Posted on by Holly Cain

FORT WORTH, Texas — An hour after helping his driver Kevin Harvick celebrate a dramatic and crucial win at Texas Motor Speedway, three-time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart happily showed up to speak to the media as proud team owner. He was energized and hopeful, offering a healthy dose of that playoff personality fans applauded and competitors learned to dread from his days behind the wheel.

This time Stewart’s postseason game face comes as a team owner, but he still delivered the playoff juju. Stewart promised 2014 Cup champ Harvick will be a “player” when he arrives at Miami in two weeks, officially the newest member of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Championship Four. It will be Harvick’s third championship opportunity in the last four years.

“What I saw tonight is something that I’m really encouraged about,” Stewart said. “It wasn’t just the fact of winning this race, but it’s just how it was won, how Kevin drove those last 20, 25 laps. I know Kevin and I can tell watching his driving style; there’s something that field and those other three guys who make it to Homestead in a couple weeks, they’ve got something to be worried about.

“I’ve seen this man when he gets locked in like this and he’s strong right now.”

RELATED: Full race results | Playoffs update

While there may have been a certain sense of competitive psychology behind Stewart’s remarks, there was no doubt he believed Harvick would be up for the championship opportunity.

The two have competitive personalities that are actually more alike than not. They are both straight-shooters, not too willing to suffer fools or foolhardy situations inside or outside their race cars.

They are extremely driven men who proudly made it into NASCAR’s big leagues the old-fashioned way. Strictly talent, not the blessing of family fortunes to launch and sustain their careers.

As with Stewart, Harvick arrived on NASCAR’s biggest stage because of his exceptional skill in a race car and, also like Stewart, he was able to seize any and all opportunities earned along the way.

To some extent all the hard-knocks and hard work explains a little of the intensity both drivers exhibit. When Stewart — a certain future NASCAR Hall of Famer — was still racing, he and Harvick would occasionally bang fenders and exchange bad words.

As teammates at the Stewart-Haas Racing organization now, that zeal and passion couldn’t be more appreciated. Stewart knows Harvick will give a million percent as driver and Harvick knows Stewart will give a million percent as owner.

MORE: Tony Stewart through the years

And in a year of massive technical change for the organization after switching from Chevrolet to Ford in 2017, the extra attention to detail and the intangibles Harvick displays — along with crew chief Rodney Childers — have obviously made a difference.

So in a postseason thus far dominated by Toyota, Harvick’s victory Sunday in a Ford was game-changing not just for fans, but also for this team and for the manufacturer.

The organization won the pole position with driver Kurt Busch on Friday night — setting the fastest 1.5-mile lap in stock car history at the Texas high banks, ironically bettering the three-year-old former record held by none other than Stewart himself.
And after scoring the second non-Toyota victory in the playoffs, this team is proud, enthused, reinvigorated and … ready.

“The hell with everybody else,’” crew chief Rodney Childers said, wearing the Texas winner’s black cowboy hat and offering a slight smile. “We need to worry about ourselves. If we give him (Harvick) ]the right tools on the race track, he’s going to win races with it.

“I’m just proud of having that backing whether it’s ‘Smoke’ or Zippy (SHR competion director Greg Zipadelli] or everybody at the shop. Everybody has worked their butts off the last two months to try to make things better and they have.”

Asked what, in particular, the team has discovered, Childers offered a big smile again and apologized to reporters saying he was not going to reveal his secrets.

“Don’t be sorry,” Stewart said, adding as the room erupted in laughter, “if you tell him, I’m going to kick your ass.”

It was vintage Stewart after a vintage Harvick performance and it all makes this year’s championship finale all the more compelling.

Posted on by Reid Spencer

RELATED: Race results | Stage recaps | Detailed breakdown

In an instant, Brad Keselowski was a lap down.

Moments after the start of Sunday’s AAA Texas 500, before the lead drivers had completed the first two corners, Kyle Busch’s Toyota washed up the track into Keselowski’s Ford and cut a tire on the Team Penske machine.

The resulting unscheduled pit stop left Keselowski a lap down, but he and the team kept their heads on straight. Keselowski got the lap back under the second caution as the highest-scored lapped car, and by the end of the second stage, he was 14th.

Throughout the rest of the race, Keselowski gained ground. On Lap 334, he took the checkered flag in fifth place to hold fourth in the series standings and build a 19-point edge over Denny Hamlin in fifth.

MORE: Full NASCAR Playoffs standings

This Sunday at Phoenix, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs will be cut from eight drivers to four, and Keselowski already has a leg up on the final available spot in the Championship 4 round.

“Something happened on Lap 1, and basically we started the race last and a lap-and-a-half down,” Keselowski said. “That cost us a bunch of stage points, but we rallied with a solid effort to get back to fifth. I’m happy for that.”

Happy, but not overly confident with the 19-point margin.

“We’ll take it,” Keselowski said. “I still want more. I hate to give up those stage points. Nineteen points isn’t terrible for a cushion.

“We’ll need to go and have a solid race at Phoenix next week and hope none of the other guys win. It’s doable, but it’s going to be a nail-biter next week for sure.”

PHOENIX: Buy tickets

Posted on by RJ Kraft

RELATED: Texas race results | Stages recap | At-track photos

FORT WORTH, Texas — With 11 laps to go, the AAA Texas 500 was shaping up to be a dual celebration for Martin Truex Jr.

The driver of the No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Toyota was leading at Texas Motor Speedway and nearing an automatic berth in the Championship 4 before a surging Kevin Harvick grabbed the lead with 10 laps to go.

While Truex Jr. didn’t get the victory, he did join Round of 8 race winners Harvick and Kyle Busch as drivers locked into the Championship 4 field for Homestead-Miami Speedway (Nov. 19, 2:30 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). The New Jersey native carries a 57-point advantage over the second highest driver without a win in this round in Brad Keselowski. To clinch, Truex had to leave Texas with at least a 56-point lead over that position.

“It’s a dream come true after last year’s disappointment, coming into this year with that as our focus and working so hard all year long,” Truex said. “Just the fight in this team, we never quit and we never give up.

“To win seven races, it’s been an amazing season. When you get two seconds in a row and you’re disappointed, it says something about your team and your confidence in them. Just can’t thank everyone enough for their support throughout the years. I’m really excited to go to Homestead and I think we’ll have something for them.”

Crew chief Cole Pearn echoed a similar sentiment and admitted it was a relief to be locked in.

“It’s huge; it’s a bittersweet way to do it, but it was a really good run for us and we did what we needed to do,” Pearn said. “We can for sure focus on Homestead now, which is a relief, and kind of just take next weekend off a bit. We can just go and get ready for Homestead.”

As strong as Truex has been all season long, scooping up stage points and playoff points left and right, he has taken it to another level this postseason. He has three wins this postseason and taking away Talladega, has an average finish of 2.28 in the other seven playoff races.

The runner-up result at Texas marked the first time in the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs that Truex has not won at an intermediate track. In retrospect, Truex said lapped traffic played a role in Harvick catching him for the lead.

“I don’t think we had gotten any worse than we had been a couple runs prior,” Truex said. “I think the 4 (Kevin Harvick) just got better. Once he got around the 11 (Denny Hamlin), he was coming fast. I knew if we got in traffic, I was going to be in trouble. I was so loose in traffic. I got behind those lapped cars, turning sideways and he jumped to my outside. He had a better car. He deserved to win, but I thought for sure we could have held them off if it wasn’t for the lapped cars.”

Being set for the Championship 4 with a race to go allows the 78 camp to focus its collective energy on the championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The team took part in a test there last month ahead of the season finale.

“It was really beneficial for us, but of course it was just a test,” Pearn said. “I know we’re in a lot better shape now than if we hadn’t gone and tested. Either way, we’ll do what we have to do and give it all we can there.”

Posted on by Reid Spencer

RELATED: Race results | Stage recaps | Detailed breakdown
SHOP: Harvick gear

FORT WORTH, Texas – Martin Truex Jr. isn’t invincible after all.

Kevin Harvick put a serious dent in Truex’s sense of invulnerability on Sunday afternoon, passing Truex with 10 laps left in the AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway and pulling away to win by 1.580 seconds.

In beating this year’s unrivaled master of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series’ 1.5-mile intermediate speedways, Harvick earned a spot in the Nov. 19 Championship 4 race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, where Harvick won the first title contested under an elimination format in 2014.

The driver of the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford won for the first time at Texas, denying Truex the same accomplishment and ending Truex’s streak of wins on intermediate tracks at four. The victory was Harvick’s second of the season and the 37th of his career.

“Damn, it’s good to be in Victory Lane here in Texas,” Harvick said. “I knew I had a really good car. I knew I had to do something different. I started driving a whole lot deeper in (Turn) 1 — a whole lot deeper.

“I started doing that earlier in the race, but I was afraid I didn’t have the brakes to continue to do that all day. So I waited until the end and was able to get on the outside of Martin (off Turn 2) and got him loose and brushed across the back of him and was able to get by on the outside down there.”

As consolation, Truex clinched a berth at Homestead on points, leaving Texas 57 points ahead of fifth-place finisher Brad Keselowski, who is fourth in the standings with a 19-point edge over fifth-place Denny Hamlin (third on Sunday).

“At the start of the race, our car wasn’t very good,” said Truex, who led a race-high 107 laps to bring his season total to 2,175. “Track position was a big part of this race. We fought the car. We fought track position. We got the lead, led some laps. Ultimately, at the end, we weren’t as good as we needed to be to win.

“A little disappointed to come up short, but to clinch a spot in Miami is unbelievable. Definitely got the job done today and came here and did what we needed to do.”

MORE: Truex locks into Homestead field

With Kyle Busch having earned his spot in the championship race by winning last Sunday at Martinsville, one berth remains as the series heads for the final race in the Round of 8 next Sunday at Phoenix.

After Kyle Larson clobbered the outside wall in Turn 2 on Lap 282 and ended his race in a fireball against the fence to cause the eighth and final caution of the event, Truex cleared then-race leader Hamlin off Turn 2 during a Lap 289 restart and pulled out to a half-second lead.

Harvick grabbed fourth from Kasey Kahne after the restart, passed Joey Logano for third on Lap 300 and got past Hamlin for second on Lap 307. Then it was a matter of tracking down Truex.

On Lap 314 Harvick closed dramatically when Truex slowed behind a knot of lapped cars entering Turn 1. Hounding Truex for the next 10 circuits, Harvick finally made the pass on Lap 325 of 334.

“He got to my outside and was just faster at the end,” Truex said. “Once he got in front of us, he was just gone. Nothing I could do. Just one of those deals where he was quicker. Got me in a bad spot, took advantage, and he was gone.”

Veteran Matt Kenseth ran fourth, after saying this weekend he likely will step away from the sport at the end of the season, with no concrete job lined up for next year. Playoff driver Ryan Blaney ran sixth and heads to Phoenix sixth in the standings, three points behind Hamlin.

Hendrick Motorsports drivers Chase Elliott and Jimmie Johnson are mired in seventh and eighth places, respectively, almost certainly needing a victory at Phoenix to advance to the Championship 4. Elliott came home eighth at Texas. Johnson lost two laps early because of an unscheduled pit stop and finished 27th, three laps down, his hopes for a record eighth title suffering a telling blow.

RELATED: Johnson’s uncharacteristic Texas

Trouble began early for some of the eight playoff drivers. Kyle Busch and Keselowski made contact on the first lap, forcing unscheduled pit stops for each. Both rallied to return to the lead lap, with Keselowski salvaging the top-five finish. Busch stopped again with a flat tire on Lap 275, and he took 19th place in the final rundown.

Contributing: Staff reports

Posted on by Staff Report

After the eighth Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs race, and the second in the Round of 8, here’s a brief look at the playoff picture. There is one race remaining in the Round of 8 before the field is whittled to four, with four drivers eliminated from the postseason following Phoenix on Nov. 12.

RELATED: Current standings | Texas results

Winner

Kevin Harvick won on Nov. 5 at Texas Motor Speedway, clinching a spot in the Championship 4 at Homestead-Miami.

Who’s hot

Martin Truex Jr. He missed out on winning his fifth consecutive race on a 1.5-mile track, but Truex Jr. led the most laps with 107 and reinforced his billing as the championship favorite.

Brad Keselowski. Speed at intermediate tracks was in question for the Team Penske camp, which makes Brad Keselowski’s fifth-place run so important. He’s above the cutoff line with one race remaining in the Round of 8.

Who’s not

Jimmie Johnson. Johnson sank from his ninth-place starting position immediately, and pitted off-cycle in Stage 1 due to a vibration. That put him two laps down, and he finished 27th. He is in win-or-bust mode heading into Phoenix, with a shot at winning his eighth Monster Energy Series championship at stake.

Chase Elliott. Elliott paid for starting 34th, missing out on collecting a bounty of stage points like his competitors. Finishing eighth place in the race was sixth-best out of eight playoff drivers at Texas, digging a deeper hole with just one race remaining until the Championship 4 is set.

* = Denotes driver has clinched spot in Championship 4.

BUBBLE WATCH

Rank Driver Points to cutoff
1. Martin Truex Jr.* +76
2. Kyle Busch* WINNER
3. Kevin Harvick* WINNER
4. Brad Keselowski +19
————— CUT-OFF LINE —————
5. Denny Hamlin -19
6. Ryan Blaney -22
7. Chase Elliott -49
8. Jimmie Johnson -51

Next race

The Monster Energy Series travels to Phoenix Raceway for a Sunday afternoon race on Nov. 12 (2 p.m. ET, NBCSN/NBC Sports App, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Who it favors

Wins at Phoenix: Kevin Harvick (8), Jimmie Johnson (4)
Average Finish at Phoenix: Jimmie Johnson (9.0), Chase Elliott (9.7), Kevin Harvick (9.9)
Driver Rating at Phoenix: Jimmie Johnson (111.0), Kevin Harvick (110.3), Chase Elliott (107.9)

Who it hurts

Fewest Top-10s in past 10 starts at Phoenix: Ryan Blaney (2), Chase Elliott (2)
Worst Average Finish at Phoenix: Martin Truex Jr. (17.6), Brad Keselowski (14.0)
Worst Driver Rating at Phoenix: Ryan Blaney (83.0), Martin Truex Jr. (84.4)

Posted on by Holly Cain

RELATED: Race results | At-track photos

FORT WORTH, Texas — On the positive side, Jimmie Johnson’s championship hopes are singular and crystal clear. He needs to win at Phoenix Raceway next weekend to earn a chance to defend his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series title at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Nov. 19.

That scenario, however, is a result of a frustrating 27th-place finish – three laps down to race winner Kevin Harvick — in Sunday’s AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway.

The Texas result coupled with a 12th-place finish at Martinsville last week puts Johnson 51 points out of the fourth-place playoff cutoff position currently occupied by Brad Keselowski with one race left to set the playoff field. With 60 total points available on a race weekend, Johnson will need a BIG race day.

“I’m scratching my head, probably more than anyone else is,” Johnson said, standing by his No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet on Texas pit road following Sunday’s race.

Clearly, Johnson’s seven-time and reigning championship team is on unfamiliar ground. He hasn’t “had” to win at Phoenix in the three years since NASCAR’s elimination-style playoff system was introduced. They are usually set with a trophy hoist well before the season’s penultimate race in Phoenix.

But this year’s playoff slate has presented uncharacteristic problems.

“We’ve got to figure something out. Kansas (two weeks ago) was a lot like this,” Johnson said. “Today it was just extremely difficult to drive the car and carry entry speed. And then we had a loose wheel, and then contact on a restart. We started off in a hole and just kept digging a deeper one as we went.

“I’m definitely disappointed. And, I honestly just feel bad for my team. These guys are working so hard. And to work this hard and not see any speed go back in the car and have bad results as the last three weeks have been is pretty disappointing. I’m licking my wounds.”

Johnson qualified for NASCAR’s 2017 Playoffs by virtue of three wins – at Texas, Bristol and Dover — all before summer. He has had only one top-five in the 21 races since that Dover victory – very uncharacteristic for the team that won four, five and six races a year – and two championships — in the previous five seasons.

Johnson had reason to believe Texas might have cured any recent struggles. He is the all-time winner at the track with seven victories – including one this April. But he leaves the Lone Star State this weekend knowing he must earn a shot at a historic eighth Cup title on a last chance, Sunday afternoon at Phoenix.

“It’s been a good track for us,” Johnson said. “But this last half of the year has been really weird. In places where we expect to run well and traditionally do, we haven’t. But I know we’re building a better race car and taking a few new ideas to Phoenix and we’ll go there and fight as hard as we can.

“And that’s one thing this team will never do — give up.”

Posted on by Staff Report

What channel is NASCAR programming on this week? We answer that and provide all the weekly NASCAR television listings here in the NASCAR TV schedule.

All Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and XFINITY Series events are also live streamed online on the NBC Sports App, which can be accessed here. Events that are only available on NBC Sports App are noted below.

Note: All times are ET.

RELATED: Watch on the NBC Sports App |  How to find FS1, FS2 | How to find NBCSN

Monday, Nov. 6
12 a.m., NASCAR Victory Lane: Texas, FS1
2:30 p.m., NASCAR 120: Texas, NBCSN
5 p.m., NASCAR America, NBCSN
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1

Tuesday, Nov. 7
5 p.m., NASCAR America, NBCSN
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1

Wednesday, Nov. 8
2:30 a.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1
5 p.m., NASCAR America, NBCSN
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1

Thursday, Nov. 9
5 p.m., NASCAR America, NBCSN
6 p.m., NASCAR Scan All 43, NBCSN
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1
6:30 p.m., NASCAR Scan All 43, NBCSN

Friday, Nov. 10
2:30 a.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1
11 a.m., Camping World Truck Series final practice, FS2
1 p.m., Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice, NBCSN (Canada: TSN2)
2:30 p.m., XFINITY Series practice, NBCSN (Canada: TSN GO)
3:30 p.m., NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race, NBCSN
4:30 p.m., NASCAR XFINITY Series final practice, NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN GO)
5:30 p.m., Camping World Truck Series Keystone Light Pole Qualifying, FS1
6:30 p.m., Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying, NBCSN (Canada: TSN2)
8 p.m., NCWTS Setup: Phoenix, FS1
8:30 p.m., Camping World Truck Series Lucas Oil 150, FS1

Saturday, Nov. 11
11:30 a.m., Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice, NBCSN (Canada: TSN GO)
12:30 p.m., NASCAR XFINITY Series Coors Light 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: TSN GO)
3 p.m., NASCAR XFINITY Series Countdown to Green: Phoenix, NBCSN (Canada: TSN GO)
3:30 p.m., NASCAR XFINITY Series Ticket Galaxy 200, NBC (Canada: TSN 1, 4)

Sunday, Nov. 12
12 p.m., NASCAR RaceDay: Phoenix, FS1
11:30 p.m., NASCAR Victory Lane, FS1
2:30, Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Can-Am 500, NBC (Canada: TSN 2)
6 p.m., Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Post Race, NBCSN
6:30 p.m., NASCAR Victory Lap, NBCSN

Posted on by Staff Report

RELATED: Buy tickets for Phoenix

All three NASCAR national series are in action this weekend as the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series determine their Championship 4 at Phoenix Raceway.

Monster Energy Series and XFINITY Series on-track events are also live streamed online on the NBC Sports App, which can be accessed here. Check out the full on-track weekend schedule below.

Note: All times are ET

SUNDAY, NOV. 12
RACE-DAY SCHEDULE
1:50 p.m.: Driver Introductions
2:22 p.m.: Presentation of Colors by Luke Air Force Base
2:22 p.m.: Invocation by Phoenix Raceway Chaplain Ken Bowers
2:23 p.m.: National Anthem by Dr. Jesse McGuire
2:29 p.m.: “Drivers, Start Your Engines” by actor Jamie Camil, star of CW’s “Jane the Virgin” and upcoming Disney/Pixar film “Coco”
2:37 p.m.: Green flag for Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Can-Am 500, NBC (312 laps, 312 miles) (Results)

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

FRIDAY, NOV. 10
11 a.m.-12:50 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series final practice, FS2 (Results)
1-2:25 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice, NBCSN (Results)
2:30-3:25 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series practice, NBCSN (Results)
4:30-5:25 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series final practice, NBC Sports App (Results)
5:30 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series Keystone Light Pole Qualifying, FS1 (Results)
6:45 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying, NBCSN (Results)
8:30 p.m.: Camping World Truck Series Lucas Oil 150 (150 laps, 150 miles), FS1 (Results)

PRESS PASS (Watch Live)
11:45 a.m.: Jimmie Johnson
noon: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
12:30 p.m.: Alex Bowman
12:45 p.m.: Cole Custer, Daniel Hemric and Matt Tifft
2:50 p.m.: Denny Hamlin
3:05 p.m.: Chase Elliott
7:45 p.m.: Post-Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series qualifying and Ryan Blaney
10:15 p.m. (Approx.): Post-Camping World Truck Series race

GARAGECAM (Watch Live)
12:30 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
4 p.m: XFINITY Series

SATURDAY, NOV. 11
11:30-12:25 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice NBCSN (Results)
12:35 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying, NBCSN (Results)
2-2:50 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series final practice, NBCSN (Results)
3:30 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series Ticket Galaxy 200, NBC (200 laps, 200 miles) (Results)

PRESS PASS (Watch Live)
5:30 p.m.: Post-XFINITY Series race

 

Posted on by Staff Report

RELATED: Stage 1 results | Stage 2 results | 2017 Stage points total

Kyle Larson regained his lead late after a cycle of green flag pit stops to win Stage 2 of Sunday’s AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway Speedway.

It was the Chip Ganassi Racing driver’s fifth stage win of the season. Larson has led a race-high 69 laps through the first two stages.

Larson was trailed by Stage 1 winner and fellow NASCAR Playoffs driver Kevin Harvick in second, followed by another four playoff drivers in Ryan Blaney, Martin Truex Jr., Chase Elliott and Denny Hamlin, to round out the top six.

Brad Keselowski was the next-highest playoff driver in the running order, in 14th, followed by Kyle Busch in 26th.

Jimmie Johnson was the lowest-finishing playoff driver in the stage, finishing 31st — three laps off the pace.

Finish Driver Team Race points
1.  Kyle Larson  Chip Ganassi Racing 10
2.  Kevin Harvick  Stewart-Haas Racing 9
3.  Ryan Blaney  Wood Brothers Racing 8
4.  Martin Truex Jr.  Furniture Row Racing 7
5.  Chase Elliott  Hendrick Motorsports 6
6.  Denny Hamlin  Joe Gibbs Racing 5
7.  Kurt Busch Stewart-Haas Racing 4
8.  Matt Kenseth  Joe Gibbs Racing 3
9.  Erik Jones  Furniture Row Racing 2
10.  Austin Dillon  Richard Childress Racing 1

STAGE 1

Kevin Harvick led a group of NASCAR Playoffs drivers who finished among the top 10 when Stage 1 concluded on Lap 85 of the AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday.

Harvick, who recorded his sixth stage win of the season, took control of the lead from Kyle Larson on Lap 70 to pace the final 15 laps of the stage.

Four of the eight Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoff drivers in the Round of 8 finished among the top 10. Martin Truex Jr. finished second in the No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Toyota, followed by Denny Hamlin in the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. Ryan Blaney’s No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford was the other remaining playoff driver in the top 10, in eighth.

On the opening lap, contact between Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski sent both playoff drivers to the pits. Neither recovered fully, with Busch pulling in 30th and Keselowski 26th at the end of the stage.

Hendrick Motorsports teammates Chase Elliott (11th) and Jimmie Johnson (28th) were the other playoff drivers to finish outside the top 10 in the stage.

Finish Driver Team Race points
1.  Kevin Harvick  Stewart-Haas Racing 10
2.  Martin Truex Jr.  Furniture Row Racing 9
3.  Denny Hamlin  Joe Gibbs Racing 8
4.  Kyle Larson  Chip Ganassi Racing 7
5.  Kurt Busch  Stewart-Haas Racing 6
6.  Erik Jones  Furniture Row Racing 5
7.  Matt Kenseth  Joe Gibbs Racing 4
8.  Ryan Blaney  Wood Brothers Racing 3
9.  Austin Dillon  Richard Childress Racing 2
10.  Daniel Suarez  Joe Gibbs Racing 1

 

Posted on by Official NASCAR Release

Daytona, Beach, Fla. — Four students were recognized for their accomplishment in technology and innovation as NASCAR and Chevrolet announced the winners of the third annual NASCAR Chevrolet Diversity Scholarship Contest Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway.

Four undergraduate students from across the country were awarded a total of $20,000 in scholarships and treated to a VIP experience at Sunday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race, the AAA Texas 500. The winners were recognized in a press conference prior to the race.

The contest challenged students to identify a technology or innovation within NASCAR, then explain how Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (STEM) professionals came to its design in 90-second videos. Video submissions were judged on technical accuracy, creativity and production quality.

Cindy Yen, a sophomore at the University of Southern California, from Santa Monica, California, earned first place and a $10,000 scholarship.

University of Notre Dame freshman Weston Dell, from Frankfort, Illinois, won $5,000. University of Houston student Nima Desai from Houston, Texas, and Broward College freshman Nicole Forero, from Coral Springs, Florida, were awarded third and fourth place, respectively, earning $2,500 scholarships each.

“NASCAR is proud to work with Chevrolet and continue our longstanding commitment to STEM education by recognizing these tremendous students,” said Jim Cassidy, NASCAR senior vice president of racing operations. “These four students were recognized from an outstanding pool of candidates, and it’s a testament to the continued engagement of students in the pursuit of science and technology careers in our sport.”

“It’s an exciting time in the STEM field with the advancement of technology,” said Ken Barrett, chief diversity officer for General Motors. “At GM, we celebrate unique perspectives propelled by diversity and champion innovative ideas; Ideas that change the automotive industry and the world.”

Before taking in the AAA Texas 500, the students had the chance to meet with 2017 NASCAR playoff drivers Jamie McMurray of Chip Ganassi Racing and Ryan Newman with Richard Childress Racing. Newman graduated from Purdue University with an engineering degree. The VIP experience also included pace car rides, garage and pit road tour, and a meet-and-greet with Chevrolet’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Program Manager Alba Colon.