Posted on by Staff Report

RELATED: Buy tickets for Charlotte races

MORE: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series entry list | XFINITY Series entry list

NASCAR heads to Charlotte Motor Speedway for Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR XFINITY Series events. Check out the full weekend schedule below.

Note: All times are ET

SUNDAY, MAY 28:

PRE-RACE SCHEDULE
— 5:20:00 p.m.: MENCS Drivers Introductions
— 6:00:00 p.m.: Presentation of Colors by: “82nd Airborne Division Color Guard from Fort Bragg.”
— 6:00:20 p.m.: Invocation by: Harold Frank
— 6:00:45 p.m.: Amazing Grace by: Charlotte Fire Department Pipe Band
— 6:02:05 p.m.: “21 Gun Salute”: Fort Bragg Firing Party
— 6:03:40 p.m.: National Anthem: 82nd Airborne Division All-American Chorus (pyro from peninsula behind B/S. Rockets’ Red Glare Bombs Bursting in Air & End of the anthem)
— 6:05:00 p.m.: Fly-by TOT: 4 F-15’s’s from Seymour Johnson AFB (Backstretch to Frontstretch)
— 6:10:00 p.m.: “Drivers, Start Your Engines” by: Channing Tatum (Pyro from Peninsula behind B/S)
— 6:18:30 p.m.: Start of the Coca-Cola 600 (400 Laps /600 Miles)

ON TRACK
— 6 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 (400 laps, 600 miles), FOX; Canada: TSN1, 3, 4, 5 (Results)

PRESS PASS (Watch live)
— 10:30 p.m. (approx.): Post-Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race

THURSDAY, MAY 25:

ON TRACK
— 2-3:25 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice, FS1  (Results)
— 4-4:55 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series practice, FS1 (Results)
— 6-6:55 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series final practice, FS1 (Results)
— 7:15 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying, FS1; Canada: TSN2 (Results)

GARAGECAM (Watch live)
— 1:30 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
— 3:30 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series

 

PRESS PASS (Watch live)
— 12:45 p.m.: Ryan Blaney
— 1:15 p.m.: Jimmie Johnson
— 1:30 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series drivers: Christopher Bell and Matt Tifft
— 1:45 p.m.: NASCAR Drive for Diversity Pit Crew Combine
— 3:30 p.m.: Ben Kennedy
— 3:45 p.m.: Kyle Busch
— 4 p.m.: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
— 8 p.m. (approx.): Post-Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series qualifying

SATURDAY, MAY 27:

ON TRACK
— 9-9:55 a.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice, FS1; Canada: TSN2 (Results)
— 10:05 a.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying, FS1 (Results)
— 11:30 a.m.-12:25 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series final practice, FS1; Canada: TSN2 (Results)
— 1 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series Hisense 4K TV 300 (200 laps, 300 miles), FS1; Canada: TSN3, 4 (Results)

PRESS PASS (Watch live)
— 3:30 p.m. (approx.): Post-NASCAR XFINITY Series race

Posted on by Staff Report

And the cover athlete for NASCAR Heat 2 … Kyle Busch!

That was decided both Saturday night in the Monster Energy All-Star Race, and in the week leading up to the star-studded event at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

For the past several weeks, fans had the opportunity to vote for their favorite Toyota driver to have a shot to grace the cover of the 704Games product. The two top vote-getters, Busch and Martin Truex Jr., then went head-to-head in Stage 2 of the All-Star Race.

Busch finished second in the stage and Truex Jr. was 13th, giving the coveted cover spot to the driver of the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota.

NASCAR Heat 2, a new NASCAR racing game, will be available in North America on Sept. 12, 2017 for the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One and Windows PC.

NASCAR Heat 2 builds on the core experience of its predecessor, NASCAR Heat Evolution, with advancements from returning developer Monster Games. These improvements include enhanced online multiplayer, a deeper career mode, track updates, additional drivers and other features in line with the 2017 NASCAR-sanctioned national series formats.

“We’re excited to continue our relationship with Monster Games for NASCAR Heat 2,” said Paul Brooks, CEO of 704Games. “This new game will have a very different look and an enhanced overall experience that reflects the insights of actual NASCAR drivers. Over the coming months, we’ll announce additional new features that we believe will really excite our fans.”

“NASCAR Heat 2 improves on the strong racing foundation established in NASCAR Heat Evolution,” said Richard Garcia, President of Monster Games. “We added a slew of new features designed to take NASCAR games back to their roots, while delivering an authentic racing experience for fans.”

Additional information on NASCAR Heat 2 will be available throughout the summer on the game’s official website: www.NASCARHeat.com. Fans can also follow NASCAR Heat 2 on Instagram and Facebook for the latest updates.

The official NASCAR Heat 2 logo and NASCAR Heat 2 Toyota Cover Race Sizzle Video can be found here.

Posted on by Reid Spencer

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

CONCORD, N.C. – Kyle Busch took control of Saturday night’s Monster Energy All-Star Race on the final restart with 10 laps left and motored away to a 1.274-second victory—his first in a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series car at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

 

Busch powered his No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota to the inside of Brad Keselowski’s No. 2 Team Penske Ford—the race leader on old tires—as the field roared toward Turn 1 on the final restart. Through the first two corners he cleared both Keselowski and Jimmie Johnson, who had restarted second on the outside to gain the race lead in clean air.

 

Though Johnson pursued with an intensity befitting the $1 million first prize, he was unable to catch Busch. Kyle Larson, winner of the first two 20-lap stages of the 70-lap non-points event, passed Johnson for second-place on the final lap.

 

“We’ve never won at Charlotte in a Cup car and we finally achieved that goal tonight,” an elated Busch said in Victory Lane. “I won the All-Star Race. I won a million bucks. There’s reason to celebrate and reason to celebrate big.

 

“I can’t say enough about this team. I can’t say enough about (crew chief) Adam Stevens and these guys on the pit box. You can rely on them all day long. I had to do that tonight. We weren’t quite the fastest car, but we made the right changes when it mattered most. We made the right moves when it mattered most. We got the most out of our night tonight and got here to Victory Lane. Just so relieved, elated, proud and excited—all at the same time.”

 

In the first NASCAR race contested with both prime and faster short-run option tires, Johnson’s best hope on the final restart was that Keselowski would impede the progress of the inside lane, but Busch made sure that didn’t happen.

 

“I was really hopeful of old tires and being on the bottom,” Johnson said. “They’d be able to hold that lane back, especially Kyle (Busch) and how good he is on restarts. And it just didn’t happen. He got in there. I had a decent start. The 11 (Denny Hamlin) spun his tires behind me, and he wasn’t able to push me and get me going.

 

“I had a couple of shots at him (Busch). He wasn’t handling too well at the start of the run, but I just drove too hard. I could see a million dollars out the windshield, and I just drove this Lowe’s Chevy way too hard in the corner a couple of times and gave up some ground. We learned a little bit tonight and we’ll come back next week (for the Coca-Cola 600) and have some more fun.”

 

With the highest average finish in the first three 20-lap stages, Larson was first onto pit road during the final break. But a small glitch during the stop cost him three positions in the pits, and with Keselowski staying out because he had no fresh tires available, Larson restarted fifth with little chance to get to the front in the final 10-lap stage.

 

“My pit crew has been awesome all year, and I don’t want to take anything away from them,” Larson said. “We came down pit road the leader, and three people passed us. That was pretty much the difference there. But in 10 laps… track position is huge.

 

“We just didn’t have it there at the end. We had the best car out there, for sure. In traffic I thought it was really good. I thought we had it most of the race, but that’s how racing goes. Sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn’t. But I think we had a really fast car today. We’ll go onto the 600—that’s a long race—and try it again.”

 

Some of the most dramatic racing of the evening took place in the Monster Open, the 50-lap, three-stage qualifying race that preceded the main event. Clint Bowyer and Ryan Blaney won the first two stages and advanced to the All-Star Race.

 

Early in the final 10-lap stage, Chase Elliott, Daniel Suarez and Erik Jones were battling for the lead as they entered the tri-oval. Moving to the inside in an attempt to get past Elliott, Jones clipped the infield grass and ruined his chances when the splitter dug in.

 

Suarez went on to win the stage and made the main event. Elliott was the final addition to the Monster Energy All-Star race field via the Fan Vote.

 

Notes: The race ran caution-free, except for the breaks between stages… None of the 10 drivers who qualified for the final 10-lap stage used the softer options tires in that segment—they had used them earlier to establish track position. … Kurt Busch, Kevin Harvick and Jamie McMurray ran fourth, fifth and sixth, with Elliott, Joey Logano, Keselowski and Hamlin completing the top 10.

 

 

 

Posted on by Staff Report

The fans have spoken, and they’ve chosen Chase Elliott. As a result of winning the Monster Energy Fan Vote, he is headed to the prestigious Monster Energy All-Star Race field Saturday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

The Monster Energy All-Star Race awards $1 million to the winner. The annual rite of spring boasts an impressive history and plenty of elite drivers. Elliott, driver of the No. 24 for Hendrick Motorsports, is a previous winner of the Fan Vote as well, earning the honor in 2016.

“It’s awesome to hear that crowd just then,” Elliott said, referencing the cheering fans. “That means a lot to me. I appreciate you guys voting for me. That is really cool for our team. Obviously, we would have loved to have raced our way in. I feel like every time we run this race we’ve got some sort of drama with this year and last year, but have had a shot at it tonight. We will try to move forward and give ourselves the best chance we can.”

Sixteen drivers had qualified for the event heading into Saturday evening’s Monster Energy Open by virtue of either winning a points-paying race in 2016 or thus far in 2017, having won a previous All-Star Race or being a former series champion.

Three drivers qualified from the Monster Energy Open’s three stages: Clint Bowyer, Ryan Blaney and Daniel Suarez. Elliott joined them as the final transfer to lock the All-Star field in at 20 drivers.

The top five vote-getters this year, in alphabetical order, were: Ryan Blaney, Clint Bowyer, Matt DiBenedetto, Chase Elliott and Danica Patrick.

 

Posted on by Zack Albert

RELATED: Results | Detailed breakdown | All-Star format | At-track gallery: Charlotte

CONCORD, N.C. — Rookie Daniel Suarez prevailed in the final stage of Saturday’s Monster Energy Open preliminary race, emerging from a brilliant three-car battle to transfer to Saturday night’s Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race.

Clint Bowyer and Ryan Blaney also secured All-Star berths by winning the opening two 20-lap stages in the 50-lapper at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The last spot in the 20-car All-Star field went to Chase Elliott, who finished third behind runner-up Austin Dillon but was the top vote-getter in fan balloting.

Suarez survived a wild 10-lap final stage, which began with Elliott spinning Landon Cassill out of the first position. Elliott, Suarez and Erik Jones later made a three-way contest for the lead on the frontstretch, with Jones getting the worst of his excursion into the infield grass.

WATCH: Jones tries ‘pass in the grass’

Jones’ Furniture Row Racing No. 77 Toyota began smoking and his spin in Turn 1 brought out the final caution flag with three laps remaining. Suarez’s Joe Gibbs Racing No. 19 Toyota pulled away from there.

Even though it didn’t count as an official points-paying victory, Suarez said he savored scratching the win column in his first season in NASCAR’s premier series.

“It’s a lot of fun, racing with Chase, racing with Ryan and with all these guys,” Suarez said. “They’re super-aggressive, they’re great drivers and it’s a lot of fun.”

Jones wound up 19th in the 24-car field, unable to continue after his bold move in the late going.

“Just hoped there was enough pavement down there to make a move and get clear, but unfortunately there wasn’t and that was the end of our day,” Jones said. “I knew if we could get out front that we could probably drive away from them, but it just didn’t work out.”

Bowyer started first and led every lap in the opening 20-lap stage, putting his Stewart-Haas Racing No. 14 Ford in the 70-lap main event (8 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM). Blaney’s Wood Brothers Racing No. 21 Ford scooted away to lead wire-to-wire in the second stage.

Blaney finished second in the opening 20-lap stage, with Jones, AJ Allmendinger and Elliott completing the top five. In the second stage, Blaney was trailed by Elliott, Suarez, Jones and Paul Menard in the top five.

Bowyer, who won the Open pole at 189.474 mph earlier in the day, returns to the All-Star Race after a one-year absence last season. The All-Star berth is a first for Blaney, who is in his second full season in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. Suarez will also be making his first All-Star appearance.

RELATED: Bayne makes ‘super’ save in Open

Posted on by Nascar

RELATED: Full schedule | Starting lineup | See every car in the field

CONCORD, N.C. – Of the 16 drivers guaranteed a spot in Saturday night’s Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race (8 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), six have never won the annual non-points race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Two – Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski – are former series champions. Others have points wins. That lineup consists of Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Larson, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Chris Buescher.

It’s a big payday – the winner gets $1 million – and a big night. Since its debut in 1985, the All-Star race quickly evolved from novelty into a no-holds-barred shootout that has often left egos bruised and fenders wrinkled.

Truex (Furniture Row Racing No. 78 Toyota) made his first All-Star appearance in 2005 and tomorrow night’s race will be his seventh start. His perception of the event before his first start was that the race “was just a Saturday night shootout for a million bucks or a ton of money.

“Guys … were willing to do whatever it took to win,” he said prior to Friday’s first practice at Charlotte. “Nobody was ever worried about finishing second. I think it still has that feel.”

Truex knows what it feels like to finish second – his best result in the race came in 2010 when he trailed race winner Kurt Busch across the line.

“I’m pretty sure everyone forgets about that,” he said. “I for the most part forget about it till we get here.

“It’s all about winning. It’s a race for the fans. It’s a race to just put on a show, kind of a throwback short track race with the stages and the segments, just putting it all out there for the win.”

RELATED: Format explained | Fast facts for Saturday’s races

Race winners from the previous season and through the first 11 races of ’17 earn a spot in the field, as do former winners of the event. Three additional slots will be filled by drivers who win stages in the Monster Energy Open qualifying race and a final position will be awarded to the driver who wins the fan vote to round out the 20-car lineup.

There is “no pressure” to win, Truex said.

“None … at all,” he said. “It’s a fun weekend. Anytime you take points off the table, it becomes a lot less stressful and a lot more fun. But at the same time we all want to win it.”

Chip Ganassi Racing driver Kyle Larson will start on the pole, with Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson and Kurt Busch second through fifth, respectively.

Truex qualified 14th.

Keselowski (Team Penske No. 2 Ford) will be making his ninth consecutive appearance in the All-Star Race and he also knows the feeling of being second-best. In ’12, he finished behind Jimmie Johnson; last year it was Team Penske teammate Joey Logano who ended up in Victory Lane.

“To me, it’s a marquee race,” Keselowski, who will start seventh, said. “All-Star just naturally implies best of the best even though the best of the best compete against each other every week. (There’s) just something special about it.

“I think the fact that if you win it you get locked into it for life is really cool. And that means a lot.”

Johnson (Hendrick Motorsports) is a four-time winner of the race, tops in the series. No other current active driver has more than one win.

“There’s always some level of pressure,” Keselowski said. “There’s no season-ending pressure but it’s pressure in the opportunity because I know I’m going to have a quality opportunity to do it.”

 

Posted on by Staff Report

Ron Malec has been the car chief for Jimmie Johnson as long as the seven-time champion has been in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. Along with crew chief Chad Knaus, they comprise the triple-threat tandem that has claimed seven championships for Hendrick Motorsports.

For his work and results with the Hendrick Motorsports No. 48 team — most of it coming behind the scenes — Malec was honored Saturday at Charlotte Motor Speedway with the Brian Lunniss Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by Mechanix Wear.

The Mechanix Wear-sponsored award is dedicated to the hardest working hands in racing who possess exceptional drive and inspire the team to win. The Lunniss Award is reserved for mechanics in motorsports who demonstrate remarkable achievements during their career.

Malec was chosen as this year’s recipient in recognition of his outstanding achievements as a car chief in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. Malec is the second individual to be recognized.

“He is a guy that wants to go out there and work and he doesn’t pull punches and he doesn’t hold grudges,” Knaus said. “If you’re in a situation where you need to give somebody the ball, he’s the guy you’re giving it to.”


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RELATED: View the video series

HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. — Racing is a team sport, so to celebrate the launch of new M&M’S® Caramel Chocolate Candies, Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series® Champion Kyle Busch has recruited an all-star team to “unsquare” the ride-along and try M&M’S newest flavor, M&M’S Caramel. In the new video series “Riding with Kyle Busch,” Kyle puts wife Samantha, country music superstar Jake Owen, pro football player Greg Olsen and fellow Joe Gibbs Racing driver Daniel Suarez in the passenger seat to talk about fatherhood, car repair and everything in between.

Each of the conversations in the series are as unique as new M&M’S Caramel itself. The days of the square-shaped, square-wrapped caramel candies are history as M&M’S has updated one of the most popular flavors by covering soft caramel in a delicious, candy-coated shell.

With Kyle Busch behind the wheel to celebrate the new caramel-filled fun of M&M’S Caramel, M&M’S took “unsquaring” the ride-along one step further.  Kyle and his caramel crew spend time behind the wheel of a variety of unique Toyota vehicles, including a Toyota Racing Development (TRD) outfitted Camry, 4Runner, Highlander, and even a tricked-out Toyota Sienna minivan.

View the Videos

Available on M&M’S YouTube Channel, the four part series includes:

“What I love about M&M’S is that they’re all about innovation and always changing it up,” explained Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 M&M’S Caramel Toyota. “For me, caramel has always been a little square, so it’s great to be part of the M&M’S Caramel launch that gives a familiar flavor a modern and fun chocolate makeover. Taking that theme to the ride-along and spending time with Jake Owen, Greg Olsen, Daniel Suarez and Samantha was great fun.”

Caramel Fun All Season Long

In addition to the Riding with Kyle video series, M&M’S Caramel will become a fan favorite on race day all season long, with the No. 18 M&M’S Caramel Toyota debuting under the lights at the Monster Energy All-Star Race on May 20th.  In addition, the special M&M’S Caramel paint scheme will adorn Kyle Busch’s No. 18 M&M’S Toyota for nearly the entire back half of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series schedule.

For more information about Mars, Incorporated, please visit www.mars.com. Join us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.

Posted on by Staff Report

Once again, Aspen Dental is off to the races when it comes to inspiring people to get on the road to great oral health.

That’s because there’s more horsepower than ever when it comes to the Aspen Dental brand as the Official Dentist of NASCAR. In partnership with Danica Patrick, the new “Get Started” campaign was created to encourage fans to simply make that first step by scheduling an appointment.

“I’m really excited for the next phase in our partnership,” said Danica. “There’s a great connection because starts and restarts are part of my sport and the same is true for gaining control over your oral health.”

In fact, Danica was so excited she even hosted her very own talk show segment, “Let’s Get Started” with special guest, Clint Bowyer (boi –yer). During the show, Clint appointed himself as Aspen Dental’s newest tooth fairy; little did he know the title was already taken …

Go to AspenDental.com/GetStarted now to see the exclusive full length segment and behind-the-scenes photos from filming with Danica and Clint.

RELATED: Watch the full video here!

See behind the scenes of the making of the Let’s Get Started video with Danica and Clint!

Posted on by Staff Report

RELATED: Bookmark the live stream here

The destination for a fun, exciting and informative pre-race experience, NASCAR Trackside Live is back for a second consecutive weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

The stage show from the fan midway at Charlotte takes place twice this weekend, at 4:30 p.m. ET on Saturday and 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday — and you can catch all the action from the comfort of your own screen if you’re unable to join the fun live. NASCAR.com will live stream the entire show here: https://www.nascar.com/tracksidelive.

Fans, of course, are the center focus here and also will participate in games and have the chance to win some great prizes.