Weekly NASCAR.com preview: March 2-March 8

Posted on March 2, 2015 by Staff Report

See what’s coming this week to NASCAR.com

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

MONDAY: Martin Truex Jr. has had an awful recent streak of bad luck on and off the track — it’s why he’s celebrating a good start to 2015.

TUESDAY: Logano … Johnson … Earnhardt Jr. … Harvick. Just who is No. 1 in our Power Rankings? Plus our weekly video of the best sounds from the scanner.

WEDNESDAY: Check out the new paint schemes for this weekend’s action at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

THURSDAY: Who’s best at Las Vegas? It might surprise you. Driver Reports will have the full story.

FRIDAY: Can’t be on social media all week? No worries. We’ll give you the eight best NASCAR-related tweets of the week.

Also coming this week: From @nascarcasm — Why the safety workers were the (hilarious) stars at Atlanta … senior writer Holly Cain has a story on the Las Vegas race, which won’t have either of the hometown Busch brothers entered … senior writer Kenny Bruce will analyze the new rules package, which has drivers and crew chiefs thrilled with the racing.

Posted on March 2, 2015 by Zack Albert

NASCAR executive also discusses qualifying inspection and more

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NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O’Donnell said Monday that there is "no greater priority" for the sanctioning body and its affiliated tracks than the expanded use of impact-absorbing protective barriers.

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O’Donnell’s remarks, made during a video interview Monday morning with NASCAR.com (which you can watch above), came one day after Jeff Gordon made heavy contact with an unprotected concrete retaining wall on the backstretch at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Gordon’s wreck came just eight days after a heavy crash at Daytona International Speedway that indefinitely sidelined Kyle Busch with multiple lower-leg injuries after he hit a concrete wall without the Steel and Foam Energy Reduction (SAFER) barrier system.

O’Donnell said his team will continue to focus on additional safety measures — with both immediate and longer-term implications — as the NASCAR schedule turns this weekend to Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the opening venue in the three-race West Coast swing.

"I think from our perspective, no different than Daytona," O’Donnell said. "We said that there’s no greater priority for NASCAR in working with the tracks to have SAFER everywhere. In terms of where it makes sense, obviously there’s some challenges with different gates where you’ve got to look at some other technologies, but for us, the process is in place for short-term plans where we’ve worked with Atlanta and the upcoming West Coast tracks, and longer-term, implementing the SAFER barriers as quickly as we can."

As a short-term safety measure, Atlanta speedway officials added 130 linear feet of tire barriers along the frontstretch in the days leading up to Sunday’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500, a move by track president Ed Clark that drew commendations from O’Donnell. But tire barriers weren’t in place for Gordon’s No. 24 Chevrolet at the point of contact, just feet from where the backstretch’s SAFER coverage ended.

"One clarification, I think some of the fans I saw on social media asked why weren’t there tire barriers where Jeff hit, and that’s a challenge for us because that’s not always the best solution," O’Donnell said. "In that case, potentially a tire barrier can sling the car back out into traffic, and obviously that presents an even greater issue. We are working with the tracks short-term to implement any and all safety initiatives we can. Obviously, we believe the car is as safe as it possibly can be. There’s always new learnings that we can apply, but again, no greater priority for us and the tracks than to implement SAFER."

The rest of the Atlanta race weekend provided a virtual potpourri of topics for O’Donnell’s competition department. In terms of new pit-road officiating technology, which debuted with the season-opening Daytona 500, O’Donnell said teams have adapted quickly to the system and that the feared rash of penalties hasn’t materialized early on.

The officiating process has brought a new level of transparency to governing pit stops, a development that should take another leap forward next month at Texas Motor Speedway, O’Donnell indicated.

"We’re seeing calls made but we have the ability to immediately get that to television, to the race fans, and ultimately to the teams to show them what the penalty is and why we called it," he said. "As we head into Texas, we’ll continue to get better. We’ll be able to send that video almost in real time to the pit box, which again will be another improvement. We really like the way that it’s performed so far. We’re learning every week, but it’s something that can get better and better as the season goes on."

O’Donnell also tackled the topic of the inspection process and why 13 teams were left in the cold for Coors Light Pole Qualifying on Friday at Atlanta, forcing several championship-caliber drivers to start from the rear of the 43-car field. Several drivers were critical of the delays, which O’Donnell said could prompt an expanded window of inspection time this weekend.

"When you look at everyone coming into the event, we had some challenges through the inspection process," O’Donnell said. "With the new rules, teams are going to push the envelope a little bit, but there’s also some learnings on our side where as we go into Vegas, we can look at some different things, potentially extend the inspection process, but overall really happy with seeing the level of competition."

O’Donnell also recapped his observations from a busy Saturday schedule, which featured the first scheduled same-day doubleheader for two NASCAR national series at the same track. O’Donnell again lauded Clark’s cooperation, saying that the turnaround time between the races for the XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series went quicker than expected.

O’Donnell left the door open for future twin bills if other speedways expressed interest.

"I think it’s a balance," O’Donnell said. "It depends on the marketplace. It’s obviously got to work, and work within the weekend schedule. Certainly, Atlanta provided that for us with its close proximity to a lot of the teams’ homes. We’ll get feedback from the industry. If the tracks that were out there saw that and want to take a look at it, that’s something we would certainly entertain."

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Posted on March 2, 2015 by Zack Albert

XFINITY Series regular has served as sub for first two Sprint Cup races of ’15

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Regan Smith will remain interim driver of Stewart-Haas Racing’s No. 41 Chevrolet this weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in place of suspended driver Kurt Busch.

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Sunday’s Kobalt 400 (3:30 p.m. ET, FOX) will mark the third straight race that Smith has filled in for Busch, who was suspended indefinitely Feb. 20 — two days ahead of the season-opening Daytona 500. Smith finished 16th (Daytona) and 17th (Atlanta) in his two previous NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts for Stewart-Haas this season.

According to the release provided by SHR, the team has not decided on an interim driver for the following weekend’s race, March 15 at Phoenix International Speedway, or beyond.

Busch was suspended after a Delaware family court ruled that a "preponderance of the evidence" indicated that Busch "committed an act of domestic violence" last September. Busch agreed last Friday to NASCAR’s terms and conditions to pursue reinstatement.

Smith has four career victories in the NASCAR XFINITY Series, where he competes for championship points for JR Motorsports. The 31-year-old driver also has one Sprint Cup victory, bringing Furniture Row Racing its only win in 2011 at Darlington Raceway.

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Posted on March 2, 2015 by Zack Albert

Get a breakdown of how the full 43-car field fared in the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500

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1. Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports. Finding his way to clear air on the race’s final restart, Johnson got all the encouragement he needed over the team’s in-car radio: "Leg it, baby. Leg it." The six-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion did, pulling away to his fourth victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway and the 71st of his career in NASCAR’s top series. Sign up for Scanner today to hear in-car audio. | Sign up for Scanner today to hear in-car audio

2. Kevin Harvick, No. 4 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing. The defending Sprint Cup champion had to carve his way from the back of the field after suffering engine failure during Saturday practice, but was perched atop the leaderboard by the 87th lap in the 325-lap distance. Harvick wound up leading a race-high 116 laps in recording his second runner-up finish in two races thus far in 2015. | WATCH: Johnson holds off Harvick for the win

3. Dale Earnhardt Jr., No. 88 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports. Junior has opened the season by going 2-for-2 in posting third-place finishes despite sustaining front-end damage Sunday when he ran into a piece of debris in the late going. Though he consistently was near the front of the pack, Earnhardt led just one lap all afternoon. | WATCH: Dale Jr.: Crew chief Ives is ‘a pretty good cheerleader’

4. Joey Logano, No. 22 Ford, Team Penske. The Daytona 500 champ continued his hot streak by winning the Coors Light Pole Award on Friday. Though he lacked the power to mount a challenge over the final green-flag run, Logano will enter next Sunday’s Kobalt 400 (3:30 p.m. ET, FOX) at Las Vegas Motor Speedway as the Sprint Cup points leader. | WATCH: Out Front with Miss Coors Light

5. Matt Kenseth, No. 20 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing. The JGR driver — who led 10 laps Sunday and lined up second for the final restart — watched his losing skid stretch to 46 races (dating back to 2013) after a slight fade just before the checkered flag.

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6. Martin Truex Jr., No. 78 Chevrolet, Furniture Row Racing. The modest rejuvenation continues for Truex and the Colorado-based team owned by Barney Visser. The Furniture Row bunch registered just five top-10 finishes in all 36 races last year; two races into 2015, Truex and Co. already have a pair of single-digit results. | MORE: Truex looks to put 2014 woes behind him

7. AJ Allmendinger, No. 47 Chevrolet, JTG-Daugherty Racing. A strong finish on an intermediate track helped lift the spirits of the single-car organization, which qualified for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup playoffs for the first time last year. After just two races, Allmendinger is slotted in a tie for eighth in the series standings. | MORE: Chase Grid after two races

8. Brett Moffitt, No. 55 Toyota, Michael Waltrip Racing. The former NASCAR Next driver needed to receive the free pass two times to do it, but Moffitt closed the deal on the lead lap on a day of firsts for his career-best finish in just his eighth Sprint Cup start. Brian Vickers is scheduled to return to MWR’s No. 55 ride next weekend at Las Vegas.

9. Brad Keselowski, No. 2 Ford, Team Penske. The 2012 champion had hopes for a top-five finish, but his aspirations were also tempered with temporary resignation over what he thought could have been a subpar 15th-place result. "We were just kind of up and down and floating all day long," Keselowski said after settling for somewhere in the middle of his expectations in ninth place.

10. Ryan Newman, No. 31 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing. Newman appeared sunk after absorbing significant damage in a four-car crash on Lap 257, but hard work from his RCR crew in making repairs buoyed Newman to a surprising top-10.

11. Aric Almirola, No. 43 Ford, Richard Petty Motorsports. After opening up 2014 with patchwork finishes of 39th, 15th, 25th, third and 43rd, Almirola has some consistency to crow about this season. "That’s a big head start from last year!" Almirola tweeted after his second straight top-15 finish pushed him into a tie for eighth in Sprint Cup points. | MORE: Follow drivers on Social Drive

12. Carl Edwards, No. 19 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing. Edwards was the beneficiary of the race’s next-to-last yellow flag, helping him recover from a seemingly disastrous flat tire in the 274th lap for a lead-lap finish.

13. Paul Menard, No. 27 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing. The Wisconsin native couldn’t shake the unluckiest of numbers, starting and finishing 13th as the final driver on the lead lap.

14. Kasey Kahne, No. 5 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports. The track that produced Kahne’s last-ditch clincher into the Chase field last September wasn’t so kind this time around. A pit-road penalty for a rolling-tire infraction in the 293rd lap forced the Hendrick Motorsports driver to make a pass-through on pit lane during green-flag conditions.

15. Casey Mears, No. 13 Chevrolet, Germain Racing. Sunday’s top-15 finish wasn’t quite the windfall the Germain team received from Mears’ sixth-place run in the Daytona 500, but the solid day kept its driver in the same position in Sprint Cup points — sixth.

16. Danica Patrick, No. 10 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing. Atlanta provided the backdrop for Patrick’s career-best Sprint Cup finish of sixth place last season. While 16th place marked a slip in performance, the effort — coupled with 21st place the previous week at Daytona — launched Patrick into the final spot on the provisional Chase grid.

17. Regan Smith, No. 41 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing. Smith’s second start as a substitute for suspended Kurt Busch had nearly the same result as the first, just one spot lower than his 16th place in the Daytona 500. The degree of difficulty may have been greater at Atlanta, though, after Smith’s No. 41 was crumpled in a multicar fracas 20 laps from the end. | WATCH: Big wreck brings out the red flag

18. David Ragan, No. 18 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing. Ragan pushed the No. 18 car up into the top five in the early stages of his first start as a fill-in for injured Kyle Busch, but said he was "a little timid" in making needed adjustments as the 500-miler went on. "I felt like we had a good, solid top-10 car and things just didn’t shake out," Ragan said.

19. Trevor Bayne, No. 6 Ford, Roush Fenway Racing. Bayne was at the head of the Roush Fenway class at Atlanta, but frustrated in finishing two laps down. The midpack result left him hoping to see the team’s determination rewarded soon. "I see a lot of people trying to work together and that’s where it starts," Bayne said. "We obviously haven’t seen any results as far as speed is concerned."

20. Justin Allgaier, No. 51 Chevrolet, HScott Motorsports. Allgaier made the most of his survival instinct after two instances of evasive action in the race’s late stages. The second-year driver brushed the wall avoiding the Lap 257 pile-up that snared four cars, then dipped to the apron to dodge the Lap 305 snarl that grabbed seven more competitors.

21. Sam Hornish Jr., No. 9 Ford, Richard Petty Motorsports. Inopportune timing put Hornish in the path of debris from Austin Dillon’s blown tire in the 60th lap. Damage to the front end jolted the grille and left the RPM No. 9 crew fighting an uphill battle for most of the race; his own flat tire and a later brush with the wall only compounded the trouble.

22. David Gilliland, No. 38 Ford, Front Row Motorsports. Gilliland pressed on after a bump from behind in the four-car crash on the 257th lap. He also stayed on the track during the race’s fourth yellow flag to lead a lap for the first time at Atlanta since March 2010.

23. Alex Bowman, No. 7 Chevrolet, Tommy Baldwin Racing. After failing to qualify for the season-opening Daytona 500, Bowman opened his season at Atlanta as one of the biggest movers in a race filled with them. The second-year Sprint Cup driver gained 19 spots from his starting position.

24. Clint Bowyer, No. 15 Toyota, Michael Waltrip Racing. Bowyer gained track position by staying on the track late in the race, but his day went from sour to downright acidic in a hurry. An engine issue developed with around 35 laps left, just before the race’s final crash engulfed him with 20 to go.

25. Greg Biffle, No. 16 Ford, Roush Fenway Racing. The Biff fought an ill-handling car most of the day, but lost the most ground when he overcooked his entry into Turn 3 on the race’s next-to-last restart, igniting the race’s biggest crash.

26. Kyle Larson, No. 42 Chevrolet, Chip Ganassi Racing. The site of an eighth-place finish last season held much higher promise for 2014’s Sunoco Rookie of the Year, but sustaining plenty of contact in the race’s biggest crash near the finish prompted Larson to tweet afterward: "Such a frustrating race. Top 5 car but had no luck." | MORE: Follow drivers on Social Drive

27. Michael McDowell, No. 95 Ford, Leavine Family Racing. The small, family-owned team found some solace in McDowell’s best result in five career starts at Atlanta, marking the first time he was running at the finish at the 1.54-mile venue.

 28. Brendan Gaughan, No. 62 Chevrolet, Premium Motorsports. The Jay Robinson-owned start-up team recovered after failing to qualify for the Daytona 500 with Brian Scott. It marked the occasion of Gaughan’s first Sprint Cup start since August 2013.

29. Michael Annett, No. 33 Chevrolet, Circle Sport Racing. Annett and Co. struck an 11th-hour deal to jump in the Joe Falk-owned ride after his regular HScott Motorsports No. 46 ride missed out on Coors Light Pole Qualifying. The last-minute move kept his goal of a complete Sprint Cup season alive.

30. Tony Stewart, No. 14 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing. Stewart was one of several drivers who started near the back of the pack after issues clearing Friday’s pre-qualifying inspection. Smoke grappled with handling woes for much of the race, but matters got worse with involvement in the event’s final multicar crash.

31. Mike Bliss, No. 32 Ford, GoFAS Racing. The 49-year-old veteran stayed on the track during a pair of early caution periods to pace two laps, marking his first lap led in the Sprint Cup Series since March 4, 2012 (Phoenix). It also was the first time since August 27, 2005 (Bristol) that Bliss has led multiple laps in a Sprint Cup race.

32. Josh Wise, No. 98 Ford, Phil Parsons Racing. Wise was among the first bitten by the new pit road officiating system, incurring a Lap 28 penalty for crew members coming over the wall too soon. Though seven laps down, Wise managed his best finish in three career starts at Atlanta.

33. Joe Nemechek, No. 34 Ford, Front Row Motorsports. The man with the Front Row nickname made his first appearance in Front Row Motorsports equipment, but contact from Greg Biffle’s spin left his car and hopes dented for his first Sprint Cup event of the year.

34. JJ Yeley, No. 23 Toyota, BK Racing. Slight damage from debris early in the race slowed Yeley, who managed to improve upon the 40th-place result from the season-opening Daytona 500.

35. Jeb Burton, No. 26 Toyota, BK Racing. As the only rookie in the 43-car field, Burton made his Sprint Cup debut, forging on after a mid-race scrape with the wall.

36. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 17 Ford, Roush Fenway Racing. Stenhouse played the role of pinball in the race’s biggest crash; though several cars were involved, the No. 17 was the only one unable to continue.

37. Cole Whitt, No. 35 Ford, Front Row Motorsports. An engine that would’ve made a 400-mile distance couldn’t quite withstand the full 500, first dropping a cylinder before expiring altogether, dumping fluid on the track and causing the race’s next-to-last caution period.

38. Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing. Hamlin led twice for 14 laps, but found himself sideways in the middle of the track when he lost control on a late-race restart. Three more cars piled in, prompting Hamlin to offer sympathies: "I apologize to all those cars involved, but it’s tough." | WATCH: Hamlin spins and collects several drivers

39. Austin Dillon, No. 3 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing. A pair of rear tire troubles in rapid succession, both of which sprayed debris on the 1.54-mile track, derailed Dillon’s day. The second instance, with the car already laboring from earlier damage, sent the RCR No. 3 off into the muddy infield and later behind the wall for extensive repairs. | WATCH: Dillon spins after cutting a tire

40. Jamie McMurray, No. 1 Chevrolet, Chip Ganassi Racing. After starting third, Jamie Mac didn’t have visions of finishing in the bottom five Sunday at Atlanta. The tangle that also thwarted three others when Denny Hamlin lost control took him by surprise: "I didn’t see any of that coming," McMurray said. "That was kind of out of the blue."

41. Jeff Gordon, No. 24 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports. The four-time champion drew a Lap 24 tribute from the track with his car number blanketing the main scoring pylon early on, but enduring a crash for the second straight week has his final full Sprint Cup season off to a ragged start. Finishes of 33rd at Daytona and 41st at Atlanta have relegated Gordon to a tie for 35th place in the points standings. | WATCH: Big wreck brings out red flag

42. Ron Hornaday Jr., No. 30 Chevrolet, The Motorsports Group. After failing to qualify for the Daytona 500, the four-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion made his first Sprint Cup start since 2003 on Sunday. The Curtis Key-owned start-up team parked just past the halfway point at Atlanta with a rear gearing malfunction.

43. Landon Cassill, No. 40 Chevrolet, Hillman Smith Motorsports. Starting last, Cassill seemingly had nowhere to go but up at Atlanta. Instead, the 25-year-old driver stayed level as the race’s first retiree for the second straight week, posting consecutive 43rd-place finishes after two engine failures to start the season.

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Posted on March 2, 2015 by Zack Albert

NASCAR spokesman: There is ‘no timetable whatsoever’

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Suspended driver Kurt Busch has agreed to NASCAR’s terms and conditions to pursue reinstatement last Friday, starting the process toward regaining his competition license.

NASCAR issued an indefinite suspension Feb. 20, barring Busch from all NASCAR-related activity after a Delaware family court commissioner found a "preponderance of the evidence" indicated that Busch "committed an act of domestic violence" against former girlfriend Patricia Driscoll last September at Dover International Speedway.

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NASCAR spokesman David Higdon said Monday morning that the sanctioning body consulted with an outside expert to personalize the terms and conditions that Busch will need to meet, adding that there is not a target date in place for his potential return to Sprint Cup Series competition.

"No timetable whatsoever. That’s what the experts tell us," Higdon said. "There are certain things that need to happen within a certain period of time, but there’s no timetable in terms of a return perspective. Secondly, before we put this in place when we worked with the experts on it, they were very adamant about saying the most important thing if you pursue any type of action in this area that you need to have a return-back program. That was why this was atop of our list as soon as the penalty was assessed, our next course of action was to clearly get in front of him the terms and conditions for the reinstatement of the license."

Higdon said that Busch’s path toward possible reinstatement is separate from the terms of the report filed by Kent County (Del.) Commissioner David Jones, who required that Busch "be evaluated by a licensed mental health professional" and to complete any prescribed plan of treatment.

"It’s very much tailored to each individual case," Higdon said of NASCAR’s requirements, drawing comparisons to programs it has previously created for substance abuse and diversity sensitivity issues. "Ultimately, we’ve tried to get among the best in the class to execute the program, and we let them do that externally and then let them come back to us with their recommendations."

The former Sprint Cup Series champion made two appeals Feb. 21, the day after the penalty was announced and the day before the season-opening Daytona 500, but both challenges to the ruling were denied. In both hearings, the two infractions in the NASCAR Rule Book — Section 12.1.a: Actions detrimental to stock car racing; and 12.8: Behavioral penalty — were upheld, first by a three-person National Motorsports Appeals Panel and lastly by National Motorsports Final Appeals Officer Bryan Moss.

Regan Smith, last year’s runner-up in the NASCAR XFINITY Series, has filled in for Busch in the first two Sprint Cup events of the season as driver of the Stewart-Haas Racing No. 41 Chevrolet. He will again pilot the car this weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

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Posted on March 2, 2015 by Nascar

Sunday was first race on an intermediate track under new package

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HAMPTON, Ga. — The rules have changed, but Dale Earnhardt Jr. said the cars remain the same.

"This car is the same ol’ car, man," the Hendrick Motorsports driver said after finishing third in Sunday’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

"The rules changed a little bit, but (the cars) drive the same and actually qualified faster than we did last year. … It’s a good race car. The rules aren’t going to be that big of a deal."

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Sunday’s race at the 1.54-mile track was the first for teams with the new package designed to lessen horsepower, downforce and drag.

Tapered spacers, similar to those already in use in the NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, cut horsepower from approximately 850 to 725 and a lower differential gear (targeting 9,000 rpm) is in use.

The spoiler, which affects the amount of downforce generated on the rear of the car, has been trimmed from 8 to 6 inches, and the width of the radiator pan underneath the car is 5 inches smaller this year.

The goal is to make the cars less aero dependent and put more of the onus on the drivers.

Less overall downforce should also allow Goodyear to producer a softer tire which would wear more during the course of a green-flag run and make tire management more crucial.

"I believe that after about 15 or 20 laps we were really racing," Carl Edwards said afterward, "because the tires were worn out."

Edwards finished 12th in his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. He said he still believes NASCAR needs to continue taking downforce away from the cars.

"We’ve got way too much speed in the center of the corner," he said. "There’s not a lot of change, not a lot of opportunity to go down in the corner and over-drive it or under-drive it because you’ve got such high corner speeds.

"It’s no problem to drive, the problem is it’s too easy. We need to cut those spoilers down and get rid of those splitters."

AMS has always been a track that produced high speeds and plenty of tire wear and this year’s Sprint Cup race proved to be no different in spite of the rules changes. Joey Logano’s winning speed en route to winning the Coors Light Pole Award was 194.683 mph, faster than Aric Almirola’s leading 191.278 mph set in the first round of qualifying here last fall.

On Monday NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O’Donnell said it is "still really early in the process" with the package, but noted the charge of eventual race winner Jimmie Johnson, who started 37th, through the field as well as several others in Sunday’s race.

"I think (we saw) some really solid finishes, so we liked what we saw. Certainly some learnings that we’ll take out of Atlanta. We’ll apply those to the upcoming test in Charlotte and continue to look at ways we can continuously improve the racing."

Sprint Cup Series teams travel to Las Vegas, another 1.5-mile venue, for this week’s race. A two-day test session is currently scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, March 10-11, at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Teams participating in the Goodyear portion of the test on Tuesday, March 10, include one each from Hendrick Motorsports, Furniture Row Racing, Richard Petty Motorsports and BK Racing.

At other 1.5-mile tracks such as Las Vegas, Charlotte and Texas, tire fall-off won’t be as pronounced, race-winning crew chief Chad Knaus said.

"But I do think this type of package will help Jimmie," he said. "I think it will be better for him with the lack of grip. When we go to some of these other race tracks, it’s going to be a different format."

One race isn’t enough to determine the fault or value of the package, Edwards said, "but I really believe if NASCAR keeps going in that direction, taking downforce away, the racing is going to get better and better."

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Posted on March 2, 2015 by Staff Report

Meet Chris Official NASCAR Fan Council member of the month

Name: Chris

Current City: Land O’ Lakes, Florida

Hometown: Orange City, Florida

Member since: 2008

Getting to know Chris

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

"I thought it would be a great way to become more involved in the sport itself and potentially have a voice in some of the future changes and the growth of NASCAR."

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

"The first thing that comes to my mind is tradition. In my house, growing up as a child, there was no football, baseball, basketball, hockey, soccer, tennis or golf on TV. It was just NASCAR Racing every weekend and it’s the exact same way to this day."

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

Driver: "Jeff Gordon."
Track: "Daytona International Speedway."
Memorabilia: "I’ve collected Jeff Gordon memorabilia for many, many years, but I think my favorite piece has to be the actual fire suit DuPont jacket that was produced some years back. I can wear it when it’s super cold out and stay warm, but it also works in weather that isn’t so cold too. Another favorite is one of the lug nuts off of Jeff’s car that a family member gave me."

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

"Dover International Speedway."

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

"Attend NASCAR races and go to Disney World theme parks with my wife, run/workout and climb mountains."

Q: What’s your dream car?

"Chevrolet Corvette."

From all of us at NASCAR, we thank Chris for his continued support and look forward to hearing from him in 2015!

Posted on March 2, 2015 by Staff Report

A stats-based look ahead to the third race of the Sprint Cup season

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. –Below is a look at some of the top statistical performers at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, Nevada going into the KOBALT 400 on March 8.

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LAS VEGAS-SPECIFIC STATISTICS

Greg Biffle (No. 16 Cheez-It Ford)

· Two top fives, six top 10s; one pole

· Average finish of 14.5

· Average Running Position of 12.3, sixth-best

· Driver Rating of 97.9, fifth-best

· 150 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most

· 568 Green Flag Passes, eighth-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 170.725 mph, fifth-fastest

· 1,759 Laps in the Top 15 (65.4%), eighth-most

· 281 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), 11th-most

Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet)

· Three top fives, eight top 10s

· Average finish of 14.7

· Average Running Position of 14.0, eighth-best

· Driver Rating of 91.5, ninth-best

· 108 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most

· 584 Green Flag Passes, fifth-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 170.610 mph, sixth-fastest

· 1,857 Laps in the Top 15 (69.0%), sixth-most

· 336 Quality Passes, fifth-most

Carl Edwards (No. 19 Comcast Toyota)

· Two wins, five top fives, six top 10s

· Average finish of 9.2

· Average Running Position of 12.0, fifth-best

· Driver Rating of 97.8, sixth-best

· 159 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most

· 636 Green Flag Passes, second-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 170.568 mph, seventh-fastest

· 1,879 Laps in the Top 15 (69.8%), fourth-most

· 390 Quality Passes, second-most

Jeff Gordon (No. 24 3M Chevrolet)

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

· Average finish of 15.0

· Average Running Position of 9.7, second-best

· Driver Rating of 103.7, second-best

· 181 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most

· 548 Green Flag Passes, 11th-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 170.927 mph, third-fastest

· Series-high 2,130 Laps in the Top 15 (79.2%)

· 385 Quality Passes, third-most

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

· Three top fives, five top 10s

· Average finish of 14.7

· Average Running Position of 11.6, fourth-best

· Driver Rating of 94.5, eighth-best

· 89 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-most

· 571 Green Flag Passes, sixth-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 170.564 mph, eighth-fastest

· 1,870 Laps in the Top 15 (69.5%), fifth-most

· 316 Quality Passes, sixth-most

Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 KOBALT Tools Chevrolet)

· Four wins, five top fives, eight top 10s

· Average finish of 9.2

· Series-best Average Running Position of 8.9

· Series-best Driver Rating of 113.6

· Series-high 346 Fastest Laps Run

· 553 Green Flag Passes, 10th-most

· Series-best Average Green Flag Speed of 171.233 mph

· 2,090 Laps in the Top 15 (77.7%), third-most

· 365 Quality Passes, fourth-most

Kasey Kahne (No. 5 Time Warner Cable Chevrolet)

· Three top fives, six top 10s; three poles

· Average finish of 13.5

· Average Running Position of 14.3, 11th-best

· Driver Rating of 88.1, 10th-best

· 94 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-most

· 609 Green Flag Passes, third-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 170.170 mph, 11th-fastest

· 1,735 Laps in the Top 15 (64.5%), ninth-most

· 290 Quality Passes, 10th-most

Matt Kenseth (No. 20 DEWALT Toyota)

· Three wins, six top fives, eight top 10s; one pole

· Average finish of 11.5

· Average Running Position of 14.0, 10th-best

· Driver Rating of 98.1, fourth-best

· 197 Fastest Laps Run, second-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 170.972 mph, second-fastest

· 1,774 Laps in the Top 15 (65.9%), seventh-most

· 295 Quality Passes, ninth-most

Joey Logano (No. 22 Pennzoil Ford)

· One top five, two top 10s; one pole

· Average finish of 12.3

· Average Running Position of 13.8, seventh-best

· Driver Rating of 87.5, 11th-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 170.111 mph, 12th-fastest

Ryan Newman (No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet)

· Three top fives, seven top 10s; one pole

· Average finish of 17.3

· Driver Rating of 81.9, 12th-best

· 37 Fastest Laps Run, 12th-most

· 1,667 Laps in the Top 15 (61.9%), 11th-most

· 298 Quality Passes, seventh-most

Tony Stewart (No. 14 Mobil 1/ Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet)

· One win, six top fives, nine top 10s

· Average finish of 14.0

· Average Running Position of 14.0, ninth-best

· Driver Rating of 97.1, seventh-best

· 188 Fastest Laps Run, third-most

· 538 Green Flag Passes, 12th-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 170.498 mph, ninth-fastest

· 1,733 Laps in the Top 15 (64.4%), 10th-most

· 298 Quality Passes, seventh-most

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 2015 Top 16 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Rank	Driver	Races	Poles	Wins	Top Fives	Top 10s	DNFs	Average Finish	Driver Rating
Rank	Driver	Races	Poles	Wins	Top Fives	Top 10s	DNFs	Average Finish	Driver Rating
1	Joey Logano	6	1	0	1	2	0	12.3	87.5
2	Jimmie Johnson	13	0	4	5	8	0	9.2	113.6
3	Kevin Harvick	14	0	0	3	5	0	14.7	94.5
4	Dale Earnhardt Jr.	15	0	0	3	8	2	14.7	91.5
5	Martin Truex Jr.	9	0	0	0	2	0	16.0	81.9
6	Casey Mears	11	0	0	0	3	0	20.9	57.3
7	Kasey Kahne	11	3	0	3	6	2	13.5	88.1
8	AJ Allmendinger	5	0	0	0	0	0	26.4	60.7
9	Aric Almirola	6	0	0	0	0	3	31.3	51.2
10	Clint Bowyer	9	0	0	1	3	0	17.8	74.2
11	David Gilliland	8	0	0	0	0	1	27.0	49.5
12	Sam Hornish Jr.	3	0	0	0	0	0	28.3	62.3
13	Greg Biffle	11	1	0	2	6	1	14.5	97.9
14	Carl Edwards	10	0	2	5	6	0	9.2	97.8
15	David Ragan	8	0	0	0	1	1	26.9	52.3
16	Danica Patrick	2	0	0	0	0	0	27.0	49.3

* – Based on last 10 races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (2005 – 2014).

Las Vegas Motor Speedway Data

Season Race #: 3 of 36 (3-8-15)

Track Size: 1.5-miles

Banking/Turns 1 & 2: 20 degrees

Banking/Turns 3 & 4: 20 degrees

Banking/Frontstretch: 9 degrees

Banking/Backstretch: 9 degrees

Frontstretch Length: 2,275 feet

Backstretch Length: 1,572 feet

Race Length: 267 laps / 400.5 Kilometers

Top 10 Driver Ratings at Las Vegas

Jimmie Johnson…………………… 113.6

Jeff Gordon………………………… 103.7

Kyle Busch…………………………. 103.4

Matt Kenseth………………………… 98.1

Greg Biffle……………………………. 97.9

Carl Edwards………………………… 97.8

Tony Stewart…………………………. 97.1

Kevin Harvick………………………… 94.5

Dale Earnhardt Jr.………………….. 91.5

Kasey Kahne………………………… 88.1

Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2014 races (10 total) among active drivers at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Qualifying/Race Data

2014 pole winner:

Joey Logano, Ford

193.278 mph, 27.939 secs. 03-07-14

2014 race winner:

Brad Keselowski, Ford

154.633 mph, (2:35:24), 03-09-14

Track qualifying record:

Joey Logano, Ford

193.278 mph, 27.939 secs. 03-07-14

Track race record:

Brad Keselowski, Ford

154.633 mph, (2:35:24), 03-09-14

At Las Vegas Motor Speedway:

History

· The construction to build the superspeedway known today as Las Vegas Motor Speedway (LVMS) began in 1995. Speedway Motorsports Inc. acquired the property in 1998.

· The first NASCAR race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway was a NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race won by Ken Schrader on Nov. 2, 1996.

· The first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race was held on March 1, 1998, won by Mark Martin.

· In 2006, the track was reconfigured to include progressive banking.

Notebook

· There have been 17 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

· 135 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Las Vegas; 100 in more than one.

· Two drivers have participated in all 17 races: Jeff Burton and Jeff Gordon.

· Dale Jarrett won the inaugural pole with a speed of 168.224 mph (32.773 secs.).

· 11 drivers have poles at LVMS, led by Kasey Kahne with three (2004, 2007 and 2012).

· Kyle Busch is the only driver to win consecutive poles at LVMS from (2008-‘09).

· Youngest LVMS pole winner: Kyle Busch (3/2/2008 – 22 years, 10 months, 0 days).

· Oldest LVMS pole winner: Dale Jarrett (3/4/2001 – 44 years, 3 months, 6 days).

· 10 different drivers have won at LVMS, led by Jimmie Johnson (four). Three other drivers have multiple wins at Las Vegas: Matt Kenseth (three), Jeff Burton, Carl Edwards (each have two).

· Roush Fenway Racing leads the series in wins at Las Vegas with seven, followed by Hendrick Motorsports with five.

· Las Vegas-native Kyle Busch became the first and only driver to win from the pole, in 2009.

· Only three LVMS races (17.6%) have been won from the front row: Kyle Busch, 2009 (pole); Carl Edwards, 2008 (second-place); Brad Keselowski, 2014 (second-place).

· Four of the 17 races (23.5%) have been won from a top-five starting position at Las Vegas.

· Eight of the 17 (47%) races have been won from a top-10 starting position at Las Vegas.

· Four of the 17 races (23.5%) at Las Vegas have been won from a starting position outside the top 20.

· The deepest in the field that a race winner has started was 25th, by Matt Kenseth in 2004.

· Youngest LVMS winner: Kyle Busch (03/01/2009 – 23 years, 9 months, 27 days).

· Oldest LVMS winner: Sterling Marlin (03/03/2002 – 44 years, 7 months, 32 days).

· Dale Earnhardt Jr. leads the series in runner-up finishes at Las Vegas with three; followed by Kasey Kahne and Tony Stewart with two each.

· Matt Kenseth, Mark Martin, Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart lead the series in top-five finishes at Las Vegas with six each.

· Mark Martin has 10 top-10 finishes, more than any other driver. Tony Stewart leads all active drivers with nine top-10 finishes.

· Carl Edwards leads the series in average finish at LVMS with a 9.200; Jimmie Johnson (9.231) is the only other active driver with an average finish in the top 10.

· There has been one green-white-checkered finish at Las Vegas: 2006 (270/267).

· Kyle Busch made his first start and Kasey Kahne won his first pole at Las Vegas, in the same event (2004).

· Aric Almirola made his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career start at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2007.

· Three drivers have won consecutive races at Las Vegas: Jeff Burton (1999, 2000); Matt Kenseth (2003, 2004) and Jimmie Johnson is the only one of the three to win three consecutive races (2005, 2006 and 2007).

· Eight of the 10 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers who have won at Las Vegas participated in at least two or more races before visiting Victory Lane. Mark Martin (1998; inaugural event) is the only driver to win at Las Vegas in his first appearance.

· Tony Stewart competed at Las Vegas Motor Speedway 13 times before winning (2012); the longest span of any the nine winners. Stewart is the only driver to have made 10 or more attempts before his first win at LVMS.

· Dale Earnhardt Jr. leads the series (active drivers) with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Las Vegas without visiting Victory Lane with 15.

· Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Las Vegas was the (3/12/2006) race won by Jimmie Johnson with a MOV of 0.045 second.

· No driver has won the first three races of the season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The five drivers that have won the first two events of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season are: Matt Kenseth (2009), Jeff Gordon (1997), David Pearson (1976), Bob Welborn (1959) and Marvin Panch (1957).

· Three reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champions have gone on to win at Las Vegas the following season: Matt Kenseth (2004), Jimmie Johnson is the only one to do it multiple times (2007, 2010) and Tony Stewart (2012).

· Three drivers have won at Las Vegas and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship in the same season: Jeff Gordon (2001), Matt Kenseth (2003) and Jimmie Johnson (2006, 2007 and 2010).

· Danica Patrick and Shawna Robinson are the only two female drivers to compete at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

Driver	Starting Position	Finishing Position	Date
Danica Patrick	22	21	3/9/2014
Danica Patrick	37	33	3/10/2013
Shawna Robinson	36	42	3/3/2002

· Only two car numbers have produced three or more Las Vegas NSCS wins:

Car Number – Drivers – (Years)

o No. 48 – Jimmie Johnson (2005-2007 and 2010)

o No. 99 – Jeff Burton (1999, 2000) Carl Edwards (2008, 2011)

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Posted on March 1, 2015 by

Hamlin’s slip-up collects four-time champ, McMurray, Newman

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HAMPTON, Ga. — Jeff Gordon’s first career Sprint Cup Series race came at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 1992.

The then-21-year-old rookie finished 31st after a loose No. 24 Chevrolet eventually found its way into the wall, taking on too much damage to complete more than 164 laps.

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That race was still better than how the veteran Hendrick Motorsports driver fared in Sunday’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500, his final race at the 1.54-mile speedway.

A spin from Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin on Lap 257 triggered a wreck that collected another three cars, with Gordon’s Chevy SS taking the brunt of the damage after it was sent careening into the outside wall and then a non-SAFER barrier-protected segment of the inside wall.

“I saw the No. 11 (of Hamlin) going sideways. I had him cleared. I stood on the gas and went by him; but I guess he might have clipped the No. 1 (of Jamie McMurray) and it turned the No. 1 back into me," said Gordon, who wound up 41st. "After that I was just along for the ride. It looks like maybe the No. 31 (of Ryan Newman) came down in trying to avoid the No. 11 and got into the No. 1 and then he clipped me in the left rear and sent me down the back straightaway."

Of the four that took damage, only Newman’s car was salvageable. The RCR driver managed to use a separate late-race wreck to get back into the fold and squeeze his way toward the front for a 10th-place finish. Hamlin and McMurray weren’t as lucky, as the pair finished 38th and 40th, respectively.

McMurray had a front row seat for what sparked the wreck but wasn’t quite sure what happened at first. After seeing video of the event, it seemed pretty clear to him.

“So, the No. 11 just got loose," McMurray said. "It’s pretty hard to pass and you run wide-open so long that you take what you can get when you can get it. And the restarts are the best place to pass on the track; especially if you’re on the bottom. That’s a pretty big advantage here. You’re just racing as hard as you can and unfortunately we just had an accident there."

The Chip Ganassi Racing driver finished 27th at Daytona and currently stands 32nd in points after two races.

While McMurray appears to think Hamlin got loose by taking a gamble, it’s possible that the new technical package had a significant hand in it. The rear spoiler has been lowered from eight to six inches, decreasing the rear downforce of the car. This wreck could have just been a matter of Hamlin not having enough handle in the back of his No. 11, along with a slick race track.

"I apologize to all those cars involved," Hamlin said. "It’s tough. We had a good FedEx Ground Toyota for most of the day, we just lost the handle there … kind of put us in a spot we hadn’t restarted all day and just got a little loose."

Out of all the cars involved, though, it affects Gordon the most. Not only is it not the finish he wanted at a track that holds such an important piece of his career, the unfortunate showing puts him in a 72-point hole to start his final season after a 33rd-place finish in the Daytona 500.

"I hate it for this team. We were struggling," Gordon said. "We didn’t have the 3M Chevrolet that I thought we were going to have, but we weren’t giving up on it. We were going to make gains and we finally got ourselves in the top 10 and I think we had a shot of getting into the top five. But obviously it’s not the way we want to start our season.

"We just have to dig ourselves out of this hole."

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Posted on March 1, 2015 by

Six-time champion pulls away from Harvick on late-race restart

HAMPTON, Ga.—Coors Light Pole-sitter Joey Logano and Kevin Harvick dominated the early and middle stages of Sunday’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway—before Jimmie Johnson decided to crash the party.

Johnson didn’t take the lead in the second NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race of the season until Lap 198 of 325, but from then on, his No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet was the class of the field, leading six times for 92 laps in winning for the fourth time at Atlanta and for the 71st time in his career.

For the second straight event in NASCAR’s premier series, Harvick and Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished second and third, respectively. Logano ran fourth, followed by Matt Kenseth, who capitalized on a late track-position play by staying out on old tires.

PHOTOS: Best images from Atlanta

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ALL-TIME SPRINT CUP WINS LIST

Rank	Driver	Wins
1.	Richard Petty	200
2.	David Pearson	105
3.	Jeff Gordon*	92
4t.	Bobby Allison	84
4t.	Darrell Waltrip	84
5.	Cale Yarborough	83
6.	Dale Earnhardt	76
7.	Jimmie Johnson*	71

*Active

Johnson surged into the lead after a restart on Lap 305, starting fourth and charging past three drivers—Kenseth, Clint Bowyer and Brett Moffitt—who had stayed out under caution for Cole Whitt’s blown engine.

After Johnson took the top spot, a massive wreck in Turn 3 on the restart lap slowed the field for the 10th time. NASCAR red-flagged the race for 9 minutes, 1 second, after which Johnson led the field to a restart on Lap 312, with Kenseth beside him in the outside lane.

Johnson parried a bid for the lead from Earnhardt and quickly pulled away, ultimately crossing the finish line 1.802 seconds ahead of Harvick, who passed Earnhardt for the runner-up spot on Lap 319.

Martin Truex Jr., AJ Allmendinger, Moffitt, Brad Keselowski and Ryan Newman completed the top 10. Moffitt was driving the No. 55 Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota in lieu of Brian Vickers, who is recovering from offseason heart surgery. Vickers is scheduled to return to action next weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

MORE: Chase Grid standings after Atlanta

Before he could get to the front of the field, Johnson had obstacles to overcome. Along with 12 other cars, the No. 48 Chevrolet didn’t get through pre-qualifying inspection on Friday in time to post a speed in time trials. Consequently, the six-time premier series champion started 37th on Sunday.

The starting position toward the back of the grid also meant an awkward pit stall selection in front of Carl Edwards and behind Joe Nemechek. Johnson lost positions on pit road until Nemechek fell off the lead lap and the No. 48 Chevrolet got past Edwards’ No. 19 Toyota on the race track.

"We had a great race car, and unfortunately the way qualifying went (Friday), we didn’t have a good pit stall pick, and it took us a long time to get in front of the No. 19 (Edwards)," Johnson said. "Once we did that, we were able to utilize our awesome pit crew; get the stops done and race for the win and get the job done today.

"Just very, very thankful. They (the team) surprised me today. We weren’t that good (Saturday in practice), and they really dug deep and figured out what I needed in this race car and gave me an awesome Lowe’s Chevrolet."

With the victory, Johnson is all but assured of remaining the only driver to have qualified for every Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup since the inception of the playoff format in 2004.

"I think it is pretty much a lock, as long as we have a smooth season," Johnson said. "I think if we win a second one, it is definitely a lock. But this takes a ton of pressure off."

Harvick qualified second but started from the rear after blowing an engine in Saturday’s practice and replacing it. With a banzai run to the front of the field, however, Harvick took the lead for the first time on Lap 87 and held the top spot six times for a race-high 116 laps.

But Harvick lost track position when he spun his tires in the outside lane on a Lap 257 restart and never got back to the lead. The coup de grace to the reigning series champion’s chances came on the Lap 305 restart when he was trapped behind Moffitt in the inside lane.

"I had one bad restart there where I spun the tires on the outside, and we just never recovered from that one," Harvick said. "And then we got behind the No. 55 (Moffitt) when he was kind of shooting for the moon there to go on the restart—and he just didn’t go.

"And then we got passed again. But, all in all, it was a great day."

Notes: The race produced 28 lead changes among 12 different drivers, though Johnson, Harvick and Logano combined to lead 292 of 325 laps… For the second straight week, Jeff Gordon was the victim of a late wreck; he finished 41st… Logano leads Johnson by one point in the series standings. Harvick is two points back in third, with Earnhardt four behind in fourth.

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