Posted on by Staff Report

Denny Hamlin offered an apology to Chase Elliott, and accepted blame for moving the No. 24 car up the track and into the wall during the closing laps of Sunday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs race at Martinsville Speedway.

Elliott was leading at Martinsville with less than three laps remaining when Hamlin, who had been all over the No. 24’s bumper, initiated heavy contact and sent Elliott spinning up the track. The leader at the time, Elliott would finish the race 27th. Hamlin assumed the lead, but finished sixth after losing ground on the final restart.

After the race, Elliott drove the No. 11 Toyota up into the wall, and the two emerged from their cars on the track following the race and exchanged words.

Hamlin’s full text: “I’ve raced nearly 10,000 races since I was 7. Today was the first time I’ve ever spun the leader. I regret the outcome because it was not intentional the way it turned out but I’m responsible for my own car and take blame. Nothing I say now can turn back the clock but it’s a life lesson and hope no kids out there who aspire to race thinks that’s the way you should do it. It’s becoming a normal in our sport now and I hate that I’m now in the discussion as a guilty party but I’ll move on and hope Chase, his team and fans will accept my apology.”

MORE: Watch the drivers exchange words

 

Posted on by Staff Report

After the seventh Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs race, and the first in the Round of 8, here’s a brief look at the playoff picture. There are two races 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.

Winner

Kyle Busch won on Oct. 29 at Martinsville Speedway, clinching a spot in the Championship 4 at Homestead-Miami.

Who’s hot

Brad Keselowski. Keselowski called this race a must-win; he didn’t, but finishing fourth is a great result for this group heading into Texas. He avoided the Martinsville carnage that plagued others.

Martin Truex Jr. His worst track in the Round of 8 produced a runner-up finish and a 67-point lead over the cutoff line. It’s likely Truex Jr. can clinch a spot in Miami with a strong showing at Texas.

Who’s not

Jimmie Johnson. An excellent piece of strategy after starting at the rear of the field got Johnson into the lead pack by the end of Stage 1, but he couldn’t stay there. The No. 48 slowly fell through the field over the final half of the race, ultimately finishing 12th.

Chase Elliott. It’s stunning to see Elliott on this side of the bubble after he led 123 laps and was pushing for the win with five laps to go. A late wreck, though, dropped him to 27th place. He’s in bad shape with two races remaining before the postseason field is set.

BUBBLE WATCH

Rank Driver Points to cutoff
1. Martin Truex Jr. +67
2. Kyle Busch* WINNER
3. Brad Keselowski +29
4. Kevin Harvick +3
————— CUT-OFF LINE —————
5. Jimmie Johnson -3
6. Ryan Blaney -6
7. Denny Hamlin -8
8. Chase Elliott -26

Next race

The Monster Energy Series travels to Texas Motor Speedway for a Sunday afternoon race on Nov. 5 (2 p.m. ET, NBCSN/NBC Sports App, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Who it favors

Wins at Texas: Jimmie Johnson (7), Kyle Busch (2), Denny Hamlin (2)
Average Finish at Texas: Chase Elliott (6.0), Jimmie Johnson (8.1), Kevin Harvick (11.7)
Driver Rating at Texas: Jimmie Johnson (107.3), Kyle Busch (101.5), Chase Elliott (98.3)

Who it hurts

Fewest Top-10s in past 10 starts at Texas: Ryan Blaney (0), Chase Elliott (3), Denny Hamlin (3)
Worst Average Finish at Texas: Ryan Blaney (27.6), Brad Keselowski (15.7)
Worst Driver Rating at Texas: Ryan Blaney (70.8), Brad Keselowski (88.1)

Posted on by Reid Spencer

RELATED: Race results | Playoff standings | Detailed breakdown 
SHOP: Kyle Busch gear

MARTINSVILLE, Va. – The sun went down, the new lights came on and all hell broke loose at Martinsville Speedway.

In a wild overtime finish that took Sunday’s First Data 500 to 505 laps at the .526-mile short track, Kyle Busch beat Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series leader Martin Truex Jr. to the stripe by .141 seconds to take the checkered flag and earn a spot in the Nov. 19 Championship 4 race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

As Busch crossed the finish line, a multi-car wreck behind him scrambled the running order and left a parking lot of mangled cars on the frontstretch.

But that was simply the final act in a drama that saw a succession of Playoff contenders lose excellent chances to win the first event in the Round of 8.

Chase Elliott held the lead with three laps left in regulation distance when Denny Hamlin dumped Elliott’s No. 24 Chevrolet in Turn 3, causing the 11th caution and sending the race into overtime.

MORE: Hamlin, Elliott clash

Ten laps earlier, Brad Keselowski appeared headed for victory and a guaranteed ticket to Homestead before Joey Logano developed a severe tire rub after contact from Busch’s No. 18 Toyota in Turn 1.

Logano spun off Ryan Blaney’s front bumper when the tire went flat in Turn 2, and Elliott grabbed the lead after the restart on Lap 497, with Hamlin following. Hamlin punted Elliott a lap later, and hard feelings continued after the race, with Elliott running Hamlin’s Toyota into the outside wall on the cool-down lap.

Elliott’s wreck set the stage for Busch to win for the second time at Martinsville, the fifth time this season and the 43rd time in his career. After Hamlin cleared Busch on the overtime restart, Busch cut to the inside and wheel-hopped into Hamlin’s Camry, forcing his JGR teammate up the track.

Hamlin fell to seventh at the finish behind Clint Bowyer in third, Keselowski in fourth, Kevin Harvick in fifth and Trevor Bayne in sixth.

“I wanted to get a better restart, pinch Denny down a little bit, but it actually kind of worked out better for me that he got ahead a little bit, gave me a gap,” Busch said. “I got down (to the inside lane), and he got into Turn 3 and just pushed up the race track and I knew I had to plug that hole right away cause I was just going to get beat on from behind,

“So I got up in there and rooted him out of the way a little bit, and we drag-raced down the front straightaway and deep into (Turn) 1, I just wheel-hopped, chattered the rear tires and it was sideways getting in there trying to calm it down with the brakes and everything else. Was able to get through there luckily somehow – I don’t know how – and beat Truex off of (Turn) 4 back to the start/finish line.”

Truex retained the series lead by 17 points over Busch. Elliott, on the other hand went from likely winner to major casualty in the space of one corner, finishing 27th and falling 26 points below the cut line for the Championship 4, with the cut coming in two weeks at Phoenix.

“I got punted from behind and wrecked in Turn 3 leading the race,” Elliott said. “I don’t know what his problem was. It was unnecessary. I hadn’t raced him dirty all day long. There was no reason for that, and he comes over and talks to me a second ago and tells me he had somebody pushing him into Turn 3.

“I thought that was funny, because there was nobody within two car lengths of him into Turn 3 behind myself. I don’t know what the deal was, but it is so disappointing. We had the best car I’ve ever had here at Martinsville. And had an opportunity to go straight to Homestead and because of him, we don’t.”

WATCH: Elliott, Hamlin exchange words

Keselowski is third in the standings, followed by Harvick, who holds a three-point edge over Jimmie Johnson, who ran 12th on Sunday. Blaney is six points behind Harvick and Hamlin is eight back, all but guaranteeing another wild race next Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway as the fight for the Championship 4 positions intensifies.

Posted on by Staff Report

RELATED: Elliott, Hamlin exchange words | Elliott: ‘He’s not even worth my time’

Chase Elliott appeared headed for his first career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victory Sunday at Martinsville Speedway when the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota of Denny Hamlin nudged Elliott’s No. 24 Chevrolet from behind with three laps remaining, spinning Elliott’s car and dimming his hopes of advancing in the NASCAR Playoffs.

Elliott had been battling the No. 2 Ford of Brad Keselowski for the lead for most of the final 100 laps of the First Data 500, and Elliott took the edge on Lap 497 of a scheduled 500 as Keselowski dropped in traffic.

That was when a hard-charging Hamlin drove right up to the rear bumper of Elliott’s No. 24, initiating contact that caused the No. 24 to spin.

Elliott’s car sustained enough damage that he was forced to drop far back in the field as the race went to overtime. He would finish 27th.

RELATED: Hamlin: ‘I’m not sitting here saying I wrecked him on purpose’

After the race ended, after cars spun out in a multi-car incident at the checkered flag, Elliott got out of his car and spoke angrily to Hamlin — after he drove the No. 11 up into the outside wall on the cool-down lap.

“I got into the back of him and he spun out,” Hamlin told NBCSN. “Trying to get a race win. … Everybody was doing the exact same thing. I hate it for his team. I understand they’ve had a win for a long time coming, but this is for a ticket to Homestead.”

Elliott, for his part, remained angry after the race.

“My mom always said if you don’t have anything nice to say don’t say anything at all,” Elliott told NBCSN. “He’s not even worth my time. … We had a good opportunity. I can’t control his decisions and whatever the hell that was. On to Texas.”

Later, Hamlin issued an apology via Twitter.

The impact for Elliott was monumental. A win would have automatically advanced him to the Championship 4 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Instead, he’s now 26 points behind the cutoff line for advancement heading into Texas.

 

Posted on by Brad Norman

MARTINSVILLE, Va. — Dale Earnhardt Jr. had twice the luck on track with him before the green flag dropped ahead of his likely final Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway.

Leading the field in the pace car, Amy Earnhardt, who is pregnant with the couple’s baby girl, wheeled her way around the .526-mile track like a natural … and with a smile from ear-to-ear.

“It was incredible,” Amy Earnhardt told NASCAR.com. “I had no idea what it was going to be like. Everyone told me that the perspective of the (track) was going to be the best part, and they were totally right.”

It’s not unusual for the drivers behind the pace car to give an innocent tap. Martin Truex Jr., good friends with Dale and Amy, qualified second for the First Data 500 and started on the front row. He told Earnhardt to check her rearview mirror just in case she saw the No. 78 coming behind her.

“He threatened to, and he got pretty close a couple of times, but he didn’t,” she said laughing. “He was easy on me.”

With the Earnhardt family expanding by one, all eyes were on the track when Amy wheeled the pace car off pit row. It was the first time the littlest Earnhardt would take a ride in a race car — and it may not be the last, either.

“I’m not sure if she’ll be into or racing or not,” Amy Earnhardt said. “We’ll just have to see, but she got to go for a ride around the race track with me, so that’s pretty neat.”

Martinsville Speedway President Clay Campbell said having Amy as the honorary pace car driver was a way to give back to Dale Jr. for all of his contributions to the Virginia track, and for everything he has done for NASCAR.

“The Earnhardt family has meant so much to Martinsville Speedway through the years, Dale in particular, and we wanted for him to be able to share his last Cup race here with the person closest to him,” Campbell said. “Dale has often talked about how much Amy has meant to him and this is one small way in which we can say thank you to the both of them; to Dale for what he has meant to the sport and to Amy for what she has meant to Dale.”

 

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, Oct. 30
1 a.m., NASCAR Victory Lane, FS1
noon, NASCAR 120 “Martinsville” (re-air), NBCSN
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1
7 p.m., NASCAR America, NBCSN

Tuesday, Oct. 31
5 p.m., NASCAR America, NBCSN

Wednesday, Nov. 1
5 p.m., NASCAR America, NBCSN

Thursday, Nov. 2
5 p.m., NASCAR America, NBCSN
6 p.m., NASCAR Scan All 43, NBCSN
6:30 p.m., NASCAR Scan All Special: Indianapolis, Pocono, Watkins Glen, NBCSN

Friday, Nov. 3
1 p.m., Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice at Texas, NBCSN (Canada: TSN 2)
2:30 p.m., NASCAR America, NBCSN
3 p.m., XFINITY Series practice at Texas, NBCSN (Canada: TSN Go)
4 p.m., Camping World Truck Series Keystone Light Pole Qualifying at Texas, FS1
5 p.m., XFINITY Series final practice at Texas, NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN Go)
6 p.m., Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying at Texas, NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN Go)
7:30 p.m., NCWTS Setup: Texas, FS1
8 p.m., Camping World Truck Series JAG Metals 350 Driving Hurricane Harvey Relief, FS1
11:30 p.m., Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying at Texas (tape delayed), NBCSN

Saturday, Nov. 4
6:30 a.m., Camping World Truck Series JAG Metals 350 Driving Hurricane Harvey Relief, FS1 (re-air)
3 p.m., Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice at Texas, CNBC (Canada: TSN 3)
5 p.m., Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series final practice at Texas, CNBC (Canada: TSN 3)
6 p.m., XFINITY Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying at Texas, CNBC (Canada: TSN Go)
8 p.m., XFINITY Series Countdown to Green, NBCSN
8:30 p.m., XFINITY Series O’Reilly Auto Parts 300, NBCSN (Canada: TSN 2)
11 p.m., XFINITY Series Post-Race Show, NBCSN
11:30 p.m., Racing Roots: Daniel Suarez, NBCSN

Sunday, Nov. 5
midnight, Racing Roots: Kyle Larson, NBCSN
12:30 a.m.: Racing Roots: Clint Bowyer, NBCSN
1 a.m., NASCAR Scan All 43, NBCSN
1:30 a.m., NASCAR Scann All Special: Indianapolis, Pocono, Watkins Glen, NBCSN
noon, NASCAR Race Day, FS1
1:30 p.m., Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Countdown to Green: Texas, NBCSN
2 p.m., Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series AAA Texas 500, NBCSN (Canada: TSN 3, TSN 5)
6 p.m., Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Post-Race Show, NBCSN
6:30 p.m., NASCAR Victory Lap, NBCSN

Posted on by Staff Report

RELATED: Buy tickets for Texas

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 continue their respective playoffs at Texas Motor Speedway.

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. 5
2 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series AAA Texas 500 (334 laps, 501 miles), NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Results)

PRE-RACE SCHEDULE
2:00:00 p.m.: Intro Presentation of Colors by: Air Force Honor Guard
2:00:10 p.m.: Pledge of Allegiance: Local Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts
2:00:35 p.m.: Invocation by: Bret Chiseler with Texas Alliance Raceway Ministries
2:01:20 p.m.: National Anthem by: Air National Guard Band of the Southwest
2:02:50 p.m.: Fly by TOT: 4 x F16s from 457th Fighter Squadron
2:07:50 p.m.: “Drivers, Start Your Engines” by: AAA Emergency Roadside Technicians
2:16:20 p.m.: Start of the “AAA Texas 500″ (334 Laps, 501 Miles)

PRESS PASS (Watch live)
11 a.m.: 2017 NASCAR Chevy Scholarship winners
5:30 p.m.: Post-Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race

 

THURSDAY, NOV. 2
3-3:55 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series practice (Results)
5-5:55 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series final practice (Results)

FRIDAY, NOV. 3
1-2:25 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series first practice, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Results)
3-3:45 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series first practice, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Results)
4 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Texas Keystone Light Pole Qualifying, FS1  (Results)
5-5:55 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series final practice, NBC Sports App (Results)
6:15 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying, NBC Sports App (Will air tape delayed on NBCSN at 11:30 p.m.) (Results)
8 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series JAG Metals 350 Driving Hurricane Harvey Relief (147 laps, 220.5 miles), FS1 (Results)

PRESS PASS (Watch live)
11 a.m.: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Appreci88tion
11:30 a.m.: Erik Jones
11:45 a.m.: Chase Elliott
Noon: Ryan Blaney
12:15 p.m.: Jimmie Johnson
12:40 p.m.: Cole Custer, Brennan Poole, Matt Tifft
3:15 p.m.: Martin Truex Jr.
3:45 p.m.: Richard Petty Motorsports announcement
Approx. 7:15 p.m.: Post-Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series qualifying
Approx. 10:15 p.m.: Post-Camping World Truck Series race

GARAGECAM (Watch live)
12:30 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
2:30 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series

SATURDAY, NOV. 4
3-3:55 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series second practice, CNBC/NBC Sports App (Results)
5-5:50 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series final practice, CNBC/NBC Sports App (Results)
6:05 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying, CNBC/NBC Sports App (Results)
8:30 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 (200 laps, 300 miles), NBCSN/NBC Sports App  (Results)

PRESS PASS (Watch live)
11 p.m.: Post-NASCAR XFINITY Series race

 

Posted on by Staff Report

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

Brad Keselowski passed Kyle Busch three laps before the end of Stage 2 to sweep both stage wins in the First Data 500 at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday.

It was Keselowski’s eighth stage win of the season.

Busch had led 123 laps prior to being passed — every lap since pit stops following the end of Stage 1. He finished second in the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing for the second consecutive stage. Joey Logano finished third in the No. 22 Team Penske Ford as the top three finishers were the same for both stages.

Keselowski led seven of eight NASCAR Playoffs drivers to finish among the top 10 at the end of Stage 2.

Denny Hamlin was the lowest-finishing playoff driver in the stage, finishing 12th — the last car on the lead lap.

 

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

 

STAGE 1
Brad Keselowski led a group of NASCAR Playoffs drivers who finished among the top 10 when Stage 1 concluded on Lap 130 of the First Data 500 at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday.

Keselowski, who recorded his seventh stage win of the season, took the lead on Lap 114 to lead the final 17 laps of the stage. In all, he led 47 laps in the opening stage.

Seven of the eight Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoff drivers in the Round of 8 finished among the top 10. Kyle Busch finished second in the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, followed by non-playoff driver Joey Logano in the No. 22 Team Penske Ford. Jimmie Johnson worked his way up from the rear — where he had to start the race after changing tires following a spin in qualifying — in the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet to claim fourth.

Kevin Harvick was the only playoff driver to finish outside the top 10 in the stage; he finished 13th.

Finish Driver Team Race points
1.  Brad Keselowski  Team Penske 10
2.  Kyle Busch  Joe Gibbs Racing 9
3.  Joey Logano  Team Penske 8
4.  Jimmie Johnson  Hendrick Motorsports 7
5.  Martin Truex Jr.  Furniture Row Racing 6
6.  Chase Elliott  Hendrick Motorsports 5
7.  Ryan Blaney  Wood Brothers Racing 4
8.  Kasey Kahne  Hendrick Motorsports 3
9.  Austin Dillon  Richard Childress Racing 2
10.  Denny Hamlin  Joe Gibbs Racing 1
Posted on by Staff Report

RELATED: Full lineup | The field in photos

NASCAR Playoffs contender Jimmie Johnson will move to the rear of the field prior to the drop of the green flag in today’s First Data 500 at Martinsville Speedway after the team changed tires on the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet following qualifying.

Johnson qualified 24th, but wheel-hopped during the second round and spun as a result, kissing the wall slightly. The tires changed on the No. 48 car after qualifying are considered a performance enhancer and required that Johnson move to the back for the race.

Johnson is one of eight drivers remaining in the NASCAR Playoffs field. The race at Martinsville is the first of three races in the Round of 8.

Joey Logano won the pole and will start alongside second-place Martin Truex Jr. on the front row in today’s First Data 500 (3 p.m. ET with coverage on NBCSN and NBC Sports App).

Posted on by RJ Kraft

RELATED: Full starting lineup | See every car in the field | Best 10-lap averages

The First Data 500 (3 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) at Martinsville Speedway has major fantasy implications with 500 laps scheduled for the 0.526-mile track. There will be plenty of points on the line for laps led and fast laps at “The Paperclip.” NASCAR.com fantasy expert RJ Kraft offers a quick look at some under-the-radar choices that could pay off big in Sunday’s race.

MORE: Top fantasy picks, sleepers | DraftKings Rankings: Best buys for Martinsville

Kyle Busch ($27.50): Busch won here in the spring of 2016 and will start 14th. “Rowdy” posted the best 10-lap averages in both practices so the long-run speed in there in the 18 camp. On top of that, he has four top-fives in his last six Martinsville races with 651 laps led and the best average finish (of 6.3) over that stretch.

Clint Bowyer ($23.25): Bowyer will start fifth on Sunday and posted 10-lap times in the top five in both practices on Saturday. He has been solid at Martinsville for much of his career and finished seventh in the spring. Next to the pole sitter Joey Logano, Bowyer is the driver most likely to spoil the playoff party today.

AJ Allmendinger ($10.00): Allmendinger qualified 27th, but posted top-seven speeds in the 10-lap average category in Saturday’s practices. The ‘Dinger has had some success here with six top-11 finishes in his last seven starts and the sixth-best average finish (13.1) in that stretch. Don’t be scared by the starting spot; he started 30th here in the spring and finished sixth.