Six NASCAR Cup Series teams and three on the Xfinity Series side were fined Tuesday for lug-nut violations during each series’ weekend doubleheader at Dover International Speedway.
The safety violations for having one unsecured lug nut apiece resulted in monetary fines for each team’s respective crew chief — $10,000 in the Cup Series and $5,000 in the Xfinity Series. Both series conducted a pair of races on the 1-mile Delaware track.
The following Cup Series teams (in numerical order) were fined:
No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet for driver Austin Dillon (crew chief Justin Alexander)
No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota for driver Denny Hamlin (crew chief Chris Gabehart)
No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota for driver Erik Jones (crew chief Chris Gayle)
No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford for driver Matt DiBenedetto (crew chief Greg Irwin)
No. 22 Team Penske Ford for driver Joey Logano (crew chief Paul Wolfe)
No. 95 Leavine Family Racing Toyota for driver Christopher Bell (crew chief Jason Ratcliff)
Xfinity Series teams that drew fines were:
No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota for driver Riley Herbst (crew chief Dave Rogers)
No. 22 Team Penske Ford for driver Austin Cindric (crew chief Brian Wilson)
No. 44 Martins Motorsports Chevrolet for driver Tommy Joe Martins (crew chief Buddy Sisco)
DARLINGTON, S.C. (August 25, 2020) – Darlington Raceway (Darlington) and Cook Out expand their existing partnership to include the entitlement of the famed Southern 500® on Sunday, Sept. 6. The 2020 opening NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race at the track Too Tough to Tame will officially be named the Cook Out Southern 500®.
“It takes a special authentic brand to match the heat of competition in the NASCAR Playoffs at the track Too Tough To Tame, so we are proud to welcome Cook Out to the 71st running of the Southern 500,” said Darlington President Kerry Tharp. “Cook Out is known for serving their fresh burgers, barbecue, hot dogs and shakes across the south for over 30 years, and we look forward to expanding our partnership for the Cook Out Southern 500.”
Cook Out, one of the fastest growing family-owned restaurant chains in the nation, is the Official Quick Service Restaurant of Darlington and holds exclusive promotional rights to the track Too Tough To Tame.
“The Cook Out team is thankful and thrilled to partner with NASCAR and Darlington Raceway on the historic Southern 500,” said Jeremy Reaves, CEO, Cook Out.
Cook Out will have a large presence with at-track signage for the upcoming Official Throwback Weekend of NASCAR and the Cook Out Southern 500® at Darlington. The brand will have a trackside billboard, four track wall locations, starter’s stand and scoring pylon branding, frontstretch asphalt logo, and Turn 3 apron asphalt logo.
Since opening its first restaurant in Greensboro, N.C., in 1989, Cook Out has been known for its fresh burgers, barbecue, hot dogs and shakes and Coca-Cola as part of the “best combos in town.” The family-owned restaurant chain has since grown to over 250 locations across 10 states (Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia).
To learn more about Cook Out and find the nearest location, visit cookout.com.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (August 25, 2020) — NASCAR Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jim France today announced a key addition to the highest level of NASCAR’s leadership team, appointing NASCAR President Steve Phelps to the Board of Directors.
Steve Phelps becomes the fifth member of NASCAR’s Board of Directors, joining France; Lesa France Kennedy, Executive Vice Chair; Mike Helton, Senior Advisor to NASCAR; and Gary Crotty, Chief Legal Officer.
“Steve’s unwavering leadership and dedication to growing our sport through even the most challenging times has been remarkable,” said Jim France. “Steve understands every part of our business and has demonstrated a consistently confident and steady presence in the face of adversity. He will be a valued and trusted addition to the Board of Directors as we work to build a stronger NASCAR for our fans and our sport.”
“I am incredibly honored to be appointed to the Board of Directors,” said Phelps. “As a lifelong fan of the sport, I feel a great sense of pride and duty in our work to position the sport for long-term success. I am grateful for the leadership and example set by the France family and am genuinely humbled by their continued trust in me.”
Phelps has served as NASCAR President since 2018 and has been with the sanctioning body in various roles, including Chief Operating Officer, since 2005. He is only the fifth person to hold the position of NASCAR President. During his tenure as President, Phelps has pioneered important growth initiatives, oversaw the landmark merger and integration with ISC, instituted a Premier Partner model for the NASCAR Cup Series, and spearheaded a number of innovative changes to enhance the competition on track.
When Erik Jones’ 2021 racing plans slipped deeper into uncertainty this month, he received a text from an unlikely but empathetic peer in Joey Logano.
Jones provided an update on his status in a Tuesday teleconference with reporters, sharing that Logano was among those to reach out in a show of support after the news that he would part ways with Joe Gibbs Racing after the season. That initial conversation after the weekend doubleheader at Michigan led to a lunch invitation, part of Jones’ emphasis on talking to as many people as possible for insights on his next career move.
Jones said he hasn’t been especially close with Logano through the years. (Jones has been immersed in the Toyota system, with Logano aligned with Team Penske and Ford.) But they share a bond as a former driver and soon-to-be-former driver of JGR’s No. 20, with Logano joining Penske in 2013 and amassing 23 wins and a NASCAR Cup Series championship in the years since.
“In this situation for me, I’m just talking to as many people as I can, just trying to get different sides of and seeing what they know and what they went through and how they would do it, and just getting a lot of different opinions,” Jones said. “Joey and I met for lunch that week, and it was a good chat. We sat there for an hour, hour and a half, and kind of talked about what he went through at JGR, and obviously he got moved on from JGR as well around the same age that I was and had to find a different opportunity, so it was really interesting to hear what he went through and then what changed for him.
“Obviously, he went from not being 100 percent competitive where he wanted to be at JGR to being obviously a champion after he left, so I kind of wanted to know what switched for him and what really clicked for him after he left. It was just interesting. It was an enlightening conversation. I thought I learned a lot from him and what he went through.”
Without delving into specific targets, Jones said he was involved in ongoing talks with multiple teams about his options for 2021. His immediate goal for closing out his JGR tenure on a strong note centers on this Saturday’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 (7:30 p.m. ET on NBC/NBC Sports App, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) at Daytona International Speedway, where Jones’ path to the Cup Series Playoffs hinges on a virtual must-win situation in the regular-season finale.
Jones says he’s been splitting his focus between this season’s aspirations and finding next season’s security, “burning up the phone” since learning Aug. 6 that he would not return to the No. 20 Toyota.
“Just trying to work on opportunities and find out what’s out there for next year because I didn’t have really an inkling that I was going to be in that spot,” Jones says, who had mentioned during the Michigan weekend that he was blindsided by the move. He added Tuesday that he wasn’t bitter about the decision, that he understood the business aspects of the sport. “So I guess that’s probably more of what I’ve been focused on right now, which is unfortunate because I want to be focused on racing 100 percent and be able to do what I need to do there to go and be competitive each and every week — and I’ve been putting in the time on that as well, but it definitely seems like it’s been split more to the side of me trying to work on opportunities for next year.
“I still have a season to finish out with JGR and what I want to do there and still owe them the rest of the season. I’m still under contract with them, but I need to find an opportunity for next year. I still want to be racing in the Cup Series, so I’ve been trying to hustle and trying to find opportunities.”
Matt DiBenedetto’s hopes to qualify for the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs for the first time looked nearly airtight not many weeks ago. Those chances started seeping after last weekend’s two races at Dover International Speedway, leaving his bid in limbo for the regular-season finale.
At least on paper, the post-race words of DiBenedetto — one of the Cup Series’ most reliably cheery drivers — struck a glum tone heading into Saturday’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 (7:30 p.m. ET on NBC/NBC Sports App, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) at Daytona International Speedway. The 16-driver postseason field will be determined after the 400-miler, and the track’s tendency toward multicar wrecks threatens to sway the playoff picture’s complexion. DiBenedetto’s finishes of 20th and 17th at Dover did not provide much of a points buffer to offset any potential Daytona pitfalls.
“I am going to sit and hope and pray all week that we can just come out of there clean and make the playoffs,” said DiBenedetto, who holds just a nine-point edge over the playoff cut. “We shouldn’t be this close to the bubble. It is frustrating. A couple weeks messed us up. Getting wiped out at Texas and Kansas really hurt us points-wise, and then we come here and really hurt ourselves here. It has been a tough go of circumstances and going to Daytona is going to make it quite an uncomfortable week.”
The 29-year-old driver, in his first season with the Wood Brothers Racing No. 21 team, once held a 68-point advantage above the provisional postseason cutoff after a third-place finish at Kentucky Speedway on July 12. That edge fluctuated slightly in the events that immediately followed, but still stood at 57 points just four races ago at the conclusion of the weekend doubleheader at Michigan International Speedway.
Hunter Martin | Getty Images
In the weeks that followed Michigan, DiBenedetto’s cushion dipped sharply to 44 points after the Daytona Road Course, 27 points after the Dover opener and to the current nine-point gap once Dover concluded.
“There have been a lot of variables and we are competing to make the playoffs, which has been good, but if we miss it knowing that the tracks the second half of the year that are in the playoffs would be beneficial for us, if we miss them I will be a pretty grumpy individual the rest of the year,” DiBenedetto said. “It is what it is. We have worked hard to be in that position. I hope we make it. I don’t want to be negative at all, but it is hard after coming out of this weekend and getting a huge deficit in points and a ton of points chopped from us because we ran so bad in both races. It is just frustrating, and we will have to go to Daytona and do the best job we can and know we have really good teammates and the Fords are fast and try to come out of there clean. I would be very excited the rest of the season.”
DiBenedetto’s Dover fade coincided with a modest revival for Hendrick Motorsports teammates William Byron and Jimmie Johnson, who made gains in both the results column and in gathering stage points at the 1-mile track. DiBenedetto sits just five points ahead of Byron (provisionally the final driver in) and nine points ahead of Johnson (provisionally first out).
Momentum, however, can radically swing on Daytona’s high banks, where opportunities abound for a potential latecomer to the playoff dance. DiBenedetto says he believes the high stakes will produce more aggressive racing and that luck would likely play a role in the outcome.
As for luck, DiBenedetto says it’s a factor that’s difficult to manufacture yourself.
“No, not really. I haven’t figured that out. If you know, please let me know,” DiBenedetto said. “This would be a good week to figure it out. But yeah, I have crashed in the back, the middle, running second multiple times. On the bottom, the middle, the top. You name it and I have been minding my own business and gotten wiped out. So, sometimes it doesn’t really matter how smart you race and what you do and all the things you do right, even if you are running first or second. It just is a lot that is out of your hands at those places. I am not trying to be negative Nancy about it, but I am just frustrated that we are even in this position that we are on the bubble and this close.”
Fresh off his sixth victory of the 2020 NASCAR Xfinity Series season, Stewart-Haas Racing’s Chase Briscoe revealed a Darlington throwback scheme that will honor Tony Stewart. The new look for the No. 98 Ford will be HighPoint.com and resemble Stewart’s Mobil 1 livery from his 2011 championship season.
Briscoe is making a championship charge of his own and currently sits in second place in the point standings behind Austin Cindric of Team Penske, despite having one more win than Cindric this season.
“I’ve always been a diehard Tony Stewart fan,” Briscoe said in a team release. “When Tony sets his sights on something, there’s nothing you can do to stop him, and that title run in 2011 was a perfect example. Now here I am running for an Xfinity Series championship, and I’m trying to do exactly what Tony did in 2011.”
Briscoe’s throwback scheme will be on the track “Too Tough to Tame” for the Sport Clips Haircuts VFW 200 at 12:30 p.m. ET on Sept. 5 (NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Cole Custer rounded out the top 10 in the Drydene 311 at Dover International Speedway on Sunday.
The top-10 finish for Custer, his sixth of the year, added 30 points to his season total. Custer now sits at No. 19 in the NASCAR Cup Series standings with 469 points. A total of 16 drivers make the playoffs.
Custer started and finished in the 10th position. The second-year driver has one career victory, with two top-five finishes and five results inside the top 10.
Sunday’s race was the first of Custer’s career at Dover International Speedway.
The Ladera Ranch, California native’s starting and finishing positions compared favorably to his career averages, starting 12 spots higher than his career mark of 22 and completing the race 13 places ahead of his 22.8 career average finish.
Custer took on 40 other drivers on the way to his 10th-place finish. The race endured seven cautions and 40 caution laps. There were 15 lead changes.
Kevin Harvick earned the checkered flag in the race, and Martin Truex Jr took second. Jimmie Johnson placed third, William Byron brought home fourth, and Alex Bowman grabbed the No. 5 spot.
As well as securing the race victory, Harvick won both of the first two stages to complete an impressive day in Dover.
Austin Dillon finished ninth in the Drydene 311 at Dover International Speedway on Sunday.
The top-10 finish for Dillon, his seventh of the year, added 29 points to his season total. He ranks 18th in the NASCAR Cup Series with 561 total points.
Dillon started in sixth position. The 10th-year driver has earned three career victories, with 13 top-five finishes and 46 results inside the top 10.
The ninth-place result for Dillon was the second top-10 of his career at Dover International Speedway in 14 starts.
The Welcome, North Carolina native’s starting and finishing positions compared favorably to his career averages, starting 13 spots higher than his career mark of 19 and completing the race 11 places ahead of his 20 career average finish.
Dillon competed with 40 other drivers on the way to his ninth-place finish. The race endured seven cautions and 40 caution laps. Prior to the checkered flag there were 15 lead changes.
Kevin Harvick secured the victory in the race, and Martin Truex Jr finished second. Jimmie Johnson crossed the finish line third, William Byron secured fourth, and Alex Bowman closed out the top five.
In addition to securing the race victory, Harvick won Stages 1 and 2 to finish off a dominant day in Dover.
Brad Keselowski finished eighth in the Drydene 311 at Dover International Speedway on Sunday.
The top-10 finish for Keselowski, his 17th of the year, added 36 points to his season total. He now ranks third in the NASCAR Cup Series with 881 total points.
Keselowski started in 12th position. The 13th-year driver has tallied 33 career victories, with 124 top-five finishes and 203 results inside the top 10.
Victory Lane at Dover International Speedway is a familiar place for Keselowski, who has one career win at the track. He has also compiled five top-five finishes at Dover and his eighth-place result marks the ninth top-10.
The Rochester Hills, Michigan native’s starting and finishing positions compared favorably to his career averages, starting two spots higher than his career mark of 14.4 and completing the race six places ahead of his 14.5 career average finish.
Keselowski’s eighth-place finish came against a field of 40 drivers. The race endured seven cautions and 40 caution laps. Prior to the checkered flag there were 15 lead changes.
Kevin Harvick earned the checkered flag in the race, and Martin Truex Jr took second. Jimmie Johnson placed third, William Byron took fourth, and Alex Bowman rounded out the top five.
In addition to earning the race victory, Harvick won both of the first two stages to finish off a dominant day in Dover.
Aric Almirola finished seventh in the Drydene 311 at Dover International Speedway on Sunday.
The top-10 finish for Almirola, his 13th of the year, added 37 points to his season total. Almirola now ranks eighth in the NASCAR Cup Series standings with 740 points. A total of 16 drivers make the playoffs.
Almirola started in fourth position and led 22 laps in the race. The 13th-year driver has collected two career victories, with 23 top-five finishes and 74 results inside the top 10.
In his career at Dover International Speedway, Almirola has compiled two top-five finishes and his seventh-place result marks the third top-10.
The Tampa, Florida native’s starting and finishing positions compared favorably to his career averages, starting 17 spots higher than his career mark of 20.6 and completing the race 15 places ahead of his 21.7 career average finish.
Almirola competed against 40 other drivers on the way to his seventh-place finish. The race endured seven cautions and 40 caution laps. Prior to the checkered flag there were 15 lead changes.
Kevin Harvick took the checkered flag in the race, and Martin Truex Jr took second. Jimmie Johnson placed third, William Byron took fourth, and Alex Bowman finished off the top five.
As well as earning a race victory, Harvick won both of the first two stages to complete a dominant day in Dover.
