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BUY TICKETS: See the races at Martinsville


With three runner-ups and a win on Sunday at Auto Club Speedway, Kyle Larson’s strong start to the season has gotten the attention of many in the racing industry.

That includes 2014 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick, who made quite the bold statement on the current points leader during Tuesday’s premiere of his radio show "Happy Hours" on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

"Kyle Larson is the best driver to come along since Jeff Gordon in my opinion," Harvick said definitively.

RELATED: Take 5 from Auto Club | Larson wins Auto Club 400

He went on to talk about Larson’s talent, how he wins in everything he drives and how "everyone in the garage wants a Kyle Larson."

"I think Chase Elliott is going to be great too, but Kyle Larson has something special," Harvick said.

By the looks of it, Harvick’s son Keelan is a fan of Larson’s as well.


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Stewart-Haas Racing officials have withdrawn their request for an appeal of penalties against the No. 4 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series team of driver Kevin Harvick and crew chief Rodney Childers, the Appeals Commission confirmed to NASCAR.com.

It was confirmed Thursday that Daniel Knost will serve as interim crew chief this weekend at Martinsville Speedway for Sunday’s STP 500 (2 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Knost was Kurt Busch’s crew chief for 33 races in 2014 and then led Danica Patrick’s No. 10 team for the final three races of the year, followed by a full-time season with her in 2015.

Harvick discussed the penalties and its repercussions during his SiriusXM NASCAR Radio show Tuesday evening.

“Rodney’s a racer, he wants to be at the race track every week,” Harvick said Tuesday. “He’s obviously not too thrilled about not being at the race track this week. But sometimes that happens … and that’s what I want them to do. I want them to push everything on that car. Sometimes you’re going to get in trouble, but those guys have been the best in the business for the last three years.

“It’s kind of like growing up as a kid; sometimes you get in trouble and you have to suffer the consequences, but it is what it is.”

NASCAR penalized the No. 4 team for use of an unapproved track bar slider assembly following the March 19 Camping World 500 at Phoenix Raceway. The infraction was discovered during final inspection at the NASCAR Research & Development Center on March 22.

Childers was fined $25,000 and suspended for one Monster Energy Series race. Harvick was assessed a 10-point penalty while the No. 4 team was penalized 10 owner points.

NASCAR officials declared Harvick’s sixth-place result as an encumbered finish, meaning neither the driver nor team can receive any benefits associated with the result. Those benefits include, but are not limited to, use as a qualifier for the 10-race playoff when the finishing position is a win; or any tie-breakers that might come into play during the 26-race regular season or the 10-race playoff.

SHR officials announced a request for an appeal shortly after the penalties were announced as well as a deferral of the penalties assessed “until the appeal process is complete.”

That request for deferral, which the Appeals Panel granted, allowed Childers to serve as the team’s crew chief for last weekend’s Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway.

Harvick finished 13th at Auto Club and currently is ninth in points.

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NBC’s wild and wildly popular obstacle course show "American Ninja Warrior" is coming to the biggest stage in NASCAR, Daytona International Speedway, to film as part of Season 9.

 

Daytona is a true modern motorsports stadium and will now serve as a proving ground not only for race car drivers but also for athletes in city qualifying and city finals rounds for the show. Competitors who make it out of the finals course will move on to the national finals rounds in Las Vegas with a chance at a $1 million prize.

 

"We’re excited to serve as a host location for the filming of ‘American Ninja Warrior’ and add another new event to an already busy schedule," Daytona International Speedway President Chip Wile said. "We’re thrilled to welcome the competitors to the world’s only motorsports stadium and provide an electric atmosphere as individuals attempt to navigate these challenging obstacles. To succeed, they are going to need strength, speed and perseverance, very similar to what we see on the high banks of the Speedway."

 

The TV tapings will begin each night at approximately 8:30 p.m. ET in between the Axalta and Chevrolet Injectors at the speedway. There will be two different sessions for each night of taping, both of which are available for guests to view. To sign up for free tickets to attend the event, visit http://on-camera-audiences.com/shows/American_Ninja_Warrior.

 

The qualifying episode filmed at Daytona will air June 26, and the city finals will air Aug. 7.

 

The only remaining question is whether "Stenja" will compete again. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who is a fan of the show along with girlfriend and fellow racer Danica Patrick, competed in 2016.

 

MORE: @nascarcasm Q&A with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. — aka "Stenja"

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RELATED: Full starting lineup | See every car | Recap all of Junior’s wins

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is making his 600th career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series start in Sunday’s Auto Club 400 (3:30 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). However, he will do so from the rear of the field and not from his 18th-place starting position earned in Friday’s Coors Light Qualifying session, Hendrick Motorsports confirmed.

A cut on his right-front tire is the culprit, according to a tweet from the driver of the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.

 

 

Earnhardt’s crew chief Greg Ives told NASCAR.com the team wasn’t sure how or when the damaged happened, but he was glad they at least found the problem first thing Sunday morning, before final inspection and before starting the race.

 

Under rules put in place for the 2017 season, drivers now start the race using the tires on which they qualified. Also starting from the rear of the field for the Auto Club 400 are Paul Menard (unapproved tire change, was slated to start 23rd), Jeffrey Earnhardt (unapproved transmission change, was slated to start 32nd) and David Ragan (backup car, was slated to start 27th).

 

Those names join a host of others who will start in the lower ranks of the 39-car field because they did not make qualifying attempts. Jimmie Johnson, a six-time Auto Club Speedway winner, crashed during opening practice and opted against qualifying with an untested car. Joey Logano, Trevor Bayne, Gray Gaulding and Matt DiBenedetto also failed to make qualifying attempts because their cars did not pass technical inspections in time.

RELATED: Tire limits among tweaks in 2017 rules updates

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

RELATED: Find NBCSN in your area | See Martinsville Speedway races live

All times ET

Monday, March 27
1:30 a.m., NASCAR Victory Lane (re-air), FS1
6:30 a.m., Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Auto Club 400 (re-air), FS1
9:30 a.m., Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Auto Club 400 (re-air), FS2
5:30 p.m., NASCAR America, NBCSN
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1

Tuesday, March 28
6 a.m., NASCAR XFINITY Series: NXS 300 (re-air), FS1
5:30 p.m., NASCAR America, NBCSN
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1
7 p.m., NASCAR K&N Pro West Series: Kern (taped), NBCSN

Wednesday, March 29
5:30 p.m., NASCAR America, NBCSN
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1

Thursday, March 30
5:30 p.m., NASCAR America, NBCSN
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub

Friday, March 31
11:30 a.m., Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice, FS1
1 p.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series practice, FS1
2 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub Weekend Edition, FS1
3 p.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series final practice, FS1
4 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub Weekend Edition, FS1
4:30 p.m., Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying, FS1

Saturday, April 1
5:30 a.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series practice (re-air), FS1
6:30 a.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series practice (re-air), FS1
7:30 a.m., Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice (re-air), FS1
9 a.m., Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying (re-air), FS1
10 a.m., Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice, FS1
11 a.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Keystone Light Pole Qualifying, FS1
12:30 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub Weekend Edition, FS1
1:30 p.m., Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series final practice, FS1
2:30 p.m., NCWTS SetUp, FOX
3 p.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Alpha Energy Solutions 250, FOX

Sunday, April 2
12:30 a.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Alpha Energy Solutions 250 (re-air), FS1
2:30 a.m., Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series final practice (re-air), FS1
11:30 a.m., Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series final practice (re-air), FS1
12:30 p.m., NASCAR RaceDay, FS1
2 p.m., Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series STP 500, FS1

 

3

 

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RELATED: Entry list for STP 500 | Entry list for Alpha Energy Solutions 250

NASCAR heads to Martinsville Speedway for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Check out the full weekend schedule below.

 

Note: All times are ET

 

SUNDAY, APRIL 2:

ON TRACK

— 1:20:00 p.m.: MENCS Driver Introductions w/ NASCAR Special Awards

— 2:00:00 p.m.: Presentation of Colors by: Local Law Enforcement and Public Safety Honor Guard

— 2:00:20 p.m.: Invocation by: Martinsville Speedway Track Chaplin, Mike Hatfield

— 2:01:00 p.m.: National Anthem by: Martinsville, Bassett and Magna Vista High School Marching Bands

— 2:02:30 p.m.: Flyover: The Bandit Flight Team (Turn 4 to Turn 1)

— 2:07:30 p.m.: “Drivers, Start Your Engines” by: From Hit FOX TV Show “Prison Break,” Rockmond Dunbar

— 2:13:30 p.m.: Start of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series STP 500 (500 laps, 263 miles), FS1 (Results)

 

PRESS CONFERENCES (Watch live)
— 10:45 a.m.: Rockmond Dunbar
— 11 a.m.: Edsel Ford
— 11:15 a.m.: STP availability with Richard Petty, Aric Almirola, Steve Letarte and Katina Walker, STP Director of Marketing
— 5:30 p.m.: (approx) Post-Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race

 

FRIDAY, MARCH 31:

ON TRACK
— noon-1 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice, FS1 (Results)
— 1:10-2 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series practice, FS1 (Results)
— 3-3:55 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series final practice, FS1 — Canceled due to rain
— 5:05 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying, FS1 — Canceled due to rain

PRESS CONFERENCES (Watch live)
— 10 a.m.: AJ Allmendinger

— 10:30 a.m.: Kyle Larson

— 10:45 a.m.: Jimmie Johnson

— 11 a.m.: Timothy Peters, Harrison Burton

— 1:15 p.m.: Denny Hamlin

— 2 p.m.: Joey Logano

— 2:30 p.m.: Kyle Busch

— 2:45 p.m.: Daniel Suarez

SATURDAY, APRIL 1:

ON TRACK
— 11-11:55 a.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice, FS1 (Results)
— 12:05 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Keystone Light Pole Qualifying, FS1 (Results)
— 1:30-2:20 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series final practice, FS1 (Results)
— 3 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Alpha Energy Solutions 250 (250 laps, 131.5 miles), FOX (Results)

 
PRESS CONFERENCES (Watch live)
— 5:45 p.m.: (approx) Post-Camping World Truck Series race

 

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RELATED: FAQ for race format

Stage 2 saw the top-two finishers of Stage 1 switch places with Martin Truex Jr. putting down a blistering pace for the stage win with Kyle Larson finishing second and Chase Elliott getting by Clint Bowyer late in the stage for third. Truex led all but five laps in the stage as he earned the lead on pit road on Lap 64 for a segment that stayed green throughout its run. Truex swept all three stages of the NASCAR Goes West opener at Las Vegas to take the checkered flag.

Larson and Truex traded the lead back and forth during Stage 1 of the Auto Club 400 and combined to be out front for 55 of the 60-lap segment (Larson led 43 laps, Truex led 12 laps). It ultimately was the polesitter Larson who took the top spot. This was the Chip Ganassi Racing driver’s first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series stage win, and he earns a playoff bonus point. The driver of the No. 42 Chevrolet entered this weekend’s action at Auto Club Speedway as the series points leader.


The top 10 finishers in both Stage 1 and Stage 2 receive race points. The race winner will receive 40 points and five playoff points at the conclusion of the Final Stage.


MORE: 2017 season stage points

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RELATED: Full race results | Series standings | Detailed breakdown
MORE: Buy Larson gear

 

FONTANA, Calif. — What a difference one position makes.

 

After three straight second-place finishes in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, polesitter Kyle Larson finally found Victory Lane, pulling away after an overtime restart to win Sunday’s Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway.

 

Larson took the checkered flag at the end of the second extra lap as team owner Chip Ganassi celebrated from his perch atop the pit box.

 

"It’s great to be Kyle Larson right now," said the 24-year-old driver.

 

Resilient Brad Keselowski, whose spin on Lap 3 caused the first caution of the afternoon — and damaged his No. 2 Team Penske Ford — rolled home in second place, .779 seconds behind the driver variously known as "Young Money" and "The California Kid."

 

Larson, who led a race-high 110 laps, kept his cool through four cautions and subsequent restarts over the final 21 laps, giving up the lead to pit for fresh tires on Lap 193 of a planned 200, as Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr. and Jamie McMurray stayed on the track. 


RELATED: Stages 1,2 results from Auto Club

But Larson quickly surged back to the front after a Lap 196 restart, passing Hamlin for the top spot through Turn 2 a lap later and holding it through the overtime.

 

"I was staying as calm as I could be, but also frustrated at the same time," Larson said of the late-race stops and starts. "It seems like every time I get to the lead at the end of one of these things, the caution comes out and I’ve got to fight people off on restarts. Our Target Chevy was amazing all day. We were able to lead a lot of laps today. Truex was better than us that second stage by quite a bit. We were able to get the jump on him the following restart and led pretty much the rest of the distance. 

 

"I had to fight them off there after the green flag stops (before the final caution), and that was a lot of fun. This is just amazing. We’ve been so good all year long, three seconds in a row. I’ve been watching all the TV like ‘He doesn’t know how to win,’ but we knew how to win today, so that was good."

 

In posting his second career victory (the first coming at two-mile Michigan last year), Larson completed his first weekend sweep, having won Saturday’s NASCAR XFINITY Series event.

 

Larson extended his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series lead to 29 points over second-place Chase Elliott, who finished 10th.

 

Clint Bowyer ran third, posting his best finish since June 2015 at Sonoma, where he also came home third. Truex, who opened a lead of more than eight seconds in winning the second 60-lap stage, was fourth, with Joey Logano recovering a lost lap with a late wave-around to finish fifth.

 

Keselowski cut a tire during a jam-up at the start of the race, the went for a ride off Jimmie Johnson’s bumper on Lap 3.

 

All things considered — among them a suspension to crew chief Paul Wolfe for an infraction last week at Phoenix — Keselowski was happy with his second-place result.

 

"We were tore all to hell," Keselowski said. "Got tore up there really early in the race. Went all the way to the back, just clawed all the way up to second … The last few restarts were obviously key for us. We seemed to get settled into about 10th there, maybe seventh or eighth. 

 

"Then kind of just executed the last few restarts. Good pit calls and so forth. Good timing with the yellows. We caught a few breaks, for sure, and made good adjustments to our car to make up for the damage. It takes a little bit of everything: good execution, good work by the team, and a little bit of luck on the last few yellows."

 

NOTES:
— Before the race, the track announced a three-year extension of its race entitlement sponsorship, keeping the name Auto Club 400 through 2020.

 

— With Keselowski having early troubles, Larson is now the only driver who has scored points in both the first and second stages in each of the five races this year.

 

— Twenty-first Jimmie Johnson maintained his perfect record at Fontana — but just barely. After a litany of issues throughout the race, Johnson got back on the lead lap as the "lucky dog" under the final caution. He has now finished on the lead lap in all 23 of his starts at Auto Club, completing all 5,306 laps raced at the speedway during his career.

 

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RELATED: Race results | Updated series standings

 

FONTANA, Calif. — Brad Keselowski will be the first to tell you it was "quite the day" at work on Sunday at Auto Club Speedway. After making contact with cars on the race start, then taking an infield spin — all within the first five laps — Keselowski rallied to a runner-up finish, only .779 seconds behind race winner Kyle Larson.

 

To hear Keselowski tell the story, it was simply a matter of keeping at it no matter the circumstance. And boy, did it pay off.

 

MORE: Watch Keselowski’s early spin

 

"Great perseverance from this team," Keselowski said on pit road. "I got out of the car and looked at the damage. It’s torn to pieces. I feel lucky to finish second and curious what we could have done if we weren’t torn up. Great day for us to persevere, despite adversity. You’ll have that in a 36-race season, so proud of team for that."

 

Keselowski’s late race rebound was certainly noted by his competitors. What looked like a Larson vs. Martin Truex Jr. trophy run, turned into an all-out scramble with a dozen cars in two laps of overtime.

 

"The 2 car, I went by him the first run, I just knew his day was over," third-place finisher Clint Bowyer said after the race. "I’ll be damned if he didn’t finish in front of me.

"How did he do that?" he continued, smiling. "Did you see that?"

 

MORE: Bowyer takes third at Auto Club

 

Keselowski’s No. 2 Wurth Ford didn’t lead a lap all day and spent time in the pits early in the race repairing damage from the opening-lap "adventures."

 

"The last few restarts were obviously key for us," Keselowski said. "We seemed to get settled into about 10th there, maybe seventh or eighth, then kind of just executed the last few restarts. Good pit calls and so forth. Good timing with the yellows. We caught a few breaks, for sure, and made good adjustments to our car to make up for the damage.

 

"It takes a little bit of everything: good execution, good work by the team, and a little bit of luck on the last few yellows.

 

"Glad I got the race on record on the DVR so I can see it."