Posted on by Staff Report

RELATED: Full starting lineup

Saturday’s Coors Light Pole Qualifying for the NASCAR XFINITY Series was canceled by heavy Friday rain and a shifting weekend schedule at Dover International Speedway, placing Ryan Blaney on the pole for Saturday’s race.
 
Qualifying for the Hisense 200 (Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM), the 28th of 33 races this season, was originally scheduled for 12:15 p.m. ET. But a complete rainout of Friday’s schedule at the 1-mile track forced NASCAR officials to scramble Saturday’s slate, with qualifying for Sprint Cup and K&N Pro Series East cars also being nixed.
 
The washout puts Blaney on the pole for Saturday’s 200-miler by virtue of his Team Penske No. 22 Ford ranking first in the XFINITY owners’ points standings. He’ll start alongside Kyle Busch, a four-time winner in the series this year, in the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 54 Toyota.
 
Chris Buescher, a two-time winner this season and the leader in the XFINITY drivers’ standings, will start third in the Roush Fenway Racing No. 60 Ford. Brothers Ty and Austin Dillon will complete the top five on the starting grid.
 
With 40 cars on site for 40 starting berths in a full field, no teams failed to qualify.

Posted on by Staff Report

RELATED: Complete Chase coverage | Kenseth on pole for AAA 400


All of Friday’s on-track activity has been canceled as rain pounds Dover International Speedway. Weather forecasts for the rest of the weekend remain in flux with Hurricane Joaquin lurking out in the Atlantic Ocean, but the worst of the rainfall projections could have implications on the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup — if they prove to be true.



MORE: Live weather updates from Dover



Dover is the third race of NASCAR’s 10-race postseason, making it the final race of the Challenger Round in which four drivers are eliminated from the initial field of 16.



So, what would happen if the rain is severe enough over the weekend and early next week to postpone the race at Dover?



The answer lies in the NASCAR rule book, which states that four drivers will be eliminated from the postseason after the 29th race of the season. If Dover were to get postponed, and if the scheduled Oct. 10 race at Charlotte Motor Speedway takes place as scheduled, then the Charlotte event would be the 29th race of the season and therefore act as the final race of the Challenger Round.


MORE: Updated weekend schedule

Posted on by Staff Report



When NASCAR Goes West, Spring Break Comes to Phoenix International Raceway



Don’t Miss the Camping World 500 Race Weekend, March 11-13*



Buy Phoenix Spring 2016 Race Tickets.


It’s never too early to plan your Spring Break getaway, especially when it’s NASCAR style! 


Tickets to the Camping World 500 Race Weekend at Phoenix International Raceway are on sale now. You can make your 2016 Spring Break one to remember with tickets to NASCAR’s first short-track race of the season. Make the most out of your race weekend by applying the track’s insider tips.

1/ Purchase Early, Save BIG

By ordering your tickets to the Camping World 500, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race now, you can choose from PIR’s best selection of seats and take advantage of value period pricing. Make sure to reserve your seats before regular pricing begins on January 1, 2016.

2/ Make a Weekend Out of It

Expand your race weekend experience by adding tickets to the Axalta Faster. Tougher. Brighter. 200, NASCAR XFINITY Series Race, on Saturday, March 12, and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Qualifying on Friday, March 11.

3/ Make PIR Your Family Vacation Destination

Get inspired by Clark Griswold and take your family on the vacation of a lifetime. Stop by the Grand Canyon on your way, take in some Cactus League Spring Training games in the Phoenix Valley and become an official member of ZOOMTOWN, U.S.A.® Phoenix International Raceway for the week and park the family RV in one of our GEICO Gecko Flats Reserved RV Spaces.

Take back your Spring Break. Reserve your seats now.


*2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Schedule has not officially been announced or confirmed. Dates are tentative and subject to change.

Posted on by Reid Spencer

RELATED: Complete lineup for Sunday’s race


DOVER, Del. – A hard, steady rain at Dover International Speedway made Matt Kenseth‘s life easier—and Kevin Harvick‘s challenge even more difficult than it otherwise might have been.
 
With a massive East Coast storm forcing cancellation of all of Friday’s track activity at the Monster Mile, including NASCAR Sprint Cup Series qualifying, Kenseth will start on the pole for Sunday’s AAA 400, the elimination race for the Challenger Round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup (2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
 
The series leader, Kenseth already has earned a spot in the Chase’s Contender Round by virtue of last Sunday’s victory at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
 
On the other hand, with the field ordered by owner points according to rainout rules, Harvick will start 15th in a race he almost certainly must win to keep his hopes of winning back-to-back series championships alive.
 
After an early wreck and a 42nd-place finish in the Chase opener at Chicagoland Speedway, Harvick ran out of fuel while leading with three laps left at New Hampshire and finished 21st, leaving him 23 points out of 12th place in the standings, the last transfer position for the next round.
 
Even though the rain put him on the pole, Kenseth would have preferred to have practiced on Friday, especially in light of the suspension issues that relegated him to a 39th-place finish in the May 31 event at Dover.
 
“I think we all would have liked to get on the track today and get some practice,” Kenseth said on Friday at Dover. “I know there are some things we wanted to work on and try to improve from the spring for this race.
 
“I think everybody wanted to get on the track. I think it’s one of the advantages of leading the points – obviously, if it rains, you get a good starting spot and pit stall. Glad we’re starting in the front, but still would have liked the track time.”
 
The qualifying cancellation means the 16 Chase drivers will start from the top 16 positions on the grid. Denny Hamlin, who punched his ticket to the Contender Round with a win at Chicagoland, will start on the front row beside his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate.
 
Carl Edwards, Joey Logano and Jimmie Johnson are third through fifth on the grid, respectively, for Sunday’s race. “Bubble” drivers Jamie McMurray, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kyle Busch and Paul Menard, all of whom are within a two-point range in the standings, will start 11th through 14th, respectively.
 
“We’ll be ready; we’ll be prepared and we won’t start as far forward as we have here in years past,” said Busch, who blew a right front tire at New Hampshire, crashed and finished 37th. “Typically we’re a top-five qualifier. … We’ll make do.”
 
Busch feels his team’s level of readiness coming to the track this season will stand him in good stead.
 
“I think, for my guys, we’ve been really, really good this year of unloading and having some strong cars and some good speed right off the truck,” Busch said. “I’d actually look forward to no practice time here. I think that would be really good for the 18 team.”

Posted on by Holly Cain

RELATED: Stewart through the years

 

Watching Tony Stewart as he announced his plans to step out of full-time NASCAR competition in 2017 reminded me a whole lot of the Tony Stewart I first met in 1996 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a driver who always made the racing beat a little more interesting and lot more entertaining for the last two decades.

 

On the track and off it.

 

Stewart, 44, was cutting up, smiling and relaxed Wednesday afternoon sharing his news and holding court in front of a room of reporters — easing at times, but sincere and authentic.

 

His larger-than-life persona has always been in proportion with his talent.

 

Like a lot of people, I have mixed emotions about not watching him race every week, but they are trumped by the idea that Stewart could now exhale and be at peace. He seems very much so. And he deserves it.

 

I’d spoken with him in previous months about the possibility of his “don’t call it retirement.” He bounced the idea off plenty of people and admitted that most tried to talk him out of it.

 

I noticed that Stewart was especially chipper last weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, and after the race was feisty like I had long known him to be. He was smiling a lot more. There was a definite good vibe. Clearly, he was ready to make this career-impacting announcement — to move on, not aside.

 

RELATED: Stewart: ‘Deep down you know when it’s time’

 

It’s the rare exception that a racing driver possesses the talent of his heroes, and in Stewart’s case, he also shares a good bit of their personality.

 

He loved racing against Dale Earnhardt, who loved racing against Tony Stewart. And he took A.J. Foyt’s famed No. 14 for his own Chevy when he moved to Stewart-Haas Racing.

 

Stewart is deservedly and fittingly compared to those two legends in his racing accomplishments, and in what has become a time of polish, politeness and political correctness, there will probably not be another so similar out of the driver’s seat, either.

 

Sometimes, Stewart’s temperament — the sarcastic interviews or the pit road confrontations — diverted our appreciation for what a remarkable racer he is.

RELATED: Statement from Brian France on Stewart

 

Stewart is still the only driver to win an IndyCar championship (1997) and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series titles (2002, 2005, 2011). He was the first to win three USAC national titles (Midget, Sprint Car and Silver Crown) in one season (1996) and his results in racing’s Memorial Day “Double” (ninth in Indy 500 and fourth in Coca-Cola 600) are unmatched.

 

Everything you need to know about Stewart’s drive was evident in his 2011 Sprint Cup championship run when after going winless during the regular season he won five of the last 10 races — including the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway — to claim his third title trophy in a tiebreaker over Carl Edwards.

 

He promises a similarly motivated final season in 2016 with a Daytona 500 and Southern 500 trophy still on his to-do list.

 

“I’ve been very fortunate to do what I’ve loved to do for 37 years up to this point, and next year it will be 38 and there’s no period on it at the end of next year,” Stewart said this week. “It’s just a little change. I still plan on adding stats for years to come after 2016.”

 

Asked about his legacy, which surely includes a NASCAR Hall of Fame induction, Stewart was more reflective, even philosophic.

RELATED: Quotes from Stewart’s retirement announcement

 

“I really haven’t thought about it, to be honest because to me at the end of the day I’m happy with who I am,” he said. “I look at myself in the mirror and I’m comfortable with who I am and what I’ve done and the path that I’ve been down.”

 

And who could ask for more than that?

 

“I think everything that’s happened in my life has happened for a reason,” Stewart said. “I think there’s things that I would have skipped in my life and things that have not happened, but I think everything in the big picture has happened for a reason and is part of something that’s a lot bigger than what we are this room.”

Posted on by Staff Report

Meet Kim, Official NASCAR Fan Council member of the month

Name: Kim

Current City: Hayward, California

Member since: 2012

Getting to know Kim

Q. Why did you join the Official NASCAR Fan Council?

"I was impressed that NASCAR wanted to hear the opinions of the fans. Can’t think of another sport that cares so much about their fan base."

Q. What comes to mind when you think of NASCAR? What’s your favorite NASCAR memory?

"Anticipation! I start getting excited two days before the race. My favorite memory is reaching the top of the grandstands at Charlotte in May of 2008 and seeing, hearing and feeling my first Cup car as it flew past me. It. Was. AWESOME! It cemented my love of the sport right then and there — the 2008 All-Star race was my very first race!"

Q: Do you have a favorite in any of the following categories?

Driver: "Kasey Kahne"

Track: "Sonoma"

Memorabilia: "I have an entire room devoted to NASCAR. As Kasey Kahne won the first two races I attended (2008 All-Star Race, 2009 Sonoma race), my favorite memorabilia are the framed photos from those events. Not to mention the photos I have with both Kasey and Kenny Francis (who I adore!)."

Q: If you could go to any NASCAR race/track, where would you go?

"I’ve been to Charlotte, Talladega and Sonoma. I’d like to make it to the Daytona 500 one day!"

Q: What do you like to do in your free time?

"I read, crochet and keep up on NASCAR gossip. I’m also a HUGE Doctor Who fan."

Q: Tell us about your family. Do you have children and/or pets?

"I’ve been married to my husband, John, for 37 years. I have three adult children — Lillian is a teacher, Kendall is an attorney and my youngest, Rebecca, is an RN. Right now we have 6 cats and an elderly dog!"

Q: What’s your dream car?

"A Chevy truck!"

From all of us at NASCAR, we thank Kim for Her continued support and look forward to hearing from her in 2015! Look for Kim on the Official NASCAR Fan Council page on NASCAR.COM.

Posted on by Staff Report

RELATED: Weather updates for Dover weekend

 

Three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams, including the Stewart-Haas Racing No. 4 with defending series champion Kevin Harvick, received written warnings for issues stemming from the inspection process last weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Harvick’s team was cited for failure of the laser inspection system (LIS) three times in pre-qualifying inspection as well as twice in race inspection. As a result, the team received two written warnings and will forfeit the opening 15 minutes of practice at the next scheduled session.

UPDATE: Because of the condensed practice schedule at Dover due to the weather, this penalty will carry over to Charlotte.

The Team Penske No. 2 team with driver Brad Keselowski and the Roush Fenway Racing No. 17 team with driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. each received one written warning for failing qualifying inspection.

Two other teams, the Premium Motorsports No. 62 (Timmy Hill) and No. 7 of Tommy Baldwin Racing (Alex Bowman), will also be held out of the opening 15 minutes of practice. The Premium Motorsports team was late in line for qualifying inspection. The TBR entry was late to race inspection.

The Sprint Cup Series is scheduled to compete at Dover International Speedway this weekend, with opening practice scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. ET.

Also at NHMS, the Trophy Girl Racing No. 44 entry with driver Josh Reaume (DNQ) will serve a 15-minute practice hold at its next scheduled event in the Camping World Truck Series.

Warnings were given to the Richard Childress Racing No. 3 and the Athenian Motorsports No. 25 teams during the XFINITY Series stop last weekend at Kentucky Speedway. Both teams received warnings for failing the LIS portion of the inspection process too many times.

Athenian Motorsports officials announced earlier this week that the organization had withdrawn its entry in this weekend’s XFINITY Series event at Dover and that future events for the No. 25 team would be made on a race-by-race basis.

Every fourth warning received by a team will result in the loss of pit selection. If the fourth warning comes before pit selection at an event, the penalty will be assessed at that event. If it occurs after pit selections have been made, it will be enforced at the next scheduled event.

Warnings do not carry over into the following season.

Posted on by Staff Report

RELATED: Hurricane-like weather has hampered NASCAR before

 

With area weather impacted by Hurricane Joaquin, here’s the latest on this weekend’s NASCAR schedule at Dover International Speedway:


• Saturday’s XFINITY Series and K&N Pro Series East practices have been canceled. Two Sprint Cup practices remain on the schedule, although their times have been altered. Rain cut the final practice session for the Sprint Cup Series short. The K&N Pro Series East race will now be run at 12:30 p.m. ET. Click here for the tentative weekend schedule.


• All on-track activity scheduled for Friday has been canceled.

 

• Dover has canceled Thursday’s NASCAR Showcase & Hauler Parade, which was scheduled for 3 p.m. ET.

 

The track and NASCAR will continue to monitor the weather throughout the weekend. Dover officials will provide updates on the track’s website and also on the track’s Facebook page.

 

This page will be updated throughout the weekend.

Posted on by Staff Report

It was announced on Thursday that the NASCAR sanctioning body changed the restart zone for this weekend’s races at Dover International Speedway. The zone will double from 70 feet to 140 feet, but no other rules have changed, according to NASCAR. After the news broke, drivers took to social media to express their opinions on the change. 

 

RELATED: NASCAR doubles restart zone for Dover