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Tag: XFINITY Series

  • Kyle Busch Goes 2-for-2 in Bristol, Rallies with XFINITY Victory

    Kyle Busch Goes 2-for-2 in Bristol, Rallies with XFINITY Victory

    By Staff Report | NASCAR.com

    Kyle Busch completed the second leg in a potential Bristol Motor Speedway tripleheader sweep, rallying to victory in the NASCAR XFINITY Series on Friday night.

    Busch’s Joe Gibbs Racing No. 18 Toyota led a race-high 186 of 300 laps in the Food City 300. He also converted a come-from-behind victory Wednesday in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

    Busch was bitten by a pit-road speeding penalty during the intermission after his Stage 1 win, forcing him to restart in 19th place. But Busch roared back to the front — much like he did in his midweek truck win — in 58 laps to take Stage 2 and position himself for another victory on the .533-mile track.

    “At least I didn’t have to come through in the last stage because everybody was pretty fast there tonight in the last stage,” said Busch, whose Truck Series comeback came in the final stage. “I don’t know if I would have been able to make it all the way back up through there.”

    Busch’s fifth XFINITY win of the season was his ninth at Bristol and the 91st of his career. He’ll go for the tripleheader sweep in Saturday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series main event (7:30 p.m. ET, NBC, PRN, SiriusXM), a Bristol feat he also accomplished in 2010.

    “I think we can, yeah,” Busch said of his chances, starting 18th in Bristol’s annual night race. “We’ve got a fast car. We just have to make the right adjustments overnight here and get it ready for tomorrow.”

    Daniel Suarez, Busch’s Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, netted second place in the No. 20 Toyota, finishing 1.181 seconds behind Busch at the checkered flag.

    Series points leader Elliott Sadler finished third, clinching a playoff spot by ensuring himself a top-20 result in the regular-season standings. Ty Dillon and Justin Allgaier completed the top five.

    The series’ next race is scheduled Aug. 27 at Road America, the sprawling 4.048-mile road course in Elkhart Lake, Wis.

    Related Links: Race results | Series standings

  • NASCAR Racing Schedule – Bristol 2

    NASCAR Racing Schedule – Bristol 2

    The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, XFINITY Series and Camping World Truck Series travel to Bristol Motor Speedway this week. All series will race under the lights beginning with the Truck Series Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. The XFINITY Series hits the track Friday at 7:30 p.m. and the Cup Series closes out the weekend Saturday at 7:30 p.m. with the Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race.

    Please check below for the complete schedule of events. All times are Eastern.

    Wednesday, August 16

    On-Track:
    9:00-9:55 a.m.: Camping World Truck Series  Practice – FS1
    11:00-11:55 a.m.: Camping World Truck Series Final Practice – FS1
    4:35 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series Keystone Light Pole Qualifying – FS2
    8:30 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series UNOH 200 (200 laps, 106.6 miles) – FS1

    Press Conference: (Watch live)
    10:45 p.m.: Post-Camping World Truck Series Race

    Thursday, August 17

    On-Track:
    1:00-1:55 p.m.: XFINITY Series Practice – NBC Sports App (Follow live)
    3:00-3:55 p.m.: XFINITY Series Final Practice – NBC Sports App (Follow live)

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

    Press Conferences: (Watch live)
    12:15 p.m.: Cole Custer, Daniel Hemric and Matt Tifft
    2:15 p.m.: Dale Earnhardt Jr.

    Friday, August 18

    On-Track:
    10:00-11:25 a.m.: Cup Series Practice – NBC Sports App (Follow live)
    12:30-1:55 p.m.: Cup Series Final Practice – NBCSN
    3:40 p.m.: XFINITY Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying – NBCSN
    5:45 p.m.: Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying – NBCSN
    7:30 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series Food City 300 (300 laps, 159.9 miles) – NBCSN

    Garage Cam: (Watch live)
    Noon: Cup Series

    Press Conferences: (Watch live)
    9 a.m.: Matt Kenseth
    9:15 a.m.: Chase Elliott
    Noon: Ward Burton
    2 p.m: Chris Buescher
    2:30 p.m.: Jamie McMurray
    3:35 p.m.: Trevor Bayne
    6:45 p.m.: Post-Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series qualifying
    10 p.m.: Post-XFINITY Series race

    Saturday, August 19

    On-Track:
    7:30 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race (500 laps, 266.5 miles) – NBC

    Press Conference: (Watch live)
    11 p.m.: Post-Cup Series Race

    Complete TV Schedule

    Race Details:

    NASCAR Camping World Truck Series 
    Race: UNOH 200
    Date: Wednesday, August 16
    Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
    TV: FS1, 8 p.m. ET
    Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
    Distance: 106.6 miles (200 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 55), Stage 2 (Ends on lap 110), Final Stage (Ends on lap 200)

    NASCAR XFINITY Series
    Race: Food City 300
    Date: Friday, August 18
    Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
    TV: NBCSN, 7 p.m. ET
    Radio: 9RN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
    Distance: 159.9 miles (300 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 85), Stage 2 (Ends on lap 170), Final Stage (Ends on lap 300)

    Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
    Race: Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race
    Date: Saturday, August 19
    Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
    TV: NBC, 7 p.m. ET
    Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
    Distance: 266.5 miles (500 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 125), Stage 2 (Ends on lap 250), Final Stage (Ends on lap 500)

     

  • NXS Recap: Kyle Busch Wins and Ryan Preece Impresses at New Hampshire

    NXS Recap: Kyle Busch Wins and Ryan Preece Impresses at New Hampshire

    By Reid Spencer | NASCAR Wire Service

    LOUDON, N.H. – Kyle Busch’s celebratory burnout produced a cloud of smoke over the frontstretch at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, but Ryan Preece’s first run in top-of-the-line equipment made an even bigger impression in Saturday’s Overton’s 200 NASCAR XFINITY Series race.

    After a major snafu on pit road took a potential win away from Brad Keselowski, who had arguably the fastest car at the Magic Mile, Busch cruised to a 10.425-second victory, collecting his third win in six starts this season, his sixth at NHMS and the 89th of his career, extending his series record.

    Driving the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota for the first time, Preece finished second to his far more experienced teammate and left the track hoping his performance will open the eyes of someone looking for talent behind the wheel.

    “This is something I dreamed about, to be honest with you,” said Preece, who won Friday’s All-Star modified race and finished second in Saturday’s 100-lap preliminary to the XFINITY event. “I work hard week-in and week-out at the modifieds, so to be able to have this opportunity means a lot to me.”

    Preece, who will race at Iowa on July 29 in his only other scheduled event in the No. 20 car, ran the full NASCAR XFINITY Series schedule last year in Johnny Davis’ No. 01 Chevrolet.

    “I don’t take back doing what I did last year,” Preece said. “It was great. People don’t even know that I ran full-time, but I got laps. That’s what you need sometimes. I’ve been doing this all my life, so all I needed was the right opportunity.

    “Joe Gibbs gave it to me. Congratulations to Kyle, my teammate. That’s pretty cool to say. Right?”

    The race, which ran without a caution from a restart on Lap 97 to the finish at Lap 200, turned on the final cycle of green-flag pit stops. Busch ducked onto pit road on Lap 169 for fuel and fresh tires.

    Keselowski, who led a race-high 102 laps, brought his car to the pits on Lap 170 but had to angle his No. 22 Ford around Kyle Larson’s No. 42 Chevrolet, which had started to leave its pit stall as Keselowski pulled in.

    When the jack dropped and Keselowski accelerated, the gas can was still locked into its coupler, and the forward motion of the car pulled both the can and the fueler out of the No. 22’s pit stall.

    Keselowski had to serve a stop-and-go penalty for dragging equipment outside the pit box. His winning chances gone, Keselowski finished fifth, more than 18 seconds in arrears, as one of six cars on the lead lap.

    “I think we kind of coaxed those guys into having to rush themselves and hurry a little bit (by pitting first with a flawless stop), and maybe we put the pressure and that was the difference today,” Busch said. “So great day for us and excited to have the opportunity to be in Victory Lane again here in New Hampshire.”

    Keselowski had a succinct summation of the afternoon.

    “It’s always fun being fast and leading the most laps and all that, but we just didn’t put the whole race together today,” he said.

    Sunoco rookie of the year frontrunner William Byron ran third, with Larson, Keselowski and Ben Kennedy behind him. Byron is second in the series standings, 45 points behind leader Elliott Sadler, who ran seventh, the first driver one lap down.

    NASCAR XFINITY Series Race – Overton’s 200
    New Hampshire Motor Speedway
    Loudon, New Hampshire
    Saturday, July 15, 2017

    1. (1) Kyle Busch(i), Toyota, 200.
    2. (6) Ryan Preece, Toyota, 200.
    3. (7) William Byron #, Chevrolet, 200.
    4. (3) Kyle Larson(i), Chevrolet, 200.
    5. (2) Brad Keselowski(i), Ford, 200.
    6. (13) Ben Kennedy #, Chevrolet, 200.
    7. (8) Elliott Sadler, Chevrolet, 199.
    8. (12) Ty Dillon(i), Chevrolet, 199.
    9. (10) Cole Custer #, Ford, 199.
    10. (9) Brennan Poole, Chevrolet, 199.
    11. (4) Matt Tifft #, Toyota, 199.
    12. (5) Daniel Hemric #, Chevrolet, 199.
    13. (14) Blake Koch, Chevrolet, 199.
    14. (19) Ryan Reed, Ford, 198.
    15. (21) JJ Yeley, Toyota, 198.
    16. (23) Michael Annett, Chevrolet, 198.
    17. (16) Brendan Gaughan, Chevrolet, 197.
    18. (24) Harrison Rhodes, Chevrolet, 197.
    19. (18) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 197.
    20. (20) Ryan Sieg, Chevrolet, 197.
    21. (26) Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 197.
    22. (39) Dylan Lupton, Toyota, 196.
    23. (25) Garrett Smithley, Chevrolet, 195.
    24. (15) Dakoda Armstrong, Toyota, 195.
    25. (34) Joey Gase, Chevrolet, 195.
    26. (27) BJ McLeod, Chevrolet, 194.
    27. (32) Spencer Boyd, Chevrolet, 193.
    28. (33) Timmy Hill, Dodge, 186.
    29. (31) Tommy Joe Martins, Chevrolet, 185.
    30. (28) David Starr, Chevrolet, 184.
    31. (38) Mike Harmon, Dodge, 178.
    32. (11) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 173.
    33. (37) Martin Roy, Chevrolet, Engine, 163.
    34. (22) Brandon Jones, Chevrolet, 157.
    35. (17) Spencer Gallagher #, Chevrolet, Suspension, 156.
    36. (36) Carl Long, Chevrolet, Electrical, 67.
    37. (35) Morgan Shepherd, Chevrolet, Suspension, 59.
    38. (30) Jeff Green, Chevrolet, Electrical, 15.
    39. (29) Reed Sorenson(i), Chevrolet, Brakes, 7.
    40. (40) John Jackson, Dodge, Vibration, 4.

    Average Speed of Race Winner:  109.276 mph.
    Time of Race:  01 Hrs, 56 Mins, 11 Secs. Margin of Victory:  10.425 Seconds.
    Caution Flags:  3 for 15 laps.
    Lead Changes:  13 among 7 drivers.

    Lap Leaders:   K. Busch(i) 1-2; B. Keselowski(i) 3-7; K. Busch(i) 8-27; B. Keselowski(i) 28-33; J. Allgaier 34-35; E. Sadler 36-40; K. Larson(i) 41-51; R. Preece 52-53; K. Busch(i) 54-71; B. Keselowski(i) 72-93; K. Busch(i) 94-101; B. Keselowski(i) 102-170; M. Tifft # 171; K. Busch(i) 172-200.

    Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led):  B. Keselowski(i) 4 times for 102 laps; K. Busch(i) 5 times for 77 laps; K. Larson(i) 1 time for 11 laps; E. Sadler 1 time for 5 laps; R. Preece 1 time for 2 laps; J. Allgaier 1 time for 2 laps; M. Tifft # 1 time for 1 lap.

    Stage #1 Top Ten: 42,20,18,1,22,7,48,3,9,19
    Stage #2 Top Ten: 22,18,42,20,9,1,3,19,48,2

     

  • NASCAR Racing Schedule for New Hampshire

    NASCAR Racing Schedule for New Hampshire

    The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and the XFINITY Series travel to New Hampshire Motor Speedway this weekend. Saturday night will feature the XFINITY Series Overton’s 200 while the Cup Series closes out the competition Sunday afternoon with the Overton’s 301. Both races will be broadcast on NBCSN.

    Please check below for the complete schedule of events. All times are Eastern.

    Friday, July 14:

    On Track:
    11:30 a.m.-12:55 p.m.: Cup Series Practice – NBC Sports App/NBCSN joins in at 11:45 a.m.
    1-1:55 p.m.: XFINITY Series Practice – NBCSN
    3-3:55 p.m.: XFINITY Series Final Practice – NBCSN
    4:45 p.m.: Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying – NBCSN

    Garage Cam: (Watch live)
    11 a.m.: Cup Series
    2:30 p.m.: XFINITY Series

    Press Conferences: (Watch live)
    10:15 a.m.: Joey Logano
    10:45 a.m.: Martin Truex Jr.
    11 a.m.: Kyle Busch
    11:15 a.m.: Blake Koch, Daniel Hemric and Dakoda Armstrong
    1:30 p.m.: Ryan Newman
    1:45 p.m.: Chase Cabre, Harrison Burton and Chase Purdy
    5:30 p.m.: Post-Cup Series Qualifying

    Saturday, July 15:

    On Track:
    10-10:55 a.m.: Cup Series Practice – NBC Sports App
    11:05 a.m.: XFINITY Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying – CNBC
    12:30-1:25 p.m.: Cup Series Final Practice – NBCSN
    4 p.m.: XFINITY Series Overton’s 200 (200 laps, 211.6 miles) – NBCSN

    Press Conference:  (Watch live)
    6:30 p.m.: Post-NASCAR XFINITY Series Race

    Sunday, July 16:

    On Track:
    3 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Overton’s 301 (301 laps, 318.46 miles) – NBCSN

    Press Conference: (Watch live)
    6:30 p.m.: Post-Cup Series Race

    Race Details:

    NASCAR XFINITY Series
    Race: Overton’s 200
    Date: Saturday, July 15
    Time: 4 p.m. ET
    TV: NBCSN, 3:30 p.m. ET
    Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
    Distance: 211.6 miles (200 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 45), Stage 2 (Ends on lap 90), Final Stage (Ends on lap 200)

    Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
    Race: Overton’s 301
    Date: Sunday, July 16
    Time: 3 p.m. ET
    TV: NBCSN, 2:30 p.m. ET
    Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
    Distance: 318.46 miles (301 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 75), Stage 2 (Ends on lap 150), Final Stage (Ends on lap 301)

    Complete TV Schedule

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

     

  • NASCAR Racing Schedule for Kentucky

    NASCAR Racing Schedule for Kentucky

    The  Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, XFINITY Series and the Camping World Truck Series all travel to Kentucky Speedway this week. The on-track activity begins Wednesday with Truck Series Practice. Please check below for the complete schedule of events. All times are Eastern.

    Wednesday, July 5:

    On Track:
    3-4:25 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series Practice (Results)
    5-6:25 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series Final Practice (Results)

    Thursday, July 6:

    On Track:
    2- 2:55 p.m.: XFINITY Series Practice – CANCELED DUE TO RAIN
    4- 4:50 p.m.: XFINITY Series Second Practice – CANCELED DUE TO RAIN
    5 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series Keystone Light Pole Qualifying – FS1 – CANCELED DUE TO RAIN
    6- 6:50 p.m.: XFINITY Series Final Practice – NBCSN – POSTPONED
    7:30 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series Buckle Up in Your Truck 225 (150 laps, 225 miles) – FS1
    (Delayed approx. three hours due to rain) Results

    Press Conferences: (Watch live)
    1 p.m.: Erik Jones
    1:15 p.m.: William Byron, Cole Custer and Brendan Gaughan
    1:30 p.m.: Ben Rhodes
    Post-Camping World Truck Series press conference on NASCAR.com after race

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

    Friday, July 7:

    On Track:
    8:30-9:55 a.m.: XFINITY Series Practice (Follow live) (Canada: TSN GO)
    10-11:55 a.m.: Cup Series Practice – NBC Sports App (Follow live) (Canada: TSN GO)
    1-2:25 p.m.: Cup Series Final Practice – NBCSN (Canada: TSN 2)
    4:30 p.m.: XFINITY Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying – NBCSN (Canada: TSN GO)
    6:15 p.m.: Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying, NBCSN (Canada: TSN 2)
    8 p.m.: XFINITY Series Alsco 300 (200 laps, 300 miles) – NBCSN (Canada: TSN 2) – POSTPONED TO SATURDAY

    Press Conferences: (Watch live)
    9:15 a.m.: Matt Kenseth
    12:20 p.m.: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
    3 p.m.: Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
    3:30 p.m.: Quaker State
    7:30 p.m.: Post-Cup Series Qualifying
    11 p.m.: NASCAR.com – Post-XFINITY Series Race

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

    Saturday, July 8:

    On Track:
    Noon: XFINITY Series Alsco 300 (200 laps, 300 miles) – NBCSN (Canada: TSN 2)
    7:30 p.m.: Cup Series Quaker State 400 Presented by Advance Auto Parts (267 laps, 400.5 miles) – NBCSN
    11 p.m.: Cup Series Post-Race Show on NBCSN
    11:30 p.m.: NASCAR Victory Lap on NBCSN

    Press Conferences:  (Watch live)
    2:45 p.m.: Richard Petty
    11:30 p.m.: NASCAR.com – Post-Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race

    Race Details:

    NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
    Race: Buckle Up in Your Truck 225
    Date: Thursday, July 6
    Time: 7:30 p.m. ET – Delayed approx. three hours due to rain
    TV: FS1
    Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
    Distance: 225 miles (150 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 35), Stage 2 (Ends on lap 70), Final Stage (Ends on lap 150)

    NASCAR XFINITY Series
    Race: Alsco 300
    Date: Friday, July 7 – Postponed to Saturday
    Time: 8 p.m. ET
    TV: NBCSN
    Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
    Distance: 300 miles (200 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 45), Stage 2 (Ends on lap 90), Final Stage (Ends on lap 200)

    Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
    Race: Quaker State 400 Presented by Advance Auto Parts
    Date: Saturday, July 8
    Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
    TV: NBCSN
    Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
    Distance: Stage 1 (Ends on lap 80), Stage 2 (Ends on lap 160), Final Stage (Ends on lap 267)

    Complete TV Schedule

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

     

  • NASCAR Racing Schedule for Daytona

    NASCAR Racing Schedule for Daytona

    The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series travels to Daytona International Speedway this weekend for the Coke Zero 400 while the XFINITY Series will hit the track for the Coca-Cola Firecracker 250.

    Please check below for the complete schedule of events. All times are Eastern.

    Thursday, June 29:

    On Track:
    2- 2:55 p.m.: XFINITY Series Practice – NBCSN
    3- 3:55 p.m.: Cup Series Practice – NBCSN
    4- 4:55 p.m.: XFINITY Series Final Practice – NBCSN
    5- 5:55 p.m.: Cup Series Final Practice – NBCSN

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

    Press Conferences: (Watch live)
    1 p.m.: Sam Flood and NBC Talent Season Preview
    1:45 p.m.: Kurt Busch
    2:15 p.m.: Chase Elliott
    4:15 p.m.: Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

    Friday, June 30

    On Track:
    2:10 p.m.: XFINITY Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying – NBCSN
    4:10 p.m.: Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying – NBCSN
    7:30 p.m.: XFINITY Series Coca-Cola Firecracker 250 (100 laps, 250 miles) – NBCSN – Postponed to Saturday

    Press Conferences: (Watch live)
    1 p.m.: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
    1:30 p.m.: Matt Tifft, Peter Intermaggio, Carol Eggert
    3:30 p.m.: Brad Keselowski
    3:45 p.m.: Richard Petty
    5:30 p.m.: Post-Cup Series Qualifying

    Saturday, July 1

    On Track:
    Noon: XFINITY Series Coca-Cola Firecracker 250 (100 laps, 250 miles) – CNBC – (Find CNBC on your TV)
    7:30 p.m.: Cup Series Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola (160 laps, 400 miles) – NBC
    11 p.m.: Cup Series Post-Race – NBCSN

    Press Conferences: (Watch live)
    2:30 p.m.: Post-XFINITY Series Race
    4 p.m.: Andrew Lumish, The Good Cemetarian
    4:15 p.m.: Gen. Wesley Clark, Richard Childress, Austin Dillon
    11 p.m.: Post-Cup Series Race

    Race Details:

    NASCAR XFINITY Series Coca-Cola Firecracker 250
    Date: Friday, June 30 – Postponed to Saturday – See above for complete details
    Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
    TV: NBCSN, 7 p.m. ET
    Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
    Distance: 250 miles (100 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 30), Stage 2 (Ends on lap 60), Final Stage (Ends on lap 100)

    Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola
    Date: Saturday, July 1
    Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
    TV: NBC, 7:30 p.m. ET, NASCAR America Saturday, NBCSN, 5 p.m.
    Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
    Distance: 400 miles (160 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 40), Stage 2 (Ends on lap 80), Final Stage (Ends on lap 160)

    Complete TV Schedule

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

     

  • William Byron Gets First Career XFINITY Win at Iowa Speedway

    William Byron Gets First Career XFINITY Win at Iowa Speedway

    NEWTON, Iowa — Last week, a blink-of-an-eye moment weighed heavily on William Byron.

    Saturday, the driver of the No. 9 JR Motorsports Chevrolet lifted his head and shouted out a pent-up yelp that formed the suitable soundtrack the rookie’s first career NASCAR XFINITY Series victory.

    “I feel it all kind of comes around in racing and last week we were so close,” said Byron, who finished a mere .012 seconds behind Joe Gibbs Racing veteran Denny Hamlin last Saturday at Michigan International Speedway. “You’ve got to have a little bit off luck to win every race that we win and I feel like we got one back for last week.”

    The final restart with 10 laps to go came just 11 laps after the previous one during which Byron pitted and capped off fuel while taking tires.

    Good fortune finally found Byron again, who never was seriously challenged down the stretch, but only had four or five laps of fuel left before his last pit stop helped set the stage for victory.

    “We definitely got a huge break the way the caution fell right there,” Byron’s crew chief, Dave Elenz, told FS1 pit reporters during a caution period with 15 laps to go. 

    Byron made the most of it. He won last year at Iowa, but in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

    “It’s awesome just to kind of come this far,” said Byron, who received a congratulatory call from Rick Hendrick after the win.

    The ninth caution of the night also benefitted some less familiar top-10 finishers, including Ryan Sieg, who ran second to notch his fourth career top-five finish in 117 series starts. Tyler Reddick took third.

    “It was fun racing with Tyler at the end,” Sieg said. “We had a little bit of a battle.”

    Christopher Bell — in the second leg of his first double-duty weekend — started on the pole and remained on point the entire first stage, fending off an early challenge from teammate Kyle Benjamin, and a late charge from Sam Hornish, Jr., who made his first start in nine months.

    Hornish led 183 laps while winning last season at Iowa, but misfortune struck 19 laps into stage two as Bell made contact with his rear fender — an encounter that sent Hornish careening into the wall.

    It also ended the veteran stock car and open-wheel racer’s first night back with Team Penske.

    “He came up pretty hard when he got loose and hit me,” said Hornish, who is slated to run a limited schedule this season. “Of course, we got the brunt of it. I’m disappointed. This is one of my favorite places to come to.”

    Points leader Elliott Sadler shares that sentiment — even though mostly bad luck plagued his night.

    He qualified fourth, but was sent to the rear after an unapproved pre-race adjustment was made on his car. No matter. He’d ascended to fifth by the end of the first stage and ended up eighth.

    Bell settled for 16th after he was collected in an incident involving Brennan Poole and Ryan Reed — the very caution that benefitted Byron and others.

    Bell led 152 laps to Byron’s 78, but as both drivers know, it’s the last lap that counts.

    Especially Byron, who vocally and visually celebrated this week after enduring quiet disappointment the last.

    “To get second last week kind of hurt, just because we were that close,” Byron said. “But I feel like it gave us extra motivation, and I feel like last year the beginning of the summer was when I kind of hit my stride and I think we won back-to-back, so to now have a second and a first feels really good.”

    NASCAR XFINITY Series Race – American Ethanol E15 250 presented by Enogen

    Iowa Speedway – Newton, Iowa  – Saturday, June 24, 2017

     

                   1. (6) William Byron #, Chevrolet, 250.

                   2. (22) Ryan Sieg, Chevrolet, 250.

                   3. (15) Tyler Reddick, Chevrolet, 250.

                   4. (14) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 250.

                   5. (7) Dakoda Armstrong, Toyota, 250.

                   6. (20) Michael Annett, Chevrolet, 250.

                   7. (18) Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 250.

                   8. (4) Elliott Sadler, Chevrolet, 250.

                   9. (5) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 250.

                   10. (31) Garrett Smithley, Chevrolet, 250.

                   11. (30) Tommy Joe Martins, Chevrolet, 250.

                   12. (27) Quin Houff, Chevrolet, 250.

                   13. (25) JJ Yeley, Toyota, 250.

                   14. (32) David Starr, Chevrolet, 250.

                   15. (28) Dylan Lupton, Toyota, 250.

                   16. (1) Christopher Bell(i), Toyota, 250.

                   17. (26) BJ McLeod, Chevrolet, 250.

                   18. (37) Joey Gase, Chevrolet, 250.

                   19. (17) Ryan Reed, Ford, 250.

                   20. (21) Ben Kennedy #, Chevrolet, 249.

                   21. (11) Daniel Hemric #, Chevrolet, 249.

                  22. (9) Matt Tifft #, Toyota, 249.

                   23. (23) Brandon Jones, Chevrolet, 249.

                   24. (24) Cole Custer #, Ford, 249.

                   25. (13) Blake Koch, Chevrolet, 249.

                   26. (16) Brendan Gaughan, Chevrolet, 249.

                   27. (8) Brennan Poole, Chevrolet, 249.

                   28. (38) Timmy Hill, Dodge, 247.

                   29. (34) Ray Black II, Chevrolet, 246.

                   30. (19) Spencer Gallagher #, Chevrolet, 244.

                   31. (2) Kyle Benjamin, Toyota, 241.

                   32. (12) Scott Lagasse Jr., Chevrolet, 236.

                   33. (33) Dexter Bean, Chevrolet, Accident, 161.

                   34. (10) Ty Majeski, Ford, Accident, 143.

                   35. (40) Mike Harmon, Dodge, Engine, 121.

                   36. (29) Harrison Rhodes, Chevrolet, Engine, 118.

                   37. (3) Sam Hornish Jr., Ford, Accident, 78.

                   38. (39) Carl Long, Toyota, Brakes, 18.

                   39. (36) Morgan Shepherd, Chevrolet, Vibration, 16.

                   40. (35) Jeff Green, Chevrolet, Electrical, 6.

     

    Average Speed of Race Winner:  85.859 mph.

    Time of Race:  2 Hrs, 32 Mins, 52 Secs. Margin of Victory:  1.140 Seconds.

    Caution Flags:  9 for 65 laps.

    Lead Changes:  11 among 6 drivers.

    Lap Leaders:   C. Bell(i) 1-64; R. Black II 65; W. Byron # 66-86; J. Allgaier 87-91; W. Byron # 92-103; C. Bell(i) 104-114; B. Gaughan 115-123; W. Byron # 124-142; C. Bell(i) 143-219; W. Byron # 220-224; D. Lupton 225-229; W. Byron # 230-250.

    Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led):  C. Bell(i) 3 times for 152 laps; W. Byron # 5 times for 78 laps; B. Gaughan 1 time for 9 laps; J. Allgaier 1 time for 5 laps; D. Lupton 1 time for 5 laps; R. Black II 1 time for 1 lap.

    Stage #1 Top Ten: 20,22,9,7,1,18,14,3,16,21

    Stage #2 Top Ten: 62,9,20,1,51,2,39,7,16,28

  • NASCAR Racing Schedule for Sonoma and Iowa

    NASCAR Racing Schedule for Sonoma and Iowa

    The NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series travels to Sonoma Raceway this weekend while the XFINITY Series and the Camping World Truck Series head to Iowa Speedway. There are 38 cars on the entry list for the Cup Series Toyota / Save Mart 350. Please check below for the complete schedule of events. All times are Eastern.

    Friday, June 23:

    On Track – Sonoma Raceway:
    3-4:55 p.m.: Cup Series First Practice – FS1 (Canada: TSN 2)
    6:30-7:55 p.m.: Cup Series Final Practice – FS1 (Canada: TSN GO)

    On Track – Iowa Speedway:
    10 a.m.-11:25 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series First Practice – FS1
    12:15-1:15 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series Final Practice – FS1
    2-2:55 p.m.: XFINITY Series First Practice – FS1 (Canada: TSN GO)
    5-5:55 p.m.: XFINITY Series Final Practice – FS1 (Canada: TSN GO)
    6:05 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series Keystone Light Pole Qualifying
    8:30 p.m.: Camping World Series M&M’s 200 presented by Casey’s General Store (200 laps, 175 miles) – FS1

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

    Press Conferences: (Watch live)
    10:30 a.m.: Alon Day (No. 23 Earthwater Toyota)
    11 a.m.: Clint Bowyer (No. 14 Cars 3 Ford)
    11:15 a.m.: Kyle Larson (No. 42 Target Chevrolet)
    2:15 p.m.:  Martin Truex Jr. (No. 78 Furniture Row/Denver Mattress Toyota)
    2:30 p.m.: Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 Axalta Chevrolet)

    Saturday, June 24:

    On Track – Sonoma Raceway:
    2:45 p.m.: Cup Series Coors Light Qualifying – FS1 (Canada; TSN 5)

    On Track – Iowa Speedway:
    6:15 p.m.: XFINITY Series Coors Light Qualifying – Airs taped delayed at 7 p.m. on FS1 (Canada: TSN GO)
    8:30 p.m.: XFINITY Series American Ethanol E15 250 presented by Enogen (250 laps, 218.75 miles) – FS1 (Canada: TSN 2)

    Sunday, June 25

    On Track – Sonoma Raceway:
    3 p.m.: Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350 (110 laps, 218.9 miles) – FS1 (Canada; TSN 2)

    Press Conferences: (Watch live)
    9 a.m.: Cristela Alonzo (Grand Marshal) and John Lasseter (Official Pace Car Driver)

    Race Details:

    NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
    Race: M&M’s 200 presented by Casey’s General Store – Iowa Speedway
    Date: Friday, June 23
    Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
    TV: FS1, 8 p.m. ET
    Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
    Distance: 175 miles (200 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 60), Stage 2 (Ends on lap 120), Final Stage (Ends on lap 200)

    NASCAR XFINITY Series
    Race: American Ethanol E15 250 presented by Enogen – Iowa Speedway
    Date: Saturday, June 24
    Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
    TV: FS1, 8 p.m. ET
    Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
    Distance: 218.75 miles (250 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 60), Stage 2 (Ends on lap 120), Final Stage (Ends on lap 250)

    Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
    Race: Toyota/Save Mart 350
    Place: Sonoma Raceway
    Date: Sunday, June 25
    Time: 3 p.m. ET
    TV: FS1, 1:30 p.m. ET
    Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
    Distance: 218.9 miles (110 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 25), Stage 2 (Ends on lap 50), Final Stage (Ends on lap 110)

    Complete TV Schedule

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

  • Keselowski Swipes Pocono XFINITY Victory

    Keselowski Swipes Pocono XFINITY Victory

    By Reid Spencer | NASCAR.com

    LONG POND, Pa. — With a dramatic last-lap pass — the first of the season in the NASCAR XFINITY Series — Brad Keselowski won Saturday’s Pocono Green 250 at Pocono Raceway, ending a 46-race drought for the No. 22 Team Penske Ford.

    Keselowski swept the stages in the 100-lap event but couldn’t get past leader Kyle Larson until he reached the Long Pond straightaway on the final circuit. Keselowski powered off the first turn, down-shifted and blew past Larson before the cars reached the Tunnel Turn.

    Justin Allgaier followed Keselowski past Larson and finished second, .615 seconds behind the race winner. Larson came home third, followed by Elliott Sadler and Daniel Suarez.

    Keselowski’s victory didn’t come without a fight. On a restart with 16 laps left, after a caution for Brandon Jones’ blown left rear tire and a frontstetch wreck on Lap 78, Keselowski was on the inside of the front row, taking the green flag beside race leader Cole Custer.

    A push from Elliott Sadler got Keselowski to the front, but Sadler continued the shove into Turn 1. Keselowski sailed high in the corner, narrowly keeping the no. 22 Mustang off the wall.

    “I got a good push, but the push didn’t stop, and I found myself in the third lane in Turn 1, which is somewhere you don’t want to be,” said Keselowski, who fell back to 13th in the running order. “I got down there and my rear tires were off the ground and went straight, trying not to back it into the wall. With fewer than 16 laps to get back to the front, Keselowski began to bully his way through the field. He split the two cars of Brendan Gaughan and polesitter Kyle Benjamin, bouncing off both in the process.

    By Lap 97 he had reeled in Allgaier, and when the No. 7 Chevrolet slipped slightly, Keselowski charged past and took off after Larson. Then came the winning pass in Turn 1.

    “I drove by a bunch of cars and just pushed as hard as I could,” Keselowski said of his closing. “It looked like Kyle’s car was struggling just a little bit and he was getting tight in the middle, loose off. He was doing a really good job holding it low so I couldn’t get a run. Just on the last lap, I got on his bumper and got him loose.

    “He was trying to do the side draft thing down the backstretch and all the way down the apron. That had to look pretty cool. Hell of a race. Really happy for the 22 team. It’s been a while.”

    When Keselowski dropped back on the final restart, Larson found himself in a surprising position.

    “I was not expecting to get the lead on that restart,” Larson said. “Elliott gave Brad too good a push in Turn 1, and then Elliott overshot the Tunnel Turn.”

    After charging past Sadler on the restart lap, Larson protected his position until the first corner of the last lap.

    “I couldn’t get back to the gas as quick as I wanted to — my car was just plowing — and Brad got a great run off the corner,” Larson said.

    Allgaier was disappointed with second place, but he had the consolation of assuming the series lead by one point over Sadler. Those two drivers are light years ahead of their JR Motorsports teammate, William Byron, who stands third, 62 points behind Allgaier.

    On the eve of his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series debut in the No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford, Darrell “Bubba” Wallace Jr. finished 11th in his last scheduled ride in the No. 6 Roush Fenway Racing Mustang.

    Wallace finishes his stint with RFR fourth in the series standings, 88 points behind the leader.

    Benjamin led 28 laps in his second NASCAR XFINITY Series race – one fewer than Keselowski’s 29 – but fell back to 16th at the finish after the late contact with the eventual race winner.

     Race results | Series standings

  • Pocono Raceway – Did You Know?

    Pocono Raceway – Did You Know?

    The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and the XFINITY Series head to Pocono Raceway this week while the Camping World Truck Series travels to Texas Motor Speedway. The Cup Series “Axalta presents the Pocono 400” headlines the weekend’s competition, Sunday at 3 p.m. on FS1. Thirty-nine drivers are entered in the Cup event.

    But did you know that one of those 39 drivers is Darrell Wallace Jr., who will make his Cup Series debut at Pocono in the iconic No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford? On Monday, Wallace was named as the interim driver for Aric Almirola who is recovering from injuries sustained in an accident at Kansas Speedway on May 13.

    Wallace is determined to make the most of this opportunity.

    “I know I’ll go out there and prove to everybody inside the racetrack, outside the racetrack, on the TV, that I belong in the Cup Series,” he said. “Do the best that I can.  Give an extra 200% each and every time I climb in the car for Ford, for Richard Petty, for everybody on the team, for Smithfield, to go out there and make the opportunity the greatest it has been.”

    Did you know that the weekend will feature another first during the XFINITY Series Pocono Green 250? FOX will feature a special drivers-only broadcast that will be called by active Cup Series drivers? Kevin Harvick will handle the play-by-play announcing and will be joined by Joey Logano and Clint Bowyers as analysts. Ryan Blaney, Erik Jones and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will cover pit road while Danica Patrick and Denny Hamlin host the event coverage from the Hollywood Hotel studio.

    While we’re talking about firsts, we can’t forget the winner of the inaugural race in 1974, Richard Petty. But did you know that prior to 2012, all of the Cup races at Pocono were 500 miles? Beginning in 2012 the race length was shortened to 400 miles. There have been 78 Cup Series races at the 2.5-mile track, one race each year from 1974-1981 and two races per year since 1982.

    Thirty-five different drivers have won at Pocono with Jeff Gordon leading the way with six wins. Of the active drivers, five have multiple wins at the track including Denny Hamlin (four), Jimmie Johnson (three), and Kurt Busch (three). Kasey Kahne and Dale Earnhardt Jr. both have two wins.

    Kurt Busch is the defending race winner but did you know he has the series-best driver rating (105.7)? The Stewart-Haas Racing driver also has 13 top fives, 18 top 10s and two poles at Pocono. He is currently 16th in the points standings.

    Denny Hamlin (105.6) has the second-best driver rating followed by Jimmie Johnson (104.8), Chase Elliott (102.7) and Kyle Larson (95.6). All of these drivers are in the top-10 of the series standings but both Hamlin and Elliott are still searching for their first win this year.

    But did you know that the best chance for victory at Pocono begins with qualifying well? The pole is the most proficient starting position, having produced 15 winners while nine races have been won from the second starting position.

    Only seven drivers have swept Pocono in a single season. They include Bobby Allison (1982), Bill Elliott (1985), Tim Richmond (1986), Bobby Labonte (1999), Jimmie Johnson (2004) and Denny Hamlin (2006).

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. was the latest to sweep Pocono in 2014. In his past 11 starts at the track, Earnhardt has nine top-10 finishes including two wins and a runner-up finish last June.

    Tune in to FS1 this Sunday at 3 p.m. for the Pocono 400 to find out who will take home the trophy. In the meantime, watch the video below as Earnhardt holds off Kevin Harvick for the Pocono sweep.

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