The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR XFINITY Series head to Watkins Glen International in New York. The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is off this week. Here’s more info on how you can follow along all weekend. 

RACES
Sprint Cup Series: Cheez-It 355 (Sunday Aug. 9, 2 p.m. ET, NBCSN/Live Extra, MRN Radio, SiriusXM)
XFINITY Series: Zippo 200 (Saturday Aug. 8, 3 p.m. ET, NBCSN/Live Extra, MRN Radio, SiriusXM)

WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Click here for on-track times, press conferences, leaderboards and GarageCam.

RACE DAY
• NSCS leaderboard
• NXS leaderboard
• NSCS Lap-by-Lap
• NXS Lap-by-Lap
• NSCS live standings

PRODUCTS
• RaceBuddy: Through the remainder of the season, NASCAR RaceBuddy will feature two (2) alternate live action camera angles, along with up to six (6) in-car cameras with different driver selections for each Sprint Cup race and four (4) for XFINITY races.
• RaceView: Watch virtual video of cars on track and listen to the scanner.
• RaceView Mobile: On your phone? Try RaceView here.
• Scanner: In-car audio only.• Mobile Apps: Follow the leaderboards live from your device.

NBC SPORTS LIVE EXTRA
Web stream: NBC Sports Live Extra
Mobile app: iOS/Android


NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, tablets, and connected TVs will provide racing fans with unparalleled interactive digital access to every NASCAR Sprint Cup series race, including exclusive camera angles, custom diver information, and insider track information.


•  Multi-view options that bring fans inside the race, combining NBC Sports Group’s race simulcast and alternative camera angles, ranging from in-car views to various key track locations. For the Quaker State 400 Presented by Advance Auto Parts NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on July 11, one specialty camera will offer an innovative speed shot from Turn 4, capturing the cars as they speed by.

• Dedicated full-view, on-board alternate cameras.

• Additional features on the desktop/laptop experience, bringing fans comprehensive race-day information to their fingertips, including:

        • Driver updates, cup standings, and biographies

        • Track infographics with key facts and history

 

NBC Sports Live Extra will stream NASCAR coverage on NBC and NBCSN via “TV Everywhere”, giving consumers additional value to for their subscription service, and making high quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms. The NBC Sports Live Extra app is available on the iTunes App Store, Google Play, Windows Store, Roku Channel Store and Apple TV. For desktops, NBC Sports Live Extra can be accessed at NBCSports.com/liveextra.

FANTASY
• NASCAR Fantasy Live: Set your lineups, check your progress
• Streak to the Finish: Play in all the national series that are in action this week
  

LIVE INTERVIEWS
PressPass: Watch exclusive post-race interviews.

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

Coach Joe Gibbs shed light on Erik Jones‘ NASCAR career arc Tuesday morning, saying that a full XFINITY Series schedule and some Sprint Cup events were planned for 2016.

Gibbs, appearing on “The Morning Drive on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, said that advancing the 19-year-old driver through the NASCAR development ladder was a top priority at Joe Gibbs Racing.

“We look at Erik as a big part of our future,” Gibbs told SiriusXM, “and we’ve got a plan laid out and it’s not something we’ve talked about in public, but we all kind of know inside of our racing organization, and with his parents and his agent … is just great. So we’ve talked over a plan, and basically the plan next year would be a full XFINITY season and try and run for a championship there and also to, in all likelihood, have him in some Cup races so that would be the goal for next year.”

Jones already has one Sprint Cup start to his credit, making an impressive drive at Kansas Speedway in May in place of the injured Kyle Busch. He also logged a hefty relief stint the month before, substituting for an ailing Denny Hamlin at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Gibbs, 74, said plans to get Jones into a full-time ride are taking shape, though his organization currently stands at the NASCAR-mandated maximum of four teams, with Busch, Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin and Matt Kenseth on the JGR driver roster.

“We’ve got a plan laid out in the future, and it’s something we can’t, you know, we don’t want to talk about now, but there is no question — this guy, Erik’s headed for Cup,” Gibbs said with a laugh. “He’s headed for Cup and we’ve got a path charted that we think is the best to get him ready and to fulfill his goal of being in a Cup car as quick as we can get him there.”

Jones is in his first full season driving for Kyle Busch Motorsports in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. The Michigan native ranks third in the series standings, with four pole positions and one victory in 12 races thus far.

Jones has also competed in 17 of 19 XFINITY Series events this season, with four poles and two wins splitting time between JGR’s Nos. 20 and 54 Toyotas.

Harvick picked a good week to have his engine expire in the early going. With so many heavyweights struggling at Pocono as well, no driver threatens his No. 1 ranking.
https://www.nascar.com/drivers/kyle-busch/
Joe Gibbs Racing
Now, had Busch been able to pull off his fourth win – he came thisclose to doing so – he’d likely be on top here. But thanks to a slight miscalculation in fuel, a 21st-place finish doesn’t put him above Harvick. Yet.
https://www.nascar.com/drivers/jimmie-johnson/
Hendrick Motorsports
https://www.nascar.com/drivers/brad-keselowski/
2
Team Penske
Logano was on auto pilot the second half of the Pocono race, leading a race-high 97 laps. Even cruise control couldn’t help him conserve enough fuel, however, and he ran out while leading just a few laps from the checkered.
https://www.nascar.com/drivers/dale-earnhardt-jr/
Hendrick Motorsports
What Hendrick woes? From the cars that didn’t crash on pit road five laps into the race, Johnson was the worst-finishing HMS car … in a solid sixth place.
Keselowski probably doesn’t want to make a habit out of hitting his own crew men, but even that incident couldn’t slow down the Blue White Yellow Deuce, which picked up a runner-up finish.
After his No. 88 Microsoft Chevy spun out somewhat late in the race, Earnhardt rebooted his efforts to recover a top-five finish. Now, there’s that speed he and his Hendrick mates have been looking for.
https://www.nascar.com/drivers/denny-hamlin/
-2
Joe Gibbs Racing
Say what you want about Kenseth lucking out into that win because the leaders ran out of fuel and he didn’t, but even if he hadn’t wound up in Victory Lane, Kenseth was still running one of his best Pocono races ever. The trophy is just a bonus.
June’s Pocono winner couldn’t repeat his Tricky Triangle trumph, but hey – he might be getting a new (old) teammate next year.
https://www.nascar.com/drivers/clint-bowyer/
2
Stewart-Haas Racing
Busch’s 37th-place finish broke up a string of seven consecutive top-10s. He could get back on track at Watkins Glen, with four top 10s in his last six races there.
For how well-rounded of a driver McMurray tends to be, his numbers at Watkins Glen leave some to be desires – he only has two top 10s in 12 attempts.
Gordon was not able to extend his series-best six wins at Pocono, but a third-place result is just enough to give the four-time champ a little momentum after a disappointing final Brickyard.
Denny Hamlin has finished in the top 10 at Watkins Glen four times – in his first four starts. Since 2010, Hamlin is averaging a finish of 30.0 in five starts.

RELATED: NXS results from Iowa | Truck results from Pocono

Dale Earnhardt Jr. says the No. 88 team was lucky to drive away with a fourth-place finish at Pocono but had high praise for his JR Motorsports teams’ performances last weekend.

Saying it was a great weekend overall for the organization, Junior was excited about second places for Regan Smith in the NASCAR XFINITY Series and Kevin Harvick in the NASCAR Camping World Trucks Series. 

Earnhardt said Smith “did a good job” and said Harvick “didn’t have a winning truck but got a lot out of it,” adding that his Sprint Cup driving peer always does a good job when he jumps in a JRM truck.

Smith’s XFINITY crew chief, Jason Burdett, also got kudos from the boss during the radio show.

“Jason Burdett, the crew chief in that car (No. 7 Chevrolet) has been awesome this year,” Junior said. “If you know that guy’s story, you can appreciate how hard it’s been a climb for him.”

Burdett has been a part of two championship Sprint Cup teams, with Jeff Gordon in 2001 and and Dale Jarrett and Robert Yates Racing in 1999. He was car chief on the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports team from 2008-10 before moving to Earnhardt’s No. 88 team from 2011-14.

Junior saved his most effusive praise for Cole Custer‘s ARCA win at Pocono and Josh Berry‘s Late Model victory at Orange County.

“Cole (Custer) has a bright future and I’m excited about working with that kid next year and providing an opportunity for him to showcase his talents,” Earnhardt said on the Dale Jr. Download on Dirty Mo Radio after returning from Sunday’s Sprint Cup race at Pocono. “Hopefully, we can do a good job giving him that opportunity.”

Custer is a 17-year-old member of the NASCAR Next Class of 2015. The Ladera Ranch, California, native holds the records for youngest pole award and race winner in both the Truck Series and NASCAR’s touring series. This season he has a win in the Truck Series at Gateway Motorsports Park. Custer has started five NCWTS races for JR Motorsports in the No. 00 Chevrolet this season after making nine starts in the series last year with Stewart-Haas Racing‘s developmental team. 

RELATED: See the NASCAR Next Class of 2015

Berry is 24 and won the Summer Sizzler 75 lap Late Model race Saturday night at Orange County Speedway near Rougemont, North Carolina. 

“He’s been winning left and right,” Earnhardt said of Berry. “I’ve never won at Orange County before. He’s sure representing us very well at all the local tracks that we love to race at.”

Junior added that he’s very proud of the JR Motorsports late model program, and “not just for the obvious reasons” of winning and representing sponsors well. He takes pride in “racing at these local venues that have meant so much to so many people in our sport over the years. It’s a good feeling. Just keeping up with the Langleys and the Orange Counties of the world.”

Complete news and notes on all 43 cars in the Windows 10 400

RELATED: Full race results | Series standings | Chase Grid

Breaking down how the full 43-car field fared at Pocono Raceway.

FULL SERIES COVERAGE

• Latest news
• Standings
• Schedule

1. Matt Kenseth, No. 20 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing. Kenseth was 16 seconds behind leader Kyle Busch in the closing laps, but the driver of the No. 20 saved enough fuel to pass his teammate and coast to his first Pocono win.

2. Brad Keselowski, No. 2 Ford, Team Penske. "Sorry about that, guys. Everybody OK?" Keselowski asked his team after he locked up his brakes, slid through his pit box and hit two crew members during his Lap 58 green-flag stop. He rallied to score his fifth top five of the year.

3. Jeff Gordon, No. 24 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports.  Gordon matched his best 2015 finish when his Pocono finale became a fuel-mileage race and he climbed from 16th.

4.  Dale Earnhardt Jr., No. 88 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports.  Earnhardt and his team battled through a variety of issues — a pit road penalty and mid-race spin among them — to be in the right place and climb from 17th to fourth in the final 10 laps as the leaders ran out of fuel.

5. Greg Biffle, No. 16 Ford, Roush Fenway Racing. Biffle recorded his second top-five of the year thanks to — you guessed it — fuel mileage. He also led Laps 125-126 during green-flag stops and kept working with his team to find grip.

6. Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports. Johnson was forced to pit for fuel with three laps to go and climbed through the field to earn his 14th top-10 as competitors faded.

7. AJ Allmendinger, No. 47 Chevrolet, JTG Daugherty Racing. A missed shift triggered a vibration for Allmendinger, who worked through the issue to score his third top-10 of the year. 

8. Clint Bowyer, No. 15, Toyota, Michael Waltrip Racing. Bowyer started saving fuel while running 11th with 18 laps to go.

9. Tony Stewart, No. 14 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing. It was a solid day for Stewart, who started fifth before recording just his second top-10 this season.

10. Carl Edwards, No. 19 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing. Edwards was running ninth in the closing laps when he hit pit road for a quick splash of fuel.

11. Paul Menard, No. 27 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing. Menard spent the majority of Sunday’s race running inside the top 15 and saved one lap of fuel to make it to the end.

12. Kyle Larson, No. 42 Chevrolet, Chip Ganassi Racing. Fuel mileage wasn’t on Larson’s side, but he was still pleased with the effort and later tweeted, "Best car we’ve had all year though and pit crew did an awesome job all day."

13. Austin Dillon, No. 3 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing. With crew chief Slugger Labbe at the helm, Dillon posted his best Pocono result.

14. Landon Cassill, No. 40 Chevrolet, Hillman Smith Motorsports. Cassill ran as high as second en route to his best career Pocono showing.

15. Jamie McMurray, No. 1 Chevrolet. Chip Ganassi Racing. McMurray said Pocono was slicker this weekend than it was in June and he spent the race chasing the handling of his car.

16. Danica Patrick, No. 10 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing. Patrick had a mid-race scare when a piece of trash adhered itself to her car’s grille and caused her temperatures to spike.

17. David Ragan, No. 55 Toyota, Michael Waltrip Racing. Ragan improved to run 10th, but ran out of fuel in the final laps and coasted across the finish line.

18. Aric Almirola, No. 43 Ford, Richard Petty Motorsports. Almirola reported a throttle issue during the first half of Sunday’s race, but appeared to have the right amount of fuel to make it to the end.

19. Martin Truex Jr., No. 78 Chevrolet, Furniture Row Racing. Truex was running second in the final laps and had to hit pit road for a quick splash to finish the race. A pit road speeding penalty incurred during the stop damaged his forward progress.

20. Joey Logano, No. 22 Ford, Team Penske. Logano led a race-high 97 laps and was cruising toward his second win of the year when his car ran out of fuel with three laps to go. He then picked up a speeding penalty while refueling.

21. Kyle Busch, No. 18 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing. The pole sitter focused on fuel conservation and took over the race lead briefly before sputtering out himself with two laps to go. 

22. Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing. Hamlin focused on crisp shifts as he nursed a gearbox issue and maintained his position inside the top 10 until he also ran out of fuel.

23. Ryan Newman, No. 31 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing. Newman was running 16th when he ran out of fuel in the closing laps.

24. Justin Allgaier, No. 51 Chevrolet, HScott Motorsports. Allgaier was having a solid day, running inside the top 15, when he pitted just prior to the Lap 92 caution flag and lost track position.

25. Alex Bowman, No. 7 Chevrolet, Tommy Baldwin Racing. Bowman improved upon his best Pocono outing after a solid effort on Sunday.

26. Michael Annett, No. 46 Chevrolet, HScott Motorsports. Annett’s car started tight and then snapped to loose as Sunday’s race unfolded.

27. Cole Whitt, No. 35 Ford, Front Row Motorsports. Whitt struggled to find consistency in his car and sustained damage while running in the pack.

28. Casey Mears, No. 13 Chevrolet, Germain Racing. Mears restarted 13th after picking up eight spots on pit road during the final caution. Subsequently, he reported that his car was plowing through the corners.

29. Matt DiBenedetto, No. 83 Toyota, BK Racing. DiBenedetto stayed out of trouble to post his best Pocono finish.

30. J.J. Yeley, No. 23 Toyota, BK Racing. Yeley was awarded the Lucky Dog pass on the seventh caution period, but struggled to capture any momentum.

31. Brett Moffitt, No. 34 Ford, Front Row Motorsports. On Lap 27, Moffitt made contact with teammate David Gilliland and sustained a significant tire rub.

32. Travis Kvapil, No. 32 Ford, Go Fas Racing. Kvapil held steady to improve upon his most recent Pocono performance.

33. David Gilliland, No. 38 Ford, Front Row Motorsports. During late-race green-flag stops, Gilliland’s team tried to get the front end of the car down after earlier contact elevated his splitter.

34. Reed Sorenson, No. 98 Ford, Phil Parsons Racing. Sorenson was the Lucky Dog three times in a row, but struggled to find a rhythm and stay on the lead lap.

35. Jeb Burton, No. 26 Toyota, BK Racing. "They’re lucky no one was pitting that time," Burton radioed his team after Kahne’s early-race crash on pit road brought out the red flag. "They’ve gotten lucky twice. Something needs to change." Burton was in a similar incident during Saturday’s final practice session.

36. Timmy Hill, No. 62 Chevrolet, Premium Motorsports. Hill recorded his best 2015 result in his third Cup event.

37. Kurt Busch, No. 41 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing. Busch was inadvertently turned by Paul Menard in Turn 1 and then nailed by Sam Hornish Jr.

38. Alex Kennedy, No. 33 Chevrolet, Circle Sport. Kennedy spun on Lap 92 to bring out the eighth caution flag.

39. Sam Hornish Jr., No. 9 Ford, Richard Petty Motorsports. Hornish missed a shift early in the race, which caused a world of hurt for him and others navigating the Tricky Triangle.

40. Trevor Bayne, No. 6 Ford, Roush Fenway Racing. Bayne’s best Pocono start was stalled just past the midway point when a wayward tail pipe went through the radiator of his car.

41. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 17, Roush Fenway Racing. Stenouse braked hard but couldn’t avoid crashing into the back of a slowing Sam Hornish Jr. in Turn 1 on Lap 28.

42. Kevin Harvick, No. 4 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing. The outside pole sitter opted to stay on track during the competition caution and blew up after leading the field to green on Lap 17.

43. Kasey Kahne, No. 5 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports. Kahne got loose on Lap 5 coming off Turn 3 and slammed into the pit road wall, sending helmets flying and pit crew personnel scurrying. 

2015 Awards set for Dec. 4 at Wynn Las Vegas

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (August 3, 2015) — NASCAR® announced today that the annual NASCAR Sprint Cup Series™ Awards — and all of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion’s Week™ — will return to Las Vegas in 2015 as part of a renewed partnership with the destination. The agreement ensures that Las Vegas will continue hosting the week-long celebration, offering fans and industry members a chance to see the sport’s stars and congratulate the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards will headline NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion’s Week at Wynn Las Vegas on December 4, 2015. The 16th annual DAYTONA Rising / NASCAR Motorsports Marketing Forum, hosted by SportsBusiness Journal, will kick off NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion’s Week festivities at The Mirage on December 1-2.  

"We’ve had a great experience in Las Vegas and are very pleased to extend our partnership with the city," said NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Steve Phelps. "Las Vegas has consistently set the stage for a vibrant, exciting NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion’s Week, when the sport looks back on the season and toasts its newest Champion."

NASCAR began hosting its premier series awards show in Las Vegas in 2009 following a 28-year run in New York City. Since then, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards and Champion’s Week has hosted events at over 30 venues along the famous Las Vegas Strip, drawing the sport’s top drivers and an assortment of high-profile musical and celebrity guests.

"We are thrilled that NASCAR and Las Vegas will continue their strong and successful partnership as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion’s Week return for the seventh year," said Rossi Ralenkotter, president/CEO of Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. "Each year this event gets bigger and better, and Las Vegas provides the ultimate backdrop to this unrivaled experience in the most exciting city in the world."

For the first time, the DAYTONA Rising / NASCAR Motorsports Marketing Forum will expand to a third day and make its debut at Daytona International Speedway on February 17, providing sports industry executives a first-look at the newly completed DAYTONA Rising project. The DAYTONA Rising / NASCAR Motorsports Marketing Forum has established itself as the premier event where thought leaders both in and out of the racing community gather to discuss, debate and share insights that impact the future of racing. Registration is required at www.MotorsportsMarketingForum.com, and more details on the agenda will be shared in the weeks and months ahead.

"We’re very happy to expand our 2015 NASCAR Motorsports Marketing program to include a Daytona component on February 17, given how much excitement there is surrounding the DAYTONA Rising project," said Richard Weiss, Publisher of SportsBusiness Journal. "It’s a win-win combination for attendees who will join in our December Motorsports Marketing Forum discussions in Las Vegas who will now also be able to get an insider’s perspective on the Daytona International Speedway project."

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards will air on NBCSN beginning at 9 p.m. ET. MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will carry the awards show live at 8 p.m. ET.

Team Penske driver manages runner-up finish

RELATED: See frame-by-frame images of crew member incident

LONG POND, Pa. — In a race that had a little bit everything, perhaps no one illustrated the up-and-down nature of the Windows 10 400 at Pocono Raceway better than Brad Keselowski.

The driver of the No. 2 Team Penske Ford finished second to Matt Kenseth, but not without overcoming an obstacle or two of his own, including a scary incident in which his car hit two of his crewmen on pit road.

Pitting on Lap 57, Keselowski slid into his pit box, knocking jackman Braxton Brannon and front tire carrier Jeremy Ogles to the ground. Brannon went airborne and appeared to hit the ground hard, while Ogles hit and slid across the front of the car. Both crew members were OK after the incident, according to Team Penske and much to the relief of Keselowski.



"Yeah, it’s an ‘Oh (expletive) moment,’ but I’m glad from what I can tell, the guys are doing OK," Keselowski told NASCAR.com of the incident.


FULL SERIES COVERAGE

• Latest news
• Standings
• Schedule

However, because of the contact with the tire carrier, the tire that Ogles was carrying left the pit box and Keselowski had to serve a pass-through penalty for a pit box tire violation, which put Keselowski in 37th place. 



"It is another race where I kind of feel like it didn’t all come together for us and we had the problems on pit road and sliding through the box and that dug a hole, and we got a lap down with the penalty," Keselowski said.



However, the 2012 Sprint Cup Series champion’s luck changed quickly as he was the beneficiary of the free pass for the race’s sixth caution, putting him back on the lead lap. 
From there, Keselowski methodically worked his way up into the top 10 by Lap 110 and continued to pick up spots during the lengthy 63-lap green-flag run to end the race.

His 44 quality passes (the number of times passing a car running in the top 15 during a green flag period) were the second-most on the day. In a finish that played out as survival of the ones with fuel, Keselowski had just enough gas to get across the start/finish line with a runner-up result.

Yet, he felt for his teammate, Joey Logano, who led a race-high 97 laps but ran out of fuel with three laps to go on Lap 158.


"The fuel came into play at the end and we were able to take care of it to bring home second, which is a very respectable day," Keselowski said. "Certainly not where we were going to finish without the fuel, but that is sometimes how it works. I think my teammate and his team did a phenomenal job. I am heartbroken for them to not win the race."



Despite scoring his fifth top five of the season and second runner-up finish in three races (he finished second to another Joe Gibbs Racing driver, Kyle Busch, at Loudon), Keselowski was left to wonder what if that early pit road miscue hadn’t happened. 



"There is always going to be adversity and that is part of what makes success worthwhile," he said. "It is overcoming that adversity. If we could have, quite honestly, not had that issue earlier in the race, I feel like we probably would have won today. That one is on me. I feel guilty for my team on that. I am glad we were able to rally to second."

Jeb Burton, Kasey Kahne both had hard hits over weekend

A separate pair of incidents at Pocono Raceway has led to plans to alter the facility’s pit road wall after two drivers wrecked into it over the weekend, NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O’Donnell told NASCAR.com on Monday.

Jeb Burton (final practice) and Kasey Kahne (Sunday’s race) both got loose off Turn 3 in separate incidents, lost control of their respective vehicles and wrecked into the inside wall on pit row. Kahne’s incident on Sunday knocked him out of the race, and it was almost identical to Burton’s wreck — the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet essentially followed the same tire marks that Burton had put down.

"First, it’s important to look at what happened in Pocono," O’Donnell said. "Certainly it was unique with Jeb Burton, and then you saw Kasey Kahne really unbelievably follow him with same tire tracks during the event. Tom Gideon, our safety expert, was already up at Pocono drawing up some plans to look at extending the pit wall.

"With that comes some challenges. We have to make sure the drivers coming out of Turn 3 during the race, that it’s a safe situation by extending the wall. We’ll work with the race track. We’ve got to explore the angles, look at all the data we have from the race cars as well and kind of combine all that. The initial plan is … we’ll plan to extend the wall at Pocono. And certainly from there, to take a look at each one of our venues."

President and CEO of Pocono Raceway, Brandon Igdalsky, also commented on the safety procedures that came into question during the Windows 10 400.

“Our commitment to driver safety is paramount,” said Igdalsky. "We have made multiple upgrades and updates to our facility, with more safety improvements rolling out before the 2016 NASCAR season. We work hand-in-hand with NASCAR throughout the year to execute and implement these changes.

"Once NASCAR collects the data, as it pertains to the unique incidents involving Jeb Burton and Kasey Kahne from this past weekend, we will communicate with one another and develop the safest solution.”

O’Donnell also tackled the question of whether or not the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series would race at Iowa Speedway. Saturday night’s NASCAR XFINITY Series event at the Rusty Wallace-designed .875-mile oval produced plenty of good racing, a thrilling conclusion … and some drama, as well.

"Well, I think when you look at our Cup schedule right now, there’s no secret that it’s full," O’Donnell said. "One of the things that’s unique about Iowa that we like is the ability for the XFINITY Series to go there and be the showcase event. I believe that’s why you’re talking about it today, seeing Ryan Blaney hold off a number of hungry competitors on a couple of green-white-checkered (finishes), really doing his job to win that event.

"We like the fact the XFINITY Series can be the showcase event. It deserves that. Iowa is a unique venue and it produces some great racing for us … and we like what we’re seeing there."

See what’s coming this week to NASCAR.com

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

MONDAY: Brad Keselowski inadvertently hit his crewmen on pit road and found himself 37th. So how did he rally to finish second? RJ Kraft explains … Stu Hothem catches up with Jeff Gordon, who tied his best finish of the year on Sunday at Pocono by finishing third … The Rundown takes a look at how every driver in the field performed.

TUESDAY: This week’s Power Rankings presented by Outback is sure to get a shakeup now that Matt Kenseth has two wins on the season … It’s Jeff Gordon‘s birthday, and we’re looking back at his career through photos … Kathy Sheldon identifies Sprint Cup drivers at age 40 (or older), and what their careers look like.

WEDNESDAY: New paint schemes will be on display at Watkins Glen, and we’ll have them all in Paint Scheme Preview … The Glen provides the opportunity for an unknown to sneak out a win, and you can vote on who that might be in our winners poll … High 5 presents the best NASCAR content from around the web.

THURSDAY: Driver Reports highlights the 16 drivers currently on the Chase Grid, and how they fare at Watkins Glen … We’ll catch you back up on the nuances of road course qualifying … This week’s #TBT involves a man named Dale Earnhardt and a broken sternum.

FRIDAY: The Sprint Cup Series gets on track at 9 a.m. ET, and we’ll have full coverage from a busy day at the track … 8 Tweets You Might Have Missed highlights the best from social media over the past week.

Also coming this week: @nascarcasm has a busy week, including Matt Kenseth‘s post-race Facebook page, and texts Jack Roush might have received after Darrell Wallace Jr. and Chris Buescher had another incident … We’ll give you the highlights of the weekend in GIF form … Senior Writer Kenny Bruce heads to North Wilkesboro. Find out why.

Meet Jayanna, Official NASCAR Fan Council member of the month

Name: Jayanna

Current City: Rockville, Indiana

Member since: 2011

Getting to know Jayanna

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

"I liked the idea of being able to share my opinion on my favorite sport."

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

"Fast cars. The sound of engines roaring past and the smell of fuel and rubber in the air. I love the atmosphere at the track. There is nothing like it. It is hard to pick one favorite memory. I have been lucky enough to be at the track and see my favorite driver, Jeff Gordon, win 4 times. I was in Darlington & Talladega when he won in 2007. I have been going to the Brickyard 400 since 2004, so I have been able to see him win there twice. If I had to pick one, I guess I would say being at Indy last year to see him win his 5th Brickyard and watch him kiss the bricks in person, with my mom, is my favorite memory so far.”

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

Driver: "Jeff Gordon"

Track: "Martinsville"

Memorabilia: "Jeff Gordon 1:24 die-casts including his Baby Ruth & Jurassic Park cars"

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

"Martinsville or the Daytona 500"

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

"In my free time, I love to go to country concerts or catch up on some TV."

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

"I live with my husband, Mike, and our 2 dogs, Bo & Hank."

Q: What’s your dream car?

"New Camaro or Mustang"

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