Posted on by Staff Report

RELATED: Full race results

 

Tony Stewart‘s final Sprint All-Star Race was cut short after a wreck midway through the event knocked out his No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet Saturday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

 

On Lap 23 of the second 50-lap segment, a wreck involving the three-time Sprint Cup Series champion, Kasey Kahne, Greg Biffle and Matt Kenseth evolved on the front stretch.

 

 “I mean, the No. 24 (of Chase Elliott) wrecked everybody and put everybody behind him in jeopardy and we got caught on the outside of it,” Stewart said.

 

‘Smoke,’ who gave the pre-race command, was referring to a strategy play by Elliott’s team. Elliott appeared to be signaling he was going to pit road for his mandatory green-flag pit stop during Segment 2. As cars charged forward behind him, the incident unfolded.

 

“I got more than bumped from behind, I got rolled over,” said Kenseth, who was penalized in Segment 1 for not completing the mandatory Segment 1 pit stop under green. “I saw them checking up and wrecking in front of me and I slowed up just a little bit and somebody just drove right over top of me wide open.”

 

Stewart would be scored last in the 20-car field. Kenseth finished 18th.

Posted on by Staff Report

RELATED: Full race results

The No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing team of Matt Kenseth was penalized when it failed to pit under green by the end of Segment 1 in Saturday night’s Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.


According to the event’s rules, every team was required to perform at least a two-tire pit stop under green-flag conditions within the first 50 laps.


However, Kenseth’s team stayed out throughout the segment with the intent to pit under green at the last possible moment. That gamble did not pay off when a Lap 46 caution flag came out after Jamie McMurray‘s No. 1 Chevrolet spun in Turn 2.

“We were coming that time, which would have been coming to Lap 47 and then try to get two tires and keep your track position,” Kenseth said. “That was his (crew chief Jason Ratcliff’s) plan and we just caught the caution on the wrong lap.”


With the caution flag out, Kenseth was unable to pit under green prior to Lap 50.


Kenseth was held on pit road and scored one lap down at the start of Segment 2. The sequence led to a pointed discussion between Kenseth and crew chief Jason Ratcliff over the scanner.


On Lap 73, Kenseth was involved in a multi-car wreck that saw his night come to an early end with an 18th-place finish.

RELATED: Stewart, Kenseth involved in wreck

Posted on by Staff Report

RELATED: Full lineup for Sprint All-Star Race

Kevin Harvick will start Saturday night’s Sprint All-Star Race from the pole position after Coors Light Pole Qualifying was rained out at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

The Stewart-Haas Racing driver will lead the field to green after the field was set by owners’ points.

Joining Harvick on front row will be reigning series champion Kyle Busch. Defending race-winner and Busch’s Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, Denny Hamlin, will line up 12th.

Green flag is set for 9:26 p.m. ET, with coverage on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

MORE: See the complete lineup in photos

Posted on by Staff Report

RELATED: See the lineup in photos

Inclement weather wiped out Saturday night’s Sprint All-Star Race qualifying at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

This meant the lineup was set by owner points, putting Stewart-Haas Racing‘s Kevin Harvick on the Coors Light Pole.

RELATED: Complete lineup for Sprint All-Star race
The qualifying session was scheduled to start at 7:10 p.m. ET on FS1 and was set to precede the Sprint All-Star Race at 9 p.m. ET (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Driver introductions began at 9:05 p.m. ET as NASCAR Air Titans continued to work on drying the track. Green flag dropped at 10:12 p.m. ET.

Earlier Saturday, Trevor Bayne, Greg Biffle and Kyle Larson all earned berths into the Sprint All-Star Race by each winning one of three segments in the Sprint Showdown.

Chase Elliott and Danica Patrick were first and second, respectively, in the Sprint Fan Vote to complete the 20-car Sprint All-Star Race field.

Denny Hamlin, who qualified for the Sprint All-Star Race with a win in the 2015 season, is the defending champion of the Sprint All-Star Race.

MORE: Live leaderboard for Sprint All-Star Race

Posted on by Staff Report

RELATED: Find FS1 in your area

All times ET

Monday, May 23
9:30 a.m., NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race (re-air), FS1
5 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1
5 p.m., NASCAR America, NBCSN
6 p.m., NASCAR America (re-air), NBCSN
6 p.m., The 600: History of NASCAR’s Toughest Race (re-air), FS1

Tuesday, May 24
2:30 a.m., NASCAR The List: Memorable Moments (re-air), NBCSN
3:30 a.m., NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race (re-air), FS1
5:30 a.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series: NC Education Lottery 200 (re-air), FS1
7:30 a.m., The 600: History of NASCAR’s Toughest Race (re-air), FS1
3 p.m., NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race (re-air), FS2
5 p.m., NASCAR America, NBCSN
5:30 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1
6 p.m., NASCAR America (re-air), NBCSN
6:30 p.m., Empty Cup: Quest for the 1992 NASCAR Championship (re-air), FS1

Wednesday, May 25
5 p.m., NASCAR America, NBCSN
5:30 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1
6 p.m., NASCAR K&N Pro Series Race: Orange Show Speedway (taped), NBCSN

Thursday, May 26
2 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice, FS1
3:30 p.m., NASCAR XFINITY Series practice, FS1
4:30 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub – Weekend Edition, FS1
5:30 p.m., NASCAR XFINITY Series final practice, FS1
7 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying, FS1
9:30 p.m., Empty Cup: Quest for the 1992 NASCAR Championship (re-air), FS1
10 p.m., The 600: History of NASCAR’s Toughest Race (re-air), FS1
11 p.m., NASCAR K&N Pro Series Race: Orange Show Speedway (re-air), NBCSN

Friday, May 27
2 a.m., NASCAR K&N Pro Series Race: Orange Show Speedway (re-air), NBCSN
4 a.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice (re-air), FS1
5:30 a.m., NASCAR XFINITY Series practice (re-air), FS1
6:30 a.m., NASCAR XFINITY Series final practice (re-air), FS1
8 a.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light Qualifying (re-air), FS1
9:30 a.m., Empty Cup: Quest for the 1992 NASCAR Championship (re-air), FS1
3:30 p.m., NASCAR America Motorsports Special, NBCSN
5 p.m., NASCAR America, NBCSN

Saturday, May 28
9 a.m., The 600: History of NASCAR’s Toughest Race (re-air), FS1
10 a.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice, FS1
11 a.m., NASCAR XFINITY Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying, FS1
12:30 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub – Weekend Edition, FS1
1 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series final practice, FS1
2 p.m., NASCAR RaceDay: XFINITY, FS1
2:30 p.m., NASCAR XFINITY Series Hisense 4K TV 300, FS1
5 p.m., Empty Cup: Quest for the 1992 NASCAR Championship (re-air), FS1

Sunday, May 29
1:30 a.m., NASCAR XFINITY Series Hisense 4K TV 300 (re-air), FS1
4 a.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice (re-air), FS1
5 a.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series final practice (re-air), FS1
6 a.m., The 600: History of NASCAR’s Toughest Race (re-air), FS1
1 p.m., The 600: History of NASCAR’s Toughest Race (re-air), FS1
4 p.m., NASCAR RaceDay, FS1
5:30 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series FOX Pre-Race Show, FOX
6 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: Coca-Cola 600, FOX
3 a.m., NASCAR Victory Lane, FS1


Posted on by Staff Report

The fans have spoken. Chase Elliott is headed to the Sprint All-Star Race as the Sprint Fan Vote winner.


Danica Patrick finished in second place and also transfers into the Sprint All-Star Race to complete the 20-car field.

“The biggest thing is just very fortunate to have some great fans,” Elliott said after coming up just short of racing his way into the field with runner-up finishes is Segments 1 and 3.

“Definitely really appreciate everybody voting and taking time out of their day to vote for us and get us in this race. Obviously wish I could’ve gotten us in racing our way, but fortunately have some great fans to do that for us.”

Patrick was appreciative of the fan support as well as she will make her third Sprint All-Star Race start.

“First and foremost, thank you to the fans,” Patrick said. “The only thing that would make this any better is if I could deliver a great finish for them and an exciting race and pass cars and make the car better for next week.

“… It’s just even that much better to know that I have incredible fans that always come through. Don’t think that I don’t see social media fans. And I see all the times that people said they voted for me. So, thank you very much.” 


The Sprint All-Star Race, scheduled for 9 p.m. ET Saturday night, awards $1 million to the winner. The annual rite of spring boasts an impressive history and plenty of elite drivers. The 2016 version is televised on FS1 with radio coverage on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.


Fifteen drivers had qualified for the event heading into Saturday morning’s Sprint Showdown by virtue of either winning a points-paying race in 2015 or thus far in 2016, having won a previous Sprint All-Star Race or being a former series champion.


Three drivers qualified from the Sprint Showdown’s three segments: Trevor Bayne, Greg Biffle and Kyle Larson.


The top five vote-getters heading into the final week of voting were, in alphabetical order: Ryan Blaney, Matt DiBenedetto, Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson and Danica Patrick.

Posted on by Staff Report

RELATED: Full practice results

 

Carl Edwards topped the charts in Saturday’s extended Sprint All-Star Race practice at Charlotte Motor Speedway with a speed of 192.027 mph in his No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. Brad Keselowski posted an identical speed as Edwards in his No. 2 Team Penske Ford but was officially scored second in the practice session because of owner points.

Rounding out the top five were Denny Hamlin (No. 11 JGR Toyota, 191.904 mph), Kurt Busch (No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet, 191.795 mph) and Joey Logano (No. 22 Team Penske Ford 191.700 mph).

Sprint Cup Series points leader Kevin Harvick was seventh-fastest with a speed of 191.008 mph in the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet.

Practice was halted for dampness on the 1.5-mile track with 16 minutes left in the session. It eventually got back underway with a 10-minute session that included practice for Sprint All-Star qualifying, which includes a four-tire pit stop with no speed limit on pit road.

Some Sprint Cup cars will be back on the track for the Sprint Showdown (FS1) as those who are not yet in the Sprint All-Star Race field attempt to gain entry by winning one of three segments (20 laps, 20 laps, 10 laps).

Posted on by Zack Albert

CONCORD, N.C. — Questions about gamesmanship and tire requirements dotted the drivers’ meeting before Saturday’s NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, prompting several “what-if” scenarios for the annual non-points event.
 
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Managing Director Richard Buck spelled out the race’s unique procedures in a nearly six-minute instructional in the Charlotte Motor Speedway garage, but there was conjecture about some of the rules. Teams will compete in three segments (50 laps, 50 laps, 13 laps), with pit road closing on Lap 85 of the second segment. The top nine, 10 or 11 cars — the number is selected by random draw during the Lap 100 break before the 13-lap final shootout — will be required to pit for four tires.
 
The basis for the format is to spice up the running order, putting cars with fresher tires behind those in front with older rubber for the dash to the finish. Chad Knaus, crew chief for the Hendrick Motorsports No. 48 Chevrolet driven by Jimmie Johnson, was the first to ask about the requirement in the question-and-answer session that followed.
 
“I got a little lost there through some of that,” Knaus said, before asking Buck if a caution flag during the final 13-lap segment would allow all teams to stop and change tires if they were damaged by an incident.
 
“There’s many scenarios there,” Buck said. “The premise is to have cars with 15-laps-old tires on them and cars behind them with new tires on them. We will not permit gaming of that. If we have an incident, for an example, we will have to go red and clean it up, we’ll take care of that situation, we’ll come back to it and then allow the teams to pit on or around (Lap) 85, wherever that may be, or any circumstance like that.”
 
Kyle Busch piped up: “That didn’t answer the question. Chad’s talking about in the last segment, in the last 13 laps if there’s a wreck, not after Lap 85 in the second segment, you follow? He’s asking about 100 and 113.”
 
Buck told the room that the field would not be allowed to take tires. Pressed by Busch about whether tires flat-spotted in a spin or damaged by running over debris would be fair game for a change, Buck replied: “That’s EIRI (except in rare instances). Like I said, we’ll manage that from the tower.”
 
Defending race winner Denny Hamlin, Busch’s Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, was the next to raise his hand, asking whether the “100 percent rule” requiring competitors to race at their fullest ability was in effect. Buck replied in the affirmative.
 
The question was prompted by suggestions that drivers might hold back and aim for 12th place or further back before the final segment, allowing them to have the benefit of four fresh tires for the final shootout. The “100 percent rule” was added in September 2013 in the wake of the Richmond scandal, where the former Michael Waltrip Racing team was penalized for attempting to manipulate the race results.
 
Buck also said in his explanation of rules that NASCAR officials would make a mandatory lug-nut check during the two breaks between segments. Buck said the penalty for missing or loose lug nuts not fastened up against the wheel will require the offending team to remedy the issue, sending them to the tail of field.

Posted on by Zack Albert

RELATED: Results from Segment 3

 

CONCORD, N.C. — Kyle Larson shoehorned his way into the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race by whatever means necessary, making a full-contact lean on Chase Elliott‘s fenders on the last lap of Saturday’s Sprint Showdown preliminary.

 

Did the contact cross the line of sportsmanship? Maybe not, with both drivers deeming it a compulsory evil with the checkered flag in sight and a chance at a $1 million payday in the Sprint All-Star Race up for grabs.

 

In the end, both drivers won out by transferring into Saturday night’s main event, but through different methods. Larson snatched one of three transfer spots available to segment winners, joining Roush Fenway Racing‘s Trevor Bayne (first segment) and Greg Biffle (second segment) in the non-points invitational. Elliott claimed his berth by winning the Sprint Fan Vote. Danica Patrick finished runner-up in the fan vote to fill the 20-car field.

 

Larson’s method of securing his eligibility ranked as the most dramatic of the five. The Chip Ganassi Racing driver recovered from an opening-segment wall scrape to work his way back to first place by the start of the final 10-lap dash to the finish. He led all the way, but Elliott gained tremendous ground on fresher tires, pulling alongside Larson through Turns 3 and 4 for the final time.

 

Larson’s No. 42 and Elliott’s No. 24 Chevrolets locked fenders and scraped side-by-side all the way to the checkers, with Larson prevailing by just .015 seconds to qualify for his first All-Star Race.

 

“I would hate to be raced like that, like I raced him,” Larson said. “But I knew he was going to win the fan vote, so I knew he was going to be in the All-Star Race either way and I wasn’t if I didn’t win. I had to do what I had to do to get the win. Hate racing like that, obviously, but I felt that’s what I had to do to make it in.”

 

Larson was on the receiving end of a similar shove in 2014, when Ryan Newman slammed him aside on the final corner of the final lap at Phoenix to land the final spot in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship race. Back then, Larson said he understood the circumstances.

 

Saturday, Larson indicated that he knew Elliott was justifiably upset with him. Based on his sometimes choppy responses in post-race interviews, Elliott was, but he also said he understood Larson’s aggressive move considering the stakes.

 

“He did what he had to do to beat us back to the line, that’s all there is to it,” Elliott said. “Part of it.”

 

Elliott found himself on the short end of an even closer finish in the first 20-lap leg, edged by .005 seconds by Bayne, who split the middle on a bold, three-wide move shortly after the segment’s final restart. That restart also proved to be the undoing of rookie Ryan Blaney, who was black-flagged for jumping the green flag and could only recover for a third-place finish overall.

 

RELATED: Watch the Segment 1 finish unfold

 

The nifty maneuver, though, launched Bayne into his first All-Star Race since 2012.

 

“You don’t hesitate when you can see the front any time, and especially when it’s like this — not a points race,” said Bayne, who scored his only Sprint Cup win in the 2011 Daytona 500. “If it doesn’t work out, it doesn’t work out. You’ve got to win. It was pretty cool. Maybe if you’re battling to get in the Chase on points, you don’t make that move for third or fourth, but when it’s for a win even in a points race, you’ve got to do it every time.”

 

Biffle, his Roush Fenway teammate, had a slightly easier time of it, slipping past Austin Dillon six laps into the second 20-lap segment to clinch his 13th consecutive All-Star start. Biffle advanced into the main event as a Showdown segment winner last year as well. His transfer inspired some lively banter with crew chief Brian Pattie.

 

“Hope no one had dinner reservations,” Pattie said over the team radio on the segment’s cool-down lap. “Nope, I was planning on being here all night,” Biffle replied, later noting the seven-figure incentive for the All-Star Race winner.

 

RELATED: Biffle ecstatic after finish

 

Patrick advanced through fan balloting for the third time in four years.

 

“I definitely thought if there were two spots, I had a lot better shot,” Patrick said. “My fans voted well.”