Perfect Chase Grid Challenge now live on NASCAR.com

Posted on September 8, 2014 by

NASCAR Digital Media also enhancing coverage options for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup field was officially set following Saturday night’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series™ regular season finale at Richmond International Raceway^®. Now, until 2 p.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 14, sports fans can log on to NASCAR.com/Grid to predict how they think the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup will transpire by filling out the PERFECT CHASE GRID CHALLENGE.

Entrants can achieve the "perfect grid" — and a chance to win $100,000 — by accurately selecting each driver who will advance through the different stages of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. They will also need to accurately predict the four drivers who will compete in the Championship Round^TM at Homestead-Miami Speedway^SM, including who will be crowned the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion™ and the finishing positions of the three runner ups.

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NASCAR.com’s other prediction game, CHASE GRID^TM BATTLE, is also now live at NASCAR.com/Grid. In the CHASE GRID BATTLE, fans will still predict which drivers they think will advance through the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, but one round at a time. Points will be accumulated based on the number of correct picks and the correct ranking amongst advancing drivers. Prizes will be awarded to four individual round winners, as well as the top three overall.

In addition to the Chase Grid games, NASCAR Digital Media will also offer enhanced race coverage and additional updates across the digital platform during the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

New Live Leaderboards

NASCAR.com has launched brand new interactive live leaderboards just in time for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. New live leaderboard capabilities include:

· New Design – Easy-to-follow layout for a more enjoyable race day, second screen experience

· Customized Leaderboard – Fans may select and pin their drivers to the top or create their very own leaderboard with the just the drivers they want to follow

· New Data Feed from Race Control – Raw data feeds from practice, qualifying and the race let fans experience the live events from the Officials’ points of view

· Full National Series Coverage – Coverage includes events across all three NASCAR national series

LIVE STREAMING

NASCAR.com will provide fans with live streaming options for several events throughout the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, including:

· A live chat with Miss Sprint Cup and all 16 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers from Chase Media Day in Chicago from 2 to 5 p.m. ET this Thursday

· Live stream of Chase Grid Live, a live show featuring all 16 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers, on Thursday following Chase Media Day from 6 to 7:30 p.m. ET

· Live stream of Contender Media Day taking place at the NASCAR Hall of Fame the week heading into the Contender Round

· Live stream of Eliminator Media Day taking place at the NASCAR Hall of Fame the week heading in to the Eliminator Round

· Live stream of Championship Media Day on Wednesday, Nov. 12 from Trump National Doral Miami

· Live post-race show from Homestead-Miami Speedway after the 2014 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion is crowned

NASCAR MOBILE And NASCAR RACEVIEW^® MOBILE Apps

Premium content for both official NASCAR apps is now available to fans at a deep discount during the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup:

NASCAR MOBILE:

· $5.99 Chase Pass for the remainder of the 2014 season

· New "Chase Standings" section, which includes the new Chase Grid that highlights each driver as they attempt to advance through each round of the 2014 NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup

· Updated live leaderboard will feature additional Chase indicators and highlights for each eligible Chase driver

· All new 2014 Manufacturer Standings

NASCAR RACEVIEW MOBILE:

· $9.99 Chase Pass for the remainder of the season

· All new Chase Grid will feature each round for the 2014 NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup

· Updated 3D versions of the Chase cars on-track each week

· Chase indicators will be incorporated throughout the app and live leaderboard

Download or update to the newest version of both NASCAR apps in order to receive these new features. Sprint customers on an unlimited data plan will receive access to all Live Premium features at no additional cost.

The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup begins this weekend with the MyAFibStory.com 400 from Chicagoland Speedway^® on Sunday, September 14 at 2 p.m. ET. The race will be broadcast live on ESPN, WatchESPN, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, with additional coverage on NASCAR.com.

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Posted on September 7, 2014 by

Earns No. 1 seed for Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup

RICHMOND, Va. — The car and driver to beat in the 2014 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup identified themselves emphatically on Saturday night at Richmond International Raceway.

Brad Keselowski led all but 17 of 400 laps in winning the Federated Auto Parts 400, the final race of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series regular season. In the process, he won his fourth race of the season and secured top seeding for the 10-race Chase, which starts Sunday, Sept. 14 at Chicagoland Speedway (2 p.m. ET on ESPN).

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Ryan Newman and Greg Biffle secured the final two of 16 Chase spots on points, Newman with a solid ninth-place run, Biffle with a much shakier 19th-place finish, two laps down.

But it was Keselowski who made the statement in securing the 400th victory across all racing series for team owner Roger Penske.

"What a night!" Keselowski said. "Part of me, I pulled into victory lane and I pinched myself once to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. These are nights you don’t forget as a driver — and you live for. The Miller Lite Ford Fusion was just flying, and this is — I couldn’t ask for a better way to enter the Chase than to win and take the first seed.

"We’re ready. We want to run for another Cup. We really feel like this team has it. Team Penske is really clicking … 400th win for Team Penske, and this feels so lucky, man, to have such an incredible team and a car like we did tonight and be able to execute it and not have any bad luck. We’ve had plenty of bad luck over the last few weeks, but, wow, what a night!"

Keselowski, the Coors Light pole winner, took the lead for the final time on Lap 127 when he beat race runner-up Jeff Gordon and Kevin Harvick, the race’s only other leader, off pit road. From that point on, Keselowski’s No. 2 Ford was untouchable.

Gordon made it interesting in the closing laps, finishing .797 seconds behind the Keselowski, who won for the first time at the .75-mile short track and the 14th time in his career. Clint Bowyer ran third but failed to make the Chase.

Jamie McMurray came home fourth, one spot ahead of Harvick, whose car faded in the final 110 laps.

For the first three quarters of the race, Keselowski was totally dominant, leading 283 of the first 300 laps. Harvick provided the only competition for the No. 2 Team Penske Ford in the early stages of the race, running a high line in the corners and taking the point twice for a total of 17 laps before Keselowski regained control after a restart on Lap 132.

Bowyer grabbed the second position from Harvick with an aggressive move on a Lap 271 restart. Keselowski continued to lead, but Bowyer stayed close for the first 50 laps of the subsequent green-flag run.

Gordon charged past Harvick for the third spot on Lap 290 and took off in pursuit of Bowyer, who surrendered the second position on Lap 319, 10 circuits before a fan caused a caution with an ill-advised, albeit successful attempt to scale the catchfence in Turn 4.

But if that caution gave the drivers behind him a glimmer of hope, Keselowski quickly snuffed it out, pulling away from Gordon, Bowyer and Harvick after a restart on Lap 337 and opening a two-second advantage by Lap 355.

Though Gordon got closer as the run continued, Keselowski had built too big a lead in the early stages for Gordon to challenge for the win.

The four-time series champion acknowledged he couldn’t compete with Keselowski on the short runs, but Gordon wasn’t about to concede the title to his Team Penske rival.

"I didn’t feel like we had a car that could compete with Brad at certain portions of the night, but we just never gave up on it … great pit stops, great adjustments, and there at the end, we were closing on him," Gordon said. "It wasn’t a win, but still great momentum to carry into the Chase.

"This team is on fire, and we just can’t wait to get it all started. It’s been a heck of a year. Our fans and the way that they’ve embraced this season has been extremely motivating, and I know how proud they are. And we’re proud of the effort and the results that we’re getting this year. Ten more weeks that we’ve got to get it done, and this team is ready to do that."

Though Bowyer finished just seven points behind Biffle in the battle for the final Chase position, realistically, the driver of the No. 15 Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota had to win the race to make the postseason.

And Bowyer left nothing on the table.

“That was our best effort,” he said. “That’s all I had. That’s all we had as a race team. We put it all out there, and still, we were just third best.”

Note: Keselowski eclipsed Denny Hamlin for most laps led in a scheduled 400-lap Richmond race. Hamlin led 381 laps in May 2008.

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Posted on September 7, 2014 by Staff Report

Moments that changed the course of the 26th race of the 2014 season

KESELOWSKI DOMINATES, EARNS CHASE TOP SEED

The car and driver to beat in the 2014 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup identified themselves emphatically on Saturday night at Richmond International Raceway.

Brad Keselowski led all but 17 of 400 laps in winning the Federated Auto Parts 400, the final race of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series regular season. In the process, he won his fourth race of the season and secured top seeding for the 10-race Chase, which starts Sunday, Sept. 14 at Chicagoland Speedway (2 p.m. ET on ESPN).

"What a night!" Keselowski said. "Part of me, I pulled into victory lane and I pinched myself once to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. These are nights you don’t forget as a driver — and you live for. The Miller Lite Ford Fusion was just flying, and this is — I couldn’t ask for a better way to enter the Chase than to win and take the first seed.

"We’re ready. We want to run for another Cup. We really feel like this team has it. Team Penske is really clicking … 400th win for Team Penske, and this feels so lucky, man, to have such an incredible team and a car like we did tonight and be able to execute it and not have any bad luck. We’ve had plenty of bad luck over the last few weeks, but, wow, what a night!"

Keselowski, the Coors Light pole winner, took the lead for the final time on Lap 127 when he beat race runner-up Jeff Gordon and Kevin Harvick, the race’s only other leader, off pit road. From that point on, Keselowski’s No. 2 Ford was untouchable.

JOHNSON EARNS TOP 10 BUT COLLAPSES AFTER RACE
Six-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson took five liters of intravenous fluid after a hot Saturday night of racing at Richmond International Raceway, spending more than an hour in the infield care center with a case of severe dehydration.

Johnson exited the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet under his own power after his eighth-place finish in the Federated Auto Parts 400, but slumped against the car before resting on his back on pit road. He stood again, complaining of cramping and dizziness, but leaned against the car until crew members assisted him to a medical cart.

BOWYER FINISHES THIRD BUT FAILS TO MAKE THE CHASE
Clint Bowyer ran third but failed to make the Chase.

Though Bowyer finished just seven points behind Biffle in the battle for the final Chase position, realistically, the driver of the No. 15 Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota had to win the race to make the postseason.

And Bowyer left nothing on the table.

"That was our best effort," he said. "That’s all I had. That’s all we had as a race team. We put it all out there, and still, we were just third best."

The NASCAR Wire Service contributed to this story.

Posted on September 7, 2014 by Zack Albert

Last two drivers into postseason field ready to make some noise

RICHMOND, Va. — Greg Biffle was a bundle of nerves late Saturday night after the hardest-fought 19th-place finish he’s had in his career, but also able to take a deep breath. As the last driver in for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup playoffs, he now has a chance to regroup and put himself in position for a long-sought championship in NASCAR’s top series.

"I am very relieved, but I don’t think I’m going to sleep tonight," Biffle said on pit road at Richmond International Raceway. "Man, my nerves are shot. It was truly one of the toughest things I’ve done."

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Biffle and Ryan Newman claimed the final two positions in the 16-driver Chase on Saturday night, doing what they needed in the face of difficult handling conditions in the Federated Auto Parts 400. Newman had a slightly easier ride, securing his spot comfortably after a ninth-place effort; Biffle was the first driver two laps down, besting third-place finisher Clint Bowyer by just seven points for the final berth.

Biffle’s nerve-jangling result wasn’t helped by a swing and a miss on the setup for his Roush Fenway Racing No. 16 Ford. Nor was it aided by Bowyer’s strong run — a last-gasp victory for him would have knocked the winless Biffle out.

After entering the regular-season finale on a hot streak, Biffle had hoped for his Richmond results to follow suit in his bid for a third straight appearance in the Chase. His car’s drivability nearly conspired against him.

"The last five races, we scored almost more points than anyone with five top-10s in a row, and were looking really strong," Biffle said. "We felt like we would come here and run top-10 easy, and clearly that wasn’t the case. It just caught us off guard and I’ll admit it. We felt like we’re ready for the Chase. We still do. We’re just going to go back and look at what we did wrong and not make that mistake in the Chase."

For Newman, his second straight Chase berth came in a much different fashion. In this race last season, he left Richmond unhappy, but was added to the postseason field days later after the Michael Waltrip Racing results-manipulation scandal came to full light. This time around, Newman was all smiles and on the receiving end of a congratulatory slap on the shoulder from team owner Richard Childress.

"Yeah, drama avoided me this time," said Newman, in his first year driving for Childress. "… It’s a good spot to be after what we’ve been through the last 365 days. It’s something I look forward to, these next 10 races. Everybody … and the guys in the pits have done a good job of stepping up, but we’ve got to step up again, again, and then again, and hopefully we’re in a good spot at Homestead."

Though neither driver was able to challenge race-long dominator Brad Keselowski for the victory, their ability to hold serve with a clutch performance may bode well come Chase time. Biffle’s team tested at Chicagoland, site of Round 1, and plans further sessions at Texas and Homestead in search of keeping pace with the top seeds.

"It’s a really good feeling. We’re going to go after this thing," Biffle said. "We’ve got nothing to lose, so we’re in 15th place and about the only place we can go is up."

Newman completed the regular season eighth in the Sprint Cup standings, the highest-ranked driver without a victory thus far in 2014. He’s never placed better than sixth in the final standings over the course of his 13-year career in NASCAR’s top division, but carries high aspirations for a breakthrough Cup title to the opening Chase race at Chicagoland.

"We’ve had good race cars," Newman said. "We’ve been consistent; I think that’ll pay off at points, but just the opportunity to be in this position all over again is a lot of fun. That’s what I strive for every year is to be a champion. Winning races is good, but being a champion is what the big picture is all about."

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Posted on September 7, 2014 by Zack Albert

Eighth-place finisher at Richmond spent over an hour in infield care center

RICHMOND, Va. — Six-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson took five liters of intravenous fluid after a hot Saturday night of racing at Richmond International Raceway, spending more than an hour in the infield care center with a case of severe dehydration.

Johnson exited the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet under his own power after his eighth-place finish in the Federated Auto Parts 400, but slumped against the car before resting on his back on pit road. He stood again, complaining of cramping and dizziness, but leaned against the car until crew members assisted him to a medical cart.

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Johnson arrived at the care center at 10:45 p.m. ET and was treated and released shortly after midnight. After his stay, he said the bout with illness came on as a surprise.

"Yeah, there is something that went wrong today," Johnson said in his brief remarks. "It could have been my own nutrition plan. I felt like I came in plenty hydrated. We will have to make sure that all the fans and stuff were working in the car. I was warm at the midway point and didn’t feel like my helmet fan was working. That could definitely cause an issue."

Fellow Hendrick driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., parked behind him for post-race interviews, saw Johnson in poor health and went to assist him. After Johnson exited the medical facility, Earnhardt stopped by to jokingly offer his teammate some chocolate milk.

"He needs to go get some fluids," Earnhardt said in an earlier post-race interview. "It was super-hot tonight. I thought I might have some trouble with it because I had a sinus cold all week. … He is the most fit guy in this series and he must have something going on — something that didn’t agree with him today that he ate or drank. He’s always really prepared and invests a lot into being hydrated properly and having all the right things in his body to go racing. I’m a little worried about that. I’m sure he’ll be fine in 20 or 30 minutes when they get some fluids in him."

Johnson, a three-time winner this year and among the highest seeds in the 10-race Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup playoffs, was scheduled to compete in the Lake Davidson Sprint Triathlon on Sunday morning in North Carolina for the last of four legs in the Jimmie Johnson Foundation’s Wellness Challenge. While he said he plans to attend, he has ruled out participating.

The next task at hand will be resting up for the first round of the Chase, which comes Sunday at Chicagoland Speedway, the first of 10 battles in Johnson’s quest for a record-tying seventh title in NASCAR’s premier series. But first, Johnson said he’ll investigate what went wrong in the regular-season finale.

"I haven’t been sick," Johnson said. "I had a light week of training as well because I had planned on competing in my triathlon tomorrow morning. Well-rested, nutrition and all that was there. It is really bizarre that I got hit as hard as I did tonight with dehydration. I will have to dig in and see what happened."

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Posted on September 7, 2014 by Nascar

No. 24 driver reflects on his second-place finish at Chicagoland

JOLIET, Ill. — Jeff Gordon wasn’t going to be disappointed to see Kyle Larson win Sunday’s MyAfibStory.com 400 at Chicagoland Speedway.

After all, Larson isn’t one of the 16 drivers in this year’s Chase For The Sprint Cup. Gordon, on the other hand, is.

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"Kyle had it, I had third wrapped up, (Brad) Keselowski was fading," Gordon said afterward. "I kind of got settled in there at that point that it might be a third‑place day for us. I wasn’t going to be disappointed seeing (Larson) win."

But the first of two late cautions set the stage for some of the closest battles of the day up front, and opened the door for Keselowski to charge back, slip between Larson and Kevin Harvick, and drive off to score the win in the opening race of this year’s Chase.

Gordon had joined the fray when the caution flew for a final time, and fought his way past Larson and a fading Harvick to wind up in the runner-up spot.

"I don’t know if we could have passed these guys like Keselowski did," the Hendrick Motorsports driver said. "The outside lane certainly would have secured some things up for us. It just seemed to work a little bit better on the restarts if you could get to the outside of that guy you’re racing."

A four-time champion in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series, Gordon led four times for 26 laps. His team, led by crew chief Alan Gustafson, was solid and was also among those able to avoid an opening Chase-race stumble.

"We started eighth. We were able to drive up into the top two or three fairly early in the race. I knew we had a solid car," Gordon said.

Taking four tires when others took two also helped.

"We thought we were going to be doing two more often," he said. "That one time we took four, others took two, we got out in front and drove away. The car was driving so, so good right there, I didn’t want any changes.

"Once the other guys, like (Keselowski), Kyle (Busch), Kevin were on equal tires right there with us, I felt like they were a little bit better than us.

"We adjusted and fought through it all day. I thought it was a great team effort. We just hung in there."

Gustafson said the amount of passing among the leaders was a bit of a surprise, based on what he witnessed a day earlier in the NASCAR Nationwide Series event. There were 18 lead changes among seven drivers in Sunday’s race.

"So there was more passing, actually," he said. "You could pass and move; it was good.

"Larson figured that top out and could run up there like nobody. We got our car better at the end there. Iit seemed like Kevin got a little worse. Brad was good, then had his difficulty on pit road early.

"It was a crazy race. The racing at the end was exciting. I guess Brad got the opportunity and took advantage … and I think that was the difference. I think if any one of those four cars got cleared, they would have won the race. He did a good job though."

Race No. 1 of the opening, three-race round is now complete, with stops at New Hampshire and Dover scheduled for the next two weeks.

Twelve of the 16 Chase drivers advance to the second (Contender) round, and a win guarantees advancement, so Keselowski knows his Team Penske outfit is in great shape.

Although they didn’t win, Gordon and Gustafson weren’t gnashing their teeth over the finish.

"We’re going to certainly debrief and evaluate what happened here today," Gordon said. "We’re going to go through everything we can to try to see what our competitors are doing, what we can do to be better."

Gustafson called it "a solid day … a solid weekend."

"Everything was right on par," he said. "I feel good about it; now we’ve got to go out and just keep hammering away."

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Posted on September 7, 2014 by Nascar

A statistical look ahead to the opening race of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (September 8, 2014) –Below is a look at the performances of the 16 Challengers at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois going into the MyAfibStory.com 400, the first race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, on September 14 at 2 p.m. ET on ESPN.

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CHICAGO-SPECIFIC STATISTICS

1 – Brad Keselowski (No. 2 Miller Lite Ford)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 103.0

2014 Rundown

· Four wins, 11 top fives, 13 top 10s; four poles

· Average finish of 13.5

· Led 20 races for 1,278 laps

Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:

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

· Average finish of 12.6 in five races

· Average Running Position of 13.0, 10th-best

· Driver Rating of 93.6, eighth-best

· 85 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 169.375 mph, eighth-fastest

2 – Jeff Gordon (No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 109.1

2014 Rundown

· Three wins, nine top fives, 17 top 10s; two poles

· Average finish of 10.0

· Led 18 races for 545 laps

Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:

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

· Average finish of 11.6 in 13 races

· Average Running Position of 11.9, eighth-best

· Driver Rating of 96.9, fifth-best

· 133 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most

· 548 Green Flag Passes, eighth-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 169.475 mph, sixth-fastest

· 1,769 Laps in the Top 15 (73.5%), fourth-most

· Series-high 322 Quality Passes

3 – Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 National Guard Chevrolet)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 98.0

2014 Rundown

· Three wins, 11 top fives, 16 top 10s

· Average finish of 10.9

· Led 12 races for 220 laps

Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:

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

· Average finish of 15.8 in 13 races

· Average Running Position of 13.9, 13th-best

· Driver Rating of 87.4, 13th-best

· 65 Fastest Laps Run, 11th-most

· 622 Green Flag Passes, second-most

· 1,537 Laps in the Top 15 (63.9%), eighth-most

· 282 Quality Passes, third-most

4 – Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 99.9

2014 Rundown

· Three wins, eight top fives, 16 top 10s; one pole

· Average finish of 14.2

· Led 15 races for 1,035 laps

Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:

· Seven top fives, 10 top 10s; two poles

· Average finish of 8.9 in 12 races

· Series-best Average Running Position of 7.1

· Series-best Driver Rating of 117.1

· Series-high 351 Fastest Laps Run

· Series-best Average Green Flag Speed of 170.236 mph

· Series-high 2,085 Laps in the Top 15 (86.7%)

· 274 Quality Passes, sixth-most

5 – Joey Logano (No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 106.3

2014 Rundown

· Three wins, 10 top fives, 15 top 10s; one pole

· Average finish of 13.2

· Led 18 races for 721 laps

Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:

· One top 10; one pole

· Average finish of 19.4 in five races

· Average Running Position of 17.1, 19th-best

· Driver Rating of 80.7, 20th-best

6 – Kevin Harvick (No. 4 Jimmy John’s Chevrolet)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 106.7

2014 Rundown

· Two wins, eight top fives, 13 top 10s; six poles

· Average finish of 14.8

· Led 18 races for 1,186 laps

Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:

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

· Average finish of 9.9 in 13 races

· Average Running Position of 11.9, sixth-best

· Driver Rating of 96.4, sixth-best

· 557 Green Flag Passes, seventh-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 169.511 mph, fifth-fastest

· 1,637 Laps in the Top 15 (68.0%), sixth-most

· 264 Quality Passes, ninth-most

7 – Carl Edwards (No. 99 Fastenal Ford)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 82.6

2014 Rundown

· Two wins, six top fives, 11 top 10s

· Average finish of 14.7

· Led 9 races for 133 laps

Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:

· Three top fives, three top 10s

· Average finish of 16.0 in nine races

· Average Running Position of 15.1, 16th-best

· Driver Rating of 90.1, 10th-best

· 112 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most

· 569 Green Flag Passes, fifth-most

· 1,570 Laps in the Top 15 (65.3%), seventh-most

· 316 Quality Passes, second-most

8 – Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M’s Toyota)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 88.9

2014 Rundown

· One win, six top fives, nine top 10s; two poles

· Average finish of 18.2

· Led 12 races for 365 laps

Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:

· One win, four top fives, four top 10s

· Average finish of 12.1 in nine races

· Average Running Position of 10.3, fourth-best

· Driver Rating of 102.7, fourth-best

· 124 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 169.608 mph, fourth-fastest

· 1,793 Laps in the Top 15 (74.5%), third-most

· 276 Quality Passes, fifth-most

9 – Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Office Toyota)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 90.0

2014 Rundown

· One win, six top fives, 11 top 10s; two poles

· Average finish of 15.2

· Led 11 races for 163 laps

Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:

· One top five, two top 10s

· Average finish of 20.5 in eight races

· Average Running Position of 16.9, 18th-best

· Driver Rating of 81.2, 19th-best

· 236 Quality Passes, 11th-most

10 – Kurt Busch (No. 41 Haas Automation Chevrolet)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 87.6

2014 Rundown

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

· Average finish of 19.2

· Led 11 races for 181 laps

Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:

· One top five, seven top 10s

· Average finish of 17.2 in 13 races

· Average Running Position of 15.0, 15th-best

· Driver Rating of 86.2, 15th-best

· 64 Fastest Laps Run, 12th-most

· 530 Green Flag Passes, ninth-most

· 1,400 Laps in the Top 15 (58.2%), 11th-most

11 – Kasey Kahne (No. 5 Farmer’s Insurance Chevrolet)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 89.9

2014 Rundown

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

· Average finish of 16.3

· Led 10 races for 204 laps

Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:

· Two top fives, three top 10s

· Average finish of 18.3 in 10 races

· Average Running Position of 17.3, 20th-best

· Driver Rating of 82.8, 18th-best

· 75 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-most

12 – Aric Almirola (No. 43 Eckrich Ford)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 73.9

2014 Rundown

· One win, two top fives, six top 10s

· Average finish of 20.1

· Led 4 races for 21 laps

Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:

· Average finish of 15.0 in two races

· Average Running Position of 13.2, 12th-best

· Driver Rating of 85.8, 16th-best

13 – AJ Allmendinger (No. 47 Kingsford Charcoal Chevrolet)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 70.7

2014 Rundown

· One win, two top fives, four top 10s

· Average finish of 20.9

· Led 5 races for 68 laps

Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:

· Average finish of 17.6 in five races

· Average Running Position of 19.0, 21st-best

· Driver Rating of 72.2, 23rd-best

14 – Matt Kenseth (No. 20 Dollar General Toyota)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 92.8

2014 Rundown

· 10 top fives, 16 top 10s; one pole

· Average finish of 14.0

· Led 16 races for 465 laps

Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:

· One win, three top fives, five top 10s; one pole

· Average finish of 11.8 in 13 races

· Average Running Position of 10.2, third-best

· Driver Rating of 105.4, third-best

· 222 Fastest Laps Run, second-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 169.840 mph, third-fastest

· 1,733 Laps in the Top 15 (72.0%), fifth-most

· 241 Quality Passes, 10th-most

15 – Greg Biffle (No. 16 ScotchBlue Ford)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 81.3

2014 Rundown

· Three top fives, 10 top 10s

· Average finish of 15.3

· Led 6 races for 109 laps

Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:

· One top five, one top 10

· Average finish of 18.0 in 11 races

· Average Running Position of 15.4, 17th-best

· Driver Rating of 87.7, 12th-best

· 75 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-most

· Series-high 653 Green Flag Passes

· Average Green Flag Speed of 169.136 mph, 12th-fastest

16 – Ryan Newman (No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 84.7

2014 Rundown

· Two top fives, 10 top 10s

· Average finish of 14.1

· Led 4 races for 24 laps

Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:

· One win, three top fives, eight top 10s; one pole

· Average finish of 14.5 in 12 races

· Average Running Position of 14.9, 14th-best

· Driver Rating of 83.2, 17th-best

· 561 Green Flag Passes, sixth-most

· 1,311 Laps in the Top 15 (54.5%), 12th-most

· 235 Quality Passes, 12th-most

Chicagoland Speedway:

History

· Construction of the Chicagoland Speedway began in August 1999.

· The first NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Chicago was July 14, 2001.

· The first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race was held on July 15, 2001 – won by Kevin Harvick.

· This weekend marks the fourth year Chicagoland Speedway has been included in the 10-race Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup – Sept. 18, 2011.

Notebook

· There have been 13 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Chicagoland Speedway, one race per season since the first event in 2001.

· 108 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Chicagoland Speedway; 84 in more than one.

· Eight drivers have competed in all 13 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events at Chicagoland Speedway; four of which are Chase Contenders: Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch and Kevin Harvick.

· Todd Bodine won the inaugural Coors Light pole at Chicago in 2001 with a speed of 183.717 mph.

· 10 drivers have Coors Light poles at Chicago, led by Jimmie Johnson with two.

· Youngest Chicago pole winner: Joey Logano (09/15/2013 – 23 years, 3 months, 22 days).

· Oldest Chicago pole winner: Matt Kenseth (09/19/2011 – 39 years, 6 months, 9 days).

· 10 different NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers have won at Chicagoland Speedway, led by Tony Stewart with three; followed by Kevin Harvick with two (first two series events at speedway).

· Six Chase Contenders are former winners at Chicagoland Speedway: Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon, Ryan Newman, Brad Keselowski and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

· Kevin Harvick (2001, 2002) is the only driver to post consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series wins at Chicagoland Speedway

· Youngest Chicago winner: Kyle Busch (07/12/2008 – 23 years, 2 months, 10 days).

· Oldest Chicago winner: Mark Martin (07/11/2009 – 50 years, 6 months, 2 days).

· Joe Gibbs Racing has the most wins at Chicago in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with four: Tony Stewart (two), Kyle Busch (one) and Matt Kenseth (one). Richard Childress Racing, Penske Racing and Hendrick Motorsports each have two.

· Three different manufacturers have won in the NSCS at Chicago; led by Chevrolet with eight victories; followed by Toyota with three and Dodge with two each. Ford has yet to win at Chicago.

· One of the 13 (7.6%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Chicago have been won from the Coors Light pole; Kyle Busch in 2008.

· Five of the 13 (38.4%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Chicago have been won from a top-10 starting position.

· Three of the 13 (23.0%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Chicago have been won from a starting position outside the top 20.

· The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Chicago is 32nd, by Kevin Harvick in 2002.

· Kyle Busch swept the weekend at Chicagoland Speedway winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup and NASCAR Nationwide Series races in 2008.

· Jimmie Johnson leads the series in runner-up finishes at Chicago with three; followed by Jeff Gordon and Matt Kenseth with two each.

· Tony Stewart leads the series in top-five finishes at Chicago with eight; followed by Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick with seven each and Jeff Gordon with six.

· Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart lead the series in top-10 finishes at Chicago with 10 each; followed by Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick and Ryan Newman with eight each.

· Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average starting position at Chicago with a 7.667.

· Tony Stewart leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average finishing position at 8.500.

· Seven of the eight active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winners at Chicagoland Speedway participated in at least one or more races before visiting Victory Lane. Kevin Harvick won at Chicago in his first two appearances (2001, 2002). Ryan Newman won in his second appearance (2003).

· Kurt Busch and Matt Kenseth lead the series among active drivers with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Chicago without visiting Victory Lane at 13.

· Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory (MOV) in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Chicagoland Speedway was the July 12, 2008 race won by Kevin Harvick over Jimmie Johnson with a MOV of 0.159 second. It is the 75th closest finish scored by electronic scoring in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

· Nine out of the 13 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Chicagoland Speedway have had a Margin of Victory less than a second.

· Only one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race has resulted with a green-white-checkered finish at Chicagoland Speedway (Scheduled No. of Laps/Actual No. of Laps): 7/9/2006 (267/270).

· None of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Chicagoland Speedway have been shortened due to weather conditions.

· Qualifying has been cancelled due to weather conditions in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Chicagoland Speedway once – the 2008 event.

· Two active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers have posted their first career start at Chicagoland Speedway: Justin Allgaier (09/15/2013) and Josh Wise (9/19/2011).

· Jimmie Johnson leads all drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in laps led at Chicago with 537 laps led in 12 starts.

· Danica Patrick is the only female driver that has competed at Chicagoland Speedway in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series; Shawna Robinson attempted to in 2001 but failed to qualify for the event

Driver	Starting Position	Finishing Position	Date
Danica Patrick	23	20	9/15/2013
Danica Patrick	41	25	9/16/2012

NASCAR in Illinois

· There have been 14 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races among three different tracks in Illinois.

Track Name	City	NSCS
Chicagoland Speedway	Joliet	13
Santa Fe Speedway	Willow Springs	1
Soldier Field	Chicago	1

· 75 drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as Illinois.

· Two of the 74 have posted at least one victory in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series including NASCAR Hall of Famer Fred Lorenzen.

Driver	NSCS	NNS	NCWTS
Fred Lorenzen	26	0	0
Tom Pistone	2	0	0
Justin Allgaier	0	3	0
Bobby Dotter	0	1	0
Erik Darnell	0	0	2

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Posted on September 7, 2014 by Nascar

Both drivers miss out on making the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup

RICHMOND, Va. — Their chances at racing their way into NASCAR’s 10-event playoff were slim, but both Clint Bowyer and Kyle Larson had a chance, and any chance is better than no chance at all.

Bowyer nearly pulled it off, but neither race winner Brad Keselowski nor Greg Biffle, who finished 19th, gave the Michael Waltrip Racing driver much to work with.

"That’s all I had; that’s all we had as a race team," Bowyer said of his third-place finish. "We put it all out there and still we were just third-best. We’ve got some work to do, but a lot of racing left."

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A win would have earned either driver, Bowyer or Larson, a ticket into the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, which begins next weekend at Chicagoland Speedway. The more difficult process involved finishing the appropriate number of positions ahead of Ryan Newman and/or Biffle.

Newman was steady if unspectacular, rolling his way to a rock-solid ninth-place finish. Biffle seemed more likely to fold, going two laps down at one point in Saturday night’s Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond International Raceway.

But in the end, he managed to do what he needed to do to make the Chase, eventually ending the night with a seven-point margin on Bowyer, and the final of the 16 berths to be awarded.

"If you make the Chase you want to compete for a championship," Bowyer said. "Truth be told, we’re not there right now. A lot of work to do. We’ve got to continue to build on momentum like we had here tonight.

"You know, it’s definitely frustrating not making that Chase, but like I said, when you do make the Chase, you want it to be for a championship, not just ride around in it. We still haven’t won a race … everybody on this 15 team deserves a win by the end of the year, and I’ll see to it they get it."

Bowyer had been a Chase participant on five previous occasions, including the two previous seasons. After qualifying sixth for the final regular-season NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, Bowyer had moved to fourth when NASCAR brought out the caution just past the 50-lap mark.

Quick work by his No. 15 Toyota team put him second in the running order for the restart, but the outside line failed to advance, and Bowyer soon found himself running fourth and having to fight for lost positions.

Throughout the race, he remained in the top five. But Keselowski’s dominance and Biffle’s unwillingness to go quietly into the night left Bowyer Chase-less.

"Tip my hat to my guys, I’m really proud of them," co-owner Michael Waltrip said afterward. "They were really close to winning that race."

But Keselowski, he said, "was just amazing" while runner-up Jeff Gordon "was just a little bit better" than Bowyer.

No Chase, perhaps, but 10 races remain just the same.

"I think that’s their attitude, too," Waltrip said of the No. 15 team. "They don’t quit, they don’t give up. We know that this chapter is closed for us but we can come back and win races; we need to be on TV for … all our sponsors.

"Clint’s got a great attitude, he’s energetic and fun to be around; I think maybe he can let loose now and maybe go win some races and we can finish the season strong."

While Bowyer ran in the top five the majority of the night, Larson, the Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender, spent most of his evening inside the top 10, eventually finishing 11th.

The Chip Ganassi Racing driver finished 16 points behind Biffle.

"I’m still proud of my team," Larson said as he leaned back against his No. 42 Chevrolet. "We’ve been working hard and we’re getting closer."

Larson said he knew his odds weren’t good, but "it was more that I was just hoping for the 16 (of Biffle) to have some trouble; he had about the night I figured he would, which was a smart night, to stay up there and make his way into the Chase.

"Clint was doing a very good job too, all race long. I thought he might have a shot to win. I guess he fell just a little short."

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Posted on September 6, 2014 by Staff Report

Get the on-track times for all the NASCAR national series action

All times ET

TV LISTINGS / BUY TICKETS FOR CHICAGOLAND /WEEKEND TRACK EVENTS

This week, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series head to Chicagoland Speedway.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 14:

PRE-RACE SCHEDULE
— 12:00:00 p.m.: Driver/Crew Chiefs Meeting (watch live on NASCAR.com)
— 1:25:00 p.m.: NSCS Drivers Introductions with NASCAR Special Award
— 1:55:00 p.m.: Team Fastrax Skydiving Team Lands on ballfield
— 2:02:00 p.m.: Intro Presentation of Colors: Inspector-Instructor Staff 2nd Battalion, 24th Marines, 4th Marine Division Chicago, IL
— 2:02:20 p.m.: Invocation by: Glenn Spoolstra, Raceway Ministries
— 2:02:50 p.m.: Intro National Anthem
— 2:03:00 p.m.: National Anthem: Jim Cornelison (After Anthem USA Chant)
— 2:04:35 p.m.: TOT Fly-by: Hooligan Flight Demo Team (5 T-34’s, turns 4-1 will return for second pass)
— 2:07:30 p.m.: PA Read Recognizing First Responders
— 2:09:30 p.m.: "Drivers, Start Your Engines" command by: Austin Mahone
— 2:18:30 p.m.: Green flag for start of the MyAFibStory.com 400 (267 Laps, 400.5 Miles)

ON TRACK
— 2 p.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series MyAFibStory.com 400 (267 laps, 400.5 miles), ESPN (Follow live)

PRESS CONFERENCES (Follow live)
— Approx. 6:15 p.m.: Post-NSCS race

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 11:

ON TRACK
— 2-3 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series practice (Get results)
— 3:30-5 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series final practice (Get results)

SPECIAL APPEARANCES
— 2:15-5:20 p.m.: Live chat with Miss Sprint Cup from Chase Media Day in Chicago (Watch live)
— 6-7:30 p.m.: Chase Grid Live in Chicago (Watch live)

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12:

ON TRACK
— Noon-12:50 p.m.: NASCAR Nationwide Series practice, FOX Sports 1 (Get results)
— 1-2:30 p.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice, FOX Sports 1 (Get results)
— 3:15 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Keystone Light Pole Qualifying, FOX Sports 1–CANCELED DUE TO RAIN (Lineup)
— 4:30-6 p.m.: NASCAR Nationwide Series final practice, FOX Sports 1–CANCELED DUE TO RAIN
— 6:45 p.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying, ESPN2–CANCELED DUE TO RAIN (Lineup)
— 8:30 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Lucas Oil 225 (150 laps, 225 miles), FOX Sports 1–POSTPONED UNTIL SATURDAY DUE TO RAIN

GARAGECAM (Watch Live)
— 11:30 a.m.: NASCAR Nationwide Series GarageCam
— 12:30 p.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series GarageCam

PRESS CONFERENCES (Follow live)
— 11 a.m.: Michael Waltrip
— 11:15 a.m.: Regan Smith
— Noon: Jimmie Johnson
— 12:15 p.m.: Matt Kenseth
— 2:45 p.m.: Carl Edwards
— 3 p.m.: Justin Allgaier
— 6 p.m.: Chicagoland Speedway and Joliet Township High School announcement
— Approx. 6 p.m.: Post-NSCS qualifying

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13:

ON TRACK
— 11-11:50 a.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice, FOX Sports 1 (Get results)
— 12:15 p.m.: NASCAR Nationwide Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying, FOX Sports 2 (Get results)
— 2-2:50 p.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series final practice, FOX Sports 2 (Get results)
— 3:30 p.m.: NASCAR Nationwide Series Jimmy John’s Freaky Fast 300 powered by Coca-Cola (200 laps, 300 miles), ESPN2 (Get results)
— 7 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Lucas Oil 225 (150 laps, 225 miles), FOX Sports 2 (Get results)

PRESS CONFERENCES (Follow live)
— Approx. 7 p.m.: Post-NNS race
— Approx. 9 p.m.: Post-NCWTS race

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Posted on September 6, 2014 by Staff Report

Robin Pemberton, NASCAR Vice President of Competition and Racing Development, hints at last year’s Richmond incident in drivers’ meeting

NASCAR vice president of competition Robin Pemberton issued a brief, but firm warning in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers’ meeting Saturday afternoon in light of the scandal that rocked the sport in this race a year ago.

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"Keep it straight … please," Pemberton said two hours before the green flag for the Federated Auto Parts 400 (7:30 p.m. ET, ABC). "Do a good job and good luck."

The reminder came as the series prepares to set the 16-driver field for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup playoff field in Saturday night’s regular-season finale. Two spots are up for grabs among 19 possible drivers eligible to secure postseason berths, either through their position in points or a clinching victory.

Last season, Michael Waltrip Racing incurred historic penalties after it was determined that the team manipulated the results of the 400-lapper to allow Martin Truex Jr. into the Chase. The team was fined $300,000, Truex was removed from playoff contention and each of its three drivers were stripped of 50 points in the championship standings.

There will also be a competition caution at Lap 50 of Saturday’s race.

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