Posted on by Official NASCAR Release

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — NASCAR heads to the “Entertainment Capital of the World” to kick off the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs in grand fashion. Las Vegas will be the scene for an action-packed three days as NASCAR’s 16 best drivers and teams of 2018 begin their championship aspirations quest.

Kyle Busch does burnout on Vegas Strip
David Becker | Getty Images

To celebrate the start of the sport’s postseason and engage fans, the festivities center around three major events: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Media Day; NASCAR Burnout Blvd Fueled by Sunoco (formerly known as Victory Lap); and a two-day Playoffs Party at Fremont Street Experience culminating in a free concert by platinum-selling recording artist Cole Swindell on 3rd Street Stage. All the proceedings take place before the green flag drops at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday, Sept. 16, when it hosts its inaugural postseason race — the South Point 400 — and NASCAR’s playoff opener at 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT (NBCSN, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Race fans will have the unique opportunity to see their favorite cars up close, interact with the sport’s top drivers and take part in a variety of other activities that build momentum and enthusiasm for the historic race weekend. A brief overview of events is below, with more information available online by going to NASCAR.com/playoffs.

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Media Day

Playoffs media day will be held Thursday, Sept. 13 at the South Point Hotel, Casino and Spa, and will serve as the first event of the Playoffs celebration. For the first time, a portion of media day will be open to select fans.

NASCAR Burnout Blvd Fueled by Sunoco

Join all 16 of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs drivers on Thursday, Sept. 13, as they drive their race cars down the magnificent Las Vegas Strip. NASCAR Burnout Blvd Fueled by Sunoco driver introductions and pre-event pageantry will take place on Las Vegas Boulevard outside Miracle Mile Shops. The procession of race cars will then travel north to Spring Mountain Road where all 16 drivers will take their turn emulating the victory burnouts they hope to replicate during the Playoffs.

Fans are welcome to view the procession along Las Vegas Boulevard, including the pre-event festivities outside the Miracle Mile Shops and the burnout location at Spring Mountain, between Fashion Show and Wynn Las Vegas. NBCSN will have coverage of the event as part of a special two-hour playoff edition of NASCAR America, beginning at 5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT.

NASCAR Playoffs Party

Celebrate the eve of the Playoffs on Saturday, Sept. 15 with stars Ryan Blaney, Erik Jones and other NASCAR drivers and personalities at the inaugural Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Party with musical artist and Platinum-selling 10-time No. 1 rising superstar Cole Swindell. Free to all fans and held at the Fremont Street Experience, the event will feature conversations with drivers and NASCAR personalities. Sponsored by Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota, the Playoffs Party will culminate with a concert by Cole Swindell — the 2015 American Country Music New Artist of the Year award winner who will release his third album, All of It, on Aug. 17.

In addition to Saturday evening’s driver appearances and concert, fans can visit the Fremont Street Experience anytime on Friday and Saturday to enjoy NASCAR partner activations and see all 16 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs cars.

On-track activity kicks off on Thursday, Sept. 13 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway where NASCAR’s next generation of rising stars will be on display at The Dirt Track in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West’s much anticipated return to dirt — the Star Nursey 100. Before the race, Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series stars Kevin Harvick and Clint Bowyer will be the featured guests at an autograph session at the track.

The event weekend also features two other national series races, including the NASCAR Xfinity Series DC Solar 300 regular-season finale Sept. 15 and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series World of Westgate 200 Playoffs race Sept. 14.

Posted on by Team Release

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. – Hunt Brothers Pizza, the nation’s largest brand of made-to-order pizza in the convenience store industry, will honor the 20th anniversary of Kevin Harvick’s 1998 NASCAR Winston West Series championship during the Sport Clips Haircuts VFW 200 NASCAR Xfinity Series race Sept. 1 at Darlington Raceway during the Official Throwback Weekend of NASCAR.  

The livery of Harvick’s No. 98 Hunt Brothers Pizza Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBeste is inspired by the No. 75 Spears Manufacturing machine Harvick drove to his first NASCAR championship in the 1998 Winston West Series, which is now known as the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West.

RELATED: Darlington throwback schemes for 2018

“We have enjoyed partnering with Kevin Harvick for 8 years so we thought this was a great way to honor a significant milestone in his racing career,” said Scott Hunt, Chief Executive Officer of Hunt Brothers Pizza. “Kevin’s 1998 NASCAR West Series Championship was a turning point in his career and we are thrilled to be able to honor it in the Xfinity Series race at Darlington.”

Harvick’s championship came in his only full season driving the No. 75 Spears Manufacturing car for Spears Motorsports team owners Wayne and Connie Spears. He scored five wins, five poles and 11 top-five and 12 top-10 finishes while leading a total of 574 laps in 14 starts. His five wins came at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Altamont (Calif.) Motorsports Park, Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, Pike’s Peak International Raceway in Fountain, Colorado and Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway.

Harvick, the 2014 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion, credits his 1998 West Series title with generating the kind of exposure needed to make the leap to a full-time drive in NASCAR’s national touring series the following year.

“The 1998 season was quite a year for me,” Harvick said. “I went to work for Wayne and Connie Spears to basically be a mechanic for about $24,000 a year. I just wanted the opportunity to race something. We had gotten to the point where my family couldn’t really afford to keep going racing cars and doing all the things that we were doing. It turned out well for me and we won the West Series championship that year. It was one of the most fun times I’ve ever had racing in my career and I can’t thank Hunt Brothers Pizza enough for allowing me to drive that scheme at Darlington.”

A staunch supporter of grassroots racing, Harvick has returned to the West Series ranks in each of the last two seasons. The Bakersfield, California, native scored a win in his only NASCAR K&N West Series start in 2017 at Sonoma in June driving the No. 4 Ford for Jefferson-Pitts Racing. Harvick started sixth and led 23 laps before finishing .530 of a second ahead of teammate Will Rogers. Harvick came back to Bakersfield this past March to race at Kern Country Raceway, where he again wheeled the No. 4 Ford for Jefferson-Pitts Racing. He started first and led 132 laps of the 175-lap contest before finishing fourth.

The Sport Clips Haircuts VFW 200 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Darlington will mark the fifth and final appearance for Harvick in the No. 98 Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBeste in 2018.

Posted on by Brad Norman

RICHMOND, VA. — It all started with a hat.

In 1992, an 11-year-old boy met Joe Gibbs, who had just started a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series team, and got his autograph on a Washington Redskins’ Super Bowl XXVI hat.

MORE: Behind-the-scenes: Hamlin at Redskins’ camp

That same young man confidently made a bold prediction that day: He told Gibbs he wanted to race for him.

Fast forward to 2018, that 11-year-old fan is now a 31-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series winner for Joe Gibbs Racing — and his name is Denny Hamlin.

A 12-year-old Denny Hamlin meets with Joe Gibbs in 1992
Photo credit: Joe Gibbs Racing

“He (Gibbs) was there with Dale Jarrett for an autograph session,” Hamlin reminisced on his first interaction with the team owner. “At that time, I was pretty deep into go-karts. I was racing on a national level, and he was my favorite football coach. He was here locally in Virginia, and I felt the need to say ‘Hey! I would love to drive for you someday.’ Crazy about 10-12 years later, it all worked out.”

A photo of the pair from the meet-and-greet 26 years ago still sits on Gibbs’ desk at the racing shop. Hamlin proudly wearing the maroon-and-gold-striped hat that was his prized possession with a giant smile standing next to a childhood hero.

But Hamlin’s slight pre-teen rebellion led to an unfortunate hat accident.

“My parents told me not to take it to school and I did anyway,” he explained. “I wore it on the school bus because I wanted to show it off and of course, it flies right out the window. That hat was never to be gotten again.”

“Joe knows I lost the hat. He is well aware. It’s cool I go into his office, any time you get one of those sit-down meetings with Joe, it’s right there on his desk the picture of me and him…”

Super Bowl Hat
Allie Davison | NASCAR Digital Media

However, in a twist of fate, during a visit to Redskins’ preseason camp, quarterback Alex Smith had a special delivery for the No. 11 driver (with the help from his sponsor FedEx): The same vintage Super Bowl hat … that was never to be gotten again.

Twenty six years is a long time, and Gibbs is one of the most recognizable and famous Washington Redskins members around so the ‘Coach’ doesn’t quite remember meeting that eager young boy who wanted an autograph like so many do, but when he sits at his desk surrounded by memorabilia — he sees that photo from so long ago. And it means something.

“The fact that we have that picture is awesome,” Gibbs shared. “It does bring back memories.”

Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs
Photo credit: Joe Gibbs Racing

There’s a reason why Hamlin is under the Joe Gibbs Racing roof, and it’s not just because he’s talented behind the wheel. His allegiance to the three-time Super Bowl winning coach’s team might have given him a leg up on the competition.

“It’s one of the thrills of your life getting to pull for your team,” Gibbs said. “And he was right there growing up where everything was going on with the Redskins. … If you’re not a Redskins fan I’m probably not going to hire ya.”

Hamlin signed on with JGR full-time beginning with the 2006 season and has since gone to compete in 457 premier series races for his favorite football coach, racking up 138 top-fives and 28 pole awards alongside his 31 victories.

And to think … it all started with a hat.

Posted on by Holly Cain

At this point, Happy must be Ecstatic.

Kevin Harvick, nicknamed “Happy Harvick” years ago collected his series-leading seventh win of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup season at Michigan International Speedway Sunday afternoon – leading a dominant 108 of the 200 laps – feeling so good he escorted his six-year old son Keelan out to the front-stretch to pick up the checkered flag and wave to the enthusiastic crowd.

RELATED: Harvick wins at Michigan | Keelan enjoys victory celebration with dad

Then together, father and son rode to Victory Lane in Harvick’s winning No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford Fusion, Keelan holding the flag out the passenger side door en route. After deciding to wait inside his dad’s car during the Victory Lane champagne spray bath, he ultimately climbed out and playfully splashed a water bottle on Harvick’s business manager standing nearby.

Good fun. Great day. 

And if it sounds a little like a Disney fairytale, there are some that would argue that’s exactly how Harvick’s 2018 season has gone. But the success is truly a result of the hard work from the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford team – work that is propelling the 42-year old Californian toward a historic championship run.

A win or two early in the season would have secured Harvick’s place in the Playoffs and his team could have simply shifted its efforts to preparing for the season-ending championship run. But instead of coasting, this group has been in high-gear, super-focused and the mindset and hard work has produced an epic year.

Harvick has only finished outside of the top-10 four times all year and three of those were DNFs after being collected in a incident. The other non-top-10 one was a 35th-place finish at Auto Club Speedway in California – a long day nursing an “off” car to the checkered flag.

RELATED: See all of Harvick’s victories | Recap every 2018 race winner

His season win total (seven) is already a single season career high – with 13 races still remaining on the calendar. He and a fellow member of the season’s “Big 3” championship contenders Kyle Busch have earned 21 victories each in the past five years – most among their competitors.

Seven-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson – who is still looking for his first win of the 2018 season – has 17 wins in that time frame as does reigning Cup champ Martin Truex Jr. Those four drivers (Harvick, 2014, Busch, 2015, Johnson, 2016, Truex 2017) are the last four series champions.

“The confidence is high, and right now you just don’t want to screw it up,” Harvick allowed Sunday afternoon. “I think the biggest thing that it does is it actually makes you work harder because of the fact that you want to cover all the details because you’re fairly certain that when the car rolls out of the hauler that it’s going to be fast, and if it’s not, you have the tools and the people to be able to figure it out and fix it.”

Yet even with the statistics and the performance Harvick must both figuratively and literally spend time looking in his rearview mirror. He’s having a career year and yet Busch is still on his heels and at his bumper every step of the way creating – a thrilling championship race for fans and keeping the SHR team honest and motivated.

RELATED: How the playoff picture is shaping up post-Michigan

Busch has six wins and 19 top-10 finishes in 23 races. And … he was third behind Harvick on Sunday. He is the defending race winner at this week’s stop at Bristol Motor Speedway and he won the spring race at the track earlier this season. Plus, his seven career wins there is best among active drivers.

Both Harvick and Busch are on pace to join a modern history elite club. The last time a driver scored double digit wins was 2007 when Johnson had 10 wins and won the championship. Prior to that, Jeff Gordon turned in an incredible streak of three consecutive seasons with the mark – 1996 (10 wins), 1997 (10 wins) and 1998 (13 wins) with championships in ’97 and ’98.

“Any win in this division of racing is hard to come by, and like I say, I’ve been on both sides of that,” Harvick reiterated.

“I think right now, we’re just enjoying it and the guys on the team understand because they’ve been on both sides of that fence, as well, with the struggles and things that don’t always go your way. We’re going to enjoy it. We’re going to enjoy each other, and we’ve eliminated a lot of extracurricular things to make sure that all we focus on is this race team. Don’t care about anything else. 

“Right now it’s all about winning races and making sure that myself and [crew chief] Rodney [Childers] and everybody is covering the details and being in the right state of mind as we go into Vegas [Playoff opener].”

It all makes for compelling, must-see TV and as much as Harvick, Busch and Truex Jr., a four-time winner and also member of The Big 3 – may celebrate, the fans and the series are winning too. This is a season for the ages – a legitimately epic battle for trophies creating a dramatic Playoff scenario and re-writing modern history.

“You never know what’s going to happen, and we go in one week at a time trying to focus on the things we need to focus on, and right now we’re going to enjoy this one and drink some cold Busch beer once we get home or I am,” Harvick said smiling.

Posted on by Staff Report

Kevin Harvick celebrated Sunday’s victory at Michigan International Speedway sans-burnout after crew chief Rodney Childers told him not to burn it down as the No. 4 Ford was going to the wind tunnel.

Harvick’s winning vehicle is one of six cars NASCAR is taking to the wind tunnel this week for engine audits and to study data, data it will provide to all three manufacturers.

The sanctioning body selected two cars from each manufacturer; Harvick’s No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford and the No. 2 Team Penske Ford of Brad Keselowski (second place); the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet of Austin Dillon (fourth place) and No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet of Chase Elliott (ninth place); and the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota of Kyle Busch (third place) and No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota of Denny Hamlin (eighth place).

“We try to find a track obviously where aero’s going to play a bigger role, so we took six cars – two from each OEM – and they’ll be in the wind tunnel,” NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O’Donnell said on SiriusXM Monday morning. “And our process is to share (data) that with the OEMs and the race teams. It’s a good barometer for us for two things — to make sure we’re still in that box set for the current year and probably most importantly, we look to lock in 2019, that the baseline that we’re using matches up with all the data that we have in the system.

“So, it’s a good check on both for not only ’18, but future race packages as well.”

MORE: Full race results from Michigan | Updated standings

NASCAR also took six cars into the wind tunnel after the race at Texas Motor Speedway in April. Elliott, Harvick and Busch were also included in that selection, along with Jamie McMurray, Joey Logano and Erik Jones.

Posted on by Staff Report

Kevin Harvick’s victory at Michigan International Speedway was the 44th of his career in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, tying him with NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott for 17th place all time.

Harvick provides an interesting stats comparison with “Awesome Bill from Dawsonville,” who watched Kyle Busch scoot past him on the all-time wins list earlier this season.

PHOTOS: Bill Elliott’s career

Elliott’s 44th win came in the penultimate race of the 2003 season at Rockingham. Elliott, then 48 years old, led 140 laps in a Ray Evernham Dodge to cap his career, although he’d go on to race 98 more times in NASCAR’s top series over the next nine years — and will return to the NASCAR Xfinity Series later this month at Road America.

Let’s take a look at how Harvick’s career stats match up to Elliott’s at the time of both drivers’ 44th win.

Key Stats Bill Elliott Kevin Harvick
Starts 730 633
Wins 44 44
Top fives 175 185
Top 10s 318 326
Laps led 11,178 12,281
Laps completed 207,750 181,425
Busch Pole Awards 55 23
Age 48 42

Now, let’s take a closer look at Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch’s career stats, considering both drivers are in the midst of career years — Harvick has seven wins through 23 races this year, and Busch has six wins of his own — and reached the 44-win plateau earlier this season.

The below are both drivers’ stats at the time of their respective 44th win.

Key Stats Kevin Harvick
 Kyle Busch
Starts 633 469
Wins 44 44
Top fives 185 166
Top 10s 326 247
Laps led 12,281 14,730
Laps completed 181,425 131,011
Busch Pole Awards 23 28
Age 42 32

Harvick and “Rowdy” clearly are in good company here, and they have a few other NASCAR Hall of Famers in their sights.

Tied with Tony Stewart, Busch’s next Monster Energy Series win will make him just the 13th driver in NASCAR history to win 50 races at the sport’s top level. Harvick, meanwhile, is tracking down NASCAR Hall of Famer Buck Baker (46 wins) on the all-time list.

Here’s a look at the all-time top-20 winners in Monster Energy Series history, with an asterisk denoting an active driver.

Rank Driver Wins
1. Richard Petty 200
2. David Pearson 105
3. Jeff Gordon 93
t-4. Bobby Allison 84
t-4. Darrell Waltrip 84
t-6. Jimmie Johnson* 83
t-6. Cale Yarborough 83
8. Dale Earnhardt 76
9. Rusty Wallace 55
10. Lee Petty 54
t-11. Junior Johnson 50
t-11. Ned Jarrett 50
t-13. Tony Stewart 49
t-13. Kyle Busch* 49
15. Herb Thomas 48
16. Buck Baker 46
t-17. Bill Elliott 44
t-17. Kevin Harvick* 44
19. Mark Martin 40
20. Tim Flock 39

 

Posted on by Chase Wilhelm

BROOKLYN, Mich. — A brand-new car is just what Austin Dillon needed to turn around a trying season since his Daytona 500 win in February.

Dillon finished fourth in Sunday’s Consumers Energy 400 at Michigan International Speedway, piloting a freshly built No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet chassis for his second top-five finish of the year — and his first since winning in Daytona.

But it wasn’t smooth sailing for Dillon. Running second behind eventual race winner Kevin Harvick with two laps remaining, his car shot up the race track abruptly and Dillon lost two positions to Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch while he tried to regain control.

RELATED: Race results | Standings

Dillon quickly climbed out of the car after the race and checked the tires in an effort to diagnose the problem. He still wasn’t sure what caused the issue.

“The tire … with two laps to go, it was like the tire was unraveling or the lug nuts were loose,” Dillon said. “Just wanted to bring home a good finish. We really needed that.”

Team owner and Austin’s grandfather, Richard Childress, applauded Dillon for his quick thinking to avoid potential disaster.

“I wish he could have gotten that second that he was running,” Childress said. “All of a sudden he just shot up the race track and it started vibrating. He pulled over and let them go, which was the smart thing. Better to do that than hit the wall. But it felt good to see a Chevy run up there.”

Despite the strong finish, Dillon couldn’t help but think of what might have been without the vibration that he said came out of nowhere.

“Man, I wish I could have brought it home in second,” Dillon said. “Awesome racing with Harvick there at the end in our Camaro. Ah, man, it just feels great when we’ve been struggling all year long since Daytona.”

“To have a top-five run like that is huge,” he added. “If the 4 makes a mistake we’re there to capitalize. … He (Harvick) was the dominant car all day and I felt like we were the second-place car behind him.”

While recent finishes have been disappointing, Childress did offer an explanation for why the team hasn’t run up front much this season. With Dillon’s Daytona win already in hand early in the season, the No. 3 team has been focusing on the bigger playoff picture.

“That’s what we’re working on right now,” Childress said. “Everything we’re doing. We missed it a few times because of trying stuff for the playoffs. So, pretty good right now.”

After collecting six stage points in Stage 2 to bring his season total up to 18 bonus points for the playoffs, Dillon flexed his muscle by following right in the tire tracks of Harvick’s No. 4 Ford throughout much of the final stage at what he considers one of his best race tracks.

“I think it just all came together,” Dillon said. “This is a big place for everybody, especially all the manufacturers. To come out here and be the top-finishing Chevy that means a lot for RCR. We’ll keep working hard. This is a great showing leading into the playoffs.”

The finish is a huge boost of confidence for Dillon & Co. after they scored only three top-10 finishes since his Daytona triumph. Dillon is hoping the momentum carries him through the final three regular-season races.

“Top tens, consistency and the ability to win races is there,” Dillon said. “Anybody who runs in the top five on a given basis has the chance to win and we have to do that more often going into the playoffs.”

Dillon said that if the 3 team can continue to bring top-notch cars to the track, he can continue to challenge for victories.

“I feel like I have one of the biggest hearts out there in this garage as a driver and can get it done when we put great cars on the track,” he said. “We put a great car on the track today and I showed what we can do.”

Posted on by Reid Spencer

BROOKLYN, Mich. – Last week at Watkins Glen, Chase Elliott’s maiden victory on the road course interrupted the season of the Big 3.

But on Sunday at Michigan International Speedway, Kevin Harvick restored the status quo, winning for the seventh time this season and breaking a tie with third-place finisher Kyle Busch for most victories in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. 

RELATED: Full race results | SHOP: Harvick gear

Harvick led 108 of the 200 laps in the Consumers Energy 400 and cruised to a 3.233-second win over runner-up Brad Keselowski, who took over second place when Austin Dillon slowed with a cut tire on the next-to-last lap. Dillon nevertheless held fourth place at the finish, one spot ahead of Ryan Blaney.

 The victory was Harvick’s second at the 2-mile track — the first having come in 2010 — and the 44th of his career, tying him with NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott for 17th on a all-time win list. Harvick swept the first and second stages of the race and leap-frogged past Busch into the lead in playoff points. Harvick now has 40 to Busch’s 35.

 “The most important thing is winning races right now and getting all the points that you can get to position yourself well to get to Homestead,” Harvick said. “That’s what we’ve been trying to do all year is win races. 

“That was our only goal. We didn’t want to learn anything. We don’t want to do anything different. We just want to go out, and we want to win.”

 Keselowski, who drove from his 18th-place starting position to the runner-up spot, was grateful to have a clean race.

WATCH: Trouble at end of Stage 2 for Truex | Two spins for Jones

“It’s nice to be able to get the finish we deserved,” Keselowski said. “That’s important. It’s important to get what you have out of your car. Although we might not have race-winning speed, it’s important to execute. 

“So with that in mind, it’s good for everybody’s morale at Team Penske, and on the No. 2 team as well, but of course we want to break through and win as well. As I indicated, we not where we need to be to just win on speed against those guys week-in and week-out, so we’ve just got to find it. We’ve got to find that little bit of performance. It’s not a lot, but it’s just enough to keep us out of Victory Lane.” 

Kurt Busch, Aric Almirola, pole winner Denny Hamlin, Chase Elliott and Joey Logano completed the top 10.

After the race, Harvick’s 6-year-old son, Keelan, ran across the track to collect the checkered flag. 

RELATED: See Keelan’s Michigan celebration

“Keelan is saving me some work,” Harvick quipped. “Usually, when I get home, the next day we have to mock up a Victory Lane celebration. For him to be here and able to do that and be a part of NASCAR and bring your son to work and do all the things that we get to do with our kids, I have had him with me by myself the last three weeks and we have had a ball.

“I couldn’t be happier to be a dad and be a part of NASCAR where they let your family come to the race track and be a part of it.”

In the regular-season series standings, Kyle Busch maintained a 62-point lead over Harvick. Dillon scored his first top five since winning the season-opening Daytona 500.

 

Posted on by Staff Report

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, Xfinity Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will all be at Bristol Motor Speedway for tripleheader action. Check out the full schedule below, which is subject to change.

Note: All times are ET

MORE: How to find NBCSN

SATURDAY, AUG. 18
4:30 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Driver/Crew Chief Meeting
5:50 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Driver Introductions
6:24:45 p.m.: God Bless USA performed by Lee Greenwood
6:30:00 p.m.: Presentation of Colors by Tennessee Army National Guard
6:30:25 p.m.: Pledge of Allegiance by Oliver North, President of NRA, accompanied by The Green Beret of 5th Group
6:31:05 p.m.: Invocation by Bill Mauldin, MRO
6:31:55 p.m.: National Anthem by MRO Kids
6:33:15 p.m.: Fly-by TOT: 4 T-38’s from 469th Flying Training Squadron, Shepherd AFB, Wichita, TX
6:40:15 p.m.: Command to start engines by Johnny Morris, Founder of Bass Pro Shops and 200 Bass Pro Shops store managers
6:46:00 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race (500 laps, 266.5 miles), NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN 2) (Results)

TRACKSIDE LIVE (Watch live)
3-4 p.m.: Bristol Motor Speedway

PRESS PASS (Watch live)
2 p.m.: Charlotte Motor Speedway
10 p.m.: Post-Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race

THURSDAY, AUG. 16
9:05-9:55 a.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series first practice, FS1 (Results)
10:05-10:55 a.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series first practice, NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN GO) (Results)
11:05-11:55 a.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series final practice, FS1 (Results)
1:35-2:25 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series final practice, NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN GO) (Results)
4:10 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series pole qualifying, FS1 (Results)
8:30 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series UHOH 200 (200 laps, 106.6 miles), FOX (Results)

PRESS PASS (Watch live)
Noon: Elliott Sadler
12:15: Christopher Bell, Cole Custer, Daniel Hemric
12:30: Riley Herbst, Ben Rhodes
12:45: Grant Enfinger, Myatt Snider
1:15 p.m.: Stewart Friesen
3 p.m.: Sterling Marlin
10:15 p.m.: Post-NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race

FRIDAY, AUG. 17
10:35-11:55 a.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series first practice, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN 1) (Results)
12:40-1:50 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series final practice, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN 1, 4, 5) (Results)
3:40 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series pole qualifying, NBCSN/ NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN GO) (Results)
5:40 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Busch Pole Qualifying, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN 2) (Results)
7:28 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series Food City 300 (300 laps, 159.9 miles), NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN 4) (Results)

PRESS PASS (Watch live)
9 a.m.: Kasey Kahne
9:30 a.m.: Austin Dillon
9:45 a.m.: Kevin Harvick
2:15 p.m.: Kyle Busch
2:30 p.m.: Martin Truex Jr.
6:40 p.m.: Post-Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series qualifying
9:30 p.m.: Post-NASCAR Xfinity Series race

TRACKSIDE LIVE (Watch live)
2 p.m.-3 p.m.: Bristol Motor Speedway

Posted on by Staff Report

What channels are NASCAR races on this week? We answer that and give you the weekly NASCAR television listings here in the NASCAR TV schedule.

Note: All times are ET. 

MORE: Get the NBC Sports App | How to find FS1 | Gets FOX Sports Go | How to find NBCSN 

Monday, August 13
1:30 p.m.: Glory Road: Blacker, NBCSN/NBC Sports App
2 p.m.: Glory Road: NASCAR Goes Road Racing, NBCSN/NBC Sports App
2:30 p.m.: NASCAR 120: Michigan, NBCSN/NBC Sports App
5 p.m.: NASCAR America, NBCSN/NBC Sports App
6 p.m.: NASCAR Race Hub, FS1

On MRN
noon: Motorsports Monday (with hosts Woody Cain & Joey Meier)

Tuesday, August 14
5 p.m.: NASCAR America, NBCSN/NBC Sports App
6 p.m.: Glory Road: Modified Mastery, NBCSN/NBC Sports App
6 p.m.: NASCAR Race Hub, FS1
6:30 p.m.: Glory Road: Blacker (re-air), NBCSN/NBC Sports App
9 p.m.: Glory Road: Modified Mastery (re-air), NBCSN/NBC Sports App
9:30 p.m.: Glory Road: Blacker (re-air), NBCSN/NBC Sports App
10 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Corrigan Oil 200 (re-air), FS2

Wednesday, August 15
Midnight: Glory Road: Modified Mastery (re-air), NBCSN/NBC Sports App
12:30 a.m.: Glory Road: Blacker (re-air), NBCSN/NBC Sports App
3:30 a.m.: NASCAR Race Classic: 1994 Coca-Cola 600 (re-air), FS1
4 a.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Corrigan Oil 200 (re-air), FS1
5 p.m.: NASCAR America: Wednesdays with Dale Jr., NBCSN/NBC Sports App
6 p.m.: NASCAR K&N Pro Series West: Evergreen Speedway, NBCSN/NBC Sports App
7 p.m.: NASCAR Whelen Series: Thompson Speedway, NBCSN/NBC Sports App

On MRN
noon: Crew Call (with hosts Sammi Jo Francis and Rocko Williams)
1 p.m.: NASCAR Coast to Coast (with hosts Kyle Rickey & Hannah Newhouse)

Thursday, August 16
9 a.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series practice, FS1
10 a.m.: Beyond the Wheel, FS1
10 a.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series practice, NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN GO)
11 a.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series final practice, FS1
1:30 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series final practice, NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN GO)
4 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series qualifying, FS1
5 p.m.: NASCAR America, NBCSN/NBC Sports App
5:30 p.m.: The Dale Jr. Download, NBCSN/NBC Sports App
8 p.m.: NASCAR RaceDay: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, FOX
8:30 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series UNOH 200, FOX

On MRN
1 p.m.: Throwback Thursday: 1985 Valley Dale 500

Friday, August 17
1:30 a.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series UNOH 200 (re-air), FS1
10:30 a.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN 1)
noon: The Dale Jr. Download (re-air), NBCSN/NBC Sports App
12:30 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series final practice, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN 1, 4, 5)
2 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series final practice (re-air), NBCSN/NBC Sports App
3:30 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series qualifying, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN GO)
5 p.m.: NASCAR America, NBCSN/NBC Sports App
5:30 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series qualifying, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN 2)
7 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series Countdown to Green, NBCSN/NBC Sports App
7:28 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series Food City 300, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN 4)
9:30 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series Post-Race Show, NBCSN/NBC Sports App
10 p.m.: NASCAR The Decades: The 1980’s, NBCSN/NBC Sports App

On MRN
noon: The Inside Line (with host Tyler Burnett)

Saturday, August 18
12:30 p.m.: Glory Road: Modified Mastery (re-air), NBCSN/NBC Sports App
1 p.m.: Glory Road: Blacker (re-air), NBCSN/NBC Sports App
5 p.m.: NASCAR America pre-race show, NBCSN/NBC Sports App
6 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Countdown to Green, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN2)
6:30 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN2)
10 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Post-Race Show, NBCSN/NBC Sports App

Sunday, August 19
Midnight: NASCAR The Decades: The 1970’s, NBCSN/NBC Sports App
1 a.m.: Glory Road: Modified Mastery (re-air), NBCSN/NBC Sports App
1:30 a.m.: Glory Road: Blacker (re-air), NBCSN/NBC Sports App
10 a.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series UNOH 200 (re-air), FS1
6 p.m.: NASCAR 120: Bristol, NBCSN/NBC Sports App