Tag: Sprint Showdown

  • NASCAR Racing Schedule Charlotte All-Star Week

    NASCAR Racing Schedule Charlotte All-Star Week

    The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Camping World Truck Series will compete at Charlotte Motor Speedway this weekend. The XFINITY Series is off. Please check below for the complete schedule of events.

    All times are Eastern.

    Thursday, May 19:

    On Track:
    12:30-1:30 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series Practice (canceled due to rain)
    2:30-3:30 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series Second Practice  (canceled due to rain)
    4:30-5:55 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Final Practice – FS1 (Time moved due to rain – Results)

    Press Conferences: (Watch live)
    11:15 a.m.: Christopher Bell
    11:30 a.m.: Daniel Hemric
    11:45 a.m.: Cole Custer

    Friday, May 20:

    On Track:
    1:30-2:55 p.m.: Sprint Showdown Final Practice (Sprint Showdown Qualifying) – FS1 (canceled)
    3-4:40 p.m.: Sprint Cup All-Star Race Final Practice – FS1 (postponed to Saturday)
    5:30 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series Keystone Light Pole Qualifying – FS1  (canceled — starting lineup)
    7:15 p.m.: Sprint Showdown (20 laps, 20 laps, 10 laps) – FS1 (postponed to Saturday)
    8:30 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series – NC Education Lottery 200 (134 laps, 201 miles) – FS1 (postponed to Saturday)

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

    Press Conferences: (Watch live)
    11 a.m.: Dusenberry Martin Racing announcement with Carl Edwards
    11:30 a.m.: Matt Kenseth
    12:45 p.m.: Ryan Blaney
    1:15 p.m.: Kevin Harvick

    Saturday, May 21: (Updated due to rain on Friday)

    On Track:
    9:30-10:30 a.m.: Sprint All-Star Race practice – FS1
    10:05-10:15 a.m.: Sprint All-Star Race Pit Road Speed Practice – FS1
    11 a.m.: Sprint Showdown (20 laps, 20 laps, 10 laps) – FS1
    12:30 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series NC Education Lottery 200 (134 laps, 201 miles) – FS1
    7:10 p.m.: Sprint Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying (three laps with pit stop) – FS1
    9 p.m.: Sprint All-Star Race (50 laps, 50 laps, 13 laps) -FS1

    Press Conferences: (Watch live)
    10:15 p.m.: Post-Sprint Cup Series race (time approx.)

    Race Notes:

    Greg Olsen, tight end for the Carolina Panthers, will drive the pace car for the All-Star Race Saturday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

    Pre All-Star Race:

    8:49:p.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series All-Star Race, Driver & Crew Intros
    9:10 p.m.: Presentation of Colors by 14th Weather Squadron, US Air Force, Asheville, North Carolina
    9:10-9:20 p.m.: Invocation by Joe Gibbs
    9:11: p.m.: National Anthem by Caleb Johnson
    9:12 p.m.: Fly-by TOT: Team Aerodynamix (Turn 4 to Turn 1)
    9:17 p.m. (approx.): “Drivers, Start Your Engines” by Tony Stewart (Done from inside his car)
    9:26:p.m. (approx.): Start of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series All-Star Race

    Additional Info:

    Complete NASCAR TV Schedule

     

  • All-Star Race Revises Format to Enhance Excitement

    All-Star Race Revises Format to Enhance Excitement

    This year the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race has been revamped to create an atmosphere that will promote more competitive racing as the drivers battle for a $1 million prize.

    The All-Star event will be held on May 21 at 9 p.m. ET at Charlotte Motor Speedway and consist of three segments for a total of 113 laps. Qualifying will be held prior to the race (three laps with pit stop) at 7:10 p.m. ET.

    The final segment (13 laps) will feature a unique format that requires the leaders to pit before the last segment begins. None of the other drivers will be allowed to pit. The leaders will then line up behind the cars on the tracks that did not pit, setting up a dramatic dash to the checkered flag.

    To make matters more intriguing, a random draw before the final segment will decide how many of the leaders must pit; nine, 10 or 11.

    This year there will be two drivers added to the lineup by virtue of the Sprint Fan Vote. As of May 16, the top five up for consideration are, in alphabetical order, Ryan Blaney, Matt DiBenedetto, Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson and Danica Patrick. Fans can cast their votes until 5 p.m. ET May 20.

    As an added bonus, Tony Stewart, participating in his final full-time season, has been selected to get things started with the words every NASCAR fan anticipates, “Drivers, Start Your Engines.”

    Sprint All-Star Race Format:

    Segment 1(50 laps): The field will be determined by qualifying and includes a mandatory green flag pit stop for a minimum of two tires.

    Break 1: After the first segment, there will be a break of 3-5 minutes with a mandatory pit stop with a minimum two-tire change.

    Segment 2 (50 laps): The field will be set by the exit from pit road with one mandatory green flag pit stop a minimum two-tire change before lap 85.

    Break 2: After the second segment, there will be a break of 3-5 minutes. This break will feature a random draw that will decide whether the top nine, 10 or 11 cars have to pit for a mandatory four-tire stop. Pit road will be closed for all other cars. The starting order for Segment 3 will be set by order of pit road exit and they will line up behind the cars that did not pit.

    Segment 3 (13 laps): Only green flag laps will count in the final segment. NASCAR Overtime rules apply.

    Sprint All-Star Race Eligibility:

    The All-Star race will include a minimum of 20 cars. Fifteen drivers have already qualified, being 2015-2016 race winners or past All-Star winners. Three more drivers will advance from the Sprint Showdown race (May 20 at 7:15  p.m. ET) and two more drivers will be voted in by fans.

    The 11 winners from 2015-2016 are Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano and Martin Truex Jr. The four past All-Star winners are Kasey Kahne (2008), Jamie McMurray (2014), Ryan Newman (2002) and Tony Stewart (2009).

    Sprint Showdown:

    The Sprint Showdown is divided into three segments (20/20/10) and each segment winner will advance to the All-Star Race.

    Segment 1 (20 laps): The field will be set by practice speed. The winner advances to the All-Star race and will not continue in the Showdown.

    Segment 2 (20 laps): The field is set by pit-road exit order after a mandatory minimum two-tire pit stop. The winner advances to the All-Star race and will not continue in the Showdown.

    Segment 3 (10 laps): The field is set by pit-road exit order after a mandatory minimum two-tire pit stop. NASCAR Overtime rules apply. The winner advances to the All-Star race.

    Saturday’s event will be the 32nd All-Star Race and all but one (1986-Atlanta) have been held at Charlotte Motor Speedway. There have been 21 different winners with Jimmie Johnson leading the series with four wins (2003, 2006, 2012 and 2013).

    The All-Star race has been underwhelming the last several years with few lead changes and sparse cautions. NASCAR is hopeful that the format changes will provide a spark that will showcase the top drivers and give the fans what they want; an edge of your seat, nail-biting, display of pure adrenalin-fueled racing.

  • Biffle, Bowyer, Patrick Take Different Routes into Sprint All-Star Race

    Biffle, Bowyer, Patrick Take Different Routes into Sprint All-Star Race

    CONCORD, N.C.— Greg Biffle led every lap of the caution-free first 20-lap segment of Friday night’s Sprint Showdown at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

    Clint Bowyer needed an early caution in the second segment to validate crew chief Brian Pattie’s four-tire call.

    Though they arrived at the finish line through different routes, Biffle and Bowyer earned the two transfer spots into Saturday night’s NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race (May 16 on FOX Sports 1 at 7 p.m. ET) and will compete for the million-dollar top prize.

    Ninth-place finisher Danica Patrick also made the field for NASCAR’s glamour non-points race at the 1.5-mile speedway, as the first multiple winner of the Sprint Fan Vote.

    Biffle, who put a Roush Fenway Racing car into the Sprint All-Star Race for the 16th straight year, ran away from the rest of the field in the first segment, beating Bowyer to the stripe by 1.583 seconds, and took his car to the garage.

    “I’m really excited,” said Biffle, who started second and traded paint with pole winner Paul Menard before assuming the top spot on the first lap. “We’ve worked really hard and we had good track position. We qualified well. It seems like we’re getting our cars a little bit better.

    “We know we still have work to do, but when it got out in clean air it was pretty fast, and we were able to hold off Clint and have a pretty good lead. I definitely didn’t want to see a caution flag. I wasn’t ready for a restart and mix it up again, but we’re pretty happy with the car…

    “I’ve never been so excited to win half a race in my life.”

    Martin Truex Jr. was one of four drivers who changed two tires during the break between segments, and the driver of the No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet took the lead after close-quarters racing to start segment No. 2. But a caution for J.J. Yeley’s spin out of Turn 4 slowed the field on Lap 22, and put Bowyer in position to take advantage of his four fresh tires.

    After two laps of breathtaking three-wide racing, Bowyer surged past Truex and Kyle Larson to take the lead for good. His winning margin over second-place Menard was 1.521 seconds, as Truex fell back to third and Larson pitted under green with a cut tire.

    “You definitely don’t want to be known as the winner of the Sprint Showdown, but it’s better than going home,” quipped Bowyer, who like Biffle has suffered through an extended victory drought. “I’m glad we’re a part of that show… I almost did a burnout.”

    NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race – Sprint Showdown
    Charlotte Motor Speedway
    Concord, North Carolina
    Friday, May 15, 2015

    1. (2) Greg Biffle, Ford, Winner (Segment 1), 20

    1. (4) Clint Bowyer, Toyota, Winner (Segment 2) 40,
    2. (1) Paul Menard, Chevrolet, 40,
    3. (7) Martin Truex Jr., Chevrolet, 40,
    4. (13) Sam Hornish Jr., Ford, 40,
    5. (11) Chase Elliott(i), Chevrolet, 40,
    6. (5) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 40,
    7. (15) Trevor Bayne, Ford, 40,
    8. (14) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 40,
    9. (8) Danica Patrick, Chevrolet, 40,
    10. (9) Casey Mears, Chevrolet, 40,
    11. (3) David Ragan, Toyota, 40,
    12. (10) Michael McDowell, Ford, 40,
    13. (17) David Gilliland, Ford, 40,
    14. (23) Cole Whitt, Ford, 40,
    15. (21) Matt DiBenedetto #, Toyota, 40,
    16. (22) Jeb Burton #, Toyota, 40,
    17. (19) Josh Wise, Ford, 40,
    18. (24) JJ Yeley(i), Toyota, 40,
    19. (26) Jeff Green(i), Chevrolet, 40,
    20. (28) Alex Kennedy #, Chevrolet, 40, .
    21. (29) Tanner Berryhill #, Chevrolet, 39,
    22. (27) Brendan Gaughan(i), Chevrolet, 39,
    23. (12) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ford, 39,
    24. (6) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 38,
    25. (25) Michael Annett, Chevrolet, 37,
    26. (16) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, Electrical, 22,
    27. (20) Landon Cassill(i), Chevrolet, Engine, 20,
    28. (18) Mike Bliss(i), Ford, Vibration, 6,

    Average Speed of Race Winner: 102.37 mph.
    Time of Race: 00 Hrs, 35 Mins, 10 Secs. Margin of Victory: 1.521 Seconds.
    Caution Flags: 2 for 0 laps.
    Lead Changes: 4 among 4 drivers.
    Lap Leaders: 4; G. Biffle 1-20; M. Truex Jr. 21-22; K. Larson 23; C. Bowyer 24-40.
    Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): G. Biffle 1 time for 20 laps; C. Bowyer 1 time for 17 laps; M. Truex Jr. 1 time for 2 laps; K. Larson 1 time for 1 lap.
    NASCAR logo (2)

  • Matty’s Picks 2012 – Vol. 12 Charlotte Motor Speedway – NASCAR Sprint All Star Race – May 19, 2012

    Matty’s Picks 2012 – Vol. 12 Charlotte Motor Speedway – NASCAR Sprint All Star Race – May 19, 2012

    [media-credit name=”charlottemotorspeedway.com” align=”alignright” width=”199″][/media-credit]The stars have come home to Charlotte for this weekend’s NASCAR Sprint All Star Race, and this year brings new drivers, a new format, but the same old distinction. A million dollars rides on the driver able to cross the finish line first following 90 or so laps at The Beast of the Southeast. Saturday night’s NASCAR Sprint All Star Race will be run in 4-20 lap segments, with the four segment-winners staging at the front of the field for the final 10-lap shootout to the wire for the cool million. 90 or more laps will make up the All Star race this year, as only green flag laps count in the final 10-lap shootout.

    Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers in NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race wins, with three under his belt already. Carl Edwards made his mark on Charlotte Motor Speedway last season when he practically ripped the front end of his Ford Fusion off from the rest of the car, following his turn through the front-stretch grass in celebration of his first NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race win.

    Some big names still need to race (or be voted) into the big dance on Saturday Night, namely Dale Earnhardt Jr., Martin Truex Jr., Jeff Burton, and Jamie McMurray. The way to earn a ticket to the big dance – finish in the top two of the Sprint Showdown is a surefire way, the other – be at the top of the Sprint Fan Vote. Much like Friday and Saturday night home-track races, there’s an A-main and a B-main tonight in Concord. The Sprint Showdown will be ran in two segments of 20 laps each, with the top two finishers moving onto tonight’s A-main.
    With the absence of NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship points comes an extreme level of action and daring driving. Settling for second is never a thought in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star race, making it one of my favorite race weekends of the entire Sprint Cup season.

    Darlington Recap

    The Lady in Black tamed my recent hot streak of winner picks last week, a result of the toughness Darlington Raceway brings to the sport.

    I picked last week’s pole-sitter, Greg Biffle to win the Bojangles’ Southern 500, a move that looked fairly promising for 74 or so laps last Saturday Night. Biffle’s car seemed to go away as the laps ticked away, battling loose conditions through the latter of the laps at Darlington. He ran in the top-10 for the majority of the race, but the late-race caution set the field up for a green-white-checkered finsh. Biffle restarted 10th, but his 3M Ford Fusion was too much of a handful to muscle into the top-10, ultimately crossing the finish line in 12th.

    My Dark Horse last week qualified for the Bojangles’ Southern 500 in the sixth spot, and ended the race one spot better in fifth. Martin Truex Jr. also battled a loose condition throughout the duration of the race and ran as high as first, but only faltered back to 11th last week. He lead a season high 25 laps and managed to hold his 5th place spot in the championship points standings.

    All-Star Picks

    There is so much to pick for tonight’s All-Star festivities, so I will try to keep my picks short and sweet this week…

    Sprint Showdown

    Kicking off tonight’s on-track activities is the B-main or LCQ (if you’re used to motorcycle racing), otherwise known as the Sprint Showdown. The Showdown is packed with guys eager to have a shot at racing for the cool million, but its Martin Truex Jr. and Jeff Burton that will punch their tickets to the big dance by racing their way into the A-main. Both will start in the top-5 for the Showdown and practiced well on Friday.

    Fan Vote

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. will not race his way into the Sprint All-Star race, but will have a shot at the million via JR Nation. The will vote in droves following his third-place effort in the Sprint Showdown, but JR will start last on the grid for the NASCAR All-Star Race by receiving the 2012 fan vote for the second straight year.

    NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race
    Here’s the segment winners first:
    1- Kyle Busch
    2- Jimmie Johnson
    3- Jeff Gordon
    4 – Tony Stewart

    Starting in the top-4 spots of the 10-lap shootout for tonight’s million-dollar purse will be one Toyota and three Chevrolets. In the end, it will be Stewart claiming victory in the All-Star race. He was at Thursday night’s Pit Crew Challenge, and was disappointed when his Stewart-Haas Racing crew was knocked out of the competition in the semi-finals. The defending NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion is out for revenge tonight and will go home a million dollars richer when the checkered falls.

    That’s all for this week, so until next week’s Monaco Grand Prix, Indy 500, and Coke 600…You Stay Classy NASCAR NATION!