Posted on by Staff Report

Kyle Larson finished fourth place in an up-and-down night Saturday at Kansas Speedway, but his story from the race may not be quite finished.

FS1 TV cameras appeared to show a dented rear window area on his No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet following the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series event, something NASCAR officials have penalized this season as a violation of the rule book.

MORE: Contact derails Larson, Blaney late at Kansas

Larson indicated in his post-race interview that he believes the damage was caused following an on-track incident with Ryan Blaney. His No. 42 will undergo further teardown this week at the NASCAR Research & Development Center in Concord, North Carolina — along with the No. 4 of Kevin Harvick, the No. 78 of Martin Truex Jr. and the No. 21 of Paul Menard.

NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O’Donnell addressed the topic Monday morning on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

“I think there’s certainly something you can look for,” O’Donnell said on the subject of potential mid-week penalties to the No. 42 team. “ … It’s no different than rear skew in the past where it was an area teams found they could work on — suddenly it’s become the rear window area. We see the claims of damage, but you know, talking to our folks, I’ve never seen damage cause that.

“Certainly we’ll go back like we always do and thoroughly inspect the car, but it’s an area we continue to focus on because the teams know that they’ve found something there. And if we have to react we will, but still looking at it.”

MORE: Recap a wilding Kansas ending in 150 seconds

Multiples teams have been penalized this year for violating Section 20.4.8.1 of the rule book, which deals with rear window support. A brace that supports the rear window must meet specifications for keeping rear window glass rigid in all directions.

Typical ramifications have included a fine, two-race suspension to either the team’s crew chief or car chief and a loss of 20 driver and 20 owner points.

Posted on by Brad Norman

It was an extra special Mother’s Day for Amy Earnhardt as she spent her first one as mom with baby girl Isla Rose, who is nearly two weeks old.

Fans also got a glimpse of the newest Earnhardt baby as Amy posted an adorable photo of the family of three.

MORE: Dale Jr. talks first week of fatherhood | Junior, Amy through the years

https://www.instagram.com/p/BiuyG_CFOtc/

Dale Jr. also tweeted out a sweet message to his wife, as well as to the rest of the moms hoping for a little relaxation on a Sunday.

We wish the happy couple a wonderful day loving on their baby!

Posted on by

Darrell “Bubba” Wallace Jr. has several important women in his life, from his sister Brittany to his longtime girlfriend Amanda Carter.

His mother, Desiree Wallace, is one of those special women.

“(She can) hug you and make you cry if you finish second in the Daytona 500,” Wallace said with a smile during a break at Dover when asked what only his mother can do for him.

WATCH: Bubba Wallace breaks down over journey to Daytona

“My mom’s done so much for me and my sister and my family to get us where we’re at today. She’s the backbone, she’s the support system. We’re very thankful for her and everything she’s done for us.”

Fans saw the raw emotion from the mother-son duo following Wallace’s historic runner-up finish in “The Great American Race.” The pair embraced and cried, as the scene was streamed live during Wallace’s post-race press conference.

“We’ve waited so long, baby. So long,” Desiree said, nestled in the embrace of her tearful son.

The moment was the beginning of one of the most important NASCAR seasons in Wallace’s budding racing career. As the first full-time African American driver in the Monster Energy Series since 1971, the pressure put on his young shoulders was well-recorded through media and his Facebook docu-series “Behind the Wall.”

Off the track, Wallace also touched on his family’s hardships during his touching Daytona press conference.

The support from his mom this year, who has become a more regular presence at the track, has been especially significant, which Wallace reflected on with NASCAR.com in advance of Mother’s Day.

MORE: Happy Mother’s Day! Check out these rockstar NASCAR Moms

“It’s meant a lot,” Wallace said. “She’s come to a lot of races, more so in the last couple years, so it’s good to have her here … She’s starting to figure out how busy this Cup schedule is and how big the scene is. It’s fun to take her through the steps as well.”

But the added track time for Desiree Wallace means also added extra advice, Wallace teased.

“Everybody loves seeing her at the race track; which I don’t know why, she’s just always in my face and trying to tell me how to drive, just like a gnat,” Wallace said jokingly. “Kidding, kidding – it’s good to have her here …”

“She just takes time out of the day to satisfy the needs of her kids … She’s an excellent mom, she always has been. We’ve had our run-ins just like any mother and son have, but at the end of the day, I love my mom to death.”

For Mother’s Day, Wallace hoped to get his mom a trip to Victory Lane in the series’ Saturday night race at Kansas Speedway.

But despite the race’s outcome, he has one important message for her:

“Mom, I love you to death. Thank you for everything you’ve done in my, it will be, 25 years of living. You mean the world to me. For all we’ve been through for the last two or three years, you still get up, put that smile on your face and act like everything’s OK. So, I try to take that after you each and every day when things don’t go right and just know that God has another day for us.

“I love you very much and Happy Mother’s Day.”

 

Posted on by Kathy Sheldon

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Kyle Larson’s roiling weekend at Kansas Speedway ended on an upswing despite late contact with Ryan Blaney that cost him a chance at the win in Saturday night’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series’ KC Masterpiece 400.

“It was definitely our best race of the year (on a 1.5-mile track.) We led a lot of laps and had fun,” Larson said after pushing his damaged No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet to a fourth-place finish. “I felt like myself, the No. 4 (race winner Kevin Harvick) and the No. 12 (Blaney) were pretty equal. It was just whoever got to clean air and got to the top the quickest could kinda maintain the lead.”

RELATED: Blaney dejected post-race

On the opposite end, Blaney’s night ended with a disappointing 37th place and a DNF after leading 54 laps. Blaney was racing Larson hard with 19 laps to go when his No. 12 Team Penske Ford got loose, leading to contact first with Larson and then the outside wall.

“I definitely take the blame on that one,” a dejected Blaney said after taking his car to the garage. “I was just trying to side-draft hard and the car was kind of light down the frontstretch there and it was just hard racing at the end.

“It was definitely my fault just trying too hard. I made contact and it cut my right-front down. I hate I got the 42, but it was just hard racing.”

Larson also took some of the blame for allowing Harvick to pull away, which put him in position to be battling Blaney to that degree.

“Blaney was really good at staying low on exit on the restarts and able to get to people’s insides,” Larson said. “So I was trying to protect low and I didn’t expect the No. 4 to get that big a run up there. I should have stuck up there with him sooner and not given up the lead.”

RELATED: Harvick catches Truex late for Kansas victory

The contact — and an extra pit stop on the ensuing caution period to tighten lug nuts — hampered Larson’s hopes for a win. But he had already overcome starting at the back of the field when the team needed to change tires after the No. 42 spun during qualifying.

He powered back through the field, finishing Stage 1 in fifth and following his favored high line all the way to the front and a Stage 2 win.

“I felt good out there,” Larson said. “I felt like I could move around and run the wall really hard and then when I caught some cars I could move down and go fast, so I was happy about that and happy with the performance of the Chevy. Our car was just good and I could come off the wall and chase the clean race track.”

WATCH: Larson spins out in qualifying at Kansas

From the beginning of the weekend, Larson said he was pleased with his car’s speed – he posted the fastest 10-lap average in the weekend’s sole practice session – and believes his Chevrolet team is finding its groove again. Larson aims to rekindle that groove from last season, which had him atop the drivers’ standings after 11 races in 2017. That stellar start contrasts with this season’s 10th-place ranking and a best showing of second place (at Bristol and Auto Club) heading into next weekend’s Monster Energy All-Star Race then the Coca-Cola 600 on May 27.

“You never know with the All-Star package,” Larson said about revving up for a hot streak at another 1.5-mile track. “But we had a really good car tonight and hopefully can carry some momentum.”

Posted on by Reid Spencer

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Kevin Harvick, nicknamed NASCAR’s “Closer,” earned his moniker on Saturday night at Kansas Speedway, passing reigning Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion Martin Truex Jr. on the next-to-last lap to add the KC Masterpiece 400 to his collection of victories this season.

Charging from sixth place and chasing race leader Martin Truex Jr. after a restart on Lap 259 of 267, Harvick found speed in the top lane with five laps left and passed Truex on the outside through Turns 3 and 4 on the penultimate lap.

In winning his second straight race and his fifth in 12 starts this season, Harvick beat Truex to the finish line by .390 seconds. The victory was Harvick’s third at Kansas Speedway, tying him for most ever at the 1.5-mile track.

MORE: Full results | Standings
SHOP: Harvick gear

“I think, as you look at the last couple of laps, it wasn’t working for me on the bottom, and I was able to make up some ground on the top,” said Harvick, who will try to win three straight races in the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford for the second time this season when NASCAR’s top tour goes to Charlotte for the May 27 Coca-Cola 600.

“I thought, if it came down to it, I could pass him on the bottom, because my car went through (Turns) 1 and 2 on the bottom, or I could drive through the middle of 3 and 4, but I just had to pick which lane.  He wasn’t going to choose, and he never chose the high lane, and we were able to drive right by.”

Having taken the lead by staying out on older tires after a caution for an accident involving Kyle Larson and Ryan Blaney on Lap 248, Truex thought he could keep Harvick behind him over the closing laps. That proved not to be the case.

RELATED: Blaney takes blame for Larson contact

“I thought we were going to be all right there,” said Truex, who was trying for a third straight win at Kansas. “Like three or four laps to go, my car just got real tight, and I chattered the right front off of Turn 4, and I was like, ‘Oh boy, that’s not good.’

“We had been so tight all night, and I didn’t know where to go once he was getting there. If I go to the top, he’s just going to catch me on the bottom. I might as well run where I feel I can run the fastest, and I did, and it just wasn’t enough.”

The most violent accident of the night set up the final restart with nine laps left and the dramatic pass for the victory. In Turn 4 on Lap 253, William Byron got loose underneath Clint Bowyer’s Ford and knocked Bowyer up the track. Byron’s No. 24 Chevrolet slammed into the outside wall with a bone-rattling impact that lifted the rear of the car off the pavement.

MORE: Fiery wreck brings out red flag

Byron’s car landed on the hood of Ryan Newman’s Chevrolet and slid down the track with fire in the engine compartment. All told, seven cars were involved in the wreck, including the No. 6 Ford of Matt Kenseth, who finished 36th in his first race of the season.

Byron was shaken but otherwise unhurt after the multi-car wreck.

“Yeah, that one hurt really bad,” Byron said. “But I’m fine. We took two tires there and couldn’t get it turned on the bottom and then got sucked around at the last minute. I just should have been lower on the track than that.

“Just couldn’t rotate. Couldn’t cut. I think, overall, we were trying to kind of push some things there and it just didn’t work out. That was definitely the hardest hit I’ve been in. But I’m thankful to be walking, so that’s good.”

Joey Logano ran third, followed by Larson and Denny Hamlin. Larson made a remarkable recovery after he and Blaney made contact in Turn 1 on Lap 248, when Blaney was trying to side-draft aggressively. Blaney, who led 54 laps before the accident, slammed into the Turn 1 wall and exited the race.

PHOTOS: Scenes from Kansas including the late-race wrecks

But Larson continued, and he took on fresh rubber under the final caution and charged through the pack to fourth place.

“Blaney was side-drafting really hard, and I was as high as I could get, and we made contact, whatever, and we had a bunch of damage,” said Larson, who won the second stage and led a race-high 101 laps to Harvick’s 79. “So I hate that we didn’t turn today into a win, but it’s satisfying to see how much speed our car had tonight.

“And, it’s definitely good to show that Chevy has a lot of speed, at least in the No. 42 team. So we’ll just keep working hard and try to get as fast as the No. 4.”

Paul Menard, Erik Jones, Kurt Busch, Aric Almirola and Kyle Busch completed the top 10. Kyle Busch retained the series lead by 12 points over Logano in second place and 19 over Harvick in third. Brad Keselowski (14th on Saturday) is a distant fourth, 107 points back.

 

Posted on by Staff Report

A heavy multicar crash late in Saturday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race snared William Byron, Clint Bowyer and more, forcing a red flag with 14 laps remaining at Kansas Speedway.

Byron triggered the melee as he appeared to lose grip under the No. 14 of Bowyer, and his No. 24 Chevrolet nosed hard into the outside retaining wall, lifting its rear wheels off the ground with the impact. Byron’s car landed on the roof of Ryan Newman’s No. 31 Chevy as more cars scrambled to avoid the mess.

Byron exited his crumpled, smoldering car under his own power. He told FS1 after being released from the infield care center that it was the most severe hit of his career.

RELATED: Watch Byron’s wreck through helmet cam of Kurt Busch

“I think overall we were trying to kind of push some things there and it didn’t work out,” said Byron, who gained track position with two-tire stops on more than one occasion in Saturday’s KC Masterpiece 400. “We’re going to wherever’s next and that one was definitely the hardest hit I’ve been in, but thankful to be walking so that’s good.”

Other drivers involved were Matt Kenseth in his first event of the season, Jamie McMurray, Ty Dillon and Chris Buescher.

MORE: Byron on his Kansas crash

“I just saw everybody wrecking and the track was kind of blocked, so I tried to get down toward the grass,” said Kenseth, who finished 36th in his return to competition in the Roush Fenway Racing No. 6 Ford. “This grass is not the new friendly grass with the rain and all it just kind of dug in and then I just hit the car in front of me.”

Said Bowyer, who continued and held on for 15th place as the last driver on the lead lap: “We started in the back and got up through there pretty good, but then kind of stalled out. We got wrecked there. I was trying to get us up in the top five and got wrecked there. That’s just part of it I guess.”

Posted on by Staff Report

What channels are NASCAR races on this week? We answer that and provide all 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

Sunday, May 13
Midnight: One Hot Night: NASCAR 1992 All-Star Race (FS1)
6 a.m.: Classic NASCAR: 1988 Daytona 500 (FS1)
6:30 a.m.: Classic NASCAR: 1998 Daytona 500 (FS1)
7 a.m.: The 600: History of NASCAR’s Toughest Race (FS1)
8 a.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series 37 Kind Days 250, FS1 (re-air)
10 a.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series KC Masterpiece 400, FS1 (re-air)

Monday, May 14
3 a.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series KC Masterpiece 400, FS1 (re-air)
8 a.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series 37 Kind Days 250, FS2 (re-air)
10 a.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series KC Masterpiece 400, FS2 (re-air)
6 p.m.: NASCAR Race Hub, FS1

On MRN
12 p.m.: Motorsports Monday (with hosts Woody Cain & Joey Meier)

Tuesday, May 15
6 p.m.: NASCAR Race Hub, FS1

On MRN
7 p.m.: NASCAR Live (with host Mike Bagley)

Wednesday, May 16
3:30 a.m.: NASCAR Race Hub, FS1 (re-air)
6 p.m.: NASCAR Race Hub, FS1

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

Thursday, May 17
6 p.m.: NASCAR Race Hub, FS1

On MRN
1 p.m.: Throwback Thursday-1989 All-Star Race

Friday, May 18
9:30 a.m.: One Hot Night: The 1992 NASCAR All-Star Race, FS1
10:30 a.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series final practice, FS1
11:30 a.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Open/All-Star Race practice, FS1 (Canada: TSN 2)
3 p.m.: Monster Energy All-Star Pit Road Speed practice, FS1 (Canada: TSN 2)
3 p.m.: The 600: History of NASCAR’s Toughest Race, FS1
4 p.m.: 100,000 Cameras: NASCAR All-Star Race
4:30 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Pole qualifying, FS1
6 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Busch Pole Qualifying for All-Star Race, FS1 (Canada: TSN 2)
8 p.m.: NASCAR RaceDay: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, FS1
8:30 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series: North Carolina Education Lottery 200, FS1

On MRN
12 p.m.: The Inside Line (with host Tyler Burnett)

Saturday, May 19
4:30 a.m.: One Hot Night: The 1992 NASCAR All-Star Race, FS1 (re-air)
5:30 a.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Busch Pole Qualifying for All-Star Race, FS1 (re-air)
7:30 a.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series: North Carolina Education Lottery 200, FS1 (re-air)
9:30 a.m.: The 600: History of NASCAR’s Toughest Race, FS1
1 p.m.: One Hot Night: The 1992 NASCAR All-Star Race, FS2 (re-air)
2 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Busch Pole Qualifying for All-Star Race, FS2 (re-air)
4 p.m.: One Hot Night: The 1992 NASCAR All-Star Race, FS1 (re-air)
5 p.m.: NASCAR RaceDay, FS1
6 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Open, FS1 (Canada: TSN 1, 3, 4)
7 p.m.: NASCAR RaceDay, FS1
8 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race, FS1 (Canada: TSN 1, 3, 4, 5)

Sunday, May 20
8 a.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race, FS1 (re-air)
2 p.m.: NASCAR K&N Pro Series East: South Boston Speedway, NBCSN
3 p.m.: NASCAR K&N Pro Series East: South Boston Speedway, NBCSN

Posted on by Staff Report

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series are at Charlotte Motor Speedway for All-Star weekend. Check out the tentative full schedule, subject to change.

Note: All times are ET

Saturday, May 19
10:30-11:30 a.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series final practice (All-Star Open, All-Star Race combination) (Results for All-Star Race drivers) (Results for Open drivers)
2:45-3:45 p.m.: Trackside Live at Charlotte Motor Speedway (Watch live)
5:30:00 p.m.: Monster Energy Open driver introductions
5:44:20 p.m.: Invocation: Donnie Floyd
5:46:30 p.m.: God Bless America by Danielle Johnson
5:51:30 p.m.: “Drivers, Start Your Engines” by Senior Marketing Manager at Circle K Stores Southeast Misti Mason
6:00:00 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Open (20 laps, 20 laps, 10 laps), FS1 (Canada: TSN 1, 3, 4) (Results)
7:32:00 p.m.: Drivers introductions begin
8:00:00 p.m.: Presentation of Colors by: Jay M Robinson High School JROTC
8:00:20 p.m.: Invocation by:  Joe Gibbs Racing Owner: Coach Joe Gibbs
8:01:00 p.m.: National Anthem by:  Monster Energy’s own Monster Energy Girl: Erica Nagashima
8:07:30 p.m.: “Drivers, Start Your Engines” by: Interscope Records and Monster Energy Artist Machine Gun Kelly
8:16:00 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race (30 laps, 20 laps, 20 laps, 10 laps), FS1 (Canada: TSN 1, 3, 4, 5) (Results)

Press Pass (Watch live)
12:30 p.m.: Joey Logano
12:45 p.m.: Aric Almirola
9:30 p.m.: Post-Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race

Friday, May 18
9:05 -9:55 a.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series first practice (Results)
10:35-11:25 a.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series final practice, FS1 (Results)
11:30-3 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series first practice (All-Star Open, All-Star Race combination), FS1 (Canada: TSN 2) (Results for All-Star drivers) (Results for Open drivers)
3:05-3:20 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series pit road speed practice FS1 (Canada: TSN 2) (CANCELED)
4:40 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series pole qualifying, FS1 (CANCELED) (Lineup)
6:05 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Open Busch Pole Award qualifying, FS1 (Canada: TSN 2) (CANCELED) (Lineup)
6:45 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race Busch Pole Award qualifying (three laps with pit stop), FS1 (Canada: TSN 2) (Results)
8:30 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series North Carolina Education Lottery 200 (134 laps, 201 miles), FS1 (Results)

Press Pass (Watch live)
Noon: Todd Gilliland, Noah Gragson and Myatt Snider
12:15 p.m.: Kurt Busch
1 p.m.: Kyle Busch
3:30 p.m.: Jeff Gordon, William Byron and Sam Bass
3:50 p.m.: Austin Dillon
7:45 p.m.: Post-Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series qualifying
10:15 p.m.: Post-NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race

 

Posted on by Staff Report

Stage 2

Kyle Larson’s charge from the rear was officially complete on Lap 130, when he passed polesitter Kevin Harvick for the race lead. Larson, who diced through the field by riding the high line, held onto the lead, too, to win Stage 2 at Kansas Speedway.

Harvick, who radioed that he was fighting a handling condition throughout the 80-lap stretch, wound up in second place for the second consecutive stage. Stage 1 winner Ryan Blaney finished third in Stage 2, followed by Kyle Busch and Joey Logano.

RELATED: Stage 2 results

In addition to the 10 race points earned for winning Stage 2, Larson adds a playoff point toward his postseason total. It was his first stage win of the season.

Other drivers to finish in the top 10 in both stages at Kansas are the Stewart-Haas Racing trio of Aric Almirola, Clint Bowyer and Kurt Busch.

Finish Driver Team Race points
1 Kyle Larson Chip Ganassi Racing 10
2 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing 9
3 Ryan Blaney Team Penske 8
4 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing 7
5 Joey Logano Team Penske 6
6 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing 5
7 Kurt Busch Stewart-Haas Racing 4
8 Clint Bowyer Stewart-Haas Racing 3
9 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing 2
10 Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row Racing 1

Stage 1

Team Penske driver Ryan Blaney nabbed his third stage win of the season Saturday at Kansas Speedway, narrowly beating polesitter Kevin Harvick to the start/finish line after a harrowing and thrilling final few circuits of the 80-lap stage.

Blaney started Saturday night’s race from the outside pole position, and he nabbed the lead from Harvick (Stewart-Haas Racing) with a blistering stop on pit road following the competition caution on Lap 30. Blaney would lead the final 48 laps of the stage, but Harvick made him work for it with close-quarters racing that nearly resulted in both drivers taking a spin.

RELATED: Full Stage 1 results

In addition to the 10 race points earned for winning Stage 1, Blaney adds a playoff point toward his growing postseason total as well.

Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano, both of Team Penske, claimed third and fourth in Stage 1 with Chip Ganassi Racing’s Kyle Larson taking fifth.

Larson started from the rear for unapproved adjustments — his No. 42 team was forced to change his qualifying tires after he took a spin Friday night — but charged through the field, passing Aric Almirola for a top-five spot in the waning Stage 1 laps.

Finish Driver Team Race points
1 Ryan Blaney Team Penske 10
2 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing 9
3 Brad Keselowski Team Penske 8
4 Joey Logano Team Penske 7
5 Kyle Larson Chip Ganassi Racing 6
6 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing 5
7 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing 4
8 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing 3
9 Kurt Busch Stewart-Haas Racing 2
10 Clint Bowyer Stewart-Haas Racing 1