Posted on by Staff Report

Landon Harrison pulled-off one of the most improbable wins in the history of the NASCAR PEAK Antifreeze Series Powered by iRacing at Darlington Raceway last night by beating Ray Alfalla (Slip Angle Motorsports) and Last Row Motorsports‘ Chris Overland in a 32 lap sprint to the finish.

Harrison started thirty-second and ran mid-pack until a timely caution flew during a round of green flag pit stops with 42 laps remaining, giving him his best track position of the night. After another quick caution and a few laps of following Overland and Alfalla after the final restart, Harrison made his move with 30 laps to go. Amazingly, he was able to pass both Alfalla and Overland in Turn Three before pulling away from the tandem who were left fighting for second.

That battle was won by Alfalla who took advantage of Overland’s slightly older tires to grab second, just over a second behind Harrison.  Overland took third followed by the Stergios brothers with PJ in fourth and Jake coming home fifth.  In all, three out of the top five finishers started twenty-seventh or worse, an impressive statistic for a track where overtaking is notoriously difficult.

The race also saw the debut of iRacing’s dynamic track surface model which shook-up the field and made track position less important than normal. In addition, the tires gave up more than three seconds over a full fuel run and rewarded smooth and consistent driving over pure hot-lapping.  This played right into the hands of a driver like Harrison who normally is not the fastest on the time sheet but knows how to keep his car clean and be around at the finish.

The conditions led to comers and goers along with tight sim racing throughout the pack as drivers slid around searching for grip. Despite the struggles experienced by many drivers, only four cautions slowed the pace for 16 laps. The long green flag runs created varying pit strategies with many drivers opting to short-pit for fresh tires in hopes of gaining track position while others chose to stretch their tires and fuel in hopes of catching a caution.

The TEAM‘s Kenny Humpe grabbed his fifth pole of the season and looked to clinch the 2015 series championship with a finish of thirteenth or better. Humpe started off strong and led 44 laps early but he was undone by damage to his PEAK Chevrolet, first by hitting the wall on his own and then later when he ran into Alex Warren when Warren was heading to pit road. As a result, Humpe finished twentieth, his worst result of the season, and failed to secure the championship.

Nick Ottinger also encountered tough sledding at Darlington after being a dominating force in recent weeks. Ottinger qualified second and looked to have above average speed at the beginning of the race, especially on the short run. However, as the track took rubber and the runs went on and on, Ottinger faded outside of the top ten, winding up thirteenth at the finish.

While Humpe failed to mathematically clinch the championship, he moved closer and now only needs to score six points over the final two races to take his first NASCAR PEAK Antifreeze Series title. Alfalla still is second, 90 points behind while PJ Stergios is another 43 back of Alfalla in third. Though the top three positions are comfortably held, the fight for fourth is a different story. Overland currently holds the spot but only by a single point over Bryan Blackford. Matt Bussa is lurking five points adrift of Blackford followed by Corey Vincent who is 11 points out of fifth.

Just two races remain in the 2015 NASCAR PEAK Antifreeze season, both 1.5 mile tracks.  Chicagoland Speedway is the first of the two and drivers will have to get to work quickly as there are just seven days until the next race rather than the customary two weeks. This shorter time frame will likely favor teams that test quickly and efficiently, and it will be interesting to see which sim racers can best adapt to changing track conditions. Will this be the race Humpe wraps up the championship, or can Alfalla somehow stay alive for the finale? Find out next Tuesday on iRacingLive!

Posted on by Staff Report

RELATED: Latest Chase Grid | Full 2015 schedule |  See all the 2015 winners

Elimination-style playoffs return for the 2015 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, and excitement is building. If you forgot exactly how Kevin Harvick made his way to the title in 2014, we’re here to help with a quick refresher on how the Chase Grid system works.

THE SEEDING

Each of the 16 drivers who qualifies for the Chase Grid starts with 2,000 points, plus three points for each win earned during the first 26 regular-season races. After the bonus points for wins are added, drivers are ranked in order of the reset points. See the updated standings.

THE ROUNDS
Challenger Round: The 16 drivers will take to the track at Chicagoland Speedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Dover International Speedway for the 12 spots available in the next round (Contender). A win at any of the three races equals advancement into the next round. The rest of the field of 12 will be determined by order of points scored in the three races. After this round, each advancing driver will be reset to 3,000 points.

Points note: Bonus points for laps led will still be awarded in the Challenger, Contender and Eliminator Rounds. However, at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship, the four drivers will start the race tied and there will be no bonus points for laps led, etc.



Tiebreaker: If any position comes down to a tiebreaker, only the three races in the Challenger Round matter. Wins and finishes in the regular season won’t, so these nine drivers will need to run up front to challenge for the win. If they can’t win, they’ll need to have more second-place finishes, third-place finishes, etc. than their competitors in order to break the tie and advance. If two drivers have the exact same finishes, the tiebreaker then goes to the driver who scored the best finish first.

Contender Round: The 12 drivers will battle at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Kansas Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway for the eight spots available in the next round (Eliminator). A win at any of the three races equals advancement into the next round. The rest of the field of eight will be determined by order of points scored in the three races. After this round, each advancing driver will be reset to 4,000 points.



Tiebreaker: If any position comes down to a tiebreaker, only the three races in the Contender Round matter. Wins and finishes in the regular season won’t, so the drivers will need to run up front to challenge for the win. If they can’t win, they’ll need to have more second-place finishes, third-place finishes, etc. than their competitors in order to break the tie and advance. If two drivers have the exact same finishes, the tiebreaker then goes to the driver who scored the best finish first.

Eliminator Round: The eight drivers will battle at Martinsville Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway and Phoenix International Raceway for the four spots available in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship. A win at any of the three races equals advancement into the next round. The rest of the field of four will be determined by order of points scored in the three races. After this round, each advancing driver will be reset to 5,000 points

.

Tiebreaker: If any position comes down to a tiebreaker, only the three races in the Eliminator Round matter. Wins and finishes in the regular season won’t, so the drivers will need to run up front to challenge for the win. If they can’t win, they’ll need to have more second-place finishes, third-place finishes, etc. than their competitors in order to break the tie and advance. If two drivers have the exact same finishes, the tiebreaker then goes to the driver who scored the best finish first.

THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP CHAMPIONSHIP


The final race is all about order of finish. No bonus points for laps led, etc. The four finalists will start the race tied, and the highest finisher among them at Homestead-Miami Speedway will win the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship.

 

THE POINTS


Drivers who don’t advance to the next round will have their point totals reset to the Chase-start base of 2,000 (with any regular-season wins bonus points), plus the additional points they’ve earned during the Chase. The idea, which was actually a driver-led suggestion, is that those eliminated from the postseason still have something to race for — fifth place. A driver eliminated in the opening Challenger Round, for example, can still finish ranked higher than someone who just misses the Championship Round cut.

Posted on by Official NASCAR Release

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (September 16, 2015) – A cross-section of thought leaders and influencers in environmental sustainability, business and sport will gather today for the 2015 NASCAR Green Summit presented by American Ethanol-E15. Convening in Chicago for the second time in the past three years, a distinguished roster of participants will examine the future of environmental sustainability and its impact on the American consumer.  

 

Today’s keynote speaker is widely considered to be among the world’s leading authorities on energy, Dr. Amory B. Lovins, Co-Founder, Chief Scientist and Chairman Emeritus of Rocky Mountain Institute. He will be joined by Dr. Marius Stan, Senior Scientist Nuclear Energy at Argonne National Laboratory, Senior Fellow at University of Chicago and Northwestern University, and actor from the television series Breaking Bad; Dr. Sabina Shaikh, Economics Lecturer at the University of Chicago in Public Policy and the Program on Global Environment; Dr. Allen Hershkowitz, President and Co-Founder of The Green Sports Alliance; Alderman Edward M. Burke of Chicago’s 14th Ward; and John Davies, Vice President and Senior Analyst at GreenBiz Group.

“The NASCAR Green Summit brings together an array of corporations, educators, policy makers, economists, scientists and athletes – all who share our commitment to help protect the environment,” said Brent Dewar, NASCAR chief operating officer. “Today’s event allows for the real-time exchange of ideas, which helps the industry advance important initiatives that educate fans and ultimately drive sustainable behavior.”

 

As part of today’s summit, NASCAR will formally announce its membership of the Green Sports Alliance, a movement to make sports more sustainable through environmental performance. Since its founding in 2011, the Green Sports Alliance has grown to more than 300 professional and collegiate teams and venues from 20 difference sports leagues and 14 countries.

The 2015 NASCAR Green Summit presented by American Ethanol-E15 will recognize a number of Official NASCAR Partners that continue to raise the bar in driving sustainable behavior. The program includes executives from some of the world’s most influential brands, such as Ford Motor Company, General Motors, POET, Safety-Kleen, SunEdison, Sunoco, Toyota and presenting partner American Ethanol.

Additionally, athletes representing a number of sports properties, including NASCAR, NFL, NBA and UFC will be on-site. Scheduled to attend are Austin Dillon, Richard Childress Racing; Sam Hornish Jr., Richard Petty Motorsports; Mike Miller, Portland Trailblazers; Will Weatherspoon, former NFL linebacker, sustainable farmer and reporter for the Rams Radio Network, and Robbie Lawler, current UFC Welterweight Champion. Leading conservation and sustainability organizations will also be represented, including Ducks Unlimited, National Wild Turkey Federation, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever, Quality Deer Management Association, and Sportsmen’s Alliance.

NASCAR will honor a number of teams and sanctioned tracks for their dedication to making a positive impact on the environment. Tracks receiving awards include, Daytona International Speedway, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Michigan International Speedway, Pocono Raceway, Richmond International Raceway and Sonoma Raceway. NASCAR teams being honored include Canada’s Best Racing Team, Ganassi Racing, Kyle Busch Motorsports, Richard Childress Racing and Roush Fenway Racing.

 

The NASCAR Green Summit takes place in advance of the start of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup at Chicagoland Speedway. For tickets to the September 18-20 race weekend, visit www.ChicagolandSpeedway.com or call 1-888-629-RACE (7223). Single-day tickets are available. NBCSN will air the race at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, September 20. Fans can also find the race on the NBC Sports Live Extra app, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, with additional coverage on NASCAR.com.     

 

For additional information on NASCAR Green, visit www.nascar.com/green.

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Chase Across North America includes Newman, Logano, Gordon

RELATED: Chase Across North America stops announced

It’s playoff season in NASCAR with the 16-car field officially set for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. On Tuesday, the Chase Across North America media tour began with drivers making the rounds across the country. Drivers are building the hype before the first Chase race at Chicagoland Speedway on Sunday (3 p.m. ET, NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

See where some of the sport’s biggest stars have visited:

Day One:

Kyle Busch, with his No. 18 JGR Toyota, was caught outside the ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut. "Rowdy" swapped his racing attire for a business suit and talked all things NASCAR, and he even made some fantasy football picks. 


Brad Keselowski, too, had quite the eventful day with his press circuit in Chicago, the home of the first Chase race. Keselowski got some helpful tips on how to eat a real Chicago hot dog. Hint: It’s all in the sauce.



Dover got a special treat on Tuesday with an appearance from Ryan Newman. Newman spent his day at Fred Fifer Middle School for a pep rally. Check out Newman’s periscope where he recorded the whole thing.


Joey Logano is just like us, he eats Dominos on the (private) plane. On his way home from his media day in New Hampshire, the driver of the No. 22 Team Penske Ford decided to carb up after a long day of press.


In his first Chase appearance, Paul Menard is busier than ever. On Tuesday he was in Martinsville, Virginia. The Twitter-less Menard tweeted for the first time (on Martinsville Speedway‘s account), got a key to the city, had a parade in his honor and was awarded with his very own holiday (Sept. 15 is now officially Paul Menard Day). 


Denny Hamlin has a lot on his mind not only with Chase-related pressures, but he will be at a disadvantage amongst his competition thanks to a torn ACL (though he says it will not affect his racing performance). This, however, did not slow him down during his fun-filled day at Homestead-Miami (Ft. Lauderdale) where he cruised in a solar-powered car built by high school students. 



Day Two:

NASCAR’s biggest star took his media tour to America’s biggest city. Jeff Gordon‘s pit stop in the Big Apple started early Wednesday morning on "Good Morning America" with an interview with Robin Roberts. Fans flocked to the ABC studios to catch a glimpse of the driver of the legendary No. 24 Chevrolet as he enters his final Chase season.


Dale Earnhardt Jr. touched down in Los Angeles and found himself in the company of one of Boston’s finest. Safe to say, Jr. is making some famous friends during his whirlwind media tour.

This story will be updated.

Posted on by Nascar

RELATED: See the complete 2015 schedule

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Marcus Smith, Chief Executive Officer for Speedway Motorsports Inc., said he has been pleased with how the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule has worked out, not only for his group’s own properties but for all involved.
 
“Certainly it’s not perfect but overall we saw some big improvements,” Smith said Tuesday during a Chase Across North America media event with driver Matt Kenseth. “Like Bristol getting moved into the spring, into April and out of March was a huge plus.
 
“Darlington getting back on the traditional Southern 500 weekend turned out to be an amazing success for Darlington and the whole sport.”
 
SMI owns eight tracks hosting 12 of the 36 Sprint Cup Series points events on the 2015 schedule as well as the series’ annual All-Star Race.
 
Asked if any of his facilities had requested a date change for the 2016 season, Smith would only say, “Atlanta has certainly talked about the possibility of a change.”
 
Atlanta Motor Speedway‘s lone Sprint Cup race was held this year on March 1 following a five-year run in the the Labor Day holiday weekend slot. The facility has struggled with attendance in recent years — no different from other venues — and has battled weather issues on several occasions.
 
Smith, who said he expects the 2016 schedule to be released “the first week in October,” said officials “worked long and hard on the schedule this year to make some tweaks to it that would work better for the whole sport.”
 
Richmond International Raceway officials confirmed recently that they have requested moving their track’s spring race from Saturday night to Sunday afternoon. Such a move isn’t as difficult as moving from one weekend to another, Smith said.

“There is not one simple change that you could make in the schedule without affecting many, many other things,” he said. “A simple change from a Saturday night to a Sunday afternoon is a very simple change. … But moving entire weekends, there’s a domino effect that really, really is difficult.”

Posted on by Nascar

RELATED: See who is in the Chase | Meet all 16 drivers

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Matt Kenseth said the race leader should not be at a disadvantage on restarts, and all the fuss about Saturday night’s final restart at Richmond International Raceway was news to him.
 
The Joe Gibbs Racing driver dominated the Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond, leading 352 laps, including the final 103, en route to his fourth victory of the season and third in the past six races.
 
Following the night’s final caution period, Kenseth quickly pulled away from then second-place driver Joey Logano following the Lap 383 restart.
 
Some, including Logano, felt Kenseth accelerated early, before reaching the restart zone, giving him an advantage as the field rolled back up to speed.
 
“I really didn’t know there was so much talk about it, to be honest with you,” Kenseth, the 2003 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion, said Tuesday during a Chase Across North America appearance at Charlotte Douglas International Airport for Charlotte Motor Speedway.

The restart rule is clear, Kenseth said, noting that the race leader is expected to “start” the race at some point between the first and second lines (marked on the inside and outside walls).
 
But when the second-or third-place drivers lay back in order to be moving faster than the leader when the race resumes, it puts the leader at a disadvantage, he said.
 
“They want you to keep an even pace and take off somewhere in the zone and we all understand that,” said Kenseth. “If you are the leader and the second place guy is two car lengths behind you because he knows when you’re going to go, and this guy’s on the outside of you and they get rolling toward you before you get going, I mean I’m not going to be third before I get to Turn 1.
 
“The leader has to take some liberties to look around him and see what his competitors are doing because he is the leader, and he should not be at a disadvantage.
 
“If the third place car is two car-lengths behind you, rolling toward that line because they know when you are going to go, that’s a huge disadvantage for the leader.

“As a driver, you have to do what you think you need to do within the rules to make sure you’ve got your car out front to try to get that win at the end.”
 
RELATED: How does Kenseth’s pit crew stack up among top Chase seeds?

If that means some believe he got a free pass for appearing to jump the restart, Kenseth is making no apologies. “It’s not like I jammed the gas and left them 20 car-lengths,” he said.
 
“I think that you would be hard-pressed to find anybody, including the people that are complaining about it, to say that the fastest car didn’t win the race Saturday night. I think that we proved that. When we had that late of a caution, I was going to make sure that I did everything I could to get to Turn 1 first.”

Logano, who wound up finishing third, said he believes many drivers would like a better understanding of how NASCAR will police restarts going forward, especially with the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup beginning this weekend at Chicagoland Speedway. The 1.5-mile venue hosts the myAFibRisk.com 400 Sunday (3 p.m. ET, NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
 
“Last weekend could make us look at it differently once again,” Logano told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio on Tuesday. “What’s OK and what’s not OK? Chances are this championship will come down to a late-race restart at Homestead; or getting into the next round could come down to a late-race restart. …
 
“There is always going to be gamesmanship but I think as a driver you want to know what you can and can’t do when you’re making those decisions for a restart.”
 
While NASCAR has put the onus on drivers to police themselves, the Team Penske driver said that’s difficult to do, explaining, “We’re race car drivers. We’re not thinking about it; our job is to go out there and win the race. So we will take advantage of every opportunity there is.”
 
Seeing how far one can go before NASCAR steps in is only natural. It’s not until NASCAR reacts that teams adjust and the process begins all over.
 
“I feel like the other night the line got pushed a little bit, and it was OK,” Logano said. “I think that will kind of show in the future where guys are going to go with these restarts. … Until we get clarity, we’ll keep pushing it more and more; you almost have to protect us from ourselves because we’ll take it to the extreme.”

Posted on by Nascar

RELATED: See who is in the Chase | Meet all 16 drivers

He’s the No. 1 seed and has won more Chase races, 25, than any other driver.
 
It’s not even close.
 
He is the only driver that has qualified for every Chase since the format debuted in 2004.
 
But Jimmie Johnson and his No. 48 team are not the team to beat today. They aren’t the favorites heading into this weekend’s myAFibRisk.com 400 at Chicagoland Speedway (Sunday, 3 p.m. ET, NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), the first race in this year’s Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

The role of favorite, or favorites, rests with another. Joe Gibbs Racing drivers have won eight of the last 11 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races. And none of the three that weren’t claimed by JGR went to Johnson.
 
His last win came 13 races ago, at Dover, and 13 races is a long time in Johnson’s trophy-filled world. He also hasn’t led a single lap since the July race in Daytona.
 
“Every summer. Just about every summer we go through this,” Johnson said Saturday night after a very pedestrian ninth-place finish at Richmond International Raceway. “Even (before) three of the five (titles) we won in a row.”

For those who may have forgotten, Johnson did win five consecutive championships, a feat unmatched in the series. And his six titles leave him only one short of the record seven championships won by Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt.

RELATED: Johnson discusses his outlook heading into the Chase

So while Johnson and his Hendrick Motorsports team, led by crew chief Chad Knaus, might be concerned, they don’t appear to be worried.
 
It’s happened before. The feelings are familiar.
 
“Yeah, pissed off, frustrated, wish you’d find more speed, fighting with one another,” Johnson said.
 
And then?
 
“Then we get into those tracks in the Chase and everyone starts clicking,” he added.
 
“I don’t know what it is, if it’s just the tracks or knowing that it’s game time or the decisions we make under pressure. I don’t know.
 
“There’s just something about those final 10 races that have helped us out.”

RELATED: Johnson, sponsor ink new deals with Hendrick
 
There’s no trend in his championship seasons — he rolled into the Chase riding back-to-back wins in ’07 and ’08, but won the title in ’13 after four finishes of 28th or worse leading up to its start.
 
With the Chase format debuting a new look last season, in which eliminations trimmed the field by four after every three races, Johnson said lessons were learned.
 
“I think last year I entered the Chase thinking I had to win every race to advance,” he said. “And then Ryan (Newman) made it to the final four (without winning a race). I think that opened a lot of eyes.
 
“Now, it’s more ‘just go out and get every point you can; you don’t have to hit walk-off home runs in every race.’
 
“I feel like I took myself out of two races early in the Chase last year doing that. So we’re going to try to be smarter.”
 
Sprint Cup Series teams will be visiting eight of the 10 Chase tracks for a second time this season. Three of Johnson’s four wins this year came on those tracks — Texas, Kansas and Dover.
 
“I think that we can get to the final four, and then Homestead is a challenge in its own,” he said. “But the first goal is to get in that final four.”

Posted on by

The No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports team has made a couple of recent changes to its pit crew. David Mayo is back as the team’s front tire changer after being replaced earlier in the season by Kevin Novak.

Mayo is a longtime changer replacing Novak, who spent time at Roush Fenway Racing and then the No. 38 car this year before getting a shot with the No. 88 team at Darlington and Richmond.

To go along with the change made on the front, there was a change made in the rear. In late summer, Devin DelRicco replaced rear changer Joe Slingerland. DelRicco will continue in that position heading into the Chase.

For more pit crew news, visit PitTalks.com.

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RELATED: Chase pit crews analysis: Part 1
MORE: Meet the 16 Chase crew chiefs

 

This is the second in a series of four pit crew analysis pieces NASCAR.com will roll out this week as we preview the 2015 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. For more pit crew news provided by PitTalks.com come back throughout the Chase.


Stewart-Haas Racing No. 4 Chevrolet for Kevin Harvick


Pit Coach: Joe Piette Jr.
Front Changer: Ira Joe Hussey
Front Carrier: Todd Drackulich
Jackman: Mike Casto
Rear Changer: Daniel Smith
Rear Carrier: Mike Morneau
Gas Man: Justin White

Strength: This group was the old No. 14 team last year before being moved over to the No. 4 to help win a championship. It was also the No. 14 group when Tony Stewart won his championship in 2011, so to say this crew is Chase-ready is an understatement. This team is loaded with veterans and has tons of championship experience.  

Weakness: Minus front changer Ira Joe Hussey’s nappy beard, I don’t really see a weakness for this team. Keeping everyone healthy is key.


Hendrick Motorsports No. 88 Chevrolet for Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Pit Coach: Chris Krieg
Front Changer: David Mayo
Front Carrier: Dustin Linebeck
Jackman: Nick Covey
Rear Changer: Devin DelRicco
Rear Carrier: ‘Rowdy’ Harrell
Gas Man: Matt Tyrrell

 

Strength: This team has been part of two wins this year and has experienced pitting under pressure. Its driver is one of the best guys to pit for, and the team needs to use that as confidence during the Chase.

 

Weakness: This team lost three of its best crewmen last year when they went to the No. 19 team. This crew has been up and down all year and caught a lot of slack at Bristol for a loose wheel. Veterans Nick Covey and David Mayo will have to step up and play a major role in the Chase if this group wants to be considered elite.


Stewart-Haas Racing No. 41 Chevrolet for Kurt Busch

Pit Coach: Joe Piette Jr.
Front Changer: Shayne Pipala
Front Carrier: John Bernal
Jackman: Sean Cotton
Rear Changer: Coleman Dollerhide
Rear Carrier: Dwayne Moore
Gas Man: Rick Pigeon

Strength: This team is the turnaround crew of the year so far. First quarter, it was a decent pit crew but not elite; the last two quarters, this group has gotten it together and turned into a top-three team on pit road. One of the strongest crews heading into the Chase.

Weakness: Making sure the crew is happy with its equipment. I have been told equipment played a major role in problems early on — and also has been a reason for its success late.


Joe Gibbs Racing No. 19 Toyota for Carl Edwards

Pit Coach: Mike Lepp
Front Changer: Clay Robinson
Front Carrier: Kevin Harris
Jackman: Trey Burklin
Rear Changer: Kip Wolfmier
Rear Carrier: Matt Ver Meer
Gas Man: Kenneth Purcell

 

Strength: This was the hottest team early this season. It has continued to be good and has loads of talent — three of the six crewmen were brought over from the No. 88 in the offseason, and two came from the No. 5 car.

 

Weakness: It’s a whole new group with a whole new driver — hasn’t hurt them yet, but you never know what Chase pressure will do.

For more pit crew news, visit PitTalks.com