See how the postseason picture looks after the third race of the season
Facebook posts detail change in Premium Motorsports Sprint Cup ride
Play: NASCAR Fantasy Live
Mike Wallace announced Saturday that he is looking for a ride after failing to make a second consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race for Premium Motorsports. On Sunday, Vision Racing said Tanner Berryhill will attempt to make his Sprint Cup debut next week at Phoenix International Raceway in the No. 66 ride that Wallace has vacated.
"Looking for additional racing (driving) opportunities Cup, Xfinity, Trucks," Wallace wrote on his Facebook page. "The 66 NASCAR Sprint Cup series car I was driving for Premium Motorsports has decided not to field the car at every race starting with not going to Phoenix next week and no additional race schedule at this time.
"I enjoyed qualifying 16th and making the Daytona 500 with the team."
Wallace finished 36th in the season-opening race. In six races with the team at the end of 2014, his best finish was 26th at Martinsville Speedway.
Premium Motorsports also fields the No. 62 Chevrolet SS for Brendan Gaughan, who finished 28th in his debut for the team last week at Atlanta Motor Speedway. He’ll start 43rd on owner points in his hometown at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Sunday (3:30 p.m. ET, FOX). Brian Scott failed to make the Daytona 500 in the ride.
Wallace, who will turn 56 years old on Tuesday, has three top-five finishes in 197 Sprint Cup starts. In the XFINITY Series, he has four wins in 494 starts and five wins in 115 starts in the Camping World Truck Series. One of only 22 drivers in NASCAR history with 800 or more national series starts, Wallace ranks 22nd on the all-time list.
The Vision Racing Team Facebook page posted congratulations to Berryhill for getting in the No. 66 car next weekend at Phoenix (March 15, 3:30 p.m. ET, FOX).
The 21-year-old Berryhill has 40 XFINITY Series starts from 2012-2014 with a career-best 17th-place finish last August at Mid-Ohio.
MORE:
|
NASCAR news |
PLAY: Sign up
|
WATCH: Latest
|
FOLLOW LIVE: Get
|
|---|
Get the on-track times for everything at Phoenix International Raceway
Play: NASCAR Fantasy Live
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR XFINITY Series heads to Phoenix International Raceway for a doubleheader of NASCAR action, while the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series remains off. Check out the full schedule below.
All times are ET
SUNDAY, MARCH 15:
RACE-DAY SCHEDULE
1:30 p.m.: NSCS Driver/Crew Chief Meeting
2:54 p.m.: Official Welcome by: PIR President; Bryan Sperber
2:55 p.m.: Intro Honorary Race Official: Doug Ducey, Honorable Governor, U.S. State of Arizona
2:56 p.m.: Intro Honorary Race Official: Brigadier General Scott Pleus, Commander of 56th Fighter Wing, Luke AFB
2:56:30 p.m.: Intro Honorary Race Official: Jared Valdheer, Offensive Tackle, Arizona Cardinals
2:57 p.m.: Intro Honorary Race Official: Ruben Pardo, Winner of Toyota 120, NASCAR Mexico Series Race
2:57:30 p.m.: Intro Honorary Pace Car Driver: Dan Henderson, Two-time US Olympian, Current UFC Mixed Martial Artist
2:58:30 p.m.: Intro Grand Marshal: Brad Woods, Camping World National Training Director
2:59 p.m.: Intro Honorary Starter: Mike Turner, Parts & Accessory Manager, Camping World of Avondale
2:59:30 p.m.: Intro Miss Sprint Cup: Julianna White
3:00 p.m.: NSCS Drivers Introductions
3:30 p.m.: Intro Presentation of Colors by: Luke Air Force Base
3:30:20 p.m.: Invocation by: PIR Chaplain; Ken Bowers
3:30:45 p.m.: Intro National Anthem
3:31 p.m.: National Anthem: Tori Kelly
3:32 p.m.: Flyover TOT: Commemorative Air Force (B-25 and SNJ)
3:38 p.m.: "Drivers, Start Your Engines" by: Brad Woods, Camping World National Training Director
3:45 p.m.: Green Flag — CampingWorld.com 500 (312 Laps, 312 Miles) (Get results)
ON TRACK
— 3:30 p.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series CampingWorld.com 500, FOX (312 laps, 312 miles) (Follow live)
PRESS CONFERENCES (Watch live)
— 12:30 p.m.: Martin Truex Jr. and Joe Garone, GM, Furniture Row Racing
— Approx. 6:15 p.m.: Post-NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race
FRIDAY, MARCH 13:
ON TRACK
— 3-4:15 p.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice, FOX Sports 1 (Get results)
— 4:30-5:25 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series practice, FOX Sports 1 (Get results)
— 6-7:25 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series final practice, FOX Sports 2 (Get results)
— 7:50 p.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying, FOX Sports 2 (Full lineup)
— 10 p.m.: NASCAR Mexico Series Toyota 120, NBC Universo (Get results)
PRESS CONFERENCES (Watch live)
— 2 p.m.: Kevin Harvick
— 2:30 p.m.: Chase Elliott
— 4:45 p.m.: Denny Hamlin
— Approx. 8:45 p.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series qualifying
GARAGECAM (Watch live)
— 2:30 p.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
— 4 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series
SATURDAY, MARCH 14:
ON TRACK
— 11:30 a.m.-12:25 p.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice, FOX Sports 1 (Get results)
— 12:45 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying, FOX Sports 1 (Full lineup)
— 2:30-3:20 p.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series final practice, FOX Sports 1 (Get results)
— 4 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series Axalta Faster. Tougher. Brighter. 200, FOX (200 laps, 200 miles) (Get results)
PRESS CONFERENCES (Watch live)
— 11 a.m.: Sam Hornish Jr.
— 1:45 p.m.: AXALTA Chairman and CEO Charlie Shaver and President Mike Cash
— Approx. 5:45 p.m.: Post-NASCAR XFINITY Series race
MORE:
|
NASCAR news |
PLAY: Sign up
|
WATCH: Latest
|
FOLLOW LIVE: Get
|
|---|
Get full lineup of NASCAR programming for the week
RELATED: See the full weekend schedule
All times ET
Monday, March 9
10 a.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Kobalt 400 (re-air), FOX Sports 1
5 p.m., NASCAR America Live, NBC Sports Network
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FOX Sports 2
Tuesday, March 10
2 a.m., NASCAR America: Celebrate the States 1 (re-air), NBC Sports Network
2:30 a.m., NASCAR America: Celebrate the States 2 (re-air), NBC Sports Network
5 a.m., NASCAR Race Hub (re-air), FOX Sports 1
10 a.m., NASCAR XFINITY Series Boyd Gaming 300 (re-air), FOX Sports 1
5 p.m., NASCAR America Live, NBC Sports Network
Wednesday, March 11
4:30 p.m., The List: Iconic Cars (re-air), NBC Sports Network
5 p.m., NASCAR America Live, NBC Sports Network
Thursday, March 12
2 a.m., NASCAR America: Celebrate the States 3 (re-air), NBC Sports Network
2:30 a.m., NASCAR America: Celebrate the States 4 (re-air), NBC Sports Network
5 p.m., NASCAR America Live, NBC Sports Network
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FOX Sports 1
7 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub (re-air), FOX Sports 2
Friday, March 13
3 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice, FOX Sports 1
4:30 p.m., NASCAR XFINITY Series practice, FOX Sports 1
6 p.m., NASCAR XFINITY Series final practice, FOX Sports 2
7:30 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying, FOX Sports 2
10 p.m., NASCAR Mexico Series Toyota 120 at Phoenix International Raceway, NBC Universo
Saturday, March 14
10 a.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying (re-air), FOX Sports 1
11:30 a.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice, FOX Sports 1
12:30 p.m., NASCAR XFINITY Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying, FOX Sports 1
2 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub: Weekend Edition, FOX Sports 1
2:30 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series final practice, FOX Sports 1
3:30 p.m., NASCAR Race Day: XFINITY Series, FOX
4 p.m., NASCAR XFINITY Series Axalta Faster. Tougher. Brighter. 200, FOX
Sunday, March 15
11 a.m., I Am Dale Earnhardt (re-air), SPIKE
Noon, NASCAR Race Day, FOX Sports 1
3 p.m., NASCAR Race Day: Phoenix, FOX
3:30 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series CampingWorld.com 500, FOX
11 p.m., NASCAR Victory Lane, FOX Sports 1
MORE:
|
NASCAR news |
PLAY: Sign up
|
WATCH: Latest
|
FOLLOW LIVE: Get
|
|---|
Drivers’ cars come together late in Las Vegas race
Play: NASCAR Fantasy Live
Related: Full Kobalt 400 results
LAS VEGAS — Carl Edwards apologized publicly and then again in a more intimate setting to Kasey Kahne, but the Hendrick Motorsports driver was still smarting after a shot into the wall ruined both his fast car and his good day at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Kahne’s No. 5 Chevrolet was a constant force in the top five Sunday in the Kobalt 400, and that’s where it was on Lap 195 attempting to make a pass on the outside when Edwards drove him into the wall.
As Kahne bounced off the barrier, he maintained his line, caught back up to Edwards and sent the No. 19 spinning — and eventually into the garage — with a subtle, meticulous shot.
"It’s completely my fault," Edwards said from inside his car, in the garage, while his crew repaired damage. "Kasey did a good job. I just got sucked up into him there. That’s definitely my fault and I feel bad for Kasey."
Edwards followed those remarks with a post-race discussion on pit road, strolling over to the No. 5 car as Kahne and crew chief Keith Rodden debriefed.
The conversation was short and direct, with Edwards again apologizing to a curt Kahne, who was fast all weekend but settled for 17th on Sunday.
"Carl just came down and apologized," Kahne said after Edwards went on his way. "He said he hadn’t done that before to anyone. We basically needed just about a full car length more there in order to make it, and he just never lifted and put us right into the wall. It ruined his day as well."
Edwards was all too aware of the implications to his own car — and finish — as well. That much was clear when his No. 19 Toyota Camry, which had run in the top 10 all day prior to the wreck, was scored 42nd when the checkered flag dropped.
"It’s not just frustrating — it’s pretty stupid," Edwards said. "I just should have been a little calmer, but it’s kind of fun racing up front like that and it got me going. … I was being too aggressive on that restart. I started to slide up and I should have backed out of it way earlier."
For Kahne, it was a missed opportunity. His cars have been swift in all three races this year, but his third-place starting spot Sunday gave him the ability to chase leaders Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano and Jimmie Johnson all day prior to the damage.
"We had a second-place car the first 30 laps of a run and a winning car the last 15-20 laps of a run," Kahne said. "The way it went down, I feel like we would have been able to race (winner Kevin) Harvick. He was unreal throughout the entire race, but I think our car was unreal, too."
MORE:
|
NASCAR news |
PLAY: Sign up
|
WATCH: Latest
|
FOLLOW LIVE: Get
|
|---|
Multiple-time series champions battle flat tires, wrecked race cars
Play: NASCAR Fantasy Live
Related: Full Kobalt 400 results
LAS VEGAS — Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon must be thrilled to get out of Sin City.
Armed with two of the fastest cars on the track throughout the weekend, both multiple-time premier series champions couldn’t shake off a spate of unfortunate events that seemed to magnify as race day deepened.
Johnson had to pit from second place with a vibration, then blew a tire just when he had climbed his way back through the field. Then he blew another one for good measure.
Gordon’s misfortune actually began late Saturday with less than a minute remaining in final practice, when he rammed the No. 10 Chevrolet following a spin from Danica Patrick, and it caused enough to damage to his No. 24 Chevrolet that it necessitated a backup car.
So the Coors Light Pole Award winner started from the rear, sprinted his way into the top 10, and then mussed up his car’s nose by running into Jeb Burton … the direct result of Burton trying to get away from Johnson’s wrecking No. 48.
"I guess Jimmie blew a right front tire," said Gordon, who patted Burton’s head on pit road after the race as the two had a brief talk. "I was right behind Jeb (Burton) getting ready to make a move on him. I wasn’t sure if I was going to go inside or outside, but all of a sudden he started checking up and I thought he was doing it to let me go by him and I didn’t realize until right at that moment when my spotter said something to me that Jimmie was having a problem. And I ran into the back of him. It ruined our day and certainly ruined the front end."
The 43-year-old wound up 18th, as he nursed his battered, tape-covered Chevrolet around the 1.5-mile Las Vegas Motor Speedway oval over the final 80 laps.
Johnson’s bad vibes didn’t start Saturday as Gordon’s did, but they came over a brutal hour-long stretch Sunday.
The No. 48 Chevrolet was out front for 45 laps and seemed to have a car with the ability to challenge eventual race winner Kevin Harvick, who led 142 of 267 laps. In fact, "Six-Time" was leading on Lap 91 when he slowed considerably after feeling a vibration.
He came down pit road for tires and was scored 35th (and one lap down) when he returned to the track. Johnson worked his way back to being one spot behind Clint Bowyer, and then Brad Keselowski, for the beneficiary position.
A tire blew on Lap 173, though, which eliminated any hope of Johnson getting back on the lead lap. Twelve laps later, another tire went down — and his No. 48 Chevrolet again caromed into the wall as a result.
"The first one, they said the bead blew on it," Johnson said. " That’s kind of a freak deal. The second one, it went soft. So there could have been some damage that caused it or some rub or something like that, and it went soft going into Turn 3 and I hit the wall, unfortunately. I’m disappointed. We certainly had an awesome race car."
The poor result is less of a worry for Johnson than it is for Gordon. With one win in pocket already, the No. 48 team has virtually clinched a spot in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.
It might be a little more concerning for Gordon, who actually jumped six spots in the standings — up to 30th — following his 26-point day.
"It was a great effort," Gordon said. "I just can’t believe the way these days are going."
MORE:
|
NASCAR news |
PLAY: Sign up
|
WATCH: Latest
|
FOLLOW LIVE: Get
|
|---|
Driver leads 142 laps to win first race of season
Play: NASCAR Fantasy Live
Related: Full results
LAS VEGAS — Kevin Harvick must have been tired of finishing second, because on Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion did something about it.
Once Harvick got to the front of the field from his 18th-place starting spot in the Kobalt 400, he was untouchable.
FULL SERIES COVERAGE
• Latest news
• Standings
• Schedule
All-time consecutive top-two finishes
| Streak | Driver | Year |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Richard Petty | 1975 |
| 10 | Richard Petty | 1971 |
| 10 | Richard Petty | 1967 |
| 9 | Richard Petty | 1964 |
| 8 | David Pearson | 1968 |
| 7 | Richard Petty | 1967 |
| 6 | Kevin Harvick | 2014-15 |
| 6 | Jeff Gordon | 1996 |
| 6* | Darrell Waltrip | 1981 |
| 6 | Richard Petty | 1971 |
| 6 | Richard Petty | 1967 |
| 6 | Tim Flock | 1952 |
*Two streaks of 6 in 1981
Even with a disquieting vibration on the final green-flag run — and a left-rear tire that shredded during his celebratory burnout — Harvick had enough of a working margin to hold off runner-up Martin Truex Jr. by 1.640 seconds.
Harvick, who ran second in the season-opening Daytona 500 and in last week’s 500-miler at Atlanta, led a race-high 142 laps in winning for the first time in Las Vegas and for the 29th time in his career. In his last six races, dating back to last year’s championship season, Harvick has three victories and three second-place finishes.
Ryan Newman came home third, followed by Dale Earnhardt Jr., Denny Hamlin and AJ Allmendinger. Brad Keselowski, last year’s Las Vegas race winner, rallied from a pass-through penalty for a runaway tire on pit road to finish seventh. Kyle Larson, Matt Kenseth and Joey Logano completed the top 10.
Harvick will try to extend his string of top-two finishes next weekend at Phoenix International Raceway, where the driver of the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet has won four of the last five NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
"It’s so cool to win here in Las Vegas, and to start this West Coast swing off this way is pretty awesome," Harvick said in Victory Lane. "Just to be in front of all these fans I’ve raced in front of since about the mid-‘90s… it’s pretty special to win here."
The only issue in doubt for the last half of the race was whether Harvick’s car would hold together in the closing laps.
"That wasn’t a comfortable last run there," Harvick radioed to his crew after he crossed the finish line.
A few minutes later, after climbing from his car, he elaborated.
"It wasn’t right," Harvick said. "Luckily we were able to hang-on to it and had a good enough lead to where we could pace ourselves and be able to keep the lead, I guess.
"It got to be a handful there at the end. For whatever reason we got really, really loose the last run. Tires started vibrating and we were just kind of hanging on. Glad the race is over at that particular point for our own good."
The victory vaulted Harvick into the lead in the series standings by nine points over Earnhardt, who has finished third, third and fourth in the first three races of the season.
Fourth in the standings after three straight top 10s to open the year, Truex was gaining on Harvick at the finish but never got close enough to make a move. Nor was Truex aware that Harvick had a potential problem.
"I noticed he was getting a lot bigger, and I asked ‘Why in the world is Harvick so slow right now?’" Truex said. "They gave me my lap times and his and I’m like, "What’s going on?’
"I really thought he was just playing with us, taking it easy because he knew he had a big gap. They never said anything to me about him thinking he had any issues or anything else."
Note: Pole winner Jeff Gordon started from the rear in a backup car because of an accident in the last minute of Saturday’s final practice. The four-time champion’s luck didn’t improve on Sunday. He ran into the back of Jeb Burton’s Toyota as both drivers were trying to avoid the Chevrolet of Jimmie Johnson, who had blown a tire and hit the wall ahead of them. Gordon finished 18th, one lap down… Gordon was the last driver before Harvick to post six straight top-two finishes, a feat he accomplished in 1996.
MORE:
|
NASCAR news |
PLAY: Sign up
|
WATCH: Latest
|
FOLLOW LIVE: Get
|
|---|
2013 XFINITY Series champion earns third series win
Play: NASCAR Fantasy Live
LAS VEGAS, Nev.– As dominant as Austin Dillon was in Saturday’s Boyd Gaming 300 NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, he had to give his utmost effort in the closing laps to hold off charging Ryan Blaney for the victory.
Dillon led 183 of the 200 laps at the 1.5-mile speedway, but Blaney had a tire advantage at the end of the race, thanks to a late pit stop after his car snapped loose and knocked Erik Jones into the outside wall at the exit from Turn 4.
After restarting fifth with 21 laps left, Blaney charged to the front, making up a deficit of more than 1.5 seconds and forcing Dillon to block him repeatedly during the last three laps. Blaney ran out of room in the final corner, his No. 22 Ford turning sideways and tagging the outside wall as Dillon crossed the finish line with an advantage of .664 seconds.
During the closing laps, winning crew chief Nick Harrison made a point of not telling Dillon that Blaney had fresh tires.
"There at the end, you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do," said Dillon, who won for the third time in the XFINITY Series and the first time at Las Vegas. "You got to do whatever you can to win. Our car was dominant all day, and to give one away like that would have been heartbreaking.
"I hadn’t heard in my ear all day that somebody was catching me, and he was catching me at about three tenths (of a second) a lap. And that was all I had. The other good thing is that my crew chief made sure no one told me that he had tires on, so I wouldn’t second-guess myself. I just thought I was getting slower–I didn’t know what I was doing wrong."
In his post-race question-and-answer session with reporters, Blaney was more distraught about his contact with Erik Jones than he was disappointed with his runner-up finish. And after the run-in with Jones, Blaney wasn’t about to move Dillon for the win in the closing laps.
"I didn’t want any more people saying bad things about me after I wrecked Erik," said Blaney, who passed fourth-place finisher Denny Hamlin on Lap 190 and third-place Regan Smith on Lap 193 before charging after Dillon. "I wasn’t going to move Austin, that’s for sure.
"He did what he had to do. He stopped my run. I didn’t expect him to pull over. So, no, I wasn’t going to move him to win the race."
Chase Elliott came home fifth, followed by hometown favorite Brendan Gaughan, rookie Darrell Wallace Jr., Ty Dillon, Brennan Poole and Daniel Suarez.
Ty Dillon, Austin’s brother, took over the series lead by six points over Chris Buescher, who came home 14th.
MORE:
|
NASCAR news |
PLAY: Sign up
|
WATCH: Latest
|
FOLLOW LIVE: Get
|
|---|
Gordon will start in back in Sunday’s Kobalt 400 (3:30 p.m. ET, FOX)
Play: NASCAR Fantasy Live
Coors Light Pole Award winner Jeff Gordon earned the right to start first in Sunday’s Sprint Cup Series Kobalt Tools 400 (3:30 p.m. ET, FOX).
However, contact with Danica Patrick late in the final practice session on Saturday ensures he’ll start from the rear of the field, as the damage endured will force the four-time series champion to a backup No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.
Gordon’s primary car, which he used to earn his 79th career Coors Light Pole Award on Friday, took on right-side damage, particularly in the front.
His team swiftly unloaded the backup car from its hauler and wheeled it to the garage bay, then backed it up and put on a cover. Meanwhile, work continued on the No. 24 primary even after Gordon tweeted he would go to a backup car.
Eventually, the team dragged an oversized toolbox directly in front of its garage stall, blocking the view for the many who were interested in the progress.
While the wrecked chassis is the one Gordon used to win at Indianapolis and Michigan in 2014, his backup is the one that picked up a pair of runner-up finishes in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup at Chicago and Charlotte and was on pace for a top-five before contact with Brad Keselowski derailed his efforts at Texas.
David Ragan, who qualified 13th, also will go to a backup car after slapping the wall in final practice and consequently head to the back of Sunday’s field.
Just when u think everything is starting to go your way 10 spins in front of u & ruins ur day & the @3MRacing @TeamChevy. Going to backup!
— Jeff Gordon (@JeffGordonWeb) March 7, 2015
Brad Norman, who is in Las Vegas, contributed to this report.
MORE:
|
NASCAR news |
PLAY: Sign up
|
WATCH: Latest
|
FOLLOW LIVE: Get
|
|---|
See where your favorite driver will pit in the Boyd Gaming 300 (4 p.m. ET, FS1)
Play: NASCAR Fantasy Live
Following NASCAR XFINITY Series qualifying, pit still assignments were also revealed for Saturday’s Boyd Gaming 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
After winning the Coors Light Pole Award, Austin Dillon had first pick of pit stalls. Dillon chose the stall closest to the pit road exit, which will give him a speedy exit off pit road. He also has an empty stall in front of him, which will eliminate the chance of his No. 33 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet getting blocked in by other cars on pit road.
Brian Scott, who qualified second, chose pit stall No. 15 with an open space in front of it. Erik Jones, who qualified third, also chose a pit stall with space in front of it (stall No. 31), just farther back from Dillon on Scott on pit road.
Coverage of the Boyd Gaming 300 from Las Vegas Motor Speedway gets underway at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1.
MORE:
|
NASCAR news |
PLAY: Sign up
|
WATCH: Latest
|
FOLLOW LIVE: Get
|
|---|