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.”

Posted on by Staff Report

Erik Jones showed the most speed in Saturday’s final Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice in preparation for the Coca-Cola 600, circling Charlotte Motor Speedway at 187.045 mph in the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota.

Kyle Larson was second-fastest, urging his No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet to 186.664 mph.

RELATED: Final practice results | Best 10-lap averages

Ryan Blaney (186.104 mph), Joey Logano (186.047 mph) and Denny Hamlin (185.938 mph) rounded out the top five in practice. Saturday’s earlier practice was canceled because of rain, so this served as the only post-qualifying tune-up for Sunday’s race (6 p.m., FOX, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Kyle Busch, who was 18th-fastest in Saturday’s practice, will start on the pole for the Coca-Cola 600.

Several cars served practice holds including: the No. 10 of Aric Almirola, the No. 95 of Kasey Kahne and the No. 96 of Parker Kligerman, all for failing inspection twice. The No. 4 of Kevin Harvick (failed inspection three times) and No. 7 of JJ Yeley (failed inspection twice and late to qualifying inspection) served 30-minute practice holds.

 

Posted on by Staff Report

Rain reared its head in the final stage of the NASCAR Xfinity Series Alsco 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The red flag came out at Lap 172 for weather before a big downpour hit the 1.5-mile track and caused a delay of one hour, one minute and 12 seconds. Television coverage of the conclusion of the race shifted from FS1 to FS2. Weather had played a role earlier in the race, bringing out a previous caution on Lap 125.

At the time of the red flag, Brad Keselowski was scored as the race leader, according to NASCAR Timing & Scoring, with Daniel Hemric in second. Kyle Busch won the first two stages of the race and led 93 laps. However, a rash of cautions put drivers on varying strategies and caught in traffic, and Busch clipped the grass and went spinning and sliding into Chase Briscoe on Lap 161. Keselowski would go on to hold off Cole Custer for the race win in a NASCAR Overtime finish.

RELATED: Weather updates | Busch rides through grass, tangles with Briscoe

A mechanical issue derailed Chase Elliott’s day shortly into the final stage. Elliott is filling in for the suspended Spencer Gallagher in five races for GMS Racing starting with Saturday’s race at Charlotte. 

Rain canceled Saturday’s opening Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice as teams prepared for Sunday’s Memorial Day tradition, the Coca-Cola 600 (6 p.m. ET, FOX). The session was scheduled to begin at 9:05 a.m. ET and run for 50 minutes. The schedule for the day was adjusted to move Xfinity Series qualifying to 10:20 a.m. ET with the final Monster Energy Series practice starting shortly after 11 a.m. ET and running for about an hour.

NASCAR has 12 Toyota Tundra track drying units, 13 jet dryers, three vacuums (two track vacuums, 1 Elgin sweeper) and two tractor brooms on hand for track-drying efforts.

RELATED: Full schedule | Kyle Busch on pole for Coca-Cola 600

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, today’s forecast for Concord, North Carolina, included scattered showers and thunderstorms, mostly cloudy, with a high near 83. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Posted on by Holly Cain

Matt Kenseth hoisted his very first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup trophy at Charlotte Motor Speedway following the 2000 Coca-Cola 600. It’s been 18 years, a series championship and 38 more wins since that time, but Kenseth is hopeful the longtime good vibe here will be a positive sign of things to come in Sunday night’s running of the race.

Kenseth rejoined the Roush-Fenway Racing Ford team this month after five seasons driving a Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. Kenseth, however, was driving for the newly-selected NASCAR Hall of Famer Jack Roush when he won at Charlotte those years ago (once in the 600 and once in the fall). He was hired by the team again to help in re-energizing and re-focusing the storied organization.

The veteran is driving a part-time schedule, sharing time in the No. 6 Ford Fusion with Trevor Bayne. This weekend’s start will be only his second points race of the 2018 season. He started 35th and finished 36th at Kansas Speedway two weeks ago. He won the pole position for last week’s Monster Energy All-Star race at Charlotte and finished 14th in the non-points event.

MORE: Kenseth earns All-Star pole | Kenseth reunites with Roush

“We’re not very far into this year,” Kenseth cautioned anyone bringing too-lofty expectations to the 600 weekend.

“Kansas was a struggle the whole weekend. Last weekend was very unique, running restrictor plates and all that stuff at Charlotte and the All-Star format and stuff, so that was kind of different.

“I’m glad to be able to get on the track and get a full practice in (at Charlotte).  … I feel like we learned a couple things so far and hopefully we can get qualified respectable and then get back to work Saturday on race trim.”

Kenseth’s return has been a steep and immediate learning curve, back in the driver’s seat after an 11-week season-opening sabbatical. He was immediately challenged with two radically different refreshers in the 1.5-mile Kansas track and then the unique restrictor plate, special format of the All-Star race.

This week’s 600-miler should give him plenty of opportunity to find his groove and truly start to work on the greater task he’s accepted — helping the Roush team regain the prominence it had when Kenseth won a Cup championship.

“It’s still pretty new and there’s a lot of different things to try to work through, at least, what I’d like to work through and just trying to keep getting a better feel for it every week and kind of try to give my opinions, for what they’re worth,” Kenseth said. “What I feel like we could do different and better and what we’re doing good. It’s that type of thing.”

The No. 6 team has only four top-five finishes in the last four seasons and is eager to see if a change in the driver lineup can boost the competitive flair. Kenseth qualified 17th Thursday night. And he comes into the race ranked among the top five in all major statistical categories at Charlotte, from average finish (13.577 – fifth best) to driver rating (96.1 – fourth best).

In addition to his winning resume here (two wins and two pole positions), Kenseth also has victories at both of the next two tracks where he’s scheduled to compete — at Pocono (one win) and at Michigan (three wins).

“I’ve had a lot of time to train the last six months, so I’m not worried about the physical aspect of it,” Kenseth said. “I’m more worried about trying to keep up, get our cars a little faster so we can first of all stay on the lead lap, second of all, hopefully start moving forward and getting kind of in the mix and start to go get forward.”