How to follow the action at Chicagoland and Iowa

Posted on June 16, 2015 by Staff Report

Keep tabs on this weekend’s national series activity

There are two stand-alone events this weekend with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series off. NASCAR XFINITY Series heads to Chicagoland Speedway while the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will be at Iowa Speedway. Here’s more info on how you can follow along all weekend.

RACES

Sprint Cup Series: No race this weekend
XFINITY Series: Owens Corning AttiCat 300 (Sunday, June 21, noon ET, FOX Sports 2, MRN, SiriusXM)
Camping World Truck Series: American Ethanol 200 (Friday, June 19, 8:30 p.m. ET, FOX Sports 1, MRN, SiriusXM)

Will the race be available online?

Yes, through FOX Sports GO. FOX Sports GO is an online and mobile streaming product that allows subscribers of participating TV providers to watch live sports and shows from FOX, FOX Sports 1, FOX Sports 2 and FOX Deportes. FOX Sports GO is currently available for download on iTunes for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch devices or can be accessed online at FOXSportsGO.com. The app is also available via Google Play, Kindle Fire and from the Windows Store.

Access to programming in FOX Sports GO requires a pay TV subscription of FOX Sports 1 with a participating TV provider. Login credentials are the same username and password used to access online accounts with your TV provider.

WEEKEND SCHEDULE

Click here for on-track times and leaderboards.

RACE DAY

• NXS leaderboard
• NCWTS leaderboard
• NXS Lap-by-Lap
• NCWTS Lap-by-Lap

PRODUCTS

• Scanner: In-car audio only.
• Mobile Apps: Follow the leaderboards live from your device.

FANTASY

• Streak to the Finish: Play in all three national series

Stay tuned to NASCAR.com throughout the weekend for the latest news.

Posted on June 16, 2015 by Staff Report

New crew chief: Dillon is ‘a champion and hopefully we’ll get him there again’

RELATED: Dillon gets a new crew chief

Richard "Slugger" Labbe was preparing to go to a test at Richmond International Raceway when he was summoned to the Richard Childress Racing office and his work and life changed pretty quickly, the new crew chief of the No. 3 told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio on Monday.

RELATED: Ten teams to test Richmond

FULL SERIES COVERAGE

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• Standings
• Schedule

"It caught me by surprise as well," Labbe said. "I was on the shop floor trying to get the truck loaded up to go to Richmond to test (Tuesday and Wednesday) with Brian Scott, and I got called in the office and (they) told me this is what’s going on."

For the final five races of 2014, Labbe ended a five-year run atop Paul Menard‘s pit box to head up RCR’s research and development group. In the new role, Labbe worked with RCR affiliate Furniture Row Racing and Martin Truex Jr. last October at an Auto Club Speedway test, which Truex credits with helping spark his record-tying run of 14 top-10 finishes in the first 15 races of 2015.

The garage veteran, who first crew-chiefed at the national series level in 1997 for Kenny Irwin Jr., will hit the road again full time as Austin Dillon‘s crew chief, a move which will require a lifestyle change.

"It’s time to get off the semi-retirement gig and get back after it so I’ve still got to call my wife, daughter and my son and let them know what’s going on and go from there," Labbe said. "My son’s got nine baseball games in the next two weeks I’m not going to attend, but it’s part of it. It’s what we do. We’re racers. I’ve spent 30 years in this sport, and without the sport, I wouldn’t be where I’m at today."

On Sunday, Labbe spent his 47th birthday at Michigan International Speedway as Ty Dillon‘s crew chief, leading him to a 14th-place finish, his best Sprint Cup Series result in six races. A five-time winner in NASCAR’s premier series, including a 2003 Daytona 500 victory with Michael Waltrip and a 2011 Brickyard 400 win with Menard, Labbe also won a race and made the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup with Jeremy Mayfield in 2005.

His Great American Race win came at Dale Earnhardt Inc., where he started in 2001 after the company’s namesake died in that year’s season-opening race. Now he’s charged with getting the ride that "The Intimidator" made famous back to its winning ways with victories every year but 1997 from 1984 to 2000, en route to 67 victories. The car returned to the track in 2014 on the Coors Light Pole for the Daytona 500 with Austin Dillon behind the wheel.

"The last couple of weeks, I’ve had a ball working with Ty, and if we can get Austin running like we have with Ty, I’m looking forward to getting this No. 3 car back in Victory Lane where it belongs," Labbe said. "That’s the challenge, that’s the goal and I’ll be pissed if we don’t get there."

While the man he is replacing, Gil Martin, and Austin Dillon are on vacation, Labbe will work with Scott this week and looks forward to catching up with Martin and Dillon upon their return. He provided an early diagnosis of the team’s ills and how he plans to reach his goal of winning races.

"It just seems like they’ve always qualified very, very well, and it seems like they seem to struggle when they throw the green flag on restarts," Labbe said. "And they get behind for four or five laps, lose track position and they just seem like they struggle making that up.

"I haven’t talked to Austin yet. He’s off on vacation as well. There’s certain things I need to discuss with him and see what his thoughts are. But from me looking back from the outside in, they just need a little bit of love here and there in certain areas and get everyone pointed in the same direction."

The Richmond test and new responsibilities mean Labbe will have to skip his planned vacation during the Sprint Cup off-week, but that’s fine with him.

Wow it is hot already @RIRInsider @GoodyearRacing test today. Going to hit 100*.

— Slugger Labbe (@SluggerLabbe) June 16, 2015

"I’ve always had the mentality that if you’re not working, someone else is working, trying to beat you," Labbe said. "I work my ass off every day, and I try to come up with the things that put speed in the race car. I’m not going to stop now. Back at it full time and that’s what we’ve got to do. That’s what they’ve asked me to do, and that’s what I’m going to do.

"I just look forward to getting to Sonoma, and then actually getting to Kentucky and try to figure out this new rules package that we’ve got to work on."

Most of all, Labbe looks forward to returning Dillon to the championship form that saw him earn titles in the Camping World Truck Series (2011) and the XFINITY Series (2014) as the grandson of owner Richard Childress attempts to become the first driver to win all three national series titles.

VIDEO: Top three moments of the No. 3

"He’s a champion, and hopefully we’ll get him there again," Labbe said. "But the first thing we’ve got to do is lead some laps and get him to Victory Lane. That’s the goal. If I don’t do that, Richard will be all the way up my butt so I’ve got to work very hard to get that done."

Posted on June 16, 2015 by Nascar

Less downforce could equal more side-by-side racing at July Sprint Cup race

BUY: Kentucky tickets

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams will compete at Kentucky Speedway next month with a new aerodynamic package that creates less downforce on today’s cars and could help produce more side-by-side competition.

NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O’Donnell made the confirmation Tuesday.

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To help teams prepare for the change, Sprint Cup officials will hold an extended practice session, likely four hours total, on Wednesday, July 8, at the 1.5-mile track located in Sparta, Kentucky. The Quaker State 400 Presented by Advance Auto Parts is scheduled for Saturday night, July 11 (7:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN, PRN, SiriusXM).

"I know we’ve said it many times, and certainly want to reinforce it here, that we’re committed to putting on the best racing on the track, and I’m certainly pleased that it’s been evident from really every conversation we’ve had with our industry that they feel the same way,” O’Donnell said during a national teleconference.

"So following what’s been really well‑documented and unprecedented communications and collaboration with our OEM partners, the race teams, drivers and Goodyear, we’ve made the decision to move forward with the package."

According to O’Donnell, the spoiler height will be reduced from 6 inches to 3½ inches and the splitter extension panel (radiator pan) decreased from 38 inches to 25 inches. Additionally, the splitter will have 1¾ inches less overhang than the current splitter.

Initially, a version of the rules package that included lowering the spoiler height as well as changes to the splitter and splitter extension panel was scheduled to debut next year. But with this year’s lower downforce/less horsepower platform resulting in a continued increase in corner speeds and a fall-off in the amount of green-flag passes, officials stepped up their efforts to get the changes in place ahead of schedule.

MORE: Ray Evernham and Jimmy Makar discuss how the Kentucky package will impact cars

The 2015 and proposed ’16 changes specifically target competition on the speedways, those tracks that are more than a mile and up to two miles in length. They have little or no impact on short tracks and road courses while the series’ two superspeedways, Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway, have a separate rules package in place.

For now, the changes are only in place for Kentucky, however O’Donnell said, "any options are on the table."

However, it is too soon, he said, to speculate on possibly incorporating the package in future events, specifically this year’s Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

"I think it’s still … premature on that one in terms of we want to get through Kentucky, really analyze what we saw at that race, have some conversations with the industry and go from there," he said.

NASCAR made several modifications prior to the start of the ’15 season aimed at enhancing on-track competition. Among the changes was a reduction in horsepower through the use of tapered spacers, lower rear differential gears, shorter spoilers, a smaller radiator pan (underneath the cars) and an optional driver adjustable track bar.

RELATED: 2015 competition changes

Through the first 15 races of this season, the number of on-track passes under green-flag conditions is still second-most in the loop data era, which started in 2005, but it has fallen off from a high last year (64,611 vs. 60,922). Lead changes aren’t limited to those battles on pit road and the hurried rush of a restart, but the majority of them now occur on those occasions.

The reduction in horsepower has allowed drivers to stay on-throttle much more through the turns, and the aero changes haven’t noticeably impacted the advantage the leader has enjoyed while in clean air.

Taking downforce away could result in more off-throttle time for drivers in the turns because the cars won’t be as stable, and potentially lessen the aero advantage enjoyed by the leader.

Most drivers queried about the possible change last weekend at Michigan International Speedway said they approved of the timing if NASCAR chose to roll out the changes at Kentucky.

Brad Keselowski, the 2012 Sprint Cup champion, said it’s a constant battle as the sanctioning body strives to provide a quality product while the teams continue to innovate.

"In that tug of war, anytime NASCAR changes something to try to make the racing better, whether that is aerodynamically or engines or some other change, we seem to have the resources … to gain that back, whatever they might take away with a rules change," Keselowski said Sunday at MIS.

RELATED: Drivers discuss rules changes

Teams have "significantly outpaced" the sanctioning body when rules changes have been implemented, particularly in the area of aerodynamics.

"We have seen the cars gain 200-300 percent in downforce the last 10 years," he said. "At some point, NASCAR is trying to get out in front of that and that is their job, to keep the racing as good as it can be. In that sense, I completely agree that you have to continuously change the rules to keep up with the teams and the iterations that we come up with to make our cars perform that aren’t necessarily in the best interest of the sport. To me, it is a good sign to see them trying to do just that."

Richard "Slugger" Labbe, named on Monday to the crew chief role for the Richard Childress Racing No. 3 team and driver Austin Dillon, told SiriusXM NASCAR that the aero changes will be impacted greatly by the tires being supplied by Goodyear.

"It all comes down to what tires we put on the cars," he said. "How Goodyear reacts to it, to me, is going to be very, very important. … A lot of it depends on how much grip is in the tire if you go with the max downforce package."

MORE: Labbe’s goal to return No. 3 to Victory Lane

Goodyear had been prepared to test a tire to be used with the lower-downforce package at Kentucky in mid-April with the idea that the aero rules would be in place for this year’s NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, a non-points event. However, NASCAR eventually decided not to use the package at that time.

Now, with the Kentucky race only a month away, Goodyear officials say there isn’t enough of a window to produce the 2,200 tires needed and no data exists to determine the proper build to match with the new package.

"Back at Charlotte, we had enough lead time," Stu Grant, general manager, global race tires for the company, told NASCAR.com Sunday. "When you test in March, you can make a tire for May. But the process is so labor-intensive … it’s months in the making to do that. You can’t turn the Queen Mary on a dime."

The production run for the Kentucky tires had already been completed when the subject of the aero package changes resurfaced.

"Certainly (the Kentucky tire) is not going to have the grip that they want," Grant said.

O’Donnell said the plan to incorporate the changes into the All-Star Race was scrapped due to time constraints. With the Sprint Cup Series off this weekend, and stops at Sonoma and Daytona up next, teams have three weeks before the Kentucky race.

"I think the key there is having everything fully vetted, the (simulation) work done, the communication with the industry and (having) everybody fully aligned," he said. "And candidly, at the All-Star Race, it was an aggressive plan, and we just weren’t there at that time, but we are there now.

"We feel like this is the best package we can put forth as an industry for the race in Kentucky and feel confident in it."

Posted on June 16, 2015 by Nascar

Improving the car more important now than highest possible finish

BROOKLYN, Mich. – Consider the summer stretch of races one long test session. When you’ve got the fastest car or the strategy falls your way, go for the win.

When you don’t, or it doesn’t, learn as much as you can. Second or fifth or eighth or whatever, if it’s not a win, make it a lesson and move on.

FULL SERIES COVERAGE

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At least that seems to be the approach for Dale Earnhardt Jr., the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series most popular driver and one of 10 drivers who already have a win this season.

His victory earlier this season at Talladega Superspeedway likely guarantees the Hendrick Motorsports driver one of the 16 spots in this year’s Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

He’ll still race for wins between now and the cutoff race this September in Richmond. But being as prepared as possible when the Chase arrives is his focus.

Maybe it was Sunday’s second-place finish to Stewart-Haas Racing‘s Kurt Busch at Michigan International Speedway that resulted in his outlook, but whatever the reason, Earnhardt said he "just ain’t going to worry about it."

"We’ve always done well during the first 26 races and never done well in the Chase, so I’m just concentrating on the Chase now that we’re locked in," he said.

The No. 88 team, led by crew chief Greg Ives, will still be trying to win as often as cars are on the track, but "(if) we don’t win them, it doesn’t really matter to me where we finish just as long as we’ve got fast cars and we’re understanding how to get better," Earnhardt said.

The 40-year-old has qualified for the 10-race Chase for four straight seasons and seven overall. But he’s cracked the top five in the final points standings just once in recent years, failing to contend for the title with each opportunity.

Perhaps a different approach will provide better opportunities and produce the desired results.

"Over the last several years we’ve been as good or better than anybody during the regular season and … just haven’t showed up in the Chase," he said. "I told my guys after Pocono when we ran 11th with about a third‑place car that I wasn’t going to worry about finishes and I wasn’t going to worry about trying to get everything I can on finishes. I was just going to go to the track, try to win, try to learn. We need to make sure when we get to the Chase we understand everything we can about the car and how to deliver the best car every week.

"Trying to be as consistent as you can and finish as well as you can, (that) can kind of mask some of your weaknesses, I guess. You can forget that you need to work."

MORE: Dale Jr. dishes on tirp to Germany

Sunday’s runner-up finish was Earnhardt’s eighth top-five of the year. A good long-run car didn’t get a lot of opportunities to hit its stride in a race that was interrupted early and often – there were three cautions in the first 54 laps, and red-flag delays due to rain ate up more than two hours of scheduled on-track time.

"When it came to the restarts, we didn’t take off as well as the 41 (of Busch)," Earnhardt said. "We saw the same thing at Charlotte, the 78 (of Martin Truex Jr.) and the 41 take off real good. We were just kind of tight waiting on the front to work, don’t have the good speed that they have the first three or four laps, and that was the difference, (that) and the 4 (Kevin Harvick) having the trouble he had. He had the field covered. I think on the long run, again, we were one of the best cars."

The on-again, off-again status of Sunday’s race was annoying, but didn’t hinder the team, according to Ives. Everyone was dealt the same hand.

"I think it was actually good for us," said Ives, 15 races into his first season as a Sprint Cup crew chief. "I think we do a great job as a team trying to stay focused on what it is at hand.

"Dale comes to the pit box and we discuss racing. We’re only here to win races, so him coming back and telling us what the car’s doing so we can come back and adjust on it where we need to get better and kind of lay out our strategy a bit for him … when that happens, it kind of keeps the team focused on what we need to do."

Posted on June 16, 2015November 16, 2017 by Staff Report

See the drivers that will compete at Chicagoland Speedway

Entry	#	Driver	Owner	Manufacturer	Sponsor
1	0	TBA	Andrea Nemechek	15 Chevrolet	teamjdmotorsports.com
2	1	Elliott Sadler	Jack Roush	15 Ford	OneMain Financial Ford Mustang
3	01	Ross Chastain	Johnny Davis	15 Chevrolet	Gerber Collision & Glass
4	2	Brian Scott	Richard Childress	15 Chevrolet	Jewel-Osco / Kraft Singles
5	3	Ty Dillon	Richard Childress	15 Chevrolet	WESCO
6	4	Harrison Rhodes	Gary Keller	15 Chevrolet	teamjdmotorsports.com
7	6	Darrell Wallace Jr	Jack Roush	15 Ford	Roush Performance Products Ford Mustang
8	7	Regan Smith	Kelley Earnhardt-Miller	15 Chevrolet	Goody’s
9	8	Blake Koch	Mark Smith	15 Toyota	Leaf Filter Gutter Protection
10	9	Chase Elliott	Dale Earnhardt Jr	15 Chevrolet	NAPA AUTO PARTS
11	13	Derek White	Derek White	15 Toyota	Braille Battery / Grafoid
12	14	Cale Conley	Mark Smith	15 Toyota	IAVA
13	15	Jimmy Weller	Rick Ware	15 Chevrolet	Lilly Trucking
14	16	Ryan Reed	Jack Roush	15 Ford	Lilly/American Diabetes Association Ford Mustang
15	18	Daniel Suarez	Joe Gibbs	15 Toyota	ARRIS
16	119	Jeff Green	Mark Smith	15 Toyota	TriStar Motorsports
17	20	Ross Kenseth	Joe Gibbs	15 Toyota	Dollar General
18	22	Ryan Blaney	Roger Penske	15 Ford	Hertz
19	124	Eric McClure	Mark Smith	15 Toyota	Reynolds Wrap
20	25	Dylan Lupton	Tony Townley	15 Chevrolet	Zaxby’s
21	126	Cj Faison	James Whitener	15 Toyota	TBA
22	28	J J Yeley	Gregg Mixon	15 Toyota	Big Barrell Country Music Festival
23	33	Austin Dillon(i)	Richard Childress	15 Chevrolet	Rheem
24	39	Ryan Sieg	Rod Sieg	14 Chevrolet	Uncle Bob’s Self Storage
25	40	Carl Long	Derek White	15 Dodge	Braille Battery / Grafoid
26	42	Brennan Poole	Harry Scott Jr	15 Chevrolet	DC Solar
27	43	Dakoda Armstrong	Richard Petty	15 Ford	WinField
28	44	David Starr	Mark Smith	15 Toyota	Zachry
29	51	Jeremy Clements	Tony Clements	15 Chevrolet	RepairableVehicles.com/ AllSouthElectric.com
30	52	Joey Gase	Jimmy Means	15 Chevrolet	TBA
31	54	Erik Jones(i)	J D Gibbs	15 Toyota	Monster Energy
32	60	Chris Buescher	Jack Roush	15 Ford	Ford EcoBoost Ford Mustang
33	62	Brendan Gaughan	Richard Childress	15 Chevrolet	South Point
34	70	Derrike Cope	Mary Louise Miller	14 Chevrolet	The Power Outlet/Gravely/ E&R Tires
35	74	Mike Harmon	Mike Harmon	13 Dodge	TBA
36	88	Ben Rhodes	Rick Hendrick	15 Chevrolet	Alpha Energy Solutions
37	89	Morgan Shepherd	Morgan Shepherd	14 Chevrolet	TBA
38	90	Mario Gosselin	Michelle Gosselin	15 Chevrolet	VR Victoriaville
39	97	Peyton Sellers	Victor Obaika	15 Chevrolet	VroomBrand

Posted on June 16, 2015 by Staff Report

Chat with race fans as the XFINITY Series and Camping World Truck Series are on-track

Posted on June 16, 2015 by Pat DeCola

JimmieJohnson

Four red flag periods made it hard for the drivers to get in a groove during Sunday’s race; Johnson got out of sorts early and never recovered. Still, his four wins speak volumes – with no other driver having more than two – so it’s tough to knock a 19th-place finish in a fluky race.

Kevinharvick

Sunday certainly appeared to be Harvick’s for the taking, with his dominant No. 4 car leading a race-high 63 laps. We’ll never know if he would’ve been able to rebound from a bizarre tire issue that saddled him with his second-worst finish of the season, but it’s safe to assume he’d have made it interesting if he’d gotten the chance.

Martintruex jr

Considering Truex finished 37th and 36th in two Michigan races last year in his first Furniture Row campaign, it’s clear everything’s coming up Milhouse for the No. 78 team these days and we’ve no reason to suspect it won’t continue at Sonoma.

Kurtbusch

Busch sort of lucked into his second win of the season via the rainout at Michigan, but you’ve got to credit the driver for how well he’s performed. Despite missing the season’s first three races, the 2004 champion is loudly knocking on the door of the top 10 in points.

Joeylogano

-1

Tough break for Logano, who finished fifth and drops a spot this week, ceding position to Kurt Busch. Perhaps a trip to Daytona in a few weeks might see the most recent track winner move up a tick.

DaleEarnhardt Jr.

Junior has finished in the top five in more than half the season’s races. Pretty good, right? Think about this: that total nearly matches his top-five finish count (9) from 2009-11. Pretty great.

BradKeselowski

Keselowski remains winless at his home track after a 6th place finish at Michigan, but when the series shifts to Sonoma in two weeks, he’ll have a chance to end another drought: picking up his first road course win (0-for-10).

Mattkenseth

It’s a good thing Kenseth managed a good finish at Michigan. He’s only finished inside the top 10 once at Sonoma, and that came all the way back in 2008.

Jamiemcmurray

McMurray is the highest driver in the standings without a win, sitting pretty in seventh place. He earned a road win earlier this year in the Rolex 24 – could he be looking at another at Sonoma?

DennyHamlin

-1

Historically speaking, Hamlin is not exceptional at road courses, and Sonoma is no exception. He hasn’t finished above 23rd since 2009.

Carledwards

Edwards comes into Sonoma as the defending winner, but last year’s victory came with a different team and manufacturer. Still, his No. 19 has been fast in recent weeks, even leading 41 laps at Michigan. He should be fine.

Jeffgordon

-2

Gordon was last year’s Sonoma runner-up and you’d have to think he’ll be a force again in his final race at one of his favorite tracks (five wins).

Kaseykahne

-1

Kahne said at Michigan he’s had fast cars lately, but his team is looking for just a little bit more. It could come at Sonoma, where he has one win and finished sixth in each of the last two races.

Paulmenard

Menard is currently 12th in points, which lines up well with where he’s been in the standings post-Michigan each of the past three years. Unfortunately for him, it’s also where his mid-season tailspin typically starts.

Kylelarson

So, so close. Just a few laps longer and Larson’s gamble to stay out on low fuel would have resulted in his first Sprint Cup Series win. Calling it now: Larson wins Sonoma in his home state (especially now that he’s actually old enough to drink the Victory Lane wine).

ClintBowyer

So far, so good for Bowyer and new crew chief Billy Scott. How we’ll really know if it’s a match made in heaven? If the MWR driver succeeds at Sonoma, which is one of his best tracks. If not, there could be more changes on the horizon.

Ryannewman

-2

Newman had a decent stretch to open the season, but has really struggled the past three races. Needless to say, he’ll be looking forward to having crew chief Luke Lambert back in the saddle soon.

KyleBusch

-4

Uh oh. Busch could ill afford to suffer another poor race in his effort to win a race and enter the top 30 in points. After finishing dead last at Michigan, the dream is looking more and more like just that.

Aricalmirola

-1

After a pair of races in which he finished 43rd and 22nd, the single top-10 finish that Almirola has in 2015 looks a lot more glaring than it did a few weeks ago.

DanicaPatrick

Patrick’s two laps led at Michigan were just her first two of the season, but her 16th-place finish was her sixth top-16. Small gains, but gains nonetheless.

Posted on June 15, 2015 by

Visit to Charlotte gave behind-the-scenes look at race weekend

Students are encouraged to work as active media members at the race track and ultimately tell the story of their unique experience at a NASCAR event. Following each immersion, students will have the chance to see their work published on NASCAR.com. Last month, Logan Rice, a student from the University of South Carolina, attended the Sprint All-Star Race and Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway and filed this story. Follow Logan on Twitter here.

Racing has always been in my blood. My uncle and cousin raced at local short tracks in North Carolina, and my cousin was eventually a pit crew member for various Sprint Cup teams from 2000-2011. While I never got behind the wheel to race, I picked up right where they left off in NASCAR fandom. Even as a young 4-year-old, I had a favorite driver to root for every Sunday. I remember my father taking me to the local short track and watching races there, imagining myself watching a live Cup race. I would circle the dates on the schedule when the (then) Winston Cup teams would race at Martinsville and Bristol, because I knew the teams would practice at Greenville-Pickens Speedway. I would stand and stare through the chain link fence in awe, watching the teams practice on a Wednesday afternoon. I was hooked on NASCAR.

As I grew up, I never grew out of my love for Stock Car Racing. Sundays after church were designated for relaxing and watching the race that week. In 2009, I attended my very first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Braving the cold, I took everything in. The smell of the rubber and exhaust, the roar of the engines, and being in the midst of the action. That was the first of six NASCAR races I would attend. However, the next two NASCAR races I would attend in Charlotte would give me an entirely new perspective on NASCAR racing.

As a sophomore at the University of South Carolina, I began studying Sport and Entertainment Management. Through a research paper on a career in the NASCAR industry, I was invited to attend the two May races at Charlotte Motor Speedway: the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race and the Coca-Cola 600.

The moment I arrived in Charlotte for the Sprint All-Star Race, I was escorted to the infield and placed in a pace car for a 110 mph trip around Charlotte Motor Speedway. From there, I had a one-on-one interview with Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton. We discussed the positive effects of social media in NASCAR, and he explained his upbringing in NASCAR. I was then taken to the media center and debriefed on what I would be doing that day. I would be shadowing the Public Relations team, which dealt directly with NASCAR media. From directing photographers during qualifying, to corralling fans to their proper locations, and acting as a liaison between drivers and the media, the day was action packed. As a fan, I thought putting on a NASCAR race was simple. However, once brought behind the scenes, I realized that it is everything but.

After making sure all of the drivers were available for Driver Introductions, and brushing shoulders with some of my childhood heroes, it was time for the race to begin. Once the race ended, the victor, second-place driver, and top story line driver were brought into the media center for post-race interviews. I carefully took notes as Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, and even the Coach himself, Joe Gibbs, spoke about the Sprint All-Star Race. After the Coca-Cola 600 concluded, I was ushered to Victory Lane and watched in amazement as Carl Edwards exited his car in excitement with a downpour of confetti around us.

While all of these events were exhilarating, the experience behind the scenes of being a spectator opened my eyes to the incredible amount of work it takes to put on a NASCAR race. Every member of every team played a role in executing the event to perfection. I took careful mental notes to watch and see how each employee worked and interacted with one another to have team success. Every detail mattered at every second.

As someone who grew up watching NASCAR, and someone who looks to hopefully begin his career in the industry, this experience truly gave me a 360-degree look at the sport. From the stands, to pit road, to the press box, to the media center, I was able to understand exactly how a NASCAR spectacle is put on.

This experience was truly incredible.

Posted on June 15, 2015 by

Complete news and notes for each driver in the Quicken Loans 400

fBelow is a breakdown of how the full 43-car field fared at Michigan International Speedway.

FULL SERIES COVERAGE

• Latest news
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1. Kurt Busch, No. 41 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing. Busch inherited the lead after a fuel-starved Kyle Larson pitted on Lap 133. Busch was pacing the field when the final, race-ending red flag was displayed five laps later. | RELATED: See what Busch said in Victory Lane

2. Dale Earnhardt Jr., No. 88 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports. Despite a loose-handling condition, Earnhardt climbed his way through the top 10 in the final 48 laps before NASCAR called the race. | WATCH: Find out what Junior is focused on

3. Martin Truex Jr., No. 78 Chevrolet, Furniture Row Racing. After Sunday’s third-place result, Truex became the first driver to score 14 top-10s in the first 15 races since Richard Petty did it in 1969. | WATCH: Truex reflects on run

4. Matt Kenseth, No. 20 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing. Kenseth snugged up to Carl Edwards on Lap 75 to get trash off his grille and continued his climb through the field once his temperatures returned to normal.

5. Joey Logano, No. 22 Ford, Team Penske. "Coming to you. Out of fuel,” Logano radioed his team after leading Laps 88-94. He rallied and earned his eighth top-five of the season. | To hear more in-car audio, sign up for Scanner today

6. Brad Keselowski, No. 2 Ford, Team Penske. Pitting after the fourth caution flag wasn’t a popular choice, but it didn’t hurt the Michigan native, who quickly climbed his way back into the top 10.

7. Jamie McMurray, No. 1 Chevrolet, Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates. McMurray dealt with a loose-handling condition; he was one of several who opted not to pit during the fourth caution period with rain clouds looming overhead.

8. Paul Menard, No. 27 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing. Menard was running fourth when the caution flag was waved on Lap 125, but couldn’t delay his pit stop much longer.

9. Trevor Bayne, No. 6 Ford, Roush Fenway Racing. Bayne rallied from one lap down, thanks to skipping a pit stop during the last caution flag, and claimed his best Michigan finish.

10. Clint Bowyer, No. 15 Toyota, Michael Waltrip Racing. Bowyer’s team opted not to pit after the fourth caution flag; he dealt with a tight-handling condition en route to his fourth top-10 this year.

11. Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing. Spotter Chris Lambert radioed Hamlin, "These are your best laps," as Hamlin ran second on Lap 90. | For lap times and more race data, sign up for RaceView today

12. Carl Edwards, No. 19 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing. Edwards lined up fourth and led all but one of the first 41 laps — including Lap 30, which was the fastest of the race at 196.457 mph.

13. Casey Mears, No. 13 Chevrolet, Germain Racing. Mears was one of the few who pitted during the Lap 125 debris caution and restarted 14th after taking four tires, fueling and making adjustments.

14. Ty Dillon, No. 33 Chevrolet, Circle Sport. "Boy I hope the rain goes away," Dillon, a Michigan newcomer, tweeted during what would be the final red flag for rain. "We might have a shot." | To hear more in-car audio, sign up for Scanner today

15. Kasey Kahne, No. 5 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports. Kahne led one lap after starting from the pole position, his first of the year.

16. Danica Patrick, No. 10 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing. Patrick inherited the lead on Lap 95 and paced the field two circuits before hitting pit road for all kinds of adjustments, including wedge and packer.

17. Kyle Larson, No. 42 Chevrolet, Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates. Larson stayed out during the late-race debris caution and unsuccessfully tried to stretch his fuel window as rain loomed nearby. | RELATED: No regrets over failed gamble for Larson

18. Ryan Newman, No. 31 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing. Newman and his team figured out the handling on the No. 31 Chevy, but pit sequence and a rain-shortened race impacted their finish.

19. Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports. "All right, we gotta haul it, man," crew chief Chad Knaus radioed Jimmie Johnson shortly after the second red flag was lifted. "I’m trying to haul it man. I promise you," replied Johnson, who was mired in traffic after contact from Logano during an early restart. | To hear more in-car audio, sign up for Scanner today

20. Austin Dillon, No. 3 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing. Early on, Dillon ran as high as eighth and was trying to adjust his track bar and front fans to improve the handling of his car.

21. Jeff Gordon, No. 24 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports. Gordon had to return to pit road after his Lap 90 green-flag stop because the left-front tire wasn’t tightened all the way down.

22. Aric Almirola, No. 43 Ford, Richard Petty Motorsports. Almirola spent the final 23 laps holding down the broken track bar button to try to get the most out of his car.

23. AJ Allmendinger, No. 47 Chevrolet, JTG Daugherty Racing. A loose-handling condition led Allmendinger to pancake the right side of his ride.

24. Ryan Blaney, No. 21 Ford, Wood Brothers Racing. Blaney qualified fifth and was running inside the top 12 during the opening 70 laps of his first Michigan outing when his engine temperatures started to rise.

25. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 17 Ford, Roush Fenway Racing. Stenhouse was among those who took advantage of poor track position to pack in an additional fuel stop early on. He used that to improve his track position later on and ran as high as 23rd.

26. Sam Hornish Jr., No. 9 Ford, Richard Petty Motorsports. Hornish had a little better luck than his teammate with his track bar adjuster, but still struggled to find the right balance.

27. Justin Allgaier, No. 51 Chevrolet, HScott Motorsports. During the first real green-flag stretch, Allgaier radioed that he needed more grip to get around Michigan’s two-mile oval.

28. Tony Stewart, No. 14 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing. Stewart made an unscheduled stop on Lap 75 while running inside the top 20 so his team could repair his damaged splitter.

29. Kevin Harvick, No. 4 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing. Harvick paced a race-high 63 laps on Sunday, eclipsing the 1,200-laps led mark for the year. He is the first driver since Jeff Gordon in 2001 to achieve that within the first 15 races of the year. A cut right-front tire put a damper on the day. | RELATED: Harvick snakebitten at Michigan

30. Michael Annett, No. 46 Chevrolet, HScott Motorsports. Annett spent the rain delays hanging out with his team under nearby cover, while teammate Justin Allgaier hitched a ride on the roller as crew members tried to dry his pit stall.

31. Landon Cassill, No. 40 Chevrolet, Hillman Smith Motorsports. Cassill took an extra splash of fuel, despite a closed pit road, prior to the Lap 60 restart and picked up 10 spots after the field went green.

32. Cole Whitt, No. 35 Ford, Front Row Motorsports. Whitt rolled off the grid 40th after spending his morning hanging out with current business partner Nate Burleson, a former Detroit Lions wide receiver.

33. Brett Moffitt, No. 34 Ford, Front Row Motorsports. Moffitt ran as high as 12th en route to his best Michigan result.

34. Josh Wise, No. 98 Ford, Phil Parsons Racing. Wise stayed out to lead Lap 42 when the rest of the field hit pit road for the competition caution.

35. David Ragan, No. 55 Toyota, Michael Waltrip Racing. Ragan’s team helped him find more side bite, and he picked up 10 spots to run 14th after the Lap 52 restart.

36. Greg Biffle, No. 16 Ford, Roush Fenway Racing. Rear grip was a struggle for Biffle, who radioed "Thank God it’s raining" when a right-rear tire issue presented itself within the first 15 laps. | To hear more in-car audio, sign up for Scanner today

37. Jeb Burton, No. 26 Toyota, BK Racing. The rookie earned his best Cup result at a two-mile track for the 2015 season.

38. J.J. Yeley, No. 23 Toyota, BK Racing. Yeley quietly improved his position after starting 41st on Sunday.

39. Matt DiBenedetto, No. 83 Toyota, BK Racing. DiBenedetto lined up 43rd in his first Michigan appearance and picked up several spots during the first 45 laps.

40. Mike Bliss, No. 32 Ford, Go FAS Racing. Bliss sustained some damage to his car after making contact with David Gilliland early on Sunday.

41. Alex Bowman, No. 7 Chevrolet, Tommy Baldwin Racing. Bowman made an unscheduled stop during the first six laps after slapping the Turn 2 wall.

42. David Gilliland, No. 38 Ford, Front Row Motorsports. Gilliland hit the wall hard around Lap 65 after receiving contact from Mike Bliss.

43. Kyle Busch, No. 18 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing. Shortly after the Lap 52 restart, Busch got loose and slammed hard into the Turn 4 wall. Fortunately that area was reinforced with SAFER barrier, but unfortunately, several drivers cited heavy rainfall in that area at the time. | RELATED: How does Busch’s Chase chances look?

Posted on June 15, 2015 by Staff Report

Easy-to-follow guide for the Chase Grid format

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.

FULL SERIES COVERAGE

• Latest news
• Standings
• Schedule

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.