Posted on by Zack Albert

Chase Elliott has shown some moxie on the handful of road courses where the NASCAR Cup Series competes. He’s won the series’ last two events where left and right turns are the norm, diversifying his portfolio of oval-track success.

This weekend, there’s not much normal about the road-course “norm.”

Elliott and the rest of the Cup Series regulars will lock horns in the tour’s debut at the Daytona International Speedway Road Course layout in Sunday’s Go Bowling 235 (3 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM).

RELATED: Daytona Road Course details | 2020 Cup Series schedule

The 3.57-mile course has been used in some form — minus the additional chicane for stock cars — for IMSA’s showcase Rolex 24 for years. A handful of NASCAR stars have dipped their toes in the sports-car waters for the annual endurance event, most recently Kyle Busch in a GTD-class Lexus for the AIM Vasser Sullivan team in January. Elliott suggested that extracurricular start may provide the Joe Gibbs Racing driver with an advantage on a circuit where few know what, exactly, to predict.

“I think this weekend’s going to be a big-time challenge for everyone,” Elliott said in a Monday video conference. “I think the one guy that I look at that really has a leg up is Kyle, having come off that 24-hour event this year. Heck, I think if we all knew that we were going to be doing this road course, you probably would have seen all of us trying to get in that 24-hour race this year to go and do it. You never know with things like that.”

Indeed, the Daytona Road Course became a late addition to the NASCAR national-series schedule as part of the sanctioning body’s evolving overhaul to meet COVID-19 pandemic protocols. Without practice or qualifying scheduled the rest of the season, drivers will have to rely on racing simulators or any brief experience from past Rolex 24 events.

Though simulators can provide detailed insights into navigating a certain circuit, Elliott says he’s ready to absorb the Daytona circuit with some real-life laps.

“I think it’s going to be a fun challenge for everyone,” said Elliott, who has three career road-course wins — two at Watkins Glen and one on the Charlotte Roval. “I mean, I’ve never entered a race like that where you literally just have no idea what to expect. Road racing, in my opinion, is a lot about brake markers and visual aids and these little nuances around the track that you can see with your eyes to help your hands and your feet do the right things at the right time.

“I mean, heck, I have no idea where I need to stop on Turn 1 on Sunday, or 2, 3, all the way back around to the start-finish line. So I think that’s going to be super, super difficult for everybody, and it’s going to be one of those things where you have to creep up on it, and it’s a hard thing to guess. We can run in the sims and iRacing and all those things until we’re blue in the face, but ultimately that doesn’t — in my opinion — give you those visual aids that you need to do the right things at the right time. The only way to get that is laps around the race track and 65 laps is not really a ton of time to figure those things out. So, learn. Learn fast and try not to make any big-time mistakes in doing it.”

MORE: Take a lap around the Daytona Road Course

Points leader Kevin Harvick will be vying for his third consecutive Cup Series victory in Sunday’s 235-miler. The veteran actually has some limited Rolex 24 experience, sharing the wheel of a GT-class Corvette that retired early in 2002, and has two road-course wins in his Cup career.

Like Elliott, Harvick says he’s bracing for a dose of the unknown.

“I think it’ll be interesting. I have no clue what I’m doing,” Harvick said in the midst of last weekend’s doubleheader sweep at Michigan International Speedway. “The last time I only made a little bit of a 2002 24‑hour race, so it’s been a long time since I made any laps there. I’m a week‑of preparation guy, so I’ll start Monday and Tuesday on iRacing just to get acclimated with the track. We’ll go to the simulator on Wednesday, back on iRacing Thursday, Friday, Saturday, just to make sure that it’s fresh in your mind so you know where to shift and things like that, and then it’s just trial and error after that.

“I’ve watched enough races there that I know the race track in my mind, but I don’t know where our cars need to be and what gear I need to be in. I’ll learn that next week, and we’ll be ready and hopefully have a good day.”

Posted on by Staff Report

Joe Gibbs Racing announced Monday that Christopher Bell will drive the No. 20 Toyota in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2021.

Bell is currently a Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate with Leavine Family Racing, which team owner Bob Leavine indicated Aug. 4 that it had sold its charter would shut down at season’s end. The 25-year-old driver replaces Erik Jones, who will leave JGR and the No. 20 team after the 2020 campaign.

RELATED: Key figures in Silly Season

“I’m so appreciative of the opportunity I have this year with LFR and I want to finish this season strong for Bob (Leavine) and everyone there,” said Bell. “At the same time, I’m extremely excited to return to Joe Gibbs Racing starting in 2021. It’s an organization I’m very comfortable with and have had a lot of success with.”

Bell won 16 races for Joe Gibbs Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series before moving to the Cup Series for the 2020 season. He has been in Toyota’s NASCAR national-series system since 2015 and clinched the Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series championship two years later for Kyle Busch Motorsports.

Bell currently sits 19th in the Cup Series standings, with five top-10 finishes in 22 starts in the Leavine No. 95 Toyota, which shares a technical alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing. A slow start to the first five races of his Cup career knocked him outside the top 30 in points, but Bell has methodically rallied to his current rank. His best finish this season is fourth place, achieved during the first of two events this season at Pocono Raceway.

Bell joins an experienced and accomplished Joe Gibbs Racing lineup that includes Cup Series champions Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr., plus Denny Hamlin, who has five wins this season. He becomes the fifth person to drive the No. 20 for Gibbs, following Tony Stewart, Joey Logano, Matt Kenseth and Jones.

“We are excited to bring Christopher into our Cup Series program starting in 2021,” said Joe Gibbs, owner of Joe Gibbs Racing. “He obviously had tremendous success in the Xfinity Series with us and we look forward to his return to JGR.”

Bell made the transition to stock cars from the sprint-car ranks and still competes there on a part-time basis. The Oklahoma native won the prestigious Chili Bowl Nationals for three straight seasons (2017-19) in his home state and has five career main-event victories on the World of Outlaws sprint-car circuit.

Posted on by Data Skrive

Martin Truex Jr finished third in the Consumers Energy 400 at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday.

Truex’s top-five finish, the seventh time he has achieved that result this year, added 34 points to his season total. Truex now ranks seventh in the NASCAR Cup Series standings with 716 points.

Truex started in 18th position. The 17th-year driver has earned 27 career victories, with 108 top-five finishes and 217 results inside the top 10.

The third place result for Truex marks the ninth time he has finished in the top five at Michigan International Speedway and his 12th top-10.

The Mayetta, New Jersey native began the race two spots behind his career mark of 15.6, but finished 14 places ahead of his career average of 17.2.

Truex’s third-place finish came against a field of 39 drivers. The race endured five cautions and 24 caution laps. There were 10 lead changes.

Kevin Harvick earned the win in the race, followed by Denny Hamlin in the No. 2 spot. After Truex’s third-place finish, Kyle Busch brought home fourth, and Joey Logano finished off the top five.

After Clint Bowyer won Stage 1, Harvick grabbed control and won Stage 2 before earning the checkered flag.

Martin Truex Jr Driver Page | Get Truex Gear | Race Center

Posted on by Data Skrive

Kyle Busch finished fourth in the Consumers Energy 400 at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday.

Busch’s top-five finish, the ninth time he has achieved that result this year, added 49 points to his season total. Busch now sits at No. 9 in the NASCAR Cup Series standings with 651 points. A total of 16 drivers make the postseason cut.

Busch started in 16th position and led four laps in the race. The 17th-year driver has collected 56 career victories, with 209 top-five finishes and 307 results inside the top 10.

Victory Lane at Michigan International Speedway is a familiar place for Busch, who has one career win at the track. His fourth-place finish also marks the eighth time he has finished in the top five at Michigan and his 13th top-10.

The Las Vegas, Nevada native began the race three spots behind his career mark of 12.8, but finished 11 places ahead of his career average of 14.7.

Busch battled against a field of 39 drivers on the way to his fourth-place finish. The race endured five cautions and 24 caution laps. There were 10 lead changes.

Kevin Harvick earned the checkered flag in the race, followed by Denny Hamlin in second place and Martin Truex Jr in third. Busch placed fourth in front of Joey Logano’s fifth-place finish.

After Clint Bowyer won the first stage, Harvick grabbed control and won Stage 2 before driving to victory.

Kyle Busch Driver Page | Get Busch Gear | Race Center

Posted on by Data Skrive

Aric Almirola finished sixth in the Consumers Energy 400 at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday.

The top-10 finish for Almirola, his 12th of the year, added 34 points to his season total. He has 669 total points, good enough for eighth place in the NASCAR Cup Series.

Almirola started in fifth position and led nine laps in the race, holding the lead a total of two times. The 13th-year driver has collected two career victories, with 23 top-five finishes and 73 results inside the top 10.

The sixth-place result on Sunday was the first time Almirola has cracked the top 10 at Michigan International Speedway.

The Tampa, Florida native’s starting and finishing positions compared favorably to his career averages, starting 16 spots higher than his career mark of 20.6 and completing the race 16 places ahead of his 21.6 career average finish.

Almirola’s sixth-place finish came against 39 other drivers. The race endured five cautions and 24 caution laps. There were 10 lead changes.

Kevin Harvick took the checkered flag in the race, and Denny Hamlin finished second. Martin Truex Jr placed third, Kyle Busch took fourth, and Joey Logano closed out the top five.

After Clint Bowyer won Stage 1, Harvick seized control and won Stage 2 before taking the checkered flag.

Aric Almirola Driver Page | Get Almirola Gear | Race Center

Posted on by Data Skrive

Matt DiBenedetto finished seventh in the Consumers Energy 400 at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday.

The top-10 finish for DiBenedetto, his sixth of the year, added 37 points to his season total. He ranks 13th in the NASCAR Cup Series with 568 total points.

DiBenedetto started in sixth position. The sixth-year driver has picked up five top-five and 17 top-10 finishes in his career.

Sunday’s race was DiBenedetto’s 11th career start at Michigan International Speedway.

The Grass Valley, California native’s starting and finishing positions compared favorably to his career averages, starting 21 spots higher than his career mark of 26.6 and completing the race 18 places ahead of his 24.9 career average finish.

DiBenedetto battled against 39 other drivers on the way to his seventh-place finish. The race endured five cautions and 24 caution laps. There were 10 lead changes.

Kevin Harvick earned the victory in the race, and Denny Hamlin took second. Martin Truex Jr crossed the finish line third, Kyle Busch brought home fourth, and Joey Logano finished off the top five.

After Clint Bowyer won Stage 1, Harvick grabbed control and won Stage 2 before taking the checkered flag.

Matt DiBenedetto Driver Page | Get DiBenedetto Gear | Race Center

Posted on by Data Skrive

Austin Dillon finished eighth in the Consumers Energy 400 at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday.

The top-10 finish for Dillon, his sixth of the year, added 29 points to his season total. Dillon now ranks 17th in the NASCAR Cup Series standings with 501 points.

Dillon started in 31st position. The 10th-year driver has tallied three career victories, with 13 top-five finishes and 45 results inside the top 10.

In his career at Michigan International Speedway, Dillon has compiled two top-five finishes and his eighth-place result marks the fourth top-10.

The Welcome, North Carolina native began the race 12 spots behind his career mark of 19, but finished 12 places ahead of his career average of 20.

Dillon competed with a field of 39 drivers on the way to his eighth-place finish. The race endured five cautions and 24 caution laps. Prior to the checkered flag there were 10 lead changes.

Kevin Harvick earned the win in the race, and Denny Hamlin finished second. Martin Truex Jr placed third, Kyle Busch took fourth, and Joey Logano grabbed the No. 5 spot.

After Clint Bowyer won Stage 1, Harvick seized control and won Stage 2 before earning the checkered flag.

Austin Dillon Driver Page | Get Dillon Gear | Race Center

Posted on by Data Skrive

Tanner Gray finished third in the Henry Ford Health System 200 at Michigan International Speedway on Friday to earn his first career top-five finish.

Gray’s top-five finish added 40 points to his season total. He now ranks 12th in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series with 270 total points.

Gray started in 16th position. The second-year driver has picked up one top-five and three top-10 finishes in his career.

The Mooresville, North Carolina native’s starting and finishing positions compared favorably to his career averages, starting two spots higher than his career mark of 18.1 and completing the race 14 places ahead of his 16.5 career average finish.

Gray’s third-place finish was against 39 other drivers. The race endured 11 cautions and 51 caution laps. Prior to the checkered flag there were 16 lead changes.

Zane Smith brought home the win in the race, followed by Christian Eckes in the No. 2 spot. After Gray’s third-place finish, Tyler Ankrum secured fourth, and Todd Gilliland took the No. 5 spot.

After Brett Moffitt won the first stage, Johnny Sauter drove the No. 13 car to victory in Stage 2.

Tanner Gray Driver Page | Get Gray Gear | Race Center

Posted on by Data Skrive

Todd Gilliland finished fifth in the Henry Ford Health System 200 at Michigan International Speedway on Friday.

Gilliland’s top-five finish added 40 points to his season total. He now ranks 10th in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series with 329 total points.

Gilliland started in 19th position. The fourth-year driver has one career victory, with 14 top-five finishes and 32 results inside the top 10.

The fifth-place result on Friday was the first time Gilliland has cracked the top five at Michigan International Speedway. It also marks his first top-10 finish at Michigan.

The Sherrills Ford, North Carolina native began the race 10 spots behind his career mark of 9.2, but finished seven places ahead of his career average of 12.1.

Gilliland competed with a field of 39 drivers on the way to his fifth-place finish. The race endured 11 cautions and 51 caution laps. There were 16 lead changes.

Zane Smith brought home the win in the race, and Christian Eckes finished second. Tanner Gray placed third, with Tyler Ankrum taking fourth place. Gilliland rounded out the top five.

After Brett Moffitt won Stage 1, Johnny Sauter drove the No. 13 car to the win in Stage 2.

Todd Gilliland Driver Page | Get Gilliland Gear | Race Center

Posted on by Data Skrive

Brett Moffitt finished sixth in the Henry Ford Health System 200 at Michigan International Speedway on Friday.

The top-10 finish for Moffitt added 50 points to his season total. Moffitt now sits at No. 5 in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series standings with 375 points.

Moffitt started in second position and led 20 laps in the race. The sixth-year driver has earned 11 career victories, with 32 top-five finishes and 41 results inside the top 10.

Victory Lane at Michigan International Speedway is a familiar place for Moffitt, who has two career wins at the track. He has also compiled three top-five finishes at Michigan and his sixth-place result marks the third top-10.

The Grimes, Iowa native’s starting and finishing positions compared favorably to his career averages, starting nine spots higher than his career mark of 10.7 and completing the race six places ahead of his 11.5 career average finish.

Moffitt battled against 39 other drivers on the way to his sixth-place finish. The race endured 11 cautions and 51 caution laps. Prior to the checkered flag there were 16 lead changes.

Zane Smith secured the win in the race, and Christian Eckes finished second. Tanner Gray crossed the finish line third, Tyler Ankrum brought home fourth, and Todd Gilliland closed out the top five.

After Moffitt won Stage 1, Johnny Sauter drove the No. 13 car to victory in Stage 2.

Brett Moffitt Driver Page | Get Moffitt Gear | Race Center