Posted on by Staff Report

All three NASCAR national series are in action this weekend, but at two different venues. The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series trims its playoff field to 12 at Dover, and the first round for the NASCAR XFINITY Series continues at the ‘Monster Mile.’ The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series also runs its second NASCAR Playoff race at Las Vegas.

Monster Energy Series and XFINITY Series 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, OCTOBER 1
PRE-RACE SCHEDULE
12:00:00 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Driver/Crew Chief Meeting (K&N Garage Tent)
1:30:00 p.m.: Driver Introductions
1:55:30 p.m.: United States Air Force Heritage Brass performs God Bless America
2:00:00 p.m.: Presentation of Colors: Dover Air Force Base Color Guard
2:00:20 p.m.: Invocation: Dan Schafer
2:01:00 p.m.: National Anthem: USO Show Troupe
2:07:30 p.m.: “Drivers Start Your Engines” by: Wyclef Jean, Three-time Grammy-Award winning musician
2:15:00 p.m.: Green Flag Apache Warrior 400 – (400 Laps/400 Miles)

ON TRACK: DOVER
2 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Apache Warrior 400 (400 laps, 400 miles), NBCSN, Canada: TSN 1, 3, 4, 5 (Results)

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

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 29
ON TRACK: DOVER
10-11:25 a.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice, NBCSN, Canada: TSN2 (Results)
12-12:55 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series practice, NBCSN, Canada: TSN GO (Results)
2:30-3:25 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series final practice, NBCSN, Canada: TSN GO (Results)
3:40 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying, NBCSN, Canada: TSN2 (Results)

GARAGECAM (Watch Live)
11:30: NASCAR XFINITY Series

PRESS PASS (Watch Live)
8:45 a.m.: Jamie McMurray
9 a.m.: Austin Dillon, Ryan Newman, Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
9:15 a.m.: Danica Patrick
9:30 a.m.: Tyler Reddick, Brennan Poole
1:30 p.m.: JD Motorsports announcement
2:55 p.m.: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
4:30 p.m. (approx.): Post-Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series qualifying

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30
ON TRACK: DOVER
10:30-11:25 a.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice, CNBC, Canada: TSNGO (Results)
11:35 a.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying, CNBC, Canada: TSNGO (Results)
1-1:55 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series final practice, CNBC, Canada: TSN5 (Results)
2:45 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series Use Your Melon. Driver Sober 200 (200 laps, 200 miles), NBCSN, Canada: TSN 1, 4, 5 (Results)

GARAGECAM (Watch Live)
 10 a.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series

PRESS PASS (Watch Live)
4:45 p.m. (approx.): Post-XFINITY Series race

ON TRACK: LAS VEGAS
11:30 a.m.-12:25 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series practice (Results)
1-1:55 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series final practice (Results)
6:10 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Keystone Light Qualifying, FS2 (Results)
8 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Las Vegas 350 (146 laps, 219 miles), FS1 (Results)

Posted on by Reid Spencer

RELATED: In-car view of wreck

LOUDON, N.H. – With less than a lap left in the second stage of Sunday’s ISM Connect 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Kurt Busch was struggling with the handling of his No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford, trying to survive the stage and bring his car to pit road for adjustments.

But as Busch rounded Turn 2 at the 1.058-mile track, all he could see was a thick cloud of smoke, reminiscent of the accident scenes in the film “Days of Thunder.”

Ahead of Busch in the running order, in a fight for the 14th position, Austin Dillon’s Chevrolet tapped the No. 4 Ford of 2014 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick. Harvick slid sideways, his tires screaming and billowing smoke.

Driving blind, Busch plowed into his Stewart-Haas Racing teammate, with Jeffrey Earnhardt following into the melee. The nose of Busch’s Ford crumpled as it slammed into the side of Harvick’s Fusion, just behind the right front wheel well. The impact locked the cars together.

Harvick tried to drive away but burned out his reverse gear trying to separate his car from that of his teammate.

PHOTOS: Wreck shots, more

“Yeah, we couldn’t get them unlocked from each other, for whatever reason,” Harvick said after his car was towed to the garage. “The cars were locked together, so our Mobil 1 Ford was stuck, and we couldn’t get her to back up anymore. I ripped reverse out of it trying to get it to go backwards and it was just stuck together.”

Harvick finished 36th and collected two points for the race. Busch was credited with 37th and got one point for his efforts. Harvick, at least, had a cushion coming to New Hampshire. Busch was already on the bubble where advancement to the Round of 12 is concerned.

Consequently, for practical purposes Busch goes to next Sunday’s Round of 16 finale at Dover International Speedway 15th in the standings and in a must-win position, unless a handful of drivers ahead of him have serious issues.

“I don’t know what to say,” a stunned Busch said after a visit to the infield care center. “It’s tough when you’re running where we were. We were just trying to limp it to the end of Stage 2 and I heard, ‘Car spinning off of (Turn) 2’ in my ear. I saw smoke up ahead. A lot of times (the wrecked cars will) come back up (the track), and I tried to leave the high side or the low side and then, boom, as soon as the smoke cleared I’m looking at Harvick’s door, my teammate. 

“We’re both running for the Playoffs, and it’s a shame that the handling is off and we’re both running where we were, but we were still going to fight all the way to the end, and now we don’t have a chance. I cannot understand the bad luck that we’re having.”

MORE: Busch devastated after incident

Martin Truex Jr., who was leading and looked poised for his second stage win of the day, spun trying to avoid the wreck, receiving significant left-rear damage on his No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Toyota. He rallied back to finish fifth.

Kyle Busch and Matt Kenseth were able to narrowly avoid the crash, as Busch went on to win Stage 2 and ultimately the race. Kenseth finished third.

A total of eight cars were involved in the incident, including Truex, Harvick, Dillon, Harvick, Kurt Busch, Denny Hamlin, Danica Patrick, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeffrey Earnhardt.

 

Posted on by Staff Report

RELATED: Stage 2 results | Playoffs standings 

Martin Truex Jr.looked to be on his way to his 20th stage win of the season when a wreck on Lap 149 of Sunday’s ISM Connect 300 involving Kurt Busch, Austin Dillon, Kevin Harvick, Jeffrey Earnhardt, Danica Patrick and Denny Hamlin caught up the leader’s car, which then became entangled with Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s No. 88 Chevrolet.

The dominant No. 78 Furniture Row Toyota led 109 of the first 150 laps of the race, all but one of Stage 2. But Kyle Busch’s No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota also has been fast all day and took the lead after missing the wreck “by an inch,” the driver reported. Busch won Stage 2 at New Hampshire, his 13th stage victory of the season.

Truex was scored finishing Stage 2 in sixth place. The No. 78 team was able to repair the damage and return for the final stage of the race.

Finish Driver Team Race points
1.  Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing 10
2.  Matt Kenseth Joe Gibbs Racing 9
3. Brad Keselowski Team Penske 8
4.  Erik Jones Furniture Row Racing 7
5.  Kyle Larson Chip Ganassi Racing 6
6.  Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row Racing 5
7.  Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports 4
8.  Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing 3
9.  Ryan Blaney Wood Brothers Racing 2
10.  Jamie McMurray Chip Ganassi Racing 1


Martin Truex Jr. wins 19th stage of the season at New Hampshire

MORE: Stage 1 results

Martin Truex Jr. worked his way around pole-sitter Kyle Busch just past the midway point of Stage 1 and led the rest of the way for the Stage 1 win in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series ISM Connect 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Truex, the Regular Season Champion and winner of 19 stages this season, earned another playoff point for the stage win. Busch led the first 39 laps in the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, but the No. 78 Toyota earned the valuable playoff point after leading the final 36 laps of the stage.

Truex Jr. entered the NASCAR Playoffs as the No. 1 seed and guaranteed he will advance to the Round of 12 with a win in the postseason opener at Chicago.

Kyle Larson, who entered the New Hampshire race second in the playoffs standings, finished Stage 1 in second place, as well. Busch came home third in Stage 1.

Finish Driver Team Race points
1.  Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row Racing 10
2.  Kyle Larson Chip Ganassi Racing 9
3.  Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing 8
4.  Erik Jones Furniture Row Racing 7
5.  Ryan Blaney Wood Brothers Racing 6
6.  Matt Kenseth Joe Gibbs Racing 5
7.  Brad Keselowski Team Penske 4
8.  Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports 3
9.  Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing 2
10.  Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing 1
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RELATED: Race results | Updated standings

Less than 20 laps into Saturday’s VisitMyrtleBeach.com 300 at Kentucky Speedway, Justin Allgaier didn’t look primed for a solid XFINITY Series NASCAR Playoffs opener.

A flat right-front tire sent him down pit road minutes into the race, leaving him to battle back from the 39th position.

And battle back he did; the No. 7 JR Motorsports driver powered his way through the field, eventually crossing the start-finish line under the lights third when the checkered flag waved and moving into first place in the standings, where he is tied with Cole Custer.

“I won’t lie to you — it was a rough go there at the beginning of the race.,” Allgaier told NBCSN. “But these guys on the BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevy did a great job all night. Kept me calm — I was about the color of the race car for a little bit.

“But we had a lot of speed in our Camaro tonight and just fought track position and trying to make our way back through the field. But the guys on pit road did a great job and we brought a fast race car.”

WATCH: Early troubles for Allgaier at Kentucky

The comeback wasn’t the only impressive feat of the evening among the playoff contenders; on sheer finishing order, Brennan Poole was the winner of the 12-car playoff race, finishing second in his No. 48 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet. This marked Poole’s best career finish in the XFINITY Series — and only top-three result of the season.

The improvements are coming at just the right time for the 26-year-old.

“We’ve been working really hard and the past couple months have been great,” Poole told NBCSN. “So, I think it makes a strong statement for us moving forward in these playoffs and I’m excited to go next week — I’m ready to go.”

RELATED: Poole kicks off playoffs with career-best finish

Custer also made a strong statement in the opening race of the 2017 XFINITY Playoffs, winning both stages and thus earning two playoff points. The rookie finished fifth in his No. 00 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford.

Custer is tied atop the playoff standings with Allgaier, who feels confident moving forward in the playoffs after tonight’s comeback.

RELATED: Updated XFINITY Playoff standings

“We may not have won the playoffs tonight, but we definitely rallied and put ourselves in contention for when these next few races come to an end,” Allgaier said. “So, hopefully we’ll just keep digging and keep having the speed and we’ll have a great shot at making it all the way to Homestead.”

Posted on by Chris Knight

RELATED: Full race results | Playoff picture | Every ’17 winner | Detailed breakdown

SPARTA, Ky. — Running a partial NASCAR XFINITY Series schedule this season, Tyler Reddick spoiled the party for the opening round of the playoffs by earning his first career win in Saturday night’s VisitMyrtleBeach.com 300 at Kentucky Speedway.

The Chip Ganassi Racing driver took control of the lead 74 laps from the finish and never looked back. He finished 14.540 seconds ahead of teammate Brennan Poole.

“I don’t know if it was necessarily me making a statement, it was just Chip Ganassi Racing making a statement,” said Reddick, who earned the triumph in his 15th XFINITY Series start. “Me and Brennan (Poole) were really fast all night.

“We had a really fast car last weekend, our mile-and-a-half program has been unreal. Mike Shiplett (crew chief) brought me from ground zero all the way to here. All the guys at Ganassi have gone above and beyond in helping me become a better driver.”

Reddick, who hadn’t led a lap in his previous 14 races this season but led a race-high 66 laps Saturday night, added, “To be here today is surreal. We had such a really fast car the last time we were here, to be able to bring it to Victory Lane, I knew the car was capable.”

Poole earned a career-best finish behind Reddick, giving Chip Ganassi Racing a 1-2 finish. Poole was also the highest-finishing XFINITY Series Playoffs driver in the Round of 12.

WATCH: Reddick celebrates a CGR 1-2 finish

“I just think it was a strong statement tonight,” said Poole, who earned his second top-five of 2017. “I’m proud of our Ganassi team coming up one-two. This is really a track that we have struggled at in the past. To come out and be strong in the first race of the playoffs is pretty awesome.

“I want to thank everyone who has put effort into this thing. It’s really showed off the past couple of months. We’ve been really consistent and been right there. A win’s coming for us.”

Playoff driver Justin Allgaier rebounded from a flat tire inside the event’s opening 25 laps and utilized a gutsy wave around call and the beneficiary of a Lap 75 free pass to bolt from 39th to finish third, his eighth top five of 2017.

“My team at JR Motorsports obviously does a great job,” said Allgaier, who is tied for the XFINITY Series points lead with Cole Custer. “We talked about not beating ourselves in the first playoff race. It was unfortunate there getting a flat tire. It wasn’t in our control. We did what we had to do and persevered through it and we did a great job on pit calls and pit stops.

“I thought we had a car that maybe could win the race. After the race, I told my team we might not have won the playoffs tonight, but we definitely salvaged what we needed to tonight to move ourselves forward.”

WATCH: Allgaier on his comeback at Kentucky

NASCAR Next alumnus Kyle Benjamin in his fifth start of the season led the field to green after earning his second career pole, until Stewart-Haas Racing’s Custer muscled his way to the lead on Lap 42 and clinched his first career stage win.

With a two-tire strategy, Benjamin returned to the point to start Stage 2, but Custer soared back to the lead by the exit of Turn 2 on Lap 52 and dominated the stage to earn another playoff point toward his total.

Defending race winner Elliott Sadler elected to stay out at the end of Stage 2 and led the field back to green for the start of Stage 3 until Iowa XFINITY winner Ryan Preece, on a similar strategy, throttled to the lead on Lap 105 passing Sadler off Turn 2. 

Reddick, with fresher tires, reeled in Preece for control of the race and made the pass on Lap 126. He checked out from the field until he pitted with 49 laps to go for his final pit stop of the night.

Reddick cycled back into the lead 10 laps later, pulling away from the competition and ultimately setting the tone for the finish.

Note: The No. 2 Richard Childress Racing car piloted by Ben Kennedy failed rear-height inspection after a 11th-place finish. Any potential penalties would be announced next week.

Posted on by Staff Report

RELATED: Final practice results

Pos Car Driver From Lap To Lap Avg Speed
1 21 Ryan Blaney (P) 2 11 130.937
2 4 Kevin Harvick (P) 2 11 130.867
3 78 Martin Truex Jr. (P) 1 10 130.811
4 18 Kyle Busch (P) 2 11 130.731
5 41 Kurt Busch (P) 2 11 130.492
6 42 Kyle Larson (P) 2 11 130.474
7 19 Daniel Suarez # 1 10 130.440
8 48 Jimmie Johnson (P) 2 11 130.348
9 2 Brad Keselowski (P) 2 11 130.281
10 24 Chase Elliott (P) 2 11 130.228
11 20 Matt Kenseth (P) 1 10 130.199
12 77 Erik Jones # 1 10 130.152
13 14 Clint Bowyer 26 35 130.148
14 11 Denny Hamlin (P) 37 46 130.140
15 5 Kasey Kahne (P) 17 26 130.139
16 10 Danica Patrick 3 12 129.832
17 1 Jamie McMurray (P) 2 11 129.296
18 47 AJ Allmendinger 2 11 129.249
19 3 Austin Dillon (P) 27 36 129.248
20 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 36 45 129.134
21 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (P) 29 38 129.106
22 37 Chris Buescher 2 11 129.093
23 13 Ty Dillon # 1 10 129.057
24 31 Ryan Newman (P) 22 31 128.823
25 32 Matt DiBenedetto 3 12 128.551
26 43 Aric Almirola 2 11 128.524
27 27 Paul Menard 23 32 128.474
28 38 David Ragan 2 11 128.167
29 95 Michael McDowell 4 13 128.046
30 34 Landon Cassill 28 37 128.026
31 15 Reed Sorenson 1 10 127.561
32 83 * Brett Moffitt(i) 1 10 127.023
33 55 * Gray Gaulding # 1 10 124.992

RELATED: Practice 2 results

Pos Car Driver From Lap To Lap Avg Speed
1 78 Martin Truex Jr. (P) 21 30 131.396
2 48 Jimmie Johnson (P) 4 13 131.173
3 21 Ryan Blaney (P) 1 10 131.064
4 18 Kyle Busch (P) 1 10 130.995
5 1 Jamie McMurray (P) 17 26 130.907
6 4 Kevin Harvick (P) 3 12 130.829
7 22 Joey Logano 29 38 130.807
8 19 Daniel Suarez # 21 30 130.767
9 20 Matt Kenseth (P) 15 24 130.669
10 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 2 11 130.441
11 24 Chase Elliott (P) 28 37 130.330
12 41 Kurt Busch (P) 3 12 130.203
13 14 Clint Bowyer 1 10 129.888
14 6 Trevor Bayne 2 11 129.601
15 31 Ryan Newman (P) 24 33 129.421
16 3 Austin Dillon (P) 30 39 129.300
17 38 David Ragan 3 12 129.230
18 10 Danica Patrick 1 10 129.107
19 43 Aric Almirola 1 10 128.409
20 32 Matt DiBenedetto 2 11 128.321
21 55 * Gray Gaulding # 5 14 126.036
22 51 * Cody Ware 2 11 122.049

RELATED: Practice 1 results

Pos Car Driver From Lap To Lap Avg Speed
1 24 Chase Elliott (P) 2 11 130.558
2 21 Ryan Blaney (P) 1 10 130.176
3 77 Erik Jones # 3 12 129.299
4 34 Landon Cassill 2 11 128.512
5 95 Michael McDowell 1 10 127.683
6 10 Danica Patrick 2 11 127.504

* Car must run 10 consecutive laps on the track to be included in the above chart.
# Driver is a rookie in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.
(P) Driver is a NASCAR Playoffs participant.

Posted on by Pat DeCola

RELATED: Race results | Playoff standings

LOUDON, N.H. — John Hunter Nemechek, safely inside the Camping World Truck Series cutoff line, was all set for a relaxing, autumnal Saturday afternoon in the New Hampshire countryside.

Entering the UNOH 175 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Nemechek sat a comfortable third in NASCAR Playoffs standings, with a promising past at the “Magic Mile.” The 20-year-old had earned three straight top-10 finishes at Loudon, with a pair of top fives mixed in.

Midway through Saturday’s first stage, things went haywire.

Nemechek started to notice things weren’t quite right on his No. 8 Chevrolet, came down pit road for a set of tires and proceeded back out. But things didn’t improved. The driver then was forced to pull off and head to the garage by Lap 46, where he learned his entry had a broken rear gear and he’d need to sit patiently as the team fixed the issue and his fellow postseason contenders ticked off lap after lap.

“Just a mechanical failure; didn’t give any warning until about 10 laps beforehand and then it finally broke,” he told NASCAR.com on pit road following the race. “I knew something was going wrong. I didn’t know if it was a tire; it felt like the fabric had come off the tire and was hitting the crush panel. So, came down pit road and it finally broke about 10 laps after that, with about 10 laps to go in that first stage.

“Definitely stinks, but we’re going to keep fighting hard. We’re not giving up yet. Our team is dedicated. We have a bullet sitting at the shop for next week at Vegas.”

After returning to the track in 23rd, Nemechek was able to muster a few extra points with an eventual 20th-place finish, but the damage was done.

Nemechek will leave the “Granite State” eighth out of eight drivers in the playoffs field, 69 points behind first-place driver and Saturday’s race winner, Christopher Bell.

Just seven points behind Kaz Grala for the Round of 6 cutoff, however, Nemechek knows the task at hand when the series shifts to Las Vegas Motor Speedway in a week.

“In the first round, the biggest thing is you can race your way out of it,” he said. “Hopefully next week we can have a good run, get a win and if not a win at least a top three to just make a really good points day out of it and go to Talladega. Overall, we’re going to stay calm, cool and collected. We’re going to keep smiling, keep joking and whatever happens, happens. Everything happens for a reason.”

Nemechek struggled with an ill-equipped truck in last year’s running of the Vegas race, but had a sterling, fourth-place effort in 2015.

He’ll need to match that — and then some, possibly.

From the sound of it, he expects to have the right truck to get the job done.

“Last year, we didn’t take our best piece there and we should have,” Nemechek said. “We just made a few mistakes there last year, but this year is a totally different year. We didn’t run our best piece at Chicago last week even though I felt like we had a really good truck. It was sitting in the shop waiting to go for Vegas.

“I was hoping to win today so we didn’t have to use it, but we’ll use it next week to do our best and go get the win.”

Posted on by Reid Spencer

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

LOUDON, N.H. – In Christopher Bell’s dominating win in Saturday’s UNOH 175 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, the rich got richer.

The top seed in the series Playoffs, Bell won the first two stages of the opening postseason event and took the checkered flag 1.248 seconds ahead of runner-up Ryan Truex to notch his fifth victory of the season.

The win earned Bell automatic advancement into the second round of the playoffs, gave him an additional seven playoff points to bring his series-leading total to 47 and widened his advantage over the seven drivers chasing him for the title, given that no other playoff driver finished in the top five at the 1.058-mile track.

With all that said, the victory wasn’t a foregone conclusion for the driver of the No. 4 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota. Truex powered into the lead past Ben Rhodes after a restart on Lap 132, following a caution called when Kaz Grala knocked the Ford of Austin Cindric sideways in Turn 4 on Lap 126.

Bell patiently stalked Truex for 28 laps, as Truex positioned his no. 16 Toyota to block the line of the series leader. Finally, on Lap 160 of 175, Bell got a strong run off the second corner and buried his Tundra into Turn 3, shooting past Truex into the lead.

RELATED: See Bell make the decisive pass of Truex

“He was doing a really good job of watching his mirror,” Bell said of Truex’s effort. “I knew it was tough to pass all day, but our truck had been so good, we had been able to do it until we got to him.

“I kept trying to work down, and he kept blocking my air down and down and down. Finally, I got one run where I drove up in (Turns) 1 and 2 and then got a big run into 3.”

In fact, Truex was surprised he was able to keep Bell behind him for 28 laps.

“When you’ve got the best truck in the field behind you, it makes it tougher,” Truex said. “I did everything I could to hold him off. I was trying to take his lane and block and everything – I just didn’t have quite the grip he had.

“I didn’t know how this race would shake out. Every restart, I just gave it my all – a lot of three-wide stuff, probably (ticked) a few people off. But we’re trying to win races, and we’re getting closer.”

Bell, who won for the first time at New Hampshire and the seventh time in his career, leaves the Magic Mile with a whopping 40-point lead over second-place Johnny Sauter, the defending series champion. Sauter finished ninth on Saturday after polesitter Noah Gragson spun in Turn 4 on lap 64 and caved in the right side of Sauter’s No. 21 Chevrolet between the front and rear tires.

WATCH: Gragson, Sauter make contact

With the playoff field to be trimmed from eight drivers to six at Talladega two races from now, John Hunter Nemechek and Chase Briscoe fell below the cut line. A rear gear failure sidelined Nemechek for 36 laps, and he finished 20th to drop to eighth in the standings.

Briscoe fought handling problems throughout the afternoon and finished 11th, dropping to seventh in points, three behind Grala, who came home 10th.

Non-Playoff drivers Todd Gilliland, Grant Enfinger and Stewart Friesen ran third fourth and fifth, while playoff contenders Matt Crafton, Rhodes and Cindric finished sixth, seventh and eighth, respectively.

Notes: During post-race inspection, the No. 51 truck of Gilliland was found to have an improper air intake modification. Any potential penalties will be announced next week by NASCAR.

Posted on by Pat DeCola

RELATED: Full lineup | Kyle Busch on pole for New Hampshire

What: ISM Connect 300
Where: New Hampshire Motor Speedway, 1.058-mile oval in Loudon, New Hampshire
Green flag: 2:15 p.m. ET
TV/Radio: NBCSN, NBC Sports App, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Forecast: Sunny, with a high near 89. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph. (Weather.gov)
National anthem: Marine Corps Veteran, “The Singing Trooper,” Daniel. M. Clark
Grand Marshal: Marc Del Vecchio, Chief Technology Officer, ISM Connect
Race distance:  300 Laps, 317.4 Miles
Pit road speed: 45 mph
Caution car speed: 50 mph
Stage lengths: Stage 1 ends on Lap 75. Stage 2 ends on Lap 150. Final Stage is scheduled to end on Lap 301.

Posted on by Reid Spencer

LOUDON, N.H. – If Denny Hamlin wins Sunday’s ISM Connect 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (2 p.m. ET on NBCSN), he’ll have to face his fear.

Not on the race track, mind you. In Victory Lane.

As part of its post-race ceremony, the Magic Mile awards the winning driver a gigantic live lobster. When Hamlin won at New Hampshire in July, he recoiled when crew chief Mike Wheeler tried to hand him the 22-pound prize.

Understand that Hamlin hates lobsters. He can’t eat if someone is consuming a lobster at a nearby table. And though he finally posed for a few photos with the giant lobster after the summer race, it was not an experience the driver of the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota relished.

So even if Hamlin wins the second race in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs and punches his ticket to the next round, he’ll visit Victory Lane with a distinct sense of dread, even though the lobster’s claws are held firmly shut by large rubber bands.

RELATED: @nascarcasm imagines a lobster horror flick

“Yeah, I’ve never really liked them to begin with,” Hamlin said. “I don’t like the taste of them. I don’t — I just don’t like looking at them. They have pincers, really, so I don’t like anything that’s ugly and has pincers.

“I don’t know — it’s just a big scorpion in my mind. I try to stay away from them and, yeah, I’ve had some interesting moments with them for sure that I don’t care to recall or bring back up.”

Of course, those who might want to play a practical joke on Hamlin know how to devise a prank that’s guaranteed to be effective.

A lobster once appeared mysteriously in the toilet in Hamlin’s motor coach.

“I’ve had one in my toilet before, yes,” Hamlin said. “It was disturbing.”

Coincidentally, Monday happens to be National Lobster Day.

Hamlin won’t be celebrating.