Ty Dillon avoids late-race wreck, wins second Dash 4 Cash event

Posted on April 23, 2016 by Zack Albert

RICHMOND, Va. — Ty Dillon had visions of a six-figure payday when he unloaded for a compact, rain-tightened NASCAR XFINITY Series event at Richmond International Raceway, but several factors stood in the way of him endorsing the check.

Dillon overcame the odds and cashed in Saturday with a runner-up effort in the ToyotaCare 250, claiming the $100,000 Dash 4 Cash bonus as the top-finishing XFINITY Series regular among the eligible four-driver pool. He did it all with an interim crew chief, a nifty move through a slam-bang restart near the end — all happening at a race track that hadn’t historically been his favorite.

“You’re sure we’re at Richmond, right? Because this place has been really tough on me and our team as a whole,” Dillon said after finishing a close .226 seconds behind race winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. “To finish second, to run the way we did all day was just impressive for us.”

Dillon foiled fellow Dash 4 Cash drivers Brennan Poole, Erik Jones and Justin Allgaier — all three of whom spent time leading, but none of whom wound up in the top five at race’s end. Each caught varying degrees of damage in a multi-car pileup in the next-to-last restart; Poole trudged on to finish 10th, but Jones (34th) and Allgaier (35th) each retired early with severely bent race cars.

Dillon was without his regular crew chief, Nick Harrison, who was serving a one-race suspension for a technical infraction the previous week. As a result, Danny Efland — a former driver currently serving as an engineer — took over the pit box for the Richard Childress Racing No. 3 Chevrolet team in an interim role.

Dillon sat fifth for the penultimate restart, third among Dash 4 Cash drivers. Poole held the lead, his No. 48 Chevrolet team gambling by staying on the race track with older tires to gain track position. Allgaier ran second and in position for the Dash 4 Cash prize for much of the race and lined up there for the return to green with six laps left.

But Earnhardt Jr., third on the restart, dove low inside of Poole and Allgaier to forge a three-wide contest for the lead heading to Turn 1. Earnhardt vaulted to the lead, but Poole slid into Allgaier, knocking his JR Motorsports No. 7 into a prolonged slide and entangling pole-starter Jones as part of a nine-car stack but sparing Dillon from the carnage.

Allgaier emerged from his battered ride, punching a trash can in frustration before entering the JRM hauler.

“It sucks to run that well all day and to have nothing to show for it,” Allgaier said. “Obviously being a part of the Dash 4 Cash program and was loving to go for that $100,000, but ultimately for the race win. Instead, I’m standing here in street clothes. Just a frustrating way to end the day, but we’ve got fast race cars and we’ll be back next week.”

Jones, who divided the heat-race victories with Dillon, was also unable to continue, retiring after 134 of an overtime-extended 149 laps. He also had to contend with an angry Mike Harmon, who confronted the teenager in his hauler after their contact brought out the first caution flag and forced the fateful restart.

“I think racing is a sport of highs and lows — we had our highs last weekend and we have our lows this week,” said Jones, who captured the Dash 4 Cash opener last weekend at Bristol. “Just an unfortunate day for us. We were off all day and then it just got worse as it went on.”

Poole absorbed significant damage, but limped home to register his second top-10 finish of the season. He chalked up the contact to typical short-track restarts in the late going, but also applauded his Chip Ganassi Racing crew’s decision to shake up its strategy.

“I think that’s what you have to do, and Junior had to do what he had to do to get to the inside of me,” Poole said of the late-race scramble. “I’d have done the same thing. We’re all racing hard. There’s only eight laps to go. The restart is really the best way to make up track position, so we’re all just battling tight for it and it’s just how it goes at the end of these races sometimes. You’re battling as hard as you can.”

The next NASCAR XFINITY Series race featuring the Dash 4 Cash bonus is scheduled May 14 at Dover International Speedway.

MORE: See how Dash 4 Cash works

Posted on April 23, 2016 by Reid Spencer

RICHMOND, Va. — After a massive late-race wreck scrambled the running order in Saturday’s ToyotaCare 250, Dale Earnhardt Jr. survived a two-lap dash in overtime to win his first NASCAR XFINITY Series race since 2010 and the first in his own JR Motorsports equipment.

Earnhardt held off Ty Dillon by .266 seconds in a main event that ran nine laps past its scheduled distance of 140 laps, but Dillon collected the $100,000 Dash 4 Cash bonus available to the two highest finishes among XFINITY Series regulars from each of the two heats that preceded the main event.

The victory was Earnhardt’s fourth at Richmond — his first at the .75-mile short track since 2002 — and the 24th of his career. Earnhardt’s last win in the series came in the July 2010 race at Daytona in a No. 3 Chevrolet owned by Richard Childress.

Earnhardt has not driven the No. 3, the number closely associated with his father, since that victory. On Saturday, he drove the No. 88 Chevrolet in his last scheduled start of the season for JR Motorsports.

Though Earnhardt led 128 of the 149 laps after passing Erik Jones for the top spot on Lap 18, the final two were a challenge, with Dillon restarting beside him for the two-lap overtime.

“Those last couple of laps, we were real loose in the corner,” Earnhardt said. “I thought Ty was going to get to me — he tried to get to me. When we got to (Turn 3), we drove into the corner wide-open.”

But Dillon couldn’t pull even with Earnhardt, who cleared Dillon’s No. 3 Chevrolet off Turn 4 on the first overtime lap.

“We came up a little short, but we’re going to get one soon,” Dillon said.

Dillon wouldn’t have had a shot at the win at all, had a nine-car pileup on Lap 134 not bunched the field and necessitated the overtime.

The wreck came moments after a restart, with Brennan Poole leading the field to the green. Poole had stayed out on old tires when Earnhardt and the rest of the lead-lap drivers came to pit road for fresh rubber under caution on Lap 127.

Earnhardt restarted third behind Poole and JR Motorsports teammate Justin Allgaier , but when Poole spun his tires, Earnhardt dived to the inside approaching Turn 1, creating a three-wide lead group. After side-by-side contact with Earnhardt’s No. 88, Poole’s No. 48 Chevrolet washed up the track, clipped and turned Allgaier’s No. 7 and ignited a chain-reaction wreck that damaged three of the four cars eligible for the Dash 4 Cash bonus – those of Poole, Allgaier and Jones.

“When he spun the tires, I had to go to the inside,” Earnhardt said. “I tried not to drive up into him – I don’t think I got into him. They just kind of came together up there (in the outside lane) and had a heck of a wreck.

“I hate that it happened, but, man, I had to do what I had to do to try to get the win. We ran so well and led all those laps.”

Elliott Sadler came home third, followed by series leader Daniel Suárez, who leaves Richmond nine points ahead of Sadler in second. Austin Dillon ran fifth and Cole Custer sixth in Custer’s XFINITY Series debut.

Poole brought his damaged car home in 10th.

Posted on April 23, 2016 by RJ Kraft

Photo courtesy of Richmond International Raceway‘s Twitter account

Thanks to a tweet heard ’round the NASCAR Nation, we all know about Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s favorite sandwich, bananas and mayo.

The driver turned the much-discussed tweet into a charitable endeavor with the funds raised going to Blessings in a Backpack. Kelley Earnhardt Miller, Dale Jr.’s sister and the co-owner/general manager of JR Motorsports, said after the Richmond win that all told, fans have donated over $55,000, while Hellmann’s and Dale Jr. will each donate $50,000.

Driving the No. 88 Hellmann’s Chevrolet, Earnhardt Jr. won the ToyotaCare 250 to score his first win behind the wheel for the team he co-owns, JR Motorsports. And if you are wondering how he celebrated in Victory Lane, just remember it was a little after lunchtime of a 149-lap race, so the man was hungry.

RELATED: JRM extends relationship with longtime partner

That led to a banana-mayo sandwich for the victor to enjoy.

A �� and a #DaleJrSandwich in Victory Lane. pic.twitter.com/jg3djblM5R

— JR Motorsports (@JRMotorsports) April 23, 2016

A celebratory #DaleJrSandwich, anyone? pic.twitter.com/C3dRIegUJe

— Richmond Raceway (@RIRInsider) April 23, 2016

Posted on April 22, 2016 by Holly Cain

RICHMOND, Va. — The feeling around the NASCAR garage at Richmond International Raceway on Friday was both unanimous and magnanimous.

Tony Stewart‘s return to Sprint Cup Series competition this weekend was the big news of the week, possibly the year and he was greeted by welcome text messages, friendly pats on the back, and lots of smiles and goodwill.

NASCAR legend Richard Petty, whose team’s car was parked in the garage stall next to Stewart’s, sought Stewart out and embraced him.

By the time Stewart, 44, climbed into his No. 14 Mobil 1 Chevrolet for Friday morning’s opening practice, many of his competitors had stopped by to shake the three-time champ’s hand or wish him well in his first racing weekend since the 2015 season finale. Doctors cleared Stewart to compete this weekend after an eight-race absence while his body healed from a broken back — an injury he suffered during an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) accident just before the season began.

Stewart broke the news of his return himself on Twitter Thursday saying, “Well the long wait is over. I’ll be back in my @Mobil1 Chevy this weekend at Richmond. I can’t wait to race again.”

Then he added, “The Dr’s said my scans ‘looked much better than they thought they would after 3 months.’ So they cleared me.”

He will start Sunday’s Toyota Owners 400 from the 18th-place on the grid — his position in the only practice on a day shortened because of rain.

But the weather was the only downer on a day dominated by a warm and enthusiastic welcome back for Stewart.

“I don’t know about from the NASCAR standpoint, but from a competitor’s standpoint Tony is one of the fiercest competitors in the sport so to have him there and have someone to battle against is fun,” Carl Edwards said.

Stewart’s Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Kevin Harvick won the pole for Sunday’s race thanks to a chart-topping run in Friday’s only practice and it certainly sets the stage for a grand return of the team’s namesake. Stewart’s team confirmed their leader is re-energized and enjoying the positive reinforcement throughout the garage and in the grandstands.

“It’s been interesting just for the fact that I came to Stewart-Haas Racing to race with Tony, and obviously it’s been an in-and-out of the car situation for the last two and a half years,” Harvick said. “So, to see where he was from a personal standpoint over the time from when he got hurt and everything that happened, and see his interaction from the owner’s standpoint over the last several weeks has been very interesting to me, just to see how engaged he was and how excited he was and how relaxed and into what was going on.”

And his fellow competitors want to see “Smoke” go out strong.

“This is a retirement season for him and it was a little bit delayed, but he’s now going to some of the these race tracks for the final time and I know just in general, Tony has been around and traveling each week to the race and tracks and been very hands on with his race team,” Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin said Friday.

“It’s a great season and I would love to see him make a Chase push if he can and end on a good note.”

Posted on April 22, 2016 by Holly Cain

RICHMOND, Va. — NASCAR’s Senior Vice President of Competition Scott Miller took questions from the media on Friday at Richmond International Raceway regarding the sport’s regulation of tire lug nuts.

With the opening day of activity at the track called off early because of rain, Miller came to the media center to discuss what’s becoming a hot topic in the garage. Miller said NASCAR was open to exploring new pit rules as to how the teams are using — or not using — the correct number of lug nuts on tires, a downsizing all done with the goal of turning faster pit stops to gain a competitive advantage on the track.

“The rules have been pretty clear (the past two seasons) and we’ve really never had, until this point. too much trouble,” Miller said. “Obviously there are strong rules in place and pretty severe penalties associated with the rules in place but since the drivers are now questioning it, it’s time for us to kind of re-evaluate our position and work with the community in looking at possible different ways to enforce the pit road rules.

“The teams are obviously pushing harder than they ever have in this area. It’s time for us to take a look at it. We’ll do that as an industry. The open dialogue is very good right now between NASCAR and the teams. We’ll work with them and work internally to move forward.”

In order to speed up pit stops, teams are increasingly using fewer lug nuts to secure tires — creating a dangerous potential problem according to many in NASCAR. Three-time Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart was fined $35,000 on Thursday under Section 12 of the rule book, specifically member conduct guidelines. According to Section 12.8.1, actions that could result in a $10,000-$50,000 fine include disparaging the sport and/or NASCAR’s leadership.

Miller said he understood the recent concerns and that the series was looking for ways to revisit reinforcement of the rule. He reminded that there is a serious penalty in place for purposely mishandling the installation of tires.

“It says a loss of wheels due to improper installation is a mandatory minimum four-race suspension of the crew chief, the tire changer and tire carrier of the lost wheel,” Miller said. “So that’s the penalty that would be imposed should a wheel actually come off.

“We do have the rules and they have served us well. But obviously moving forward, the teams have become very aggressive with it. It’s been brought up as a concern and when any of our competitors raise a concern it’s time for us to take a little bit harder look at it.”

While speaking to an Associated Press meeting this week, NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France defended the sport’s regulation of the situation and reminded of its extreme emphasis on safety.

“Nobody has led, done more and achieved more in safety than we have,” France said. “It is a never-ending assignment and we accept that.

“We do take offense that anything we do is somehow leading toward an unsafe environment. Safety … that’s the most important thing we have to achieve.”

Posted on April 22, 2016 by Holly Cain

PHOTOS: Stewart’s career highlights | All 48 of Stewart’s Cup victories

RICHMOND, Va. — Tony Stewart officially drove out of the garage and onto a race track for the first time this season at 10:59 a.m. ET Friday morning after spending a good half hour in the seat of his red-white-and-blue No. 14 Mobil 1 Chevrolet, getting re-familiarized with the cockpit and debriefing with his team’s new crew chief, Michael Bugarewicz.

Both Stewart’s return and farewell to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition began this weekend at Richmond International Raceway.

The driver/owner placed 18th (124.700 mph/38 laps) in opening practice before the session was halted for rain.

The three-time Cup champion returned to competition for the first time this season, having received medical clearance earlier this week. He has been recovering from a broken back suffered during the offseason in an all-terrain vehicle accident, and just this week doctors okayed Stewart’s return for what is his final NASCAR Cup season as a driver.

The Stewart-Haas Racing team worked fast and furiously, enthusiastically and with unmistakably high energy early Friday morning in the garage preparing Stewart’s Chevrolet.

Photographers, cameramen and reporters crowded around the garage to get a glimpse of Stewart.

“For this whole team, this company, it’s awesome to see him back at a place he loves, a place he’s had success,” SHR Competition Director Greg Zipadelli said Friday in the RIR garage.

“It looks like they changed the tire back to the way it used to be, more his style and hopefully we’ll have a real sunny day come Sunday. I think it will be a great race.

“For our company, our sponsors and our fans it’s awesome that it’s sooner than later.”

Stewart’s Chevy was positioned in between Aric Almirola’s Ford and Kyle Larson‘s Chevy in the Richmond garage. And earlier in the morning while the champ was still in his motorcoach getting ready for his first practice session since his last race, the 2015 November finale in Homestead, Fla. the crew was already smiling. There was a palpable sense of expectation.

“We’re extremely happy to have him back and to work with him the rest of the year,” Chevrolet’s Sprint Cup Series Program Manager Alba Colon said as she and Zipadelli stood together, watching preparation for opening practice.

It was the first practice session for Stewart this year, the first time he’s even turned a lap. The medical clearance came so late, he didn’t have an opportunity to even test his Chevy before arriving in Richmond.

“He’s done this so long it will just be a matter of him adjusting,” Zipadelli said. “I think that the state of mind he’s in, the adjustments should be short. He’s rested; I’ve not seen him this focused, this excited ever.

“It’s exciting and I feel good for him that he got the opportunity to come back a couple weeks earlier than we thought at a place he really likes. It’s something he really wanted to do.

“Before he went to the doctor the other day, he said, ‘If the doctor clears me, I’m going to do this.’ “

There was little time to prepare, but the team has been ready and anticipating the eventual go-ahead.

“Everything was in place,” Zipadelli said. “It was more of the internal preparation, making sure his helmets were on the truck, gloves, the HANS, all those little details. The guys did a good job working late Wednesday night. Had to make some changes with the seat and the headrest and the weight of the car. They went back and did it all.”

Other drivers seemed genuinely excited to see Stewart back as a competitor.

“It’s great to have him back and it’s great for the sport,” rookie driver Ryan Blaney said Friday.

It was clearly the consensus.

“As a friend, somebody responsible for bringing good race cars to the track for him and our company I just hope he has a great rest of the season, can be competitive and have a lot of fun,” Zipadelli said. “I know he’s really looking forward to it.”

And so are many others.

MORE: Complete coverage of Stewart’s accident, recovery

Posted on April 22, 2016 by Staff Report

Lineup: Heat Race 1

Position	Car	Driver	Manufacturer
1.	18	Matt Tifft	Toyota
2.	88	Dale Earnhardt Jr.	Chevrolet
3.	20	Erik Jones	Toyota
4.	1	Elliott Sadler	Chevrolet
5.	33	Brandon Jones	Chevrolet
6.	62	Brendan Gaughan	Chevrolet
7.	48	Brennan Poole	Chevrolet
8.	6	Darrell Wallace Jr.	Ford
9.	43	Jeb Burton	Ford
10.	28	Dakoda Armstrong	Toyota
11.	51	Jeremy Clements	Chevrolet
12.	44	J.J. Yeley	Toyota
13.	07	Ray Black Jr.	Chevrolet
14.	14	Jeff Green	Toyota
15.	5	Cole Custer	Chevrolet
16.	25	Harrison Rhodes	Chevrolet
17.	97	Ryan Ellis	Chevrolet
18.	70	Derrike Cope	Chevrolet
19.	40	Carl Long	Toyota
20.	89	Morgan Shepherd	Chevrolet

Lineup: Heat Race 2

Position	Car	Driver	Manufacturer
1.	2	Austin Dillon	Chevrolet
2.	19	Daniel Suarez	Toyota
3.	7	Justin Allgaier	Chevrolet
4.	22	Brad Keselowski	Ford
5.	3	Ty Dillon	Chevrolet
6.	42	Justin Marks	Chevrolet
7.	16	Ryan Reed	Ford
8.	39	Ryan Sieg	Chevrolet
9.	4	Ross Chastain	Chevrolet
10.	11	Blake Koch	Chevrolet
11.	01	Ryan Preece	Chevrolet
12.	0	Garrett Smithley	Chevrolet
13.	78	BJ McLeod	Ford
14.	90	Todd Peck	Ford
15.	52	Joey Gase	Chevrolet
16.	15	Travis Kvapil	Ford
17.	74	Mike Harmon	Dodge
18.	13	Timmy Hill	Toyota
19.	93	Josh Wise	Chevrolet
20.	21	Spencer Gallagher	Chevrolet

Posted on April 22, 2016 by Staff Report

RELATED: Full practice results

Kevin Harvick topped the leaderboard in Friday’s rain-shortened first Sprint Cup Series practice at Richmond International Raceway, using a 129.069 mph-lap in his No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet.

Right behind him was Joey Logano in the No. 22 Team Penske Ford at 128.694 mph.

Rounding out the top five were Jimmie Johnson in the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, Carl Edwards in the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota and Denny Hamlin in the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota.

Tony Stewart, in his first practice session of the season since sustaining a back injury in the offseason, was 18th at 124.700 mph in the No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet. Stewart drove a field-high 38 laps.

Michael Annett slammed into the wall with his No. 46 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet about seven minutes into the session, sustaining significant damage to the front of his car.

Because rain also is predicted for later today, many teams used qualifying trim on their cars in the event qualifying is rained out. Practice speeds will be used to set the lineup for the Toyota Owners 400 if Coors Light Pole Qualifying is rained out.

Posted on April 22, 2016 by Staff Report

RELATED: Complete Richmond schedule

Posted on April 22, 2016 by Staff Report

RELATED: Live weather updates | Weekend schedule

Heavy rain canceled the majority of on-track action Friday at Richmond International Raceway.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series cars were in the midst of circling the 0.75-mile track for the opening practice when the skies opened up. The session ran for most of the alotted time, with Kevin Harvick topping the leaderboard at 129.069 mph with just more than 20 minutes remaining.

Sprint Cup Coors Light Pole Qualifying was scheduled to begin at 4:15 p.m. ET, but NASCAR announced shortly after 3:30 p.m. ET that it was canceled. By virtue of notching the best speed in the rain-shortened opening Cup practice, Harvick will start on the pole for Sunday’s Toyota Owners 400 (1 p.m. ET, FOX).

Cup cars will have another shot at putting laps down on the short track Saturday at 10:30 a.m. ET (FS1).

Opening NASCAR XFINITY Series practice, scheduled from 12:30 p.m. to 1:55 p.m. ET, was canceled due to the wet weather. A second XFINITY practice was scheduled from 3-3:55 p.m. ET, but was also unable to be run.

XFINITY practice has been rescheduled for 9 a.m. Saturday. The lineup for each Dash 4 Cash heat was set per the rule book, which is owner points. Results from the heat races will set the lineup for the main.