Motor Speedway over the years. It’s always been a lot of fun.”

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is proud of NASCAR’s continued commitment to the military and said, “NASCAR has always had a close relationship with the military of our country, and honors a family weekly who has lost someone. We always have service men and women out to the track as guests. That’s always been an important addition to the weekend. I like that we ramp it up for this particular weekend. It’ll be great to meet Lance Corporal Aaron Reed’s family and the other members of his squad. That’ll be an experience that I probably won’t forget – it will be pretty weighted. I’m looking forward to it.”

The “600 Miles of Remembrance” is only a small part of planned activities that will span the entire weekend of events to show support for the military as part of a program called, NASCAR: An American Salute.

You can see a gallery of all the fallen soldiers that will appear on the Sprint Cup Series cars during Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 by visiting www.NASCAR.com/salute.

May 27, 2016