RELATED: Truex discusses weather’s impact on game plan | Weather updates
NASCAR officials have postponed the XFINITY Series’ Drive for the Cure 300 Presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC until 11 a.m ET Sunday as steady rain pelted Charlotte Motor Speedway on Friday.
Officials are continuing to closely monitor the track of Hurricane Matthew ahead of Saturday evening’s Sprint Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, as well. The Bank of America 500 (7 p.m. ET, NBC, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), is the fourth event in the 10-race Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup playoffs — and the first race in the Round of 12.
Thursday’s on-track activity was not affected by weather, but rain is forecast throughout the afternoon and evening Friday and early Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.
As of 8 a.m. ET Friday, Matthew was a Category 3 hurricane (downgraded from a Category 4 storm on Thursday) with the hurricane expected to move over the east coast of Florida Friday and over the coasts of Georgia and South Carolina on Saturday. Hurricane warnings stretched from just north of Miami to southern South Carolina.
Charlotte Motor Speedway is located in Concord, North Carolina, roughly 200 miles inland. The latest proposed track for the storm projects a looping course away from North Carolina, which could spare the state from the brunt of its damage.
“I feel like we’re going to race Saturday night, but you never know with the weather,” Martin Truex Jr. said. “We’re definitely going to do a little race trim (Thursday), which is uncharacteristic for our group.”
Daytona International Speedway, located in the heart of the storm’s potential route, faces a more imminent hurricane threat. The 2.5-mile track closed its track tour and ticketing operations Thursday and Friday in advance of the worsening weather in Daytona Beach, Florida.
Atlanta Motor Speedway is doing its part to help with the relief efforts. The 1.54-mile Georgia track has opened its campgrounds as a free-of-charge refuge for storm evacuees.
Practice 1: Results
| Pos | Car | Driver | From Lap | To Lap | Avg Speed |
| 1 | 5 | Kasey Kahne | 1 | 10 | 188.561 |
| 2 | 18 | Kyle Busch | 1 | 10 | 187.616 |
| 3 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | 1 | 10 | 187.460 |
| 4 | 21 | Ryan Blaney | 1 | 10 | 187.142 |
| 5 | 10 | Danica Patrick | 1 | 10 | 186.963 |
| 6 | 2 | Brad Keselowski | 24 | 33 | 186.583 |
| 7 | 20 | Matt Kenseth | 22 | 31 | 185.711 |
| 8 | 19 | Carl Edwards | 15 | 24 | 185.626 |
| 9 | 42 | Kyle Larson | 25 | 34 | 184.807 |
| 10 | 24 | Chase Elliott | 16 | 25 | 184.422 |
| 11 | 16 | Greg Biffle | 18 | 27 | 184.151 |
| 12 | 1 | Jamie McMurray | 20 | 29 | 184.030 |
| 13 | 27 | Paul Menard | 19 | 28 | 184.012 |
| 14 | 17 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 20 | 29 | 183.871 |
| 15 | 38 | Landon Cassill | 26 | 35 | 183.391 |
| 16 | 34 | Chris Buescher | 16 | 25 | 181.431 |
* Car must run 10 consecutive laps on the track to be included in the above charts.
RELATED: Best 10 consecutive lap averages | Rain washes out Friday’s action
Kevin Harvick topped the leaderboard in Thursday’s first Sprint Cup Series practice at Charlotte Motor Speedway at 193.757 mph in the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet.
Right behind him was Alex Bowman, subbing for Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet at 192.885 mph.
Rounding out the top five were Sprint Cup Series points leader Martin Truex Jr. in the No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Toyota at 192.623 mph, Kyle Busch in the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota at 192.548 mph and Denny Hamlin in the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 192.219 mph.
Martin Truex Jr. will return to the site of his history-making Coca-Cola 600 win with the same car, but with a new sponsor on board.
Furniture Row Racing announced Thursday that Maaco has signed on as a sponsor of its No. 78 Toyota entries in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The partnership with the auto painting and collision repair company starts with Saturday night’s Bank of America 500 (7 p.m. ET, NBC, PRN, SiriusXM) at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
“This has been such a great season for Furniture Row Racing, bringing on new partners,” Truex said. “This is just another step in that direction.”
Truex has a career-best four Sprint Cup victories this season, kicked off by the most dominant win in Coca-Cola 600 history at Charlotte in May. Truex won the Coors Light Pole Award and led 392 of the 400 laps.
Truex said during his media availability Thursday that the Colorado-based team will use the same car from their Memorial Day romp this weekend.
Here are the hot topics, trending news and key story lines to get you ready for this weekend’s races at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
WEATHER
Hurricane Matthew could make this weekend very soggy. Or, Matthew could take a turn and not affect Charlotte weather as much as expected. The entire slate of on-track activity Thursday was unaffected, but rain rolled in overnight. There’s an 80 percent chance of rain throughout Friday afternoon, which increases to 90 percent in the evening — the XFINITY Series Drive for the Cure 300 Presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC is scheduled for 8 p.m.
According to the National Weather Service, heavy rain is expected early Saturday before dropping to a 20 percent chance late Saturday afternoon and into the evening.
All of this is subject to rapid changes, however.
KEY TIMES
Sprint Cup Series: The Sprint Cup Series holds its first practice Thursday at 1:30 p.m. ET (NBCSN/NBC Sports App), with Coors Light Pole qualifying at 7:20 p.m. ET (NBCSN/NBC Sports App). The Bank of America 500 is at 7 p.m. ET Saturday (NBC/NBC Sports App, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
XFINITY Series: The XFINITY Series opens practice Thursday at 3 p.m. ET (NBCSN/NBC Sports App) and qualifies Friday at 4:45 p.m. ET (NBCSN/NBC Sports App). The Drive for the Cure 300 Presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC is Friday at 8 p.m. ET (NBCSN/NBC Sports App, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
CATCH DRIVERS LIVE
We’ll stream every driver press conference in the Charlotte media center at NASCAR.com/presspass. Click here for a full schedule. Click here to tune into the live stream.
LAST TIME
The Bank of America 500 in 2015 was rained out and postponed until Sunday, but Joey Logano didn’t suffer any ill effects from the delay. Logano led 227 of 334 laps en route to the first victory of his dominating Round of 12 in which he won all three races (Charlotte, Kansas and Talladega).
YOU SHOULD KNOW
• Joey Logano returns to the race where his (shortlived) 2015 postseason dominance began. Logano swept the Round of 12 a year ago, but hasn’t been nearly as triumphant this season, with just one win at Michigan in June. Still, in Logano’s last eight races this season, he’s had only one finish outside the top 10, and that was a near miss (11th). Is he on the verge of rediscovering last year’s magic?
• Martin Truex Jr. has won three of the last five races (Darlington, Chicago and Dover), which now gives him more wins this season (four) than in the rest of his career, combined. And who can forget how Truex Jr. led all but eight laps at this track in May at the Coca-Cola 600? He’s en fuego.
• This is a cut-off race for the inaugural XFINITY Series Chase, with only Elliott Sadler and Daniel Suarez guaranteed trips to the Round of 8 by virtue of their first-round victories. Early title favorites Ty Dillon (ninth) and Erik Jones (10th) currently are on the outside looking in, and a Charlotte win would guarantee a spot in the next round.
THE FAVORITE
Martin Truex Jr. Is there anyone hotter right now? Truex Jr. won at both Chicago and Dover in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup’s opening round. Now, he’s returning to the track where he had one of the most dominating performances in NASCAR history when he led 392 of 400 laps at the Coca-Cola 600 in May. It’s hard to bet against him right now.
Others to consider: Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson.
THE SLEEPER
Austin Dillon. When Dillon needed a clutch performance last week in Dover, he came through with an eighth-place finish that pushed him through to the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup’s Round of 12. Charlotte is Dillon’s second-best track, with a 12.8 average finish. Is he ready for a breakthrough?
Others to consider: Chase Elliott, Denny Hamlin.
STAFF PICKS
Martin Truex Jr.: 3
Jimmie Johnson: 2
Kevin Harvick: 2
Brad Keselowski: 1
Kyle Busch: 1
CONCORD, N.C. — UniFirst and 11-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champions Hendrick Motorsports have reached an eight-year agreement that will make the workwear and textile service company a primary sponsor of the No. 5 Chevrolet SS driven by Kasey Kahne. The contract runs through the year 2023.
As the new Official Workwear Provider of Hendrick Motorsports, UniFirst will be a two-race primary sponsor in both 2016 and 2017, with the relationship increasing to three primary races annually from 2018-2023. In addition, UniFirst will be a full-season associate sponsor of the No. 5 team.
UniFirst will make its Sprint Cup Series primary sponsorship debut later this season with back-to-back races Oct. 23 at Talladega Superspeedway and Oct. 30 at Martinsville Speedway.
“UniFirst is excited to be a primary sponsor of Kasey and Hendrick Motorsports,” said Adam Soreff, director of marketing and communications for UniFirst. “This partnership is a great opportunity for our company because Hendrick Motorsports is one of the premier — and most highly respected — teams in professional auto racing. UniFirst’s broad customer base, which includes 300,000 business locations across North America, employs thousands of enthusiastic NASCAR fans, so this relationship is a natural fit. We’re extremely proud to have the UniFirst brand represented in such a dynamic atmosphere.”
UniFirst is one of North America’s largest workwear and textile service companies, providing managed uniform, protective clothing, custom corporate image apparel, and ancillary facility services programs to businesses in virtually all industries. As part of the new relationship, UniFirst will supply work clothing and uniforms to Hendrick Motorsports and sister company Hendrick Automotive Group, which is the largest privately held retail automotive organization in the United States.
“When a sponsor feels strongly enough to commit for eight years, it sends a clear message,” said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. “There’s tremendous excitement about the opportunities our team and our sport present for UniFirst. They have a reputation for world-class service, the highest quality products and services, and having incredible people. We share a similar mindset and culture, and we’re looking forward to working together across our entire organization.”
Since joining Hendrick Motorsports in 2012, Kahne, 36, has earned three Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup berths and five race wins with the No. 5 team. The Enumclaw, Washington, native has 17 career victories, 27 pole positions and 166 top-10 finishes in NASCAR’s top division.
“UniFirst will be a great addition to our partners at Hendrick Motorsports,” Kahne said. “They’re a reliable company that we’ve worked with at Kasey Kahne Racing for a long time, so I was happy to hear they are coming on board. I’m looking forward to having them as part of the No. 5 team and working with them in the years to come.”
RELATED: Full lineup | Every car | Chase Grid
CONCORD, N.C. – Kevin Harvick may have won the pole for Saturday night’s Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway (12 p.m. ET NBC, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), but Alex Bowman continued to open eyes as a substitute driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
Touring the 1.5-mile speedway in 27.547 seconds (196.029 mph), Harvick knocked Bowman (196.000 mph) off the pole by a scant .004 seconds in the final round of Thursday evening’s knockout qualifying.
The pole was Harvick’s first at Charlotte, his first of the 2016 season and the 16th of his career.
“It was good in (Turns) 1 and 2, but I felt like I gave up a little something in (Turns) 3 and 4 coming to the checkered,” Harvick said of his lap in the money round. “This has just been a fun car to drive today. Hopefully we can get it dialed in race trim.”
Where Harvick gave up speed in the final two corners, Bowman likely lost the pole in the first two turns, where he drifted up the track slightly and scrubbed off just enough speed to fall short of Harvick by the minute fraction of a second.
Nevertheless, driving in place of Dale Earnhardt Jr. in six of the last seven races of the season while Earnhardt recovers from a concussion, Bowman stole the show.
“The Showman Bowman was fast tonight,” Earnhardt tweeted after the final round. “Great job @AlexBRacing and @AxaltaRacing gang. P2 @CLTMotorSpdwy.”
Bowman, the fastest of the non-Chase drivers in time trials, recently posted his career-best NASCAR Sprint Cup Series finish, a 10th at Chicagoland Speedway. Though Bowman continues to show excellent speed as a substitute, he has no definite plans for next year.
But he came tantalizingly close to a monumental achievement on Thursday night.
“Honestly, we didn’t put the greatest lap together,” said Bowman, who ran the fastest lap of the day in the second round (196.200 mph). “In (Turns) 1 and 2, we were a little free in (into the corner) and didn’t really keep it on the bottom like I needed to.
“Turns 3 and 4 were really good. It means so much for Hendrick Motorsports to take a chance on me for these races. I’m really thankful to be here. I hate that we didn’t get the pole. We were so close. It’s definitely my best starting spot by a bunch, but you’d always like that pole.”
Chase drivers claimed eight of the top-12 starting positions, with Chase Elliott qualifying third, Kyle Busch fourth, Martin Truex Jr., seventh, Carl Edwards eighth, Denny Hamlin ninth, Joey Logano 10th and Jimmie Johnson 11th.
Chase drivers Matt Kenseth (17th), Austin Dillon (19th), Brad Keselowski (20th) and Kurt Busch (23rd) failed to advance to the final round.
“I don’t think anybody knew that we could go as fast as Bowman went in that second round,” Edwards said. “That kind of raised the stakes for everyone.”
Notes: Danica Patrick will start 13th, her second-best effort this year after qualifying 11th at Sonoma in June. Patrick just missed advancing to the final round; Johnson edged her for the 12th and final position by .012 seconds… Hendrick Motorsports continued to show improved speed, putting all four of its cars in the top 12 (with Kasey Kahne in 12th joining Bowman, Elliott and Johnson). Hendrick-powered cars claimed four of the top five spots on the grid, with Harvick on the pole and Tony Stewart fifth.
RELATED: XFINITY Grid | Career highlights for Suarez
Daniel Suarez had been eyeing Dover International Speedway‘s Miles the Monster trophy for years.
The Joe Gibbs Racing driver finally was able to take home the iconic monster hardware Sunday after his dominating XFINITY Series win at the “Monster Mile.”
“This little guy,” a beaming Suarez said after the race, gesturing to the trophy during his post-race winner’s press conference. “You know what? I’ve been trying really hard to get one of these guys because in the K&N Series, I used to see this guy and think that this was really cool and I wanted to have one of those for my house. And finally to get this guy and be able to bring it with me home is going to be very special.”
But for the 24-year-old driver hailing from Monterrey, Mexico, this trophy represents more than just another trip to Victory Lane: Suarez’s win came during Hispanic Heritage Month, which is celebrated annually from Sept. 15 – Oct. 15.
“This is something really cool,” Suarez said. “Honestly, I didn’t remember this until they asked me in Victory Lane so this is something really good, very special for me and for all the people that have been supporting me since I moved here to the U.S. almost five years ago.
“Having all of the support that I have had from Mexico and from here in the U.S. and all of Latin America has been super special. I really feel lucky to be in this position and to be able to represent all of them.”
His first XFINITY Series career win at Michigan International Speedway on June 11 earlier this season rewrote history books, as he became the first Mexican-born driver to win a national series race. Having come to the United States less than five years ago, Suarez needed to learn the English language first — which he calls one of his toughest challenges upon moving to America — and then focus on competing in the top tier of racing.
Imagine driving at speeds of more than 100 mph and not being completely fluent in the sport’s native language.
Talk about overcoming obstacles.
“Think about what he battled through,” team owner Joe Gibbs said post-race Sunday. “He’s racing go-karts in Mexico and fighting his way up through all the series down there. You know what that takes for a young guy to be able to go through all of that, get recognized and then have a chance to come up here? It’s a great story. … I think it’s great for our sport and we’re thrilled to be a part of that.”
This season has been a breakout year for the budding star and this Dover victory was another shining moment: His taming of Miles the Monster was a win for his country, his culture, his career — and the next generation of NASCAR drivers.
“He is one of the up and coming … young stars,” Gibbs said. “I think from a diversity standpoint, from a Hispanic standpoint too, I think it’s huge for our sport.”
Now, the young driver has a chance to compete for a championship, the first year of the XFINITY Series Chase. While many viewed fellow Joe Gibbs Racing driver Erik Jones as the JGR title favorite, Suarez quickly is proving his No. 19 team needs to be in the conversation.
“Something really good about my team is that we have a lot of chemistry,” Suarez said. “We don’t give up, we work really hard. When we have bad days, we work even harder. I really like my team because we are together — we win together and we’ve lost together. We just have a lot of communication.
“A couple months ago, we were having a lot of conversations because we needed to find more speed and we were working hard to try to make that speed happen. I’m just proud of my team, proud of how we’ve been performing the last few weeks and I think in the next month and a half, couple months is going to be better.”
But before that, he needs to figure out where to put his hard-fought monster trophy.
“Where I’m going to put it, I don’t know, but it will be something easy to figure it out,” Suarez said, smiling.
Wherever Miles ends up, Suarez better leave some room for more trophies — he likely will need it.