Posted on by Holly Cain

It was a friendly golf wager made good on the race track. Denny Hamlin began marking his 500th career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race start this weekend with a record pole-winning speed Saturday afternoon at Dover (Del.) International Speedway.

And Hamlin earned his – and Toyota’s – second pole of the season by a mere .003-seconds over the very guy he made that all-in-fun wager with – Kyle Larson.

“I got him, I got him,’’ Hamlin said smiling after qualifying for Sunday’s Drydene 400 (2:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). “I’m so happy I beat him. To have that lap there was a really good lap for us. I knew when we ran it, it was really solid.’’

Extremely solid.

Hamlin’s lap of 166.984 mph (21.559-seconds) in the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota was more than a second faster than the previous Dover qualifying record (165.960 mph/21.692-seconds) set by Chase Elliott in May.  Hamlin, Larson and third-place qualifier Martin Truex Jr. all broke the track record Saturday afternoon.

RELATED: Sunday’s race lineup | Full Dover schedule | No. 19 engineer ejected

It is Hamlin’s fourth pole at the Dover 1-miler – the most at any 1-mile track for him. The last time Hamlin won a pole position was at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway in August – and he went on to win the race. Hamlin has never won at Dover, but was runner-up to Elliott in this race last year – one of four top-five runs at the track.

“This is probably as optimistic as I’ve ever been going into a Dover race simply because we’ve really devoted a lot of time to improving my technique around here,’’ said Hamlin, adding, “It just seems like in practice I’m really comfortable in the car and that’s not my usual MO here.’’

This is the first of three races that make up Round 2 in the Monster Energy Cup Series Playoffs. And all 12 of the drivers still championship-eligible qualified among the top 18.

Just behind Hamlin, Larson and Truex are fellow Playoff drivers Kevin Harvick, defending race winner Elliott and first-time playoff competitor William Byron in positions four-five-six on the starting grid.

Ryan Blaney (10th), Alex Bowman (12th), Joey Logano (14th) are the next best playoff drivers in the starting lineup. Brad Keselowski, Clint Bowyer and points leader Kyle Busch will start 16th-17th and 18th, respectively.

Larson smiled on pit road acknowledging how close he came to swiping the top qualifying position in his No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet. He remained optimistic that the near-miss was still a positive outcome in the big picture. Dover has been one of his best tracks, statistically-speaking. He has eight top-10 finishes in 11 starts – including a pair of runner-up finishes in 2016 and 2017. He was third at Dover in May.

Coincidentally, the only other time this season Larson started a race on the outside of Row 1 was at Bristol in August – again, right alongside Hamlin.

“I felt like I ran a good lap,’’ Larson said. “Three-hundredths of a second when you’re going that fast isn’t much.’’

His expectations for the race? “A lot of fun,’’ Larson said.

Posted on by Staff Report

The Joe Gibbs Racing No. 19 Toyota of Martin Truex Jr. failed pre-qualifying inspection twice at Dover International Speedway, resulting in the ejection of one of the team’s engineers.

The violation came just before Saturday’s Busch Pole Qualifying for Sunday’s Drydene 400 (2:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN/NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM) at the 1-mile track. In addition to the removal of a team engineer, Truex’s No. 19 team will also forfeit 15 minutes of practice time in the series’ next race weekend at Talladega Superspeedway (Oct. 11-13). The No. 19 will start third on the grid in Sunday’s race.

RELATED: Full schedule for Dover | Do playoffs favor youth or experience?

Saturday’s session serves as the final inspection before Sunday’s 400-lap, 400-miler opening race of the Round of 12 in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. Truex won two races in the opening Round of 16 and enters Sunday’s race second in the point standings.

Posted on by Pat DeCola

DOVER, Del. – There’s only one guarantee in the NASCAR Playoffs: palpable, lay-awake-at-night pressure.

We saw it mount last weekend in Charlotte Motor Speedway’s raucous Bank of America Roval 400, we’ll see it Sunday at the track with the literal giant monster looming outside to illustrate its beastly nature, and it’s only going to ramp up over the course of the next month and a half as the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs roll on ahead on the road to Miami.

We also witnessed both ends of the age spectrum prevail in the three-race Round of 16, with one of the oldest drivers (Martin Truex Jr.) and one of the youngest (Chase Elliott) snagging wins, so it begs the question – who’s better equipped to handle the playoff pressure, youth or experience?

Turns out, we’ve got some mixed opinions … but they’re all feeling the pressure, regardless of age.

“There is a reason most of these drivers are bald. I don’t know if it is the helmet, but it might be the stress,” reigning champion Joey Logano joked Friday morning at Dover International Speedway, site of Sunday’s Drydene 400 (2:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN, MRN, Sirius XM). “There is a lot you have to deal with as a driver and as a leader. There is a lot that you have to overcome and figure out. The pressure is on this time of year and it either makes you better or you are going to fall apart.

RELATED: Full Dover schedule

“It kind of depends on the person. A lot of times you have to figure out what works for you. What works for Kyle Busch or Jimmie Johnson or Brad (Keselowski) or whoever is different. You have to go through these high-pressure moments a few times to understand what works for you. That is why the experienced guys have such an advantage, they have been through it before and know how to handle it and the pressure actually makes them better. I feel like we are in a good spot for that reason being in this spot before.”

Flash back to Sunday, when Elliott – the third-youngest driver to make the playoffs and second-youngest remaining – put together one of NASCAR’s most memorable runs to rebound from an admittedly boneheaded late-race mistake to overtake some of NASCAR’s most-established talent and propel himself to the Round of 12 with a head of steam.

… Not exactly a strong example of youth and inexperience caving to the playoff pressure there, and Elliott thinks there’s nothing to the notion that notches on a belt lead to winner’s stickers in Victory Lane.

“That’s (Joey’s) opinion and he’s entitled to it. So, whatever makes him feel good,” Elliot said Friday. “I think it benefits (drivers that) do their job the best.”

And now, for the tiebreaker: what does Truex – the 2017 champ, winner of the first two Round of 16 races and second-oldest driver remaining in the playoffs – have to say?

“I don’t know. I think it could go either way. I think it depends on where you are at with your team at the moment. I think experience helps for sure, especially if you get in a bad situation or your back is against a wall and you need to keep your head straight. Things like that,” Truex said Friday. “A guy like Chase and his team – they have been here quite a few years as well. It’s definitely easier when you have done it before. When you understand the pressure and how teams the approach the playoffs is different than the regular season, but I think everybody left in the playoffs is good and they can handle it.”

Maybe that’s just it, then.

A decade and a half behind the wheel? Yet to eclipse 150 career Cup starts? Doesn’t matter – as long as you can drive.

Still, though, it’s evident that if even a champion driver that dominated the opening round is feeling the pressure … they all are. It just comes down to who can keep their cool for 10 weeks and who can find ways to stay focused.

“I can’t tell you (what works for me),” joked Logano, who was fastest in Friday’s opening practice. “I think it is just finding ways to enjoy it and have fun. If you look at the past, the playoffs have been the times we have scored the most wins and most points throughout these 10 races.

“That helps with confidence to fire away at these playoffs and not even really think about (the pressure).”

Posted on by Staff Report

Kyle Larson locked up the top spot in final Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice Friday at Dover International Speedway.

Larson’s lap at 162.705 mph pushed the Chip Ganassi Racing No. 42 Chevrolet to the top of the chart in the 50-minute session. Larson has five top-five finishes at the 1-mile concrete oval, but is still seeking his first premier-series win there.

RELATED: Final practice results | Full schedule for Dover

Martin Truex Jr., who is vying for a season sweep of Dover’s two races, landed the second-fastest spot in final practice for Sunday’s Drydene 400 (2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). His Joe Gibbs Racing No. 19 Toyota notched a best lap of 161.377 mph.

Kevin Harvick was third-fastest, with Brad Keselowski and defending race winner Chase Elliott completing a top-five sweep of title-eligible drivers.

Busch Pole Qualifying is scheduled Saturday at 1:35 p.m. ET (NBCSN, NBC Sports App and MRN Radio). Sunday’s 400-miler is the fourth of 10 playoff races, and the first of three races in the postseason’s Round of 12.

Logano leaps atop leaderboard in first practice

Joey Logano rose to the top of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series leaderboard Friday afternoon, heading first practice at Dover International Speedway.

RELATED: Practice 1 results | Lap averages

Logano pushed the Team Penske No. 22 Ford to a best lap of 163.221 mph on the 1-mile concrete track. He’ll be seeking his first Dover win in Sunday’s Drydene 400 (2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN/NBC Sports App, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), the track’s 100th race for NASCAR’s top division.

William Byron was second-fastest in the Hendrick Motorsports No. 24 Chevrolet with a best speed of 162.133 mph in the 50-minute session. That was just ahead of his Hendrick teammate Jimmie Johnson, an 11-time Dover winner who logged the third-fastest lap (161.834 mph) in the No. 48 Chevrolet.

Penske’s Ryan Blaney (161.507) and Hendrick’s Alex Bowman (161.067) rounded out the top five in the opening tune-up.

Chase Elliott, last week’s winner and the defending race winner at the Monster Mile, was 13th-fastest in the Hendrick Motorsports No. 9 Chevrolet. Martin Truex Jr., who prevailed at Dover earlier this season, turned in the 12th-fastest lap in the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 19 Toyota.

Posted on by NASCAR Official Release

Leaders from across the sports industry gathered at Daytona International Speedway this week to discuss the industry’s efforts to advance diversity and inclusion as part of the 2019 Sports Diversity & Inclusion Symposium.

Each year, the event serves as a forum for sports executives and diversity and inclusion practitioners to discuss, evaluate and create tangible solutions that drive greater diversity and inclusion in today’s sports culture. The symposium includes prominent leaders from major, minor and amateur sports organizations and features panel sessions, networking opportunities and open discussions for the two-day event.

RELATED: Latest news in NASCAR Drive for Diversity

Since 2012, NASCAR has been a founding member of the Diversity & Inclusion Sports Consortium alongside major U.S. sports leagues and other sports organizations. This year, led by its Multicultural Development department, NASCAR hosted the group’s annual symposium for the first time.

“Serving as host for the 2019 Sports Diversity and Inclusion Symposium was an honor,” said Dawn Harris, senior director of multicultural development at NASCAR. “The opportunity to convene thought leaders to discuss diversity and inclusion and its impact across the industry as related to innovation and growth was relevant and timely. I appreciate each of our forty panelists and moderators who gave their time and expertise to advance this important topic.”

NASCAR President Steve Phelps joined senior leaders from the PGA Tour, PGA of America, LPGA, USTA and Minor League Baseball on Wednesday for a panel discussion on league efforts to reach diverse fans and other communities and foster inclusive environments for employees.

Jusan Hamilton, in his first full year as series director for NASCAR’s Esports series, shared his perspective on leveraging Esports to connect with diverse audiences next to ESPN’s Katie Barnes and Major League Soccer’s Bion West. Daytona International Speedway president Chip Wile hosted lunch on Tuesday and addressed the symposium attendees alongside Erin Pellegrino of the Ross Institute in Sports for Equality (RISE).

Additional speakers included David Steward, founder and chairman of World Wide Technology, title sponsor of WWT Raceway at Gateway; Dr. Richard Lapchick, director of the Institute for Sport & Social Justice; Julia Landauer, driver in the NASCAR Pinty’s Series; and TJ Adeshola, head of U.S. sports partnerships at Twitter.

Participating members of the Diversity & Inclusion Sports Consortium include: ESPN, Major League Baseball, Minor League Baseball, Major League Soccer, NASCAR, National Basketball Association, National Collegiate Athletic Association, National Football League, National Hockey League, Professional Golfers’ Association of America, PGA Tour, Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality, United States Olympic Committee, United States Tennis Association and You Can Play.

Posted on by @nascarcasm

People Of The Internet,

I confess that I spend the majority of my time posting really awful tweets that contain nary a morsel of truth. However, I come to you today with an amazing giveaway, and I am, for once, not lying.

The good folks at iRacing (The amazingly accurate virtual racing platform that can eventually get you a full-time job driving a legendary car at Hendrick Motorsports if your name is William) have given me an amazing VIP Package valued at $2,200 that I am to hand out to one very lucky winner. This package includes a 2-year subscription and 2,000 credits. It’s insane. You want this.

RELATED: NASCAR x Esports

How am I going to hand this out?

By asking you, the denizens of iRacing, to flex your respective creative muscles and design the single-most atrocious, butt-ugly paint scheme you can come up with.

That’s right, we’re having an Ugly Paint Scheme Contest, and the winner cashes in huge.

Maybe you’ve already designed a scheme so ugly that the mere sight of it would turn a man to stone. Or perhaps you have envisioned a harrowing and repulsive design that you’ve kept in the dark recesses of your mind, and you’ve been waiting for the right moment to unleash it. That time is now. Throw the switch and bring your monster to life.

So here’s how it’s gonna go down.

  • Design your hideous creation. The manifestation of the ugliness is up to you, but please, nothing profane. Those will immediately be disqualified.
  • Post your creation to Twitter using the hashtag #CasmUglySchemeContest by Friday, October 11, 2019 . You MUST use the hashtag, so that we can find the schemes.
  • The winner will be chosen by an esteemed panel of myself, and a couple other people, I dunno. The winner will be notified on Twitter, and will then provide us with a name and email address.
  • The best schemes will inevitably be placed into a gallery that we’ll share on NASCAR.com, because that’d be some sweet content, right?

So that’s the how-to. Crack open your preferred iRacing scheme-painting program and bring out the ugly. Happy painting!

— @NASCARCASM

Posted on by Staff Report

Ally Financial has extended its full-season sponsorship of the Hendrick Motorsports No. 48 Chevrolet by three more years, prolonging an agreement that was initially signed less than a year ago through the 2023 season.

The initial sponsorship between Ally and Hendrick Motorsports was set for two years through 2020, but Ally Financial wasted little time in more than doubling that length after nearly 12 months together.

The agreement virtually guarantees seven-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson will finish his full-time NASCAR career with Ally as his primary sponsor. The team stated in a press release that Johnson, who is signed with Hendrick Motorsports through 2020, will announce his plans at a later date.

PHOTOS: Jimmie Johnson through the years

“The energy Ally has brought to the No. 48 team, Hendrick Motorsports and the sport of NASCAR is contagious,” Johnson said in a team release. “They have embraced our fans, activated their program in unique ways and supported me at every turn, from racing my No. 48 car every week to running the Boston Marathon. It’s a true bond – not just a business transaction. We care about each other’s success. I’m proud to be associated with Ally and can’t wait to see what they do in the future.”

The initial deal between the two was announced on Oct. 28, 2018. Since then, Ally has been involved in all levels of the No. 48 team, from supporting Johnson’s memorable 26.2-mile run in the legendary Boston Marathon, to taking part in NASCAR Throwback Weekend at Darlington Raceway, giving the No. 48 a fresh coat of paint that resembled “Butch” – a 1990 Chevy Thunder Sportside that Johnson drove in the Baja 1000 Trophy Truck division for a handful of races in 1995.

Just last week, Jimmie Johnson, Hendrick Motorsports and Ally hosted an event called Fueling Futures, a half-day event at the team shop geared toward area high school students interested in learning more about career opportunities in motorsports.

“Our first year with Jimmie and the team at Hendrick Motorsports has been phenomenal,” said Andrea Brimmer, Ally’s chief marketing and public relations officer. “Jimmie’s the ultimate competitor, and Ally is proud to support him and the rest of the No. 48 team. We are thrilled to extend our contract and build on the incredible momentum we’ve established. This sponsorship goes way beyond just putting our logo on the car. It’s built on our shared values for doing right in the communities we race in, while growing our brand with passionate, new audiences. We look forward to many more exciting laps together.”

RELATED: See all of Jimmie’s wins

Johnson has three top-five finishes and 10 top 10s entering this weekend’s race at Dover International Speedway, where he’s won a NASCAR record 11 Cup Series races. Despite not qualifying for the NASCAR Playoffs this year, the No. 48 has found plenty of speed in recent weeks.

Cliff Daniels was named the new No. 48 crew chief in July, and he and Johnson have developed a quick chemistry.

“Ally’s values are our values,” team owner Rick Hendrick said in a team release. “Working with integrity, being accountable to one another, and leading in both the workplace and in our communities are all core beliefs that we share. This is a tremendous relationship on many levels, and to see it have success and grow so quickly is truly meaningful. Jimmie sets the standard and is a wonderful representative for Ally. Today is a great day for all of us.”

Posted on by Holly Cain

Expect this week’s Use Your Melon Drive Sober 200 (Saturday at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) at Dover International Speedway to be a highly pivotal moment in the 2019 NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs as it’s the final race in the Round of 12 to settle which eight drivers move onward to settle the season championship.

RELATED: Full schedule for Dover | Xfinity entry list

Points leader Christopher Bell is the only full-time Xfinity Series driver to earn a playoff win so far (at Richmond, Va., two weeks ago), and that gives him an automatic ticket to the next round of the playoffs. The bad news for his competition is that Bell has also won the last two races at Dover, Del. He beat fellow championship contenders Justin Allgaier in May and Cole Custer in this race last October.

Going into Saturday’s opening round cutoff race, Bell, Custer, Austin Cindric, Allgaier, Chase Briscoe, Noah Gragson and Michael Annett are ranked among the top eight in the standings. Annett holds an 11-point edge over ninth-place John Hunter Nemechek and 10th-place Brandon Jones. Only the top-eight ranked drivers after Saturday’s race remain championship eligible in the next three-race playoff round at tracks in Kansas, Texas and ISM Raceway near Phoenix.

MORE: Xfinity Series standings

Both drivers closest to the cutoff line – Nemechek and Joe Gibbs Racing’s Brandon Jones – have solid records at Dover. Nemechek has a pair of top-10 finishes in three starts and is coming off a career best eighth place in May. Jones, 22, has seven starts – starting on pole in May 2018 and earning three top 10s. His best work is a sixth place last year.

Annett has only a pair of top-10 finishes in 15 Dover starts. His best is a third-place run in 2012. The JR Motorsports veteran was 10th at the track in May.

Among current drivers, only the two-time defending winner Bell and Allgaier (2018) have hoisted trophies at Dover. The veteran Allgaier has the most experience at the one-mile, high-banked concrete venue, nicknamed “The Monster Mile” for its tough reputation. He has that victory last year, seven top-five and 10 top-10 finishes in 17 starts. The JR Motorsports driver is looking for his first win, however, since last season when he won five races. He is one of two drivers ranked among the playoff top eight – also rookie Noah Gragson – without a victory this season.

Bell, Custer and regular season champ Tyler Reddick – who announced this week he will join Bell in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series full-time in 2020 – have accounted for 18 wins through the first 28 races.

Posted on by Staff Report

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs begins the Round of 12 this weekend at Dover International Speedway with the Drydene 400 on Sunday afternoon (2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN/NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

The first race of the second round of the playoffs is on a 1-mile, high-banked track and sees Kyle Busch lead the standings by five points over fellow Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Martin Truex Jr. as the round begins.

Here is the rest of the need-to-know information for Sunday’s race at the home of Miles the Monster.

RELATED: Dover schedule | Round of 12 reset | Fifty years of memories at Dover

TRACK DETAILS

Dover International Speedway hosted its first race on July 6, 1969 and the event was won by Richard Petty — who won three of the first four races there. Since 1971, the “Monster Mile” has held two races a year — typically one in the late spring and one in the fall.

The 1-mile track has 24 degrees of banking in all four turns as well as nine degrees of incline on the straightaways at the concrete oval. The straightaway length is 1,076 feet and measures 48 feet in width, while the turns measure 58 feet in width. Dover’s pit road measures 1,580 feet long and 47 feet wide. Jimmie Johnson has the most wins at the venue with 11 Cup wins.

RULES PACKAGE

The race at Dover will feature the 2019 rules package with no aero ducts and a tapered-spacer engine generating a targeted 750 horsepower.

Each team will have three sets of tires for practice, one set for qualifying and 10 sets for the 400-mile race — nine race sets plus one set transferred from qualifying or practice.

Steep banking at tracks such as Dover creates higher loads specifically on the right-front tire. Due to that, Goodyear will be working with teams to stress the importance of set-ups as well as air pressures on the right-front tire. Goodyear performed additional simulation work for this track to give teams the most current information on how air pressure affects both durability and performance.

“When we went to Bristol for the second time in 2019, we saw exactly how many gains these teams have made with this package since the first race there in the spring, and we expect the same at Dover this week,” Greg Stucker, Goodyear’s director of racing, said.  “Right-front durability at Dover is always on our radar because of the speeds and loads generated by these cars in the high-banked corners. … We certainly understand that in the teams’ efforts to gain as much grip as possible, being aggressive on air pressures is one of the tools they use.”

STATS

—Sunday’s race marks Dover 100th Cup race. It is the 10th track to host at least 100 races.

—The last 21 races at Dover were won by 10 different drivers—nine of which are all Cup champions. Defending race winner Chase Elliott is the lone non-champion to win in that span.

—Elliott holds the best average finish at Dover among all drivers — 4.43 in seven starts. Learn more about why Elliott is a favorite in the Round of 12 here.

—Kyle Larson’s eight top 10s at Dover are his most at any track.

—Kevin Harvick will make his 676th Cup start — matching Dale Earnhardt’s number of Cup starts. Dover is also the track where Harvick has led the most laps with SHR — 1298.

Source: Racing Insights

LIVE COVERAGE

This weekend’s race will air live Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN and streamed on the NBC Sports App. Radio coverage can be found on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Also, follow along on NASCAR.com for live Lap-by-Lap coverage, the live leaderboard, Drive (featuring in-car cameras) and RaceView (subscription: in-car audio, stats, more). Be sure to set your lineup in Fantasy Live and make your picks in the Props Challenge.

2018 RACE WINNER

A year after giving up the lead to Kyle Busch with two to go, Chase Elliott wrote his own redemption song by staying out under a late caution to take the lead and then leading the final 11 laps for the win over Denny Hamlin. The victory locked him into the Round of 8 in the playoffs.

ACTIVE DOVER WINNERS

Jimmie Johnson (11 times); Ryan Newman, Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr. (three wins each); Kevin Harvick (twice); Chase Elliott, Kurt Busch and Brad Keselowski (one win each)