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BUY TICKETS: See the races at Chicagoland

 

Raphael, Leonardo, Michelangelo and Donatello are back! Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Nickelodeon return to Chicagoland Speedway this September as entitlement sponsor for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoff opener. This marks Nickelodeon’s second consecutive year wearing the sponsor hat at the Illinois track. 

 

The pair made the Nickelodeon Tales of the Turtles 400 announcement Friday, coming off a wildly successful 2016 partnership and campaign. The news coincided nicely with National Superhero Day.

 

"We’re thrilled that Nickelodeon is coming back with their Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle franchise as the entitlement partner of our playoff kickoff on Sunday, Sept. 17," Chicagoland track president Scott Paddock told NASCAR.com.

 

Nickelodeon also joined NASCAR in 2015’s SpongeBob SquarePants 400, which saw Jimmie Johnson collect his third win at Kansas Speedway.

 

Last year’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400 — which Furniture Row Racing’s Martin Truex Jr. won — sparked cross-generational pizazz thanks to Nickelodeon’s revamp and ownership of the franchise.

 

"Brands like Nickelodeon attract a younger audience," Paddock furthered. "We saw impact last year with about a 12 percent increase on kids that came to the race. And what’s really fascinating about the ‘Turtles’ franchise is it’s got cross-generational appeal so it was hot back in the ’90s and (now) you’ve got this whole generation that grew up with it and now their kids are following Nickelodeon."

 

It appears that this is a two-way relationship built on a foundation of deep admiration and appreciation.

 

"This is Year 2 of our partnership with Chicagoland. We’re thrilled to be coming back," Anthony Di Cosmo, senior vice president of sports marketing and content development for Nickelodeon, told NASCAR.com. "I think when we carried out this partnership it was really to kind of build a platform of something long term that we can really engage kids and family in the sport in a way that felt very authentic to Nickelodeon." 

 

Building off 2016’s successful weekend, Nickelodeon plans to have its characters prominently displayed at the speedway as well as driver and team involvement with special paint schemes paying tribute to the network’s cartoon.

 

Last year, Monster Energy Series drivers such as Danica Patrick, Michael McDowell and David Ragan rocked Turtle-related schemes for the 400-miler. 

 

Although it is, as of yet, uncertain who will partake in the themed paint jobs this year, some of the characters — as well as Nickelodeon stars — are scheduled to be prominent during the September weekend with many activities for the entire family.

 

Cowabunga, indeed.

 

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BUY TICKETS: See the races at Richmond
RELATED: How the Dash 4 Cash works



To hear NASCAR XFINITY Series driver Elliott Sadler tell it, the addition of stages and the modification of the Dash 4 Cash format have had a profound effect on race strategy, because drivers and crews have to take both parts of the equation into account.

The top 10 drivers in each stage earn points, with the winner of the stage getting an additional playoff point that will carry through to the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. In addition, the top two XFINITY regulars in each stage earn eligibility for the $100,000 Dash 4 Cash bonus, with the highest finisher among them at the checkered flag winning the money.


RELATED: Stage lengths at Richmond

"We’ve actually changed our strategy a lot this year, based on the stage racing," Sadler said. "We didn’t really know how much we’d change it until we actually got to Daytona and saw how different everybody races, getting close to the ends of the stages.

"That’s what’s neat about this Dash 4 cash race (Saturday’s ToyotaCare 250 at Richmond). We’ve actually got a couple things going on. Yes, we’re trying to get qualified for the Dash 4 Cash, but we’re also trying to get bonus points for the stages, too."

All that adds a layer of complexity to the decision-making process.

"We’re just kind of playing it by ear—what decision can we make to best benefit us? It’s definitely changed the way we’re looking at the races, not just from the Dash 4 Cash side, but also the stage racing side. There’s a lot of points to be made, and now that you know you’re going to be saved by a caution, you can be more aggressive.

"We can be more aggressive on pit road. We can take more chances, because we know there’s a caution coming out to save us."

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RICHMOND, Va. — Naturally enough, Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s bombshell announcement that he will retire from Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series racing at the end of the year shifted focus to the 20-somethings who might take the reigns of the sport.

But that doesn’t mean we should forget the veterans who will still be around.

"I’m only 36," Martin Truex Jr. said plaintively before leading Friday’s opening practice at Richmond International Raceway with a lap at 124.178 mph. "I don’t feel old, so that’s good. That’s the most important part I guess, but, yeah, there’s definitely a lot of young guys coming up.

"But I feel like I’ve got my best years ahead of me. They can keep talking about who’s retiring and who’s going to fill their shoes, and hopefully I’ll be here to take a bunch of checkered flags home."

Not that Truex minds staying in the background and winning races for his No. 78 Furniture Row Racing team, while relative newcomers such as Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott and Ryan Blaney get the lion’s share of attention.

"I can tell you I don’t mind being that guy," Truex said of his low profile.


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RELATED: Full results

 

RICHMOND, Va. – Matt Kenseth won’t have to come from the middle of nowhere, as he did Monday at Bristol Motor Speedway, where he started 22nd, charged toward the front in the closing laps and finished fourth.

Quite the contrary. In Sunday’s Toyota Owners 400 (on FOX at 2 p.m. ET) at Richmond International Raceway, Kenseth will lead the field to the green flag in the ninth Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race of the season after winning the pole during Friday’s knockout qualifying session.

Kenseth posted a lap at 121.076 mph (22.300 seconds) to edge Ryan Blaney (120.854 mph) for the top starting spot by .041 seconds. The driver of the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota claimed his first Coors Light Pole Award of the season, his second at Richmond and the 19th of his career.

Kenseth was fast enough to make the cut for the first two rounds despite running a single lap in each, and the tire conservation paid off in the money round.

"We had enough speed in our Circle K Toyota Camry that we only had to do one lap each of the first two rounds to get us into the third round, and we improved a little bit the second lap (in the final round). It was a good qualifying effort for us. Feels good to be on the pole.

Kenseth is 20th in points after bottom-five finishes at Daytona, Phoenix and Fontana, and qualifying rainouts hurt him at Bristol and Martinsville, where he had to start mid-pack on owner points.

"This year has not been a good year for us, obviously, so far," Kenseth said. "We finished strong at Bristol, but we didn’t get to qualify because of the rain, and that put us in the middle of the pack – there and Martinsville.

"We haven’t been getting any stage points. We’re buried in the points back there and we finally got a decent finish last week, so hopefully this week we can start up front, stay up front and hopefully collect some of the stage points. But most importantly we’re in the mix for a win at the end of the day."

Martin Truex Jr. (120.681 mph) will start third, followed by Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (120.471 mph) and Joey Logano (120.380 mph).

It was the third second-place qualifying effort of the season for Blaney, who also put the No. 21 Wood Brothers Ford on the front row at Phoenix and Texas.

"We weren’t great the first round but kept getting steps better each round, which we’ve done a really good job of this year," Blaney said. "I thought that’s where we struggled a lot last year. We didn’t improve last year, we would go backwards. This year we’re improving round-to-round.

"It’s just communication and knowing what we need to change in our car. That’s something to be proud of. That’s a lot of second starts now. I really want to race the Clash at Daytona (the season-opening exhibition race primarily for pole winners). That’s my biggest thing right now. It’s upsetting me that we can’t get a pole. I think our Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion is good—we’ll find out in race trim."

WATCH: Dillon makes … interesting … qualifying lap

 

Both Kenseth and Blaney saved their fastest laps for the final round. The same couldn’t be said of Logano, who ran the fastest lap of the afternoon (121.468 mph) in the second round but couldn’t sustain his speed in the third.

"We just lost a little bit there the last run," said Logano who tied Kevin Harvick for the fastest lap in the opening round at 120.870 mph. "We got loose into (Turns) 3 and 4, missed it the first lap and did the same exact thing the second lap.

"It’s so frustrating when you win the first two rounds and the one that pays the money, you’re not there. That’s always frustrating. I guess we have decent speed in our car… it is just frustrating. I don’t know what else to say. It just sucks."

 

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BUY TICKETS: See the races at Richmond
RELATED: Full weekend schedule for Richmond


The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR XFINITY Series are at Richmond International Raceway this weekend.


Below are the stage lengths for each race. Click here to bookmark stage lengths for every race this season.


Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (Race is Sunday, 2 p.m. ET, FOX)

Stage 1: Ends on Lap 100
Stage 2: Ends on Lap 200
Final Stage: Scheduled to end on Lap 400


XFINITY Series (Race is Saturday, 1 p.m. ET, FS1)

Stage 1: Ends on Lap 75
Stage 2: Ends on Lap 150
Final Stage: Scheduled to end on Lap 250

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BUY TICKETS: See the races at Richmond
RELATED: Dale Jr. announces retirement | Amy’s message to Dale

A statistical look at the NASCAR career of Dale Earnhardt Jr., with numbers as of April 25, the day he announced his retirement from the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series at the end of the 2017 season.



For a deeper statistical dive, visit Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s page at racing-reference.info.



0 — The number of laps completed in Earnhardt Jr.’s shortest race, the result of a first-lap crash in the 2001 Dura Lube 400 at Rockingham. The event was the first for NASCAR after the death of Dale Earnhardt Sr. in a last-lap crash in the Daytona 500.



1 — The number of NASCAR All-Star Race victories in Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s career. He became the invitational event’s first rookie winner in 2000.



2 — The number of Daytona 500 victories recorded by Dale Earnhardt Jr.



3 — The car number made famous by his father, NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt. Also, Earnhardt Jr.’s highest-ranking finish in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series standings, in 2003.



6 — The number of wins recorded by Earnhardt Jr. at Talladega Superspeedway, the most among active drivers. Also, the number of victories Earnhardt achieved in his winningest season (2004).


RELATED: All of Junior’s wins | Dale Jr. through the years


8 — Earnhardt Jr.’s first car number in NASCAR premier-series competition. Also, his starting spot in his premier series debut in the 1999 Coca-Cola 600.



10 — The number of seasons that Dale Earnhardt Jr. has driven for Hendrick Motorsports, which fields his No. 88 Chevrolet.


11.3 — The best average finish in a single full season in Earnhardt Jr.’s career, recorded in his three-win campaign of 2015.


12 — The number of tracks where Dale Earnhardt Jr. won in his premier-series career — Talladega (6), Daytona (4), Phoenix (3), Richmond (3), Pocono (2), Michigan (2), and one each at Atlanta, Martinsville, Bristol, Chicagoland, Texas and Dover.


RELATED: Best paint schemes | Junior plans to run two XFINITY races in ’18


13 — The number of Coors Light Pole Awards that Earnhardt has collected in his career in NASCAR’s top division.



20 — Over two seasons (2012 and 2016), the number of races that Earnhardt missed due to concussions.



21 — The age at which Dale Earnhardt Jr. made his debut in what is now the NASCAR XFINITY Series. He finished 14th on June 22, 1996 at Myrtle Beach (S.C.) Speedway.



22 — The number of top-10 finishes Earnhardt Jr. posted in both of his NASCAR XFINITY Series championship seasons.



24 — The age at which Dale Earnhardt Jr. made his debut in NASCAR’s premier series.



42 — The age at which Dale Earnhardt Jr. made his decision to retire from the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.


RELATED: Dale Jr. explains his decision — best quotes from the No. 88 driver and Rick Hendrick


50 — The number of NASCAR national series victories for Dale Earnhardt Jr., with 26 in premier-series competition and 24 in what is now known as the XFINITY Series.



88 — The car number the Dale Earnhardt Jr. has campaigned since moving to Hendrick Motorsports in 2008.



100 — Dale Earnhardt Jr. reached this milestone number of premier-series starts on Sept. 1, 2002 in the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. He finished 16th.



143 — The number of races in the longest losing skid of Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s career, spanning 2008-12. Both wins that bookended the dry spell were recorded at Michigan International Speedway.



149 — The number of top-five finishes that Earnhardt Jr has registered in his career at NASCAR’s top level.



291 — The number of starts that Earnhardt Jr. made for Dale Earnhardt Inc., the team founded by his father that gave him his start in what is now the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.



312 — The number of starts — as of April 25, 2017 — made by Dale Earnhardt Jr. for Hendrick Motorsports.



426 — The number of laps led by Earnhardt in his first full season (2000) in NASCAR’s top division.



540 — The number of times that Dale Earnhardt Jr. was scored as running at the finish in his career, an 89.6 percent rate.



595.5 — The number of miles Dale Earnhardt Jr. completed in his big-league debut May 30, 1999 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Earnhardt placed 16th, three laps down in the Coca-Cola 600.



600 — The milestone number of premier-series starts Earnhardt achieved in March 2017 at Auto Club Speedway.



1,131 — The number of laps led in Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s most prolific season (2004) in that category.



8,195 — The number of laps led in Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s career to date.

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RELATED: See the complete iRacing schedule


Rookie NASCAR PEAK Antifreeze Series driver Bobby Zalenski scored his first victory at Phoenix International Raceway Tuesday night, holding off Ray Alfalla and Ryan Luza on two late-race restarts. Zalenski took the lead on a restart with ten laps to go when leader Andrew Fayash missed a shift. Logan Clampitt, who was restarting second, also moved alongside Fayash as the three raced door-to-door into Turn 1. Zalenski had such a sharp angle into the corner he could not keep his car on the bottom which led him to hit Clampitt, spinning the erstwhile series leader out of contention.



Zalenski escaped with minimal damage and had the race lead, but he would need to execute on one more restart with the two strongest drivers in 2017 thus far right behind him. The green flew with five laps left but before Alfalla and Luza could challenge for the win, Michael Conti spun Fayash entering Turn One leading to a race-ending caution.



Alfalla finished runner-up, right in front of Luza as both rebounded from their problems at Texas. Dylan Duval finished fourth and Zack Novak was fifth, the first time either driver has finished in the top five this season.



Matt Bussa started on pole and led the race to the green flag, building a comfortable lead on Luza during the opening laps. Bussa led the entirety of the first run, only relinquishing the lead to pit for tires and fuel on Lap 53. However, Bussa would not return to the front after the stops as several sim racers short-pitted including Michael Conti, who assumed the lead.



A caution on Lap 59 brought nearly all the lead lap cars back into the pits for tires with Conti leading the pack off pit road. Conti would restart third but only took one lap to pass Adam Gilliland and Marcus Richardson to retake the lead.



Unlike the first run when Luza kept in touch with Bussa, nobody came close to matching Conti’s speed on the long run as the No. 5 drove off and left the field. Like Bussa, Conti led until pitting for routine service on Lap 106 and just like the first round of stops, a caution interrupted the pit cycle before it was complete, costing Conti and other frontrunners some track position.



The final 40 laps were quite the wreckfest as drivers tried to gain positions after restarts. Chris Overland held the lead briefly but Fayash got by shortly after the restart. Despite not showing speed early in the race, Fayash looked quite strong out front and led until his unfortunate missed shift and subsequent crash one restart later.



Luza is back on top of the standings thanks to his third-place effort and Clampitt’s troubles. He leads Zalenski by five points while Clampitt slips to third, seven points adrift. Alfalla sits fourth, but is within striking distance as he is only 13 points out of the lead. Darik Bourdeau rounds out the top five, 32 points back.



Next up is a date with Richmond International Raceway, the second-consecutive short track on the schedule. Look for many of the same faces to be up front as Luza, Alfalla, Clampitt and Zalenski look to break away from the field. With 2017 looking like one of the most competitive NASCAR PEAK Antifreeze Series seasons ever, can anyone break away and become the favorite for the sim racing title? Find out in two weeks on iRacingLive!


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BUY TICKETS: See the races at Richmond
RELATED: Dale Jr. to retire after ’17 | Cain: How Junior endears himself to fans

Plenty of reaction has poured in over the days since Dale Earnhardt Jr. announced his retirement from full-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series racing at the end of the 2017 season.

Drivers, fans, friends and everyone in between have taken time to thank Dale Jr. for everything he has done for the sport. In the video above, Kurt Busch expresses his thoughts on Dale Jr.’s retirement, saying "there’s nobody that could ever replace Dale Jr."

RELATED: NASCAR reacts to driver’s announcement

In the video below from JR Motorsports, an assortment of drivers from Kyle Larson and Danica Patrick to recently retired three-time champion Tony Stewart, spotter TJ Majors and a host of others wish Junior well. Former No. 88 crew-chief-turned-TV-analyst Steve Letarte warns of a "Honey-Do" list. Regan Smith also provided some humorous foreshadowing for what he think Dale’s post-retirement life will look like.

Will we see "Honey-Do list Dale" join "Water Cooler Dale" on a Nationwide commercial? Perhaps, but for now everyone is extending their gratitude toward the racing superstar.

Posted on by Staff Report

Rankings below are based on a mixture of expected output and DraftKings’ NASCAR salaries for that day. The ordering is not based on highest projected fantasy totals, but rather by value of each driver.

 

(fppk = average fantasy points per $1,000 of salary. The typical median fppk for a 2016 race was in the 3s. Plate tracks tend to be lower and short tracks tend to run higher due to the amount of laps.)

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Jimmie Johnson reeled off back-to-back wins with his Bristol conquest on Monday, and now a much larger goal looms in front of him.


Mr. Johnson, meet Mr. Yarborough.


Mr. Allison and Mr. Waltrip, you’re next.


The Hendrick Motorsports driver and seven-time premier series champion continued to climb NASCAR’s all-time wins list with his "Colosseum" conquest, and he is homing in on passing a triumvirate of legends with every victory.


Now with 82 career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series wins, Johnson is one behind Cale Yarborough (83) for sixth place on the all-time wins list. Beyond Yarborough are Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip at 84. That’s just two more wins than Johnson currently has. Yes, it is conceivable — perhaps even probable — that Johnson will pass all three on the list in the same season and end 2017 fourth on the all-time wins tally.



"It’s mind-blowing," Johnson said. "I cannot believe that we’re sitting here with 82 wins. That is such a big number. Yeah, and to be 7 or 8 years old, whatever I was, traveling around the country racing dirt bikes and walking into my first Hardee’s, and I thought it was a race shop for Cale Yarborough and then I realized it was a hamburger stand. … To be in this position is quite an honor. But I honestly wouldn’t be in this position if it wasn’t for (crew chief) Chad Knaus and (team owner) Rick Hendrick and Jeff Gordon, Lowe’s, all the consistent things that I’ve had through my career. This has really been the environment for me to thrive in."



Sit back and enjoy it. History is at hand.