Posted on by Staff Report

A statistical look ahead to the 19th race of the 2015 Sprint Cup season

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 13, 2015) – Below is a look at some of the top statistical performers at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, New Hampshire going into the 5-hour ENERGY 301 on July 19 (1:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN).

FULL SERIES COVERAGE

• Latest news
• Standings
• Schedule

NEW HAMPSHIRE-SPECIFIC STATISTICS

Clint Bowyer (No. 15 5-Hour Energy Toyota)

·         Two wins, four top fives, seven top 10s; one pole

·         Average finish of 14.500, 10th-best

·         Average Running Position of 12.335, eighth-best

·         Driver Rating of 95.0, eighth-best

·         245 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-best

·         Average Green Flag Speed of 124.934, seventh-fastest

·         3760 Laps in the Top 15 (69.9), eighth-most

·         498 Quality Passes, 10th-most

Kyle Busch (No. 18 Interstate Batteries Toyota)

·         One win, seven top fives, ten top 10s; two poles

·         Average finish of 14.050, ninth-best

·         Average Running Position of 13.375, 11th-best

·         Driver Rating of 94.7, ninth-best

·         232 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-best

·         Average Green Flag Speed of 124.801, 11th-fastest

·         3975 Laps in the Top 15 (66.5), 10th-most

·         532 Quality Passes, eighth-most

Kurt Busch (No. 41 Haas Automation Chevrolet)

·         Three wins, seven top fives, 11 top 10s

·         Average finish of 17.500, 12th-best

·         Average Running Position of 14.294, 13th-best

·         Driver Rating of 88.1, 13th-best

·         187 Fastest Laps Run, second-best

·         3529 Laps in the Top 15 (59.0), 13th-most

·         548 Quality Passes, sixth-most

Dale Earnhardt Jr (No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet)

·         Seven top fives, 14 top 10s

·         Average finish of 13.350, seventh-best

·         Average Running Position of 11.743, sixth-best

·         Driver Rating of 97.1, sixth-best

·         251 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-best

·         Average Green Flag Speed of 125.100, fifth-fastest

·         4435 Laps in the Top 15 (74.2), fourth-most

·         625 Quality Passes, third-most

Jeff Gordon (No. 24 AARP Member Advantages Chevrolet)

·         Three wins, 16 top fives, 22 top 10s; four poles

·         Average finish of 10.700, third-best

·         Average Running Position of 7.680, series-best

·         Driver Rating of 107.3, series-best

·         457 Fastest Laps Run, 11th-best

·         Average Green Flag Speed of 125.292, series-fastest

·         5266 Laps in the Top 15 (88.1), series-most

·         676 Quality Passes, series-most

Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Freight Toyota)

·         Two wins, seven top fives, 11 top 10s

·         Average finish of 10.500, second-best

·         Average Running Position of 11.406, fifth-best

·         Driver Rating of 103.2, third-best

·         320 Fastest Laps Run, 12th-best

·         Average Green Flag Speed of 125.064, sixth-fastest

·         3936 Laps in the Top 15 (73.2), fifth-most

·         570 Quality Passes, fourth-most

Kevin Harvick (No. 4 Jimmy John’s/ Budweiser Chevrolet)

·         One win, six top fives, 14 top 10s; one pole

·         Average finish of 13.750, eighth-best

·         Average Running Position of 12.288, seventh-best

·         Driver Rating of 93.1, 10th-best

·         219 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-best

·         Average Green Flag Speed of 124.890, ninth-fastest

·         4002 Laps in the Top 15 (66.9), ninth-most

·         465 Quality Passes, 11th-most

Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet)

·         Three wins, ten top fives, 18 top 10s

·         Average finish of 10.950, fifth-best

·         Average Running Position of 11.144, fourth-best

·         Driver Rating of 102.1, fourth-best

·         432 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-best

·         Average Green Flag Speed of 125.193, third-fastest

·         4758 Laps in the Top 15 (79.6), second-most

·         626 Quality Passes, second-most

Kasey Kahne (No. 5 Great Clips Chevrolet)

·         One win, three top fives, eight top 10s

·         Average finish of 18.050, 13th-best

·         Average Running Position of 14.160, 12th-best

·         Driver Rating of 91.3, 12th-best

·         340 Fastest Laps Run, series-best

·         Average Green Flag Speed of 124.891, eighth-fastest

·         3781 Laps in the Top 15 (63.2), 12th-most

·         534 Quality Passes, seventh-most

Brad Keselowski (No. 2 Miller Lite Ford)

·         One win, four top fives, seven top 10s; three poles

·         Average finish of 11.000, sixth-best

·         Average Running Position of 12.985, ninth-best

·         Driver Rating of 95.6, seventh-best

·         229 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-best

·         Average Green Flag Speed of 124.866, 10th-fastest

·         2147 Laps in the Top 15 (65.3), 11th-most

·         336 Quality Passes, 12th-most

Kyle Larson (No. 42 Target Chevrolet)

·         Two top fives, two top 10s

·         Average finish of 2.500, series-best

·         Average Running Position of 10.730, third-best

·         Driver Rating of 99.1, fifth-best

·         14 Fastest Laps Run, 13th-best

·         Average Green Flag Speed of 125.217, second-fastest

·         443 Laps in the Top 15 (72.9), sixth-most

·         51 Quality Passes, 13th-most

Ryan Newman (No. 31 Quicken Loans Chevrolet)

·         Three wins, seven top fives, 16 top 10s; seven poles

·         Average finish of 15.150, 11th-best

·         Average Running Position of 13.142, 10th-best

·         Driver Rating of 91.8, 11th-best

·         169 Fastest Laps Run, third-best

·         Average Green Flag Speed of 124.770, 12th-fastest

·         4342 Laps in the Top 15 (72.6), seventh-most

·         504 Quality Passes, ninth-most

Tony Stewart (No. 14 Mobil 1 Chevrolet)

·         Three wins, 14 top fives, 18 top 10s; one pole

·         Average finish of 10.947, fourth-best

·         Average Running Position of 10.290, second-best

·         Driver Rating of 106.9, second-best

·         412 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-best

·         Average Green Flag Speed of 125.104, fourth-fastest

·         4347 Laps in the Top 15 (76.6), third-most

·         557 Quality Passes, fifth-most

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 2015 Top 16 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway

 

Driver

Races

Poles

Wins

Top Fives

Top 10s

DNFs

Average Finish

Driver Rating

  
 

1

Kevin Harvick

28

1

1

6

14

0

13.9

93.1

  

2

Jimmie Johnson

26

0

3

10

18

1

10.3

102.1

  

3

Joey Logano

13

0

2

3

5

2

17.9

77.2

  

4

Dale Earnhardt Jr

31

0

0

7

14

4

15.3

97.1

  

5

Martin Truex Jr

18

0

0

3

6

1

14.4

86.3

  

6

Brad Keselowski

11

3

1

4

7

0

11

95.6

  

7

Jamie McMurray

24

0

0

4

6

3

20.5

70.4

  

8

Kurt Busch

28

0

3

7

11

1

16.1

88.1

  

9

Matt Kenseth

30

0

1

7

15

1

13.3

85.7

  

10

Jeff Gordon

40

4

3

16

22

2

11.4

107.3

  

11

Denny Hamlin

18

0

2

7

11

0

10.5

103.2

  

12

Kasey Kahne

22

0

1

3

8

3

17

91.3

  

13

Paul Menard

16

0

0

0

0

0

23.7

61.4

  

14

Ryan Newman

26

7

3

7

16

3

13.8

91.8

  

15

Clint Bowyer

18

1

2

4

7

1

14.5

95.0

  

16

Aric Almirola

9

0

0

1

2

0

19.6

64.8

  

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Data

Season Race #: 19 of 36 (07-19-15)

Track Size: 1.058-mile

Banking/Turn 1 & 2: 2 to 7 degrees

Banking/Turn 3 & 4: 2 to 7 degrees

Banking/Frontstretch: 1 degree

Banking/Backstretch: 1 degree

Frontstretch Length:  1,500 feet

Backstretch Length:  1,500 feet

Race Length: 301 laps / 318.46 miles

Top 10 Driver Rating at New Hampshire

Jeff Gordon………………………… 107.3

Tony Stewart……………………….. 106.9

Denny Hamlin………………………. 103.2

Jimmie Johnson…………………… 102.1

Kyle Larson.…………………………. 99.1

Dale Earnhardt Jr.………………….. 97.1

Brad Keselowski……………………. 95.6

Clint Bowyer…………………………. 95.0

Kyle Busch…………………………… 94.7

Kevin Harvick………………………… 93.1

Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2014 races (20 total) among active drivers at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Qualifying/Race Data

2014 pole winner:

Kyle Busch, Toyota

138.130 mph, 27.574 secs. 07-11-14

2014 race winner:

Brad Keselowski, Ford

108.741 mph, (02:58:03), 07-13-14

Track qualifying record:

Brad Keselowski, Ford

140.598 mph, 27.090 secs. 09-21-14

Track race record:

Jeff Burton, Ford

117.134 mph, (02:42:35), 07-13-97

 

New Hampshire Motor Speedway:

History

·       Groundbreaking for New Hampshire International Speedway, as New Hampshire Motor Speedway was originally named, was Aug. 13, 1989.

·       The 1.058-mile oval is located on approximately 1,200 acres; the multi-use complex is the largest sports facility in New England.

·        The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was on July 11, 1993 – won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Rusty Wallace.

·        Speedway Motorsports, Inc. agreed to purchase New Hampshire International Speedway from Bob and Gary Bahre on January 11, 2008 and then renamed the track New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Starts

·       There have been 40 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway; one per year from 1993 through 1996 and two per year since.

·         160 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup race at New Hampshire; 129 in more than one.

·         Jeff Gordon has competed in all 40 races at New Hampshire – the only driver to accomplish the feat.

·       Only one active championship contending NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver has made their first career start at New Hampshire Motor Speedway: Joey Logano (9/14/08).

·      Three drivers will attempt to make their series debuts at New Hampshire this weekend: Trevor Bayne, Matt DiBenedetto and Brett Moffitt.

·         Ryan Newman leads the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average starting position at New Hampshire with an 8.692.

 

Poles

·         Mark Martin won the inaugural Coors Light pole at New Hampshire in 1993 with a speed of 126.871 mph. 

·         18 drivers have Coors Light poles at New Hampshire, led by Ryan Newman with seven.

·     Four active drivers have multiple poles at New Hampshire: Ryan Newman (seven), Jeff Gordon (four), Brad Keselowski (three) and Kyle Busch (two).

·       Five drivers have won consecutive Coors Light poles at New Hampshire: Ken Schrader (1997 sweep); Jeff Gordon (1998-1999); Rusty Wallace (1999-2000); Ryan Newman (twice – 2003-2004 and 2011 sweep); Juan Pablo Montoya (2009-2010).

·         Youngest New Hampshire Coors Light pole winner: Brian Vickers (07/17/2005 – 21 years, 8 months, 23 days).

·         Oldest New Hampshire Coors Light pole winner: Bill Elliott (07/21/2002 – 46 years, 9 months, 13 days).

·         Brad Keselowski (9/19/10) is the only active driver to post his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light pole at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.       

 

Wins

·         24 different drivers have won at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, led by Jeff Burton with four.

·         Eight active drivers have multiple wins at NHMS: Kurt Busch, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Ryan Newman, Tony Stewart (each have three); Clint Bowyer, Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano (each have two)

·         Two drivers have posted consecutive wins at New Hampshire Motor Speedway: Jimmie Johnson (2003 sweep) and Kurt Busch (2004 sweep). 

·         Youngest New Hampshire winner: Joey Logano (06/28/2009 – 19 years, 1 month, 4 days).

·         Oldest New Hampshire winner: Mark Martin (09/20/2009 – 50 years, 8 months, 11 days).

·        Hendrick Motorsports leads the series in wins at New Hampshire in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with nine; followed by Roush Fenway Racing (seven), Team Penske (six), Joe Gibbs Racing (six) and Richard Childress Racing (four).

·       Five different manufacturers have won at New Hampshire; led by Chevrolet with 18 victories; followed by Ford (13), Toyota (four), Dodge (three) and Pontiac (two).

·         Jeff Burton is the only driver to win the July race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway three consecutive years in a row (1997, ’98 and ’99)

·         Five of the 40 (12.5%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at New Hampshire have been won from the Coors Light pole; the most recent was Ryan Newman in 2011.

·       The Coors Light pole is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more winners (five) than any other starting position at New Hampshire.    

·         Eight of the 40 (20%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at New Hampshire have been won from the front row: five from the pole and three from second-place.

·         22 of the 40 (55%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at New Hampshire have been won from a top-10 starting position.

·       Nine of the 40 (22.5%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at New Hampshire have been won from a starting position outside the top 20.

·         The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at New Hampshire is 38th, by Jeff Burton in 1999.

·         The deepest in the field that an active race winner has started at New Hampshire is 32nd, by Kurt Busch in the summer of 2003.

·      Dale Earnhardt Jr. leads the series among active drivers with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at New Hampshire without visiting Victory Lane at 31; followed by Jamie McMurray and Casey Mears (24 starts each).

·         Three active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers have posted their first career win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway: Ryan Newman (9/15/02), Clint Bowyer (9/16/07) and Joey Logano (6/28/09).

 

Additional Finishing Position Stats 

·         Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart are tied for the series lead in runner-up finishes at New Hampshire with five each. 

·       Jeff Gordon leads the series in top-five finishes at New Hampshire with 16; followed by Tony Stewart with 14 and Jimmie Johnson with 10.   

·       Jeff Gordon leads the series in top-10 finishes at New Hampshire with 22; followed by Tony Stewart and Jimmie Johnson with 18 each.

·         Jimmie Johnson leads NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average finishing position at New Hampshire with an 10.269.

·         All 14 active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race winners at New Hampshire Motor Speedway participated in at least one or more races before visiting Victory Lane. Ryan Newman and Joey Logano won at New Hampshire in their second appearance.     

Track Specific Stats

·         Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory (MOV) in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at New Hampshire Motor Speedway was the July 1, 2007 race won by Denny Hamlin over Jeff Gordon with a MOV of 0.068 second.

·         17 of the 33 (51.5%) NSCS races scored by electronic scoring at New Hampshire Motor Speedway have had a Margin of Victory less than a second.

·         Four of the 40 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races have resulted with a green-white-checkered finish at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (Scheduled No. of Laps/Actual No. of Laps): 2006 (300/308), 2013 (301/302), 2014 (301/302) and the Chase race 2014 (300/303).

·         Four of the 40 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at New Hampshire Motor Speedway have been shortened due to weather conditions; the most recent was June 28, 2009 – the race was called on Lap 273, 28 circuits shy of the 301 scheduled laps.   

·       Qualifying has been cancelled due to weather conditions in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at New Hampshire Motor Speedway five times: fall 2001, summer 2003, fall 2004, fall 2008 and summer 2009.  

·         Jeff Gordon leads the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in laps led at New Hampshire with 1,371 laps led in 40 starts. 

·         Jeff Gordon leads the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in laps completed at New Hampshire with 11,666 laps completed in 40 starts. 

Female Competitor Stats

·         Danica Patrick is the only female driver that has competed in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Date

Driver

Starting Position

Finishing Position

Driver Rating

9/21/2014

Danica Patrick

18

19

79.7

7/13/2014

Danica Patrick

29

22

60.9

9/22/2013

Danica Patrick

21

27

57.1

7/14/2013

Danica Patrick

32

37

47.7

Averages

25.0

26.3

61.35

 

NASCAR in New Hampshire

·         There have been 40 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races in New Hampshire, all at NHMS.

Track Name

City

NSCS

NNS

NCWTS

New Hampshire Motor Speedway

Loudon

40

28

17

 

·       15 drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as New Hampshire; Jamie Aube is the only one of the 15 to record a victory in NASCAR national series competition.  Aube won July 12, 1987 at Oxford Plains Speedway in Oxford, ME; it was his only start that season.

Milestones – New Hampshire Motor Speedway

DRIVER

HAS

NEEDS

MILESTONE

DESCRIPTION

  
 

Jeff Gordon

779

1

780th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Career Start

Gordon will attempt to tie Michael Waltrip (780) for ninth on the all-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career starts list. 

 

Michael McDowell

174

1

175th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Career Start

McDowell is 145th on the all-time NASCAR sprint Cup Series career starts list; two starts behind Walter Ballard in 144th (176)

  

Sam Hornish Jr.

149

1

150th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Career Start

Hornish is 160th on the all-time NASCAR sprint Cup Series career starts list; one start behind Cotton Owens in 159th (150)

  

Denny Hamlin

49

1

50th Consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Career Start

Hamlin is 26th on the active consecutive NSCS career starts list, two starts behind Landon Cassill (51) in 25th.

  

Jimmie Johnson

74

2

76th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Win

Jimmie Johnson is eighth on the all-time NSCS wins list, two wins behind NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt in seventh (76 wins).

 

Tony Stewart

48

2

50th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Win

Stewart is 13th on the all-time NSCS wins list, two wins behind NASCAR Hall of Famer Ned Jarrett in 12th (50 wins).

 

Carl Edwards

24

1

25th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Win

Edwards is 31st on the all-time NSCS wins list, one win behind Dale Earnhardt Jr., Joe Weatherly and Denny Hamlin tied for 28th (25 wins).

 

Jeff Gordon

24,826

174

25,000 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Laps Led

Gordon can become the sixth driver in NSCS history to lead 25,000 laps; joining Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, Cale Yarborough, David Pearson and Bobby Allison.

 

Matt Kenseth

9,598

402

10,000 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Laps Led

Kenseth can become the 16th driver in series history to lead 10,000 or more laps. 

 

Kevin Harvick

7,788

212

8,000 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Laps Led

Kevin Harvick can become the 24th driver in series history to lead 8,000 or more laps. 

 

#43 car

199

1

200 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Wins

The No. 43 car is second on the all-time NSCS wins list, five wins behind the No. 11 car in first (204). The last win for the No. 43 car came at Daytona last season.

 
Posted on by Pat DeCola
https://www.nascar.com/drivers/jimmie-johnson/
JimmieJohnson
Hendrick Motorsports
Johnson remains the only driver with more than two 2015 wins, but one thing is eminently clear: Kyle Busch is well on his way to making that not so for much longer.
The Rundown: How Johnson fared at Kentucky
That moment when you realize Harvick, who rolled off five straight top-two finishes to open the season, hasn’t won a Cup race since March.
Keelan hops in first set of wheels
https://www.nascar.com/drivers/brad-keselowski/
BradKeselowski
3
Team Penske
Almost like they were tiered off, after the Gibbs/Penske onslaught at the top, P7-10 all went to Hendrick-powered engines, with Busch in 10th. Is this a tell-tale sign of who has a handle of the Kentucky rules package or just a coincidence? You decide.
https://www.nascar.com/drivers/dale-earnhardt-jr/
DaleEarnhardt Jr.
-2
Hendrick Motorsports
The Rundown: How Busch fared at Kentucky
Team Penske appears to be fully back on their game after a slight downtick lately. Since the duo swept Loudon last year, the good times for Logano and Co. should keep rolling.
https://www.nascar.com/drivers/kyle-busch/
KyleBusch
5
Joe Gibbs Racing
The Rundown: How Logano fared at Kentucky
Team Penske was one of two teams that really seemed to have it all figured out at Kentucky (Joe Gibbs Racing the other) and Keselowski comes into New Hampshire as the defending race-winner. Expect the 2 car to be strong the rest of the way.
https://www.nascar.com/drivers/denny-hamlin/
DennyHamlin
1
Joe Gibbs Racing
The Rundown: How Keselowski fared at Kentucky
All feuding aside, Junior never had a chance to compete in the Kentucky race, with his brakes pretty much shot the entire night. He’s never won at Loudon, but does finish in the top 10 nearly 50 percent of the time.
Danica rips, bumps Junior after wreck
Truex has only finished outside of the top 10 four times this season. Once was at Bristol in April, and the other three have been the past three races at Sonoma, Daytona and Kentucky. Trouble for the 78 team?
Furniture Row seeks second team by 2017
Through just seven races, Busch has just as many wins as defending Sprint Cup Series champ Kevin Harvick. Oh, and he’s the defending July Loudon pole-winner.
Busch picks up second 2015 win at Kentucky
https://www.nascar.com/drivers/clint-bowyer/
ClintBowyer
-1
Stewart-Haas Racing
Kenseth’s bread and butter during his seven-win 2013 season were the 1.5-mile tracks, with four wins coming on them. Now that he appears to have regained the power needed to succeed on the intermediates, look out.
JGR scores rare feat in Kentucky
Hamlin finished third for back-to-back weeks and has looked as strong as ever, heading to a track where he has multiple wins.
The Rundown: How Hamlin fared at Kentucky
Posted on by Brad Norman

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.

FULL SERIES COVERAGE

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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.

Posted on by

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.

FULL SERIES COVERAGE

• Latest news
• Standings
• Schedule

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.

FULL SERIES COVERAGE

• Latest news
• Standings
• Schedule

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

• Latest news
• Standings
• Schedule

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."

Posted on by Staff Report

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). 

FULL SERIES COVERAGE

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.