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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!

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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.

Posted on by Reid Spencer

RELATED: Race results | SHOP: Kyle Busch gear
MORE: Full race breakdown | Updated standings

CONCORD, N.C. – Kyle Busch never tires of winning, even though he does it more often than anyone else.

Busch led 90 of 134 laps in Friday night’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway and completed a dominating victory in the event, sweeping both early stages of the race and taking the checkered flag .986 seconds ahead of runner-up Johnny Sauter.

The win was Busch’s seventh in 11 starts at the 1.5-mile track, his second of the season in three starts and the 48th of his career. No other driver in NASCAR Camping World Truck Series history has won more races at a single track.

After diverging pit strategies under the fifth caution on Lap 71 scrambled the running order near the end of the second stage, Busch took control of the race with a breathtaking pass on the backstretch on Lap 78, splitting the middle between Sauter and eventual sixth-place finisher Matt Crafton.

“It was fun,” said Busch, who collected his 173rd NASCAR national touring series win. “We had a really fast Cessna Tundra tonight. It was a challenge there in the middle part of the race. It was confusing for a while there, but we got through it.

“There near the end of that stage, we shot through the middle there. I thought the middle was going to close up and I was going to have to push Sauter, but Crafton left me a lane and I was able to blow through there.”

Kyle Busch Motorsports teammate Christopher Bell ran third, overcoming early trouble to stay within striking distance of Sauter, the series leader. Bell started from the pole but cut a left rear tire three laps into the race and went a lap down.

Regaining the lead lap as the “lucky dog” for a restart on Lap 65, Bell worked his way to the front. He was running second when a caution for Matt Mills’ spin on Lap 128 brought out the ninth and final caution and set up a three-lap run to the finish.

Sauter, who extended his series lead to 15 points over Bell, got the better of the young Toyota driver on the restart and rolled home in second.

“I struggled on restarts, man,” Bell said afterwards. “I’m pretty bummed that I ran third with a second-place truck.”

Ryan Truex charged into fourth place after the final restart and posted his best finish since last year’s season opener at Daytona. It was his first top five in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series on an open-motor track.

Timothy Peters ran fifth, followed by Crafton, Grant Enfinger, Ben Rhodes, Noah Gragson and Parker Kligerman.

Notes: Justin Haley’s No. 24 GMS Racing Chevrolet entry failed the height requirements in post-race inspection following his 17th-place finish in Friday’s race. That infraction carries with it a loss of 10 points in the driver and owner standings and a one-race suspension for the team’s crew chief, per the rulebook.

Contributing: Staff report

Posted on by Zack Albert

RELATED: Starting lineup | Essential race info | At-track photos

CONCORD, N.C. — Kyle Larson stormed to the Coors Light Pole Award on Friday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway, taming the unique qualifying format to earn the No. 1 starting spot for Saturday’s Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race (8 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Larson hurried the Chip Ganassi Racing No. 42 Chevrolet to a speed of 143.839 mph in the three-lap format, which requires teams to make a four-tire pit stop during their run. Despite a slight slip by his rear tire changer, Larson’s team avoided the pitfalls that snagged the other four competitors who advanced to the final round of qualifying.

Kyle Busch was second-fastest in the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 18 Toyota with a speed of 143.826 mph, just one-hundredth slower than Larson’s time. Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson and Kurt Busch completed the top five.

Larson led 18 laps in last year’s All-Star event, relinquishing the top spot to eventual winner Joey Logano with two laps remaining. With a prime No. 1 starting position this year, Larson said he hoped to capitalize by winning one of three opening segments to lock his name into the final 10-lap, 10-car dash.

“Starting up front is a big deal,” Larson said. “If we can get out there and win that first stage I know we’re going to be in the top 10, and then build on our average finish. I’m very excited for (Saturday). And I’m definitely excited about getting the pole because I wasn’t expecting to qualify this good. To get the pole is pretty neat.”

The one-of-a-kind qualifying procedures — which abandon the pit-road speed limit for one night only — tripped up a handful of drivers. In the final round, Johnson overshot his pit stall and incurred a five-second penalty when his crew went over the wall too soon. Kurt Busch’s crew left two lug nuts loose, causing race officials to dock him five seconds for each.

In the first session, Kasey Kahne, Jamie McMurray, Joey Logano and Matt Kenseth overshot their pit stalls trying to hustle in for service, costing them precious time as their teams backed their cars into position. Logano’s drastic overshoot kept Larson’s place on the bubble; the series points leader was the last of the five drivers who advanced to the final knockout round.

The crews for Martin Truex Jr. and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. each left one lug nut unsecured, incurring five-second penalties that kept them from advancing to the final qualifying round. Truex will start 14th with Stenhouse 16th on Saturday night.

WATCH: Ryan Newman saves car in qualifying

Ryan Newman recovered from a long, smoky sideways slide through Turns 3 and 4 just before his pit entry. He avoided contact, but his Richard Childress Racing No. 31 Chevrolet was the second slowest of the 16 drivers in the opening round.

“Hoping next year maybe they’ll award style points,” Newman told FOX Sports after making his stellar save. He’ll start 15th in Saturday night’s invitational.

Four more drivers will be added Saturday to round out the 20-car field for Saturday night’s main event. Three drivers will transfer as segment winners from the 50-lap Monster Energy Open preliminary race. One more will be added as the winner of fan voting.

Posted on by Staff Report

“Carpool Karaoke” has nothing on Kyle Busch, who stars in “Riding with Kyle Busch,” a series of videos shot from the dash cam of the champion driver of the No. 18 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing. See Kyle as the interviewer instead of the interviewee as he chats with his wife, Samantha; country music star Jake Owen; pro football player Greg Olsen and teammate Daniel Suarez as they ride in different models of Toyota vehicles — and of course, snack on some M&M’s.

Spoiler alert: Kyle does share his Caramel M&M’s with Samantha, but they can’t agree on what color the bag is. Watch each of the episodes below:

Jake Owen: The country music superstar and admitted beach bum tells Kyle Busch about his perfect day at the beach while riding in an Expedition Overland Toyota 4Runner.

Greg Olsen: The Carolina Panthers tight end tells Kyle Busch a funny autograph-seeker story while driving in the Toyota SEMA Edition TRD Land Cruiser.

Samantha Busch: She gives husband Kyle Busch an honest critique of how good — or bad — his driving is on family vacations while riding in a Toyota Sienna Extreme.

Daniel Suarez: Kyle Busch’s teammate teaches him a Spanish phrase or two while they ride in a SEMA Edition Camry.

Posted on by Nascar

RELATED: Full schedule | Format explained | ‘Soft’ tire in use

At a Glance

What: Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race; Monster Energy Open
Where: Charlotte Motor Speedway, 1.5-mile tri-oval in Concord, North Carolina
Green flag: Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race — 8:16.30 p.m. ET; Monster Energy Open — 6:15 p.m. ET
TV/Radio: FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Forecast: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2 p.m. Mostly sunny, high near 87. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph in the afternoon.
National Anthem: Calysta Bevier, 2016 “America’s Got Talent” semifinalist
Honorary Pace Car Driver: Ricky Carmichael, 15-time national motocross and supercross champion
Honorary Starter: JB Mauney, two-time PBR champion
Grand Marshal: Victor Espinoza, Triple Crown winning jockey
Race distance: Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race 70 laps; Monster Energy Open 50 laps
Pit road speed: 45 mph
Caution car speed: 55 mph
Stage lengths: Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race — 20 laps, 20 laps, 20 laps, 10 laps (Stage winners in first three stages advance to final stage); Monster Energy Open — 20 laps, 20 laps, 10 laps (Stage winners in Open advance to All-Star Race)

Posted on by Staff Report

RELATED: Full practice results

Chip Ganassi Racing driver and Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series points leader Kyle Larson was quickest in the only practice session for Saturday night’s Monster Energy All-Star Race. Larson vaulted to the top of the leaderboard with a fast lap of 189.274 mph at Charlotte Motor Speedway after putting on his softer set of “option” Goodyear tires.

Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kevin Harvick was second at 189.095 mph, followed by Team Penske’s Brad Keselowski (188.976 mph), Joe Gibbs Racing’s Kyle Busch (188.594 mph) and Furniture Row Racing’s Martin Truex Jr. (188.232 mph). Sixteen cars, all of which have already qualified for the All-Star Race, logged laps in practice.

Teams could use both the “prime” tires and the “option” tires during practice. Remember, each team will get one set of “option” tires — with green lettering — to use at any point during the race. The option tires have more grip and speed, but fall-off quicker … and if you take them before the final segment, you must start from the rear.

RELATED: All-Star FAQs

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was the first driver to give the option tires a go, and he immediately jumped from 10th on the leaderboard to third. The lead changed hands several times throughout the 70-minute session as drivers opted to use their prime tires.

It sets the stage for an All-Star Race that will have an emphasis on strategy and racing action.

The session tacked on an extra 15 minutes so teams could practice for the ever-popular no-speed-limit, four-tire pit stop in advance of Friday evening’s qualifying. The top five quickest teams in the first round of qualifying (6:05 p.m. ET, FS1) will advance to the ensuing final round, which follows immediately.

Denny Hamlin brought out the caution during this period when he hit the outside wall hard coming out of Turn 3. His No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing team immediately called for the backup car.

RELATED: Hamlin hits wall hard in practice

Next up is practice for the Monster Energy Open — the event that precedes the Monster Energy All-Star Race, comprised of drivers who have not qualified for the All-Star event — from 3-4:25 p.m. ET (FS1). The Camping World Truck Series qualifies at 4:45 p.m. ET (FS1), followed by All-Star Race qualifying and then the Truck Series race at 8:30 p.m. ET (FS1).

The Monster Energy All-Star Race is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on Saturday (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In what is believed to be an unprecedented move in national sports broadcasting, FOX Sports announced today that its live broadcast of the June 10 NASCAR XFINITY Series race from Pocono Raceway (1 p.m. ET on FOX) will be called entirely by active Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers. The race broadcast is thought to be the first time a nationally televised live sporting event has featured an on-air team comprised strictly of athletes actively competing in that sport.

Kevin Harvick, the 2014 NASCAR premier series and two-time NASCAR XFINITY Series champion, serves as the play-by-play announcer for FOX Sports at Pocono alongside analysts Joey Logano (2015 Daytona 500 champion and a part of four NASCAR XFINITY Series owners championships) and Clint Bowyer (2008 NASCAR XFINITY Series champion).

Ryan Blaney, (2014 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Most Popular Driver), Erik Jones (2015 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion) and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (two-time NASCAR XFINITY Series champion) cover pit road, while Danica Patrick (2013 Daytona 500 pole champion and first female to lead a NASCAR race under green) and Denny Hamlin (2016 Daytona 500 champion) host FOX race coverage from the Hollywood Hotel mobile studio.

“This is something FOX Sports has talked about doing for a long time,” said John Entz, FOX Sports President & Executive Producer, Production. “Several of these competitors already have joined us in the NASCAR XFINITY Series booth and done a heck of a job, and we see a lot of promise in the newcomers.  Regardless of their TV experience, we have one goal for all — go out and have a blast. As long as no one sets fire to the FOX Sports booth or pulls the plug that knocks us off the air, the drivers have free rein.“

Harvick, Bowyer, Hamlin, Logano and Patrick have served as driver analysts for FOX Sports’ coverage of the NASCAR XFINITY Series at some point since the network began rotating prominent Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers in the booth beginning with the 2015 season.  Additionally, Blaney and Stenhouse have contributed as driver analysts on FS1’s NASCAR RACE HUB, the sport’s most-watched daily NASCAR news and information program. Pocono marks Jones’ debut as part of a national race broadcast.

Still slated to offer analysis in the FOX Sports NASCAR XFINITY Series booth in 2017, alongside regular FOX Sports broadcasters Adam Alexander and Michael Waltrip, are Bowyer at Charlotte on May 27 (1 p.m. ET on FS1) and Logano at Dover on June 3 (1 p.m. ET on FS1).

“Pocono definitely is going to be different, but I am looking forward to the challenge and the fun it’s going to be for everyone,” said Pam Milller, NASCAR XFINITY Series race producer for FOX Sports. “For the most part, this group has broadcasting experience, so the goal will be to keep the telecast moving between all the personalities and making sure every driver’s unique views and personal experiences come through on the air.  We want the viewer to feel like they are sitting with a group of friends having a racing conversation. These friends just happen to compete on the track each week.”

Chase Elliott and Jamie McMurray made their FOX NASCAR booth debuts earlier this season, in addition to two appearances by Brad Keselowski. Logano helped call the Richmond race, while Harvick offered analysis at Daytona, Phoenix, Bristol and Talladega, as well as the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series stop at Martinsville. Harvick also is scheduled as an analyst for the upcoming Truck Series races at Eldora Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway.

In appreciation of the drivers’ participation, FOX Sports will make a donation to each driver’s individual foundation or charity of choice.