Posted on by Reid Spencer

DOVER, Del. — Kyle Busch’s recent results in spring races at Dover International Speedway can be distilled into one visual image — a piece of a broken drive shaft lying on the racing surface more than 100 laps before Sunday’s AAA 400 was scheduled to end.

From the outset, Busch complained of a vibration in his No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. Nevertheless, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series leader was able to keep his car in the top five until the driveshaft broke on Lap 272, knocking Busch out of the race in 35th place.

VIDEO: Drive shaft winds up on the track

“We started the race with it, unfortunately, and it just kept getting worse and worse as the day was going,” said Busch, who was running third when the failure occurred. “I don’t know why we started the race with it — we hadn’t had anything like that in a long, long time. I know what it was, but not sure why we had the problem to begin with …

“It just got so bad there that last run vibrating it even blew the shifter ball off the shifter, and when it finally broke, I couldn’t even grab the shifter in order to knock it out of gear so I could just push the clutch in, so I had to nurse it back and get out of everybody’s way.”

Busch said the issue came as a complete surprise.

MORE: Race results | Updated standings

“We’ve never had that problem before,” he said. “We’ll have to go back to the shop and diagnose it, try to figure it out. It’s kind of weird.

“We’ve had issues like that in practices before, and we’ve been able to figure it out early enough to not have the problem in the race, but this weekend we never had that issue at all until the race started, so felt weird about how that went down.”

Busch has now failed to finish four of the last five spring races at Dover. The good news is that he retained the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series lead by 22 points over Joey Logano (13th Sunday) and 40 over race winner Kevin Harvick.

Posted on by

DOVER, Del. – Runner-up Clint Bowyer needed just “one more shot” to adjust his No. 14 Ford.

Then, maybe, he would have had something for race winner and Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Kevin Harvick in Sunday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Dover International Speedway.

When the race restarted with less than 100 laps remaining, and he and Harvick led the field to green, Bowyer knew he was in trouble; the No. 14 held onto the lead for 12 laps before Harvick’s No. 4 whirled by him for the lead and eventual victory.

RELATED: Harvick holds off Bowyer for Dover win | Dover race results

“The biggest thing was he just had the luxury all day long of working on his car in clean air,” Bowyer said on pit road after the race. “It makes such a big difference having clean air and not. We battled through a lot of adversity, put ourselves back in position to win this thing … The guys did a good job of keeping us out front and giving me the opportunity. But as soon as we took off and I went off into (Turn) 1, it was pretty loose …

“When a car’s stuck like that behind you and you’re wagging your tail and holding onto that thing for all you’re worth, you’re just in trouble.”

Bowyer was ahead of the field when the red flag waved and the cars were brought down pit road on Lap 320 of the 400-lap event due to a long-anticipated Delaware shower. As the teams waited out Mother Nature for just over 41 minutes, Harvick and Bowyer conversed on pit road with smiles.

“I’m thinking, oh, my gosh, I’ve talked so much trash to him all weekend and he’s already told me that the karma train is going to run me over when it started raining …” Harvick said of his mindset during the battle with his teammate. “I feel like when you come to Dover … Clint is going to be one of the people that you have to beat just because of the fact that he’s been so good for so many years here …

“To be able to race with him is a lot of fun, and I’d much rather keep it within the house than racing with somebody else.”

The entire Stewart-Haas Racing fleet emerged from Sunday’s event at the ‘Monster Mile’ with three cars in the top 10 (Kurt Busch finished fifth), the team’s fourth car of Aric Almirola recording an 11th-place result.

The team has won five of 11 races thus far in 2018 and when compared to its pair of wins the entire last season, the progress is monumental.

MORE: See where Bowyer, SHR teammates rank in 2018 stage points

“It’s days like today that build the momentum in the organization,” team owner Tony Stewart said. “It’s another milestone for us to have three cars in the top five today. We’re proud of everybody … You have to keep evolving and keep pushing the envelope … We go back and we celebrate the wins, but … instead of looking behind us at what we did, we look forward at what we’re trying to accomplish and what we’re trying to do the next week. …

“We’ll high-five each other at the shop tomorrow, but at the same time, we’re digging for the next week and trying to get ready for Kansas now and trying to do the same thing again next weekend.”

For Bowyer, the difference between this season and his last few in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series is drastic; already a race winner in 2018, he seems rejuvenated and enjoys being “up in the limelight.”

“It’s fun to be a part of this organization – we finally got my car where … everybody on the 14 car capable of running with the 4 car,” Bowyer said. “They were the class of our organization all year last year and a year under our belts with this 14 bunch … You’re starting to see us reap the benefits of that year under our belts. So, a lot of fun, a lot more racing to go. I hate to give ‘em up like that, but if you’re going to lose to somebody it might as well be your teammate.”

The series returns to the ‘Monster Mile’ on October 7 during the Playoffs and the No. 14 team will have a full notebook to revisit.

Next time, Bowyer may be the one taming the monster instead of Harvick.

“He’s obviously a champion of this sport, and you hate to lose him, know what I mean?” Bowyer said of his teammate. “We could beat him at this race track.

“We come back in the fall, and when all the marbles are on the line, maybe we can.”

Posted on by Reid Spencer

DOVER, Del. — For Daniel Suarez, Sunday’s third-place finish was particularly satisfying, not simply because it was a career-best effort on an oval track in a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race, but, in a broader sense, because it’s emblematic of the progress he and his No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing team are making.

After rain delayed the AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway, Suarez restarted fifth with 75 laps left, grabbed third place in short order and held it the rest of the way, despite a determined charge from reigning series champion Martin Truex Jr. behind him.

“Just overall, just very proud of my team,” said Suarez, whose only other third-place finish — and only other career top five — came last year on the Watkins Glen International road course. “I would like to say that the entire year we have had good speed pretty much everywhere we go, top 10s, top 5s sometimes.

RELATE: Full race results | Career stats for Suarez

“We just haven’t been able to get the deal done, and especially in the first month and a half of the season, just struggling a lot. I feel like I was putting a lot of pressure on myself earlier in the season, trying to put a lot of pressure on the team to get the results. The (current) month and a half, couple months, has been more relaxed.”

Does that mean a victory may be in the offing?

“I feel like if we keep running the way that we’re running today, top 5, top 10 — pretty much all day long we were running in the top 10 — I think it can happen any time. We just have to somehow beat the 4 car (race winner Kevin Harvick).

“The 4 car today was in a different league. Normally if you can run in the top 5, you can have a shot any time. Those crazy restarts and stuff.  Like I said, overall very proud of my team. I feel like we are moving in the right direction. We just have to keep it up.”

Posted on by Staff Report

Kyle Larson dropped some news during a red flag stoppage after rain halted the AAA 400 Drive for Autism on Lap 320 of the 400-lap event at Dover International Speedway.

Larson and fiancée, Katelyn Sweet, are expecting the birth of their second child soon. As a result, Larson shared that Chip Ganassi Racing has tabbed John Hunter Nemechek to be on standby for the No. 42 team next week at Kansas Speedway.

Nemechek currently drives a limited schedule in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, piloting the Ganassi’s No. 42 entry. If Nemechek is called upon, it will be the 20-year-old’s first laps in a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race car.

Larson and Sweet also have a 3-year-old son, Owen.

Posted on by Staff Report

Stage 2

Kevin Harvick earned his sixth stage victory of the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season in Stage 2 of Sunday’s AAA 400 Drive for Autism, completing a sweep of both stages at Dover International Speedway.

Harvick led the field early in the stage, but Brad Keselowski took the lead from Harvick following a restart on Lap 39 of the 120-lap segment after a caution for a Derrike Cope wreck.

Harvick then passed Keselowski back with 40 laps to go, leading a total of 71 laps in the second stage.

Keselowski finished second, followed by Kyle Busch, Jimmie Johnson and Clint Bowyer in the top five.

Kyle Larson made his way from the back of the field to crack into the top 10 during Stage 1, but an uncontrolled tire during a stage break pit stop put the No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing team one lap down. He finished 22nd in Stage 2.

Martin Truex Jr. rallied for a seventh-place result in Stage 2, recovering from an unscheduled stop in Stage 1 for a flat right-front tire.

RELATED: Stage 2 results

Finish Driver Team  Race points
1  Kevin Harvick  Stewart-Haas Racing 10
2  Brad Keselowski  Team Penske 9
3  Kyle Busch  Joe Gibbs Racing 8
4  Jimmie Johnson  Hendrick Motorsports 7
5  Clint Bowyer  Stewart-Haas Racing 6
6  Daniel Suarez  Joe Gibbs Racing 5
7  Martin Truex Jr.  Furniture Row Racing 4
8  Ryan Blaney  Team Penske 3
9  Chase Elliott  Hendrick Motorsports 2
10  Joey Logano  Team Penske 1

Stage 1

Kevin Harvick led 36 of the 120 circuits to win Stage 1 of Sunday’s AAA 400 Drive for Autism at Dover International Speedway.

Harvick took the lead from Brad Keselowski with 13 laps to go for the stage victory. Keselowski led a stage-high 60 laps but started running out of fuel at the end of Stage 1.

Keselowski and Truex were battling hard for the lead until Truex was forced to make an unscheduled pit stop with 24 laps to go for a tire that went down on the No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Toyota.

After starting in the back due to pre-race inspection issues, Busch Pole Award winner Kyle Larson cracked the top 10 by using pit strategy early in the stage, but the No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing team was penalized for an uncontrolled tire with less than 20 laps remaining.

Alex Bowman, also forced to start at the rear of the field for pre-race inspection issues, led 26 laps after taking two tires during early rounds of stops to work his way up to the front.

RELATED: Stage 1 results

Finish Driver Team  Race points
1  Kevin Harvick  Stewart-Haas Racing 10
2  Kyle Busch  Joe Gibbs Racing 9
3  Brad Keselowski  Team Penske 8
4  Daniel Suarez  Joe Gibbs Racing 7
5  Kurt Busch  Stewart-Haas Racing 6
6  Chase Elliott  Hendrick Motorsports 5
7  Clint Bowyer  Stewart-Haas Racing 4
8  Jimmie Johnson  Hendrick Motorsports 3
9  Joey Logano  Team Penske 2
10  Ryan Blaney  Team Penske 1
Posted on by Staff Report

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series head to Kansas Speedway this weekend. Check out the tentative full schedule, subject to change.

Note: All times are ET

Saturday, May 12

RUN OF SHOW
7:20:00 p.m.: Driver introductions
7:54:00 p.m. Presentation of Colors by Kansas Highway Patrol Honor Guard
7:54:00 p.m.: Invocation by Master Trooper Dave Golden, Kansas Highway Patrol
7:55:00 p.m. National Anthem by Michael Tyler, Reviver Records Recording Artist
7:56:30 p.m. Flyover: (2) A-10’s, 303d Fighter Squadron, 442d Fighter Wing, Whiteman AFB, MO
8:01:30 p.m. “Drivers, Start Your Engines” by Vietnam Veterans; accompanied by Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City Chiefs General Manager Brett Veach
8:10:00 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series KC Masterpiece 400 (267 laps, 400.5 miles), FS1 (Canada: TSN 1) (Results)

PRESS PASS (Watch live)
11:15 p.m.: Post-Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race

Friday, May 11
9:35 -10:25 a.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series first practice, FS1 CANCELED DUE TO WEATHER
11:35 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series final practice, FS1 (Results)
12:35-2:55 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice, FS1 (Canada: TSN 2) (Results)
5:10 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series pole qualifying, FS1 (Results)
6:45 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Busch Pole Award qualifying, FS1 (Canada: TSN 2) (Results)
8:30 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series 37 Kind Days 250 (167 laps, 250.5 miles), FS1 (Results)

PRESS PASS (Watch live)
11:15 a.m.: Kevin Harvick
11:30 a.m.: Matt Kenseth
11:45 a.m.: Aric Almirola
3:30 p.m.: William Byron
3:45 p.m.: Martin Truex Jr.
4:15 p.m.: Clint Bowyer
7:45 p.m.: Post-Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series qualifying
10:45 p.m.: Post-Camping World Truck Series race

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

Monday, May 7
5 p.m.: NASCAR America, NBCSN
6 p.m.: NASCAR Race Hub, FS1

Tuesday, May 8
3:30 a.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series AAA 400 Drive for Autism (re-air), FS1
6 p.m.: NASCAR America, NBCSN
6 p.m.: NASCAR Race Hub, FS1

Wednesday, May 9
3:30 a.m.: NASCAR Race Hub, FS1 (re-air)
5:30 p.m.: NASCAR America, NBCSN
6 p.m.: NASCAR Race Hub, FS1
6:30 p.m.: NASCAR K&N Pro Series West: Tucson Speedway (Twin No. 1), NBCSN
7:30 p.m.: NASCAR K&N Pro Series West: Tucson Speedway (Twin No. 2), NBCSN

Thursday, May 10
6 p.m.: NASCAR America, NBCSN
6 p.m.: NASCAR Race Hub, FS1

Friday, May 11
4:30 a.m.: NASCAR Race Hub, FS1 (re-air)
5:30 a.m.: NASCAR Race Classic: 1998 Daytona 500, FS1
9:30 a.m.: Beyond the Wheel: Made in Japan, FS1
10:30 a.m.: Race Hub Weekend Edition, FS1
11 a.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series final practice, FS1
12:30 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice, FS1 (Canada: TSN 2)
3 p.m.: Beyond the Wheel: 2018, FS1
5 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series pole qualifying, FS1
6:30 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Busch Pole Qualifying, FS1 (Canada: TSN 2)
8 p.m.: NASCAR RaceDay: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, FS1
8:30 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series 37 Kind Days 250, FS1

Saturday, May 12
4:30 a.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series 37 Kind Days 250, FS1 (re-air)
6:30 a.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Busch Pole Qualifying, FS1 (re-air)
7 p.m.: NASCAR RaceDay, FS1
8 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series KC Masterpiece 400, FS1 (Canada: TSN 1)
11:30 p.m.: 100,000 Cameras: NASCAR All-Star Race, FS1

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)

Posted on by Staff Report

Busch Pole winner Kyle Larson started Sunday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race from the rear after his No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet failed pre-race inspection three times.

Alex Bowman, who qualified 15th, was in a similar position after his No. 88 Chevrolet also failed three times. He also started from the rear.

Both teams also had their car chiefs ejected — David L. Bryant on the No. 42 and Austin R. Konetski with the No. 88.

In addition, both teams will have to serve a 30-minute hold for the first practice next weekend at Kansas Speedway.

Austin Dillon’s No. 3 car also started from the back for having a non-compliant splitter.

Posted on by

UPDATE: The Nos. 88, 42 cars of Alex Bowman and Kyle Larson, respectively, to the rear, car chiefs ejected and 30-minute hold in next race first practice for failing pre-race inspection three times. The No. 3 car of Austin Dillon will start at the rear for noncompliance splitter. 

Kyle Larson won the Busch Pole Qualifying Award and will start in the top position in Sunday’s AAA 400 Drive for Autism (2 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) at Dover International Speedway. After three practice sessions for this race, 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 11th Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race of 2018.

Pat DeCola’s revised Fantasy Live lineup following practices and the lineup being set:
1: Kevin Harvick
2: Clint Bowyer
3: Ryan Blaney
4: Daniel Suarez
5: Aric Almirola
Garage: Chase Elliott

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

Analysis: OK, so, I might be crazy. Or I might be onto something. Either way, we won’t know until we find out how Kyle Larson fares in Sunday’s 400-miler at Dover — because I’m not putting him in my lineup, garage, nothing.

Our in-house fantasy guru, RJ Kraft, (rightfully) built his lineup with the Chip Ganassi Racing driver as the cornerstone earlier this week in his Fantasy Fastlane piece, which made sense. Larson finished runner-up in this race the past two years and has led 85 or more laps in three of the past four Dover races — he even then went out and won the pole! Surely, he’s a no-brainer … and he would’ve been, until final practice.

Larson placed fourth in the session (after sporting a seventh-place showing in each of the first two sessions) and was asked afterward if he had a winning car. “I don’t know,” Larson replied, before explaining everything else wrong with his No. 42 Chevrolet. He was dejected and did not sound at all confident in his chances this weekend.

Larson’s deeper showings in final practice would indicate he’s right, too — the No. 42 didn’t rank in the top 10 in 10-, 15- or 20-lap averages for final practice.

It’s possible he’s playing coy, but I’ll take a driver’s word for it and not put stake in my precious lineup if he’s feeling iffy about his chances to win. I’d rather use Larson, whom I expect to heat up over the summer, when he’s feeling good about his car and on a hot streak.

Instead, I’m building around Kevin Harvick, whom RJ (again, rightfully) had been saving for the upcoming 1.5-mile races at Kansas and Charlotte.

For me, however, the No. 4 car has been too fast all weekend to ignore. Harvick will start alongside Larson on the front row, topped the best consecutive 20-lap averages in final practice and might get out front early and cruise as cars battle behind him. I like him to win at least Stage 1, too.

To go along with Harvick, I’m also starting two of his Stewart-Haas Racing teammates in Clint Bowyer and Aric Almirola. Bowyer topped final practice 10- and 15-lap averages and his No. 14 might be every bit as fast as Harvick’s No. 4. Almirola, for his part, led final practice overall in terms of best lap and was in the top five in 10-, 15- and 20-lap averages. He’s also had past success at Dover, in less competitive rides.

Anchoring my lineup is the talented duo of Ryan Blaney and Daniel Suarez. Both placed in the top five of 20-lap averages in final practice (with Blaney second there and in 15-lap averages). My usage is low on both, so now’s the time to capitalize.

I have Chase Elliott in my garage. The Hendrick Motorsports driver hasn’t lit the world on fire this weekend, but this race shaped up to be a breakout moment for him heading into the weekend — based on his recent history there — so I like having the option to plug him in if he appears headed for a top five or even a win.

RJ also had Martin Truex Jr. in his original lineup — and I strongly considered adding the defending champ to at least my garage — but his No. 78 has looked less sporty as the weekend wore on. I’d rather save him for weekends where he’s dominant throughout, which can happen often.