ISM Raceway announces sellout for Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race

Posted on November 8, 2018 by Track Release

ISM Raceway announced today that grandstand seats are sold out for the Can-Am 500 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series semifinal playoff race on Sunday, Nov. 11. The grandstand sell-out follows the earlier sellouts of all 54 hospitality suites for the Can-Am 500 and all reserved camping for the entire weekend.

RELATED: Full Phoenix schedule

“We’re thrilled that NASCAR fans have chosen the new ISM Raceway and the Can-Am 500 as a must-see event,” said Julie Giese, President of ISM Raceway. “This is an exciting time for us as we unveil the recently completed $178 million modernization project and we can’t wait to showcase it to a full house during Sunday’s semifinal race.”

Race fans wishing to attend the Can-Am 500 can still purchase standing room only tickets for the event. Standing room only tickets include admission into the gates as well as access into the all-new INfield, allowing unparalleled access to Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series garages, Gatorade Victory Lane, driver appearances, O’Reilly Auto Parts Pre-Race Party and exclusive INfield food and beverage options.

Standing room only tickets are $139 for adults and $109 for children 17 and under, and can be purchased online at ISMRaceway.com, by phone at 1-866-408-RACE (7223) or in person at the ISM Raceway ticket office. General admission hillside only tickets are also available for $40.

MORE: Buy SRO tickets

Posted on November 8, 2018November 8, 2018 by Jordan Bianchi

Ahead of Sunday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Can-Am 500 at ISM Raceway in Phoenix (2:30 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) — the final race in the Round of 8 — we take a look back on the 2016 event where Joey Logano capitalized on a late-race incident involving the top three running drivers to win the race and earn himself a spot in the Championship 4 final at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Previously: 2014 classic | 2015: Junior’s last win

Coming Friday: A look back at the 2017 race.

The scene

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series entered the Round of 8 elimination race at ISM with two drivers having already solidified their positions in the bracket that would decide the championship. Jimmie Johnson had won at Martinsville Speedway and Carl Edwards at Texas Motor Speedway.

Johnson’s and Edwards’ victories meant Kyle Busch (+1 point above the provisional transfer line), Joey Logano (+1), Matt Kenseth (-1), Denny Hamlin (-2), Kevin Harvick (-18) and Kurt Busch (-25) were vying for the other two Championship 4 bids. And because of their respective points deficits, Harvick and Kurt Busch found themselves in virtual must-win situations at ISM.

Further intensifying the drama, four of the participants in the Round of 8 represented a single team, Joe Gibbs Racing, and at least one of Kyle Busch, Hamlin and Kenseth was assured of not advancing to the title race due to Johnson’s win at Martinsville. And there stood a reasonable chance ISM would see the elimination of three JGR drivers, with only Edwards moving forward.

RELATED: All the 2016 race winners

The action

While the bulk of the attention was on those battling in the Playoffs, Alex Bowman stole some of the spotlight both in qualifying, when he won his first-career pole, then in the race itself where he led a race-high 194 laps. As the primary substitute for the injured Dale Earnhardt Jr., Bowman was hoping to parlay his stint driving the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports car into a future full-time opportunity and his performance that weekend certainly caused people to take notice.

Yet despite putting himself in position to win, this would not be the day Bowman got that first Cup victory. Instead, he found himself a central player in an incident that knocked Kenseth both out of the lead and the postseason.

The decisive moment transpired on an overtime restart with Kenseth leading and lined up in the top groove, Bowman beside him in second, and Busch in third behind Bowman when Busch dove to the inside of Bowman entering Turn 1. Attempting to block Busch’s run, Bowman also went low but as he did he cut across the nose of the No. 18 Toyota and the two made contact, propelling Bowman into Kenseth, who had got a good restart and seemingly was set to motor away, but now found himself spinning into the outside wall.

Busch took responsibility afterward and apologized for triggering the accident. Nonetheless, it did not change the fact that Kenseth was out of the Playoffs stemming from a situation instigated by his own teammate. And in a cruel twist, Busch was the benefactor of Kenseth’s demise as he now occupied the final transfer slot into the Championship 4.

The winner

Amid the madness that was the first overtime restart, Logano narrowly avoided Kenseth’s spinning car and took over the lead. He would outrun Busch on the second overtime restart to collect his third win of the season.

Busch’s runner-up finish was enough to give him a six-point margin over Hamlin, the first driver below the cut line, to qualify for the Championship 4 and defend his 2015 title.

MORE: All of Logano’s Monster Energy Series wins

The impact

Kenseth was seeking a second Cup championship and this not only represented a great chance add another title to his resume, but also marked the final time he would ever get close to accomplishing that goal. During the 2017 Playoffs he was eliminated in the Round 12, a season that proved to be his last as a full-time driver as of this writing.

Busch, Edwards, Johnson and Logano were the four championship finalists at Homestead, in what proved to be a dramatic event where at various moments each driver appeared on the cusp of winning. Ultimately, Johnson used a dazzling restart in overtime to win the race and the championship. It was his seventh Cup title, tying the all-time record shared by Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty.

Posted on November 8, 2018November 8, 2018 by David Smith

All eight drivers still in contention for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship rank among the nine fastest on the 1-mile track type into which ISM Raceway falls. Furthermore, six of that track type’s eight most-efficient passers are Round of 8 drivers. This Sunday’s race has the potential to be an all-timer, with nary an underdog among its most intriguing participants.

But wait, there’s more.

The track itself has thrown a wild card into the proceedings. The start/finish line is now placed in the dogleg, what was formerly the track’s second turn, where the surface bulges and the inside apron expands. This allows for radical, adventurous lines for the willing and able and could turn the quirky track into a restarter’s paradise.

MORE: Overview of enhancements

The racing action shouldn’t fundamentally change — anticipate drivers such as Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch among those most likely to contend for the race victory — but the eventfulness of double-file restarts is likely to improve, allowing for creativity from the restarting elite who were previously stymied by an impenetrable outside line.

That outside line served as ISM’s preferred groove, allowing its occupants position retention rates of 94, 87 and 89 percent in each of the last three races at the facility. Cars in the inside groove retained position at clips of 32, 40 and 41 percent, respectively, providing those lucky enough to be assigned an even-numbered restarting position with a massive advantage. It’s not clear whether the inside line will become the choice groove, but those beginning their short runs from the inside now have options not previously offered.

Top non-preferred groove restarters like Kurt Busch (a 60.2 percent position rate), Martin Truex, Jr. (59.2 percent) and Harvick (57.3 percent), all three playoff participants seeking an invitation to the championship race, won’t be pigeonholed when beginning their short runs from the inside line. Truex felt every effect of the old restart dynamic in the spring — he scored four positions on four restart attempts from the preferred outside line, but lost three spots on three restarts emanating from the inside. That dynamic won’t be the same, and hopefully won’t saddle a quality restarter like him with pedestrian numbers.

RELATED: Championship 4 watch

Drivers should no longer be products of the old track dynamic, and that’s a good thing for those who’ve taken advantage of such situations this season. It also presents a problem for drivers who would’ve fared better with the status quo:

Kyle Busch

Hovering above the cutoff line by 28 points, Busch returns to a track on which he had the fastest car in the spring. Anticipate he’ll be fast, and do so knowing that late-race restarts, which have plagued his average finish splits this season, should now provide him a puncher’s chance. In races with no late-race restarts, his average finish is 4.7, nearly seven positions better than his average in races with at least one (11.5).

Chase Elliott

His legion of fans will point to his near win at ISM Raceway in the fall of 2017 as a reason why he should be considered a favorite this weekend. However, a track favoring good restarters could doom his chances at playoff advancement. Elliott averages a finish nine positions worse in races with an excessive number of restarts (17.4) than in races light on cautions (8.4). His 35.1 percent position retention rate on non-preferred groove restarts ranks last among remaining playoff drivers.

Clint Bowyer

The long shot to advance from the Round of 8 is Bowyer, who — despite ranking as a top-10 restarter in each groove — struggles with late-race restarts. In fact, his preferred groove retention rate in the final one-tenth of races drops by 26 percent, yielding an eight-position net loss and a 4.3-position difference in average finish between races without late-race restarts (10.8) and events with at least one (15.1). The more the preferred groove’s impact is diminished, the less Bowyer would welcome a late caution flag.

Justin Allgaier

It’s almost unfathomable how good a restarter Allgaier has been in 2018. His 48 positions gained this year on non-preferred groove restarts is by far the most among NASCAR Xfinity Series drivers, with Ryan Preece’s plus-12 the nearest. He’s finished worse than fourth just once in his last seven starts at ISM Raceway, which includes a 2017 victory. Now, his must-see restarting ability is unfettered on a track that already, clearly, suited his driving style.

David Smith is the Founder of MotorsportsAnalytics.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DavidSmithMA.

Posted on November 8, 2018 by Zack Albert

In the wake of Wednesday’s penalty to teammate Kevin Harvick, Aric Almirola’s situation for Sunday’s elimination race at ISM Raceway in Phoenix has gone from must-win to virtual must-win. No matter the pressure level, Almirola says he’s eager to tackle it.

Though he’ll need a win or help Sunday to advance to the Championship 4 field in the Nov. 18 finale at Homestead, Almirola says his Stewart-Haas Racing No. 10 team isn’t pressing ahead of Sunday’s Can Am 500 (2:30 p.m. ET, NBC/NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), the next-to-last event in the 10-race playoffs.

“We’re embracing the challenge ahead of us,” Almirola said Tuesday. “As athletes and as competitive people, this is what you live for; to be in this position — bottom of the ninth, Game 7, right? You’ve got to go do it. You’ve got to do it to win, to be able to make it to Homestead to go race for a championship.

“So this is fun stuff. This is something to get pumped up about. Makes the adrenalin levels rise, makes you know you’re alive, and it’s fun. As competitive people and athletes, it doesn’t get any better than this other than going to Homestead to race for championship, which will take it to the whole next level. We’re focused and we’re going to go to Phoenix and do whatever it takes to try to win that race.”

The penalty to Harvick’s No. 4 scratched the team’s automatic Championship 4 berth and moved the cut-off line for qualifying for the title-race field. That effectively chopped Almirola’s deficit from 57 to 35 points, reopening the door for mathematically advancing, but he still has significant ground to regain.

All four Stewart-Haas Racing cars are in play at Phoenix, but with only three open spots remaining, it’s a flood of water that won’t all fit through the funnel. Should the contest for the final positions come down to a late-race battle of SHR teammates, Almirola says he expects their competitive nature to take over — within reason.

“At the end of the day, we’ve got to go race and the best problem to have would be for us to be running one through four, and then let us figure it out from there,” Almirola said. “We’ve got to race, we’ve got to be smart and we’ve got to put ourselves in position and at the end of the day, we all know what’s on the line. I think we’re all very aware that the stakes are high and the opportunity to go to Homestead to race for a championship is pretty damn awesome, so we all know that and we know that it’s desperate times will sometimes call for desperate measures, but you’ve got to be smart about it, too. You can’t on Lap 5 go drill somebody and knock them out of the way.

“I think when it gets down to the end of the race and hopefully we’re all sitting there with a shot at the win, then you know that it’s every man for himself and that we’re all going to do whatever it takes to try and get to Homestead.”

MORE: Almirola says he and Logano have talked post-Texas

Posted on November 7, 2018 by Staff Report

NASCAR Senior Vice President of Competition Scott Miller revealed additional details on the L1-level penalty issued Wednesday to the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing team, saying the spoiler on Kevin Harvick’s car was “absolutely, 100 percent, no question” not in compliance with the NASCAR Rule Book.

“As black and white as it gets,” Miller said in a Wednesday night conference call.

The spoilers, Miller said, are purchased from a single source supplier and positioned on the car. The spoiler observed on the No. 4 was offset slightly to the right — that provides an aerodynamic advantage when a car goes into the corner.

RELATED: More on the penalty

An NASCAR inspector noticed something looked amiss on the No. 4 during the post-race inspection at the track, a finding that led to officials breaking down the spoiler completely once back at the R&D Center, where the infraction was then discovered.

“We believe this to be a separate manufactured part by the team,” Miller said. “But … if they would have modified a standard one, the penalty is the same.”

Harvick was docked 40 points for the violation, and his win at Texas no longer automatically advances him to the Round of 8. He also is without crew chief Rodney Childers and car chief Robert Smith for the rest of the season as both are suspended for two races.

Stewart-Haas Racing will not appeal the penalty.

The impact of the penalty stretches behind Stewart-Haas Racing as well.

RELATED: Analyzing penalty impact

Miller said NASCAR officials at ISM Raceway in Phoenix this weekend will further scrutinize all spoilers before cars go on track as a response to the penalty.

“It’s a shame that we have to, but yeah, we plan on doing that,” Miller said. “We have to change the culture. We can’t just say ‘take that off’ because ‘take that off’ obviously isn’t working anymore.

“Teams should be bringing legal cars to the race track, and we shouldn’t have to do those inspections all the time. … I think we’re getting in the borderline ridiculous territory.”

RELATED: SHR names fill-in crew chief

Additionally, Miller said NASCAR would review its deterrence model in the offseason and consider stiffer penalties for certain infractions.

“We’re actually looking at a lot of different things in the offseason in regards to the deterrence model,” Miller said. “All the way to … we’ve heard the fans call out for, ‘Why don’t you DQ the offending car?’ That’s actually a topic of discussion, among with many other things.

“Certainly points, the deterrence model, fines, suspensions. That’s always on our plates during the winter.”

Posted on November 7, 2018 by Jordan Bianchi

Ahead of Sunday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Can-Am 500 at ISM Raceway in Phoenix (2:30 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) — the final race in the Round of 8 — we take a look back on the 2015 race that saw Dale Jr. emerge in the rain and a star-studded Championship 4 field get set.

Previously: 2014 classic

Coming Thursday: A look back at the 2016 race.

The scene

The fall playoff race at ISM Raceway wasn’t lacking for story lines with the previous two Round of 8 races generating plenty of memorable moments and no shortage of controversy.

In what was his final season as a full-time competitor, Jeff Gordon assured himself a spot in the Championship 4 bracket by triumphing at Martinsville Speedway, a win punctuated by the four-time champion getting emotional in Victory Lane. That win came about following a dramatic turn of events that included title contenders Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano becoming ensnared in different run-ins as they vied for the lead, one of which resulted in Matt Kenseth earning a two-race suspension for deliberately wrecking Logano.

Gordon’s win left three spots up for grabs in the Round of 8 elimination race, as non-playoff driver Jimmie Johnson narrowly edged Keselowski to win the week before at Texas Motor Speedway. Kyle Busch (+11 points above the cut line), Kevin Harvick (+10) and Martin Truex Jr. (+7) provisionally held the three transfer positions, with Carl Edwards, Keselowski, Kurt Busch and Logano each effectively needing a win at ISM to advance.

RELATED: Full 2015 race results

The action

Harvick was the heavy favorite to win, increasing the odds Edwards, Keselowski, Busch and Logano faced in scoring a victory they required to avoid playoff elimination. And living up to his status, Harvick dominated in leading all but 50 of the first 193 laps.

The consensus that Harvick would win in a romp was knocked askew by a forecast that called for rain at some juncture during the race. With one eye on the track and another on the sky, crew chiefs altered their strategies in the hopes of stealing a victory seemingly otherwise earmarked for Harvick. And that was what transpired.

Christian Petersen | Getty Images

During a sequence of green-flag pit stops, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was on pit road when a caution fortuitously fell in his favor allowing him to get service and return to the track without losing a lap. He then inherited the lead when the other lead-lap cars pitted just as rain began to fall. With the precipitation increasing officials had little recourse but to red flag the race. It would never be restarted, and became the first postseason race to not complete the full distance since NASCAR instituted the elimination format prior to the 2014 season.

PHOTOS: Dale Jr. through the years

Joining Gordon in advancing to the Championship 4 were Harvick — who finished second to Earnhardt — Kyle Busch and Truex. Edwards finished 12th, and was the first driver below the cut line, five points behind Truex.

The winner

The victory was Earnhardt’s third of the season and 26th of his career. He announced in the spring of 2017 that he would retire from racing full-time at the end of that season, and though he has come close on multiple occasions, he has not won a NASCAR race since.

The impact

The Championship 4 featured the defending series champion (Harvick), one of the best drivers of his generation (Busch), one of NASCAR’s all-time greats (Gordon) and an underdog driver (Truex) that two years later would storm to the title. It was a stacked field.

The championship came down to Busch vs. Harvick, with the two going toe-to-toe over the final laps at Homestead. Busch prevailed when he passed Keselowski for the lead on a restart with seven laps remaining, then held off a closing Harvick to win the race and the championship.

Posted on November 7, 2018November 7, 2018 by Staff Report

The No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing team was docked 40 driver and 40 owner points as part of an L1-level penalty following Kevin Harvick’s win Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway. As a result, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs picture got a bit of a makeover.

To recap: As part of the penalty to the No. 4 team, Harvick was docked 40 points and his win at Texas cannot be used to clinch his spot in the Championship 4. As NBC’s Rick Allen might say — this … changes … everything.

The only playoff driver not impacted by the penalty is Joey Logano. The Team Penske wheelman won his way into the Championship 4 at Martinsville, and his status does not change. He’ll race for the title in Miami.

The other seven playoff drivers all feel the impact, though — some more than others.

RELATED: More on No. 4 penalty

Here’s a look at how the standings shook out, and what it means for the seven drivers all trying to clinch one of the three remaining Championship 4 spots this weekend at ISM Raceway (2:30 p.m. ET, NBC/NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

2. Kyle Busch (Previously: 3)

Points above cutline: +28
Previous points above: + 28
Note: The biggest gain for Busch isn’t necessarily in points, but security. He remains 28 points above the cutoff (because the points total for the first driver below the cutline didn’t change), but now he has Kevin Harvick 25 points behind him instead of locked into the Championship 4. Busch should feel far more comfortable heading into Phoenix.

3. Martin Truex Jr. (Previously: 4)

Points above cutline: +25
Previous points above: + 25
Note: Similarly to Busch, Truex Jr. can breathe easier considering he’s not the last driver above the cutline. His points cushion doesn’t change, but with Harvick 22 points below him, his Miami chances have spiked upward — especially when you consider that if a driver below the cutline wins, it now is more likely to impact Harvick rather than Truex Jr.

RELATED: Updated playoff standings

4. Kevin Harvick (Previously: 1)

Points above cutline: +3
Previous points above: CLINCHED
Note: Obviously, Wednesday’s penalty is a massive blow to the No. 4 team. In the top spot in the standings with a Championship 4 berth locked in after winning at Texas, the team’s 40-point infraction erases that and puts Harvick in a dangerous spot. Yes, ISM Raceway at Phoenix is Harvick’s best track, but his margin over Kurt Busch is razor thin — just three points. Beyond that, if someone below the cutoff line wins, he’s in real trouble. Then there’s the mental aspect. Yesterday, the No. 4 team had its feet metaphorically kicked up, plotting for Homestead-Miami Speedway. Now they are back in the pressure cooker, and without crew chief Rodney Childers and car chief Robert Smith for the next two races.

5. Kurt Busch (Previously: 5)

Points below cutline: -3
Previous points below: -25
Note: The biggest “winner” of this points penalty is Harvick’s teammate Kurt Busch. Prior to Wednesday’s news, the Stewart-Haas Racing veteran faced an uphill climb to Miami that in all likelihood necessitated a win at Phoenix. His margin to the cutoff line is down to three, and Busch has plenty of room to wiggle – and the cushion to pounce if a driver above him in the standings has an issue.

6. Chase Elliott (Previously: 6)

Points below cutline: -17
Previous points below: -39
Note: Wednesday’s penalty was plenty impactful for Chase Elliott as well. A strong finish in Stage 1 and Stage 2 would help Elliott cut into the 17-point gap much more easily than the 39-point gulf he had previously faced.

7. Aric Almirola (Previously: 7)

Points below cutline: -35
Previous points below: -57
Note: No change here. Almirola must win Sunday to advance.

8. Clint Bowyer (Previously: 8)

Points below cutline: -51
Previous points below: -73
Note: No change here. Bowyer must win Sunday to advance.

Posted on November 7, 2018November 7, 2018 by Sponsored Content

NASCAR fans at Texas Motor Speedway got their own laps in Sunday morning before the AAA Texas 500 with the NASCAR Fitness Challenge Fan Lap Powered by Lilly Diabetes.

With Roush Fenway driver Ryan Reed and “Glass Case of Emotion” podcast co-host Kim Coon joining fans pre-race under a bright blue Texas sky, fans took a pledge to better manage their health then took a walk on the fastest 1.5-mile track in NASCAR.

“Something as simple as a walk can make all the difference for my health and my diabetes management, so it’s really cool for Lilly Diabetes and NASCAR to encourage fans in a fun way to get some good exercise,” said Reed, driver of the DriveDownA1C Ford, at the fan walk earlier at Texas Motor Speedway.

Visit DriveDownA1C.com for more information and join the conversation with the hashtag #DriveDownA1C on Twitter.

Posted on November 7, 2018November 7, 2018 by Staff Report

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion Martin Truex Jr. will drive for Joe Gibbs Racing in 2019, giving the longtime team owner a powerful four-car operation with multiple Monster Energy Series champions.

Truex is leaving Furniture Row Racing after five seasons with the Denver, Colorado-based No. 78 organization. He’ll replace Daniel Suarez on the No. 19 team, bringing crew chief Cole Pearn along with him. Furniture Row announced in August it would shutter its operations at the end of the season, paving the way for Truex Jr. to become a marquee free agent.

“Anytime you have an opportunity to bring two people of this caliber into your organization, it’s certainly an exciting time,” said Joe Gibbs, owner of Joe Gibbs Racing, in a team release. “They obviously have developed a chemistry that has led to tremendous success, including a championship. We’ve gotten to know them well over the past few years through the alliance and having been part of the Toyota family. They both make us stronger as an organization.”

JGR indicated that sponsorship plans for next season were still in progress and would be announced at a later date.

Truex, 38, has four wins and four Busch Pole Awards this year for Furniture Row, which operates in partnership with JGR. His performance has placed him among the championship contenders heading into the Round of 8 finale this weekend at ISM Raceway in Phoenix.

Truex will be Kyle Busch’s teammate in 2019, giving JGR a powerful 1-2 punch with two of the most recent Monster Energy Series champions. Erik Jones and Denny Hamlin complete the four-driver roster at JGR.

All but two of Truex’s 19 Monster Energy Series wins have come with Furniture Row and team owner Barney Visser. The Furniture Row Racing owner issued a statement appreciative of Truex and Pearn’s efforts.

“I want to personally thank Martin and Cole for their contributions in making Furniture Row Racing a championship-caliber team,” Visser said. “There’s no doubt in my mind that they will continue to be a winning driver/crew chief combination with Joe Gibbs Racing. They are outstanding representatives for NASCAR and I am proud to have been associated with them. But before Martin and Cole depart for a new endeavor we still have two races remaining, and hopefully we will be celebrating another championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway.”

Pearn has been with Truex for all 17 of his Furniture Row victories, and the driver-crew chief pairing will remain intact next season.

“Obviously to be able to make this transition and still be able to work alongside Cole is something that was very important to me,” Truex said in a release provided by the team. “There is also a real comfort level working with the JGR team and I wanted to stay in the Toyota family. We still have big goals for the remainder of this season, but it’s nice to know what we will be doing in 2019.”

Truex marched to his first title in NASCAR’s top division in 2017 by winning eight races, including the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He is also a two-time champion in what is now called the Xfinity Series, going back-to-back in 2004-05.

Suarez’s tenure with Joe Gibbs Racing will end after two seasons in NASCAR’s top division. The Mexican-born driver made the transition to the Monster Energy Series after Carl Edwards’ departure in January 2017, moving up after claiming the Xfinity Series championship for JGR the previous season.

Suarez climbed the NASCAR ladder through the Toyota Racing system and is now one of the sport’s top free agents for 2019. Gibbs, who oversaw much of his stock-car racing development, wished him well in a statement from the team.

“We really appreciate everything Daniel has done for Joe Gibbs Racing over these past several years,” Gibbs said. “He has made the most of every opportunity from winning the championship in the Xfinity Series to making the jump into the Cup Series for us. We look forward to hearing about his plans going forward and know he continues to have a bright future in our sport.”

Posted on November 7, 2018November 7, 2018 by Zack Albert

Stewart-Haas Racing announced Wednesday that production manager Tony Gibson will serve as interim crew chief for the No. 4 Ford and driver Kevin Harvick for the rest of the season.

SHR made the announcement in conjunction with its decision not to appeal the L1-level penalties issued to the No. 4 team after its win Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway. Those penalties included a two-race suspension for crew chief Rodney Childers.

Gibson, who turned 54 on Saturday, will return to the top of the pit box for this weekend’s events at ISM Raceway in Phoenix and the Nov. 18 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The longtime crew chief moved to the role of production manager before the 2018 season, taking control of vehicle fabrication for SHR’s four-car fleet and reducing his travel duties.

Gibson’s task will be to help guide Harvick through the final stages of his bid for a second Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship. Wednesday’s penalty for an unapproved spoiler carried a 40-point deduction that leaves Harvick just three points above the elimination line entering Sunday’s Can Am 500 (2:30 p.m. ET, NBC/NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), the final event in the postseason’s Round of 8.

MORE: Updated playoff standings | All-time winners at Phoenix

Harvick has nine career victories at the 1-mile Phoenix track, including the series’ most recent race there in March. Gibson scored his first premier-series win as a crew chief at Phoenix, converting a gutsy two-tire pit-stop call into a victory for Ryan Newman in April 2010.

Gibson revealed in August that he had suffered a stroke on July 6. He indicated that the illness affected his vestibular system, which relates to the balance and orientation functions through the eyes and ears. He returned to work after a six-week recovery period.

Gibson has been a less frequent visitor to the track in his current role, which is based in SHR’s Kannapolis, North Carolina, shop. Gibson served as a substitute crew chief for Stewart-Haas Racing’s No. 10 team and driver Aric Almirola at Bristol Motor Speedway in April, filling in for Friday practice and qualifying while primary crew chief Johnny Klausmeier stayed home with family after the birth of his second child.