Posted on by Staff Report

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series head to Pocono Raceway this weekend. Check out the full schedule, subject to change.

Note: All times are ET

Sunday, June 3
1:20:00 p.m.: Driver Introductions begin
1:54:00 p.m.: Presentation of Colors, Joint Forces Color Guard, Washington, D.C.
1:54:20 p.m.: Invocation by Bill Mauldin, MRO
1:55:00 p.m.: National Anthem performed by U.S. Marine Drum & Bugle Corps from Washington, D.C.
2:01:30 p.m.: Command to start engines by Lt. General Steven Rudder, Deputy Commandant Aviation USMC, Lt. General Todd Semonite, Commanding General, Army Corp of Engineers, Major General Warren Berry, Deputy Commander Air Force Material Command, Major General Anthony Carrelli The Adjutant General Pennsylvania National Guard, TAG
2:12:30 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Pocono 400 (160 laps, 400 miles), FS1 (Results) (Canada: TSN4, 5)

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

Saturday, June 2
9:05 a.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series qualifying, FS1 (Results) (Canada: TSN GO)
11 a.m.-12:20 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series final practice, FS1 (Results) (Canada: TSN5)
1 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series Pocono Green 250 Recycled by J.P. Mascaro & Sons (100 laps, 250 miles), FS1 (Results) (Canada: TSN3, 4, 5)

PRESS PASS (Watch live)
3 p.m.: Post-NASCAR Xfinity Series race

Friday, June 1
11:35 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice, FS2 (Results) (Canada: TSN GO)
1:05-1:55 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series practice, FS2 (Results) (Canada: TSN GO)
3:05-3:55 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series final practice, FS2 (Results) (Canada: TSN GO)
4:20 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Busch Pole Qualifying, FS2 (Results) (Canada: TSN3)

PRESS PASS (Watch live)
10 a.m.: Darrell Wallace Jr.
10:30 a.m.: Ryan Blaney
10:45 a.m.: Alex Bowman
11 a.m.: Christopher Bell, Kaz Grala and Matt Tifft
1 p.m.: Martin Truex Jr.
1:15 p.m.: Erik Jones
2:15 p.m.: Kyle Busch
2:30 p.m.: Pocono Raceway announcement
5:15 p.m.: Post-Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series qualifying

Posted on by Staff Report

Kyle Busch’s march toward his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series win at Charlotte Motor Speedway continued when he won Stage 3 of the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday.

In sweeping the first three stages in Charlotte, Busch collected his fifth stage win of the season. Busch led all 100 laps of Stage 3 and has led 280 of 300 laps in the 400-lap, 600-mile race.

Charlotte was the only current track on the circuit where Busch did not have a Monster Energy Series victory before Sunday.

RELATED: Stage 3 results

Busch’s Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Erik Jones finished second in Stage 3. Brad Keselowski, Kurt Busch and Jamie McMurray rounded out the top five.

Four more cautions came during Stage 3, with the most spectacular incident coming on Lap 278 when the No. 12 Team Penske Ford of Ryan Blaney caught fire as he was driving. Blaney stopped the car in the infield grass and exited without injury.

Earlier, the ninth caution of the night came on Lap 272 when Kyle Larson spun in Turn 1, somehow managing to skid from the top of the track to the bottom without making contact with anyone, and narrowly avoiding hitting the interior wall.

WATCH: Larson spins, saves

One hundred laps remain until the conclusion of the Coca-Cola 600.

Finish Driver Team Race points
1  Kyle Busch  Joe Gibbs Racing 10
2  Erik Jones  Joe Gibbs Racing 9
3  Brad Keselowski  Team Penske 8
4  Kurt Busch  Stewart-Haas Racing 7
5  Jamie McMurray  Chip Ganassi Racing 6
6  Denny Hamlin  Joe Gibbs Racing 5
7  Kasey Kahne  Leavine Family Racing 4
8  Ricky Stenhouse Jr.  Roush Fenway Racing 3
9  Martin Truex Jr.  Furniture Row Racing 2
10  Ryan Newman  Richard Childress Racing 1

STAGE 2 

Kyle Busch continued his dominance in the Coca-Cola 600, winning Stage 2 and ticking off a career milestone in the process. Busch became the 10th driver to have led 15,000 laps in his career after leading 122 laps — which he accomplished early in Stage 2 on Sunday.

RELATED:  Busch joins 15,000 club

Busch led 180 laps, in all, while logging his fourth stage win of the season when Stage 2 ended on Lap 200.

Martin Truex Jr. finished second in Stage 2. Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin and Clint Bowyer rounded out the top five.

Stage 2 was punctuated by a caution on Lap 114 after William Byron’s No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet got loose and slammed into the outside wall in Turn 1. He exited the race.

Another caution came on Lap 119 when Jimmie Johnson’s No. 48 Chevrolet spun in traffic — and somehow avoided making contact with anyone else. Joey Logano’s No. 22 Ford also spun in traffic while avoiding Johnson, and he sustained some damage to the left rear of the car.

WATCH: Johnson spins in traffic

Finish Driver Team Race points
1  Kyle Busch  Joe Gibbs Racing 10
2  Martin Truex Jr.  Furniture Row Racing 9
3  Kyle Larson  Chip Ganassi Racing 8
4  Denny Hamlin  Joe Gibbs Racing 7
5  Clint Bowyer  Stewart-Haas Racing 6
6  Aric Almirola  Stewart-Haas Racing 5
7  Chase Elliott  Hendrick Motorsports 4
8  Jimmie Johnson  Hendrick Motorsports 3
9  Ryan Newman  Richard Childress Racing 2
10  Erik Jones  Joe Gibbs Racing 1

 

STAGE 1

Kyle Busch led 94 of the first 100 laps of the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday as he guided the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota to his third stage win of the season.

Busch, who started on the pole, lost the lead only on the initial green flag and after pit stops on Lap 86.

Ryan Blaney finished second in Stage 1, followed by Kyle Larson, Martin Truex Jr. and Jimmie Johnson.

RELATED: Harvick’s drive up derailed by cut tire  

The stage was highlighted by the the fast movement of Kevin Harvick’s No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford through the field, only to find himself out of the race by Lap 83.

Harvick, who started at the rear after his No. 4 car failed pre-qualifying inspection three times, had worked his way up to fourth when he blew a left front tire on Lap 83. His car slammed hard into the outside wall on Turn 3 and he headed to the garage, done for the day.

Another caution came on Lap 36 when defending Coca-Cola 600 winner Austin Dillon saw the right rear tire on his No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet go down. With substantial damage to the right rear quarter panel of the No. 3 that required multiple trips to pit road and finally went to the garage after 49 laps.

WATCH: Dillon has early trouble

Sunday’s race is divided into four stages rather than the typical three since it is the longest race of the year, with each stage lasting 100 laps.

Finish Driver Team Race points
1  Kyle Busch  Joe Gibbs Racing 10
2  Ryan Blaney  Team Penske 9
3  Kyle Larson  Chip Ganassi Racing 8
4  Martin Truex Jr.  Furniture Row Racing 7
5  Jimmie Johnson  Hendrick Motorsports 6
6  Aric Almirola  Stewart-Haas Racing 5
7  Clint Bowyer  Stewart-Haas Racing 4
8  Denny Hamlin  Joe Gibbs Racing 3
9  Ricky Stenhouse Jr.  Roush Fenway Racing 2
10  Erik Jones  Joe Gibbs Racing 1
Posted on by Staff Report

Kevin Harvick’s dominant march from the rear met an early — and surprising — end Sunday night during the Coca-Cola 600. The driver of the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford appeared to blow a front tire on Lap 83 while running fourth, which sent him careening into the outside wall and sending sparks flying into the evening air.

Harvick’s car did not pass pre-qualifying inspection on Thursday night, forcing him to start last in the field Sunday in the longest race of the year. It took fewer than 70 laps for him to work his way into the top five. He was running fifth at the time of the incident, which relegated his car to the garage and out of the race.

PHOTOS: Military honored at Charlotte

“This was going to be fun,” Harvick radioed dejectedly to his team.

Harvick will finish 40th in the 40-car field, stunningly the first time in 623 career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts that he’ll finish last.

The incident may have been the first thing to go wrong for Harvick all year. The No. 4 team won five of the first 12 races to start the year, and was considered a favorite to win Sunday night on Memorial Day weekend despite starting from the rear.

Harvick entered the event on a two-race win streak, and he already had won three consecutive races earlier this year.

“It never gave any warning,” Harvick told FOX Sports. ” … We had a lot of issues this weekend and to come back and have the fastest car there basically, it was just an honor to drive. One of those deals. You have to take the good with the bad, and this weekend was part of the bad.”

Posted on by Staff Report

With NASCAR Salutes and the annual Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend as the backdrop, Lance Cpl. Brooke Masten returned home to the delight of her stunned parents.

The emotional, surprise reunion came Sunday at Charlotte Motor Speedway during the live pre-race show Trackside Live, with driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. playing a vital role.

Stenhouse Jr. introduced Brooke’s parents, Doug and Irene, during the show and brought them on stage to thank them for their daughter’s service and their sacrifices. Stenhouse then asked for a group photo, setting the stage for Doug and Irene to keep their backs to where Brooke was hiding.

Brooke popped out onto the stage and posed in the photo just as her parents noticed her presence and began to cry. The three then embraced in a big hug.

“This is crazy,” Doug said. “We haven’t seen her in a while.”

An emotional Irene added: “I’m good. I’m trackside here, and I have my daughter here, so we’re all good.”

“Welcome home,” Stenhouse Jr. said. “Thank you.”

We couldn’t have said it any better, Ricky.

The Memorial Day weekend served as the launch of the annual NASCAR Salutes Refreshed by Coca-Cola program, a time in which the entire NASCAR industry honor United States Armed Forces heroes and their families.

The Coca-Cola 600, slated to begin at 6 p.m. ET (FOX, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) again will honor fallen servicemembers with its “600 Miles of Remembrance,” where every car in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series field will display the name of a fallen servicemember across the windshield.

Charlotte Motor Speedway is hosting more than 5,000 active military members this weekend, and a pre-race Salute to the Troops will incorporate all five branches of the U.S. Armed Forces in connection with the U.S. Department of Defense’s “This is Your Military” initiative.

“Throughout our sport’s history, NASCAR has held the men and women who’ve served and continue to serve in the highest regard,” NASCAR President Brent Dewar said earlier this week. “Each year, NASCAR Salutes unites our entire industry to honor and celebrate these heroes, and to reflect on the sacrifices each has made for their country.”

 

Posted on by Staff Report

The “Danica Double” is complete, and with it, Danica Patrick’s full-time career in motorsports has come to an end.

Patrick finished 30th after wrecking on Lap 68 in the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, her first IndyCar race since 2011. She started the race from the seventh position.

The “Danica Double,” which Patrick dubbed her running of the Daytona 500 and Indianapolis 500 in 2018, was intended to serve as a farewell to her racing career.

MORE: Danica Patrick through the years | Final career stats

Patrick finished 35th in the Daytona 500 earlier this year after crashing out of the race on Lap 101 of 207.

The 36-year-old retires as one of the most prominent women in the sport, even if she didn’t always have the success on the track to equal her fame. Her highest finish in a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race was sixth in Atlanta in 2014, and she had seven top 10s in her five full-time NASCAR seasons that were all behind the wheel of the No. 10 car for Stewart-Haas Racing. She had one pole — the Daytona 500 in 2013 — becoming the first woman to earn a pole award in NASCAR history.

RELATED: Danica leaves NASCAR at peace

Patrick’s highest finish in the season standings was 24th (in both 2015 and 2016), and she had an average finish of 24.1 in her career.

In IndyCar, she became the first woman to lead the Indianapolis 500 in her first appearance in the race in 2005. She ended up finishing fourth when she lost the lead to conserve fuel. She had her best finish of third in the race in 2009.

Though Patrick’s full-time racing career might be over, her time in the spotlight is not. She announced last week that she will host the 2018 ESPY Awards in July, becoming the first female host.

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CONCORD, N.C. – Eleven days ago, Kaz Grala informed the industry via Twitter that he was out of a ride, as his team, JGL Racing, was shutting down operations.

Three days after that, he received an opportunity with Fury RaceCars to run the No. 61 Ford for four races.

And on Saturday, he climbed out of the No. 61 Ford with a 10th-place finish in the Xfinity Series’ event at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Twice actually, because they had to document the moment of him.

The 19-year-old was beaming.

RELATED: Full race results

“I don’t know how this is possible, but it was and it’s fantastic,” Grala said on pit road, after a series of hugs and words of praise. “Great debut for us; I can’t say enough about how hard everyone’s worked. I mean, I don’t think anyone’s slept in the last week-and-a-half. I hope they’re excited now because I hope this will make their hard work pay off. I’m looking forward to the next three races here, we’re going to have a blast. …

“Unbelievable. Honestly, I don’t even know what to say about it.”

The Xfinity race won by Brad Keselowski was akin to Grala’s up-and-down journey, as scattered showers brought out a 61-minute red flag, and a late-race wreck forced an overtime finish. Grala dipped out of the top 10 and worked his way back during the waning laps.

“I was aggressive, as much as I could be, because I knew that these guys deserved a good run and heck, I didn’t want to be the reason they didn’t get it,” he said. “I was driving my guts out there and if you ask them, I think I asked for like six different water bottles during that race because I literally was leaving (everything) on the table.

“But that’s the way you got to race in the Xfinity Series here; everyone’s just too freaking good to not go all out every single lap. Really proud of everybody; I can’t thank everyone enough. This is a dream come true for me.”

For Grala, the race is where he could really give the team his all. Before he could even take the green flag, Grala had to first make the race and keep the car in one piece, as his team didn’t have a backup car in tow.

“Make the race; That was No. 1,” Grala said to a chorus of laughs in regards to his goals for Saturday. “That was our first little check mark there for the day. We were really worried when it was raining because we wouldn’t have made it in on owners points. …

“In practice, yes, our mock run, yes,” he continued on preserving the car. “Even qualifying (I) had to be a little bit careful.

“In the race? Absolutely not.”

After the race, Grala pushed the No. 61 back into the garage with his team. For a driver who was dealt a card of uncertainty less than two weeks prior, he’s feeling grateful — and eager for his next three events.

“There’s a lot to be excited about from that race,” Grala said. “I know that I am, and I think I speak for everybody when I say this was a wildly successful debut for us.”

Posted on by Reid Spencer

CONCORD, N.C. — Controlling the race on a succession of restarts from the inside lane at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Brad Keselowski pulled away in overtime to win Saturday’s Alsco 300, the 11th NASCAR Xfinity Series event of the season.

After a debris caution on Lap 199 of a scheduled 204 laps slowed the action for the 12th time, Keselowski led the field to the restart on Lap 203 and, with a strong push from runner-up and fellow Ford driver Cole Custer, broke away to a lead of six car lengths.

RELATED: Race results | Stage 1 results | Stage 2 results

Keselowski took the checkered flag under caution when Tyler Reddick spun his No. 9 Chevrolet off Turn 2 for the second time and collected the Ford of Ty Majeski in the process.

Keselowski has won in each of his last three Xfinity Series starts dating to last year’s fall race at Richmond, and he’s the first repeat winner of 2018. The driver of the No. 22 Team Penske Ford won for the fourth time at Charlotte and for the 38th time in his career.

The race was delayed for more than an hour by a pop-up rainstorm that drenched the track after a wreck involving Dylan Lupton and Majeski caused the 10th caution on Lap 167. The rain provided a brief respite on a day that was unusually hot and humid.

“So far, it’s been a great week,” said Keselowski, whose team owner, Roger Penske, was elected to the NASCAR Hall of Fame on Wednesday. “I couldn’t ask for a much better start for Memorial Day weekend than to bring home a win …

“I think it was definitely a perseverance day. It was brutally hot out there. The humidity was just killer. I usually don’t get that hot in a race car, but it was smokin’ out there. It’s just part of the challenge of racing on days like this, and glad to bring it home first, that’s for sure.”

WATCH: Busch spins late

Christopher Bell lined up next to Keselowski for the final restart, but Bell failed to launch in the tri-oval, and Custer surged into the runner-up position. Bell held third, Ty Dillon came home fourth, and series leader Elliott Sadler capped an adventurous day with an unlikely top five, given that problems with the handling of his No. 1 Chevrolet had dropped him outside the top 20 during an earlier run.

Sadler also had issues with his air-conditioning unit, which started blowing hot air, compounding the effects of the heat.

Bell had been closing fast on Keselowski late in the race before the 12th caution.

WATCH: Allgaier, McMurray collide

“I was just heartbroken when I saw that piece of debris fly off those lapped cars,” Bell said. “I felt like we were starting to make some runs there. I was getting the top going pretty good in (Turns) 1 and 2. I felt like I was going to have a shot at him if the yellow didn’t come out.

“Obviously, when the yellow came out, I did have a shot at him, and I just didn’t execute on that last restart … I think me and Cole had the winning strategy (pitting later than Keselowski for new tires). We just didn’t get it done. The old Cup guy beat us.”

For the record, Keselowski turned 34 in February.

Kyle Busch led 93 laps and won the first two stages of the race, but after pitting for fresh tires under caution on Lap 158 and restarting eighth on Lap 162, Busch ran out of room trying to pass Lupton to the inside approaching Turn 1 and slammed into the inside SAFER barrier.

Busch recovered to finish eighth.

Posted on by RJ Kraft

Kyle Busch won the Busch Pole Qualifying Award and will start in the top position in Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 (6 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) at Charlotte Motor Speedway. After two practice sessions (one was rained out) and qualifying, we’ve dissected the numbers and 10-lap averages to offer a suggested lineup worthy of your Fantasy Live consideration as you go to make roster decisions for the 13th Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race of 2018.

Rules review: Remember that the garage locks at the END of Stage 3 for this race. Fantasy Live players WILL ONLY receive stage points for the Stage 1 AND 2 results. There will be no stage points awarded in the game for Stage 3 nor will there be a bonus pick for the Stage 3 winner.

RJ Kraft’s revised Fantasy Live lineup following practices and the lineup being set:
1: Joey Logano
2: Denny Hamlin
3: Erik Jones
4: Kyle Larson
5: Ryan Blaney
Garage: Martin Truex Jr.

PLAY NOW: Set your Fantasy Live lineup | How the new Fantasy Live works
MORE: Fantasy analysis for Charlotte | Driver stats | Full lineup | 10-lap averages

Analysis: The big move for me is sitting Kevin Harvick. Yes, he has won three of the four intermediate races this year and is strong at Charlotte with three career wins. However, he is starting 39th after not making it through qualifying inspection and a recent rule change for teams to not have to start on qualifying tires makes coming from the back less of an advantage than in the past (what we saw in Kyle Larson’s drive up through the field at Kansas two weeks ago is going to be a bit more difficult). Plus, I am down to five uses with him, so conserving a use with “Happy” is not a bad idea for me either and this is all about maximizing your uses.

I am already down to five uses on Kyle Busch, so I am electing to save him as well. He has been solid this weekend, but I am eying him for some races over the summer (Kentucky, Bristol, Darlington, Indianapolis to name some options). Also, he is 0-for-28 in points-paying Charlotte races — the lone track he has yet to win at on the circuit — and Joe Gibbs Racing has just one Charlotte win since 2004.

Logano, Hamlin, Larson and Truex were all part of my original lineup and had strong showings on the 10-lap board. MTJ also placed third on the 15-lap board (h/t @MikeJoy500) and he has been a monster in this race the past three years (one win, 3.0 average finish and led 756 of 1,200 laps — 63 percent — in that stretch). Jones topped the leaderboard in final practice and paced the 10-and 15-lap boards. Given his strong intermediate races this season with four top-11 finishes, I like flipping him into the lineup.

My last roster move was a bit of a toss up between Ryan Blaney and Kurt Busch. Blaney has not fared too well at Charlotte but I like his solid intermediate results on the season so far. Busch has six top 11s in his last seven Charlotte starts, but Blaney was a bit better on the 10-lap board in final practice and they were pretty close on the 15-and 20-lap boards as well. YRB also has the better starting spot on Sunday so I’m placing my trust in the young Penske star for this one.

Posted on by Reid Spencer

CONCORD, N.C. — It’s not difficult to identify the unquestioned top highlight of Bubba Wallace’s 2018 season so far.

His runner-up finish in a dramatic Daytona 500 in his first full-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season — and his emotional reaction afterwards — were defining moments both for Wallace and the sport.

Since then, however, the results have been spotty for the Richard Petty Motorsports driver. An eighth-place finish at Texas is Wallace’s only other top 10, but his charge to the front at Bristol, with his car bedecked in traditional red-and-blue Petty colors, was another noteworthy accomplishment.

RELATED: Wallace on U.S. Forces: We’re blessed because of their sacrifices

Ultimately, Wallace finished 16th after the handling of No. 43 Chevrolet deteriorated late in that race, and since then, Wallace has leveled off at 22nd in the series standings.

The results may be uneven, but make no mistake — the effort hasn’t diminished. And neither has Wallace’s enthusiasm.

“I’m enjoying the hell out of this year,” said Wallace, whose NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory at Martinsville in 2013 was the first for an African-American driver on one of NASCAR’s top three tours since 1963. “I’m having so much fun, and some weeks are good. Some weeks are not what we want, but we’re continuing and growing and learning from it, and that is all you can do.

“Everybody I’ve run into that has been around for many years in this sport continues to kind of tell me the same message… saying we’re doing the right things.  We’re doing the best with what we’ve got, and when the car is right, it shows. When we are off a little bit, that also shows as well, but as long as we capitalize on those days and get the most out of it that we can, that is a successful day despite the finish that we didn’t really want.”

RELATED: Every car in the Coca-Cola 600 field

Wallace got his first taste of Cup racing last year when he subbed for injured Aric Almirola in the No. 43 car at Pocono, Michigan, Daytona and Kentucky. The series returns to those tracks over the next six weeks, and Wallace relishes the prospect.

“We’re a small team, small budget, and we have shown some signs of great success throughout the year,” said Wallace, who was 19th fastest in Saturday’s final practice for the Coca-Cola 600 (6 p.m. Sunday on FOX, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). “I’m excited about the tracks that are coming up.

“We get into the tracks that I made my first four starts at last year while subbing in for Aric, so looking for a lot of momentum throughout this next month or so, this next stretch.”