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All remaining tests, except one, will focus on 2015 rules platform

RELATED: Busch’s return is hot topic at Dover test

NASCAR officials say they still intend to deliver the 2016 rules package to Sprint Cup Series teams as early as August of this year, however several upcoming tests will not include possible ’16 updates as part of the Goodyear tire tests.

In a bulletin released Tuesday, changes to this year’s National Series Master Unified Test Schedule indicate all remaining Goodyear tire tests, with the exception of the Oct. 27-29 session slated for Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, will continue to focus on the ’15 rules platform.

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Previous literature contained notations for testing of both the ’15 and ’16 packages in some instances, and the ’16 package only at others.

Sprint Cup teams just completed two-day Goodyear tire test at Dover International Speedway earlier this week, as well as an open team test.

The focus of the 2015 package, aimed at competition on intermediate-sized tracks, has been a reduction in horsepower and downforce. The use of tapered spacers in engines cut horsepower from approximately 850 to 725. A lower differential gear has also been implemented.

Downforce changes were achieved by trimming the rear spoiler from eight to six inches while the width of the radiator pan underneath the car was reduced by five inches.

The drop in horsepower has actually created higher corner speeds at some facilities, however, since drivers now spend more time on throttle in the turns.

The next scheduled test is set for June 9 (Goodyear tire test) and 10 (open team test) at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway.

Other schedule changes include the addition of a Goodyear tire test at Richmond (Va.) Raceway June 16 followed by an open team test June 17, while a two-day tire test scheduled for July 28-29 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway has been cancelled. An open team test at BMS, originally planned for July 30, will now be held on the 29th.

On Monday, Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer, said the August 1 delivery date for the ’16 rules package remains in play.

"We’re looking at everything from the current package that we have all the way through with a number of different options and certainly working with Goodyear," O’Donnell said. "We don’t want to change just for change’s sake. We want to make sure that we have the right package and continue to improve upon the racing each and every race, so those discussions with continue this weekend with a number of the competitors, and we’ve got to match it all … with Goodyear."

WATCH: Steve O’Donnell discusses Hamlin’s caution at Kansas

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Three wins and a title short of Dale Sr., Jimmie on verge of milestones

Jimmie Johnson could wind up at the end of the 2015 season with two very noteworthy accomplishments in the world of stock car racing.

Neither is a given. In fact, a year from now we could be sitting here in front of our keyboards — or mobile devices, if you choose — pondering the same situation.

Yet with each passing week, the Hendrick Motorsports driver seems to inch closer to a level few have attained in NASCAR.

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His latest victory, No. 73, came just this past weekend at Kansas Speedway.

Now eighth on NASCAR’s all-time win list, he’s long been ahead of NASCAR Hall of Famer Rusty Wallace, who checked in at No. 9 with 55 career wins when he checked out back in 2005.

Just ahead, perhaps a straightaway in racing terminology, is Dale Earnhardt. The Intimidator. One of the greatest — some say THE greatest — racers the world of NASCAR has ever known.

Only three wins separate the two.

Three wins. Johnson already has three wins this year and the season’s less than one-third complete.

Johnson, 39, said earlier this year that catching Earnhardt hasn’t been on his mind. That was after he won at Atlanta, if memory serves, and only two races into the season few teams know which direction their year will go.

The picture seems much clearer today.

All three of the No. 48 team’s wins this year have come on 1.5-mile tracks — Atlanta, Texas and now Kansas. If you’re going to be tough to beat on one particular type of track, the mile-and-a-halves are a good choice. The series’ 36-race schedule is littered with them.

Charlotte’s up next and in case you were wondering, it’s a mile-and-a-half as well. Seven of Johnson’s 73 wins have come at CMS, and he’s the defending champion of the track’s annual Coca-Cola 600, scheduled for a week from Sunday.

Teammate Jeff Gordon matched Earnhardt’s victory total nearly a decade ago and then went sailing on ahead. A four-time champion with 92 career wins, Gordon has passed NASCAR Hall of Famers Cale Yarborough, Darrell Waltrip and Bobby Allison in the years since. He’ll hang it up at year’s end and his final win total will be just that.

But success isn’t measured only in victories. Championships cement a driver’s status long after he’s gone.

It’s been that way for Richard Petty, the first to win seven titles, and for Earnhardt, the second.

Gordon notched four and seemed a sure bet to be the next, but then the Chase came along and while he’s been close (finishing second in ’07 and third in ’09), close doesn’t take home the trophy.

Johnson won two titles almost before folks knew he spelled his first name with an “ie.” All six of his championships have come under the Chase format (which debuted in ’04), and that’s a knock in some folks’ eyes.

It shouldn’t be. A driver and team have to be good enough through a 26-race stretch to qualify for the Chase, then better than anyone else in the final 10.

Everyone plays and through the course of the season the cream eventually rises to the top. More often than not, Johnson and the No. 48 group have done just that.

He could catch Earnhardt this year and not win the championship. He could win the championship and not catch Earnhardt.

He could do both or he could do neither.

But at the rate Johnson and his team are performing today, both are certainly possible.

Posted on by Fraser Nye

Since 2004, 81 percent of field has been in playoff position before May event

The NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race break provides a chance to look back at the first 11 years of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup era to see which drivers that made the Chase each year were in the field by this point and which dropped out. We’re nearly halfway through the 26-race regular season and a quarter of the way through the 2015 schedule.

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Before we break down each season at the break, let’s look back at Chase history. From 2004-2006, the top 10 drivers after the Richmond race made Chase.

The field expanded to 12 from 2007-2013, and from 2011-2013, two Wild Card entries rounded out the dozen playoff teams as the drivers with the most wins in the top 20 in points made the Chase. But in the final year of that format, a 13th driver was added by NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France

In 2014, 16 drivers made the Chase based on wins and top-30 points performances with the fielded rounded out by drivers up in the points without wins.

For comparison’s sake across different formats, we’ll look at which drivers were in the top 10 at the all-star break for the first three years of the Chase, the top 12 for the next seven and the top 16 last year.  

Here’s a year-by-year look:

2004 / 8 of 10: In the inaugural Chase, once and future champions Bobby Labonte (7th) and Kevin Harvick (8th) fell out of the Chase in favor of Mark Martin (12th) and Jeremy Mayfield (16th) as the other eight drivers after the 11th race of the season at Richmond would make the Chase. Winning has been important since the start of the Chase with Martin earning a victory two weeks after the all-star break, and Mayfield going to Victory Lane for the cutoff race at Richmond.

2005 / 6 of 10: In the biggest shakeup between the all-star break and the playoffs cutoff in the Chase era, four drivers would fail to make the postseason. Jeff Gordon (3rd), Elliott Sadler (4th), Kevin Harvick (8th) and Jamie McMurray (9th) would be replaced in the top 10 after Richmond in September by Rusty Wallace (12th), Carl Edwards (13th), Jeremy Mayfield (16th) and Matt Kenseth (21st). Mayfield and Kenseth won back-to-back August races at Michigan and Bristol to help propel them into the Chase.

2006 / 9 of 10: In the final year of the 10-driver Chase, reigning champion Tony Stewart would suffer the biggest fall in the Chase era. In second place in points after 11 races, Stewart would be the only driver in the top 10 at the all-star break to fail to make the playoffs. His Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, Denny Hamlin, would rise from 13th to reach the postseason. A Pocono summer sweep earned Hamlin his first Chase berth in his rookie season.

2007 / 11 of 12: In the first year that a dozen drivers would make the Chase, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was 12th after 11 races and would be the only top-12 driver at the all-star break to miss the Chase as his former Chance 2 Motorsports XFINITY driver, Martin Truex Jr., would make the Chase from 18th. Two weeks after the all-star break, Truex’s first career win at his home track at Dover helped him in his quest to make the playoffs.

2008 / 11 of 12: For the second consecutive year, the top 11 drivers after 11 races would make the Chase with 12th-place David Ragan replaced by Roush Fenway Racing teammate Matt Kenseth, who was 20th at the point of the season.

2009 / 9 of 12: Nine of the top-12 drivers after 11 races would find their way into the Chase with Jeff Burton (6th), Kyle Busch (7th) and Matt Kenseth (10th) dropping out and Juan Pablo Montoya (14th), Kasey Kahne (16th) and Brian Vickers (17th) climbing into the playoffs. Kahne’s wins at Sonoma in June and Atlanta at August and Vickers’ victory at Michigan in August helped the secure spots in the playoffs.

2010 / 10 of 12: The all-star break came after 12 races, and 10 of the top 12 drivers at the break would make the Chase, including the entire top 10. Mark Martin (11th) and Martin Truex Jr. (12th) relinquished their spots in the top dozen to Tony Stewart (14th) and Clint Bowyer (15th). Stewart’s Atlanta win the week before the Chase cutoff was part of his rally to make the playoffs.

2011 / 9 of 12: Three of the 12 drivers in the top 12 after 11 races would not make the Chase as Clint Bowyer (8th), Mark Martin (11th) and Greg Biffle (12th) would be replaced by Denny Hamlin (13th), Jeff Gordon (14th) and Brad Keselowski (24th). Hamlin (Michigan, June), Gordon (Pocono, June and Atlanta) and Keselowski (Kansas, June; Pocono, August; Bristol, August) won their way into the Chase.

2012 / 10 of 12: After 11 races, 10 drivers in the top 12 would make the Chase. Kyle Busch (9th) and Carl Edwards (10th) did not advance after the cut-off race at Richmond, and Hendrick Motorsports teammates Kasey Kahne (16th) and Jeff Gordon (24th) earned spots in the playoffs. Kahne had two wins (Charlotte, May and Loudon, July) and Gordon had a win (Pocono, August) after the all-star break and before the start of the Chase.

2013 / 10 of 13: Among the top-13 drivers at the all-star break after 11 races, three would not be Chase drivers as Brad Keselowski (7th), Aric Almirola (9th) and Paul Menard (11th) dropped out while Ryan Newman (17th), Kurt Busch (18th) and Joey Logano (19th) earned postseason berths. Newman’s Indianapolis win and Logano’s August Michigan victory keyed Chase comebacks for them.

2014 / 13 of 16: The Chase field expanded to 16 with a win-and-you’re-in format. After 11 races, 13 drivers that made the Chase were in the top 16. Brian Vickers (10th), Kyle Larson (13th) and Austin Dillon (14th) dropped out while AJ Allmendinger (17th) and Aric Almirola (21st) would win their way in at Watkins Glen and Daytona respectively. Kurt Busch had won at Martinsville but was clinging to a spot in the top 30 in 28th, the lowest points position for a driver at the all-star break who eventually made the playoffs.

Over the first 11 years of the playoffs, 80.9 percent of drivers who would go on to make the Chase were in playoff positions. In those 11 years, drivers who were out of the Chase at the all-star break and would make their way into it by the cutoff won 24 of 164 races (14.6 percent), and those drivers would win races in all but one of those years to propel them into the playoffs. No matter the format, the Chase has reinforced the importance of winning and rising to the occasion.

At this year’s all-star break, only half of the Chase field is set with eight drivers winning the first 11 races. Drivers have 15 races to get wins and make the top 30 in the driver points standings.

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We debate the format, location and much more

The NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race is a non-points event that has seen its format change a bit over the years, but a win carries some weight and plenty of financial gain — the winning driver gets $1 million.

But does the event need a bit of a shakeup? Does holding it at Charlotte Motor Speedway each year make sense? What enhancements or adjustments could be made? Or does nothing need to change?

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Join NASCAR.com’s RJ Kraft and George Winkler as they debate whether changes are needed.

Kraft: Let’s get this thing going. I’d like to see the eligibility opened up a bit and for fans to have more than one vote. In baseball, hockey and basketball, fans get to vote for the starting lineup, so let’s give them more say in this exhibition event. Let’s say they can vote on five spots since All-Star events are supposed to be geared more toward the fans.

Even more than that, let’s open the field up to drivers in all three series. Yes, they have to run in a Sprint Cup car, but wouldn’t it be awesome to see Chase Elliott or Darrell Wallace Jr. or Erik Jones or Matt Crafton have a shot to take on the best of the best and win the $1 million prize? I also like the idea of having the two other national series champions automatically eligible for the field. An All-Star event is about having the very best in the field, while also allowing fans to see who they want to see, so let’s make it a 30-car event.


Winkler: RJ, I like the idea of bringing more power to the people, and the way you have envisioned it allows for more fan participation without completely turning it into a popularity contest. But something I’d like to mention is about the lap segments. I’ve always felt that things just start to get warmed up racing-wise around Lap 20 or 25, and the way it’s set up now with the first four 25-lap segments, that’s when it’s time to stop. So I’d vote for fewer segments that last a bit longer to let some of the drama build. However, I love the final 10-lap segment as it is because it’s like an extended green-white-checkered finish where you don’t know what you’ll see happen next.

Kraft: Part of the reason, to me at least, that the All-Star Race does not have as much shine as it could is because it is held at the same track every year, and it’s a track that already holds two points events a year. If you want to keep drivers close to home, how about some of the local short tracks in North Carolina, or bring back a place like Rockingham to hold this special event? If you want to keep the event on a track that already has a Cup races, then how about a rotating mix of Martinsville, Darlington, Bristol and Charlotte? Those sites are close enough that drivers would get close to the full two weeks at home.

Another option: Since Kansas is currently the week before the All-Star Race, could holding the event at Iowa Speedway work, since the teams are already in the Midwest? People have been clamoring for Iowa to get a race in the top series, so maybe some short-track action in the All-Star event would be a perfect test to see if a points race should come to the track. 

Winkler: Those are all good ideas, RJ, especially Iowa since it’s a gem of a track, but here are some reasons for keeping the Sprint All-Star Race in Charlotte. First, Charlotte is now considered the hub for NASCAR and as such deserves to host an event like this. The Hall of Fame is in Charlotte. The majority of the team shops are in Charlotte. Heck, you and I work in Charlotte, RJ, as do many others for the company. But most importantly the majority of the drivers call Charlotte home.

The NASCAR schedule is challenging to say the least, and it has to be extremely difficult for the families of the participants. To be able to have two weeks where the teams are home is invaluable, and you can see it on the drivers’ faces at the track. They seem so happy to be able to recharge, refresh and sleep in their own beds for a change. And since NASCAR has always prided itself on being a family-oriented sport based around its star drivers, it makes perfect sense to have the Sprint All-Star Race and the Coca-Cola 600 on back-to-back weeks in the Queen City.   

Kraft: That’s a good point George. One addition to add a little more fanfare for the event would be something similar the MLB’s Futures Game or the NBA’s Rising Stars Game. Perhaps a 50- or 75-lap shootout event with some of the young drivers in the national series or perhaps the field is comprised of current NASCAR Next and Drive For Diversity drivers and some alumni of the programs. That would be a nice way to get those programs more exposure.

Winkler: I’ll take it one step further and ask: How about we add a celebrity race? Or what about a burnout contest judged by Blake Shelton and Shaquille O’ Neal? Who wouldn’t want to see that? But I think what everyone wants to see come back is the pit crew challenge. The precision and power that those guys show on a regular basis is amazing, and they certainly deserve to have their time in the spotlight. And to see all of these things in the same place, on the same night would make the event even more appealing than it already is.

Kraft: Yes, pit crews are the unsung heroes and are often one of the biggest reasons for a driver being in position to win a race. It would be great to see them showcase their skills on this stage.

Winkler: In closing, and this goes to all the mamas and papas out there, let’s start the race earlier. The thing I always hear people say about the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race is that it’s a great family event, particularly for the young kids because it gives them a taste of what the sport is all about without there being a big investment of time. So why not start the race earlier so it doesn’t go past the kids’ bedtimes? I’ve got to tell you, if you keep mama happy, then everyone’s happy — because mamas usually hold those purse strings. Know what I’m saying, RJ?

Kraft: Speaking from personal experience, George? Nevertheless, that was well said by a family man himself.

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Driver granted waiver from having to compete in all championship events

RELATED: Can Busch make up points deficit?

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 13, 2015) – NASCAR announced today that Kyle Busch will remain eligible to compete for the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship. Busch will qualify for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup by meeting all requirements of eligibility excluding Rule 17.6.2.1.a, which requires a driver to start all Championship Events of the current season.

NASCAR made the decision after the driver of the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota received the appropriate medical clearance documentation to immediately return to NASCAR racing. To qualify for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Busch will need to be within the top 30 of the Championship point standings after race No. 26, and meet all other stated requirements within the NASCAR Rule Book.

"On behalf of everyone at NASCAR, it’s great to have Kyle Busch back racing," said Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer. "Our decision to grant Kyle a waiver that allows him to continue running for a championship is one we discussed extensively. The spirit of the rule never was designed to punish drivers who are unable to compete due to extenuating circumstances such as recovering from a racing accident.

"We wish Kyle the best of luck in the balance of the season, and look forward to his return to the car this week for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway."

Posted on by Staff Report

Eligibility expanded, race increased 20 laps from 2014

RELATED: More facts about Saturday night’s race

This year’s NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race (Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET, FOX Sports 1, MRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) will feature four 25-lap segments, then a 10-lap shootout to the checkered flag that will crown the $1 million winner.

All laps will be counted during Segments 1, 2 and 3, and teams have the option to pit during breaks. All laps will also be counted during Segment 4. If there’s a tie among drivers when calculating the average finish of all four segments, the finish in the fourth segment serves as tiebreaker. A driver’s average finish following the first four segments will determine the order onto pit road for a mandatory four-tire pit stop before the final 10-lap run.

In the 10-lap shootout, only green flag laps will count.

WHO HAS QUALIFIED FOR THE ALL-STAR RACE?

Drivers who won points races in either 2014 or 2015, as well as previous NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race winners and former Sprint Cup Series champions who had a full-time ride in 2014.

SO THOSE LOCKED INTO THE ALL-STAR RACE ARE … ?

Driver Eligibility
AJ Allmendinger Win at Watkins Glen (2014)
Aric Almirola Win at Daytona (2014)
Greg Biffle Win in Sprint Showdown (2015)
Clint Bowyer Win in Sprint Showdown (2015)
Kurt Busch 2 wins since 2014
Kyle Busch Win at Auto Club (2014)
Dale Earnhardt Jr. 5 wins since 2014
Carl Edwards 2 wins since 2014
Jeff Gordon 4 wins since 2014
Denny Hamlin 2 wins since 2014
Kevin Harvick 7 wins since 2014
Jimmie Johnson 7 wins since 2014
Kasey Kahne Win at Atlanta (2014)
Matt Kenseth Win at Bristol (2015)
Brad Keselowski 7 wins since 2014
Joey Logano 6 wins since 2014
Jamie McMurray Win in NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race (2014)
Ryan Newman Win in NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race (2002)
Tony Stewart Win in NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race (2009)


IS THERE ANOTHER WAY TO MAKE SATURDAY’S RACE?

The Sprint Showdown (Friday, 7 p.m. ET, FOX Sports 1, MRN Radio, Sirius XM NASCAR Radio) precedes the All-Star Race, and is for drivers who did not meet the All-Star Race criteria.

The Sprint Showdown consists of two 20-lap segments. The winner of each segment transfers over into Saturday’s main event.

UPDATE: Biffle, Bowyer transfer to Sprint All-Star Race

WILL ANYONE ELSE MAKE THE ALL-STAR RACE?

Yes. The winner of the Sprint Fan Vote, which will be announced after the Sprint Showdown. That gives us a field of 20.

UPDATE: Patrick wins fan vote for second time in three years

Posted on by Staff Report

Front Row Motorsports will keep driver in Cup ride for 2015

Brett Moffitt has a place to call home for the rest of the 2015 season, and that’s Front Row Motorsports behind the wheel of the No. 34 Ford Fusion in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

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Moffitt, 22, has spent the season as a fill-in for Front Row Motorsports and Michael Waltrip Racing after injuries to Kyle Busch and a medical relapse for Brian Vickers created a domino effect of drivers switching seats.

"I am excited for the opportunity to be in a Sprint Cup car on a weekly basis," Moffitt said in a team press release Wednesday. "The most important thing for me at this point of my career is seat time, going to some of these tracks that are new to me, and racing around 42 other drivers in race conditions."

In nine Sprint Cup starts this season, Moffitt’s best finish was eighth place at Atlanta Motor Speedway when he was driving the No. 55 for MWR in place of Vickers. Moffitt also had a top-20 finish (17th) at Bristol driving the No. 55. Moffitt has 16 career premier-series starts with the one top-10 finish.

Moffitt took over the No. 34 last weekend at Kansas Speedway after it was announced David Ragan would drive the No. 55 for MWR for the rest of the season. Meanwhile, Erik Jones drove the No. 18 for Joe Gibbs Racing at Kansas, a car that was previously driven by Ragan as a fill-in for the injured Busch, who is set to return Saturday for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race (7 p.m. ET, FOX Sports 1, MRN, SiriusXM).

In addition to Moffitt (three starts), Chris Buescher (five starts), Ragan, Joe Nemechek and Reed Sorenson (one race each) have all driven the No. 34 this year.

"We’re glad to be able to move forward knowing who is going to be in the car on a consistent basis," team owner Bob Jenkins said. "Brett’s already got some great experience under his belt, and I think having the same driver-crew chief team working together regularly will bring some stability to our No. 34 team and help Brett with his development as well."

Posted on by Staff Report

ParkerStore to also serve as associate sponsor on No. 42 Chevrolet

Kyle Larson has picked up a familar sponsor for two NASCAR XFINITY Series races later this year.

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HScott Motorsports with Chip Ganassi announced on Wednesday that ParkerStore will be the primary sponsor when Larson is behind the wheel of the No. 42 Chevrolet Camaro in June at Michigan International Speedway and in November at Texas Motor Speedway. The company will also serve as an associate sponsor.

ParkerStore’s history with Larson goes back to when he raced outlaw karts in California. The two teamed up at the end of the 2014 season when Larson ran in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, where he finished second.

"I am really excited to continue with ParkerStore," Larson said in a statement provided by the team. "To be able to team up again with a sponsor from my early racing days is really cool. I know we’ll continue to make a great team. I’m really looking forward to their first XFINITY race in Michigan and working with them both on and off the track.

Late Wednesday morning, Larson tweeted out this message about reteaming with ParkerStore.

Larson has started three of the nine XFINITY Series races this year with top-10 finishes in all three of his efforts.

Posted on by Staff Report

JGR driver would need win, top-30 points position to make playoffs

BUY: Rowdy Returns T-Shirt | RELATED: Read full NASCAR statement

Kyle Busch will be eligible to make the 2015 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup if he wins a race and cracks the top 30 in the driver points standings. On Wednesday, NASCAR granted a waiver to the Joe Gibbs Racing driver who will return to racing in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race (Saturday, 9 p.m. ET, FOX Sports 1, MRN, SiriusXM).

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Under the guidelines of the current Chase format, drivers and car owners must start all points events of the current season to be eligible for the Chase, unless otherwise authorized by NASCAR.

Despite missing the season’s first 11 races, NASCAR has waived the Chase requirement for Busch. Should he win one of the remaining 15 regular-season points races and make the top 30 in points or earn a spot based on his position in the points standings, he would be one of the 16 drivers in this year’s Chase field.
 
Similar situations have come up before — three other drivers have been granted waivers since NASCAR retooled the Chase format before the start of the 2014 season.
 
Tony Stewart, out for three races last summer after his involvement in an on-track fatality in a non-NASCAR sanctioned event, was given the all clear to pursue a Chase spot upon his return. Stewart was unable to qualify for the 10-race program.
 
Before the start of the 2015 season, NASCAR announced driver Brian Vickers would be eligible for a Chase spot after missing this season’s first two races due to health issues.

Kurt Busch was suspended for the first three races of the season as a result of domestic violence allegations made by former girlfriend Patricia Driscoll. A Kent County (Delaware) family judge granted Driscoll a protective order, however the State Attorney General declined to file charges against the driver. Busch was reinstated and granted a Chase waiver. Last month, he won at Richmond and is currently in the provisional playoff field with the victory and a 14th-place points position.

Last year, Denny Hamlin missed one race (at Auto Club Speedway), won one race (at Talladega Superspeedway) and was awarded one of the 16 Chase starting positions, and this year, Kyle Larson missed a race in March at Martinsville Speedway, but both drivers took part in Coors Light Pole Qualifying to remain Chase-eligible.

The largest amount of points a driver can gain in a Sprint Cup event is 48. Tony Stewart, the driver currently in 30th place in the standings, has 179 points through 11 races — an average of 16.27 points earned per race. If that pace continues, the 30th-place driver would have 423 points at the end of the regular season.
 
To reach that level, Busch would have to average 28.2 points per race — just better than 16th place, without bonus points for leading a lap — for the remaining 15 regular-season races. A max-points victory during that span would mean Busch would only have to finish 17th or better in the other 14 events.

In all but his rookie season and last season, Busch has averaged a 15.5-place finish, and he has made the Chase in seven of his 10 full-time seasons.

NASCAR.com’s Zack Albert and Kenny Bruce contributed to this story.

Posted on by Nascar

Drivers support decision to make Busch Chase eligible

BUY: Rowdy Returns T-Shirt | RELATED: NASCAR grants Busch a Chase waiver

NASCAR competitors testing at Dover International Speedway on Wednesday said they have no qualms with NASCAR granting fellow Kyle Busch a waiver that keeps his Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup eligibility intact.

"We don’t have sick days in our sport," six-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson said during a lunch break at the 1-mile track. "If you get injured in our industry, the repercussions are so big.

"Even though he is granted a waiver, you just look at what the team has been through – a couple of different drivers trying to develop the equipment and get it going, missed opportunities to win races. It’s a huge penalty to have an injury. If you can come back and win a race, you deserve to be in the Chase."

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Busch, driver of the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 18 Toyota, missed the first 11 points races after breaking his right leg and fracturing his left foot in a crash in the season-opening XFINITY Series race at Daytona International Speedway.

On Wednesday, NASCAR announced its decision to allow Busch to remain eligible, as long as he is in the top 30 in championship driver points standings following the season’s 26th race.

Busch announced on Tuesday that he would be back in the Sprint Cup car this weekend for Saturday’s Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway (7 p.m. ET, FOX Sports 1, PRN, Sirius XM NASCAR).

MORE: Busch says All-Star event is ‘perfect’ for return

Under the rules, to be eligible for the Chase drivers must attempt to complete in the 26 points races leading up to the Chase. The 16-team field is comprised of the season’s winners and, if fewer than 16 drivers win at least one race, those highest in the points standings following the cutoff race.

Daytona 500 winner Joey Logano (Team Penske) said, "It’s not like he chose to skip races … that’s the difference.

"They don’t want to see someone win a race and say ‘alright, I’m good, I’m going to take four or five weeks off and enjoy it and not drive a race car.’ …

"Kyle is getting back in the car as soon as he possibly can to try to make the Chase. I think letting him do it is fine … that’s the way it should be. It’s not his fault he got hurt in the first place."

The possibility that Busch wins one of the remaining 15 "regular-season" races isn’t far-fetched. He has 29 career victories and has won one or more races for 10 consecutive seasons.

Climbing his way into the top 30 in points is another matter. Busch would likely need an average finish of at least 16th or to find himself in the top 30 after 26 races.

"I don’t know what he has to do to get in the top 30," Logano said. "… I think it’s well deserved; he’s worked hard to get back in the race car and if we race him for a championship at the end of the year, great. I’m not going to say it he shouldn’t have won it or something like that.

"Those are the rules that we’ve got … with the Chase, that you’re able to recover if something like that happens."

David Ragan, who filled in for Busch in nine races, said the NASCAR announcement simply provided Busch an avenue to attempt to qualify. The rest will be up to the driver and the team, led by crew chief Adam Stevens.

Ragan took over the reins of the car after Daytona (two-time Camping World Truck Series champion Matt Crafton stepped in at DIS) while 18-year-old Erik Jones made his Sprint Cup debut last weekend at Kansas with the team.

"He’s just eligible, obviously," Ragan said of Busch. "He’s still got to have a great season to make the Chase. He’s got to win a race, which isn’t easy to do, there are still a lot of good guys that haven’t won a race in quite some time; he’s got to score some pretty good points to get in the top 30.

"I think NASCAR made the right call and Kyle should be happy with that; if he can meet that criteria and make the Chase, he deserves to be in.

"If he can score those kind of points, be in the top 30 and win a race, (that’s) a chase team and (he’s) a Chase driver."

• Johnson, Logano and Ragan were among 12 drivers taking part in the open test at Dover. Also on hand were Jamie McMurray (Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates), Austin Dillon (Richard Childress Racing), Danica Patrick (Stewart-Haas Racing), Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing), Casey Mears (Germain Racing), Greg Biffle (Roush Fenway Racing), Jeb Burton (BK Racing), Aric Almirola (Richard Petty Motorsports) and AJ Allmendinger (JTG Daugherty Racing).

Logano, Hamlin, Patrick and Allmendinger took part in a two-day Goodyear tire test at Dover prior to Wednesday’s team test.

• Johnson said while Dover and Charlotte appear vastly different, there are things his Hendrick Motorsports team could pick up during the Wednesday test that might be beneficial at CMS.

"We might not be able to learn and have the speed on the track today, but we’ll go home with some ideas … some things that didn’t work or did work and let our group at home stew on it," he said.

"It’ll help actually this weekend leading into Charlotte. Charlotte and Dover, oddly enough, do have very common sensations and loads and things through the race car. So this test … comes at a good time for us and we should be able to apply things to Charlotte."