See where your favorite driver in the Xfinity Series will pit for Sunday’s CircuitCity.com 250 presented by Tamron (5:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
The Triple Truck Challenge got off to a fast-paced, fully-dramatic start last weekend at Texas Motor Speedway with absolutely every reason to believe NASCAR’s Gander Outdoors Truck Series drivers will bring that same frenetic pace to Iowa Speedway for Round 2 of the three-race incentive program.
There was certainly no shortage of motivation nor effort as the drivers raced for the first $50,000 bonus last weekend and with another $50,000 bonus available in Sunday’s M&M’s 200 presented by Casey’s General Store (at noon ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) there’s plenty on the line.
RELATED: Full schedule for Iowa | Biffle wins first leg of ‘The Trip’
Not only are these competitors fighting for a shot at the 2019 championship, the big bucks, “Triple Truck” bonus for winning this week on the Iowa 7/8-mile oval raises the stakes.
Last week at Texas there were a record 13 caution flags and plenty of action – involving many of the championship contenders in one way or another – as they contended for the series’ first major mid-season incentive offering.
Two-time NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series champion Matt Crafton – one of only two former Iowa winners in Sunday’s field – turned in the best effort of the full-time series competitors with a .963-second runner-up finish to Greg Biffle. The 2000 series champion Biffle, 49, who was making his first Gander Trucks start in 15 years, had been hired specifically by Kyle Busch Motorsports for the Texas race and won’t be competing for the Triple Truck Challenge money this week at Iowa.
The opportunity to win during this first-of-its-kind program is a big deal to driver and team, which is guaranteed an extra $50,000 for a victory this week, and $150,000 if the same driver wins again next week in Gateway, Illinois.
“I personally love it,” said 2016 series champion Johnny Sauter, who has a pair of runner-up finishes at Iowa (2010 and 2017). “I can’t think of three better race tracks that as a driver I enjoy going to. You feel like you’re racing not only the competition but the race track.
“It’s good racing. To me, it’s the ultimate. I like money. Everybody does and I especially like the bonus for the crew guys. I think that’s really cool.”
RELATED: Learn all about the Triple Truck Challenge
Among Sauter’s fellow championship contenders putting it on the line this week for pride, that bonus check and for a big trophy is Sauter’s own ThorSport Racing teammate Grant Enfinger. He placed fourth at Texas and maintains his position atop the standings – by 37 points over Stewart Friesen. Texas runner-up Crafton is third in the driver standings, 41 points behind Enfinger and defending series champion and defending Iowa race winner Brett Moffitt is fourth, 55 points out of the lead.
MORE: Destiny Homes’ giveaway (cheer for Moffitt)
Ross Chastain, who declared his intention to run for the 2019 Gander Trucks title days before the Texas race, finished 10th. Although he won at Kansas three races ago, it was before Chastain formally declared his 2019 truck title intentions. So he will need to win another race and finish inside the top-20 in the championship standings to earn the opportunity to run for a season trophy.
In just that one race at Texas, Chastain earned 38 points. By comparison, racer Anthony Alfredo is currently ranked 20th in the standings with 102 points tallied through eight races. So at this pace, Chastain feels he has very legitimate shot to crack the 20th place in the standings and make a title run. He is averaging a 6.8 place finish. And the big bonus money available in the Triple Truck Challenge would be icing on his championship effort.
He is certainly up for the challenge. Until the dueling Texas (Gander Trucks) and Michigan (Cup and Xfinity Series) locations last weekend, the Floridian had raced in every single race (36 total) in all three series. Now he has the luxury of focusing toward a career first NASCAR title.
“It’s just kinda normal to me, it really is,” Chastain said of his imposing odds. “It’s really like a day at our family’s farm. You wake up and you don’t know what’s going to get thrown at you. With farming it could be weather and Mother Nature and there’s nothing you can do about it. You just have to adapt and keep moving and make the best decisions.
“So it [the racing challenge] just seems normal to me. We just get up and fight and try not to let things knock us down even it feels like we’re getting hit from all angles sometimes. Hopefully this is a good little stretch for us and we catch some of the good side of luck. We sure feel we are ready for it.”
Iowa has been a positive venue for Chastain. In 2013 driving for Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski, Chastain won the pole position and led a dominating 116 laps, but finished runner-up. He has four finishes of 16th or better in five starts. His truck suffered a mechanical problem in last summer’s race and finished 30th.
“Hopefully Iowa and Gateway we’ll get some green flag racing and see the good trucks up there racing for it,” Chastain said, promising the competition will be fierce this weekend even without the extra paycheck on the line.
“I think everybody drives hard and it’s not all about the money, it’s about the win. That’s why we’re here.”
Historic performances, spectacular finishes and amazing memories await you at “The Great American Race.” And now, fans can officially make sure they experience the 62nd annual Daytona 500 on Feb. 16, 2020, in person. Tickets are officially on sale.
MORE: Buy your Daytona 500 tickets today
Race fans travel from all over the world to attend the Daytona 500. The 2019 race, which Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin won, had attendees representing all 50 states and 45 countries.
Guests will have the opportunity to experience the pageantry and edge-of-your-seat excitement of the Daytona 500 in a state-of-the-art motorsports facility with amenities that include more than 100,000 seats, thousands of premium club seats, 40 escalators and 17 elevators, 60 luxury suites, social “neighborhoods” and three concourse levels that span the nearly mile-long frontstretch.
RELATED: Daytona 500 winners
New for 2020, premium and extended-stay camping packages will now include access to general admission seating and the UNOH Fanzone for the leading events of DAYTONA Speedweeks Presented By AdventHealth.
Tickets for the 2020 #DAYTONA500 are on sale NOW!
🎟️: https://t.co/aow8YikrSH pic.twitter.com/o7NvAePwgk
— Daytona International Speedway (@DAYTONA) June 14, 2019
Those wishing to attend “The Great American Race” in person should make their plans early to secure the best pricing:
- Tickets can be purchased by calling 1-800-PITSHOP or visiting www.DAYTONA500.com.
- Hospitality and premium seat packages, including the Rolex 24 Lounge, Harley J’s, Trioval Club, Daytona 500 Club and President’s Row are available, as well as UNOH Fanzone/Pre-race wristbands.
- For all other Daytona Speedweeks Presented By AdventHealth events, children 12 and under are $10 in reserved seating and free in general admission areas and in the UNOH Fanzone.
- Fans can also visit PrimeSport.com, the official travel package provider of Daytona International Speedway, where they can find multiple options for tickets, lodging and hospitality.
Learn more about ticket options
In addition to the “The Great American Race,” fans may purchase tickets and multi-day packages for the leading events of DAYTONA Speedweeks Presented By AdventHealth. Tickets for the 58th Rolex 24 At Daytona, the most prestigious sports car race in North America and the season-opening event to the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, will go on sale at a later date.
Fans can stay connected with Daytona International Speedway on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube and Snapchat, and by downloading Daytona International Speedway’s mobile app, for the latest Speedway news throughout the season.
While to many it may seem like an individual sport, it takes a lot of teamwork to be a successful NASCAR driver. It’s important to work together with your pit crew and teammates in order to see success on the track. For 2018 Daytona 500 champion, Austin Dillon, that teamwork was instilled in him at a young age during his time on the baseball field playing for Southwest Forsyth County (N.C.) Little League.
“Little League teaches you how to work with a team and put in a lot of hard work and effort,” said Dillon. “The coach that we had taught us the importance of fundamentals and hard work, and that’s something you can take in everything you do. I still use a lot of those team philosophies that we used in Little League in everything I do today.”
In the summer of 2002, Dillon and his teammates from North Carolina made the run of a lifetime as they went on to become one of 16 teams to make it to Williamsport and compete in the Little League Baseball® World Series.
“That experience was really something special. I got to make some lifelong friends during that time and one of my best friends to this day, Robbie Scott, was our shortstop on our team and we’ve been friends ever since,” said Dillon. “It was a really special time and I’m glad I got to be a part of it. I always watch baseball a little differently now after playing in the Little League World Series.”
Although his team was unable to secure a win, Dillon did pick up a hit during his time in Williamsport, going 1-for-4, but more importantly, cherished his time and took home lifelong memories and friendships that he will never forget.
“We just had a good time. I really got into pin trading when I was there and still have my pins from that time, which is pretty cool,” said Dillon. “I actually pulled them out this year when I found out I was getting this award. I was all about the pin trading.”
After his appearance in South Williamsport, Austin played Junior Varsity baseball at his high school for most of his freshman and sophomore years, but his interests were shifting gears into racing. Although racing quickly became his focus, Dillon did never forgot the lessons he learned during his Little League days.
Today, the 29-year-old racer, nicknamed “The Ace,” continues to show his talents on the racetrack and has quickly broken into the NASCAR circuit, even taking home the Daytona 500 title in 2018. Along with his impressive racing resume, Dillon remains a role model to young kids everywhere and even took the time in 2017 to video chat with the Southeast Region team from nearby Greenville, North Carolina, to wish them luck.
“Every year when the Little League World Series comes on TV, we’re all gathered around watching it. It’s always something that’s on and talked about when we’re in the trailer and getting ready for the weekend,” said Dillon. “I just wanted to do my part to give back and congratulate them. I had a lot of good coaches and mentors throughout my life that influenced me and hopefully I can give back the knowledge that I acquired from them.”
For his dedication to the values of Little League, and for his outstanding service as a role model within the community, Little League International is honored to announce Dillon as a 2019 Little League Hall of Excellence enshrinee.
“Each year, we look to find those men and women who have gone on from their days as Little Leaguers to take those values and life lessons they learned on the playing field to their role as leaders in the community,” said Stephen D. Keener, Little League President and CEO. “Austin Dillon has proved to be a tremendous leader both on the racetrack and as a role model for the future generation of our world. We are honored to present this award to Austin and are excited to hopefully welcome him back to Williamsport to relive the magic he experienced in 2002.”
Established in 1988, enshrinement in the Little League Hall of Excellence is an annual honor bestowed on a Little League graduate (or graduates) who have demonstrated a commitment to excellence in their chosen profession and exemplify the values learned as children in Little League Baseball or Softball. For more information on the Little League Hall of Excellence, visit LittleLeague.org/Alumni.
This weekend’s Bonnaroo Festival in eastern Tennessee will attract hordes of music lovers to partake in performances from acts such as Phish, the Lumineers, and Post Malone.
Whatever.
As an alternative, we invite you all to the Loganroo Festival — four days of music and peace, assuming Daniel Suarez isn’t down in the mosh pit slamming people to the ground. See the official poster below.
Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott has been inspired by father Bill Elliott for his entire life. It should come as no surprise, then, that one of his father’s paint schemes influenced the No. 9 team’s Darlington throwback paint scheme this yar.
Elliott unveiled the sleek blue-and-white NAPA Chevrolet on Wednesday morning, showing off an old-school look that honors Bill Elliott’s 1981 Mell-Gear car.
MORE: See No. 9 from every angle | See all Darlington schemes
The announcement came four days before Father’s Day, fitting as this scheme has three generations of Elliott involved.
Bill Elliott’s final season racing for his father, George Elliott, came in the blue No. 9 Mell-Gear Ford Thunderbird. Bill Elliott drove in 13 premier series races in 1981, recording seven top-10 finishes. His first-ever Cup Series Busch Pole Award also came in 1981 — at Darlington Raceway.
SHOP: Elliott throwback gear
This season marks Year Five of Darlington’s award-winning throwback weekend program. This year’s Bojangles’ Southern 500 (Sept. 1, NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) will also be the 70th iteration of the crown jewel race.
RELATED: Buy Darlington tickets
NASCAR penalized the No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing team and the No. 37 JTG Daugherty Racing team in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series on Tuesday for having one lug nut not safe and secure following Monday’s race at Michigan International Speedway.
RELATED: Full race results
Crew chiefs Billy Scott (No. 41) and Trent Owens (No. 37) were each fined $10,000.
Daniel Suarez (No. 41) scored a fourth-place finish at Michigan — his second top-five finish of the season — while Chris Buescher (No. 37) finished 16th in the race. Suarez sits 13th in the standings and Buescher is 22nd.
In the Xfinity Series, the race-winning team — the No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet — was penalized for having one lug nut not safe and secure following Saturday’s race at Michigan International Speedway. The win was the third of the season for points leader and reigning series champion Tyler Reddick. Crew chief Randall Burnett was fined $5,000.
RELATED: Reddick wins at Michigan
On Monday at Michigan International Speedway, Clint Bowyer continued a pattern he would love to break.
In a feast-or-famine Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season, Bowyer ran fifth at Kansas in May, only to follow that with a 24th-place result, three laps down, in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte.
A week ago, he finished fifth at Pocono, only to have calamity strike in the next race, Monday’s rain-delayed FireKeepers Casino 400.
RELATED: Race results | Race recap
Bowyer, the event’s defending winner, had a top-five car through much of Stage 2, but on Lap 130, his No. 14 Ford broke loose as he was trying to steer away from Erik Jones’ Toyota and backed into the outside wall.
With his car crippled, Bowyer dropped out of the race in 35th place and fell two spots to 12th in the series standings.
“The 20 (Jones) got loose, and I tried to basically make an evasive move to get under him,” Bowyer said. “The 3 (Austin Dillon) was there and got loose under him and then I got into him and ran out of real estate. It was a pretty frustrating day. Pretty frustrating out there.”
The race-winning Team Penske No. 22 Ford of Joey Logano has passed post-race inspection at Michigan International Speedway with no issues.
The No. 22 Ford was found to be compliant with the 2019 NASCAR Rule Book after Monday’s rain-delayed FireKeepers Casino 400. NASCAR officials said that the only post-race issue was one lug nut not safely secured on the Stewart-Haas Racing No. 41 Ford of fourth-finishing Daniel Suarez, an infraction that should result in a fine only for crew chief Billy Scott.
With the post-race teardown complete, the race results are official.
RELATED: Logano prevails at Michigan | Race results
The post-race process is part of a new, more timely approach to inspection for all three NASCAR national series. Competition officials announced in February that thorough post-race inspections would take place shortly after the checkered flag at the track instead of midweek at the NASCAR Research & Development Center in Concord, North Carolina.
Those inspections come with a stiffer deterrence structure that includes disqualification for significant rules infractions — “a total culture change,” according to Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer. In the past, race-winning teams found in violation of the rules were penalized with post-race fines, points deductions and/or suspensions, but victories were allowed to stand.
Competition officials introduced the quicker post-race inspection timetable in an effort to make the results official on race day, aiming for a 90-minute target time frame to complete their scrutineering. The new post-race inspection process was also designed to deal with potential violations more promptly, avoiding any midweek news that might cloud the previous week’s results or the build-up to the following week’s event.
NASCAR will still inspect cars and parts at the R&D Center as needed, but the more comprehensive at-track inspection will take priority.
According to NASCAR statistical archives, the last time a premier series driver was disqualified occurred in 1973, when early retiree Buddy Baker was demoted to last place in the National 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The last time an apparent race winner in NASCAR’s top division was disqualified came on April 17, 1960, when Emanuel Zervakis’ victory at Wilson (N.C.) Speedway was thrown out because of an oversized fuel tank on his No. 85 Chevrolet.
Given the statistics, you might think Joey Logano ran away with Monday’s rain-delayed FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway.
Yes, Logano led 163 of 203 laps at the 2-mile track in the Irish Hills. He had the fastest car in qualifying on Saturday and the fastest car in the 15th Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series event of the season.
But after a late caution for Erik Jones’ spin into the infield grass below Turn 2, Logano needed overtime to seal the win. He needed a superb restart on Lap 202 to gain an edge. And he needed a determined drive over the last two laps, aided by spotter T.J. Majors, to hold off charging Kurt Busch by .147 at the finish.
RELATED: Race results | Logano tips cap to fans
Logano wasn’t about to reveal how he got such a good launch on the decisive restart.
“I can’t tell you everything I learned,” quipped the driver of the No. 22 Team Penske Ford, who won for the second time this season, the third time at Michigan — all from the pole — and the 23rd time in his career. “You race this whole race, you keep building that notebook up.
“What a great execution day from our race car, obviously very fast. Our pit crew was amazing. T.J. Majors spotted his butt off up there. The race fans sticking around till Monday — you guys are the best. We love coming up to Michigan. Nothing like bringing a Ford to Victory Lane in their home turf, Roger Penske cars as well. This is a big win for us.”
Thanks to Logano’s victory, Ford Motor Company retained the Michigan Heritage Trophy that goes to the manufacturer of the winning car. Ford drivers have won the last three races at the 2-mile track.
Despite sustaining right-rear damage to his No. 1 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet during a brush with the outside wall on Lap 42, Busch ran in or near the top five for the vast majority of the race. He was third for the final restart and quickly steered to the inside of Martin Truex Jr.’s Toyota to grab the second position.
Busch, however, couldn’t catch Logano on the final lap.
“I had a blast,” Busch said. “Tightest I ever put my belts at the end of a race. We got enough stage points today, we said, ‘Hell with it, we don’t need to get anything but the win.’ We got second today.”
Before the final caution, Busch was running behind Martin Truex Jr., locked in a tight draft. The two cars were gaining on Logano, but the yellow flag interrupted their progress.
“Logano’s car was tough,” Busch said. “I really wanted it to go green at the end with Truex. I was going to push him straight through the 22 (Logano). My best shot at it.
“We’ll get it. It gives us reason to smile and be happy. We ran up front, were strong in our manufacturer’s back yard, but got second today.”
Truex held the third spot, followed by Daniel Suarez and Kyle Busch. Brad Keselowski ran sixth ahead of Kevin Harvick, who rallied from early issues with a vibration that cost him a lap but lost too much ground on a four-tire call on his final green-flag pit stop.
Ryan Newman, Ryan Blaney and Alex Bowman completed the top 10.
Though Logano led 163 laps, the race wasn’t a cruise for the Team Penske driver. In one hotly contested section of the race, Logano passed Harvick on Lap 148, surrendered the top spot back to Harvick on Lap 149 and regained it on Lap 150.
But a two-tire call from Logano’s crew chief, Todd Gordon, on a Lap 175 pit stop gained more than five seconds on Harvick, who had taken four tires one lap earlier. Even with the late caution, Harvick couldn’t regain the lost track position on the final two-lap shootout.
Logano led 109 of the first 113 laps and prevailed in Stage 1. A solid fuel strategy carried Austin Dillon’s No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet to a Stage 2 win. But Dillon was knocked from contention by contact, first with William Byron’s No. 24 Chevy, and then the outside retaining wall. He finished 26th.
MORE: Stage recaps
Clint Bowyer’s bid to repeat his Michigan victory from last June ended after just 130 laps after his Stewart-Haas Racing No. 14 Ford crashed in Turn 2. He placed 35th in the 36-car field.
The race was delayed 27 hours from its initial schedule to a Monday, 5 p.m. ET start time by rain.
The Monster Energy Series’ next race is the Toyota/Save Mart 350, scheduled Sunday, June 23 (3 p.m. ET, FS1, PRN, SiriusXM) at Sonoma Raceway.
Contributing: Staff reports