Posted on by Reid Spencer

SONOMA, Calif. – Clint Bowyer engineered a spectacular drive in Sunday’s Toyota/Save Mart 350, starting 19th and climbing to third by the finish.

But the winner of two Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races this season wanted more. Bowyer had tasted victory at Sonoma Raceway in 2012, and he had a craving to quaff the California wine that goes to the winner once again.

RELATED: Full race results | Standings

Only two problems: 1) Race winner Martin Truex Jr.’s pit strategy, which afforded a comfortable winning margin with a single stop to Bowyer’s two in the final stage, and 2) Bowyer’s teammate Kevin Harvick, who wasn’t willing to surrender the second spot.

“I’m happy to be in this (Stewart-Haas Racing) equipment and have this opportunity, but I’m also frustrated, because we were one of the three that were the class of the field and had a legitimate shot at racing for a win,” Bowyer said. “They (Truex’s team) just took a little different strategy than we did and that’s what it took. You had to separate yourself some way.

“It was a lot of fun out there. I had my struggles just like they did. On long runs I was coming to them, especially that real long run we had. Then we started pitting, and I didn’t know what to expect. All in all, it was a solid day and I’m proud of the guys for going out there and getting the job done. We just came up a little short.”

PHOTOS: Exhausted drivers, dinged cars

Posted on by Reid Spencer

SONOMA, Calif. – Using a contrarian strategy that included bluffing Kevin Harvick onto pit road earlier than planned in the final stage of Sunday’s Toyota/Save Mart 350, Martin Truex Jr. pulled off a convincing victory in the 16th Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race of the season.

On Lap 73, during the final stage of the race, Truex’s crew chief, Cole Pearn, ordered the No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Toyota to pit road. On the spur of the moment, Harvick’s crew chief, Rodney Childers, opted to cover Truex’s move and called the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford to the pits from the lead.

RELATED: Full results| Stage 1 results | Stage 2 results
SHOP: Truex gear

But Pearn, by design, called off the pit stop at the last second, and Truex picked up the lead, which he surrendered on Lap 81 when he pitted for the only time during the final stage. Harvick and teammate Clint Bowyer returned to pit road on Lap 92 of 110, and when that happened, Truex held a 23.826-second lead over Chase Elliott in second.

All Truex had to do the rest of the way was avoid a caution in the final 18 laps – a situation that was realized as the final stage ran green from a Lap 55 restart to the finish.

“All you’re doing is begging, hoping the caution doesn’t come out,” Truex Jr. said of the end of the race. “Then you’d have to pit, and you don’t know what could happen. It messes the field up. Just hoping for no cautions and don’t make any mistakes and hope the engine stays together.”

In winning for the third time this season, Truex led 62 laps, including the last 20 after he passed Harvick to retake the lead on Lap 91. The victory was Truex’s second at Sonoma and the 18th of his career. With his first win coming in 2013, Truex’s triumph also broke a streak of nine straight different winners at the 1.99-mile road course.

RELATED: Detailing Harvick-Truex 1-2 finishes

Pearn said the single stop in the final stage was the plan all along, even if Harvick’s car hadn’t been snookered into the pits.

“We knew we were going to do one stop – that was kind of our plan,” Pearn acknowledged. “We just really needed them to pit earlier for it to work out. It was a bit of a gamble, but obviously, it paid off. It worked out great. It’s tough. Everybody is so good in this (series) that sometimes you have to do something different to pull one out.”

Harvick was philosophical about the call that in all probability cost him the race.

“We all make mistakes,” Harvick said. “We all do things split-second that might be right after it all happens. But these guys do a great job. Everyone on our Mobil1 Ford has done a great job for the last five years.

“We had a shot today. The call was one thing, but I think I was too hard on the car the first couple of stages. The brake pedal was long after qualifying and never really came around during the race. It progressively got worse, and I kept losing drive about Lap 20 off of (Turn) 3 and was getting tight off of 4. I had a lot of problems I needed to work on, but all of our guys do a great job.”

RELATED: Pearn explains trickery

Driving conservatively with a massive lead over the final 10 laps, Truex crossed the finish line 10.513 seconds ahead of Harvick, who passed Elliott for the second spot on Lap 102. Two laps later, Bowyer got by Elliott to finish third.

Posting his first career top-five result on a road course, Elliott held fourth, one spot ahead of charging Kyle Busch, who retained the series lead by 72 points over Harvick. Kurt Busch, Erik Jones, Aric Almirola, Alex Bowman and Denny Hamlin completed the top 10.

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, FS2 | Get FOX Sports Go | How to find NBCSN 

Monday, June 25
5 p.m.: NASCAR America, NBCSN
6 p.m.: NASCAR Race Hub, FS1

Tuesday, June 26
5 p.m.: NASCAR America, NBCSN
6 p.m.: NASCAR Race Hub, FS1

Wednesday, June 27
5 p.m.: NASCAR America, NBCSN
6 p.m.: NASCAR Race Hub, FS1

Thursday, June 28
5 p.m.: NASCAR America, NBCSN
6 p.m.: NASCAR K&N Pro Series West: Sonoma Raceway, NBCSN
7 p.m.: NASCAR Wheelen Series: Langley Speedway, NBCSN

Friday, June 29
4 p.m.: NASCAR America, NBCSN
4:30 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series practice, NBCSN (Canada: TSN GO)
5:30 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series pole qualifying, FS2
7 p.m.: NASCAR America, NBCSN
7:30 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity final practice, NBCSN (Canada: TSN GO)
8:30 p.m.: NASCAR RaceDay: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, FS1
8:30 p.m.: NASCAR The Decades “The 1970s,” NBCSN
9 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series: Overton’s 225, FS1
9:30 p.m. NASCAR The Decades: “The 1980s,” NBCSN

Saturday, June 30
3 a.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series: Overton’s 225, FS1 (re-air)
9:30 a.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series practice, NBCSN (re-air)
10:30 a.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series final practice, NBCSN, (re-air)
11:30 a.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice, NBCSN (Canada: TSN2)
12:30 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series pole qualifying, NBCSN (Canada: TSN GO)
1:30 p.m.: NASCAR America, NBCSN
2 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series final practice, NBCSN (Canada: TSN2)
3 p.m. NASCAR Xfnity Series: Countdown to Green, NBCSN
3:30 p.m. NASCAR Xfinity Series: Overton’s 300 (Canada: TSN2)
6 p.m. NASCAR Xfinity Series: Post-Race Show, NBCSN
7 p.m. Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series pole qualifying, NBCSN (Canada: TSN1, 3)

Sunday, July 1
12 a.m. Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series final practice, NBCSN (re-air)
1 a.m. Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series pole qualifying, NBCSN (re-air)
12 p.m. NASCAR America Sunday, NBCSN
2 p.m. Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series: Countdown to Green, NBCSN
2:30 p.m. Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series: Overton’s 400, NBCSN (Canada: TSN2)
6 p.m. Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series: Post-Race Show, NBCSN
6:30 p.m. Victory Lap, NBCSN

Posted on by Staff Report

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, the NASCAR Xfinity Series, and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will all be in action at Chicagoland Speedway this week. Check out the full schedule below, subject to change.

Note: All times are ET

Sunday, July 1
PRE-RACE
2:16:00 p.m.: Presentation of Colors: Native American Veterans Group Honor Guard
2:16:20 p.m.: Invocation by U.S. Veteran and Raceway Ministries, Michael White
2:17:00 p.m.: National Anthem performed by The Gold Standard and Voice of the Chicago Blackhawks, Jim Cornelison
2:18:30 p.m.: Fly-by: (1) C-130H Hercules, 910th Airlift Wing, Youngstown, Ohio Air Reserve Station (Turn 4 to Turn 1)
2:23:00 p.m.: Command to start engines by Overton’s Director of Operations, Pat Baker and Overton’s Vice President of Merchandise & Business Development, Nicolas Goureau
2:32:00 p.m.: Start of Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Overton’s 400

ON TRACK
2:30 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Overton’s 400, NBCSN (267 laps, 400.5 miles) (Canada: TSN2) (Results)

PRESS PASS (Watch live)
5:30 p.m. (approx.): Post-Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race

Thursday, June 28
5:30-6:20 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series practice, No TV (Results)
7:35-8:25 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series final practice, No TV (Results)

Friday, June 29
4:35-5:20 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series practice, NBCSN (Canada: TSN GO) (Results)
5:40 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series pole qualifying, FS2 (Results)
7:35- 8:20 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series final practice, NBCSN (Canada: TSN GO) (Results)
9 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Overton’s 225 (150 laps, 225 miles), FS1 (Results)

PRESS PASS (Watch live)
3 p.m.: Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell
3:30 p.m.: Chase Elliott
3:45 p.m.: Kevin Harvick
4 p.m.: Justin Allgaier, Cole Custer, Elliott Sadler
4:15 p.m.: Jesse Iwuji
11 p.m. (approx.): Post-NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race

Saturday, June 30
11:30 a.m.-12:20 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice, NBCSN (Canada: TSN2) (Results)
12:40 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series pole qualifying, NBCSN (Canada: TSN GO) (Results)
2-2:50 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series final practice, NBCSN (Canada: TSN2) (Results)
3:30 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series Overton’s 300 (200 laps, 300 miles), NBCSN (Canada: TSN2) (Results)
7:05 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series pole qualifying, NBCSN (Canada: TSN1, 3) (Results)

PRESS PASS (Watch live)
10:30 a.m.: Martin Truex Jr.
10:45 am.: Daniel Suarez
6 p.m. (approx.): Post-NASCAR Xfinity Series race
7:45 p.m. (approx.): Post-Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series qualifying

 

Posted on by Reid Spencer

SONOMA, Calif. – AJ Allmendinger had just won the first stage of Sunday’s Toyota/Save Mart 350 when his race – and his engine – fell apart.

Allmendinger started fifth and quickly worked his way into second place during the first stage, only to surrender the runner-up spot to Kevin Harvick on Lap 15 of the 25-lap stage. But when Martin Truex Jr. and Harvick pitted early on Lap 22, Allmendinger inherited the top spot and held it through the green/checkered flag, collecting the first stage win of his career.

Allmendinger brought the No. 47 JTG-Daugherty Chevrolet to pit road during the caution between stages and restarted 17th on Lap 30. Four circuits later, however, his race came to an end when Allmendinger missed a shift and blew the engine in his Chevy, ruining one of his best chances to win a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race.

RELATED: Allmendinger: ‘I let everybody down here’

When asked by FS1’s Jamie Little what led to the missed shift, Allmendinger’s response was blunt.

“Me,” he said. “I haven’t missed a shift on a road course in 10 years. Just me. I was trying to be so patient, so smooth with it; it was unexpected. It’s on me. I let everybody down here. The car was good; I don’t know if it was race-winning. It’s all on me. I don’t know what else to say. I just let everybody down.”

Contributing: Staff reports

Posted on by Staff Report

Denny Hamlin won Stage 2 on Sunday at Sonoma Raceway as similar to Stage 1, pit strategy played a huge part in determining the finishing order. Race leader Kevin Harvick pitted with three laps to go in the stage, and Martin Truex Jr., in the second-place car at the time, also came to pit road.

That opened the door for Hamlin, who has a road-course win at Watkins Glen, to claim his second stage victory of the season. Hendrick Motorsports teammates Chase Elliott and Jimmie Johnson finished the stage in second and third place, respectively. Team Penske’s Brad Keselowski and Ryan Blaney rounded out the top five.

RELATED: Stage 2 results

AJ Allmendinger, who won Stage 1, exited the race after missing a gear shift on Lap 32. Allmendinger’s No. 47 Chevrolet billowed smoke, then came to rest on the track.

Just prior to the caution for Allmendinger’s mishap, Jamie McMurray experienced mechanical problems in the No. 1 Chevrolet and had to take the Chip Ganassi Racing vehicle to the garage.

Allmendinger came on the radio to say the mechanical problem was due to his faulty shifting. McMurray, meanwhile, told FS1 that his team expected an oil pump had failed.

Finish Driver Team Race points
1 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing 10
2 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports 9
3 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports 8
4 Brad Keselowski Team Penske 7
5 Ryan Blaney Team Penske 6
6 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing 5
7 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports 4
8 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports 3
9 Chris Buescher JTG Daugherty Racing 2
10 Ryan Newman Richard Childress Racing 1

Stage 1

AJ Allmendinger won Stage 1 on Sunday at Sonoma Raceway after the leader, Martin Truex Jr., along with other contending cars, came to pit road with three laps remaining in the opening 25-lap stanza.

No. 78 crew chief Cole Pearn appeared willing to sacrifice stage points if it meant putting the Furniture Row Racing team in a better position to win the race. Kevin Harvick, who was in second place at the time Truex pitted, also headed to pit road, along with Clint Bowyer, who had moved up into the top five.

RELATED: Stage 1 results

For Allmendnger, the strategy was to stay out and gain some much-needed stage points. It was the first stage win of the season for the JTG Daugherty No. 47 team. Brad Keselowski came in second, followed by the Hendrick Motorsports duo of Jimmie Johnson and Chase Elliott.

Pole-sitter Kyle Larson, who led the first two laps in the stage before Truex took over, rounded out the top five.

Finish Driver Team Race points
1  AJ Allmendinger  JTG Daugherty Racing 10
2  Brad Keselowski  Team Penske 9
3  Jimmie Johnson  Hendrick Motorsports 8
4  Chase Elliott  Hendrick Motorsports 7
5  Kyle Larson  Chip Ganassi Racing 6
6  Ryan Newman  Richard Childress Racing 5
7  Aric Almirola  Stewart-Haas Racing 4
8  Daniel Suarez  Joe Gibbs Racing 3
9  Chris Buescher  JTG Daugherty Racing 2
10  Kasey Kahne  Leavine Family Racing 1
Posted on by Staff Report

Sometimes, there are pairings that just seem right.

Wine and cheese. Milk and cookies. MC Hammer and NASCAR.

It’s not something you would have thought to put together at first glance — like a banana and mayo sandwich, Dale Jr.? — but when MC Hammer showed up at Sonoma Raceway before Sunday’s Toyota/Save Mart 350, the drivers and fans were agog.

Bubba Wallace — born three years after the release of MC Hammer’s hit “U Can’t Touch This” — was eager to share some words with the native of nearby Oakland, California.

Fans lined up to watch Hammer (is he Hammer on second reference?) give interviews.

And others just stared in awe when it was Hammer Time.

Even honorary starter Jonny Moseley thought MC Hammer was 2 Legit 2 Quit.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BkaoEe2jjtJ/?utm_source=ig_twitter_share&igshid=espq6gk9i1lr

And MC Hammer, himself, was thrilled to be a part of the NASCAR scene.

And Austin Dillon seemed happy to meet the rapper.

Posted on by Staff Report

Ever wonder what goes on in a driver meeting? We’re here to help.

This year, we’ll publish the actual rules video your favorite Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers will watch before climbing into their stock cars. Above is the video for the Toyota/Save Mart 350 (3 p.m. ET, FS1, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) at Sonoma Raceway.

Enjoy!

Posted on by Chris Knight

MADISON, Ill. – In a chaotic final 10 laps of Saturday night’s fifth-annual Villa Lighting delivers the Eaton 200 presented by CK Power, Justin Haley withstood a green-white-checkered finish to score his first career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory in his 37th career start for GMS Racing.

Haley held off a hard-charging Todd Gilliland to secure the organization’s fifth Truck Series win of the season but more importantly stamp his No. 24 Fraternal Order of Eagles Chevrolet into the Playoffs.

RELATED: Series standings | Full race results 

“I’ve been dreaming about this since I was a little kid,” said a jubilant Haley in Victory Lane. “Every time you start doubting yourself you get in a situation like this. I’m about to cry man, that was amazing.

“I raced my heart out and that’s all I’ve worked for my whole life. Thank you to Fraternal Order of Eagles, Todd Braun, everyone, my mom, my family, it’s been an incredible experience and you never know when you get to race again.”

Gilliland scored a season-high runner-up finish after clearing Johnny Sauter on the Lap 158 restart.

“I’m pretty happy with where I finished,” Gilliland said. “I guess I need to communicate better what I think I need for the race. The track just changes so much in these trucks compared to the K&N cars. It’s just about keep bringing fast trucks to the race track every week and our finishing positions keep moving up.

“It’s just about being there at the end and any time you can be inside the top five with a green-white-checkered, you’re in a pretty decent spot.”

Haley swiped the lead from Noah Gragson with seven laps remaining as Gragson, Haley and Gilliland all battled for the top spot. The caution waved on the restart lap for the stalled truck of Ben Rhodes which set the tone for the Lap 158 restart.

Gragson, who led 53 straight laps prior to the restart, had to pit for damage with Gilliland, his Kyle Busch Motorsports teammate. He recovered to finish 10th after leading a race-high 63 laps.

Before the late-race chaos, the opening two stages were relatively calm.

ThorSport Racing’s Grant Enfinger won his first pole of the season and led every lap in Stage 1.

Christian Eckes in his second Truck Series start for Kyle Busch Motorsports inherited the race lead for the start of Stage 2, as his team pitted during a Lap 34 caution, putting the Greenville, New York, native in control of the field for the Lap 42 restart.

Despite his inexperience, Eckes powered away from the field in his No. 46 Mobil 1 Toyota, dominating Stage 2 by leading every lap.

Gragson grabbed the lead off pit road at Lap 71 after a two-tire stop jumped him three positions for the Stage 3 restart. The Las Vegas native controlled the field until an incident at Lap 110 when second-place runner Nemechek suffered a puncture in his oil tank, leaking fluid and soaking the 1.25-mile racetrack with oil, causing Justin Fontaine, running ninth, to lose control of his No. 45 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet entering Turn 1. Tate Fogelman, in his Truck Series debut, also found himself a victim of the circumstances and t-boned Fontaine.

Both drivers climbed from their trucks under their own power and were later evaluated and released from the infield care center. The field endured a 12 minute and 36 seconds red flag period for track cleanup.

Eckes’ impressive night ended on Lap 77 after contact with Stewart Friesen sent him into the Turn 2 outside wall. With significant damage to his No. 46 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota, the 17-year-old was unable to return to the race and was credited with a 28th-place finish.

RELATED: Sauter sends Friesen spinning | Eckes’ night ends after wreck | Hard hit for Sargeant

“I feel fine. It’s just unfortunate,” said Eckes. “These guys worked really hard today and brought me a really fast truck. It was definitely good enough to win. We won a stage. It’s just unfortunate.

“My Mobil 1 and KBM (Kyle Busch Motorsports) guys worked really hard and brought me a fantastic truck. It’s unfortunate for it to end like that but I have two more shots with this at Martinsville (Speedway) and Phoenix (ISM Raceway) at the end of the year and I am looking forward to coming back for that.”

The Truck Series concludes a four-week consecutive stretch of competition at Chicagoland Speedway on Friday, June 29 with the running of the Overton’s 225.