MOORESVILLE, N.C. (August 31, 2016) — Richard Petty Motorsports today announced competition changes to improve their on-track performance. Effectively immediately, Philippe Lopez and Scott McDougall will temporarily oversee all competition duties and roles previously held by Sammy Johns both at the track and at the race shop.
The change comes as part of an immediate, aggressive strategy by RPM leadership to improve speed, performance and future growth of RPM. The goal is to improve on-track results from 2016 and to capitalize on the progress made in previous seasons.
“The past several years, we have made significant investments in our organization with the goal of winning races and to compete at a high level on a weekly basis,” said Brian Moffitt, Chief Executive Officer, Richard Petty Motorsports. “We now have direction over our own chassis and bodies and work closely with Ford Performance on technology and engineering. With these investments, unfortunately, we have not seen the on-track results that we expected this season.
“As we look ahead to 2017, we are taking steps forward to improve our on-track product to better serve our partners and fans. This means analyzing every part of our organization and making adjustments where needed. Sammy Johns has been a big part of our organization; he helped us succeed in many different ways and helped us become a winning race team. We wish him nothing but the best going forward.”
RPM has seen success on the track in recent seasons. Aric Almirola and the No. 43 Ford Fusion had their most consistent season together and highest average finish to date in 2015. They were also a race winning team in 2014 and competed in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.
Off the track, the organization has continued to grow relationships with primary partners Smithfield Foods, Albertsons Companies, Shore Lodge, U.S. Air Force, Twisted Tea, STP, Fresh From Florida and Jacob Companies.
“Our partners have seen success and believe in our mission,” continued Moffitt. “They share in our commitment to see Aric and Brian competing at a higher level each weekend.”
Lopez and McDougall will begin their duties at the track in Darlington this weekend.
STAMFORD, Conn. — August 31, 2016 — NBC Sports gears up for a throwback weekend of racing from Darlington highlighted by the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Bojangles’ Southern 500 Sunday at 6 p.m. ET on NBC and the XFINITY Series race Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBC.
NBC Sports joins Darlington Raceway in celebrating the sights and sounds of the 1975-1984 era with throwback themes integrated into this weekend’s coverage. In addition to traditional graphics and historic logos, NASCAR on NBC’s on-air team will dress in their best time period apparel. Throughout the weekend, NASCAR on NBC’s pre-race set will be flanked by a series of old school cars from the decade. Music and footage from the era will also bring viewers in and out of commercial breaks.
Race day coverage kicks off with a revamped version of Blake Shelton’s NASCAR on NBC “Bringing Back the Sunshine” Open, full of racing moments spanning the track’s incredible history. Legendary NASCAR broadcasters Ken Squier and Ned Jarrett return to the booth, alongside Dale Jarrett, to call a portion of the race. Squier adds his voice to a special pre-race feature on the storied Raceway. Pre-race coverage also includes a special three-car on-track preview of Darlington Raceway. In addition to Jeff Burton in the Toyota Camry on-track car, Kyle Petty will drive his father’s famed 1979 No. 43 Championship race car alongside Dale Jarrett in fellow Hall of Famer Benny Parsons’ No. 72 car.
NBC SPORTS PRESENTS NASCAR SPRINT CUP RACING FROM DARLINGTON SUNDAY AT 6 P.M. ET
NBC Sports begins its Sprint Cup coverage from “The Lady in Black” Friday with practice at 1:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, followed by final practice at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN. An on-site edition of “NASCAR America” wraps up the day at 5 p.m. ET on NBCSN. Saturday’s coverage from Darlington Raceway includes “NASCAR America” at 1 p.m. ET followed by qualifying at 1:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN.
Sunday’s race day coverage kicks off on NBCSN with NASCAR America at 5 p.m. ET. NBC’s coverage begins with “Countdown to Green” at 5:30 p.m. ET followed by race coverage at 6 p.m. ET. “NASCAR Victory Lap” at 11 p.m. ET wraps up the day.
Race announcer Rick Allen calls this weekend’s action alongside analysts Steve Letarte and Jeff Burton. Pre- and post-race coverage is handled by host Krista Voda, and analysts Kyle Petty and Dale Jarrett. Marty Snider, Mike Massaro, Dave Burns and Kelli Stavast report from pit road. Rutledge Wood, fresh off his journey to the Olympic Games in Rio, returns to bring viewers closer to the sights and sounds of the original paved superspeedway.
XFINITY SERIES RACING RETURNS TO NBC SATURDAY AT 3:30 P.M. ET
NBC Sports XFINITY coverage from “The Track Too Tough To Tame” begins Friday with practice at 12 p.m. ET on NBCSN, followed by final practice at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN. Race day coverage begins with qualifying on 11:30 a.m. ET on NBCSN. NBC’s XFINITY coverage begins with Countdown to Green at 3 p.m. ET followed by race coverage at 3:30 p.m. ET.
NBC SPORTS PRESENTS “SOUTHERN SPEED: THE LEGEND OF DARLINGTON” TONIGHT AT 9 P.M. ET ON NBCSN
Leading up to this weekend’s live NASCAR action from Darlington Raceway, NBC Sports presents a new one-hour special created to take fans inside the storied history of “The Track Too Tough To Tame.” Produced in partnership with NASCAR productions, “Southern Speed: The Legend of Darlington” premieres tonight at 9 p.m. ET on NBCSN, following a special 8 p.m. ET presentation of “NASCAR America.” This morning’s release previewing the special is available here.
ARIC ALMIROLA & “THE KING” STAR IN THIS WEEK’S “PHONE A FAN” SOCIAL WEB VIDEO
Aric Almirola and Richard Petty star in this week’s new NASCAR on NBC “Phone a Fan” web video, where unsuspecting fans receive calls from their favorite NASCAR drivers. In the video released today on the NASCAR on NBC Facebook page and Twitter accounts, Barry from Egg Harbor, N.J., grills Almirola and Petty on when the No. 43 is going to make its way back Victory Lane. Check out the full video here.
Ben Kennedy joins Ryan on this week’s NASCAR on NBC podcast to discuss his first Camping World Truck Series victory at Bristol Motor Speedway and the outpouring of support he received from some NASCAR luminaries. Available on NASCAR Talk, iTunes, AudioBoom, Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher and podcasting apps, the NASCAR on NBC podcast discusses the latest NASCAR news each week with the major players in the sport.
UPCOMING NASCAR PROGRAMMING
|
Date |
Coverage |
Time (ET) |
Network |
|
Wed., Aug. 31 |
NASCAR America |
8:00 PM |
NBCSN |
|
|
Southern Speed: The Legend of Darlington |
9:00 PM |
NBCSN |
|
Thurs., Sept. 1 |
NASCAR America |
6:00 PM |
NBCSN |
|
|
NASCAR Whelen Modified Series – Riverhead |
7:00 PM |
NBCSN |
|
Fri., Sept. 2 |
NASCAR XFINITY Series Practice – Darlington |
12:00 PM |
NBCSN |
|
|
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Practice – Darlington |
1:30 PM |
NBCSN |
|
|
NASCAR XFINITY Series Final Practice – Darlington |
2:30 PM |
NBCSN |
|
|
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Final Practice – Darlington |
3:30 PM |
NBCSN |
|
|
NASCAR America |
5:00 PM |
NBCSN |
|
|
NASCAR K&N Pro Series West – Douglas County |
7:00 PM |
NBCSN |
|
Sat., Sept. 3 |
NASCAR XFINITY Series Qualifying – Darlington |
11:30 AM |
NBCSN |
|
|
NASCAR America |
1:00 PM |
NBCSN |
|
|
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Qualifying – Darlington |
1:30 PM |
NBCSN |
|
|
NASCAR XFINITY Series Countdown to Green |
3:00 PM |
NBC |
|
|
NASCAR XFINITY Series Racing – Darlington |
3:30 PM |
NBC |
|
Sun., Sept. 4 |
NASCAR America Sunday |
5:00 PM |
NBCSN |
|
|
NASCAR Sprint Cup Countdown to Green |
5:30 PM |
NBCSN |
|
|
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Racing – Darlington |
6:00 PM |
NBC |
|
|
NASCAR Victory Lap |
11:00 PM |
NBCSN |
All of NBC Sports Group’s NASCAR coverage is available to stream on NBCSports.com and via the NBC Sports app. The NBC Sports app is powered by Playmaker Media, and is available on the iTunes App Store, Google Play, Windows Store, Roku Channel Store, Apple TV and Amazon Fire.
NASCARTalk on NBCSports.com brings racing fans up-to-the-minute news, video and information on NASCAR drivers, teams and industry news. For all the latest NASCAR content socially, fans can follow @NASCARonNBC and @NASCARTalkNBC on twitter and like the NASCAR on NBC Facebook page.
For more information about NBC Sports Group shows and properties, including press releases, photos, talent and executive bios and headshots, please visit NBCSportsGroupPressBox.com.
RELATED: See all the throwback schemes | Full throwback coverage
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It took only one trip to Darlington Raceway in 2014 to convince Bojangles’ CEO Clifton Rutledge that the popular restaurant chain needed to remain affiliated with the legendary NASCAR track.
That was before the track’s lone Sprint Cup Series race returned to the Labor Day weekend date it had held for decades — and before track officials unveiled the “throwback weekend” format that was such a huge hit in its debut last season.
“My first year here, after the race was over I came back and met with our senior VP of marketing … they were already starting to talk about things for the following year and I said, ‘Well, let’s just go ahead and renew now,’ ” Rutledge told NASCAR.com Tuesday.
So they did. In September of ’14, officials announced a five-year extension that would keep Bojangles’ as the race entitlement sponsor through 2019. The company had begun sponsorship of the race in 2012.
Sunday, the track will host the 67th running of the annual Bojangles’ Southern 500 (6 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Obviously Rutledge saw something he liked on his first visit to the historic venue.
“I did,” he said. “First of all, it’s the Southern 500; it’s one of those races that goes back to when I was a kid, and then for it to be moved back to Labor Day weekend was a great thing. But the passion that I saw there — it’s not one of the larger tracks but the passion is there. The fans that are there — those fans are our fans. They’re our customers and there’s just a connection between that race. Being in the Carolinas, two iconic brands, it just made sense to keep it as long as we can keep it.”
The throwback-themed weekend garnered plenty of attention, and the International Speedway Corp.-owned facility was a finalist for the “Sports Event of the Year” award presented by the Street & Smith’s Sports Business Journal.
“To be able to help support Darlington in that, it was just wonderful,” Rutledge said. “The fans loved it. We had Grand Funk Railroad (play a pre-race concert) last year; we have Kansas this year.”
Rutledge also noted that former “Brady Bunch” star Barry Williams, who played Greg Brady, will be singing the national anthem before this year’s event.
“Last year it was a wonderful, wonderful event and this year I think even more of the drivers and teams have gotten involved with the paint schemes and things like that,” he said.
The association with Bojangles’ “means everything,” Kerry Tharp, president of Darlington Raceway, said.
“It’s two iconic brands in my mind,” he said. “Darlington in NASCAR and Bojangles’ in the restaurant business. And for where we are, location-wise, I think it’s a great fit. I couldn’t be more excited about it. They do a great job with their marketing and activation for this event. Their ability to get the word out and raise awareness for our event is tremendous. In my mind it’s the best partnership there is in sports.”
Perhaps Mike and Janet Larson should have seen it coming as they proudly and nervously watched their television and computer screens while son Kyle led the field to the checkered flag in Sunday’s Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway.
The Larsons attend a healthy dose of their 24-year-old son’s NASCAR races, but somehow have missed each of Kyle’s inaugural NASCAR victories from the K&N Series, to the Camping World Truck Series and XFINITY Series. They were at home in Elk Grove, California, on Sunday when Larson scored his first victory at the sport’s premier Cup level, too.
“That’s OK though,” Mike Larson said, his voice full of happiness and emotion. “As long as he wins, I don’t have to be there.
“Janet and I would have been in the grandstands anyway, that’s where we go every time to watch him race. It would have taken us half the (victory) ceremony anyway just trying to get back over there (to Victory Lane).”
Instead, the Larsons stood in front of their television sets, tears rolling, hearts full, taking it all in. The dedication, the sacrifices, the hope, the joy that was this family’s “every weekend” for years had resulted in a big-time, clutch victory three weeks before NASCAR’s playoffs, the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.
And while Mike and Janet might not have been trackside last weekend, they still had quite the view.
“I was upstairs watching the end of the race, thinking ‘Man, Janet is awful quiet today,'” Mike Larson said. “And then it got to be that last restart and Kyle gets the lead and I can hear her starting to stress. I don’t hardly make a sound, but I thought, ‘She’s stressing me out.’
“My heart, I’m telling you, it was just pumping over those last nine laps. I just kept thinking a yellow is going to come out, you think something is going to happen to derail this. I’m still very quiet watching, but then my arms went straight up in the air … and I cried. I can admit that.
“I get emotional about that.”
The Larsons can smile about their timing now.
They took Kyle to his first race a week after he was born.
Then, this close-knit family spent years together trekking around the West Coast watching Larson win and dominate races – karts and USAC features – from the time he was a little boy. From childhood, he loved this sport of racing so much he dressed up as NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon for Halloween – and still has the photo proof.
The Larson’s support has never wavered or waned even as their son earned his shot in NASCAR’s big leagues and has quickly emerged as one of the most popular drivers on the circuit.
Truth be told, the kind, funny, humble and extremely talented third-year Cup driver Larson has been one of the sport’s bona fide stars even before hoisting his first Cup trophy.
And now the Chip Ganassi Racing driver is a legitimate first-time title contender, too. And he should be quite optimistic about his chances at hoisting the big trophy.
RELATED: Current stars’ first Sprint Cup Series victory
Larson’s 2014 showing in Chase races – not as a Chase contender – was an incredible rookie effort and an enviable clutch performance. He boasted six top-10 finishes in the his No. 42 Target Chevrolet during the final 10 races that year.
The Chase venues have been good for Larson.
In the Chicago Chase-opener, Larson has finishes of third and seventh. His overall average finish at Dover is 6.2, and he’s never fared worse than 11th there.
He has a runner-up finish at Kansas (2014), was third at Martinsville in April and finished fifth at Homestead last year. He has at least one top-10 finish at every Chase track.
“He thinks those are good tracks for him,” his team owner Chip Ganassi said Sunday evening. “We think they’re good tracks. He’s shown before he knows his way around Miami [Homestead]. That’s always good, to be good at the final track.
“He’s a shootout kind of guy. A lot of those races turn into shootouts. You’re not so much racing the entire field in those races a lot of times. I look forward to it. … I think he’s the kind of driver that the Chase is made for, that format.”
After a throwback weekend at Darlington Raceway, NASCAR’s newest Chase contender Larson will host his “Outlaw Kart Showcase” at hometown Cycleland Speedway in Chico, California.
Less than two weeks later, Larson will begin his first Chase run thanks to that emotional, hard-fought victory Sunday.
“This feels different because it’s taken me a lot longer than it took me in any of the other stuff to get a win,” Larson said Sunday. “It took me a couple months to win my first sprint car race, four days after my 15th birthday. Took me a few months to win when I got into USAC. Took me a few years to win an Outlaw race.
“This, after the way my rookie season started, coming close a few times, not getting it done, you can visualize the win that early in your career. It’s going to happen. It’s going to happen. But it just never happened.
“This one’s different just cause of how long we had to wait and how much harder I’ve had to work for it. Like I said, it’s special because all the hard work’s paid off.”
And the good news for the Larson family is there will be plenty more wins to experience first-hand, and good odds they celebrate a championship sometime soon too.
Chat with fans this weekend during the NASCAR action at Darlington Raceway and Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.
Drivers and other members of NASCAR Nation offered their condolences to the France family after learning of Betty Jane France’s passing.
We all miss you grandma. Thank you for being you still can’t believe it #neverforgotten ❤️ pic.twitter.com/0l9dGcK9MC
—
Ben Kennedy (@BenKennedy33)
August 30, 2016
Betty Jane France was an awesome lady. Always charitable. A true advisor over the years to Bill Jr. during major growth in our sport. RIP
—
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr)
August 30, 2016
Our sport lost another great woman today. Betty Jane France will be missed.
—
Tony Stewart (@TonyStewart)
August 30, 2016
Thinking of the France family this morning. @chandrajanway and I loved visiting with Betty Jane, we will deeply miss her.@NASCAR
—
Jimmie Johnson (@JimmieJohnson)
August 30, 2016
Sad to hear of the passing of Betty Jane France. The entire France family is in our thoughts and prayers. ����
—
Kyle Busch (@KyleBusch)
August 30, 2016
So sad to hear of the passing of the queen of Nascar Betty Jane France. Every time i ever saw her she was the definition of classy… ��
—
Clint Bowyer (@ClintBowyer)
August 30, 2016
@BenKennedy33 thinking about you and the family buddy.
—
Brad Keselowski (@keselowski)
August 30, 2016
Thoughts and prayers for the France family. Betty Jane was a great lady.
— Kelley Earnhardt (@EarnhardtKelley)
August 30, 2016
Sad news… Thoughts and prayers for the entire France family! ���� https://t.co/jX2rZGJGta
— Tony Gibson (@TonyOldman41)
August 30, 2016
Let’s all keep the France family in our thoughts and prayers. Betty Jane France touched many lives and will be greatly missed.
—
Jeff Burton (@JeffBurton)
August 30, 2016
Thoughts and prayers going out to the entire France family and my buddy @BenKennedy33 ����
— Daniel Suárez (@Daniel_SuarezG)
August 30, 2016
Sad to hear about Betty Jane France passing away. First Lady of NASCAR helped make the sport what it is today! @BenKennedy33
—
David Ragan (@DavidRagan)
August 30, 2016
Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. ���� https://t.co/yQePTQPZNw
— Rodney Childers (@RodneyChilders4)
August 30, 2016
Thoughts & prayers with the France family today. Betty Jane France helped make the sport what it is today & impacted many w/ her foundation
—
Joey Logano (@joeylogano)
August 30, 2016
Thoughts & prayers with the France family. Betty Jane did so much for the sport and to help others through her foundation. ���� #NASCAR
— Sherry Pollex (@SherryPollex)
August 30, 2016
Thoughts and prayers to the France family… BettyJane did so much for so many… #pioneerofNascar
—
Elliott Sadler (@Elliott_Sadler)
August 30, 2016
Saddened to hear of Betty Jane France’s passing. Thoughts and prayers with the entire France family.
—
Kurt Busch (@KurtBusch)
August 30, 2016
Thoughts and prayers are with the entire France family this morning after the passing of Betty Jane.
—
Regan Smith (@ReganSmith)
August 30, 2016
My heart and prayers go out to the France family. Betty Jane was a wonderful person. Her legacy of caring and giving will live on forever. ��
—
Michael Waltrip (@MW55)
August 30, 2016
Thinking of the entire France and Kennedy families after hearing about the passing of Betty Jane.
— Dale Jarrett (@DaleJarrett)
August 30, 2016
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Aug. 30, 2016) — Betty Jane France, a philanthropist in support of children’s health causes, passed away Monday evening. France is the mother of NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France and International Speedway Corporation CEO Lesa France Kennedy.
A native of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, the former Betty Jane Zachary was the widow of the late NASCAR Chairman and CEO William C. France, who passed away in 2007. Betty Jane France was executive vice president and assistant treasurer of NASCAR and the chairwoman emeritus of the NASCAR Foundation.
“Last night, the NASCAR family lost a mother, a grandmother, a friend and the light that guided the sport’s charitable arm,” said Brian France. “My mother taught us incredible values, that of love, patience, compassion and joy. She embraced life every day, and nothing fueled her passion more than children. Her unmatched efforts in building The NASCAR Foundation improved the lives of millions of children throughout this country. And because of that, her legacy will live forever.
“My father leaned on my mother throughout his life, relying on her wisdom and calming demeanor to help grow the sport of NASCAR. She was there, every step of the way. When we lost my father, her positive presence remained, as she used her immense skill to grow NASCAR’s heart and soul, The NASCAR Foundation.
“Our family thanks you for all of your thoughts, prayers and well wishes. My mother was a special woman, and an impressive person, and she will be dearly missed.”
France became chairwoman of The NASCAR Foundation upon the foundation’s inception in 2006. Headquartered in Daytona Beach, the foundation is an entity that embodies the compassion of the NASCAR Family and its commitment to serving communities.
MORE: Learn more about the NASCAR Foundation
The Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award Presented by Nationwide, recognizing outstanding charitable and volunteer efforts of NASCAR fans, was created in her honor in 2011.
France was a longtime community leader in Daytona Beach, Florida and best known as a steadfast champion of health care for children. She assisted in the establishment of “Speediatrics” children’s care unit at Halifax Health in Daytona Beach and at Homestead Hospital in Homestead, Florida.
In 2003, France was presented the Halifax Medical Center Foundation’s Humanitarian Award in recognition of her advocacy, commitment, support and advancement of numerous area community service organizations including the Volusia/Flagler chapter of the American Red Cross.
She was a member of the Junior League of Daytona Beach serving on boards of numerous area community service organizations.
In July 2008, she was named as an honorary co-chairperson for the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma, a project headed by longtime NASCAR team owner Richard Childress in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Funeral arrangements will be forthcoming.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – August 30, 2016 – International Speedway Corporation today announced that Roger Curtis is leaving his position as President of Michigan International Speedway (“MIS”), effective immediately, to pursue new opportunities. A replacement has not been announced. Joie Chitwood, ISC Chief Operating Officer, will oversee MIS operations in the interim.
“We want to thank Roger Curtis for his many years of service with ISC, and the last 10 years, specifically, as the face of Michigan International Speedway,” stated Chitwood. “We wish him much future success.”
After ending his 18-race winless skid at Bristol a few weeks ago, the 2014 Darlington winner could finally put an end to his agonizing 1-race streak started at Michigan, where he still finished fifth.
MORE: Harvick still solid
0
Team Penske
Keselowski’s car failed post-race LIS inspection after Michigan, but it’s safe to say he’s already moved onto Darlington, where he’s the defending pole-winner and led 196 laps before finishing second.
Edwards is a weekly threat to win at the moment, and we shouldn’t expect that to change at Darlington, where he’s the defending winner.
Logano has quietly been gaining momentum of late, but it could come to a screeching halt at the Lady in Black, one of the Team Penske driver’s worst tracks (20.3 average finish.)
Count Darlington among Busch’s worst tracks, as well, with six top-10 finishes in 19 starts — only two of which have come since 2004.
-3
Joe Gibbs Racing
While the Irish Hills of Michigan offer some of the best scenery on the circuit, Busch was more than happy to leave them after an unfortunate spin saddled him with his second straight poor finish.
MORE: Busch unhappy after spin
0
Joe Gibbs Racing
Not only can you all-but-guarantee Hamlin will start in the top 10 (as he has in every race since Atlanta), but he also has a sparkling 6.5 average finish at Darlington over the past 10 races there, best in the series.
2
Hendrick Motorsports
With a full head of steam from inreased performance of late, look for the 48 to be strong at Darlington, which ranks among Johnson’s best tracks (9.1 avg. fin.)
-1
Kenseth has offered a bit of a mixed bag since Indy, but he should find solid footing at Darlington as the 2013 winner.
Truex has led multiple laps in half of the season’s races (12), but is stuck on just one win. You’d expect that to change soon, if he keeps leading laps.
Now that the monkey is off his back, don’t expect Larson to have to wait as long for win No. 2. Perhaps this weekend at Darlington, where he’s finished in the top 10 in both of his starts.
-1
In his final dance with the "Lady in Black", Stewart should have a good shot at winning with the fifth-best average finish among active, full-time drivers with more than two starts (12.0).
0
Hendrick Motorsports
With a chip on his shoulder after narrowly missing out at Michigan, Elliott will assuredly come into Darlington with extra motivation. Especially since a crash relegated him to 41st in his only start there.
If I was a betting man, I’d be willing to wager that McMurray finishes eighth at Darlington. Since he’s finished in that position three races in a row heading into this weekend.
-3
Richard Childress Racing
Think seeing Kyle Larson win and Chase Elliott finish second at Michigan — two drivers younger than him — adds any extra motivation for Dillon? We’ll see Sunday.
-2
Newman has hit a bit of a rough patch, but should have a good shot at rectifying that with the best average starting position at Darlington of any active, full-time driver with multiple starts at 9.5.
Kahne didn’t quite impress at Michigan, but he’s always a threat to get off to a hot start at Darlington, with four poles. Only problem? He’s finished in the top 10 just four times in 13 tries.
A faulty spark plug did Buescher in at Michigan, which has to be beyond frustrating for a driver scratching and clawing for each and every point right now.
Blaney looked excellent at Michigan, so it’ll be interesting to see if that carries over to Darlington, where he finished 30th in his only start.
0
Hendrick Motorsports
Junior continues to be sidelined — Darlington, included — but will most certainly be a threat to win and make the Chase upon his eventual return, assuming he’s cleared in time.
MORE: Junior remains sidelined
RELATED: Full race results | Standings | Chase Grid
Breaking down the full field for the Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway:
1. Kyle Larson, No. 42 Chevrolet, Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates. Twice, Larson had to overcome problems on pit road. Twice, Larson beat Chase Elliott on restarts from the front row. The second one, with 10 laps to go, was the difference. Larson gets his first Sprint Cup win in his 99th start and his ticket punched to the Chase. Well done. Grade: A
2. Chase Elliott, No. 24 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports. Restarts, restarts, restarts. Elliott lost the first race at Michigan because of poor restarts and it happened again Sunday. And just like in June, Elliott finished second. Grade: A-
3. Brad Keselowski, No. 2 Ford, Team Penske. The native of Michigan posted his sixth straight top 10 at his home track but to his chagrin remained winless in the Irish Hills. Grade: A
4. Ryan Blaney, No. 21 Ford, Wood Brothers Racing. Blaney needs a win to make the Chase, and he drove like it Sunday, posting his first top 10 in 10 races. Grade: A
5. Kevin Harvick, No. 4 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing. Harvick led 33 laps, and his 3.56 averaging running position topped the field. Grade: A
6. Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports. Johnson was a factor — and the leader — until his green-flag pit stop on Lap 109. But his gas man had trouble refueling the No. 48, and from that point forward Johnson was playing catchup. His 37 laps led were second to Kyle Larson’s 41. Grade: A-
7. Carl Edwards, No. 19 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing. Edwards now has two wins, seven top fives and 15 top 10s in 2016. That’s what he had all of last season. Grade: A
8. Jamie McMurray, No. 1 Chevrolet, Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates. McMurray finished eighth for the third consecutive week. He holds the last spot in the Chase standings by 15 points over Ryan Newman with two races to go before the field is set. Grade: A
9. Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing. Hamlin’s sixth straight top-10 finish is the longest active streak. Grade: A
10. Joey Logano, No. 22 Ford, Team Penske. All of the polesitter’s strength came at the start of the race. A slow final pit stop left him 17th on the last restart. Grade: A-
11. Greg Biffle, No. 16 Ford, Roush Fenway Racing. Biffle had a nice finish, but he was never a factor. Only Kyle Busch’s 26 laps in the top 15 were fewer than Biffle’s 44 among drivers who finished in the top 20. Grade: B
12. Kurt Busch, No. 41 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing. Borrowing a page from Greg Biffle … Busch was not a factor, either, and only his brother’s 24.84 average running position was worse than his 17.34 among drivers who finished in the top 20. Grade: B
13. Matt Kenseth, No. 20 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing. In the first 12 races of the season, Kenseth led 398 laps. In the next 12, 79 laps, including eight Sunday, his first laps led since his victory last month at New Hampshire. Grade: B
14. Kasey Kahne, No. 5 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports. Kahne is going to need a win — or a miracle — to make the Chase field. He trails Jamie McMurray by 52 points for the final Chase-eligible spot after finishing outside the top 10 for the eighth straight race. Grade: B
15. AJ Allmendinger, No. 47 Chevrolet, JTG Daugherty Racing. Allmendinger finished in the top 15 in four consecutive races for the first time since the end of the 2011 season. Grade: B
16. Austin Dillon, No. 3 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing. Dillon is 15th in the Chase standings with a 21-point cushion over Ryan Newman in 17th. Grade: B
17. Ryan Newman, No. 31 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing. Newman should consider himself fortunate to be only 15 points out of 16th with two races to go for the Chase field is set — he hasn’t had a top-10 finish in his past five races. Grade: B-
18. Paul Menard, No. 27 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing. Regular readers of The Rundown know we have been enthralled by Menard’s propensity to finish 18th. He racked up his sixth of the season Sunday. Grade: C
19. Kyle Busch, No. 18 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing. Busch’s troubles at Michigan continued when he got loose in Turn 4 on the 26th lap and went for a spin. His average finish in his past seven starts at Michigan is 32.0 with one finish on the lead lap — and it wasn’t Sunday. Grade: C
20. Martin Truex Jr., No. 78 Toyota, Furniture Row Racing. Truex’s shot at winning or having a top finish ended on Lap 66 when the jack man lowered the car before the left rear tire was changed. The damaged left-rear quarter panel was an issue the rest of the day. Grade: C-
21. Tony Stewart, No. 14 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing. The driver with a win and five top fives in a seven-race stretch has finished 30th and 21st in his past two races. Is the mojo gone? Grade: C
22. Casey Mears, No. 13 Chevrolet, Germain Racing. Mears finished outside the top 10 at Michigan for the 13th consecutive race. Grade: C
23. Danica Patrick, No. 10 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing. This marks the first time in Patrick’s four full-time Sprint Cup seasons she has not finished in the top 20 in at least one of the two Michigan races. She finished 21st in June. Grade: C
24. Trevor Bayne, No. 6 Ford, Roush Fenway Racing. Bayne went into last week’s race at Bristol eight points out of the final Chase spot. He leaves Michigan 58 points back. Grade: C
25. Aric Almirola, No. 43 Ford, Richard Petty Motorsports. Michigan is one of two tracks on which Almirola has made at least 10 starts and has yet to post a top 10. (The other is Pocono.) Grade: C-
26. Regan Smith, No. 7 Chevrolet, Tommy Baldwin Racing. Smith posted his best finish at Michigan since a career-best 13th in August of 2011. Grade: C
27. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 17 Ford, Roush Fenway Racing. Since scoring a career-best 15th at Michigan in August 2014, Stenhouse’s finishes at the 2-mile track are 25th, 26th, 29th and 27th. Grade: C-
28. Brian Scott, No. 44 Ford, Richard Petty Motorsports. Sunday’s race was something to build on: In his first race at Michigan in June, Scott left with a 36th-place finish and a DNF (crash). Grade: C
29. David Ragan, No. 23 Toyota, BK Racing. Because of Ragan’s proximity to Chris Buescher in the standings, he will continue to be one of the most-watched drivers through Richmond. On Sunday, Ragan took a nibble out of Buescher’s points lead and is now seven points behind Buescher for 30th in the standings. Grade: C
30. Alex Bowman, No. 88 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports. Bowman started sixth and was running in the top five when the car’s ignition failed. A day of promise ended right there, and Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s replacement finished five laps back. Grade: D
31. Michael McDowell, No. 95 Chevrolet, Circle Sport-Leavine Family Racing. McDowell won Saturday’s NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Road America, but his string of top-20 Sprint Cup finishes ended at a season-best two. Grade: D
32. Matt DiBenedetto, No. 83 Toyota, BK Racing. DiBenedetto battled brake issues all day. Grade: D
33. Michael Annett, No. 46 Chevrolet, HScott Motorsports. A blown tire brought out the fourth and final caution, and Annett finished five laps back. Grade: D
34. Cole Whitt, No. 98 Chevrolet, Premium Motorsports. Whitt produced his worst finish in six starts at Michigan. Grade: D
35. Chris Buescher, No. 34 Ford, Front Row Motorsports. With so much at stake, the No. 34 team could not afford the engine woes that dumped Buescher to 35th — he finished 20th at Michigan in June — but at least he didn’t finish last. Those extra five points might make the difference between making the Chase and major disappointment. Another positive takeaway: David Ragan could muster only a 29th-place finish. Grade: F
36. Reed Sorenson, No. 55 Chevrolet, Premium Motorsports. Sorenson finished seven laps off the pace. Grade: D
37. Jeffrey Earnhardt, No. 32 Ford, Go Fas Racing. Earnhardt had an accident in practice and was in a backup car. He finished eight laps back. Grade: D
38. Josh Wise, No. 30 Chevrolet, The Motorsports Group. Wise’s finish was his worst at Michigan since a 39th-place run in August 2013. Grade: F
39. Landon Cassill, No. 38 Ford, Front Row Motorsports. Suspension woes limited Cassill to 174 laps and left him with his first DNF of the season. Grade: F
40. Clint Bowyer, No. 15 Chevrolet, HScott Motorsports. Bowyer said before the race he had his best car of the year. Yikes! Vibrations sent the No. 15 behind the wall, but Bowyer avoided a DNF, although he did finish 40 laps off the pace. Grade: F