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Find out where and follow along Wednesday on social media

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On Wednesday, the 16 Challengers in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup will participate in the "Chase Across North America" media tour.

FULL CHASE COVERAGE

• Chase hub page
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• #MyChaseNation

The multi-country media blitz will feature 16 different drivers across 16 different cities, with one driver visiting each of the following locations: every Chase track market, Los Angeles, Mexico City, San Antonio, Toronto, New York and ESPN’s headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut. Follow along with each Chase Across North America event using #NASCAR and #MyChaseNation.
 
Each location will host a Chase driver for a day of special events and media availabilities to kick off NASCAR’s playoffs, which begin Sunday, Sept. 14 at Chicagoland Speedway (2 p.m. ET on ESPN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

U.S. national TV tune-in schedule

Jimmie Johnson / New York City
8:30 a.m. ET "The TODAY Show" (NBC)
9:30 a.m. ET "Live! with Kelly & Michael" (Check local listings)
1:30 p.m. ET "Power Lunch" (CNBC)
11:30 p.m.  ET "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" (NBC)

Kevin Harvick / Bristol, Connecticut
9:35–9:55 a.m. ET "SportsCenter" (ESPN)
11:35-11:55 a.m. ET "SportsCenter" (ESPN)
1:40–1:55 p.m. ET "SportsCenter" (ESPN)
 
Kyle Busch / Chicago
2:40 p.m. ET "SportsCenter" (ESPN)
 
Jeff Gordon / Chicago
6:40 p.m. ET "SportsCenter" (ESPN)

Dale Earnhardt Jr. / Los Angeles
6 p.m. ET "America’s Pregame (FOX Sports 1)
11:30 p.m. ET "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" (ABC)
 
Below are the market/driver pairings:
 
Charlotte: Brad Keselowski: Event Time: 10:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Event Overview: Brad Keselowski will participate in a radio media tour in Raleigh on some of the state’s largest sports, country and adult listening programs. Following the tour, he will join Charlotte Motor Speedway general manager Marcus Smith and North Carolina Lt. Gov. Dan Forest at an outdoor fan event in downtown Raleigh (at popular City Plaza on Fayetteville Street). Keselowski will finish the day with live TV interviews onsite in front of the Bank of America show car.


Toronto: Jeff Gordon: Event Time: 11 a.m. – 2:45 p.m. ET
Event Overview: Jeff Gordon will visit various iconic locations in downtown Toronto, including the CN Tower for a media reception, meet and greet with US Consul General; Dundas Square (Times Square of Toronto) for an appearance with Canadian Tire Series Champion Scott Steckly; the Hockey Hall of Fame for a photo opportunity with the Stanley Cup and former champion Phil Pritchard; and a Canadian Tire retail location for a fan and employee event.

Los Angeles: Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Event: Time: 10:15 a.m. – 6:05 p.m. PT
Event Overview: Dale Earnhardt Jr. will participate in a media tour at the FOX Studios in Los Angeles, appearing on "America’s Pregame" Show, FOX Sports Live, among others. Following the visit to FOX, he will appear on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"

New York City: Jimmie Johnson: Event Time: 8 a.m. – 6:15 p.m. ET
Event Overview: Jimmie Johnson will participate in a national media tour around New York City, appearing on "The TODAY Show," "Live! with Kelly & Michael," "CNBC’s Power Lunch" and "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" and others.

Talladega: Joey Logano: Event: Time: 9:10 a.m. – 12:40 p.m. CT
Event Overview: Joey Logano will visit Children’s Hospital of Alabama at the University of Alabama Birmingham and spend time with the patients for the hospital’s ‘Celebrating Superheroes’ month. In addition, Logano will participate in a radio media tour with some of Birmingham, Alabama’s top radio stations.

ESPN: Kevin Harvick: Event Time: 9:35 a.m. – 1:55 p.m. ET
Event Overview: Kevin Harvick will spend the day on campus at ESPN’s headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut. While onsite, he will appear live on "SportsCenter" at various times throughout the day, participate in interviews for ESPN NASCAR and other programs, and answer questions via @ESPNnascar on Twitter.

Mexico City: Carl Edwards: Event Time: 7:30 – 11 a.m. CT
Event Overview: Carl Edwards will visit Mexico City, appearing at some of the city’s most internationally recognizable locations. He will participate in a media tour with interviews on Televisa, Uno TV / Claro Sports, among others, followed by a media reception at Soumaya Museum and a meet and greet with U.S. Embassy staff at Angel of Independence.

Chicago: Kyle Busch: Event Time: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. CT
Event Overview: Kyle Busch will make a special appearance at G.B. Swift Specialty School as part of The NASCAR Foundation’s education initiative, along with executive director Lorene King, where students will fill out Chase Grids and hear from King and Busch. In addition, Busch will participate in interviews with some of Chicago’s top media outlets, including WGN, ESPN Radio, among others. Following the event, he’ll appear live on SportsCenter and participate in a Chase Grid Live kickoff event with Chicagoland Speedway president Scott Paddock, Toyota Vice President of Marketing Communications and Motorsports Ed Laukes and Miss Sprint Cup Kim Coon at Pioneer Court in downtown Chicago.

Phoenix: Denny Hamlin: 7:30 – 10:30 a.m. PT
Event Overview: Denny Hamlin will participate in a Chase kickoff "Breakfast with Champions" along with Phoenix International Raceway president Bryan Sperber and former Indy 500 champion Tom Sneva. Emceed by veteran motorsports broadcaster Ralph Sheehan, the invite-only event crowd will consist of PIR partners, suite holders, fans and Phoenix-area media at the popular restaurant Joyride. The panel will focus on the new Chase format, with each participant filling out their own Chase Grid, and Hamlin also will participate in a media Q&A session.

San Antonio: Kurt Busch: Event Time: 10:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. CT
Event Overview: Kurt Busch will visit the Center for the Intrepid at Brooke Army Medical Center to meet with wounded soldiers and their family members along with Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage. Following the visit, Busch will appear at Wonderland Mall of the Americas for a fan Q&A with Gossage, media breakout sessions and one-on-one interviews, and a radio contest winner meet and greet.

New Hampshire: Kasey Kahne: Event Time: 11:15 a.m. – 2 p.m. ET
Event Overview: Kasey Kahne will join basketball broadcasting legend Dick Vitale and bracket expert Joe Lunardi at Hard Rock Cafe in downtown Boston’s historic Faneuil Hall area, where they will discuss the Chase Grid. ESPN’s Allen Bestwick will emcee the celebrity panel discussion, where New Hampshire Motor Speedway vice president and general manager Jerry Gappens and Miss Sprint Cup Madison Martin also will be in attendance. Following the panel, the participants will partake in a photo opportunity and media availability.

Homestead-Miami: Aric Almirola: Event Time: 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. ET
Event Overview: Aric Almirola will visit Homestead Reserve Air Force Base, where he will partake in a variety of activities with stationed service members, including a ‘burn pit’ exercise, an F-16 jet launch and lunch. Following the activities, Almirola will participate in a Q&A session with media members.

Kansas: AJ Allmendinger: Event Time: 10 – 11 a.m. CT
Event Overview: AJ Allmendinger will participate in a local media tour in Kansas City, visiting some of the top radio and TV media outlets in the city. Following the media tour, Allmendinger will make an appearance at a Hy-Vee retail store location (partner to Kansas Speedway) for a variety of activities in the store and media breakout session.

Texas: Matt Kenseth: Event Time: 10:15 a.m. – 1:45 p.m.
Event Overview: Matt Kenseth will visit Texas Motor Speedway to participate in a pep rally with six schools representing four districts and over 3,000 students. Following the pep rally, Kenseth will conduct interviews with several local media outlets.

Dover: Greg Biffle: Event Time: 10:15 a.m. – 1:15 p.m.
Event Overview: Greg Biffle will visit with patients at Nemour’s/Alfred I duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Delaware, a hospital in the Delaware Valley that cares for more than 250,000 children annually. Following the hospital visit, Biffle will participate in a media luncheon and roundtable at Kid Sheelan’s restaurant in Wilmington.

Martinsville: Ryan Newman: Event Time: 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Event Overview: Ryan Newman will visit Martinsville High School and participate in a pep rally along with the 150-member marching band, cheerleaders, football players and students. Newman also will take a crash course in robotics, cheerleading, band and punt, pass and kick. Following the pep rally, he will participate in a media luncheon at Martinsville Speedway.

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See what drivers are set to be in the field at Chicagoland

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Entry # Driver Owner Crew chief Manufacturer Sponsor

1

1

Jamie McMurray

Felix Sabates

Keith Rodden

14 Chevrolet

McDonald’s

2

2

Brad Keselowski

Roger Penske

Paul Wolfe

14 Ford

Miller Lite

3

3

Austin Dillon

Richard Childress

Gil Martin

14 Chevrolet

Dow

4

4

Kevin Harvick

Tony Stewart

Rodney Childers

14 Chevrolet

Jimmy John’s

5

5

Kasey Kahne

Linda Hendrick

Kenny Francis

14 Chevrolet

Farmer’s Insurance

6

7

Michael Annett

Tommy Baldwin

Kevin Manion

14 Chevrolet

Allstate/TMC

7

9

Marcos Ambrose

Richard Petty

Drew Blickensderfer

14 Ford

STANLEY

8

10

Danica Patrick

Tony Stewart

Tony Gibson

14 Chevrolet

GoDaddy

9

11

Denny Hamlin

J D Gibbs

Darian Grubb

14 Toyota

FedEx Office

10

13

Casey Mears

Bob Germain

Bootie Barker III

14 Chevrolet

No. 13 GEICO Chevrolet SS

11

14

Tony Stewart

Margaret Haas

Chad Johnston

14 Chevrolet

Mobil 1/ Bass Pro Shops

12

15

Clint Bowyer

Rob Kauffman

Brian Pattie

14 Toyota

PEAK Radiator Guarantee

13

16

Greg Biffle

Jack Roush

Matt Puccia

14 Ford

ScotchBlue

14

17

Ricky Stenhouse Jr

John Henry

Michael Kelley

14 Ford

Ford EcoBoost

15

18

Kyle Busch

Joe Gibbs

Dave Rogers

14 Toyota

M&M’s

16

20

Matt Kenseth

Joe Gibbs

Jason Ratcliff

14 Toyota

Dollar General

17

22

Joey Logano

Walter Czarnecki

Todd Gordon

14 Ford

Shell Pennzoil

18

23

Alex Bowman

Ron Devine

Dave Winston

14 Toyota

Dr. Pepper Toyota Camry

19

24

Jeff Gordon

Rick Hendrick

Alan Gustafson

14 Chevrolet

Drive To End Hunger

20

26

Cole Whitt

Anthony Marlowe

Randy Cox

14 Toyota

Iowa City Capital Partner Toyota

21

27

Paul Menard

Richard Childress

Slugger Labbe

14 Chevrolet

Richmond / Menards

22

31

Ryan Newman

Richard Childress

Luke Lambert

14 Chevrolet

Caterpillar

23

32

Joey Gase(i)

Frank Stoddard Jr

Ben Leslie

14 Ford

Zimmer

24

33

David Stremme

Joe Falk

Mike Hillman Jr

14 Chevrolet

Little Joe’s Autos

25

34

David Ragan

Bob Jenkins

Jay Guy

14 Ford

Dockside

26

36

Reed Sorenson

Allan Heinke

Todd Parrott

14 Chevrolet

TBA

27

37

Mike Bliss(i)

Tommy Baldwin

Tommy Baldwin

14 Chevrolet

Accell Construction Inc.

28

38

David Gilliland

Brad Jenkins

Frank Kerr

14 Ford

Love’s Travel Stops

29

40

Landon Cassill(i)

Michael Hillman

Mark Hillman

14 Chevrolet

Snap Fitness

30

41

Kurt Busch

Gene Haas

Daniel Knost

14 Chevrolet

Haas Automation

31

42

Kyle Larson

Chip Ganassi

Chris Heroy

14 Chevrolet

Target

32

43

Aric Almirola

Richard Petty

Trent Owens

14 Ford

Eckrich

33

47

A J Allmendinger

Tad Geschickter

Brian Burns

14 Chevrolet

Kingsford Charcoal

34

48

Jimmie Johnson

Jeff Gordon

Chad Knaus

14 Chevrolet

Lowe’s

35

51

Justin Allgaier

Harry Scott Jr

Steve Addington

14 Chevrolet

BRANDT Professional Agriculture

36

55

Brian Vickers

Michael Waltrip

Billy Scott

14 Toyota

Aaron’s/Samsung Partner of the Year

37

66

Joe Nemechek(i)

Jay Robinson

Scott Eggleston

14 Toyota

Land Castle Title

38

78

Martin Truex Jr

Barney Visser

Todd Berrier

14 Chevrolet

Furniture Row

39

83

Ryan Truex

Ron Devine

Joe Williams

14 Toyota

Burger King Toyota Camry

40

88

Dale Earnhardt Jr

Rick Hendrick

Steve Letarte

14 Chevrolet

National Guard

41

95

Michael McDowell

Bob Leavine

Wally Rogers

14 Ford

Thrivent Financial

42

98

Josh Wise

Mike Curb

Gene Nead

14 Chevrolet

Phil Parsons Racing

43

99

Carl Edwards

Jack Roush

James Fennig

14 Ford

Fastenal

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

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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 RoundTM at Homestead-Miami SpeedwaySM, including who will be crowned the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion™ and the finishing positions of the three runner ups.

FULL CHASE COVERAGE

• Chase hub page
• Chase Grid games
• #MyChaseNation

NASCAR.com’s other prediction game, CHASE GRIDTM 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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Earns No. 1 seed for Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup

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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).

FULL CHASE COVERAGE

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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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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.

UPS

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.

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."

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 by Zack Albert

Last two drivers into postseason field ready to make some noise

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

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

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

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

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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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