Posted on by @KESELOWSKI

FORT WORTH, Texas — The NASCAR Playoffs format places an emphasis on winning — even more so than the regular season.

Joey Logano knew that when he chose to bump Martin Truex Jr. for the win last Sunday at Martinsville Speedway. As he said when he emerged from his No. 22 Ford on the start-finish line, it was all about advancing to the title race at Miami.

Gone are the days when drivers will cruise in 25th to clinch the championship — or sealing the title with 2 races left in the season. Every champion since the playoff format was enacted in 2014 has won the title by winning at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

“… You are in the playoffs and have an opportunity to lock yourself into the Championship 4. You don’t know what is going to happen the next two races,” Logano said Friday at Texas Motor Speedway.

“Some fans love it and some don’t. Either way you are going to have plenty of questions afterward. If you don’t do it, they want to know why you didn’t do it. If you do it, half are happy and half aren’t. I am not here to make everyone happy. I am here to do my job for my race team…”

MORE: Truex, Logano on Martinsville finish

Several drivers were critical of Logano’s move, but many understood his thought process; he didn’t have the speed of Martin Truex Jr. and thought Martinsville was his best bet to advance to the Championship 4. It’s the nature of the playoffs; No. 18 crew chief Adam Stevens told NASCAR.com that “You’re going to see desperation rear its ugly head on occasion” in these types of situations with so much on the line.

It begs the question, does the NASCAR Playoffs format make full-contact moments the “new norm” by compelling drivers – especially those who haven’t been as dominant – to go for the win, no matter what it takes?

“I certainly feel for Martin, but I can understand Joey’s standpoint,” former playoff driver Erik Jones told NASCAR.com Friday. “If I’m Martin, I’m mad; but if I’m Joey, it’s your ticket to Homestead. And I think Joey looked at it as if he didn’t win that race, he was going to have a tough time to make it to the final four. They haven’t had enough speed probably to win the next two races or even pointing their way in was going to be challenging.

“So, he saw his window and had to do what he felt like he had to do. I think most drivers would have made a similar move and I think Martin at times would have made that move in certain situations.

“It’s a tough spot, but it’s racing and Martinsville and this format is going to make you make those kind of moves to get to Homestead.”

Based on the NASCAR community’s reaction to Logano’s maneuver, the debate of “to bump or not to bump” is usually more gray than black-and-white. Sometimes it just depends on who the other competitor is.

But even that is complicated.

“There (are) certain guys and individuals that you can race that wouldn’t do those sorts of things,” Kyle Busch said. “Names that come to mind would be Jimmie Johnson, Martin Truex Jr. that you can race with and battle with and do it cleanly and there’s guys that you have names that you know are going to just flat out run into you on Lap 128 when they get to your rear bumper and move you out of the way in a 500-lap race. OK, whatever dude.

“It’s all about who it is. It’s their norm and if it’s their norm then you have to treat them back because it’s their norm, but when you do it back because you’re doing it to somebody that you know will do it then you’re now associated as being that kind of guy. How do you balance that? I don’t know. For instance, if it was me and Joey (Logano) and Joey flat out ran over me when he got to me at Martinsville then when I go back on him the next time, am I just doing it because it’s Joey or am I doing it because it’s me.

“I would say I’m doing it because of who it is not that’s the way I want to do it.”

Truex Jr. solidified Busch’s theory and reinforced his initial post-Martinsville reaction minutes later during his own media availability, saying “if you get in a certain situation where it would be wise to remember what happened, that’s there.”

“I try to do things the right way. I try to race the way I want to be raced. Sometimes I get taken advantage of because of that. At the end of the day, I know when I beat a guy, it’s because I outdrove him and didn’t run into him. That’s my way of thinking and some people disagree with it. Some people think it’s perfectly fine to knock a guy out of the way to get a win. My opinion, it’s not. We all think differently. It’s the not the way I have ever done it. Whether it’s Go-Karts or Modified cars. No matter what it was, that’s the way I was taught to race.

“You race fair. You race clean and you race as hard as you can straight up. I can say that every single win I have had, I earned it. That’s just the way it is.”

WATCH: Truex gets candid on Martinsville finish

To Truex’s point, everyone’s different. And at the end of the day, it’s the NASCAR Playoffs. It’s intense, promotes aggression and it all boils down to winning. Some drivers take liberties with that and some remain true to their own moral code. Some fans and drivers condemned Logano’s move and some applauded it.

But no one can deny the format makes these last few races way more exciting to watch.

Posted on by H.A. Branham

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – “Over The Edge at ONE DAYTONA” got a little edgier than planned on Friday, only adding to the adventure for that ol’ thrill seeker Rusty Wallace. Winds in the 20-mph range made rappelling down the side of the eight-story, 102-foot International Motorsports Center a bit more interesting.

Wallace wasn’t fazed, which should surprise no one. His inherent nerve notwithstanding, the former Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion was participating in his third “OTE” to raise money for charity. He rappelled last year here, then provided an encore at a recent OTE event in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Guess you could say he’s leading the points.

RELATED: Photos from Charlotte event

Wallace was the big name in town for a big day, the second annual Over the Edge at ONE DAYTONA that benefited The NASCAR Foundation and Easterseals Northeast Central Florida, toward providing health care services in the Daytona Beach area for children in need. Funds are raised by rappellers (approximately $125,000 this week), who find sponsors to support their bravery. Wallace, a longtime foundation board member, was in his element.

“When Betty Jane France (the late founder of The NASCAR Foundation) invited me to be on the Foundation’s board back in 2006, I jumped on it,” Wallace said. “I’ve just had a great time with the foundation. We’ve raised a lot of money for kids. We’ve raised more than $500,000 thus far rappelling. The Foundation has always been something that’s close to my heart. I think we’re doing a lot of great things for children.

“And I hope we keep doing Over the Edge. This is one of the coolest fundraisers we’ve done. We do a lot of great fundraisers for The NASCAR Foundation but this is one of them that’s at the top of the heap.”

Rusty Wallace goes Over the Edge at Daytona

Wallace, a NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee who also was named one of NASCAR 50 Greatest Drivers in 1998, was joined by fellow high-profile rappellers like Bev Johnson, president and CEO of Easterseals Northeast Central Florida; Sheryl Cook of Ormond Beach, who led all fundraising at last year’s Over the Edge at ONE DAYTONA, with $12,000 in donations; Daytona Beach Police Chief Craig Capri and Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood; and 14-year-old Daniel Dye of Deland, an aspiring race car driver who recently got his first victory in a full-size stock car at New Smyrna Speedway.

“We get such great support from the community which has really embraced The NASCAR Foundation and Easterseals of Northeast Central Florida,” said The NASCAR Foundation Executive Director Nichole Krieger.

“We have community leaders here, we have sponsors, we have fans … and we have what you can call ‘everyday heroes’ who are going over the edge to support kids. And we are so lucky to have Rusty Wallace on our board. He is a real champion of children, always ready to help us out. So when we call him and ask him if he’ll go off the top of a tall building, he just says, ‘Sure, why not? It’s for the kids. I’m happy to help.’ ”

While Friday spotlighted recognizable rappellers like Wallace and various community leaders, Over the Edge at ONE DAYTONA continues on Saturday, with the general public invited to participate. Registered participants must raise a minimum of $1,000 in donations to earn a spot in the rappelling lineup.

Posted on by Staff Report

Ryan Blaney led a plethora of Fords atop the leaderboard at Texas Motor Speedway on Friday when he was fastest in the weekend’s first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series after logging a lap at 198.976 mph in his No. 12 Team Penske Ford.

Five more Fords — all driven by NASCAR Playoff drivers preparing for the second race of the Round of 8 — filled out six of the top seven spots. The practice was the first for Sunday’s AAA Texas 500 (3 p.m. ET, NBCSN, NBC Sports App, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

RELATED: Full practice results

Playoff drivers and Stewart-Haas Racing teammates Kevin Harvick (198.456 mph) and Kurt Busch (198.136 mph) were second and third on the leaderboard, respectively. Non-playoff driver Denny Hamlin drove his No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota fourth-fastest at 198.136 mph. SHR’s Aric Almirola rounded out the top five in the No. 10 Ford at 197.904 mph.

Other playoff drivers and their finishes included: Joey Logano, sixth; Clint Bowyer, seventh; Kyle Busch, 11th; Martin Truex Jr., 17th; and Chase Elliott, 18th.

No. 99 Kyle Weatherman served a practice hold at the conclusion of practice for being late to post-qualifying/pre-race inspection in Martinsville.

The Monster Energy Series returns to the track at 7 p.m. ET for Busch Pole Qualifying (NBCSN/NBC Sports App).

Posted on by Staff Report

Editor’s note: The renderings in this article are preliminary in nature.

Chevrolet announced Friday at Texas Motor Speedway that it will have an updated Camaro SS Coupe in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2019, and a new Silverado in the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series.

It will be the third time the Camaro SS has been updated since its competition debut in 2013, and the first time since 2014 the Silverado has been redesigned for the Truck Series.

This year also marked the first of Chevrolet running the Camaro in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.

“We always want to align our racing vehicles with what is available in the showroom,” Chevrolet Vice President of Performance Vehicles and Motorsports Jim Campbell said in a press release. “The Camaro SS was updated for the 2019 model year, and Silverado RST is all new. We can’t wait to see the Camaro SS and the Silverado RST on the track next February at Daytona.”

2019 xfinity camaro renderingThe most notable changes to both the Xfinity Series 2019 Chevrolet Camaro SS and Gander Outdoors Series Chevrolet Silverado are the upper front fascia, fenders, hood and tail regions, which reflect the look of the all-new production models.

Camaro SS, which made its on-track debut with a win at Daytona International Speedway in February 2013, has visited Victory Lane 67 times, ranking it third among Chevy nameplates that have competed in the Xfinity Series.

Additionally, Camaro SS has earned three Bill France Performance Cup manufacturer championships and three drivers’ championships (Austin Dillon, Chase Elliott and William Byron). With three races remaining in the 2019 season, Chevrolet leads the manufacturer points and has the top three drivers in the standings.

2019 gander outdoor silverado renderingSilverado is the only nameplate Chevrolet has campaigned in the Truck series since the inaugural race 23 years ago. Since then, Silverado has delivered 231 race wins, eight Manufacturers’ Championships and 12 Drivers’ Championships, making it the most successful truck to compete in the series.

With three races remaining in the 2018 season, Silverado drivers have collected 10 wins and Chevrolet leads both the Manufacturer Standings and Johnny Sauter leads the Driver Standings.

Posted on by Staff Report

Following an exchange of text messages after their run-in at Martinsville Speedway, Team Penske driver Joey Logano said Friday at Texas Motor Speedway that he and Martin Truex Jr. “know where we stand.”

The Furniture Row Racing driver appears to agree.

It was Logano who put the bumper to Truex Jr.’s No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Toyota last week, moving Truex Jr. out of the way on the final lap and powering his way to the start/finish line to win the Round of 8 opener.

The move set off a week-long debate about short-track etiquette, how one driver races another and how a driver who feels he has been wronged should react — both on the track and off. The lasting implications are evident: Joey Logano is in the Championship 4 in Miami, and Martin Truex Jr. is peeved — and not.

RELATED: Will MTJ retaliate? | Full Texas schedule

“I can’t say I was surprised that he texted,” Logano said. “I was kind of glad he did. I was planning on waiting a couple days to let things settle. We both know where we stand. We know where it’s at. It is what it is, and we move on.”

The reason for the outreach was simple.

“I didn’t expect to hear from him, so I wanted to tell him how I felt,” Truex Jr. said hours after Logano’s initial interview at Texas.

Logano, who qualified for his third career Championship 4 appearance by virtue of the win, harkened back to a previous era when pressed about the move, referencing perhaps the best-ever to put the bumper to somebody: Dale Earnhardt.

“I know it is something that I’ve seen plenty of times by a lot of greats in our sport,” Logano said of the last-lap contact. “I’m not trying to compare myself to Dale Earnhardt. I’ll never be Dale Earnhardt. I want to be the best Joey Logano I can be, not the best Earnhardt or the best Gordon. I’m trying to be the best of myself.

“Does it solidify the move any? I don’t know, maybe. But it is something I grew up watching, plenty, on TV as a kid.”

Truex Jr. gave a fiery post-race interview Sunday in which he said Logano “ain’t winning the damn war.”

The reigning 2017 series champion emphasized his comments on Thursday at a visit with Toyota employees, saying, “it’s time to stop getting run into and start running into.”

Going forward, Truex added that he’d stay true to his sportsmanlike driving style, even with a chance at a second Monster Energy Series crown on the line. But he also said his gauge for how aggressive to be would depend on the situation and his competition at that moment.

DEBATE: No more Mr. Nice Guy?

“I wouldn’t just wreck somebody to win a championship, just like I wouldn’t wreck somebody to win a race,” Truex told ESPN.com. “It might be cool for a couple of hours. In 20 years, you are going to look back and say, ‘Did I really win that race or was that cheap?’ Some people might be OK with that.”

Truex Jr. re-emphasized that stance on Friday.

“At the end of the day, when I beat a guy, I know it’s because I outdrove him,” he said. “Not because I took a cheap shot. That’s just the way I was taught to race. I can say that every single win I’ve ever had, I earned it.”

Posted on by Staff Report

NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson and Formula 1 champion Fernando Alonso have teased a joint announcement for weeks on social media, using a deft touch of humor in their messages to each other.

The payoff took an additional step forward Friday in hilarious fashion with Johnson and Alonso talking on the phone in a message the seven-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion posted on Twitter. The clip ends with each driver asking the other at the same time: “Will you let me drive your car?”

RELATED: New sponsor for Johnson in 2019-20 | All of his wins | Top career moments

The end screen had the pertinent details of the apparent ride swap: Nov. 26, 2018 at Bahrain International Circuit. That 3.363-mile circuit is home to the F1 season finale Nov. 25.

Two champions. Two cars. One track.

We can’t wait.

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Posted on by Jordan Bianchi

Ahead of Sunday’s AAA Texas 500 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoff race at Texas Motor Speedway, the second race in the Round of 8, we’ll analyze the four drivers who find themselves below the cutline. Next up is Kurt Busch, who sits fifth in the standings.

BELOW THE BUBBLE: Chase Elliott | Clint Bowyer | Aric Almirola

Points below cutoff: 25

Reason for optimism at Texas: From the first time he turned a lap at Texas, Kurt Busch quickly acclimated recording seven top-10 finishes in his first 10 starts. More recently in April, he had one of the better cars during the spring race as he started on the pole, led 40 laps, placed third and second in the first two stages and finished seventh overall.

Reason for pessimism at Texas: Although he’s turned in several strong runs as of late at Texas, Busch has still not finished in the top five since a fourth in the 2010 spring event, a 16-race span. And his lone win here occurred nine years ago.

RELATED: Full schedule for Texas | Updated playoff standings

Reason for optimism at Phoenix: He led 219 of 312 possible laps during the 2005 spring race en route to his lone win at the desert track. And he recently had a five-race stretch (fall 2014 to fall 2016) where he finished no worse than seventh.

Reason for pessimism at Phoenix: If Busch needs a win to advance can he handle the pressure and avoid the kind of mistake that led to his Playoff ouster in 2015? That year he came into Phoenix needing a win and got his weekend started right by qualifying second, only to be penalized for jumping the start of the race. He never fully regained the lost track position and finished seventh.

Outlook: The Round of 8 is a favorable bracket for Busch, who’s previously won at Texas and Phoenix. This past success combined with being one of the most consistent drivers this season — he has the fourth-most top 10 finishes — presents him a prime opportunity to close the points gap and, if all goes right, maybe even claim a win. But he and the No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing team must find that last little bit of speed if they are to beat the teams above in the standings and earn a berth in the Championship 4.

Posted on by Staff Report

It’s official. John Gianninoto, fueler for the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports team of Chase Elliott, is now the fastest fueler in the world.

With help from Sunoco, the official fuel of NASCAR, Gianninoto set a new Guinness World Record for the most cars fueled in an hour by a single person. A Guinness World Record official was on-hand to witness Gianninoto fuel 148 cars to set the new record in Queens, New York prior to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race weekend at Martinsville Speedway.

Gianninoto has fueled three trips to Victory Lane for Elliott and the No. 9 team this season, including Elliott’s first career triumph at Watkins Glen and a pair of victories in the NASCAR Playoffs Round of 12 at Dover and Kansas.

Watch Gianninoto become the world’s fastest fueler below.

Posted on by Zack Albert

The thought that the three Monster Energy Series drivers who won 17 of 26 regular-season races would drift easily into the Championship 4 field was a sensible conclusion before the NASCAR Playoffs began. With three of four berths seemingly predestined, the remaining contenders would battle among themselves for the fourth slot.

Sunday’s finish at Martinsville Speedway snapped that fourth opening right up, with Joey Logano pouncing in the Round of 8 opener and clinching his place in the Homestead-Miami finale Nov. 18. That leaves three spots remaining, with Kevin Harvick (seven wins this season), Kyle Busch (seven wins) and Martin Truex Jr. (four wins) hoping to fill them with a victory or on the basis of points.

RELATED: Full schedule for Texas

That quest continues with a snugger margin of error this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway, site of Sunday’s AAA Texas 500 (3 p.m. ET, NBCSN/NBC Sports App, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). A win by either Busch, Harvick or Truex would allow the ballyhooed “Big 3” to hold serve in the postseason, but a Victory Lane visit from another playoff contender below the cutline would upset that order.

Kurt Busch, Chase Elliott, Clint Bowyer and Aric Almirola are the remaining postseason hopefuls aiming to spoil that season-long trifecta. A win by any of those four at Texas would eliminate one of the Big 3 from the Homestead title picture.

MORE: Playoff standings

A positive note for the top-ranked trio: Busch, Truex and Harvick rank 1-3-4 among postseason competitors in career driver ratings for Texas Motor Speedway; Elliott ranks second but has just five starts at the track. Busch has won there three times since 2013. Truex had strung together six straight top-10 finishes before crashing out in the spring. Harvick has a streak of eight consecutive top 10s with six top-five finishes in that stretch at the Fort Worth venue, including a triumph in this race last season.

“I think next week is our best bet as we go into the next two races I look at Texas as our best race track,” Harvick said post-Martinsville. “We ran really well there in the spring and won the race there last year and our mile-and-a-half stuff has been really good.”

This particular intermediate-sized track has developed character and a new look in recent years. Sunday’s 334-lap event will be the fourth Monster Energy Series race contested on the Texas track’s fresh pavement and reconfigured Turns 1 and 2. Track officials reduced the banking from 24 to 20 degrees in that section, while widening the racing surface from 60 to 80 feet.

In hopes of artificially aging the asphalt, track officials have been dragging tires for two weeks to apply rubber and Goodyear Racing is bringing a tire designed to promote wear. While some of the ‘new’ about the Texas layout may have worn off, it’s expected to produce a unique test for the playoff field.

RELATED: Goodyear brings new tire combo to Texas

“The race track since the repave is not so much fun but it is a challenge,” Bowyer says. “Within those challenges you have to be open-minded and excited about that challenge and ready to attack it. You definitely have to attack it. It is a track that the grip level is through the roof until it’s not. It is very tricky to get ahold of.”