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Junior explains events that led up to incident at Kentucky

RELATED: Danica rips, bumps Junior | Listen: Patrick vs. Earnhardt on the radio

Dale Earnhardt Jr. had a bad night at Kentucky. You’ve heard about his run-in (run-into?) with Danica Patrick. On "The Dale Jr. Download" on Diry Mo Radio, Earnhardt detailed how the night unfolded with crippling brake problems.

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"Admittedly, Kentucky’s not one of my best tracks, and the rain didn’t help things," Earnhardt said.

He learned a lot in the XFINITY race and hoped to carry some of that knowledge from his eighth-place run Friday night into Saturday night’s Cup race.

But the trouble started when he forgot to flip some switches.

"I forgot to turn on switches that cool the brakes and keep the tire temps down. We took off running there in the first run and the brakes started fading a little bit. Luckily, the caution came out and I was able to get the switches on.

"Come down pit road, pull the tape off the brakes and that should fix it. Everything should go back to normal and the pedal should come back, and that’s not what happened. It continued to get worse and worse each run."

The No. 88 car was pretty good, definitely top 10, Earnhardt said, but things kept getting worse from there.

"We ended up having a lot of brake problems. It got so bad at one point that if I didn’t pump the brakes all the way down the straightaway, it would go to the floor in the corner. So we’re sitting there pumping the brakes, pumping the brakes, pumping the brakes lap after lap after lap. Just staying out there tyring not to get passed til we fixed it.

"Caution would come out, we’d bleed the right front. Run out of time. Bleed the brakes on the left front. … But it would eventually get hot on the long run.

"…Anyhow, I started taking it easy, sort of running along pumping the brakes a lot. I had just let Danica go by and down the back straightaway I’m pumping the brakes and they’re not … I can’t pump ’em all the way to the floor on the straightaway cause you don’t want to slow the car down while you’re trying to accelerate. You’re just trying to get the fluid up, get the pedal up, but when we got to the corner, I mash the brake and it went all the way to the floor. I let off the brakes and mashed it again. At this point I’m gonna hit her. I let off the brakes and mashed it again and it goes to the floor and I ran into the back of her. There’s wasn’t nothing I could do about it."

Junior said the fact that he hit Patrick saved him from going into the wall, so that was the "silver lining" of the incident.

MORE: Highlights from Patrick’s 100 Cup races

"She flew off the handle, got pissed off. Our spotters communicated and told her about the brakes. She still ran into us on pit road for whatever damn reason."

Junior doesn’t really blame Patrick for being mad, admitting he’s been in that position before, too, and has lost his cool at times. But he’s not happy about what transpired after their wreck, either.

"That just brings a lot of unwanted attention to both of us for the wrong reasons."

After that, a full replacement of brake fluid helped, and the No. 88 came home 21st.

All said, Junior was happy with a car that was still able to pass amid pumping the brakes. And the team learned a lot heading into Darlington Raceway, which is the next race to use a similar low downforce package on Sept. 6.

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All four of team’s cars place in top five in Quaker State 400

SPARTA, Ky. — Winning a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race is a proud accomplishment for any team in the league. But to take the checkered and land all four of a team’s drivers in the top five is an even bigger success. It’s a feat so impressive that it hadn’t been done since Roush Fenway Racing in August 2008 at Michigan International Speedway.

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That is, until Joe Gibbs Racing rewrote record books Saturday night at Kentucky Speedway.
 
JGR’s four-car powerhouse was led by Saturday’s Quaker State 400 race winner Kyle Busch, followed by teammates Denny Hamlin, Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth in third through fifth, respectively.
 
"What a great night for Joe Gibbs Racing," Kenseth said after the race. "I am really happy for all those guys and the organization, and I think we all learned a lot of stuff. You know, we were kind of off all night, but we kept fighting and had some great pit stops and good strategy and got a decent finish out of it."
 
As Kenseth alluded to, the task wasn’t an easy one for the team, as all four cars were dealt a heavy hand with the new rules package debut atop of the standard trickiness of Kentucky Speedway’s uneven surface. Busch’s win among the difficulties was another feather in the No. 18 team’s hat, as the group has been battling the odds since the driver’s return to full-time competition in May following his early-season injuries.
 
"Obviously, the night went real well for us," Busch said in a post-race winner’s press conference. "But in general, man, it was really, really good to get out there and race like that tonight and to run up front and put on a good show … but most importantly I can’t say enough about (crew chief) Adam Stevens, my team, everyone that did such a great job for me and gave me a great race car to go out there and perform like I did and just to be able to put it all together throughout 400 miles."
 
For Edwards, the top-five finish was the defeat of a frustrating battle he had been fighting throughout the weekend.
 
"I talked to Carl today on the phone for quite awhile, right before I flew over," team owner Joe Gibbs said. "And we were kind of ‑‑ and to be quite truthful, he was worried. He said, ‘you know, I just didn’t feel good with the package, I thought some of our other cars were better than me’ and we had a long discussion on it."
 
The newest member of the Joe Gibbs Racing clan, Edwards joined the organization at the beginning of the 2015 Sprint Cup season. While he won the Coca-Cola 600 in May at Charlotte, the No. 19 driver’s performance this season has been mediocre the remainder of the year, only recording one other top 10 besides his win before Kentucky.
 
"I got to tell you, I was, I had a big applaud when I saw that 19 come roaring up through there," Gibbs said of Edwards. "It was really a big deal."
 
Edwards and the rest of his teammates seemed to have found something strong in the new rules package this weekend, an achievement that stumped other big-name teams such as Stewart-Haas Racing and Hendrick Motorsports. It’s an aerodynamic change that awarded a plethora of control to the driver — and exposed any flaws in driving ability.
 
"We’ve been working on it," No. 20 crew chief Jason Ratcliff said after the race. "As soon as we knew it was coming, we know that if you put it back in the driver’s hands, it’s going to be good for JGR. We’ve got what I think is four of the best in the business and it showed tonight. So we’ve been working on it hard and it’s just one of those weekends where it paid off for us."
 
While raw talent has proven beneficial in the Sprint Cup Series, another crucial element is the ability to work with one another, despite the notion that stock car racing is often considered a solo sport. This weekend, the Joe Gibbs drivers seem to work as a cohesive unit, evident in each of their improvements throughout the weekend.
 
"We have just been working very well together as a group," Edwards said. "Denny (Hamlin) was basically my counselor the other day after practice. I was so frustrated, I thought my car was terrible. I went straight over and talked to him and he helped me a little bit.
 
"… It’s a good group and it’s cool to be a part of it. These guys, they really push me a lot. It’s cool when your teammates are this fast. It’s really neat for me."
 
Hamlin agreed, adding, "Any time you have a driver of caliber of when Kyle (Busch) came in, Matt (Kenseth), and now Carl (Edwards), it just continues to push you to go faster. And push you to do your job better and that’s what ‑‑ when you can feed off each other like that, that’s typically how you get to an elite level."
 
Saturday night’s showdown in the Bluegrass State saw the JGR drivers rise to the occasion, battling to the front. And while the group works together melodiously off the track, the race even witnessed the teammates battling one another for the lead. It was a sight that showed the drivers’ competitiveness, but probably also set owner Gibbs’ nerves awry, according to Ratcliff.
 
"I would say when they were three-wide, he was probably hiding his eyes," Ratcliff said with a chuckle. "I would be."

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Complete news and notes on all 43 cars in the Quaker State 400

RELATED: Full race results | Series standings | Chase Grid

Breaking down how the full 43-car field fared at Kentucky Speedway.

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1. Kyle Busch, No. 18 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing. Busch led a race-high 163 laps to win his second Cup event of the year and is 87 points outside the top 30. | MORE: How is Busch positioned for the Chase

2. Joey Logano, No. 22 Ford, Team Penske. Logano paced the field 23 laps late on Saturday night, but couldn’t hold on for his first Kentucky victory. | MORE: See the updated Chase Grid and where Logano is on it

3. Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing. A cut tire, an unexpected pit stop and a subsequent speeding penalty didn’t deter Hamlin, who rallied from two laps down to earn his eighth top 10 of the year.  | MORE: Kentucky rules package earns rave reviews

4. Carl Edwards, No. 19 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing. "My Minions didn’t like M&Ms," Edwards radioed his team after lining up next to teammate and leader Kyle Busch for the Lap 157 restart. | RELATED: Sign up for RaceView for in-car audio during race.

5. Matt Kenseth, No. 20 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing. Kenseth reported early in the race that he had an alternator going down, but restarting the car seemed to fix the issue. | MORE: JGR pulls off rare feat at Kentucky

6. Brad Keselowski, No. 2 Ford, Team Penske. The outside pole sitter struggled on pit road, notably dropping nine spots after hitting his front-tire carrier during a stop under the fifth caution flag.

7. Jeff Gordon, No. 24 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports. Gordon was shut out in his final Kentucky appearance, and despite a fifth straight top-10 result, the track will remain the only one where the four-time Cup champion is winless. | MORE: Gordon’s track record

8. Kevin Harvick, No. 4 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing. The points leader endured a late-race tight-handling condition to claim his Series-leading 16th top 10 of the year.

9. Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports. "You’re back in this game, homeboy," crew chief Chad Knaus told Johnson, who lined up seventh for the Lap 157 restart after some major early changes to his car dropped him deep in the lineup. | RELATED: Sign up for RaceView for in-car audio during race.

10. Kurt Busch, No. 41 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing. Busch was loose running 10th and crashed into the Turn 4 wall on Lap 99 after asking his team to undo the changes they had made on a previous stop.

11. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 17 Ford, Roush Fenway Racing. Stenhouse just missed his second top 10 of the year after traveling up the track and into the side of Jeb Burton on Lap 143 to bring out the seventh caution.

12. Aric Almirola, No. 43 Ford, Richard Petty Motorsports. Despite radio communication issues, Almirola held on to earn his best Kentucky result.

13. Trevor Bayne, No. 6 Ford, Roush Fenway Racing. Bayne earned the Lucky Dog on the fourth caution flag and rallied to sixth for the final restart.

14. Jamie McMurray, No. 1 Chevrolet. Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates. McMurray overcame an early lugnut issue and used a little pit strategy to score his second-best Kentucky result.

15. Paul Menard, No. 27 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing. Menard brushed the wall on Lap 81 and left debris to bring out the third caution flag.

16. Greg Biffle, No. 16 Ford, Roush Fenway Racing. Biffle’s team tried a variety of adjustments on Saturday in an attempt to help the turning of the No. 16 Ford.

17. Martin Truex Jr., No. 78 Chevrolet, Furniture Row Racing.  Despite a car that was "plowing," Truex held on to maintain fifth in the points standing. 

18. David Ragan, No. 55 Toyota, Michael Waltrip Racing. Ragan ran in the top 10 early before his team started chasing the handling of his No. 55 Toyota.

19. Clint Bowyer, No. 15 Toyota, Michael Waltrip Racing. "This new package is awesome," radioed Bowyer, who earned his best 1.5-mile result of the season. "You have to drive your (rear) off, but it’s fun." | RELATED: Sign up for RaceView for in-car audio during race.

20. Ryan Newman, No. 31 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing. Newman, in his fifth Kentucky outing, stayed out to inherit the lead briefly for the Lap 192 restart.

21. Dale Earnhardt Jr., No. 88 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports. Earnhardt, complaining of a lack of brakes, smacked the wall on Lap 136 to bring out the sixth caution flag. After subsequently bumping Danica Patrick, Earnhardt spent time on pit road where his crew tried again to fix the issue. | WATCH: Danica, Dale Jr. tussle on pit road.

22. Sam Hornish Jr., No. 9 Ford, Richard Petty Motorsports. Hornish struggled with drive-off, but posted his fastest lap of the night just prior to the eighth caution flag on Lap 152.

23. Casey Mears, No. 13 Chevrolet, Germain Racing. Mears was named the Lucky Dog after Jeb Burton tagged the wall on Lap 143 to bring out the seventh caution flag

24. Justin Allgaier, No. 51 Chevrolet, HScott Motorsports. Allgaier had just returned to the lead lap after the Lap 122 caution when he was penalized for passing before the restart.

25. Austin Dillon, No. 3 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing. Handling was an ongoing issue for Dillon, who reported to his team on Lap 220, "I feel like I’m trying to turn a bulldozer down into the corner."

26. AJ Allmendinger, No. 47 Chevrolet, JTG Daugherty Racing. Allmendinger’s team continually tinkered on the No. 47 Chevy, and he finished as the last car on the lead lap.

27. Kasey Kahne, No. 5 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports. Kahne was running in the top 10 by the halfway point, but noticeably fell off the pace with 30 laps to go.

28. Landon Cassill, No. 40 Chevrolet, Hillman Smith Motorsports. Patience paid off for Cassill, who posted his best 1.5-mile result of the 2015 season.

29. David Gilliland, No. 38 Ford, Front Row Motorsports. Gilliland asked his team to check out his grille because his gauges were running hot on Lap 161.

30. Michael Annett, No. 46 Chevrolet, HScott Motorsports. Annett lined up 29th in his second Kentucky appearance. 

31. Alex Bowman, No. 7 Chevrolet, Tommy Baldwin Racing. Bowman had to play catch-up after his team was penalized for going over the wall too soon during the competition caution on Lap 32.

32. Brett Moffitt, No. 34 Ford, Front Row Motorsports. Moffitt, a Kentucky newcomer, earned the Lucky Dog pass heading into the Lap 192 restart.

33. Tony Stewart, No. 14 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing. Stewart locked down his brakes briefly on Lap 143 and hit the wall while trying to avoid wrecking competitors in front of him.

34. Danica Patrick, No. 10 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing. Patrick spun on Lap 207 thanks to contact from a brake-less Earnhardt to bring out a record-tying 10th caution flag. She retaliated by hitting Earnhardt as the two entered pit road. | ALL ACCESS: Danica frustrated with Dale Jr.

35. Kyle Larson, No. 42 Chevrolet, Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates. A smoking left-rear tire prompted the pole sitter to pit unexpectedly with 52 laps to go. Upon returning to the track, he hit the wall to bring out a record-setting 11th caution flag.

36. Reed Sorenson, No. 62 Chevrolet, Premium Motorsports. Sorenson drove the No. 62 for the first time this year in his first 1.5-mile start of the season.

37. Cole Whitt, No. 35 Ford, Front Row Motorsports. Whitt was running 35th when left-rear tire rub prompted his car to start smoking around Lap 110.

38. Will Kimmel III, No. 32 Ford, Go FAS Racing. Kimmel lined up 40th in his Sprint Cup debut.

39. J.J. Yeley, No. 23 Toyota, BK Racing. A loose-handling condition prompted Yeley to spin in Turn 4 on Lap 122 and bring out the fifth caution flag of the night.

40. Alex Kennedy, No. 33 Chevrolet, Circle Sport. Kennedy picked up a few spots after lining up 43rd in his first career Kentucky start.

41. Jeb Burton, No. 26 Toyota, BK Racing. The rookie was pushed into the wall by Ricky Stenhouse on Lap 143 to bring out the seventh caution flag.

42. Matt DiBenedetto, No. 83 Toyota, BK Racing. DiBenedetto sustained damage during the Lap 143 wreck and retreated to the garage so his team could make repairs.

43. Josh Wise, No. 98 Ford, Premium Motorsports. Wise brought out the first caution on Lap 19 after J.J. Yeley pushed him into the wall.

Posted on by Staff Report

Get on-track times for everything at Indianapolis and Eldora

RELATED: TV schedule for the week ahead

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR XFINITY Series will race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway this week. The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will race at Eldora Speedway. Sprint Cup Series and XFINITY Series practices, qualifying sessions and races can also be watched on NBC Sports Live Extra.The Camping World Truck Series events will be on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2. Check out the full schedule below.

 
 

All times are ET

SUNDAY, JULY 26:

ON TRACK
— NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Crown Royal Presents the Jeff Kyle 400 at the Brickyard (160 laps, 400 miles), NBCSN (Get results)

PRESS CONFERENCES (Watch live)
— 6:15 p.m. (approx.): Post-NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race press conferences

WEDNESDAY, JULY 22:

ON TRACK
— 10:30-11:25 a.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series practice, FOX Sports 1 (Get results)
— 11:30 a.m.-12:55 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series final practice, FOX Sports 1 (Get results)
— 5:15 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Keystone Light Pole Qualifying, FOX Sports 2 (Pierce tops session)
— 7 p.m. (approx.): NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Qualifying Race #1 (10 laps), FOX Sports 2 (Get results)
— 7:09 p.m. (approx.): NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Qualifying Race #2 (10 laps), FOX Sports 2 (Get results)
— 7:18 p.m. (approx.): NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Qualifying Race #3 (10 laps), FOX Sports 2 (Get results)
— 7:27 p.m. (approx.): NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Qualifying Race #4 (10 laps), FOX Sports 2 (Get results)
— 7:36 p.m. (approx.): NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Qualifying Race #5 (10 laps), FOX Sports 2 (Get results)
— 8:15 p.m. (approx.): NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Last Chance Race (15 laps), FOX Sports 1 (Get results) | Race lineup
— 9 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series 1-800-CarCash Mud Summer Classic (150 laps; three segments: 60-50-40 for 75 miles), FOX Sports 1 (Get results)

 

FRIDAY, JULY 24:

ON TRACK
— 9-10:25 a.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice, NBC Sports Live Extra (Get results)
— 11:30 a.m.-12:55 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series practice, NBCSN (Get results)
— 1-2:25 p.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice, NBCSN (Get results)
— 2:30-3:55 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series final pratice, NBCSN (Get results)
— 4-5:55 p.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series final practice, NBCSN (Get results)

GARAGECAM (Watch live)
— 11 a.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series
— 12:30 p.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series

PRESS CONFERENCES (Watch live)
— 8:15 a.m.: Jimmie Johnson
— 10:45 a.m.: Ty Dillon
— 11:15 a.m.: Joey Logano
— 2:45 p.m.: Jamie McMurray

SATURDAY, JULY 25:

ON TRACK
— 11:35 a.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying, NBCSN (Get results)
— 1:10 p.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualiyfing, NBCSN (Get results)
— 3:30 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series Lilly Diabetes 250 (100 laps, 250 miles), NBC (Get results)

PRESS CONFERENCES (Watch live)
— 10 a.m.: Richard Petty Motorsports/Eckrich Announcement
— 10:30 a.m.: Kyle Busch
— 2:15 p.m. (approx.): Post-NASCAR Sprint Cup Series qualifying press conferences
— 5:15 p.m. (approx.): Post-NASCAR XFINITY Series race press conferences

Posted on by Staff Report

Get full lineup of NASCAR programming for the week

RELATED: See the full weekend schedule | NBC Sports Live Extra

All times ET

Monday, July 20
6 a.m., NASCAR Victory Lap (re-air), NBCSN
7 a.m., NASCAR Victory Lap (re-air), NBCSN
Noon, NASCAR America: Scan All 43 Special (re-air), NBCSN
3 p.m., NASCAR 120, NBCSN
5 p.m., NASCAR America, NBCSN
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FOX Sports 1
2 a.m., NASCAR Race Hub (re-air), FOX Sports 2

Tuesday, July 21
6 a.m., NASCAR America (re-air), NBCSN
7 a.m., NASCAR America (re-air), NBCSN
5 p.m., NASCAR America, NBCSN
6 p.m., The List: Memorable Moments (re-air), NBCSN
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FOX Sports 1
2 a.m., NASCAR Race Hub (re-air), FOX Sports 2

Wednesday, July 22
6 a.m., NASCAR America (re-air), NBCSN
7 a.m., NASCAR America (re-air), NBCSN
10 a.m., The 10: Greatest Truck Series Moments (re-air), FOX Sports 1
10:30 a.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series practice, FOX Sports 1
11:30 a.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series final practice, FOX Sports 1
4:30 p.m., NASCAR America: Scan All 43 Special (re-air), NBCSN
5 p.m., NASCAR America, NBCSN
5 p.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Keystone Light Pole Qualifying, FOX Sports 2
6 p.m., NASCAR America: Scan All 43 Special (re-air), NBCSN
6:30 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FOX Sports 2
7 p.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series qualifying races, FOX Sports 2
8 p.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Last Chance Race, FOX Sports 1
8:30 p.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Setup, FOX Sports 1
9 p.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series 1-800-CarCash Mudsummer Classic, FOX Sports 1
3:30 a.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series 1-800-CarCash Mudsummer Classic (re-air), FOX Sports 1

Thursday, July 23
6 a.m., NASCAR America (re-air), NBCSN
7 a.m., NASCAR America (re-air), NBCSN
4 p.m., NASCAR Whelen Modified All-Star Shootout: New Hampshire Motor Speedway (tape), NBCSN
5 p.m., NASCAR America, NBCSN
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FOX Sports 1
6 p.m., NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour: New Hampshire Motor Speedway (re-air), NBCSN
7 p.m., NASCAR K&N Pro Series East: New Hampshire Motor Speedway (tape), NBCSN
2 a.m., NASCAR Race Hub (re-air), FOX Sports 2

Friday, July 24
6 a.m., NASCAR America (re-air), NBCSN
Noon, NASCAR XFINITY Series practice, NBCSN
1 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice, NBCSN
2:30 p.m., NASCAR XFINITY Series final practice, NBCSN
4 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series final practice, NBCSN
6 p.m., NASCAR America, NBCSN
11 p.m., NASCAR K&N Pro Series East: New Hampshire Motor Speedway (re-air), NBCSN

Saturday, July 25
11:30 a.m., NASCAR XFINITY Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying, NBCSN
1 p.m., NASCAR America, NBCSN
1 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying, NBCSN
2:30 p.m., NASCAR America, NBCSN
3 p.m., NASCAR XFINITY Series Countdown to Green, NBC
3:30 p.m., NASCAR XFINITY Series Lilly Diabetes 250, NBC

Sunday, July 26
Noon, NASCAR RaceDay: Indianapolis, FOX Sports 1
2 p.m., NASCAR America Sunday, NBCSN
3 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: Countdown to Green, NBCSN
3:30 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Crown Royal Presents the Jeff Kyle 400 at the Brickyard, NBCSN
5 p.m., TUDOR United SportsCar Championship: Lime Rock, FOX Sports 1
7 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Post-Race Show, NBCSN
7:30 p.m., NASCAR America: States of NASCAR #5 (re-air), NBCSN
11 p.m., NASCAR Victory Lap, NBCSN
11:30 p.m., NASCAR Victory Lane, FOX Sports 1
3 a.m., NASCAR Victory Lane (re-air), FOX Sports 1

 

 

Posted on by Staff Report

Sponsor revealed for Sunday’s Sprint Cup race

New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Monday tweeted the news that 5-hour ENERGY will sponsor this weekend’s Sprint Cup race, the 5-hour ENERGY 301 (1:30 p.m. ET Sunday, NBC Sports Network, PRN, SiriusXM).

FULL SERIES COVERAGE

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• Standings
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The race’s title sponsor also will sponsor Clint Bowyer‘s No. 15 Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota during the silver anniversary race weekend at Loudon, New Hampshire. Bowyer has two Sprint Cup wins at the 1-mile track.

"New Hampshire Motor Speedway is a special track for us and Clint, and we’re proud to play a part in the 25th anniversary weekend," said Melissa Skabich, communications director for the makers of 5-hour ENERGY. 

"5-hour ENERGY shots have made a significant impact in the motorsports world and this entitlement sponsorship is another example of their continued support in the sport of NASCAR," said David McGrath, vice president of corporate sales at NHMS, said in a press release. "I have confidence that everyone at the makers of 5-hour ENERGY will see the impact of their race sponsorship here in the New England region and look forward to working with them for the foreseeable future."

 

Posted on by Staff Report

NASCAR Chairman and CEO: ‘Definitely an improvement’

RELATED: What we learned from Kentucky race, rules package

NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France said the sanctioning body "saw some things that we liked" during Saturday night’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with a new rules package at Kentucky Speedway. He told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio on Monday that he’s looking forward to the package being run at Indianapolis Motor Speedway this month as the sport seeks tighter racing for talented drivers.

FULL SERIES COVERAGE

• Latest news
• Standings
• Schedule

A lower downforce package at Kentucky led to a track-best 22 green-flag passes for the lead and more than double the green-flag passes throughout the field from last season, from 1,147 to 2,665. France credited the NASCAR Research and Development Center for taking risks by running a new package in a race as the series reached the halfway point of its season.

RELATED: Inside the R&D Center

"Our group at the R&D Center did a really good job, and they’re taking some risks that are a little bit outside the box of NASCAR," France said. "We typically wouldn’t be changing packages in mid-stream like this in the middle of our season. But we want to make sure that we’re delivering the absolute best racing that we can. They felt — and I agree with them — the only way to sort that out is not to test it in sort of isolated tests but to do it in real racing time."

Last week, NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O’Donnell announced a high-drag package would be run at Indianapolis and Michigan International Speedway. France noted that this package will help solve for some of the other aspects of racing that weren’t seen at Kentucky.

RELATED: New rules package at Indianapolis, Michigan

"We’re going to try some things coming up here at Indy where we’ll go the other way,"  France said. "I’ll tell you what we didn’t see (at Kentucky) that we’d like to see more of is more drafting. (We) didn’t see as much of that as we would have liked. And more pack racing. You saw that on the restarts but not quite as much as we wanted. So there were a lot of things that we liked. Definitely an improvement on races that have happened at Kentucky."

France credited NASCAR Senior Vice President of Innovation and Racing Development Gene Stefanyshyn with leading the charge at the R&D Center as NASCAR combines technology with traditional ways of evaluating racing to provide the best product for fans.

"I said a couple of years ago that we were going to use science and stop everybody guessing," France said. "We use our institutional, been-at-this-60-years knowledge for sure. But you’ve got a group of people now that have filtered it all out. They’ll come up with the right package that rewards the drivers that are working the hardest, have the most talent.

"(Our fans) want tight racing. They want to see close finishes. They want to see multiple leaders, and they don’t want to see a certain package that doesn’t provide that. That’s what we’re striving for. It’s hard to do. Hard to get right. But we’re working at it every day."

A driver who took advantage of the new package but also excelled on the road course at Sonoma Raceway was Kyle Busch, who has won two of the seven races he’s run and has climbed to 35th place in the points standings since his return from a compound fracture of his right leg and a fracture of his left foot suffered in the season-opening XFINITY Series race at Daytona International Speedway.

Sitting 87 points out of the 30th place, a requirement to be eligible for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Busch has a fan in France. But he’ll need to deliver on the track over the next eight races to make NASCAR’s postseason.

"His determination is quite amazing to already have two wins, especially on the road course where you knew that he had to be a warrior to get through that constant using your feet to break and all that," France said. "He’s been impressive, and he’ll be a story.

"I would be surprised, frankly, if he doesn’t get in the Chase. I think he might win some more. There’s not many drivers out there that have as much talent as he has. So on the one hand, it’s not even surprising, but given the mountain he’s had to climb, that’s pretty impressive.

"I can personally root for all kinds of things to happen. I just can’t do anything about it. I’m rooting for him, but at the end of the day, this is where the individual drivers and teams have to do it. But I’m rooting for him."

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Ludacris will serve as Grand Marshal for the race

RELATED: Buy tickets for Chicagoland

Chicagoland Speedway announced on Monday that "Furious 7", the final installment in the "Fast & Furious" movie franchise, will be the title sponsor for the NASCAR XFINITY race on Saturday, September 19 (6 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network, MRN, SiriusXM). 

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The Furious 7 300 will include cast member and musician Chris "Ludacris" Bridges as Grand Marshal for the event. The weekend at Chicagoland will also be the first race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

The relationship between NASCAR and the franchise began in 2011 with great success.

"As we saw first-hand with our ground breaking Fast Five partnership back in 2011, UPHE understands the thrills that come along with great racing and the power that can be harnessed through NASCAR Nation," said Scott Paddock, President of Chicagoland Speedway.

"We’re looking forward to giving ‘Furious 7’ and its home entertainment release the national platform that a Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup weekend can uniquely deliver.

"What better way to celebrate…than to be part of an American institution synonymous with speed, cars and family."

"Furious 7", which grossed $1.5 billion at the box office, will be released on Digital HD on August 25 and Blu-ray, DVD, and On Demand on September 15 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.

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Owner, NFL head coach: ‘You’re never quite sure’ how an athlete will respond

RELATED: Timeline of Busch’s wreck and recovery

Following Kyle Busch‘s second win in three races since returning from a compound fracture of the right lower leg and a left mid-foot fracture, the No. 18 team owner said the comeback was "a great sports story." The three-time Super Bowl winner as head coach of the Washington Redskins elaborated Monday on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio and recalled another leg injury — one sustained by Joe Theismann, who led Gibbs to his first Lombardi Trophy.

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A three-time winner of the Sprint Cup Series championship, Gibbs compared his NASCAR and NFL experiences with injury, noting he’s a fan who likes a great comeback story. But a return to competition isn’t always in the cards.

Thirty years ago, Theismann suffered an open fracture of the tibia, or shinbone, while the fibula broke through the skin when New York Giants linebackers Lawrence Taylor and Gary Reasons connected with the quarterback and snapped his right leg.

When Busch had a compound fracture of the right lower leg and a left mid-foot fracture during February’s NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Daytona International Speedway, the coach turned owner wasn’t certain what the prognosis would be for his driver.

"I knew that the surgery on the bigger bone in his right leg, we probably would be OK with that," Gibbs said. "What you worry about is a foot like that, which had the broken bones in his foot … because we know how much pressure and everything (that takes) … We all felt from the very beginning that was going to be the injury that was going to be the hardest to come back from.

"So anyway, you see that in sports. I’ve had Joe Theismann’s injury in the NFL that ended his career. You’re never quite sure. Is there an injury that would take somebody years to come back from or maybe end their career?

"So all those things are kind of going through your mind. Then the second thing is how does an athlete deal with a severe injury like that?Does it make him become more cautious? Is he apprehensive about getting back in the car?"

Gibbs said any fears he had were eased quickly when Busch was off of pain medications and trying to exercise in bed after surgery on his foot. But the team was still concerned about the road course at Sonoma Raceway being Busch’s biggest challenge once he got back behind the wheel.

"It’s rare that you see somebody with a severe injury, like Kyle had, that we all witnessed and we all saw, and then to have him, four months later, come back in the race where we were the most concerned about him, being a road race, and to have him win the road race," Gibbs said. "And then to come back two weeks later and win the race (at Kentucky), it’s a great comeback story. It’s got all the things we love about sports in that you get to see somebody’s life, how they deal with real adversity."

As a team owner, Gibbs witnessed how his team dealt with the uncertainty of racing without its quarterback for the first 11 races of the season.

"Our race team dealt with the adversity of having Kyle out for 11 weeks," Gibbs said. "Think about the guys going to the race track. They’re going over the wall. They’re doing all these things. The crew chief is working on things knowing that we’re in a big hole, and we don’t even have our driver so for 11 weeks they went through all that and then for us to be able to bounce back and get a couple wins. I just think it’s a neat story, and I think it’s one that kind of captures people."


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See what’s coming this week to NASCAR.com

Here’s what you’ll see on NASCAR.com this week:

MONDAY: Jessica Ruffin recaps Joe Gibbs Racing‘s huge night in Kentucky, and how its four drivers managed to all finish in the top five … @nascarcasm provides examples of fake text messages Dale Jr. might have received after his incident with Danica Patrick … The Rundown gives you a note on all 43 finishers in the Quaker State 400.

TUESDAY: This week’s Power Rankings presented by Outback may have a new No. 1 driver after a great race on Saturday night … speaking of the great racing, a new rules package was used for the first time at Kentucky. Zack Albert breaks down which teams benefited the most … @nascarcasm provides the Facebook page of race-winner Kyle Busch.

WEDNESDAY: New paint schemes will be on display at New Hampshire, and we’ll have them all in Paint Scheme Preview … Dale Earnhardt Jr. paid a visit to the International Speedway Corp., and we tagged along for the ride … our weekly High 5 feature presents the best NASCAR content from around the web.

THURSDAY: Plenty of #TBT action for you, including looking back on Rusty Wallace’s win at New Hampshire in 1993, a gallery of the best #TBT posts from drivers, and photos of Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s fiancee sporting vintage NASCAR T-shirts.

FRIDAY: The Sprint Cup Series gets on track at 11:30 a.m. ET, and we’ll have leaderboards from three total practices and Sprint Cup qualifying … 8 Tweets You Might Have Missed highlights the best from social media over the past week.

Also coming this week: Steve O’Donnell says NASCAR will address Kentucky Speedway’s surface before the series returns in 2016 … Want to hear the best sounds from the scanner? That will be available Tuesday … Zack Albert will preview next week’s race at Eldora, always a crowd favorite.